"COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis" 21st Jun 2021
Overnight News RoundUp
Delta Covid variant becoming globally dominant - WHO official says
- The Delta variant of Covid-19, first identified in India, is becoming the globally dominant variant of the disease, the World Health Organisation's chief scientist said.
- Britain has reported a steep rise in infections with the Delta variant, while Germany's top public health official predicted it would rapidly become the dominant variant there, despite rising vaccination rates.
- The Kremlin blamed a surge in Covid-19 cases on reluctance to have vaccinations and 'nihilism' after record infections in Moscow, mostly with the new Delta variant, fanned fears of a third wave.
- 'The Delta variant is well on its way to becoming the dominant variant globally because of its increased transmissability,' WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told a news conference.
- The UK has experienced a 79% rise in one week in cases of the Delta variant first identified in India, Public Health England (PHE) said yesterday.
- The most recent data shows 99% of confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus across the country are the Delta variant.
- Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said the increase across the UK is being driven by younger age groups, many of whom have now been invited for a vaccination as the jab rollout extends to anyone aged 18 and over.
- Hospital cases have almost doubled, though most of those needing treatment have not had a vaccine.
- It came as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he is 'very confident' that the remaining coronavirus restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19.
- The PHE data shows that 75,953 confirmed and probable cases of the Covid-19 variant have now been found in the UK - up by 33,630, or 79%, on the previous week.
- Of the 75,953, some 70,856 have been in England, 4,659 in Scotland, 254 in Northern Ireland and 184 in Wales.
- The latest Office for National Statistics figures show that around one in 520 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to June 12. This is up from one in 560 in the previous week and the highest level since the week to April 10.
- Meanwhile, 806 people in England had been admitted to hospital with the Delta variant as of June 14, a rise of 423 on the previous week. Of these, 65% were unvaccinated while 17% were more than 21 days after their first dose of vaccine.
Delta Covid variant becoming globally dominant – WHO official
Delta Covid variant becoming globally dominant – WHO official
The Delta variant of Covid-19, first identified in India, is becoming the globally dominant variant of the disease, the World Health Organisation’s chief scientist said yesterday. Britain has reported a steep rise in infections with the Delta variant, while Germany’s top public health official predicted it would rapidly become the dominant variant there despite rising vaccination rates. The Kremlin blamed a surge in Covid-19 cases on reluctance to have vaccinations and “nihilism” after record new infections in Moscow, mostly with the new Delta variant, fanned fears of a third wave
‘It’s such a relief’: how Europe’s Covid vaccine rollout is catching up with UK
‘It’s such a relief’: how Europe’s Covid vaccine rollout is catching up with UK
On Friday morning, Leyla Çelik woke up with butterflies in her stomach. For weeks, the 22-year-old student at Berlin’s Freie Universität had tried in vain to get an appointment for her first Covid-19 vaccine shot so she could volunteer as a polling station administrator at federal elections in September. “I’d basically given up hope.” But last week her university had suddenly got in touch via email, offering her a chance to get a first dose of Moderna vaccine on campus, and within a few days. By 9am on Friday, the anxiety has turned into euphoria: “It’s such a relief,” said the native Berliner, nursing her achey shoulder at Freie’s biology institute, converted into a vaccine delivery point as of this week. “At last I can catch a train or a bus without feeling anxious.”
Philippines seals biggest COVID-19 vaccine order yet, for 40 mln Pfizer doses
Philippines seals biggest COVID-19 vaccine order yet, for 40 mln Pfizer doses
The Philippine government has signed a supply agreement for 40 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, in its biggest coronavirus vaccine deal to date. Deliveries of the vaccine will begin in late September, Carlito Galvez, head of the government's COVID-19 vaccine procurement, said on Sunday. It "will significantly boost our national immunisation programme and will enable us to realise our goal of achieving herd immunity by year-end," he said.
