Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 28th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullThe U.S. is 'certainly' still in a Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Fauci says
Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. is “certainly” still in the middle of a Covid-19 pandemic and he is “very troubled” by the divisive state of American politics. “I don’t care if you’re a far-right Republican or a far-left Democrat, everybody deserves to have the safety of good public health and that’s not happening.”
27th Nov 2022 - CNBC
Protests in Shanghai and Beijing as anger over China's COVID curbs mounts
Hundreds of demonstrators and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night as protests over China's stringent COVID restrictions flared for a third day and spread to several cities in the wake of a deadly fire in the country's far west. The wave of civil disobedience is unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago, as frustration mounts over his signature zero-COVID policy nearly three years into the pandemic. The COVID measures are also exacting a heavy toll on the world's second-largest economy.
27th Nov 2022 - Reuters
China's Covid Cases Jump to a Record as Outbreaks Persist
China’s daily Covid infections climbed to a record high, exceeding the previous peak in April, as it battles an outbreak that has grown since the country adopted a more targeted approach to containing the virus. The country reported 29,754 new cases for Wednesday, more than the 28,973 infections recorded in mid-April when the financial hub of Shanghai was in the midst of a grueling two-month lockdown that saw residents struggle to access food and medical services. China’s official figures separately report symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, which can lead to inflated numbers when people are re-classified after developing symptoms.
25th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
Health visitors warn of 'lasting impact' of Covid-19 on families
The Covid-19 pandemic is having a “lasting impact” on the health and wellbeing of children, health visitors have warned in a new report. The report, published by the Institute of Health Visiting and the First 1001 Days Movement, surveyed 555 professionals from across the UK, with more than half of them health visitors, on the effect of the pandemic on babies, young children, their carers, and the health services that support them.
25th Nov 2022 - Nursing Times
China's COVID infections hit record as economic outlook darkens
China reported record high COVID-19 infections on Thursday, with cities nationwide imposing localised lockdowns, mass testing and other curbs that are fuelling frustration and darkening the outlook for the world's second largest economy. The resurgence of infections, nearly three years after the pandemic emerged in the central city of Wuhan, casts doubt on investor hopes for China to ease its rigid zero-COVID policy soon, despite recent more targeted measures.
24th Nov 2022 - Reuters
China Covid Cases Hit Record, Topping Shanghai Omicron Outbreak
China’s daily Covid infections climbed to a record high, exceeding the previous peak in April, as it battles an outbreak that has grown since the country adopted a more targeted approach to containing the virus. The country reported 29,754 new cases for Wednesday, more than the 28,973 infections recorded in mid-April when the financial hub of Shanghai was in the midst of a grueling two-month lockdown that saw residents struggle to access food and medical services. China’s official figures separately report symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, which can lead to inflated numbers when people are re-classified after developing symptoms. The Bloomberg News tally counts all local cases, regardless of symptoms, and removes the double-counting issue.
24th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
China’s Covid Curbs Return as Deaths Emerge, Casting Reopening Into Doubt
Barely a week in, China’s lighter-touch Covid Zero policy is already running into trouble. Surging infections are threatening to overwhelm some of the country’s biggest and most important cities, with local officials stymied over how to control the contagion without the usual tools of mass citywide testing and snap lockdowns. Three Covid deaths in the capital Beijing, the first in more than six months, provided a reality check for a population that’s been shielded from the pathogen by the stringent approach.
21st Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 21st Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid cases double in NSW and Victoria in a fortnight as fourth wave surges across eastern states
Covid cases are continuing to surge, doubling in New South Wales and Victoria in just a fortnight. Hospitalisations and deaths have also risen sharply, prompting NSW health authorities to mandate a limited return to mask-wearing to curb the rise in cases. NSW Health updated its Covid risk rating to amber on Friday, requiring masks in all areas of public hospitals and health facilities along with limited visitor numbers.
20th Nov 2022 - The Guardian
China Reports First Covid Death Since May Amid Growing Outbreak
China reported its first Covid death in almost six months on Sunday as the virus outbreak in the country continues unabated. A 87-year-old man in Beijing died on Saturday after his condition worsened, the official Beijing Daily reported. He first displayed Covid symptoms on Nov. 11 and was confirmed infected two days later, according to the report. It was the first documented death from Covid since May 26, when officials in Shanghai reported one fatality.
20th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
Beijing district urges staying home for weekend as COVID cases rise
Beijing's biggest district urged people to stay home during the weekend and COVID-19 outbreaks grew in numerous Chinese cities on Friday, even as China further fine-tuned its COVID rules by removing capacity limits at entertainment venues. Under a series of measures unveiled last week, authorities have sought to be more targeted in applying COVID-19 curbs that are taking a heavy toll on the economy and fuelling public frustration and anger, sparking investor hopes this week for more significant easing.
18th Nov 2022 - Reuters
China State Media Reinforce Covid Zero as Cases Jump in Cities
China’s state media reaffirmed the country’s commitment to Covid Zero, even as a spike in infections across major cities seemingly reflected a greater tolerance for outbreaks. Nationwide, there were 17,298 new cases on Monday, the highest since late-April. The southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou accounts for the majority, with 5,124 cases despite lockdowns being extended in three of the city’s districts. The southwestern megacity of Chongqing has also seen a spike in infections, which climbed to 2,948.
15th Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 14th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullNew York is becoming an 'emerging hotspot' for the XBB family of COVID variants that hit Singapore, as BQ closes in on U.S. dominance
A wave of infections involving an extremely immune-evasive COVID strain that started spreading in New York and recently reached California is about to engulf the rest of the U.S., according to a report from federal health officials released Friday. Two variants of the BQ strain are projected to comprise 35% of U.S. infections, according to a COVID forecast from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That puts the variant family just slightly behind BA.5, which still led U.S. cases on Friday, at an estimated 39%.
12th Nov 2022 - Fortune
Cruise ship with 800 Covid cases docks in Sydney after touring NZ
The Majestic Princess cruise liner docked in Sydney this morning with hundreds infected after departing from the same port two weeks ago, Nine News reports. The ship had just finished a 12-day tour of New Zealand - having dropped anchor in ports around Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Bay of Islands, and Fiordland National Park. In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora told 1News that health officials were aware of cases onboard when the ship visited Auckland on Tuesday. "The last port visited in New Zealand was Auckland on 8 November when 180 cases on board were reported before the ship departed for Australia," it said.
