May 12 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung and Adam Renton, CNN

Updated 9:17 p.m. ET, May 12, 2020
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11:37 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

91 arrested in operation against mafia clans "ready to exploit coronavirus crisis" in Italy

From CNN's Valentina Di Donato and Sharon Braithwaite

Prosecutor Salvatore De Luca talks during a news conference in Palermo, Sicily on July 17, 2019.
Prosecutor Salvatore De Luca talks during a news conference in Palermo, Sicily on July 17, 2019. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

An operation against mafia clans accused of being “ready to exploit the coronavirus crisis” has seen 91 people arrested in Sicily, Italy, on Tuesday, the Italian Financial Police and Prosecutor Salvatore De Luca told CNN.

The 91 people that were arrested were ready to exploit businesses in need due to the coronavirus crisis, De Luca, who led the investigation told CNN.

The anti-mafia operation called "hands in the dough" also led to the seizure of real estate property worth about $16 million, the Financial Police said in a statement.

Operations are still underway across the entire country. Around 500 policemen are involved in the search for drugs, weapons and cash, the Financial Police said.

“The operation went on for three and a half years and the investigation will continue. It showed us that there was a series of classic illicit activities; extortion, drugs, and then there are the more recent activities in the Cosa Nostra crime portfolio like slot machines and online gambling, luxury watches and coffee,” De Luca said.

“There were significant arrests within the Aquasanta Family clan of the Cosa Nostra mafia, which is highly structured on family blood lines,” De Luca added.

“Our investigation involved phone interceptions that showed that Russian entrepreneurs were involved in the purchase and sale of watches, we know for certain that a London based firm purchased some of these watches. One of the money transfers for these watches was upward of 600 thousand euro."

Regarding the seizure property, De Luca said, “This is just the tip of the iceberg. As always happens with very complex investigations, we are able to seize the majority of property, in part of companies and businesses, but this is representative of just a small part of the cash flow that the mafia moves. Often, cash disappears in foreign banks.”

The prosecutor said he expects to see a “great merciless advance” from the Sicilian mafia when the market reopens. 

“Today the mafia’s capital is ready to infiltrate healthy companies that are in deep crisis with the aim of taking over the business and making it operate with the mafia’s methods; forcing suppliers to purchase products of the company, threatening workers, decreasing protection of workers, not respecting the norms of the sector all of the things that make a mafia run company more competitive than the healthy ones,” De Luca said.

Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese thanked the judiciary and the police for the “brilliant” results. “The investigation confirms that the current delicate situation constitutes a scenario of strong interest for criminal partnerships that intend to seize the opportunity to exercise their influence and find consensus and to conquer large sectors of the legal economy,” Lamorgese said in a statement Tuesday.

11:09 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

UK Royal family speaks with nurses across the Commonwealth in video calls

From CNN’s Max Foster in London 

The UK’s Royal family has held video calls with nurses across the Commonwealth to mark International Nurses Day.

The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Princess Royal, The Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra spoke with healthcare professionals working in Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus, Tanzania and the UK, Kensington Palace said in a statement.

“On the calls, Members of The Royal Family spoke with nurses about the work they are doing, with many talking about the impact of Covid-19 and how they were coping with the pandemic,” the statement said. It added: “The Royal Family reiterated their thanks to nurses across the Commonwealth for the incredible work they do on a daily basis.”

 

10:49 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Alcohol banned on the river Seine and Canal Saint-Martin in Paris

From CNN's Eva Tapiero

People gather along the banks of the river Seine in Paris on May 11, as France eased lockdown measures.
People gather along the banks of the river Seine in Paris on May 11, as France eased lockdown measures. Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

Drinking alcohol on banks of the river Seine and along the Canal Saint-Martin in central Paris is now banned, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced on Monday night.

The river banks and Canal Saint-Martin areas are iconic spots for Parisians — especially young people — to gather, picnic and enjoy sunny days and long evenings.