UN: Nearly 3 million fled homes in 2020 despite COVID-19 pandemic
UN: Nearly 3 million fled homes in 2020 despite COVID-19 pandemic
Nearly 3 million people fled their homes in 2020 despite the global pandemic that closed many borders over the past year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. The Global Trends report Friday showed the total number of refugees has increased to 82.4 million people, making 1 percent of the world displaced. "People were forced to flee their homes throughout the year despite an urgent appeal from the U.N. Secretary-General on 23 March 2020 calling for a global ceasefire to enable a concerted response to the pandemic," the report reads. "UNHCR data shows that arrivals of new refugees and asylum-seekers were sharply down in most regions – about 1.5 million fewer people than would have been expected in non-COVID circumstances, and reflecting how many of those seeking international protection in 2020 became stranded."
'Protected them to death': Elder-care COVID rules under fire
'Protected them to death': Elder-care COVID rules under fire
Barbara and Christine Colucci long to remove their masks and kiss their 102-year-old mother, who has dementia and is in a nursing home in Rochester, New York. They would love to have more than two people in her room at a time so that relatives can be there too. “We don’t know how much longer she’s going to be alive,” Christine Colucci said, “so it’s like, please, give us this last chance with her in her final months on this earth to have that interaction.” Pandemic restrictions are falling away almost everywhere — except inside many of America’s nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nation’s most vulnerable from COVID-19 are still being enforced even though 75% of nursing home residents are now vaccinated and infections and deaths have plummeted.
Afghanistan running out of oxygen as COVID surge worsens
Afghanistan running out of oxygen as COVID surge worsens
Afghanistan’s is racing to ramp up supplies of oxygen as a deadly third surge of COVID-19 worsens, a senior health official told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday. The government is installing oxygen supply plants in 10 provinces where up to 65% of those tested in some areas are COVID positive, health ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigir Nazari said. By WHO recommendations, anything higher than 5% shows officials aren’t testing widely enough, allowing the virus to spread unchecked. Afghanistan carries out barely 4,000 tests a day and often much less. Afghanistan’s 24-hour infection count has also continued its upward climb from 1,500 at the end of May when the health ministry was already calling the surge “a crisis,” to more than 2,300 this week. Since the pandemic outbreak, Afghanistan is reporting 101,906 positive cases and 4,122 deaths. But those figures are likely a massive undercount, registering only deaths in hospitals — not the far greater numbers who die at home.
Africa Appeals for Vaccines to Combat Third Wave of COVID-19
Africa Appeals for Vaccines to Combat Third Wave of COVID-19
African health officials are urgently appealing for vaccines to combat a third wave of COVID-19 surging across the continent. The World Health Organization reports the number of African COVID-19 cases has exceeded 5 million and the disease has killed 136,000 people. WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says cases have been increasing over the past four weeks. She says new cases in the past week have risen by nearly 30% across the continent and deaths have increased by 15%. She says five countries—South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda, and Namibia—account for 76% of new coronavirus infections in Africa.
In COVID hit Asia, mixed messages on refugee vaccinations
In COVID hit Asia, mixed messages on refugee vaccinations
“The refugees were vaccinated in conjunction with the local government,” Nasruddin, the humanitarian coordinator of Geutanyoe Foundation, an NGO which provides education and psychosocial support to refugees in Indonesia and Malaysia, told Al Jazeera. “When we found them, they were in a crisis situation on the island with no food, water or electricity, so local residents brought them food and we also brought them 50 tanks of water,” he added. “The feeling on the ground was that we needed to share our vaccines with the refugees in order to protect them as well. No one complained that the vaccines were being given to refugees.”
Aceh Province has been widely praised by humanitarian groups, NGOs and the general public for vaccinating Rohingya refugees, but elsewhere in Southeast Asia, asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers have not been so lucky.
US sending Taiwan 2.5 million vaccine doses, tripling pledge
US sending Taiwan 2.5 million vaccine doses, tripling pledge
The U.S. is sending 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. The shipment was due to arrive by plane later Sunday, the de facto U.S. embassy said. “The donation reflects our commitment to Taiwan as a trusted friend, and a member of the international family of democracies,” the American Institute in Taiwan wrote on its Facebook page. Taiwan, which had been relatively unscathed by the virus, has been caught off-guard by a surge in new cases since May and is now scrambling to get COVID-19 vaccines. It has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday.
Covid-19: Should all children get a vaccine?
Covid-19: Should all children get a vaccine?
