Rolling updates on the latest developments and headlines from around the world on the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Gina Lee and Peter Nurse
(10:09 PM ET) China reports mixed data on industrial production and retail sales
China reported a 3.9% increase in April industrial production year-on-year, exceeding analyst forecasts of 1.5% prepared by Invsting.com.
The country also reported a 7.5% decrease in April retail sales year-on year, against forecasts of a 7% drop.
(10:06 PM ET) FDA slaps inaccuracy warning on Abbot’s COVID-19 test kit.
The FDA said that Abbbot’s ID NOW point-of-care test kit to diagnose COVID-19 could potentially give false negative results. Although the test can still be used and identify positive cases correctly, the body suggested that negative results be reconfirmed with a high sensitivity authorized molecular test.
(10:01 PM ET) Lockdowns expected to contribute to record drop in U.S. April retail sales
Lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19 are expected to contribute to a record drop in U.S. April retails sales, as Americans shopped online and for essentials only.
Analyst forecasts prepared by Investing.com predict that sales dropped by 12% month-on-month, the biggest drop since records were started in 1992. .
(9:54 PM ET) IOC contributes up to $800 million to fight COVID-19, Japan lifts state of emergency in 39 out of 47 prefectures
The International Olympic Committee has set aside $800 million to assist Japan with payments and loans linked to COVID-19 in the aftermath of its postponement of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the state of emergency for 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures earlier than scheduled with decreasing number of cases. The government will evaluate the remaining prefectures next week whether the declaration can be lifted before its May 31 end date. But Abe did not lift the state of emergency for Tokyo and Osaka.
(9:49 PM ET): Number of Brazilian cases surpasses 13,000
Brazil reported a daily record high of 13,944 new cases on May 14, as President Jair Bolsonaro planned to lift lockdowns in Sao Paulo. Johns Hopkins University data said that the country had 202,918 confirmed cases and 13, 993 deaths as of May 15.