12th Nov 2022 - 1News
Australia seeks to reassure citizens on COVID after cruise ship outbreak
Australia's Home Affairs Minister on Saturday sought to reassure the public that COVID-19 protocols were adequate after a cruise ship with hundreds of infected passengers docked in Sydney. Carnival Australia's Majestic Princess cruise ship was docked in Sydney, the capital of the most populous state, New South Wales, with "in the vicinity" of 800 passengers on board testing positive to the virus, the company said.
12th Nov 2022 - Reuters
Covid-19 case numbers exploding across Australia as fourth wave takes off
The number of active Covid cases has exploded across the country as Australia enters its fourth wave, prompting renewed warnings to protect vulnerable aged care residents. Jurisdictions collectively recorded more than 58,000 new cases of Covid in the past week, with some states reporting a doubling in the number of people hospitalised with the virus. New South Wales recorded 19,800 new cases in the past seven days, Victoria had 16,636 new cases, and Western Australia recorded more than 8,000. South Australia had 6,867 new cases in the past week, Queensland recorded 5,828, and the ACT and NT had 1,194 and 369 new cases respectively. Tasmania was yet to publish its weekly case numbers by 3.30pm on Friday.
11th Nov 2022 - The Guardian
China’s manufacturing hub Guangzhou partially locked down as Covid outbreak widens
China's southern metropolis of Guangzhou has locked down a third district, as authorities rush to stamp out a widening Covid outbreak and avoid activating the kind of citywide lockdown that devastated Shanghai earlier this year.
10th Nov 2022 - CNN on MSN.com
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 7th Nov 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina posts 6-month high COVID count as it sticks with strategy
China on Sunday reported its highest number of new COVID-19 infections in six months, a day after health officials said they were sticking with strict coronavirus curbs, likely disappointing recent investor hopes for an easing. China recorded 4,420 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the National Health Commission said, the most since May 6 and compared up from 3,659 new local cases a day earlier.
6th Nov 2022 - Reuters
Rumours of zero-Covid easing spread in China amid anger at restrictions
Waves of outrage and frustration over China’s lockdown measures this week have demonstrated widening cracks in the general compliance with the government’s zero-Covid policy. Rising anger has been driven by the tragic death of a toddler, and highly public problematic lockdowns in the Henan capital, Zhengzhou. Officials were left scrambling to control the narrative, amid swirling rumours of imminent policy shifts and a former government health expert saying on Friday that “substantive changes will happen soon”. Chinese authorities have been trying to contain sporadic outbreaks across the country by using the same strict response measures that had been so successful early in the pandemic
5th Nov 2022 - The Guardian
Headteacher support plea as anxiety levels double amid Covid
Ministers must provide better support for headteachers to “shore up sustainable leadership”, experts said, after a report revealed their work-related anxiety more than doubled at the peak of the pandemic. UCL’s Institute of Education (IOE) researchers also said their study revealed “shocking” differences in anxiety between leaders and classroom teachers that exposed the “additional strain” on heads. A survey of more than 13,000 teachers and heads shows little difference in the anxiety levels of both during the run up to pandemic, between October 2019 and February 2020. One in four (25 per cent) of headteachers were “highly anxious” about work, while the level for teachers was 20 per cent.
5th Nov 2022 - Schools Week
Covid infections in the over-70s rise in UK after new 'nightmare' Omicron variant found
Coronavirus cases in the over-70s have risen slightly in the last week, as two new mutant variants have been discovered in the UK. More than 1,590,000 people, equivalent to one in 35, tested positive in England in the last week, the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed. The figures for Scotland are also equivalent to one in 35 with 141,400 positive cases. In Wales, one in 40 people (77,500 cases) have the infection, and in Northern Ireland one in 30 (61,200 cases) have Covid. The government data, released today, showed infections to the week ending Monday, October 24.
5th Nov 2022 - The Mirror
iPhone Factory Worker Walked 25 Miles to Escape Covid Lockdown in China
It was Sunday when Dong Wanwan decided to give up her job at the world’s largest iPhone factory and walk home. The 20-year-old had been working for the past three months on the production lines at Foxconn Technology Group’s plant in Zhengzhou, one of tens of thousands helping put together Apple Inc. iPhones that would be sent around the globe. It was a coveted job, among the country’s best-paid blue-collar gigs.
1st Nov 2022 - Bloomberg
China COVID curbs hit iPhone output, shut Shanghai Disney
China's COVID-19 curbs forced the temporary closure of Disney's Shanghai resort on Monday, while production of Apple Inc iPhones at a major contract manufacturing facility could drop by 30% in November due to coronavirus restrictions, a source told Reuters. In Zhengzhou, a Foxconn plant that makes iPhones and employs about 200,000 people has been rocked by discontent over stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, with numerous staff fleeing the facility, prompting nearby cities to draw up plans to isolate migrant workers returning to their home towns.
1st Nov 2022 - Reuters
Chinese cities clamp down on COVID as cases rise before winter season
Officials in Chinese cities and provinces across the country are pulling no punches in stamping out sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks as winter nears, quickly closing venues and enforcing longer temporary lockdowns on millions of people. Cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day and pressuring the country's controversial zero-COVID policy, which has hamstrung the economy and exasperated its citizens.
31st Oct 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 31st Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullXBB variant, spreading fast in Singapore, detected in Tokyo
Six cases of the highly transmissible coronavirus variant XBB have been detected in Tokyo, according to the metropolitan government’s COVID-19 infection monitoring committee. XBB — a virus formed from a combination of the omicron subvariants BA.2.75 and BA.2 — was first reported by Singapore in September and has since been confirmed in 35 countries. The subvariant features several mutations in its spike protein — the part of the coronavirus that latches onto cells to gain entry — giving it an exceptional ability to evade immunity acquired through past infections or vaccination. But its severity is not yet known, the monitoring committee said Thursday.
29th Oct 2022 - The Japan Times
China locks down part of Wuhan, nearly three years after first Covid case emerged
Chinese cities from Wuhan in central China to Xining in the north-west are doubling down on Covid-19 curbs, sealing up buildings, locking down districts and throwing millions into distress in a scramble to halt widening outbreaks. China on Thursday reported a third straight day of more than 1,000 new Covid cases nationwide, a modest tally compared with the tens of thousands a day that sent Shanghai into a full-blown lockdown earlier this year but enough to trigger more curbs and restrictions across the country.
Wuhan, site of the world’s first Covid-19 outbreak in late 2019, reported about 20 to 25 new infections a day this week. The city has registered 240 cases over the past 14 days. Local authorities ordered more than 800,000 people in one district to stay at home until 30 October.