Vaccinating children is routine and widely accepted - measles, mumps, polio, diphtheria, rotavirus, multiple strains of meningitis, whooping cough… the list goes on. All this starts from just a few weeks old. So, what about Covid-19? Some countries are cracking on. The US is immunising children between 12 and 15. It expects to have enough safety data to go even younger next year. But in the UK - the BBC has been told - a decision to vaccinate all 12 to 17-year-olds is unlikely to be recommended by UK experts any time soon. There is a scientific question - will vaccinating children save lives? - which is complex as the answer may vary from country to country.
COVID-19 might be over, but viral infections in Israel are surging
COVID-19 might be over, but viral infections in Israel are surging
The corona crisis might be over, but all over Israel adults and children are getting sick with viral infections in a phenomenon that is unprecedented for this time of the year, according to several medical professionals. “We have never seen anything like this,” said Dr. Tal Brosh, head of Infectious Disease Unit at the Samson Assuta Ashdod Hospital. “We’ve been monitoring viral infections in the hospital, which of course is just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in the community, as for each hospitalized patient, there are many more out there. Since the spring, we have been seeing an increasing number of respiratory diseases, and since May there has been a surge in RSV cases.”
Mexico to donate 154100 doses of AstraZeneza vaccine to Honduras
Mexico to donate 154100 doses of AstraZeneza vaccine to Honduras
The Mexican government announced on Friday it is donating to Honduras 154,100 doses of the AstraZeneca (AZN.L) COVID-19 vaccine. The donation is the first from the Mexican government to the small Central American nation, which has confirmed 251,149 cases of coronavirus and 6,719 deaths. About 400,000 Hondurans have received at least one vaccine shot, out of a population of 9.5 million.
Fans who had AstraZeneca vaccine won’t be allowed into Bruce Springsteen’s New York concerts
Fans who had AstraZeneca vaccine won’t be allowed into Bruce Springsteen’s New York concerts
Anyone who has had the AstraZeneca vaccine will be barred from attending Bruce Springsteen’s comeback shows in New York next week. The intimate five-night run at the St James theatre will be the first Broadway show to reopen since last March and will require attendees to show proof of vaccination, reports The Telegraph. However, the list will be limited only to jabs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration - Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson. Any potential concert-goers who received their Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine overseas will be left with the prospect of being turned away at the door should they book tickets.
Nudge, nudge: the secret behind our Covid vaccine success
Nudge, nudge: the secret behind our Covid vaccine success
The Polish government organised a million zloty (£189,000) lottery, New Jersey in the US is offering a “shot and a beer” and vaccinated people in Moscow can win a car. No such eye-catching incentives are needed here: Britain boasts one of the highest vaccine take-up rates in the world. More than 64 per cent of the population have had one dose, meaning the UK should overtake Israel for first doses per person next week. More than 96 per cent of all adults aged 50 and over have been vaccinated. There is no sign of that slowing. When bookings opened to adults aged 18-20 on Friday, more than 721,000 people signed up in a single day in what officials described as a “Glastonbury-style rush”.
COVID-19: Ministers consider dropping quarantine rules for those with two jabs
COVID-19: Ministers consider dropping quarantine rules for those with two jabs
The government is considering dropping forced self-isolation for those who have had two coronavirus jabs, Sky News understands. Sky's political correspondent Rob Powell said it was "early days but the idea is being discussed in Westminster and people would instead have to take daily tests". It is unclear whether the proposal would only come in after all adults in the country have been offered two doses, Powell added.
Indian COVID-19 official says the country wants to resume coronavirus vaccine exports but can't until its needs are met.
Indian COVID-19 official says the country wants to resume coronavirus vaccine exports but can't until its needs are met.
Indian COVID-19 official says the country wants to resume coronavirus vaccine exports but can't until its needs are met.
Tokyo cancels public viewing sites for summer Olympics
Tokyo cancels public viewing sites for summer Olympics
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has cancelled all public viewing sites for the summer Olympics, diverting some venues to be COVID-19 vaccinations centres instead.
Foreign spectators are banned from attending the Games, delayed by a year due to the pandemic, but the government and Tokyo 2020 organisers have for months held off on deciding whether to allow Japanese spectators into the stadiums.
