Top 5 News Stories 18 May
1. On 17 May 2020, 433 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Ukraine over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 18 291, @Міністерство охорони здоров’я України reports. Of all cases, 5 116 people have recovered, and 514 people have died. Overall, 3 569 doctors and 1 301 children have become ill with COVID-19. In total, 2 280 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Kyiv. moz.gov.ua/article/news/operativna-informacija-pro-poshirennja-koronavirusnoi-infekcii-2019-ncov-1
2. Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), predicts a three-year economic hit from COVID-19. “The most severe shock has already occurred”, Georgieva said at a POLITICO virtual event on 15 May, noting that 170 countries have entered negative economic growth since March. Georgieva said she expects the global economy to shrink further beyond the current IMF estimate of -3% GDP in 2020, before a “partial recovery” in 2021. politico.com/news/2020/05/15/imf-predicts-four-year-economic-hit-261158
3. Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, which took place in a non-standard, non-competitive format, сame to an end. On 6 May, the live stream show lasted for nearly two hours and brought together all the participants who would have represented their countries in Rotterdam this year. But the event in the Netherlands was cancelled due to the pandemic. The online show highlighted the 41 songs of 2020 plus special performances, hits from the past, and interviews with popular artists, including former @Eurovision Song Contest participants. @GoAbandofficial, who was selected to represent Ukraine this year, will compete in next year’s song contest. Listen to the band’s song “Solovei” (Nightingale), which is inspired by traditional Ukrainian music: youtube.com/watch?v=qg0Llyyq86c.
4. Fourteen regions have already paid all allowances of up to 300% for March to doctors working directly with COVID-19 patients. This was announced by Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov at a traditional meeting chaired by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on preventing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and overcoming its consequences, the president’s press service reported.The Mykolaiv region didn’t detect any patients with COVID-19 in March, and the Chernivtsi region, where the spread of the disease was the greatest, will need additional funding. According to the Minister, other regions will complete the payment of allowances early next week. unian.info/society/covid-19-in-ukraine-up-to-300-allowances-for-march-paid-for-doctors-10999379.html
5. Turkey will accept patients from 31 countries, including Ukraine, as of 20 May as it loosens coronavirus restrictions, according to the country’s Health Ministry. An official letter from the ministry lists acceptance conditions for patients, entry to the country, admission to hospital, and treatment, plus discharge guidelines and isolation rules. It also notes the measures to be taken for the patients and their attendants. The patients of orthopedics and traumatology, general surgery, pediatric surgery, urology, eye diseases, cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, surgical oncology, gynecologic oncology surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, brain and nerve surgery, hematology, intensive care, assisted-reproduction treatment applications, organ transplantation and bone marrow transplantation will be accepted into the country, @anadoluagencyenglish reports. aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-to-open-doors-to-31-countries-for-health-tourism/1843020
