BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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BEIJING -- The Chinese capital will lower its emergency response to the novel coronavirus epidemic from the top level to the second level starting April 30, the latest sign of social order restoration as the epidemic conditions have been eased.
The decision was made after the city had seen no new confirmed local or imported COVID-19 cases for 13 consecutive days, said Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, at a press conference on Wednesday.
On Jan. 24, Beijing activated the highest level of public health emergency response to contain the outbreak of the epidemic.
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WARSAW -- Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced on Wednesday that his government will lift additional restrictions next Monday which were put in place to contain the COVID-19 epidemic.
Starting from Monday, malls will be allowed to function again, with cinemas and gyms as exceptions. Businesses are, however, required to follow strict sanitary and distancing rules. The same goes for cultural institutions, including libraries and museums, which are allowed to open to the public from Monday.
Hotels and hostels are also included in the businesses which are allowed to operate in what is the second stage of gradual opening of the Polish economy and society. The first stage, which went in effect on April 20, saw parks open for the public again, as well as increases in the number of customers retailers could allow on their premises at one time.
The Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that 12,415 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 so far in Poland, of whom 606 patients died.
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BANGKOK -- Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed on Wednesday the re-opening of several sectors of the services industry as the COVID-19 curve is on a downturn.
The National Infectious Disease Committee has on Wednesday enlisted the reopening of some businesses set for May 4.
Thailand on Wednesday reported single-digit confirmed cases of COVID-19 for the third straight day with 9 new cases only and no fatalities. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 2,947 and death toll at 54. Enditem
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BANGKOK -- Phuket, a tourist island province in southern Thailand, has extended a temporary shutdown of its airport for another 15 days.
Phuket Provincial Governor Phatkhapong Thaviphat confirmed on Wednesday the provincial authorities in charge of the COVID-19 situation have decided to extend the shutdown of Phuket airport from Thursday until May 15.
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NEW DELHI -- India's federal health ministry on Wednesday evening said one new death due to the COVID-19 and 455 new positive cases were reported since the morning across the country, taking the number of deaths to 1,008 and total cases to 31,787.
According to ministry officials, so far 7,797 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement.
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KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait's Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 300 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one more death, bringing the total coronavirus infections to 3,740 and the death toll to 24.
Currently, 2,327 patients are receiving treatment, including 66 in ICU, it said in a statement.
Minister of Health Bassel Al-Sabah meanwhile announced the recovery of 213 patients from the coronavirus, raising the total number of recoveries to 1,389.
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DOHA -- Qatar's health ministry on Wednesday announced 643 new infections of the novel coronavirus, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 12,564, of which 11,311 are under treatment.
"One-hundred and nine people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,243, while the virus fatalities remain at 10," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a ministry statement.
A total of 91,415 people received lab tests for COVID-19 so far in the country.
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PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia's state of emergency law was signed by Acting Head of State Samdech Say Chhum on Wednesday, going into effect immediately, according to a royal decree.
Cambodia made the law after the country has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases earlier this month. The Southeast Asian nation has so far recorded a total of 122 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, with 119 patients recovered.
Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said that under the law, a state of emergency will be declared in the country when the nation faces dangers such as war or foreign invasion, public health concerns caused by pandemics, serious chaos to national security and public order, and severe calamity.
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WASHINGTON -- U.S. economic activity in the first quarter contracted at an annual rate of 4.8 percent amid COVID-19 impact, the biggest decline since the Great Recession, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Enditem
