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| - Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: For the first time since COVID-19 was detected there in February, South Korea reports zero new infections, suggesting its aggressive test-and-trace strategy is having results. In the first evidence of successful treatment, a US clinical trial of the drug remdesivir shows that patients recovered about 30 percent faster than those on a placebo. "The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery," says Anthony Fauci, the top epidemiologist in the US. At least 227,482 people have died worldwide since the epidemic surfaced in China in December, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT Thursday based on official sources. More than 3,180,800 cases have now been reported in 193 countries and territories. In the United States, which has now passed the one-million-case mark, 60,999 people have died, the most of any country. Italy is the second hardest-hit country, with 27,682 dead, followed by Britain on 26,097 deaths, Spain 24,543 and France 24,087. Belgium is the country with the most deaths per capita. Catastrophic European figures underline the damage already done to the global economy. Data from the European Union's official statistics agency Eurostat shows the locked-down EU economy's gross domestic product contracted by 3.8 percent in January-March -- the worst quarterly drop since Eurostat records began in 1995. The EU's commissioner for the economy, Paolo Gentiloni, describes the situation as "an economic shock without precedent in modern times". France confirms it has officially plunged into recession. Spain's economy has contracted by 5.2 percent in the first quarter, according to provisional figures by the national statistics agency INE. The jobless total in Germany jumps sharply in April, to 2.6 million from 2.3 million in March, according to data from the federal labour agency BA. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) releases research that shows there will be 11,000 fewer deaths from air pollution in European countries due to a massive drop in fossil fuel pollution during lockdowns. Cases surged past 100,000 in Russia as officials warn infections have not yet peaked and they extend lockdown measures across the country. The country's latest official death toll is 1,073. burs-jba-eab/jmy/jv
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