- Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a ceremony in Beijing that the country had acted in an “open and transparent” manner about the coronavirus.
- Trained and trained doctors are back to work in South Korea after a weeks-long strike over government reform plans.
- More than 27.3 million cases of coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, and 892,443 people have died. At least 18.3 million people have recovered.
Here are the latest updates:
Tuesday 8 September
04:50 GMT – India recorded the highest number of deaths in a month
India has recorded the highest number of coronavirus deaths in a month.
The Ministry of Health says 1,133 people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 72,775.
The number of cases reached 75,809, which is the lowest daily number in a week.
04:00 GMT – Xi said China is ‘open and transparent’ about COVID-19
More of the ceremony in Beijing where President Xi Jinping spoke.
He told the public that China had acted in an “open and transparent” manner about the virus that first appeared in the central city of Wuhan late last year.
He said the country had also made “tangible efforts” to help other countries affected by the disease.
President Xi Jinping presents the national medal of respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing [Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters]
03:50 GMT – Victoria to boost contact tracing as virus doubles
Victoria is strengthening its contract tracking program to ensure that cases continue to drop.
State Chief Minister Daniel Andrews said the state government will form five contact tracing teams to focus on different geographic areas of Southeast Australia, making it easier to target specific areas when diagnosing patients.
Andrews says the low daily numbers indicate the state is on the right track with the harsh lockdowns.
“I think we will be able to take some important steps soon because the direction is with us, the direction is good,” he said in a televised news conference, referring to more rural areas in the state.
03:30 GMT – Zhong Nanshan is honored at China’s COVID-19 event
China is holding a special event to recognize its “ example ” in fighting the Coronavirus, as Zhong Nanshan, China’s chief respiratory disease expert, was awarded the Medal of the Republic – China’s Supreme Order.
Zhong was among a group of specialists who first went to Wuhan in January to investigate the mysterious new virus that appeared at the end of December.
“We must not lower our caution and we must end the battle,” Chung said in his acceptance speech.
China was hit hard by doctors in the city who tried to sound the alarm about the disease, and there was intense anger after the death of Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist who was reprimanded by the authorities for raising his concerns about the new disease with colleagues. Lee was “acquitted” in August.
Praise for example signals #ChinaHis victory in the hard-won battle against the fatal #Corona Virus: Epidemiologists https://t.co/K8pYHXXGRJ pic.twitter.com/wicpRQ6vPE
– Global Times (@globaltimesnews) September 8, 2020
Never has a building been more appropriately named: Notable individuals, set to be honored for the roles they played in the nation’s battle COVID-19, travel to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing https://t.co/jPKTJsFodI # Thank you COVID19Heroes pic.twitter.com/2itUE75GlV
– China Xinhua News (XHNews) September 8, 2020
03:15 GMT – Daily cases in South Korea are below 200 for the sixth consecutive day
South Korea reported 136 new cases of coronavirus, on the sixth consecutive day that the number has fallen below 200, according to Yonhap Agency.
The country has been trying to control a spike in cases that began on August 14 and have been linked to a church service and political rally in central Seoul.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says stricter distancing measures are starting to take effect although the emergence of case clusters remains a concern.
02:50 GMT – Antigen tests focus as cases increase in Bali
Medical experts link the spike in coronavirus cases on the Indonesian island of Bali to the inaccurate and inexpensive rapid antibody test kits that are being used to screen local visitors.
Foreign tourists cannot travel to the famous island, but Indonesians have managed to do so since July 31.
Since then, the island’s tourism authority says it receives an average of 3,000 local tourists a day.
But besides the return of tourists, it has also seen a spike in coronavirus cases, and health experts say that using cheap but unreliable antigen tests can create a false sense of security.
You can read more about that story here.
Bali residents, who are Hindus, wear protective suits during a cremation ceremony called “Ngaben” in Klongkong last month. The island has seen an increasing number of cases since domestic tourism resumed in August [Made Nagi/EPA]
01:40 GMT – Japan will use emergency reserves for $ 6.3 billion for coronavirus vaccines
Japan agreed to use $ 6.3 billion from its emergency budget to secure coronavirus vaccines.
The government says it hopes to have a sufficient vaccine for every citizen by the middle of next year, with any vaccination available free of charge.
01:30 GMT – Japan’s economy contracted more than expected in the second quarter
The Japanese economy appears to have contracted more than originally thought in the second quarter through the end of June.
The government initially said the economy contracted by 7.8 percent compared to the first quarter.
Now take a closer look at the numbers and say they have shrunk by 7.9 percent.
It is the country’s worst economic downturn in its recent history.
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Japan’s deflationary: Coronavirus sends the economy into record contraction |
00:15 GMT – Victoria in Australia has reported 55 new cases and eight deaths
Victoria state has reported 55 new cases of coronavirus and eight more deaths.
The southeastern state now accounts for nearly three-quarters of Australia’s 26,377 cases. Melbourne, its capital, is subject to strict curfews and curfews until September 28.
# COVID19VicData On September 8, 2020. Yesterday, 55 new cases were reported and 8 lives lost. Our thoughts are with all those affected. More information will be available later today. pic.twitter.com/GEo5Iio7vU
– VicGovDHHS (VicGovDHHS) 7 September 2020
00:00 GMT – South Korean doctors say they will return to work
South Korean doctors’ associations say their members are returning to work after a weeks-long strike over government plans to reform the medical system.
Yonhap News reported that the Korea Trainee Residents Association (KIRA), which represents interns and residents in public hospitals, said doctors will resume work from 7 a.m. (22:00 GMT).
A separate committee representing doctors and physicians who also took part in the strike says its members will also attend work.
The Korean Medical Association, the country’s largest group of doctors, reached an agreement with the government to end its strike on Friday, as coronavirus cases soared.
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Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s ongoing coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic. I am Kate Mayberry In Kuala Lumpur we will keep you updated for the next few hours.
Read all updates from yesterday (Sep 7) here.
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