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Coronavirus latest: at a glance

Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:

Known global death toll passes 55,000

At least 55,781 people across the world have now died as a result of the pandemic, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed cases passed a million on Thursday and at least 1,056,777 people are now known to have been infected.

The true scale of the outbreak is likely to be greater due to suspected underreporting by some nations.

UK endures deadliest day so far

It is confirmed that 684 more people have died in UK hospitals, bringing the total to 3,605 and making the 24 hours to 5pm on Thursday (BST) the deadliest since the outbreak began.

The country’s Department of Health and Social Care says 173,784 people have been tested; of whom 38,168 were positive.

New York reports nearly 3,000 deaths

The state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced that 2,935 people have now died. The toll, up from from 2,373 a day earlier, represents the highest single-day rise since the coronavirus crisis struck.

There are 102,863 confirmed cases in New York. Cuomo said that hospitals have in effect turned into ICU hospitals for Covid-19 patients.

Italy records 766 more deaths – but infection rate slows

The number of deaths on Friday was relatively steady, when compared to those seen the previous day. But the rate of new infections continues to slow, raising hopes of turnaround. Some 85,388 people are currently infected, with an increase of 2,339 new cases; 138 fewer than Thursday.

Italy remains the world’s worst-hit country, having suffered a total of 14,681 deaths.

More than 250,000 EU citizens stranded abroad

Some 350,000 have been repatriated but that still leaves a quarter of a million EU citizens trying to get home.

Josep Borrell, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, says operations are under way to retrieve them. But he adds: “One could not imagine that there are so many Europeans stranded in the world: tourists; visitors; short-term workers.”

Swiss death toll rises to 484

The Swiss government announced an increase in the number of deaths, adding that the number of positive cases now stands at 19,903. Switzerland has closed schools and many businesses, as well as banning gatherings of more than five people.

English Premier League asks players to take 30% wage cut

Premier League clubs announce they are “committing £20m to support the NHS, communities, families and vulnerable groups during the pandemic”.

And the governing body says it will consult players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30% of total annual remuneration. It also says it will advance funds of £125m to the four leagues beneath the Premier League.

Queen records special coronavirus broadcast

A broadcast from the monarch will be aired on Sunday, Buckingham Palace says. The televised address to the nation will be only the fourth of her 68-year reign during times of national crisis and grief.

The three previous speeches were: after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002; ahead of Diana, Princess of Wales’s funeral in 1997; and about the Gulf war in 1991. The Queen also made a televised address to mark her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Cases among English and Welsh prisoners rise 20% in 24 hours

The number of confirmed cases among prisoners in England and Wales has risen to 88 across 29 prisons, according to a daily update from the UK’s Ministry of Justice.

The number of prison staff who have tested positive remains at 15 in the same period, while the number of infected prisoner escort and custody services staff remains at four.

Hungarian journalists’ concerns at new law

The law supposedly aimed at fighting the outbreak will make objective reporting of the pandemic harder and could mean court cases or even jail time for reporting the crisis, Hungarian journalists say.

The measures, in place since Monday, have been roundly criticised for the sweeping powers they hand to the nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, to rule by decree.