“The success of easing the lockdown depends on everyone's prudence and civility. Considering the irresponsibility of some behaviors, I asked Police Prefecture to ban alcohol consumption along the Saint-Martin canal and on the banks of the river,” Castaner tweeted.  

Parks and gardens are still closed in Paris as the French capital is located in the red zone, preventing their reopening. France started easing its national lockdown on Monday, May 11.

The Police Prefecture press office told CNN on Tuesday there is currently no stated end to the ban, meaning it will be enforced until it is no longer deemed necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

 

9:50 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Parks and gardens will stay closed in Paris 

From Eva Tapiero and Benjamin Berteau in Paris

The empty Tuileries Garden is pictured in Paris during lockdown on April 9.
The empty Tuileries Garden is pictured in Paris during lockdown on April 9. Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

Parks and public gardens in Paris will remain closed, French Health Ministry Olivier Veran said Tuesday.

This comes after Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo asked for the green spaces to be reopened if visitors wear face masks.

“Considering the need of Parisians, Paris is a very dense city, I’m asking again for a reopening of parks and gardens” she said on Twitter Tuesday.

Veran said Tuesday he had seen video of people gathering on the Seine river banks Monday and although that’s a “reflex which can be understood” he stressed that it was also dangerous. “No we will not open parks and gardens in Paris, in the Parisian region or in any other region classified as red” he added. 

“It is not because we don't want people to be able to go out and get some fresh air, but because it can be extremely tempting, in sunny weather such as we have today, for people to gather too much, not respect the group limit of 10 people and as a consequence, not respect the social distancing measures,” Veran said. 

Since April 28, France has been classified into green zones where the infection rate and ICU occupancy is low, and red zones where it is higher. Green zones, unlike the red ones, were able to start reopening parks and public gardens on May 11.

9:48 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

UK Railway ticket office worker died from COVID-19 after being spat on

From CNN's Vasco Cotovio

Police officers walk through Victoria station in central London on March 24.
Police officers walk through Victoria station in central London on March 24. Wiktor Szymanowicz/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

A British railway ticket office worker has died from Covid-19 after being spat on while she was working at Victoria station, in central London, her union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), revealed on Tuesday.

Belly Mujinga, 47, had an underlying health condition and on March 22nd she and a colleague were on shift, on the concourse by the ticket office for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), when a member of the public assaulted them, spat and coughed over them and told the two that he had the novel coronavirus. Mujinga died two weeks later on April 5.

According to TSSA, Mujinga and her colleague pleaded for police to be called onto the scene. In a statement to CNN, British Transport Police said they have now launched an investigation into the incident.

“Enquiries are ongoing,” it added in the statement.

“Belly and her colleague begged to be let to work from inside the building with a protective barrier between them and the public for the rest of that day. Management said they needed people working outside and sent them back out onto the concourse for the rest of their shift,” the union said in its statement on Tuesday, adding that both women went back outside and completed their shift. “They had no PPE.”

Mujinga had underlying respiratory problems for which she had had an operation, regular hospital appointments and had previously needed to take time off work, according to TSSA. The association says GTR knew about her condition and, even after the incident, only stood Mujinga down after her doctor called her work around March 25.

GTR is investigating the accusations, it said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.

“The safety of our customers and staff, who are key workers themselves, continues to be front of mind at all times and we follow the latest Government advice,” Angie Doll, Managing Director, Southern Railway and Gatwick Express said in the statement. “We take any allegations extremely seriously, and we are investigating these claims.”

Both Mujinga and her colleague fell ill from Covid-19 within days of the assault, according to TSSA. On April 2, just 11 days after the incident, Mujinga was taken to Barnet Hospital in an ambulance and put on a ventilator.

The TSSA also reported the incident to the Railways Inspectorate, which is the safety arm of the Office for Road and Rail (ORR). A spokesperson for the ORR told CNN on Monday the office was investigating the incident.

