Employees of a restaurant wearing masks stand outside their eatery before it opens in Yokohama on April 9, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

WELLINGTON / SEOUL / TOKYO / CANBERRA / TEHRAN / ANKARA / RAMALLAH / DUBAI / AMMAN / ISLAMABAD / BANGKOK / DAMASCUS / NEW DELHI / HANOI — Japan’s coronavirus emergency economic stimulus should boost the country’s real gross domestic product by 3.8 percent, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday at the end of a meeting of the government’s top economic advisory council.

In a further bid to try and help cushion the economic impact on society amid the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Japanese government is mulling providing 100,000 yen (US$931) to each people, government officials said on Wednesday.

Japan urged its citizens on Wednesday to stay home, as media reports warned that as many as 400,000 of them could die of the coronavirus and at most 850,000 people could need ventilators without urgent action. 

The US military extended a public health emergency to all of its bases in Japan to May 15.

Coronavirus cases in Japan increased by 467 nationwide, including 127 new infections in Tokyo and 74 in Osaka, health ministry and local authorities said as of Wednesday evening, bringing the nationwide total to 8,640.

The death toll from the pneumonia-causing virus now stands at a total of 189, including those from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo, the latest figures showed.

Residents wearing face masks practice social distancing as they wait in a queue for free rice, amid Vietnam's nationwide social isolation effort as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus, in Hanoi on April 11, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

Vietnam 

Vietnam will extend its coronavirus lockdown in 12 provinces, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, for seven days, although restrictions will be lifted in some areas outside of the Southeast Asian country’s main cities, the government said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a new decree took effect in Vietnam on Wednesday introducing fines for the dissemination of ‘fake news’ or rumours on social media, amid the rapid spread of comment online about the novel coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country.

The first COVID-19 cases were detected in Vietnam this January and the health ministry has reported 267 infections so far with no deaths, numbers well below those seen in some other Asian countries.

A fine of 10-20 million dong (US$426-$853), equivalent to around three to six months’ basic salary in Vietnam, will be imposed on people who use social media to share false, untruthful, distorted, or slanderous information, according to the decree.

Lebanon

Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased by 17 to 658 on Wednesday, while the death toll remained at 21, the National News Agency reported.

Firas Abiad, general manager of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, said the hospital has succeeded in healing 200 cases and 81 have completely recovered.

New Zealand

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, ministers in her government and public service chief executives will take a 20 percent pay cut for the next six months given the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is where we can take action and that is why we have,” Ardern said in a news conference announcing the decision.

She said the decision was made in light of the economic challenges New Zealanders are expected to face in the coming months due to the impact of COVID-19.

New Zealand reported six new confirmed and 14 new probable cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 1,386 in the country.

There was no new death reported after four new deaths were reported on Tuesday. Nine New Zealanders have now died from COVID-19, most of whom were elderly people.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media during a press conference one day before the country goes on lockdown to stop any progress of the coronavirus, at Parliament in Wellington on March 24, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

South Korea

South Korea reported 27 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Wednesday local time, raising the total number of infections to 10,591.

The daily caseload hovered below 50 for the seventh straight day. Of the new cases, 11 were imported from overseas, raising the combined number to 955.

Of the total infections, over 80 percent was linked to cluster infections.

Three more deaths were confirmed, lifting the death toll to 225. The total fatality rate came in at 2.12 percent.

Australia

Australia has started a trial of its first "virtual hospital" for COVID-19 patients in the State of New South Wales (NSW), a local television network reported on Wednesday, as an Australian man on Wednesday became the first person in the country jailed for breaking a coronavirus quarantine, after he repeatedly left his designated hotel to visit his girlfriend, also according to local media.

Armidale hospital in NSW began the trial on Wednesday which would allow COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms to return home with a monitoring device to report their vital life signs. More virtual hospitals could emerge across Australia if the trial were successful which would save hospital beds.