29th Oct 2022 - The Guardian
Pfizer's (PFE) Paxlovid Given Less Often to Black, Hispanic People
Pfizer Inc.’s Paxlovid antiviral was prescribed to Black and Hispanic Covid-19 patients at much lower rates than those who were White, according to a study that calls into question efforts to bolster access to drugs that fight the coronavirus. From April to July, as Paxlovid’s use peaked, Black US patients received it about a third less often than White patients, according to the report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stark disparities were also seen among Hispanic patients, who were nearly 30% less likely to get Paxlovid than White patients. Asian people were prescribed the drug about 19% less frequently than White counterparts.
28th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
Global COVID cases will increase in coming months, but at a slower pace -report
Daily global COVID-19 infections are projected to rise slowly to about 18.7 million by February from the current 16.7 million aveage daily cases, driven by the northern hemisphere's winter months, the University of Washington said in an analysis. Far fewer infections are expected than last winter's estimated peak daily average of about 80 million cases in January of 2022 that was driven by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, according to the report.
25th Oct 2022 - Reuters
Carnival's Costa Cruises Pulls Asia Trips as China's Covid Zero Policy Bites
Costa Cruises, a unit of cruising giant Carnival Corp. that targets the nascent Chinese market, is canceling all future Asia departures amid waning expectations Beijing will ease its zero-tolerance Covid policy and border restrictions any time soon. Port stops in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and South Korea will be canceled since international cruises in those locations still haven’t resumed, the Genoa, Italy-based company said in a statement, adding that it’s reorganizing its business in the region.
25th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
A new Omicron variant, BQ.1.1, is spreading throughout France
Detected in France in September, a new subvariant of Omicron named "BQ.1.1" is continuing its inexorable progression, seemingly set to supplant the BA.5 variant of Omicron, which is currently in the majority. BQ.1.1 derives from the sublineage BQ.1, which itself originated from BA.5. The new variant appears to have emerged in Nigeria in July. It has since spread to Europe, including France, Belgium, Denmark and Italy, as well as to other countries, including Japan, the United States and Australia.
25th Oct 2022 - Le Monde
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 24th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullModerna to Supply 100 Million Covid Vaccines to Poor Countries
Moderna Inc. will provide as many as 100 million doses of Covid-19 shots that specifically target variants for vaccine alliance Gavi to distribute in lower-income countries in 2023. Under the agreement, Moderna will supply these mRNA variant-targeting shots for Gavi at the lowest of its tiered prices. The shots will then be distributed to poor countries through the Covax facility, backed by the World Health Organization to ensure vaccine equity around the world, Gavi said Monday. Gavi will also cancel the delivery of remaining volumes of vaccines under a previous agreement as health providers shift to updated shots that work specifically against Covid’s new variants.
19th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
Weekly COVID-related deaths up by nearly 40% in England and Wales
The number of COVID-related deaths in England and Wales increased by nearly 40% in a week and reached their highest number since August, figures show. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows some 400 deaths registered in the seven days to 7 October mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate. The figure climbed 39% from 287 the week earlier, according to the figures. Of those 400 deaths, 63.5% (254 deaths) had COVID recorded as the underlying cause of death, slightly higher than the week before when it was 63.1% (181 deaths).
19th Oct 2022 - Sky News
Long Covid Disables Millions Worldwide, Even as Rates Ease, Study Shows
Long Covid eases with time, according to a study that found about 1% of coronavirus patients had persistent symptoms for a year or more. In the first rigorous assessment of the magnitude of long Covid on a global scale, researchers found 6.2% of people who had Covid-19 in the pandemic’s first two years experienced at least one of three main groups of symptoms three months later. Of those patients, 15% were still afflicted after a year, they found. Although the probability of having chronic health problems from Covid is relatively low, the vast number of cases -- at least 670 million worldwide -- leaves a substantial burden of disability, said Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, where the study was conducted.
16th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 17th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in full'Short and sharp': COVID-19 wave of XBB infections in Singapore likely to peak in mid-November
“This is likely to be a short and sharp wave,” said Mr Ong, saying that Singapore is likely to see about 15,000 daily cases on average. "By around mid-November, we should see the wave subsiding." He added that on certain days when more cases tend to be reported, such as on Tuesdays, the caseload could reach 20,000 or 25,000. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that using the BA.5 wave as an indication, hospitalised cases peaked at 800 in July, and hospitals in Singapore, while stretched, were able to cope. The proportion of cases with the XBB strain, an Omicron subvariant, has been on the rise in Singapore over the past month. While highly transmissible, it has not caused more severe disease than previous variants thus far.
15th Oct 2022 - CNA
New Omicron Covid-19 Subvariants on the Rise in U.S., CDC Says
Two of the Omicron subvariants, both related to the BA.5 version that drove the most recent U.S. surge, are called BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. They were estimated to represent a combined 11.4% of U.S. Covid-19 cases by mid-October, according to estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday.
BA.5 remains the dominant version of the virus circulating in the U.S. at about 68% of recent cases, according to CDC estimates. But the subvariant landscape has become busier as the virus that causes Covid-19 continues to mutate. Another version virus experts are watching because of its potential to spread easily, called BA.2.72.2, represented an estimated 1.4% of cases in the latest CDC report.
14th Oct 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Beijing reports 16 symptomatic, 8 asymptomatic COVID cases for Oct 13
China's capital Beijing reported 16 symptomatic new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections and eight asymptomatic cases for Oct. 13, local government authorities said on Friday. This compared with 12 symptomatic and six asymptomatic cases the day before. Three cases on Thursday were found outside quarantined areas.
14th Oct 2022 - Reuters
China Covid Cases Rebound as Party Gears Up for Key Congress
The nation recorded 1,645 new Covid infections on Saturday, the highest total since Sept. 2. While Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang had the biggest clusters, both Beijing and Shanghai found new cases outside of quarantine, suggesting the virus might be still spreading. While the eight new cases reported in the capital on Saturday is relatively few, any rebound in infections would pose a headache for leaders. Some 3,000 delegates are gathering in the city to attend the twice-a-decade congress starting Oct. 16 that’s expected to hand Xi a norm-breaking third term in power. A preparatory meeting of roughly 370 members and alternate members of the Central Committee is scheduled to begin today.
9th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 10th Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullAutumn COVID variants look shockingly similar and powerful for these 2 reasons
Earlier this year, fears of a new “super strain” of Omicron were real—and rising.
A researcher in Cyprus identified a COVID-19 variant that had features of both the deadly Delta and the highly transmissible, immune-evasive Omicron variants. “Deltacron,” as the new variant became known, was a bit of a “frankenvirus” that combined the two strains. Deltacron failed to take off, and it soon disappeared. A second Delta-Omicron hybrid later arose then also subsided. But the phenomenon that caused it is likely to come into play this fall. Scientists expect a sizable wave of COVID cases October through January, fueled by multiple Omicron spinoffs that look increasingly alike—both to each other and to older versions of the scourge.
