The global economy will contract by 3% this year as countries around the world shrink at the fastest pace in decades, the International Monetary Fund says. The IMF described the global decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

It said the pandemic had plunged the world into a “crisis like no other”. The Fund added that a prolonged outbreak would test the ability of governments and central banks to control the crisis. Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s chief economist, said the crisis could knock $9 trillion (£7.2 trillion) off global GDP over the next two years.

While the Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook praised the “swift and sizeable” response in countries like the UK, Germany, Japan and the US, it said no country would escape the downturn. It expects global growth to rebound to 5.8% next year if the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020.(BBC)…[+]

A team in Colombia is to test a ventilator made with a Raspberry Pi computer and easy-to-source parts. The design and computer code were posted online in March by a man in California, who had no prior experience at creating medical equipment.

Marco Mascorro, a robotics engineer, said he built the ventilator because knew the machines were in high demand to treat Covid-19. His post prompted a flood of feedback from healthcare workers. He has used the advice to make improvements. “I am a true believer that technology can solve a lot of the problems we have right now specifically in this pandemic,” he told the BBC. The Colombian team said the design was important for their South American country because parts for traditional models could be hard to obtain.

By contrast, Mr Mascorro’s design uses only easy-to-find parts – for example, the valves it employs can commonly be found at car and plumbing supply stores. The machine is set to be put through a fast-tracked round of tests at two institutions in Bogota – the University Hospital of the Pontifical Xavierian University and Los Andes University.(BBC)…[+]

South Asia faces its worst economic performance in 40 years because of the coronavirus, the World Bank has said.

The effects will unravel decades of progress in the region’s battle against poverty. Economies such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have reported relatively few virus cases but experts fear they could be the next hotspots. The South Asia region is home to 1.8 billion people and some of the world’s most densely populated cities.

“South Asia finds itself in a perfect storm of adverse effects. Tourism has dried up, supply chains have been disrupted, demand for garments has collapsed and consumer and investor sentiments have deteriorated,” said the World Bank report.(BBC)…[+]

Image enhancement techniques have been used to reveal life aboard Nasa’s stricken Apollo 13 spacecraft in unprecedented detail. Fifty years ago, the craft suffered an explosion that jeopardised the lives of the three astronauts aboard.

Unsurprisingly, given they were locked in a fight for survival, relatively few onboard images were taken. But imaging specialist Andy Saunders created sharp stills from low-quality 16mm film shot by the crew. One of the techniques used by Mr Saunders is known as “stacking”, in which many frames are assembled on top of each other to improve the image’s detail. Crewed by Nasa astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, Apollo 13 was supposed to be the third American mission to land on the lunar surface. During the journey to the Moon, an explosion in the service module allowed some of the spacecraft’s oxygen to leak out into space.(BBC)…[+]

Veterinary scientists have recommended cat owners keep their pets indoors to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus among animals. But the British Veterinary Association stressed “owners should not worry” about risk of infection from pets.

“There isn’t a single case of a pet dog or cat infecting a human with Covid-19,” Dr Angel Almendros, from City University in Hong Kong, told BBC News. Research has shown cats may be able to catch the virus from other cats.

Dr Alemndros added that it would be sensible to keep cats indoors – where it is safe and possible to do so – during the outbreak.  The British Veterinary Association (BVA) president Daniella Dos Santos told BBC News she agreed with that advice. But the association has since clarified that its recommendation to concerned pet-owners is to take the precaution of keeping cats indoors “only if someone in their own household showed symptoms”. Every pet-owner though should “practise good hand hygiene,” she said. “An animal’s fur could carry the virus for a time if a pet were to have come into contact with someone who was sick.”(NU)…[+]

EU talks on how to help southern Eurozone countries badly affected by the coronavirus epidemic have stalled after 16 hours. The European Central Bank says the bloc may need up to €1.5tn ($1.6 trillion; £1.3tn) to tackle the crisis.

European finance ministers were close to a deal, but the talks broke down amid a dispute between Italy and the Netherlands over how to apply the recovery fund. Negotiations will resume on Thursday. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed deep divides in Europe, where Italy and Spain have accused northern nations – led by Germany and the Netherlands – of not doing enough.(BBC)…[+]

Washington– Warning that cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have doubled in a week in the Region of the Americas, Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F. Etienne today urged countries to take measures that protect health care workers to ensure they have access to the personal protective equipment and supplies they need to care for patients affected by the disease. 

 “Shortages of the most basic protective equipment leave doctors, nurses and other frontline workers dangerously vulnerable as they care for COVID-19 patients,” Dr. Etienne said in a press briefing today.  

