Health News Roundup: Coronavirus cases in the Netherlands top 30,000; Indonesia reports most coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Coronavirus cases in the Netherlands top 30,000: health authorities

Confirmed coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have risen by 1,235 to 30,449, Dutch health authorities said on Friday. The death toll among people known to have been infected with the novel coronavirus increased by 144 to 3,459 the Dutch Institute for Public Health (RIVM) said in its daily update.

Indonesia reports most coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia

Indonesia reported on Friday 407 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number to 5,923 and surpassing the Philippines as the country with the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia. The announcement came a day after an Indonesian official said the number of cases could reach 106,000 by July and follows criticism that a low rate of testing has hidden the extent of the spread of the virus.

Spain's death rate rises, government seeking to harmonise data

Spain's overnight death toll from coronavirus was 585 on Friday, a rise from 551 the previous night but far off early April peaks as the country starts to loosen the terms of its lockdown. Overnight figures of more than 900 were registered at the height of the outbreak in Spain, among countries worst-hit by the novel coronavirus which causes respiratory disease COVID-19.

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South Asia coronavirus cases hit 22,000 as Maldives locks down capital

The number of people infected with the coronavirus crossed 22,000 in densely populated South Asia on Friday driven by a rise in cases in India as the tiny Indian Ocean island nation of Maldives locked down its capital. Health officials have warned that the region, home to a fifth of the world's population, could be the new frontline against the disease because of millions living in packed slums and fragile public health systems.

China says nearly 1,300 virus deaths not counted in Wuhan, cites early lapses

Nearly 1,300 people who died of the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan, or half the total, were not counted in death tolls because of lapses, state media said on Friday, but Beijing dismissed claims that there had been any kind of cover-up. The central city where the outbreak emerged late last year added 1,290 more fatalities to the 2,579 previously counted as of Thursday, reflecting incorrect reporting, delays and omissions, according to a local government task force in charge of controlling the coronavirus.

Congo records five new Ebola cases, shelves declaration of end to epidemic

Five new Ebola infections have been recorded in eastern Congo since last week in a new flare-up just as the government was about to declare an end to the deadly epidemic, the World Health Organization said on Friday. Small outbreaks or one-off transmissions are common towards the end of an epidemic. Healthworkers are often able to prevent the virus spreading out of control by quarantining and vaccinating contacts of new cases.

Germany's coronavirus outbreak 'manageable again' as infection rate falls

The coronavirus outbreak in Germany has become manageable again as the number of patients who have recovered has been higher than the number of new infections every day this week, the health minister said on Friday. Germany has the fifth highest COVID-19 caseload behind the United States, Spain, Italy and France at nearly 134,000 but has kept fatalities down to a relatively low 3,868 thanks to early and extensive testing.

At least 300,000 Africans expected to die in pandemic: U.N. agency

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely kill at least 300,000 Africans and risks pushing 29 million into extreme poverty, the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) said on Friday, calling for a $100 billion safety net for the continent. Africa's 54 countries have so far reported fewer than 20,000 confirmed cases of the disease, just a fraction of the more than two million cases reported globally. But the World Health Organization warned on Thursday that Africa could see as many as 10 million cases in three to six months.

In run-down Caracas institute, Venezuela's coronavirus testing falters

As coronavirus explodes across Latin America, Venezuela's leaders have taken to the airwaves to laud the nation's efforts to control the spread. Since it confirmed its first case on March 13, the socialist government says it has performed almost 270,000 tests and is carrying out 25,000 more a day. Caracas claims that robust testing, along with tough lockdown measures, have given Venezuela one of the lowest incidences of coronavirus in the world - just 204 reported cases and 9 deaths in a country of 29 million people.