Beijing begins mass testing amid fear of outbreak, daily deaths dip in Europe: Global Covid updates

In southeast Asia, Malaysia reported 4,006 new infections as of midnight Sunday, bringing the national total to 4,431,073. Singapore reported a single-day spike of 2,044 cases for the same day. Here are top updates on global Covid-19 situation.

In Europe, Germany and Italy witnessed a slight respite with a drop in Covid-linked fatalities as the latest udpates emerged. Germany reported six new deaths on Sunday as per data shared by Reuters. Meanwhile in China, as cases in the financial hub of Shanghai fell slightly amid tight curbs, Beijing kicked off mass testing for its residents in Chaoyang after 12 new cases were reported.

Beijing residents and office workers wearing face masks line up for mass coronavirus testing outside a commercial office complex at the central business district, Monday.(AP)

Here are top updates on global Covid-19 situation:

1. The global coronavirus caseload has topped 509.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.21 million and vaccinations to over 11.23 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University data on Monday.

2. In a huge drop in cases, Italy on Sunday reported 56,263 new cases of the Coronavirus infection, as against 70,520 the day before. The daily number of Covid-linked deaths also fell to 79 from 143, the country’s health ministry said as per Reuters.

3. The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Germany since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 24,200,596. As per data shared by Reuters, the European nation witnessed a slight respite as the number of deaths reported on Sunday dropped down to 6. Earlier in April, Germany even reported 100+ deaths in 24 hours during a fresh wave. The death toll on Sunday stood at 134,185 as per Robert Koch Institute.

4. In China, Beijing kicked off three rounds of Covid-19 testing for all residents of its biggest district Chaoyang on Monday after dozens of cases were reported. Authorities in Chaoyang, home to 3.45 million people, late on Sunday ordered residents and those who work there to undergo testing this week as Beijing warned the virus had "stealthily" spread in the city for about a week before being detected.

5. China’s financial hub Shanghai reported 19,455 new cases on Sunday as its residents are under strict isolation. However as daily cases witnessed a dip, the number of Covid-related fatalities rose to 51 on Sunday from 39 a day earlier, Reuters reported.

6. In southeast Asia, Malaysia reported 4,006 new infections as of midnight Sunday, bringing the national total to 4,431,073, ANI reported quoting the country’s health ministry. Singapore reported a single-day spike of 2,044 cases for the same day.

7. In India, as the daily spike crossed 2,500-mark for the third time on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers of the states to assess the surge, and discuss Covid restrictions, news agency ANI reported.

8. An experimental treatment from Shionogi & Co Ltd has shown rapid clearance of the virus that causes Covid, according to new data, the Japanese drug maker said on Sunday. The pill, S-217622, "demonstrated rapid clearance of the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus", Shionogi said in a statement, citing Phase-2b results from the Phase II/III clinical trial of the drug.

(With inputs from Reuters, ANI)