9th Oct 2022 - Fortune
Covid-19 Cases and Hospitalizations Climb Again in England
Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations are rising again in England, with officials warning of climbing case numbers in hospitals and care homes. The number of suspected outbreaks increased 61% last week, while the hospital admission rate climbed 45% to 10.83 per 100,000 population, the UK Health Security Agency said on Thursday. Hospital admission rates were highest in southwest England after soaring 250% since mid-September.
9th Oct 2022 - Bloomberg
No Covid restrictions mean flu is set for a big comeback
It’s strongly advised that people in the UK get the flu vaccine and ensure they are up to date with their COVID vaccine boosters. Scientists aren’t sure how these viruses will dovetail, but evidence suggests that being infected with both viruses simultaneously greatly increases the risk of severe disease and death. About 33 million people in the UK are eligible for a free flu vaccine, including those aged 50 or older, pregnant women, people in residential care, and frontline healthcare workers. There is also a nasal-spray vaccine for children aged two years and older, with many vaccine rollouts delivered in schools.
9th Oct 2022 - Belfast Live
COVID in California: Merck's antiviral no better than placebo in trials
After a precipitous drop over the past two months, California’s COVID-19 trends have hit a plateau. Cases have fallen only 5% in the past week and the test positive rate inched down a tenth of a percentage point. In a worrisome sign, cases in Europe are starting to climb again as winter approaches. Even so, rules and tracking in the U.S. continue to be eased: The CDC said Thursday that it will stop reporting case and death data on a daily basis and has quietly dropped its masking recommendation for school nurses’ offices. On a brighter note, Moderna released safety data for its bivalent booster and a small NIH-backed study suggests that antiviral medication Paxlovid does not cause COVID-19 rebound.
8th Oct 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle
Effectiveness and durability of BNT162b2 vaccine against hospital and emergency department admissions due to SARS-CoV-2 omicron sub-lineages BA.1 and BA.2 in a large health system in the USA: a test-negative, case-control study
Two doses of BNT162b2 provided only partial protection against BA.1-related and BA.2-related hospital and emergency department admission, which underscores the need for booster doses against omicron. Although three doses offered high levels of protection (≥70%) against hospitalisation, variant-adapted vaccines are probably needed to improve protection against less severe endpoints, like emergency department admission, especially for BA.2.
7th Oct 2022 - The Lancet
South West sees Covid-19 surge as hospital admissions rocket to highest in country
There has been a surge in Covid-19 hospital admissions across the South West, latest figures show. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the region has seen a 250 per cent increase in admissions since the middle of September. Recent Government data shows that the South West has a current hospital admission rate for coronavirus of 16.67 per 100,000 people - the highest out of any region in the nation. This regional figure was 4.79 per 100,000 in September. The national average for hospital admissions is 10.83 per 100,000, according to data from the last seven days. This marks a 45 per cent increase from the previous week.
6th Oct 2022 - Bristol Post
UK ‘blind’ to new immune-evasive Covid variants creating ‘perfect storm’ for devastating wave
The UK is heading into a “devastating” Covid wave this autumn exacerbated by a drop in testing and inadequate surveillance of new immune-evasive subvariants, experts have warned. Covid-19 infections in the UK have risen 14 per cent, according to the latest figures.
2nd Oct 2022 - The Independent
Australia’s tough Covid quarantine rules finally end
Australia will finally end some of the world’s toughest pandemic restrictions when it abandons mandatory five-day quarantine after testing positive.“We want a policy that promotes resilience and capacity-building and reduces a reliance on government intervention."
30th Sep 2022 - The Times
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 3rd Oct 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid infections rise by 14% in a week in UK
Covid infections in the UK are rising and have topped more than one million, according to official estimates. There has been a 14% rise in people testing positive - which is the biggest weekly increase since the summer.
30th Sep 2022 - BBC News
Covid fourth wave fears as hospital admissions surge 48% in a week
The UK is feared to be in the midst of another Covid wave as hospital admissions have jumped almost double in a week. Latest figures show the number of patients testing positive for coronavirus is up 48%, compared to seven days ago. Fears have already been raised among the medical community the approaching colder weather could boost numbers. Now, a total of 7,024 people with coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on September 28, according to NHS England. The number is half the 14,000 in mid-July at the peak of the wave of infections caused by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the virus.
29th Sep 2022 - The Mirror
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 26th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's Anti-COVID Policies in Tibet Trigger Resentment, Rare Online Outcry
The harsh COVID-19 containment restrictions China is imposing across Tibet are leading to public resentment in the capital of Lhasa, where residents who have tested positive are being quarantined in empty stadiums, schools, warehouses and unfinished buildings. Beijing's actions in Tibet reflect the draconian "zero-covid" policy of President Xi Jinping that has caused discontent and even protests in major cities such as Shanghai and Chengdu. Social media videos from Lhasa show people waiting to be bused at night to an estimated 20 makeshift quarantine camps. For Lhasa residents the "midnight bus" represents their fears of what they may find once they arrive at crowded and locked quarantine sites.
25th Sep 2022 - Voice of America
Coronavirus: China sticks to zero-Covid as management failures and misery mount
Public apologies from government officials in China for mishandled duties are extraordinarily rare events. After all, career success is largely determined by their supervisors, not by the people they serve. But since the coronavirus pandemic began sweeping across China, public admissions of failures have become more frequent. From food shortages to denied hospital access for sick people or pregnant women during lockdowns, from the eastern financial hub of Shanghai to Lhasa in Tibet, several local government officials have claimed deep remorse for their blunders. In the latest case, officials from the Guiyang municipal government bowed to say sorry for the deaths of 27 people on a bus that had been making an early morning journey to a remote quarantine facility.
25th Sep 2022 - South China Morning Post
US Seeks to Secure Medical Supply Chain in Covid-19 Fight
The Biden administration will help set up a clearinghouse of medical supplies with other nations to fight Covid-19, and will expand a “test-to-treat” program in 10 countries to distribute therapeutic drugs, a senior State Department official said.
Countries that back the Global Action Plan on Covid-19 will pledge to create a mechanism to secure and distribute the goods -- such as masks and oxygen -- and raw materials required to combat a pandemic, according to the official, who asked not to be identified discussing plans that still aren’t public.
24th Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Japan PM says to ease COVID border control requirements next month
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday his country will ease COVID-19 border control requirements next month, a key step in fostering a recovery in Japan's tourism sector, which is eager to take advantage of the yen's slide to a 24-year low.
