A staff member checks information of a foreigner entering South Korea at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, April 8, 2020. (NEWSIS/Handout via Xinhua)
-- S.Korea reports 39 more cases, hovering around 50 for 4th day
-- New Zealand enforces compulsory quarantine for all arrivals
-- Australian Parliament passes "biggest economic lifeline" in history
HONG KONG, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries.
SEOUL -- South Korea reported 39 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of midnight Thursday local time, raising the total number of infections to 10,423.
The newly confirmed cases hovered around 50 for the fourth straight day. Of the total new cases, 23 were imported ones.
Four more deaths were confirmed, lifting the death toll to 204. The total fatality rate came in at 1.96 percent.
Photo taken on April 3, 2020 shows a temporary tent for initial diagnosis at the entrance area of a comprehensive hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. (New Zealand Ministry of Health/Handout via Xinhua)
WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported 23 new confirmed and six new probable cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 1,239 in the country.
One person has died from COVID-19 so far, and 317 people have recovered, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield from the Ministry of Health told a press conference.
From Thursday midnight, every New Zealander boarding a flight to return home will be required to undergo quarantine or "managed isolation" in an approved facility for a minimum of 14 days, part of the country's latest response to curb COVID-19, according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Photo taken on April 4, 2020 shows a notice on the beach reminding people of social distancing in Sydney, Australia. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)
CANBERRA -- The Australian Parliament has passed the government's wage subsidy scheme in a late night sitting.
Members of Parliament and Senators re-convened in Canberra for a single day on Wednesday to legislate the 130 billion Australian dollar (81.1 billion U.S. dollar) JobKeeper package.
Under the scheme, an estimated six million eligible workers who have had their work status affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive fortnightly payments of 1,500 AUD (935.7 USD) for about six months.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the package as "the biggest economic lifeline in Australia's history."
Photo taken on April 4, 2020 shows marked places for delivery at an apartment in Bangkok, Thailand. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)
BANGKOK -- Thailand's northern province of Chiang Mai Wednesday announced that the province will suspend sale of alcoholic beverages from April 10 to 20 in its battle against COVID-19.
A staff member takes a temperature measuring device in Mumbai, India, April 7, 2020. (Photo by Fariha Farooqui/Xinhua)
NEW DELHI -- India's top court on Wednesday ordered that state-run and private laboratories shall conduct the COVID-19 tests for free.
The Supreme Court passed the interim directions in a plea seeking directions to the federal government to conduct the COVID-19 tests free of cost in the country.
The court order comes at a time when private laboratories were allowed to charge people 59 U.S. dollars for the COVID-19 test.■
