This is CNBC’s live blog covering all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak. All times below are in Eastern time. This blog will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks.
- Global cases: More than 2.3 million
- Global deaths: At least 161,262
- US cases: More than 735,200
- US deaths: At least 39,090
The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
8:14 am: South Korea relaxes some social distancing rules as new virus cases fall
A South Korean woman wears plastic gloves and has her temperature checked upon arrival to cast her vote for Parliamentary election amid the coronavirus outbreak on April 15, 2020 in Seoul, South Korea.
Chung Sung-Jun | Getty Images)
South Korea extended its social distancing policy for another 16 days on Sunday but offered some relief for churches and sporting fixtures, as it reported just eight new coronavirus infections, the lowest in two months.
The slightly relaxed guidelines mean high-risk facilities like churches will no longer have to close, while sports matches such as soccer can resume without an audience. “It is safest to maintain the intensive social distancing, but it isn’t easy realistically. We need to find a middle ground,” Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun told a televised meeting of government officials.
“If we can maintain a stable management at the current level, we will shift to ‘routine social distancing’ from May 6,” Chung said.
Health authorities have said this would allow a reopening of the economy while maintaining guidelines on disinfection and preventing the spread of the virus in people’s daily lives.
It was the first time since Feb. 18 that South Korea reported a single-digit daily rise in new infections. The figure brings its total cases to 10,661. —Reuters
Read CNBC’s coverage from CNBC’s Asia-Pacific and Europe teams overnight here: Spain sees lowest death count rise in a month, global death toll tops 160,000
