US layoffs reach 45.7 million amid pandemic
Another 1.5 million US workers filed for unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department said, bringing the number of people laid off, at least temporarily, by Covid-19 to 45.7 million.
The number of new jobless claims was surprisingly high, a decrease of 58,000 from the previous week’s level, while the insured unemployment rate showing people still receiving aid was unchanged at 14.1 percent and 20.5 million continue to receive benefits.
6 percent in Sweden have Covid-19 antibodies: Study
Around 6 percent of people in Sweden have developed Covid-19 antibodies, a study by the country’s Health Agency showed.
“The spread is lower than we have thought but not a lot lower,” Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a news conference.
Sweden has opted for a more liberal strategy during the pandemic, keeping most schools, restaurants, bars and businesses open as much of Europe imposed strict lockdowns.
Nepal to deport foreigners who protested pandemic response
Five foreign nationals who took part in a protest in Nepal against the government’s pandemic response will be deported as soon as international flights resume, the country’s top immigration official said.
The three Chinese, one American and one Australian were not being detained but are required to report to officials regularly until they leave the country, immigration chief Ramesh Kumar KC said.
The five were also fined for taking part in Saturday’s protests against the government’s handling of the coronavirus situation. All five will be banned from returning to Nepal for two years.
England’s Covid-19 test and trace system identifies 45,000 contacts in second week
The number of contacts of positive Covid-19 cases identified by England’s test and trace system increased to 44,895 in its second week, Britain’s health ministry said.
The Department of Health said that 5,949 people who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) had their case transferred to the contact tracing system in its second week of operation.
It said that 44,895 contacts were identified, up from nearly 32,000 last week.
Indonesia reports 1,331 new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily rise
Indonesia reported 1,331 new coronavirus infections, its biggest daily increase since the outbreak started locally, taking its total number of cases to 42,762.
Health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said 63 more deaths were reported, with total fatalities now at 2,339, the highest coronavirus death toll in East Asia outside of China.
Indonesia on Wednesday overtook Singapore with the largest number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia.
Japan to ease entry for Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, NZ
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the country would ease entry restrictions for people coming from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam, according to a Jiji news agency report.
Pakistan to repatriate all stranded citizens
Pakistan has announced plans to repatriate all of its those citizens stranded around the globe, including in the Middle East, as a result of the pandemic, AP news agency reported.
Between 40,000 and 45,000 of their nationals will be brought home every week, starting June 20, the government said.
About 120,000 Pakistanis are expected to return in the coming weeks and they will have to quarantine themselves at homes for 14 days.
Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, an adviser of Prime Minister Imran Khan, said all international passenger flights are being allowed to resume their operations at 25 percent capacity as per social distancing regulations.
In recent months, about 75,000 Pakistanis have already returned home through special and regular flights amid a surge in Covid-19 deaths and infections.