California gives residents digital access to their COVID-19 vaccine record
California gives residents digital access to their COVID-19 vaccine record
The state of California has launched a tool designed to give residents easy access to a digital copy of their COVID-19 vaccine information. Unlike New York's Excelsior Pass, it's not an app people have to install on their phones. It's a simple website where residents will have to enter their name, date of birth and the phone number or email they used when they got their vaccine. They also have to create a 4-digital PIN, which they'll have to remember to be able to open the digital copy of their vaccine record.
Palestinian Authority calls off vaccine exchange with Israel
Palestinian Authority calls off vaccine exchange with Israel
The Palestinian Authority announced it has cancelled an agreement with Israeli regarding the exchange of Pfizer vaccines, saying the doses are set to expire soon.
Palestinian officials had come under heavy criticism on social media after the agreement was announced, with many accusing them of accepting subpar vaccines and suggesting they might not be effective.
South Africa deploys army medics to COVID-hit Gauteng province
South Africa deploys army medics to COVID-hit Gauteng province
South Africa is deploying army medical personnel to its commercial hub and most populous province to help health workers battle a surge in coronavirus, the government said on Friday. South Africa, the worst-hit country in the continent, has entered a third COVID wave, with new daily cases doubling over the past two weeks.
Kremlin blames vaccine hesitancy as Delta variant drives Moscow surge
Kremlin blames vaccine hesitancy as Delta variant drives Moscow surge
The Kremlin on Friday blamed a surge in COVID-19 cases on reluctance to have vaccinations and "nihilism" after a record 9,056 new infections in Moscow, mostly with the new Delta variant, fanned fears of a third wave. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin extended restrictions he had imposed this month, which include a ban on events with more than 1,000 people, an 11 p.m. closing time for restaurants, and the closure of fan zones set up for the European soccer championship
Nearly half of unvaccinated Americans say they will not get the Covid-19 vaccine, poll finds
Nearly half of unvaccinated Americans say they will not get the Covid-19 vaccine, poll finds
Conducted between 10 and 14 June, the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that of those who have not received the Covid-19 jab, 46 per cent said they definitely do not plan to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, 29 per cent of unvaccinated participants said they would probably not be getting the Covid-19 jab, while seven percent said they definitely will and 15 per cent say they probably will. The poll, which saw a total of 1,125 adults surveyed, highlights the difficulties the Biden administration faces in propelling its vaccination programme forward.
English councils refuse six in 10 requests for Covid self-isolation pay
English councils refuse six in 10 requests for Covid self-isolation pay
Almost two-thirds of workers in England seeking grants to help them self-isolate are being refused help, sparking warnings from trade unions that a key policy to limit Covid-19 is “failing” in the face of rising infections. Councils are continuing to refuse more than six out of 10 applications despite the government increasing funding for the vital anti-Covid system in March to £20m a month, freedom of information requests by the Trades Union Congress found. One council, Hackney in east London, said it had rejected 91% of requests for the £500 payments. saying that the government’s criteria were “extremely tight”. It had to reject some requests because they did not produce the right paperwork even though it acknowledged it can be difficult if families are ill or self-isolating.
Why one in eight under-30s is concerned about getting the Covid vaccine, according to experts
Why one in eight under-30s is concerned about getting the Covid vaccine, according to experts
All over-18s in England can book their coronavirus vaccine today as the roll-out opens to all remaining young adults. Last week, thousands of over-25s queued online to bag an appointment when they became eligible, with a million doses booked in one day. But not all young people feel positively towards the vaccine, with rates of hesitancy in those under 30 higher than any other age group. i asked the experts why young people are more likely to refuse the jab than their parents or grandparents.
Brazil still debating dubious virus drug amid 500,000 deaths
Brazil still debating dubious virus drug amid 500,000 deaths
As Brazil hurtles toward an official COVID-19 death toll of 500,000 — second-highest in the world — science is on trial inside the country and the truth is up for grabs. With the milestone likely to be reached this weekend, Brazil's Senate is publicly investigating how the toll got so high, focusing on why President Jair Bolsonaro's far-right government ignored opportunities to buy vaccines for months while it relentlessly pushed hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug that rigorous studies have shown to be ineffective in treating COVID-19.
