Rolling updates on the latest developments and headlines from around the world on the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Gina Lee, Peter Nurse and Kim Khan
1:52 PM ET: One in Four Americans Not Likely to Get Vaccination – ABC Poll
11:40 AM ET: Aide to VP Pence Tests Positive - NBC
An aide to Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for Covid-19, NBC reported, citing a senior administration official.
11:25 AM ET: No Stimulus New This Month - Kudlow
The White House will not consider any further stimulus legislation this month as it eyes the economic impact from reopening U.S. states, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters on Friday, adding that formal talks with Congress have paused.
10:50 AM ET: More Masks in the White House
President Trump said certain White House staff members have started wearing face masks, one day after the White House said his personal valet had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
09:23 AM ET: Wales announces modest changes to coronavirus lockdown
Wales has announced plans to modify the coronavirus lockdown so that from Monday people can exercise more than once a day, garden centres can reopen, and the government will look at reopening libraries and recycling centres.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to announce the next steps in Britain's battle to tackle the coronavirus on Sunday following a review by ministers of the current measures that have kept millions at home for over six weeks.
8:30 AM ET: U.S. Loses 20M Jobs
U.S. nonfarm payrolls plunged by 20.5 million, while the jobless rate rose to 14.7%, the Labor Department reported.
07:12 AM ET: France sees EU recovery fund of 150-300 billion euros - Reuters
France has proposed that the European Commission issue bonds to finance a recovery fund for the European Union worth 1-2% of gross national income per year - or 150-300 billion euros - in 2021-23, according to a French proposal seen by Reuters.
06:26 AM ET: Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) to reopen Fremont car plant Friday - Bloomberg
Tesla plans to reopen its sole U.S. car plant in Fremont, California as soon as Friday, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing an email from the company to its staff.
06:22 AM ET: Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) to allow employees to work remotely until year's end
Facebook said on Friday it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease.
The social media giant also expects most offices to stay closed until July 6, according to a company spokesperson.
03:36 AM ET: Denmark to ease more restrictions from June 8
Danish museums, amusement parks and cinemas will be allowed to reopen from June 8, the government said on Friday, after it struck a deal with parliament on how restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 could be eased further.
In the third phase of its reopening plan, Denmark will also increase the maximum number of people allowed to meet in public to between 30 and 50, up from a 10-person limit, it said.
03:04 AM ET: German exports slumped 11.8% in March
German exports tumbled by 11.8% in March, their steepest drop since current records began in 1990, as the coronavirus crisis reduced demand for goods from Europe's biggest economy, the Federal Statistics Office said on Friday.
Seasonally adjusted imports fell by 5.1% and the trade surplus narrowed to 12.8 billion euros ($13.88 billion) from a downwardly revised 21.4 billion euros in the prior month, the office said.
02:37 AM ET: UK to proceed with "maximum caution" in easing restrictions
The U.K. government will proceed with "maximum caution" when considering easing coronavirus restrictions, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday.
He is due to announce plans for England's lockdown on Sunday, but ministers have insisted short term changes to measures will be "modest". The government has been under pressure following media reports suggesting the lockdown would be eased.
02:23 AM ET: Significant number of recovered Chinese virus patients test positive again - study
Among recovered Chinese Covid-19 patients, about 5% to 15% may have tested positive again, a Chinese study found.
The rate of reactivation in China varied among different places, with some regions showing less than 1% of such cases among recovered patients, Wang Guiqiang, director of department of infection at the Peking University First Hospital. Wang disclosed the figures during a press conference held by China’s National Health Commission on Thursday.
02:14 AM ET: Donald Trump's valet tests positive for coronavirus
A member of the US military who works at the White House, reportedly as one of Donald Trump’s personal valets, has tested positive for coronavirus.
“We were recently notified by the White House medical unit that a member of the United States military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for coronavirus,” the deputy White House press secretary, Hogan Gidley, said in the statement. “The president and the vice-president have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”
01:01 AM ET: Durable consumer goods sales rebounded in China in May Day holiday - minister
Sales of durable consumer goods, such as automobiles and home appliances, rebounded significantly during the May Day holiday.
China's vice commerce minister Wang Bingnan made the comments at a press conference on Friday.
00:49 AM ET: Australia to ease coronavirus curbs in three steps, ending in July
Australia will ease social distancing restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus in a three-step process, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, with the aim of removing all curbs by July.
Australia imposed strict social distancing restrictions in March, which, coupled with the closure of its borders, is credited with drastically slowing the number of new infections of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
10:06 PM ET: U.S. unemployment rate hits 16%
The U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 16% as 3.169 million Americans claimed unemployment benefits last week. Analyst forecasts prepared by Investing.com predicted 3 million claims.
Over 31 million people have been laid off in the U.S. since late March.
Meanwhile, one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s valets has tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have since tested negative for the virus and “remain in good health”.
Both Trump and Pence will undergo daily tests.
9:58 PM ET: Fujifilm develops PCR reagent for COVID-19 testing
Fujifilm Holdings has developed a testing reagent that will automate PCR testing and reduce the time to get test results for the COVID-19 virus.
The reagent, which eliminates the need for diagnostic specialists, will shorten the test time from four-six hours to 75 minutes.
Meanwhile, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis appeared to improve lung function in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The patients experienced reduced respiratory symptoms after treatment with anakinra, sold as Kineret by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, which was also associated with a 90% survival rate in an observational study of 29 patients published overnight in the Lancet Rheumatology journal.
9:50 PM ET: FDA pulls approval of Chinese N-95 face masks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration pulled its emergency use authorization for N-95 face masks made in China after they failed quality checks by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The FDA issued the authorization on April 3 to address the shortages of personal protective equipment but stipulated their effectiveness had to be verified by independent labs.
9:46 PM ET: Telsa suspends production at Shanghai plant
Tesla suspended production at its Shanghai plant, bringing the company’s global vehicle manufacturing to a halt.
The reasons for the shutdown were not immediately clear.
-- Reuters contributed to this report.