China’s first day without a coronavirus death….?

China reported its first day today without a single recorded death due to coronavirus, and only 32 new cases. While scepticism about China’s official numbers persists, the latest figures suggest the virus has subsided in the country, though there are risks of a second wave of infections.

Signs are also good in Australia and New Zealand. The former has only 5,800 cases, with fewer than 100 people in intensive care and only 48 deaths, and infection rate has been steadily declining. New Zealand, which has been under strict lockdown for almost two weeks, recorded only 54 new cases yesterday, and 1,160 in total with one death. However, the now former health minister, David Clark, was caught breaking social distancing rules. While his resignation was rejected he has been demoted.

Italy and Spain, which were hit far harder by the virus, also appear to have passed their peaks. In the former the number of active cases has declined to 3,599 and the death toll yesterday stood at 636, down from the peak of 919 on 27 March. Similarly, Spain has seen its number of new cases decline steadily over the past few days.

Both countries are now contemplating measures to reopen society, though Spain has officially extended its lockdown until 25 April. In order to help the population cope with the economic fallout, the Spanish government has announced plans for a universal basic income.

By contrast, Austria and Denmark have become the first European countries to announce concrete plans to end their lockdowns. Responding to hopes that pandemic may be slowing, the UK and US markets rebounded today.

However, while the worst may have passed for some countries the virus continues to gather steam in others. In France, the government has warned the country has not yet reached its peak as the country suffered its highest daily death toll of 833 yesterday.

Further measures to combat the virus are being adopted by the state such as mobile teams which are being deployed around the country to test vulnerable person in care homes. A number of cities are also distributing free face masks, and Paris has banned jogging in daylight hours in a bid to further reduce contact between people.

Russia for its part has seen a sharp rise announcing 1,154 new infections, its biggest daily jump in confirmed cases, reaching 7,497 cases nationally. Deaths rose by 11, bringing the total death toll to 58.

Countries which have been widely praised for their apparent success in containing the virus, have also started to up the ante with new stricter measures.

Singapore has started one-month lockdown. Particularly at risk are the hundreds of thousands of, mainly South Asian, migrant workers in the city who often live packed into large dormitories which make social distancing difficult.

Japan has declared a state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka, and five other prefectures starting Wednesday and lasting a month. This will give governors of prefectures the power to close schools and businesses, but they will not have legal powers to force citizens to stay at home.

The USA presents a more mixed picture. One of the most influential models used to try and predict the course of the national outbreak has been revised down, suggesting some states may reach their peak sooner than expected. Indeed, the number of deaths in New York has declined over the past few days. Oother states which have yet to be properly hit by the epidemic may well see their situations worsen over the coming week.

Coronavirus also continues to fuel the US’ permanent partisan rancour. A New York Times report has revealed that President Trump, and figures connected to the Trump administration, have financial interests in companies producing hydroxychloroquine, the drug Trump has assiduously promoted as a potential cure for coronavirus. Trump’s interest in the drug has also seen India cede to US pressure to release its stockpiles of the medicine to be distributed to countries hit hard by the pandemic.

In Wisconsin, the Democratic governor’s last minute decision to delay the election was immediately overturned by the conservative majority on the state’s supreme court – at a time when one conservative member was up for re-election. The US Supreme Court also blocked measures to ease the restrictions on absentee ballots during the Wisconsin election.

Controversy is also dogging Poland’s presidential election. The election will be conducted entirely by postal vote, and normal campaigning will be impossible. The opposition fears this will unfairly advantage the incumbent conservative candidate, at a time when the conservative government has been criticised for its increasing authoritarianism.