AstraZeneca committed 'serious breach' in failing to supply vaccines to EU
AstraZeneca committed 'serious breach' in failing to supply vaccines to EU
A Belgian court has ruled that coronavirus vaccine-maker AstraZeneca had committed a “serious breach” of its contract with the European Union amid a major legal battle over delivery obligations that has tarnished the company’s image. The court ordered AstraZeneca to deliver a total of 80.2 million doses to the EU from the time the contract was agreed up until Sept 27. The ruling said the company did not appear to have made a “best reasonable effort” to meet the delivery schedule because it had not used its UK production sites. But the Anglo-Swedish company claimed victory, saying that this was far fewer than the 120 million doses that the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, was seeking in total by the end of June. It also welcomed the court’s acknowledgement that it was under unprecedented pressure.
The animal origins pathway of Covid-19 outbreak is logical, but there’s no ‘gotcha’ evidence
The animal origins pathway of Covid-19 outbreak is logical, but there’s no ‘gotcha’ evidence
The global Covid-19 pandemic may yet become the worst in modern history. Already there are more than 175 million cases and 3.8 million deaths. As quickly as the pandemic was upon us, so too has been the response – the rapid implementation of new technologies to drive public health, novel approaches to vaccines, and the continuous courage and commitment of our healthcare workers.
But with the universal collaboration of those working to fight the virus comes others who have been unedifying and downright mistaken in their approach – the rejection or lack of scientific advice, prioritisation of economic considerations over public health, social media manipulation, and the movement towards an ideological left versus right battle.
Two critical reasons UK is facing a difficult COVID winter, according to Chris Whitty
Two critical reasons UK is facing a difficult COVID winter, according to Chris Whitty
Chris Whitty has said the UK needs to “brace” for another difficult winter. England’s chief medical officer warned on Thursday of another coronavirus surge, as well as a flu surge. While he said it won’t be as bad as last winter’s COVID-19 crisis, in which tens of thousands of people were hospitalised and died, Prof Whitty warned there are “further problems” to come later this year.
Moderna plots 155 new hires in 2021 amid major mRNA vaccine manufacturing expansion
Moderna plots 155 new hires in 2021 amid major mRNA vaccine manufacturing expansion
With a major COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing boost underway, Moderna is plotting new hires to fill its expanded production and lab space. The mRNA specialist has promised to hire at least 155 new employees for manufacturing positions at its Norwood, Massachusetts, site in 2021 and to retain the additional headcount through 2025, the company said Friday. The new commitment came with a $2.33 million tax incentive from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. It’s also the result of a newly launched expansion project that aims to more than double the Moderna facility’s space. Moderna didn’t immediately reply to an inquiry for clarification as to how many of the 155 jobs have already been filled.
Argentine lab makes first half million doses of Russian COVID-19 vaccine
Argentine lab makes first half million doses of Russian COVID-19 vaccine
Argentine laboratory Richmond said on Friday that it had produced almost half a million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus, the first made in the country. The vaccines await approval from the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT) and Russia's Gamaleya Institute for their release, Richmond said in a tweet. "We appreciate the hard work it took our staff to achieve this first objective, and continue with our commitment to have local vaccine production," it said.
You can catch covid-19 twice, but the second bout is likely to be mild
You can catch covid-19 twice, but the second bout is likely to be mild
Back in August 2020, a worrying report came in from Reno, Nevada. A 25-year-old man who had recovered from covid-19 in April had fallen ill with it again, and this time his symptoms were worse. He had tested negative for the virus in between bouts, so had been infected twice. Other reports of reinfection were also circulating at the time, raising fears that infections don’t lead to long-lasting immunity. Nine months on, however, those fears have receded...
Cuba encouraged by early efficacy results of homegrown COVID-19 vaccine
Cuba encouraged by early efficacy results of homegrown COVID-19 vaccine
Cuba's Soberana 2 vaccine candidate has shown 62% efficacy with just two of its three doses, state-run biopharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma said on Saturday, citing preliminary data from late phase trials. Cuba, whose biotech sector has exported vaccines for decades, has five vaccine candidates in clinical trials, of which two - Soberana 2 and Abdala - are in late phase trials.