TSSA revealed Mujinga’s story as the British Government urged some people to return to work if they are not able do it from home, easing some of the restrictions it had put in place to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Rather than talking about the easing the lockdown, the government must first ensure that the right precautions and protections have been taken so that more lives are not lost,” TSSA’s Cortes said. “Our rail industry needs to have a very serious look at what tasks are deemed ‘essential’ and must put protections in place for all our members and our passengers.”

The TSSA also called on the Government to implement additional measures to compensate frontline workers from the railway industry for their work during these difficult times.

8:58 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Denmark is creating a new agency to handle future outbreaks

From CNN's Susanne Gargiulo

Danish Prime Minster Mette Frederiksen, center, speaks during a press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 12.
Danish Prime Minster Mette Frederiksen, center, speaks during a press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 12. Philip Davali/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty Images

Denmark is establishing a new government agency to prepare for future epidemics or another wave of the coronavirus.

It will be part of the Ministry of Justice – not a health agency.

The agency should be up and running by August, in time to address another potential wave of Covid-19 or a future epidemic. It will be responsible for the supply and storage of enough protective equipment, testing and testing facilities, epidemic-related infrastructure, cooperation between private and public sectors, and so forth. 

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made the announcement at a press conference today, saying that this will help public health authorities focus on their core task of taking care of people. “What we understand now is that what started as a health challenge became a challenge for the entire society,” she said.

The announcement comes a day after Danish health authorities shifted their guidance on what is a safe distance, from two meters down to one meter. 

 “They will focus on practical issues, logistics and societal preparedness," said the prime minister. "They are an operative muscle that will ensure that strategies and initiatives can be carried out quickly and effectively."
 “We view protective equipment as critical infrastructure and we must be better prepared if there is a new wave of corona or an entirely new epidemic," she said. 
9:19 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Vladimir Putin's spokesman has been hospitalized with coronavirus

From CNN’s Mary Ilyushina in Moscow

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is pictured with his spokesman Dmitry Peskov in December 2019.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin is pictured with his spokesman Dmitry Peskov in December 2019. Valery Sharifulin/TASS/Getty Images

Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, told state-run news agency RIA Novosti that he has been hospitalized with coronavirus.

Putin has largely been working from a residence in the Moscow region via videoconferencing, with only a few in-person meetings.

Later on Tuesday, Peskov told the TASS news agency that the last time he had seen the President in person was "over a month ago."

Three Russian ministers have previously tested positive for coronavirus, including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who is still in hospital, as well as Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and Minister of Housing Vladimir Yakushev.

Russia has struggled to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus and now has more confirmed cases -- 232,000 -- than anywhere in the world outside of the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.

While the country's official death toll is relatively low, with more than 2,000 fatalities reported, some critics and experts say the figure is almost certainly underestimated.

Moscow's mortality rate surged by 18% in April compared to the same month last year, as well as compared to the April average for the past decade, according to data released by the city’s civil register office.

Peskov's announcement came hours after a fire at a hospital in Russia left at least five coronavirus patients dead.

The fire broke out on the sixth floor of an intensive care unit at the St. George Hospital in St. Petersburg, killing five patients connected to ventilating equipment, TASS reported, citing medical personnel.

According to initial findings, the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in a ventilator or its malfunction, state news agencies said.

9:05 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Northern Ireland announces a 5 step plan to ease lockdown – but no specific timeline

From CNN's Niamh Kennedy

Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster, left, and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill arrive at Stormont Parliament Buildings in Belfast on May 12.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster, left, and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill arrive at Stormont Parliament Buildings in Belfast on May 12. Liam McBurney/PA Images/Getty Images

Northern Ireland announced on Tuesday a five-step plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown, but did not set out dates for each step.

The province’s government, the Northern Ireland Executive, said they “will be led by the science and not by a calendar setting artificial deadlines,” and that their approach “will take account of the trajectory of the pandemic, as well as the best medical and scientific advice available at the time of each review.”

The government said, “steps we are all taking are working and, if we continue to work together, they will enable the restrictions to be relaxed in stages when the time is right.”