23rd Sep 2022 - Reuters
Covid: First rise in infections in UK since July
Covid infection rates have increased in the UK for the first time since the middle of July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). One in 70 tested positive, with the largest rise in secondary school children in the week to 14 September. Infections increased in England and Wales while rates fell in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The ONS says it will closely monitor the data to see the impact of schools returning over the coming weeks. Infections rose by 5% in the most recent period covered by the survey, although the total number testing positive is still close to its lowest point of the year. Booster jabs are now being offered to the most vulnerable, to help protection over the winter.
23rd Sep 2022 - BBC News
Where to Get the Moderna Booster Shot? Some US Pharmacies See Shortages
Some pharmacies are reporting shortages of Moderna Inc.’s new bivalent booster shot for Covid-19 as one factory used in producing the vaccine remains offline following a safety inspection. The US government supply of Moderna’s shot is currently limited, causing appointments for the product to vary across the country, a Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. pharmacy spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Meanwhile, CVS Health Corp. says some of its drugstores have used all of the updated shots they received from the government, and the company is trying to get more doses.
22nd Sep 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 18th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in full'Understaffed and overworked': Thousands of Minnesota nurses go on strike
Some 15,000 nurses in Minnesota walked off the job on Monday to protest hospital understaffing that their union says has harmed patient care and exhausted health workers as they negotiate a new contract with hospital executives. The strike, slated to last three days and described by the Minnesota Nurses Association as one of the largest in United States history, highlights nationwide health worker shortages that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
12th Sep 2022 - Reuters
U.S. COVID cases continue to decline, as Minnesota nurses stage 3-day walkout over pay and understaffing
U.S. known cases of COVID are continuing to ease and now stand at their lowest level since early May, although the true tally is likely higher given how many people are testing at home, where the data are not being collected. The daily average for new cases stood at 66,159 on Sunday, according to a New York Times tracker, down 25% from two weeks ago. Cases are now rising in just three states: South Carolina, Missouri and Texas. They are flat in West Virginia and falling everywhere else, the tracker shows. The daily average for hospitalizations was down 8% at 35,249, while the daily average for deaths is down 22% to 375. In Minnesota, thousands of nurses launched a three-day walkout on Monday in protest over issues of pay and understaffing that they say has got worse because of the pandemic, the Associated Press reported.
12th Sep 2022 - MarketWatch
Covid-19 Is Still Killing Hundreds of Americans Daily
Mark Pfundheller promptly got his first two Covid-19 shots and a booster, his family said, knowing the disease was a threat related to treatment for an inflammatory disorder that compromised his immune system. The 66-year-old former aviation consultant for Wisconsin’s Transportation Department caught the virus in April at a family wedding near his home in southern Wisconsin, where many guests were infected. Mr. Pfundheller died in a Madison, Wis., hospital on July 2 after an illness including time on a ventilator. His was one of nearly 200,000 Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. this year, according to death-certificate data. While the virus has become less risky for many thanks in part to immunity from vaccines and prior infections, it is still killing hundreds each day. Most are older people, and many have underlying health conditions and compromised immune systems, doctors said.
11th Sep 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 5th Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullShenzhen Tells Most Residents to Stay Home, as Covid-19 Controls Tighten Across China
China’s southern technology hub of Shenzhen is shutting down the city center over the weekend, as more parts of the country tighten Covid-19 controls to battle a new wave of infections just weeks ahead of a high-profile Communist Party congress.
4th Sep 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
‘70 per cent of hospital beds for children with Covid already full in Hong Kong’
Some children have been admitted to adult wards instead, Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Lau Ka-hin says. Professor Lau Yu-lung also predicts more transmissible Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants may account for 90 per cent of city’s caseload.
2nd Sep 2022 - South China Morning Post
'Uncertain trend' of Covid-19 infections in Northern Ireland as positive cases rise
The Office for National Statistics has said there is an “uncertain trend” in Covid-19 infections in Northern Ireland after around one in 50 people tested positive last month. It's despite falling levels in the rest of the UK, with England dropping below one million for the first time since the start of June. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the uncertain trend here comes after 35,800 people were likely to have tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to August 23, the equivalent of around one in 50. This is up from 26,400, or one in 70, in the week to August 16.
2nd Sep 2022 - Belfast Telegraph
Russia reports most daily COVID-19 cases since March
Russia recorded 50,952 new COVID-19 infections over the last 24 hours, the government's coronavirus task force said on Friday, the highest daily tally in almost six months. Case numbers have climbed across Russia over the last six weeks, fuelled by the spread of new highly-transmissible variants of the coronavirus. Friday's tally was the highest number of new cases reported in a 24-hour period since March 10.
2nd Sep 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 2nd Sep 2022
View this newsletter in fullNZ to review COVID-19 settings this month
New Zealand won't be rushed into ditching its remaining COVID-19 restrictions as Australia opts to loosen pandemic rules. This week, Australian leaders agreed to cut isolation requirements from seven days to five for all but workers in high-risk settings, while also ditching masks on domestic flights.
2nd Sep 2022 - The Advocate
WHO: New COVID cases, deaths keep falling nearly everywhere
The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally continued to fall nearly everywhere in the world in what the World Health Organization described as a “welcome decline” at a media briefing on Wednesday
1st Sep 2022 - The Independent
Chengdu locks down 21.2 million people as Chinese cities battle Covid-19
One of China’s biggest cities, Chengdu, announced a lockdown of its 21.2 million residents as it launched four days of citywide Covid-19 testing, as some of country’s most populous and economically important urban centers battle outbreaks. All residents in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, were ordered to stay largely at home from 6 p.m. on Thursday, with households allowed to send one person per day to shop for necessities, the city government said in a statement.
1st Sep 2022 - CNBC
Hong Kong COVID cases hit 10586 amid concerns over tighter restrictions
Hong Kong reported 10,586 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday as a rise in daily cases triggers concerns that authorities will tighten COVID-19 restrictions just as the government has gradually relaxed some of the world's most stringent measures. Government advisers have said the recent rise in infections was expected and dismissed the need for tighter restrictions, according to local media.
1st Sep 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 1st Sep 2022
View this newsletter in full‘Elderly residents make up four-fifths’ of Hong Kong’s hospitalised Covid cases
Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Lau Ka-hin says 2,100 of the coronavirus patients sent to public facilities were aged 60 and above. But former authority chief executive calls for clearer guidelines on types of chronic illnesses that require patient observation to help ease demand for hospital beds
30th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 31st Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: UAE reports 512 Covid-19 cases, 536 recoveries, no deaths
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Tuesday reported 512 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 536 recoveries and no deaths. Total active cases stand at 18,818. The new cases were detected through 346,725 additional tests.