This is a simple device worn on the wrist on patients that transmits vital signs of heart and lung function to a virtual ward at a hospital where real-time monitoring can be reviewed by clinicians

Professor Rod McClure, University of New England Dean of Medicine

ALSO READ: India extends lockdown as virus infections cross 10,000

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged schools to reopen after Easter holidays so students did not lose a year of education and parents could work, as health authorities reiterated that schools were safe for children.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Austria has reached 14,159 with 384 deaths reported, according to data released by local health authorities.

Iran

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday unveiled a device that can detect people infected with the novel coronavirus from a distance, Tasnim news agency reported.

By using the smart detector, the coronavirus diagnosis does not require a blood test anymore as it can remotely identify those infected with COVID-19, Hossein Salami, IRGC's chief commander, said in the opening ceremony.

The device is also used for smart and targeted disinfection operations as it obviates the need for sanitizing the non-contaminated surfaces, the IRGC commander noted.

The home-made device is a state-of-the-art instrument that was developed by the Iranian scientists after the outbreak of COVID-19, according to Salami.

The Iranian health ministry on Wednesday confirmed 94 new COVID-19 death cases, bringing the death toll in the country to 4,777, official IRNA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, 1,512 new infection cases were registered over the past 24 hours, taking Iran's total number to 76,389, said Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

Turkey

The peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey is expected to come in one or two weeks, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Tuesday. 

"I predict that we will see the peak of the outbreak in one or two weeks," Koca told a press conference. 

"The speed of the coronavirus is under control," he insisted, citing that the rate of increase in confirmed cases has declined for the fourth week, while the slowdown in the death rate has continued for the fifth week.

Speaking after a coronavirus science board meeting on Tuesday, the minister announced 4,062 new COVID-19 cases and 107 more deaths from the virus in Turkey. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Turkey rose to 65,111, while the death toll surged to 1,403.

Koca noted that 4,799 patients have recovered since the outbreak of the pandemic, while 1,809 patients are being treated at intensive care units and 1,087 are being intubated.

Palestine

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Tuesday lauded China for providing emergency medical aid that helps enhance Palestine's efficiency in fighting COVID-19.

Palestine can be more efficient in testing for the virus as a result of the Chinese aid, Ishtaye wrote in a post on his official Facebook page.

"Thanks to our friend, the People's Republic of China, its people and private sector, we are now capable of widening the parameters of testing, which would allow us to identify cases of coronavirus infections and reveal them at a faster pace," he said.

"We are grateful for this help and appreciate it," he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry received medical aid from China's Alibaba firm, which included 50,000 testing kits, as well as medicinal solutions and laboratory supplies.

Palestinian officials previously warned of a shortage in testing kits that has put the already struggling healthcare system in Palestine under more stress amidst this global pandemic.

In Palestine, 19 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed, raising the total to 329, including two deaths and 62 recoveries.

Israel

The number of coronavirus cases in Israel reached 12,200 on Wednesday, after 154 new ones were added since Tuesday evening, the health ministry said.

The number of deaths from coronavirus in Israel has increased from 123 to 126, the ministry added.

The ministry also issued an exceptional statement, saying a very high COVID-19 morbidity was detected in several towns in the Galilee region in northern Israel.

Meanwhile, an eight-day-old baby was diagnosed with COVID-19, becoming the youngest coronavirus patient in the country so far, the Wolfson Medical Center said. The baby was in mild condition and under close professional supervision.

The United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday announced 412 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 4,933.

UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement that the new cases include different nationalities, and all are in a stable condition and receiving medical treatment.

And 81 more patients have recovered from the virus, taking the tally of recoveries in the UAE to 933, according to the ministry.

The ministry also confirmed three more deaths, pushing the country's death toll of the pandemic to 28.

The UAE was the first among the Gulf countries to report COVID-19 cases.

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, 435 new cases and eight deaths were reported, raising the total COVID-19 cases to 5,369 and the death toll to 73, said Mohammed Al-abdulaali, the Health Ministry's spokesperson.   