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom but has some degree of self-government, as do Scotland and Wales.

The 12-page document says the stages will be guided by the principles of necessity, proportionality, reliance on evidence, protection of healthcare capacity and control of transmission.

Under Step One, those who cannot work from home will be encouraged to return to work on a phased basis. Large outdoor based retail centers, outdoor spaces and sports amenities will be allowed to reopen. Groups of four to six people not from the same household may meet outdoors maintaining social distance. Drive-through church services will operate and worshippers will have access to the church for private worship.

Under Step Two non-food retail stores may reopen provided they apply social distancing measures. the demand for public transport is expected to increase and citizens are encouraged to walk or cycle to alleviate this. The definition of key workers will be expanded allowing further categories of people to return to work. Groups of up to 10 people may meet outdoors. Non-contact sport teams may resume training in small groups and select libraries and open air museums may open. Indoor activities between two to four people will be permitted for a period of 10 minutes.

Under Step Three there will be a phased return of office workers but work that can be done at home should be done there. Schools may begin to welcome prioritized students on a part-time basis alternating part time and remote learning. Gatherings of up to 30 people will be held with social distancing. Museums, galleries, concerts resume. Indoor activities for short periods permitted for larger groups.

Under Step Four contact retail including hairdressers and tattoo parlors may reopen. Schools will reopen to all students incorporating remote and in-school teaching. Businesses will be encouraged to stagger start times to offset increased public transport demand. Church services may resume, outdoor professional sport fixtures may take place behind closed doors and outdoor concerts will be held on a restricted basis. Indoor and outdoor gatherings of large groups must last under 10 minutes with social distancing measures.

Under Step Five all citizens are permitted to return to work with hospitality businesses allowed to reopen. Schools return on full time basis. Full public transport service will operate. Extended groups may meet subject to social distancing or other mitigation measures. Nightclubs reopen, concerts resume and close physical contact sports returns. Large indoor gatherings of people where social distance not maintained likely.

8:24 a.m. ET, May 12, 2020

Seoul Mayor says new cluster of cases linked to nightclub is "another lesson for us"

From CNN’s Paula Hancocks 

People wait in line at a coronavirus testing station in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul, South Korea, on May 12.
People wait in line at a coronavirus testing station in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul, South Korea, on May 12. Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images

In an interview with CNN, the mayor of Seoul called the new cluster of coronavirus cases in the country “another lesson for us” and that “we should always be alert” as the reemergence of the virus can happen any place and any time.

In a briefing earlier, the mayor said over 100 cases of coronavirus have been linked to a nightclub cluster in South Korea. The cluster emerged in the capital's Itaewon entertainment district over the past few days, raising fears of a second wave of infections.

Speaking with Paula Hancocks in Seoul, Mayor Park Won-soon said Tuesday “We cannot be safe even though we have zero cases for a long time and anytime the outbreak can come to our society.”

Park said the stakes were high in containing and outbreak in the capital metro area with 25 million people. He said if “the disease penetrates Seoul, the Korean peninsula is penetrated.”

Park also called the virus a “battle of time” and that the government should be finished tracing potential cases from the Itaewon district within the week.

Some background: This week government officials have warned against the stigmatization of the virus in the LGBT community as the cluster of night clubs in question in the Itaewon district that is known to cater to LGBT patrons. Homophobia is still rife in South Korea and the country is less accepting of same-sex couples when compared to nearby democracies like Japan and Taiwan.

Park said the government is working closely to ensure patient confidentially.

“We guaranteed the anonymous testing, and also we declared such information to not be used for any other purposes, and we should erase any kind of information, Park said.

Park added that the government guarantees led to an increase in people getting tested on Monday and Tuesday.

When pressed if it was the right decision to reopen nightclubs before other venues like schools, Park said the country had to prepare for the expansion of the virus alongside allowing life to continue. “There is high demand of the citizens to allow some extent of activities including the economic activities” he said.