Through April 6, 384,435 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Americas, and 11,270 people have lost their lives. “In just seven days, we witnessed cases and deaths more than double in our region. The pandemic is accelerating rapidly, and I urge governments to prepare and respond at the same speed,” she said. 

Etienne urged countries to follow PAHO guidelines and recommendations including social distancing measures to lessen the burden on health systems. “All of us need to be prepared for more difficult weeks ahead,” she said. 

The PAHO Director said, “A pandemic like COVID-19 would overwhelm any health system, but its impact on those without sufficient health workers will be devastating.”  “Limited supplies of gloves, medical masks, respirators, goggles and gowns can lead to a wave of preventable infections among health workers,” she said  

“Countries must work together to ensure that supply chains are able to deliver protective equipment to the hospitals and health centers who need it most. Solidarity and coordination among countries will be essential to ensure we make the most of the limited supplies available,” Etienne added. Noting that today, April 7 is World Health Day, Etienne said this is “a time to acknowledge and celebrate doctors, nurses, midwives and the many other people working to keep our communities healthy. Our health workers deserve our recognition, our praise and our gratitude. Above all, they deserve to be able to protect themselves while they do their jobs.”

 “Now is not the time to hoard and stockpile. It is a time for easing export restrictions and embracing flexible regulations that enable access in the places that will be hardest hit in the next few weeks. Governments and the private sector should also seek innovative solutions to boost production and repurpose industrial capacity to expand supplies,” she said.  “We must also care for our health workers through support networks that allow them to preserve their mental and physical health. We must celebrate them for the heroes they are and protect them from stigma. We should encourage and admire our health workers, not fear and disrespect them,” Etienne said.

 In addition to developing technical guidelines, PAHO has trained national staff on the reorganization of health services and has also advised countries regarding stocks of medical supplies and personal protection equipment (PPEs). It has supported countries to obtain shipments of PPEs to 35 countries and 1 territory, and COVID test kits to 25 countries, among other actions.(Paho)…[+]

A major car insurer in the US is refunding millions of dollars to customers stuck at home during coronavirus lockdowns. Allstate, the country’s fourth biggest car insurer, said it would give back $600m (£490m) in total to customers. Another insurer, American Family Mutual, is also refunding customers, with cheques totalling $200m.

Both have seen a dramatic drop in accident claims as residents stay at home and off the roads. The refunds come at a good time with millions of households suffering financially from lockdowns across the country.

Allstate will be paying customers back in two ways. Drivers in quarantine will receive refunds, while most customers will be given a 15% discount on monthly premiums for April and May. The discounts will apply to 18 million customers. “This is fair because less driving means fewer accidents,” said Tom Wilson, chief executive at Allstate. Its data showed driving mileage was down between 35% and 40%.(BBC)…[+]

The body of Maeve Kennedy McKean, granddaughter of assassinated presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy, has been found in Maryland. The 40-year-old and her eight-year-old son were last seen on Thursday evening riding in a canoe off Chesapeake Bay.

After an extensive search operation, police said on Monday that her body had been found in water about 2.5 miles (4km) south of where they had set off. Officials will continue looking for her missing son, Gideon, on Tuesday.

Mrs McKean was the daughter of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the former Maryland lieutenant governor. She worked as a public health and human rights lawyer and was executive director of Georgetown University’s Global Health Initiative. She had been staying with her family at her mother’s house in Shady Side, Maryland, when she went missing.(BBC)…[+]

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a catastrophic effect on working hours and earnings, globally. A new ILO report highlights some of the worst affected sectors and regions, and outlines policies to mitigate the crisis.
GENEVA (ILO News) – The COVID-19 crisis is expected to wipe out 6.7 per cent of working hours globally in the second quarter of 2020 – equivalent to 195 million full-time workers.
Large reductions are foreseen in the Arab States, (8.1 per cent, equivalent to 5 million full-time workers), Europe, (7.8 per cent, or 12 million full-time workers) and Asia and the Pacific (7.2 per cent, 125 million full-time workers).
Huge losses are expected across different income groups but especially in upper-middle income countries (7.0 per cent, 100 million full-time workers). This far exceeds the effects of the 2008-9 financial crisis.
The sectors most at risk include accommodation and food services, manufacturing, retail, and business and administrative activities.The eventual increase in global unemployment during 2020 will depend substantially on future developments and policy measures. There is a high risk that the end-of-year figure will be significantly higher than the initial ILO projection, of 25 million.
More than four out of five people (81 per cent) in the global workforce of 3.3 billion are currently affected by full or partial workplace closures.
“Workers and businesses are facing catastrophe, in both developed and developing economies,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder. ”We have to move fast, decisively, and together. The right, urgent, measures, could make the difference between survival and collapse.”…[+]