A Pill to Treat Covid-19? The U.S. Is Betting on It.
A Pill to Treat Covid-19? The U.S. Is Betting on It.
The U.S. government spent more than $18 billion last year funding drugmakers to make a Covid vaccine, an effort that led to at least five highly effective shots in record time. Now it’s pouring more than $3 billion on a neglected area of research: developing pills to fight the virus early in the course of infection, potentially saving many lives in the years to come. The new program, announced on Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services, will speed up the clinical trials of a few promising drug candidates. If all goes well, some of those first pills could be ready by the end of the year. The Antiviral Program for Pandemics will also support research on entirely new drugs — not just for the coronavirus, but for viruses that could cause future pandemics.
Masks, social distancing may have weakened children's immune system: Report
Masks, social distancing may have weakened children's immune system: Report
According to experts, children for the last 15 months or so have not had great encounters with viral pathogens. As a result, they have not been able to build an immune system to fight the bugs in the post-pandemic days.
Expect 'difficult winter' with both flu and Covid wave, warns CMO
Expect 'difficult winter' with both flu and Covid wave, warns CMO
GPs should expect a resurgence of flu cases alongside another winter wave of Covid, the chief medical officer has warned. He said that a ‘difficult winter’ lies ahead, although it may not reach the pressures felt this year. It comes as studies are underway to assess whether flu and Covid vaccinations can be co-administered later this year. Speaking yesterday at the final afternoon of NHS Confed’s annual conference, Professor Chris Whitty said that after the current wave, he is expecting a further ‘surge’ of Covid in late autumn/winter when respiratory viruses are ‘favoured’. The size of this will depend on any new variants and ‘how the current wave passes through the UK’, but ‘revaccination’ should be expected for the next two to three years, he added. He told delegates: ‘If I look five years out, I would expect us to have polyvalent vaccines which will hold the line to a very large degree against even new variants as they come in and an ability to respond with vaccination to new variants.
G7 summit was ‘super spreading’ event for Cornwall as cases rocket 2,450% after Johnson and Biden visit
G7 summit was ‘super spreading’ event for Cornwall as cases rocket 2,450% after Johnson and Biden visit
Britain’s recent G7 summit of world leaders was a superspreader event that has led to a sharp increase in Covid-19 infections in the surrounding communities, according to the latest data. Cornwall business leaders, politicians and residents are calling for the Government to “save the summer” following a huge rise in Covid-19 infections following the visit from world leaders, their entourages, the world’s media and thousands of police last weekend. Areas of Cornwall where G7 events were focused saw infections rise more than 2,000 per cent in the seven days leading up to the end of the meeting between global leaders .
Delta variant of coronavirus seen dominant in Germany by autumn
Delta variant of coronavirus seen dominant in Germany by autumn
The more infectious Delta coronavirus variant will become dominant in Germany by the autumn at the latest, the country's top public health official said on Friday, urging the public both to continue wearing masks indoors and to get vaccinated. "The Delta variant makes up about 6% of infections, but its share is growing," Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said, referring to the variant first identified in India.
Delta variant behind COVID-19 resurge in Lisbon area
Delta variant behind COVID-19 resurge in Lisbon area
Over half the new COVID-19 cases being reported in the Lisbon region are of the more infectious Delta coronavirus variant, preliminary data showed on Sunday as Portuguese authorities scramble to curb a worrying spike in infections. Ricardo Jorge, the national health institute, said the Delta variant, first identified in India, represented over 60% of cases in the Lisbon area though still less than 15% in the northern half of Portugal. The Alpha variant, which was previously dominant in Britain, is more prevalent across Portugal’s north, representing 80% of infections there and only 30% in and around Lisbon, according to the institute.
Brazil passes half a million COVID-19 deaths, experts warn of worse ahead
Brazil passes half a million COVID-19 deaths, experts warn of worse ahead
Brazil’s death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 500,000 on Saturday as experts warn that the world’s second-deadliest outbreak may worsen due to delayed vaccinations and the government’s refusal to back social distancing measures. Only 11% of Brazilians have been fully vaccinated and epidemiologists warn that, with winter arriving in the southern hemisphere and new variants of the coronavirus circulating, deaths will continue to mount even if immunizations gain steam.