Qatar

Qatar's Health Ministry announced 197 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 39 recoveries, bringing the total cases of infections to 3,428, of whom 373 have recovered.

Oman

In Oman, the Ministry of Health announced 86 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 813.

Kuwait

Kuwait on Wednesday reported 50 new cases, bringing the country's total number to 1,405, the health ministry said in a statement. A total of three deaths were reported.

Malaysia

The number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia totaled at 5,072 after 85 new cases were recorded, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The newly confirmed cases of 85 is the first time the number dropped to a double-digit for over a month.

One more fatality had been recorded, a 69-year-old man who had suffered from other health problems prior to being infected, pushing the total to 83 deaths, he said.

Iraq

Iraq reported 22 new cases of coronavirus infection, bringing the total infections to 1,400, including 766 recoveries and 78 fatalities. 

Jordan on Tuesday said prayers at mosques during the holy month of Ramadan will be banned as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.   

Jordan

Jordan's Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalaileh said mosques will remain closed for the public during the fasting month, which starts next week.   

Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said a 48-hour full curfew will be imposed as of Thursday night.   

The minister added that the government will launch a program this week to distribute cash assistance to 200,000 workers.

Six new COVID-19 cases were reported in Jordan on Tuesday, raising the total confirmed cases to 391, which include seven deaths.

Syria

Four new COVID-19 cases were reported in Syria on Tuesday, bringing the overall number of registered cases to 29, the health ministry said in a statement.   

The ministry said that among the 29 cases, five had been cured and two others had died.   

The Syrian government has undertaken several measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.   

The measures include a partial curfew, suspending schools, shutting marketplaces and banning inter-province travels.  

Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan decided on Tuesday evening to open a limited number of industries in the country amid the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The prime minister chaired a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on COVID-19, which decided to open industries including construction, chemicals, e-commerce, software development, paper and packaging, horticulture nurseries, glass manufacturing, veterinary services, books and stationery shops.

Khan added that all the industries and businesses, which are allowed to open, would have to follow the international standard operating procedures to work during the pandemic.

The meeting also decided to extend the lockdown across the country for two weeks, which was scheduled to end on Tuesday, and the ban would continue on all gathering places, including educational institutes, sports centers, cinemas, theaters and marriage halls.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the low increase in the number of cases and people's responsibility to observe social distancing, but he warned the public against stopping the precautionary measures and said if there is a sudden surge in the cases, the country's health system might collapse.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza said the country had conducted 51,432 tests so far, out of which 5,836 reported positive including 96 deaths.

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Thailand

Thailand is looking to take measures to alleviate the people's woes under the emergency rule, currently enforced to stem the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday.

New measures will be provided to reduce the people's hardships and difficulties in daily life while keeping in line with medical procedures and emergency rule, which features curfew, lockdown and social-distancing measures, in response to the global pandemic, according to the prime minister.

The government-run Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is yet to decide what specific measures will be rolled out to alleviate the woes of the affected people nationwide, Prayut said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced on Wednesday to extend the ban on all incoming flights from April 19 to April 30 with certain exceptions.

"The ban was initially imposed on April 3 to stem the spread of the COVID-19 from overseas travelers and Thai returnees," said CAAT director Chula Sukmanop. "However, we have made careful assessment and decided that it is safer to extend the ban on incoming flights to the end of April."

Chula said that under the ban, no flights are allowed to land in Thailand except for military aircraft on diplomatic missions, emergency landings, technical landings without disembarkation, those on humanitarian missions, those for medical, relief or repatriation purposes and cargo aircraft.

Any passengers who are allowed to disembark will be subject to a mandatory 14-day state quarantine.

Thailand on Wednesday reported 30 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number to 2,643, with total deaths standing at 43.

Singapore

Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 334 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 3,252.

Of the newly confirmed cases, 198 were linked to known clusters, 22 were linked to other cases, while contact tracing was being done for the remaining 114 cases.

During the past day, 25 more patients of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. In all, 611 have fully recovered from the infection and have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities, the ministry said.

