Asia-Pacific countries report rising COVID-19 cases, Bangladesh records biggest daily jump

Asia-Pacific countries kept reporting more COVID-19 cases on Monday as Bangladesh records biggest daily jump of COVID-19 cases with 492 new cases. BANGLADESH

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh reached 2,948, including 492 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours, the biggest daily jump since March 18, a senior health ministry official told a press conference broadcast on television.

Meanwhile, the death toll of COVID-19 in Bangladesh has reached 101.

JAPAN

COVID-19 cases in Japan increased to 10,810, according to the latest figures, as a nationwide effort swings into gear to try and curb the spread of the virus.

As the number and pace of cases continue to increase across Japan, Prime Minster Shinzo Abe on April 16 expanded the state of emergency over the virus to cover all of Japan's 47 prefectures, expanding the initial emergency declaration made on April 7 from just seven prefectures, in a bid to more proactively combat the spread of the pneumonia-carrying virus.

The nationwide death toll from the virus has now increased to a total of 251, including those from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo, the latest figures showed.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, the number of COVID-19 cases has topped the 3,000 mark at 3,082 confirmed cases, accounting for well over one-third of all COVID-19 cases across the nation, followed by hard-hit Osaka Prefecture where cases stand at 1,211 infections.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia recorded the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in over a month and zero deaths in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press briefing that 36 new cases have been detected, the lowest number since March 12, following a trend of lowering detected cases since last week.

THAILAND

Thailand reported 27 new COVID-19 cases, fewer than Sunday's number of 32, with no new fatalities for three consecutive days.

Total number of COVID-19 cases now stood at 2,792, and recoveries have increased to 1,999, with 746 still in hospital. Total number of deaths stood at 47.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan authorities relaxed an ongoing curfew in several districts of the country while capital Colombo and three other districts which were declared as "high risk" zones due to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to remain under a curfew, the government information department said in a statement.

INDONESIA

The Indonesian government announced 185 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the archipelagic country to 6,760.

At a press conference, the government's spokesperson for the COVID-19-related matters Achmad Yurianto said there were also eight new deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 590.

THE PHILIPPINES

The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported 200 new infections of the COVID-19 virus, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 6,459.

The DOH also reported that 19 additional COVID-19 patients have died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 428.

SINGAPORE

Singapore reported here 1,426 new cases of COVID-19 infection, the highest daily increase so far, the Ministry of Health said.

This increase brings the city state's total confirmed cases to 8,014.

AFGHANISTAN

Thirty more confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number in the country to 1,026 as of Monday morning, spokesman of Ministry of Public Health said.

AUSTRALIA

Elective surgeries in Australia could resume within a month, health authorities said, after being banned amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth on Monday flagged a "safe and cautious re-introduction" of elective surgery.

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand will move from COVID-19 Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 at 11:59 p.m. on April 27, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The country reported seven new confirmed and two new probable cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 1,440 in the country.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea reported 13 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Monday local time, raising the total number of infections to 10,674.

The daily caseload hovered below 30 for the eighth consecutive day. Of the new cases, seven were imported from overseas, raising the combined number to 1,006.

PAKISTAN

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday urged the nation to practice self-discipline and adopt precautionary measures as the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 8,418.

"The more people show self-discipline, the easier it will be for us to manage the COVID-19 plus ease the lockdown gradually," Khan said on Twitter, urging people to stay at home as much as possible during this pandemic.