COVID-19: Pregnant women and their unborn babies dying in Brazil as deaths set to pass 500k mark
COVID-19: Pregnant women and their unborn babies dying in Brazil as deaths set to pass 500k mark
Researchers in Sao Paulo, one of the worst-hit cities in the country, say the P1 variant has started infecting and killing pregnant women and their unborn children in startling numbers. Currently 42 pregnant women die every week from COVID-19; many more women are being intubated and their premature children delivered by caesarean section without consultation with obstetricians, according to medical researchers at the Brazilian Obstetric Observatory. Dr Rossana Pulcineli Vieira Francisco from the observatory said: "The virus transmissibility is higher with this variant and I think the big problem is that the health system for maternal care in Brazil is very bad.
In 2nd school outbreak, 44 kids catch COVID — apparently the Delta variant
In 2nd school outbreak, 44 kids catch COVID — apparently the Delta variant
At least 44 kids at a middle school in northern Israel have tested positive for coronavirus, local authorities announced Saturday, in the second such outbreak at an Israeli school this week. The town of Binyamina-Giv’at Ada’s said the vast majority of those infected were in seventh and eighth grade.According to Kan news, initial tests indicate the outbreaks there and in Modiin earlier in the week were all of the Delta variant first identified in India, which is more contagious than other variants and may be better able to bypass vaccines. The report said several adults who were infected in the school outbreaks were vaccinated.
Biden celebrates 300m vaccine goal but warns unvaccinated areas will ‘hurt’ with delta variant
Biden celebrates 300m vaccine goal but warns unvaccinated areas will ‘hurt’ with delta variant
President Joe Biden celebrated the United States administering more than 300 million Covid-19 vaccines within his first 150 days in office on Friday, but he warned the delta variant could hurt communities with low vaccination rates. “What we are seeing is truly an American accomplishment,” Mr Biden said at the White House. To date, more than 176 million people, or 53.1 per cent of the US population, have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 65.1 per cent of American adults have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Uganda imposes new anti-coronavirus measures to stem raging pandemic
Uganda imposes new anti-coronavirus measures to stem raging pandemic
Uganda's president Yowreri Museveni on Friday introduced sweeping new anti-coronavirus measures including a ban on all vehicular movement except for essential workers to help curb a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the nation. The east African country, like most other African peers had been left relatively unscathed by the first wave. It suddenly started experiencing a steep surge in COVID-19 infections last month after authorities confirmed they had detected presence of the Indian coronavirus variant
Covid UK: 'Race is on’ between coronavirus vaccine and third wave
Uganda imposes new anti-coronavirus measures to stem raging pandemic
Uganda's president Yowreri Museveni on Friday introduced sweeping new anti-coronavirus measures including a ban on all vehicular movement except for essential workers to help curb a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the nation. The east African country, like most other African peers had been left relatively unscathed by the first wave. It suddenly started experiencing a steep surge in COVID-19 infections last month after authorities confirmed they had detected presence of the Indian coronavirus variant
Covid UK: 'Race is on’ between coronavirus vaccine and third wave
Covid UK: 'Race is on’ between coronavirus vaccine and third wave
The race is on between the Covid-19 vaccine and a third wave of the virus but there are grounds for cautious optimism, advisers to the UK Government have said.
The experts’ comments come after Public health England said there has been a 79% rise in one week in cases of the Delta variant first identified in India. The increase across the UK is being driven by younger age groups, many of whom have now been invited for a vaccination as the jab rollout extends to anyone aged 18 and over.
Oman to reimpose nightly curfew following spike in COVID-19 cases
Oman to reimpose nightly curfew following spike in COVID-19 cases
Oman will reimpose a curfew and suspend all commercial activities from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. following a spike in COVID-19 cases, the country's Supreme Committee for Combating Coronavirus said on Saturday. The curfew, which will start on Sunday, will restrict the movement of people and vehicles, with an exception for home delivery services, the committee statement said. Cases in Oman have trended upwards since January, with a pronounced surge since a dip in early May. The Gulf state has had the region's slowest vaccine rollout due to procurement difficulties.