Health

Governors of about 20 U.S. states spared the worst of the coronavirus pandemic may start reopening their economies by President Donald Trump's May 1 target date, a top U.S. health official said on Wednesday, as fresh data illustrated the economic and human toll brought by the crisis.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday stressed to China's top diplomat the need for full transparency and information sharing to fight against the coronavirus outbreak, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that hospitalizations due to the novel coronavirus declined for a second day and that his state's healthcare system has stabilized to the point that it could give ventilators to other states.

The repatriation of the final 15 passengers from the Greg Mortimer cruise ship, stranded in Uruguayan waters since March 27 due to an outbreak of the coronavirus on board, will take place on Wednesday afternoon, the government said.

Turkey's confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by 4,281 in the past 24 hours, and 115 more people have died, taking the death toll to 1,518, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Wednesday.

Hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp has put around 10% of its workforce on furlough due to a reduction in elective surgeries and other services brought about by the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter sent to employees on Wednesday.

Singapore's health ministry on Wednesday confirmed 447 new coronavirus cases in the biggest daily jump, to bring the total number of cases in the city-state to 3,699.

Reported cases of the coronavirus crossed 2 million globally and more than 131,100 people have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 1400 GMT on Wednesday.

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to temporarily halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) over its handling of the COVID-19 disease pandemic.

The head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday that he regretted President Trump's decision to pull funding for the agency and called for global unity to fight the new coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. President Donald Trump's move to halt funding to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic prompted condemnation on Wednesday from world leaders as recorded global infections passed the 2 million mark.

Portugal's coronavirus curve has flattened but the good news is still not enough for the country to lift lockdown measures and reopen its tourism-dependent, export-oriented economy, government ministers said on Wednesday.

The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party said on Wednesday that the government had been too slow to impose a lockdown to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus and so could end up having the worst death rate in Europe.

It is hard to say why the number of people in hospital beds with COVID-19 is dropping faster in London than elsewhere in Britain, a government science adviser said on Wednesday.

Twelve-year-old Giulio Giovanni's studying place has a view many people would envy - the unspoiled countryside of rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves under a Tuscan sun.

Jordan's Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz said on Wednesday the government would soon ease a tight lockdown imposed to stem the spread of new coronavirus by allowing more businesses and industries to return to work.

Jordan's Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz said on Wednesday the government would soon ease a tight lockdown imposed to stem the spread of coronavirus by allowing more businesses and industries to return to work.

Bulgaria will start large-scale testing for COVID-19 infections after securing sufficient test kits, easing a serious shortage, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev said on Wednesday.

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 578 on Wednesday, down from 602 the day before, while the number of new cases slowed to 2,667 from a previous 2,972, continuing the recent downward trend.