The total number of cases in UAE as on August 30 are 1,014,899, while total recoveries stand at 993,740. The death toll now stands at 2,341.
30th Aug 2022 - Khaleej Times
Flu season could be 'worse than previous two years' amid fears of Covid-19 surge
Flu season may be worse than the previous two years, health officials have warned - amid fears there could be a "surge" in Covid-19 cases. Health leaders need to prepare an “agile response” to the impending flu season, global health officials have said. It has been suggested the flu season may be worse than the previous two years, when people were still largely adopting preventative measures to avoid Covid-19 and social distancing and mask wearing may have kept many flu cases at bay. The European arm of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is too early to predict whether the UK could face a bad flu season but said health systems need to be ready.
30th Aug 2022 - Wales Online
COVID-19 tracker: Tokyo reports 14,219 new cases, down by about 7,500 from week before
Tokyo reported 14,219 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, down by about 7,500 the week before, the metropolitan government said. Of the reported patients, 1,537 were age 65 and older while 3,106 people were 19 years old and younger. The government said 26 people died from the disease. Japan’s daily coronavirus tally totaled 95,916 cases on Monday, falling below 100,000 for the first time in six weeks. While numbers for Mondays are typically lower than for other days due to reduced testing on the weekend, the last time the nationwide tally was below six digits was on July 19.
30th Aug 2022 - Japan Times
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 30th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong daily Covid numbers set to hit 10,000 mark ‘in coming days’
Government advisers say latest developments are expected, further tightening of social-distancing rules not required. Health officials report 9,708 new infections, including 213 imported cases, on Sunday while 10 more deaths are recorded
28th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Pandemic's impact on U.S. productivity may be a wash, research shows
The coronavirus pandemic touched off a scramble among U.S. firms and households to adapt their work lives and business models, with work-from-home arrangements and teleconferencing tools boosting what some employees could do, and new technology helping even the smallest cafes do more with less. But the crisis also brought a wave of inefficiency in the form of snarled supply chains, time and money spent on cleaning and health management, and hiring difficulties that still keep some businesses below capacity.
27th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Egypt sees 55% decline in coronavirus cases, 37% drop in fatalities: Health minister - Health - Egypt
Egypt has seen a drop of 55 percent in coronavirus infections and a decline of 37 percent in pandemic-linked deaths, Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said in a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
27th Aug 2022 - Ahram Online
Chinese city’s residents made to queue for Covid tests in heat above 40C
Residents of the south-western Chinese city of Chongqing have been queueing on the streets to be tested for Covid, despite extreme temperatures that have soared past 40C (104F) this week. Photos posted on Chinese social media also showed health workers testing residents while wearing full hazmat suits in the heatwave. Other images showed that the tests were being carried out while bushfires raged in the background, prompting descriptions of the situation as “apocalyptic”. The city of more than 31 million people reported eight new confirmed Covid cases on Friday. Authorities said that as of midnight on Thursday, Chongqing had had 105 cases.
26th Aug 2022 - The Guardian
Hainan’s Covid chaos exposes the bad, ugly – and scary – of China’s virus control measures
My family’s 23-day holiday nightmare is finally over. But it serves as more that just a cautionary tale for travellers in zero-Covid China. It’s a story of local officials ignoring direct orders from Beijing, and an arbitrary, abusable health code system being used for social control.
26th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 26th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 death registrations fall for second week in a row
Deaths involving Covid-19 registered in England and Wales have fallen for the second week in a row, suggesting they are now on a downward trend. Some 592 deaths registered in the seven days to August 12 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – down 18% on the previous week. Deaths had risen during June and July due to the wave of infections caused by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of Covid-19. But the latest figures confirm this wave peaked at 810 deaths in the week to July 29.
25th Aug 2022 - The Independent
N. Korea sees suspected COVID-19 cases after victory claim
North Korea on Thursday said it found four new fever cases in its border region with China that may have been caused by coronavirus infections, two weeks after leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory over COVID-19
25th Aug 2022 - The Independent
N.Korea reports unknown fever cases near China border, denies COVID
North Korea's state media said on Thursday that a fever outbreak of unknown origin has emerged in a region bordering China, but it was not the novel coronavirus over which the country declared victory this month. Four fever cases "suspected of being infected with malignant epidemic" were reported from Ryanggang Province near the border with China on Tuesday, prompting authorities to immediately lock down the area and mobilise medical teams, the official KCNA news agency said, citing the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters.
25th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Why have there been excess deaths this summer?
The first two years of the pandemic brought a tragic loss of life, with over 120,000 excess deaths, almost all of which were a direct result of COVID-19. Early in 2022 there were fewer deaths than normal for the time of year. The picture worsened as we moved into spring and summer, with the Office for National Statistics reporting 11,600 more deaths than average in the last eight weeks, only a small fraction of which arose during the heatwave. Excess deaths, typically a niche interest for actuaries and demographers, have made front page news. Speculation is rife as to the underlying causes with suggestions such as ‘lockdown effects feared to be killing more people than COVID’.
25th Aug 2022 - UK in a Changing Europe
Malaysia continues to record two-digit Covid-19 fatalities, slight dip in cases
The country continued to record two-digit Covid-19 fatalities while new daily cases showed a slight dip with 2,636 infections on Wednesday (Aug 24). Health Ministry's CovidNow portal today reported that five of the new cases were imported while 2,631 were locally transmitted cases. On Aug 24, the country reported 2,722 daily Covid-19 infections and 11 deaths.
25th Aug 2022 - New Straits Times
Singapore must prepare for year-end Covid-19 wave possibly caused by variant of concern
With around seven in 10 people here having been infected with Covid-19, the next big wave will likely be a wave of reinfections. While Singapore is more resilient now given that its current wave has just subsided, the Republic needs to be prepared for a year-end wave that may be caused by a variant of concern that dodges immunity from past infection, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday morning (Aug 24). Mr Ong noted at a multi-ministry task force (MTF) on Covid-19 press conference that reinfection cases have climbed to about 5.5 per cent of infections here this month, compared with about 3 per cent of cases the last time he updated Parliament.
25th Aug 2022 - The Straits Times
Twice as many people died with Covid in UK this summer compared with 2021
Twice as many deaths involving Covid occurred this summer compared with last summer, according to analysis of new data – though rates have fallen in recent weeks as the latest wave decreases in severity in the UK. Although the overall number of deaths of people with Covid in 2022 remains far below last year, the summer months have bucked that trend. More than 5,700 Covid deaths have been registered since 8 June when two Omicron subvariants became dominant. This is 95% higher than in the same period last year when there were 2,936 deaths involving Covid across the UK. However, the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also indicate that deaths caused by the latest Covid wave – fuelled by the two more transmissible Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, which became dominant in early June – are on the wane.
