Naomi Grimley, Global Affairs Correspondent

Image source, AFP

Passing the two million figure is a psychological milestone for the world.

In the league table of countries compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the US remains the country with the highest number of confirmed cases – now more than 600,000.

But these figures do not give the full picture – partly because some people will have Covid-19 and not know it and partly because testing is so variable.

Countries with very little testing per capita - such as India - are likely to be submitting data that dramatically underplays the scale of the outbreak.

The good news is that the number of new hospitalisations seems to be slackening off in some of the worst affected places – such as New York and London. Even in badly affected Iran, the WHO thinks the number of cases is now stabilising.

This is the first phase of what the epidemiologists call “flattening the curve.”

Image source, EPA

• Confirmed cases around the world have surpassed two million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University
• China has closed one of its temporary hospitals for Covid-19 patients. The hospital was built in just 10 days
• Malawi has announced a 21-day lockdown from 18 April. There have been 16 confirmed cases and two deaths
• The UN has warned that 74 million people in the Arab region are at a greater risk of contracting Covid-19 as they lack access to a basic hand-washing facility
• Colombia is expected to release 7,000 inmates to limit the risk of the spread of coronavirus in prisons
• The Tour de France will go ahead, officials have confirmed. However it will start in August
• US The World Health Organization has expressed regret at President Trump's decision to withdraw funding. Philanthropist Bill Gates, a major funder of the WHO, said it was "as dangerous as it sounds"

Canada's economy has taken a big hit because of Covid-19, and is expected to get worse.

Statistics Canada reports that GDP declined by 9% in March. One million jobs were lost.

The Bank of Canada said today, external it would keep the overnight rate interest rate at 0.25%, after cutting it at the end of March.

The bank reported that in the first quarter, which included March, economic activity declined by 1-2%. It is estimating declines of 15-30% for the second quarter.

On Wednesday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would be expanding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to part-time and seasonal employees. Six million Canadians have already filed for the income support programme.

When asked what Canada would do now that Donald Trump has pulled funding from the World Health Organization, he said: "The path through this pandemic is for us to base ourselves on science and the recommendations of experts."

The pregnant nurse who died on Sunday in a UK hospital after contracting Covid-19 was remembered as "highly valued and loved".

Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, had worked at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years. Her baby was delivered and is said to be doing well.

David Carter, chief executive of the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Mary worked here for five years and was a highly valued and loved member of our team, a fantastic nurse and a great example of what we stand for in this trust.

"She tested positive for Covid-19 after being tested on 5 April and was admitted to the hospital on 7 April."

Image source, Getty Images

The head of the World Health Organisation said he regretted the decision by the US to withdraw funding.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "The US has been a long standing and generous friend to the WHO."

His comments come after President Trump's announcement on Tuesday.

Mr Trump's decision has been criticised by philanthropist Bill Gates who described the de-funding as being "as dangerous as it sounds".

Watch a clip from the World Health Organisation's news conference below.

If you are just joining us here are the main headlines from today's UK coronavirus briefing:

• The UK is to introduce a new social care brand to replicate the NHS blue badge for carers
• "Priority drops" of protective equipment for care facilities will continue for three weeks while an online system is created
• There will be new guidance to allow people to say goodbye to loved ones "where possible", the health secretary says
• The lockdown is "having the impact we hoped", the UK's deputy chief scientific officer says
• Different regions of the UK are expected to be on the same curve as London
• The UK is expected to make its decision on whether to extend the lockdown after tomorrow's experts' meeting

Asked about what the government could do to help victims of domestic abuse if there is an expected surge in cases Matt Hancock said "we will make sure we give them the right support" after lockdown.

The Health Secretary said: "There are so many costs to this awful epidemic and this is sadly one of them."

Prof Chris Whitty said it was not yet possible to know the impact of the lockdown on domestic abuse but that it had a major impact on victims, both mentally and physically.

A pregnant nurse died on Sunday in hospital after contracting Covid-19.

Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, worked as a nurse on a general ward at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years.

The baby, a little girl, was delivered successfully and is doing well, according to the hospital.

There's a question about the government's past commitment to carry out 25,000 tests by mid-April.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says it has been superseded by the new target to reach 100,000 daily tests by the end of this month.

Asked if the UK will follow Northern Ireland in extending lockdown measures for three weeks, Matt Hancock says a "formal decision" will be taken after an expert meeting tomorrow.

Asked whether regions outside London might take longer to see the curve flatten as infections spread faster in the capital, Prof Angela McLean said she did not believe this to be the case.

"Whilst we said London was two weeks ahead that was mostly on the way up," she said.

Prof McLean said this was because lockdown measures had come into effect across the country at the same time.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has made a big play of the fact relatives are to be allowed to visit dying family in care homes.

This was already allowed, but many care homes have blocked visiting because of concern about spread of virus, partly fuelled by a lack of protective equipment.

The same applies to hospitals. It has meant many people with Covid-19 have died without any family or friends around them.

Asked about testing in care homes, Matt Hancock says "in the first instance" only care staff with symptoms will be tested.

He adds that those who have a household member in self-isolation will also be tested.

"As the [testing] capacity expands, so we will be able to expand that definition of need".

Asked whether caring for younger patients has been a priority and older people have died unnecessarily, Matt Hancock replies this is "very obviously not" the case.

Prof Angela McLean, the UK’s deputy chief scientific adviser, says the UK must "try everything we can" to make sure new outbreaks do not occur in care homes yet to see cases.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced plans to ease the country's lockdown.

Social distancing measures will remain in place until 3 May, and Ms Merkel recommended people wear face masks on public transport and in shops.

But from next week shops under 800 square metres will be allowed to open. Children will start to return to class from 4 May.

According to Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country has 127,584 confirmed cases and has reported 3,254 deaths

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Good news regarding hospital patients – numbers with coronavirus getting treatment in UK down by 1% in past day with biggest drop – 5% - seen in London.

Earlier today NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said it was increasingly confident the NHS could cope with the peak, praising the public for following social distancing rules and staff for working hard under relentless pressure.

Asked about why the UK was not discussing easing lockdown measures, as other countries which appear to have passed the peak have begun to do, Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty said: "We have not hit a point we can say confidently and safely this is past the peak and we can think about the next stages."

He said he expected the number of recorded deaths to jump mid-week after a four-day bank holiday weekend.

Matt Hancock said it was too early to make changes and the advice remained to everybody to "stay home".

Matt Hancock is asked about the government's commitment to expand testing of staff in social care.

He replies that NHS workers are now being tested "regularly", whilst currently 4,100 social care staff have been "referred for tests".

He says the UK's testing capacity is being built up "all the time", and "all those who need it" in the NHS and care sector can get tests.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is promising faster supply of personal protective equipment for social care staff and testing for all care home residents showing symptoms. Logistically, this will be very challenging.

Both were difficult to achieve across 200 hospitals, but given there are more than 15,000 care homes in England it could take some time to achieve.

Image source, AFP

The death toll in Italy rose by 578 on Wednesday bringing the total to 21,645, the country's civil protection agency said.

2,667 cases were reported, down from 2,972. The number of new reported cases is the lowest since 13 March.

The number of people currently in intensive care is 3,079. The number has been declining for the past 12 consecutive days.

Of those infected, 38,092 people have now recovered.

Italy's death toll is the second highest in the world after the US.

Dr Angela McLean, the UK's deputy chief scientific officer, said the use of all modes of transport are now down to less than a third of what they were before the lockdown was introduced.

"This is hard data to show how all of us are staying home," she said.

Dr McLean said there was a flattening in the number of cases of Covid-19 and "for me that is evidence that what everybody has done together has worked".

"It is having the impact we hoped it would have," she concluded.