May 26 coronavirus news

The new US travel ban on Brazil may affect the diplomatic and economic relationship between the two countries, Sao Paulo Gov. Joao Doria told CNN’s Isa Soares on Tuesday.

The ban is scheduled to go into effect Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m. ET and will limit the entry of any foreign nationals, including Brazilians, who traveled to the country within the past 14 days.

Doria said President Jair Bolsonaro was undermining his message and that of governors who represent some of the states hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

“With the example of the president of Brazil, everything is more difficult to us,” he said, because when local authorities ask people to stay home and use masks, the president sends the “opposite message.”

Bolsonaro has frequently dismissed the threat of the coronavirus and has said the financial impact of preventive measures, such as social distancing and quarantines, will be worse than the virus itself.

“The behavior of President Bolsonaro is the wrong behavior. He is against social isolation. He’s against orientation of the science,” Doria said, adding the priority should be saving lives before saving the economy.

Doria denied Sao Paulo’s health care system was near collapse at the moment, saying hospitals have received ventilators and the necessary support, and that the situation "is under control."

The state of Sao Paulo has the highest cases in Brazil, with more than 83,000 infections and 6,220 deaths, according to the latest data from the Brazilian health ministry.

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Boris Johnson's senior adviser acted "within the guidelines" issued by the government when he traveled to northern England during the nationwide lockdown in March, the UK’s Health Minister Matt Hancock said Tuesday.

Hancock, who established the country's coronavirus restrictions, came to the defense of Boris Johnson’s senior advisor during several rounds of questions from journalists during a daily government press briefing. 

Some background: Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s chief advisor, traveled more than 250 miles from his London home during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown in March with his sick wife and child. Yesterday, Cummings refused to apologize, saying "I don't regret what I did."

Hancock said the trip is considered an “exceptional circumstance“ allowed for childcare purposes and was not in violation of the rules,

The number of active Covid-19 cases in Italy has dropped to 52,942, the Civil Protection Agency said Tuesday. 

The number marks an encouraging decrease - close to half of the highest number of cases recorded during the peak of the pandemic, which stood at 108,257.

There have been 78 deaths in the past day, a small increase of 0.24%, raising the total number of fatalities to 32,955. 

Since Monday, 2,677 people have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 144,658. There are also 521 patients still in ICU.

The total number of cases in Italy currently stands at 230,555, with 397 new registered cases in the last day, according to the latest Civil Protection Agency numbers.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s "deeply disturbed" by a military report detailing conditions witnessed by soldiers when they were called in to help in senior living facilities during the coronavirus pandemic. 

“There are things in there that are extremely troubling and we need to take action,” he said without going into specifics. He indicated the province of Ontario would release more specific details later in the day. 

As of Tuesday, Canada reported more than 6,555 deaths from Covid-19.

According to Health Canada, nearly 80% of all coronavirus deaths in the country are related to long-term care institutions for the elderly. 

Some background: Both Ontario and Quebec requested help from the Canadian military as outbreaks of Covid-19 in long-term care institutions worsened and staff shortages persisted. 

In April, Trudeau said "soldiers shouldn’t be taking care of seniors," but his government was left with little choice but to grant a request for military help due to uncontrollable outbreaks of the virus, a spike in deaths, and a crippling shortage of health care staff experienced by long-term care facilities. 

In a highly symbolic reopening, Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity — which Christians believe stands on the site of the birthplace of Jesus — has opened its doors for the first time in 82 days.

CNN visited the church early Tuesday afternoon and saw five local people at prayer, as well as five Palestinian police officers who were there to maintain appropriate social distancing.

Louis Michel, who has a tourist shop in Bethlehem and also works as a guide in the city, told CNN that tears came to his eyes as he saw the church open again.

Michel said he has worked as a tour guide since 1996 and has never felt the mood of the city to be as sad as it is. “I don’t see how life will get back to normal in tourism; we need to wait until Christmas to see what will happen,” he added.

Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Ma’ayah urged travelers to return to Bethlehem

On Monday evening, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced the re-opening of shops, businesses, and government ministries, as well as religious buildings, as long as safety requirements were maintained.

Northern Ireland has become the first of the four UK nations to record zero deaths during the coronavirus crisis, Ireland’s Minister for Health Robin Swann said Tuesday. It is the first time no deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland since March 18.

Although Swann called the downward trend in deaths and cases “positive,” he was quick to issue a “serious note of caution,” adding there are “no grounds for complacency.”

Northern Ireland's deputy leader Michelle O’Neill called this “heartening news” but warned that “the battle is not over.”

Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar also announced on Monday that no Covid-19 deaths had been recorded since March 21.

Varadkar hailed it as a “significant milestone,” telling Irish citizens that “we will prevail” against the virus.

Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday that prayers will be held in mosques across the country as of May 31, including Friday prayers, except for the holy sites of Mecca, state news agency (SPA) said.

In April, the Saudi government applied one of the strictest lockdown measures in the Gulf, with 24-hour curfews on many cities. Authorities said they will be lifting curfew measures gradually starting Thursday, according to SPA.

Domestic flights in the kingdom will also resume, although gyms, cinemas and beauty salons remain closed.

Saudi Arabia has the highest number of recorded cases in the Gulf with more than 76,000 infections.

Dubai has announced a plan to reopen cinemas, fitness centers and entertainment outlets starting Wednesday as it continues to ease coronavirus curfew measures, according to state media on Monday. 

The Emirate went through a strict 24-hour lockdown in April, however started easing restrictions during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in May, allowing malls and shopping centers to open with limited capacity.

“We understand the pressure experienced by numerous sectors due to the Covid-19 crisis, but the UAE community remains strong,” he said.

The United Arab Emirates announced Monday it had conducted over 2 million coronavirus tests nationwide. More than 30,000 cases have been reported in the country and 253 deaths.

Italian singer Andrea Bocelli said Tuesday he had Covid-19 but has now fully recovered.

The classical singer said he didn't reveal he was sick sooner "not to unnecessarily alarm" his fans and protect his family's privacy.  

Bocelli said he decided to reveal this now because he is donating blood to participate in a clinical study to find a cure for Covid-19. 

In April, as the historic Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy, sat closed closed to the public on Easter because of the pandemic, Bocelli gave a special audience-free concert.