23rd Aug 2022 - The Guardian
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 25th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChinese mainland reports 380 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases
The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 380 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 264 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. Altogether 1,261 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on Tuesday, including 543 in Tibet and 336 in Hainan, said the commission in its report. A total of 718 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Tuesday.
24th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
Covid-19: India logs 10,649 new infections, active cases reduce to 96,442
India has recorded 10,649 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the country's cumulative caseload to 4,43,68,195, according to Union Health Ministry data on Wednesday. Currently, the country's active caseload stands below one-lakh mark, that is, 96,442 infections. The active cases comprises 0.22 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.59%, the health ministry said. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.62% and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 3.32%. A total of 4,37,44,301 have been recovered from the coronavirus infection in the country since the onset of pandemic, including 10,677 recoveries recorded in the span of 24 hours.
24th Aug 2022 - Mint
Covid 19: How many lives did NZ's pandemic response save?
A new analysis has shown how New Zealand's pandemic response left it with one of the lowest rates of excess mortality in the world – sparing it the thousands of extra deaths seen even in "elimination" countries like Taiwan and Australia. But the Otago University public health experts who crunched the data say that, with the Zero-Covid era now well behind us, there's much more the Government could be doing to keep Kiwis safer. It comes as the Ministry of Health announced another 17 virus-related deaths today, and 3140 new Covid-19 cases.
24th Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 24th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChinese tourists stranded in Tibet as coronavirus cases in China reach three-month high
The Tibetan local government says more than 4,000 tourists are stranded in the region. The outbreak in the south-west province is spreading across China, inlcuding to Shanghai. Coronavirus cases numbers in China are at a three-month high
24th Aug 2022 - ABC News
China reopens the door to foreign students after 2 years of Covid lockouts
Students with valid residence permits will be able to re-enter the country from Wednesday, according to notices at various embassies. Decision only applies to long-term academic study and not to vocational courses
24th Aug 2022 - South China Morning Post
Coronavirus: UAE reports 612 Covid-19 cases, 591 recoveries, no deaths
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Tuesday reported 612 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 591 recoveries and no deaths. Total active cases stand at 19,292. The new cases were detected through 225,410 additional tests. The total number of cases in UAE as on August 23 are 1,011,011, while total recoveries stand at 989,378. The death toll now stands at 2,341.
23rd Aug 2022 - Khaleej Times
New South Australian COVID-19 modelling shows next wave of cases coming in November
There have been fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 each day in South Australia
A new wave is expected in November. The Health Minister says the modelling does not take into account any new variants
23rd Aug 2022 - ABC News
Japan reports record daily COVID-19 deaths at over 330
Japan saw a record 343 daily COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday amid the ongoing seventh wave of coronavirus infections, exceeding the previous high of 327 logged during the previous wave in late February, according to a tally of new cases across the country. The death toll is also quickly mounting as monthly virus-related deaths exceeded 5,000 for the first time on Tuesday with more than a week left to go in August. Newly confirmed infections also reached 208,551 after dipping under 200,000 the previous day, heightening concern that as infection cases remain high, related deaths are likely to increase further. Osaka Prefecture reported 42 new deaths from coronavirus infection, while there were 25 confirmed in both Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa and 19 each in Saitama and Fukuoka.
23rd Aug 2022 - Kyodo News Plus
Hong Kong police chief tests positive for Covid-19; rise in serious cases 'expected' expert says
Hong Kong’s police chief has become the latest high-profile figure to test positive for Covid-19, as a leading microbiologist said that the steady rise in cases requiring hospital treatment was “within expectation.” The government announced on Tuesday that the Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu tested positive for Covid-19 through a rapid antigen test and was undergoing isolation.
23rd Aug 2022 - Hong Kong Free Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 23rd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullMarshall Islands Face First COVID-19 Outbreak
Covid-19 infection numbers have recently surged in the Marshall Islands, days after the first detected local spread of the virus. In the capital city of Majuro, total cases have nearly doubled since Friday. Reportedly, approximately 75% of the islands’ rests were returning as positive. Previous stringent COVID-19 restrictions meant that several Pacific islands were able to keep COVID-19 at bay. On Monday, the first local spread was confirmed. The government declared a “state of health disaster”, closing schools and introducing a variety of public health measures.
22nd Aug 2022 - YAHOO!News
Covid-19 cases on the decline in Delhi, positivity rate at 7.25%
The highest positivity rate recorded during the current surge of infections was 19.20 per cent when fewer tests were conducted on Independence Day, reported a day later on the health bulletin for August 16.
22nd Aug 2022 - The Indian Express
Pakistan reports 416 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths
Pakistan recorded 416 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths from the pandemic on Sunday, its ministry of health said on Monday. The total tally of the infected people increased to 1,566,652 in the country with the fresh cases, according to data released by the ministry. According to the ministry's statistics, a total of 30,555 people died of COVID-19 in Pakistan with the three newly reported ones. On Sunday, 16,764 tests were conducted across Pakistan, and the positivity rate stood at 2.48 percent.
22nd Aug 2022 - Xinhua
COVID-19 tracker: Tokyo reports 15085 new cases
Tokyo confirmed 15,085 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, down by about 8,000 from a week before. The finding comes after the daily caseload in the capital rose week-on-week for the third straight day through Sunday. The seven-day average of new infections in Tokyo came to 24,742.6, compared with 26,379.1 a week before, while the number of COVID patients with severe symptoms under Tokyo’s criteria fell by two from Sunday to 36. Twenty-two deaths linked to the virus were also reported Monday. On Sunday, 226,171 new cases were reported across the country, up by some 47,800 from a week before and standing above 200,000 for the fifth straight day.
22nd Aug 2022 - The Japan Times
UK Covid-19 Infections at Lowest Level for Two Months
Covid-19 infections in the UK have fallen to their lowest level for two months, in fresh evidence the current wave of the virus is receding, figures show. The number of patients in hospital with the virus is also continuing to drop, though health experts warned infections are likely to rise again in the autumn and winter. A new booster jab will be offered to everyone in the UK aged 50 and over from next month, as well as those with underlying health conditions, to increase protection ahead of the future waves of the virus.
