Coronavirus live news: WHO halts trial of hydroxychloroquine; Germany bans all major events until October
WHO says hydroxychloroquine showed no benefit; Germany extends ban on large events for four months; Beijing raises alert level and grounds hundreds of flights
- Covid-19 outbreaks in New Zealand and China highlight stark choices
- Spanish opera house reopens with concert for plants
- Six US states see record new cases
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South Korea’s top health official has expressed caution on the UK’s successful trial of Dexamethasone, the low-cost anti-inflammatory drug found to save lives when used on coronavirus patients.
Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said: “Some experts have warned of the drug not only reducing the inflammatory response in patients, but also the immune system and may trigger side-effects.”
America’s top public health expert has warned the nation it is “still in the first wave” of coronavirus infections and deaths, as six states report record numbers of new cases amid continued rapid easing of lockdown restrictions.
Anthony Fauci, the head of the White House coronavirus taskforce, expressed worry about new hotspots for infections in major US states, while also advising that “personally, I would not” attend Donald Trump’s first political rally in months, due on Saturday, in Oklahoma, where vast crowds are expected despite rising Covid-19 cases.
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