US President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors to built ventilators for hospitals, he announced at the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing.
The Irish government has announced sweeping restrictions that will put Ireland in a de facto lockdown. The taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said on Friday evening that from midnight people should stay home for two weeks, until 12 April, in a significant tightening of curbs on social and commercial life.
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro insinuated that the number of coronavirus cases was being inflated for political purposes. He added: “Some people will die. I’m sorry. That’s life.”
Syria said on Friday it was banning travel between cities and governorates as part of tightening measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Syria has recorded five cases of corona virus so far but relief agencies worry that any outbreak could be lethal after years of conflict that has ravaged its healthcare system.
The UK has again recorded its biggest daily rise in coronavirus deaths. In the last 24 hours, 181 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19. It comes after 115 deaths were recorded the day before. The UK death toll stands at 759, with 14,579 confirmed cases.
Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is exhibiting “mild symptoms”. In a video posted on Twitter, Johnson confirmed he had developed “a temperature and persistent cough” over the last 24 hours. The UK prime minister, 55, said he was now self-isolating and working from home and would continue to lead the national fightback against the virus. Matt Hancock, the UK’s health secretary, also tested positive.