Besides, the number of cases that have died from complications due to COVID-19 infection increased to 10 on Tuesday.

Brunei

Brunei reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and the country's tally of cases stands at 136 since the first case was detected in the sultanate on March 9.

According to Brunei's Ministry of Health, after the emergence of eight relapse COVID-19 cases in the past two days, another three recovered patients who have been discharged from the National Isolation Center were found to be positive with COVID-19 again, which brings the total relapse cases to 11.

India

India will allow opening up of some industries in rural areas after April 20 to reduce the distress caused to millions of people because of a prolonged lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus, the government said on Wednesday.

The government will also allow farm activities, construction of roads and buildings in the hinterland which has so far been less affected by the coronavirus contagion.

India's federal health ministry Wednesday morning said the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 377 and the total number of confirmed cases in the country reached 11,439.

This is a jump of 24 deaths and an increase of 624 cases since Tuesday evening.

Cambodia 

Cambodia had found no new cases of COVID-19 infections in the last three days, while five more patients had recovered, raising the number of patients cured in the kingdom to 96, said a Ministry of Health statement on Wednesday.

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan has reported 70 more cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of patients to 784 in the country, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry Wahid Mayar said Wednesday.

According to the spokesman, 31 out of the 70 newly confirmed positive cases are in Kabul, 22 in Herat and the remaining 17 cases are in other parts of the country.

A total of 25 patients have died and 43 others have recovered since the outbreak of the coronavirus in mid February, Mayar said.

To contain the pandemic, the government has put big cities including Kabul under quarantine since late last month, calling upon the people to stay at home

Myanmar

Twelve more people tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the number of infections to 74 in total in Myanmar, said figures released by the Health and Sports Ministry.

Those cases are from Yangon, Sagaing regions and Shan state, respectively.

All newly confirmed patients are those who were under facility and home quarantines as they were in close contact with previously confirmed patients.

According to the ministry's release, those patients are in a stable condition.

The Philippines

The Philippines’ health ministry on Wednesday reported 14 new coronavirus deaths and 230 additional infections.

In a bulletin, the health ministry said coronavirus deaths have reached 349 while total confirmed cases have increased to 5,453, keeping the Philippines as the country with the most infections in Southeast Asia. But 58 patients have recovered, bringing the total to 353, it added.

The Philippines and the World Bank signed a US$500 million loan agreement that would enable the Philippines to augment the government's urgent financing requirements to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Finance (DOF) of the Philippines announced on Wednesday.

Laos

Laos tested 30 more cases of COVID-19, which all of them were tested negative, with the total number of confirmed cases in the country remaining at 19.

Lao Deputy Minister of Health, Phouthone Meaungpak told a press conference on Wednesday that the total number of COVID-19 case in Laos remained at 19, as no new case was confirmed.

As of Wednesday, Laos tested 1,265 suspected cases with 19 cases tested positive, and one case recovering and discharged from hospital, according to Lao health official.

Indonesia

The Indonesian government reported 297 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections in the archipelagic country to 5,136.

The government's spokesperson for the COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto told a press conference that 10 new deaths were registered, raising the total fatalities to 469.

Meanwhile, 20 more people have been discharged from hospitals, making the total number of recovered patients stand at 446.

According to data provided by Yurianto, a Health Ministry official, the number of suspected COVID-19 cases is 11,165.

Authorities have been conducting rapid tests in areas where cases were detected, and ordering the public to always wear masks to contain the spread of virus. 

Bangladesh 

Bangladesh recorded 219 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, the country's biggest daily increase since the detection of the first three cases on March 8.

"The number of cases increased to 1,231, with 219 more cases reported in the last 24 hours as of 8:00 am local time Wednesday," health minister Zahid Maleque told journalists in an online press briefing.

He said health officials on Wednesday confirmed another four deaths including a doctor from the COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 50.

According to the minister, samples from 1,740 persons had been tested in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh.