PARIS: Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
Downturn less severe: ECB
European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde says the eurozone's pandemic-induced downturn is expected to be less severe than initially feared, but a recent spike in cases is causing "headwinds" for the recovery.
"The strength of the recovery remains surrounded by significant uncertainty as it continues to be highly dependent on the future evolution of the pandemic and the success of containment policies," she tells an online news conference.
More than 904,500 dead
The pandemic has killed at least 904,534 people worldwide since surfacing in China late last year, according to an AFP count at 1100 GMT on Thursday based on official sources.
More than 27.9 million cases have been confirmed.
The United States has the most deaths with 190,873, followed by Brazil with 128,539, India with 75,062, Mexico with 69,095 and Britain 41,594.
Portugal, Hungary listed by UK
The British government announces it is reinstating mainland Portugal and adding Hungary to its coronavirus quarantine list.
The Portuguese islands of the Azores and Madeira will be exempted, while Sweden has also been taken off for those arriving in England.
WHO urges unity
Six months on since declaring a pandemic, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the new coronavirus is still spreading around the planet due to the gaps between the major players in combatting the disease.
"Because when solidarity lacks, and when we're divided, that's a very good opportunity for the virus -- and that's why it's still spreading. That's what worries me," he tells a virtual news conference.
UN urges vaccine funding leap
The United Nations chief on Thursday calls for an immediate "quantum leap" in funding for global programmes to combat the coronavirus and restore prosperity, saying " either we stand together or we will be doomed".
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges countries to find $15 billion over the next three months to fund the ACT-Accelerator programme, a global collaboration to hunt for a vaccine and treatments.
Singapore Airlines cuts 4,300 jobs
Singapore Airlines says it is cutting about 4,300 jobs -- around 20 percent of its workforce, due to the coronavirus.
The city-state's flag carrier says about 1,900 positions have already been eliminated in recent months due to a recruitment freeze, natural attrition and voluntary departures, reducing further expected job cuts to around 2,400.
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