22nd Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 22nd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullChina's Virus Hotspots Keep Cases Elevated, Fuel Fears of Spread
China reported its worst week of Covid infections since mid-May, fueled by outbreaks in vacation hotspots that risk spreading across the country as travelers return. The country reported 2,678 cases for Thursday, down from 3,424 a day earlier. Still, there were more than 18,000 new local infections in the seven days through Aug. 18, China’s worst week since mid-May, amid outbreaks in Hainan, Tibet and Xinjiang that stranded tourists and threw the travel plans of thousands of people into disarray.
20th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 3302 new cases, 10 virus-related deaths as subvariant takes over Aotearoa
There are 3302 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, the Ministry of Health reports. There have been a further 10 deaths of people with Covid, with 467 people in hospital and seven in ICU. The seven-day rolling average of hospitalisations is 515, while last Saturday there were 594 people in hospital. The spread of people in hospital by area includes: Northland: 17; Waitematā: 61; Counties Manukau: 39; Auckland: 54; Waikato: 76; Bay of Plenty: 19; Lakes: 11; Hawke's Bay: 41; MidCentral: 25; Whanganui: 4; Taranaki: 8; Tairawhiti: 1; Wairarapa: 3; Capital & Coast: 19; Hutt Valley: 15; Nelson Marlborough: 6; Canterbury: 40; West Coast: 4; South Canterbury: 6; Southern: 18. There are now a total of 1824 deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor.
20th Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Chinese mainland reports 578 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases
The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 578 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 469 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Saturday
20th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
UK Covid-19 infections at lowest level for two months
Covid-19 infections in the UK have fallen to their lowest level for two months, in fresh evidence the current wave of the virus is receding, figures show. The number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 is also continuing to drop, though health experts warned infections are likely to rise again in the autumn and winter. A new booster jab will be offered to everyone in the UK aged 50 and over from next month, as well as those with underlying health conditions, to increase protection ahead of future waves. A total of 1.7 million people in private households are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to August 8, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
19th Aug 2022 - The Independent
Sask.'s 1st monthly COVID-19 report details increase in confirmed outbreaks, hospital admissions
Saskatchewan's first monthly COVID-19 epidemiology report, released Thursday, says 27 people with the virus died from July 17 to Aug. 13. The number of confirmed outbreaks in the province jumped to 46 in this reporting period from three in the previous three weeks. Saskatchewan only tracks outbreaks at long-term care and personal care homes — or where the risk of severe health outcomes is the highest. In those facilities outbreaks are declared when at least one person (a patient, resident or health-care worker) tests positive for COVID-19.
19th Aug 2022 - CBC.ca
Hong Kong Reopens Major Covid Site as Cases Hit Four-Month High
Hong Kong will reopen one of its biggest Covid-19 isolation facilities as case numbers hit the highest in more than four months, putting strain on the hospital system and sparking uncertainty around whether the city can further ease virus policies. Officials will have an additional 200 beds at Asia World Expo starting next week, with 100 health care workers to staff the facility, Lau Ka-hin, chief manager of quality and standards at the Hospital Authority, said at a briefing on Friday. It’s part of a new stage of Covid management to alleviate pressure on the health-care system. Non-emergency services at hospitals will also be further reduced in order to free up beds and manpower, he said.
19th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 19th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullTaiwan confirms first domestic cluster of COVID-19 BA.4 subvariant
The first domestic cluster infection of the BA.4 Omicron subvariant of the COVID-19 virus has been confirmed in northern Taiwan, within a single family, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday. The latest BA.4 infection has been found in the wife of a man who was listed Monday as the country's first domestic case of that variant, Lo Yi-chun, deputy head of the CECC's response division, said at a press briefing. Four members of the family -- the couple and their two children -- all tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago, and genome sequencing has confirmed that both parents are infected with the BA.4 variant, Lo said.
18th Aug 2022 - Focus Taiwan
Malaysia reports 3516 new COVID-19 infections, 15 new deaths
Malaysia reported 3,516 new COVID-19 infections as of midnight Wednesday, bringing the national total to 4,744,929, according to the health ministry. There were three new imported cases, with 3,513 cases being local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed. Another 15 deaths were reported, pushing the death toll to 36,117. The ministry reported 2,541 new recoveries, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 4,667,11
18th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
2,143 new Covid inpatients, 29 more deaths
The country registered 29 more Covid-19 fatalities and 2,143 new cases admitted to hospitals during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Thursday morning.
18th Aug 2022 - ฺBangkok Post
Singapore reports 3762 new COVID-19 cases
Singapore reported 3,762 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the country's total tally to 1,805,698. Of the new cases, 382 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 3,380 through antigen rapid tests (ART), according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health. Among the PCR-confirmed cases, 352 were local transmissions and 30 were imported cases. Among the ART-confirmed cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 3,207 local transmissions and 173 imported cases, respectively.
A total of 479 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 11 cases in intensive care units.
18th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
China's Covid Cases Surge to Three-Month High on Hainan Outbreak
China’s Covid-19 cases surged to a three-month high, driven by a worsening outbreak in the southern island province of Hainan that has become the country’s biggest since Shanghai was locked down in the spring. The rising number of infections in other hot spots is also causing alarm, with hundreds of vehicles stuck on a state highway in Tibet after a neighboring province refused to allow travelers from the region -- which is experiencing its own nascent outbreak -- to enter. Authorities in the coastal city of Xiamen, meanwhile, began testing fishermen and their daily catches for the virus, for fear that it may be spreading through illegal trade and interaction among fishermen.
18th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
COVID-19 hospitalizations due to Omicron are vastly underreported: grassroots organization
With provinces releasing less frequent data on COVID-19 three years into the pandemic, a group of volunteer experts has been releasing their own analysis of cases, highlighting a vast underreporting of hospitalizations and deaths in Canada due to the Omicron variant. Recent figures based on this analysis show that expected hospitalizations from Omicron could be 70 per cent higher on average than what has been reported since Dec. 2, 2021, if the rest of the country reported as Quebec did. "If each province reported in a similar fashion as Quebec, which is the gold standard in Canada for complete and timely reporting of severe COVID outcomes, then these numbers would look very different from those that have been reported," Tara Moriarty, an infectious disease expert at the University of Toronto and the co-founder of COVID-19 Resources Canada, told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
18th Aug 2022 - CTV News
Most people with Omicron didn't even realise they had COVID-19, study finds
Most people who were infected with the Omicron variant didn't even realise they had COVID-19, according to a new study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in the US. The lack of public awareness about being infected means that people can't take steps to prevent themselves transmitting the virus further, which is a major stumbling block for addressing new waves of the pandemic. "More than one in every two people who were infected with Omicron didn't know they had it," said Dr Susan Cheng, a corresponding author of the study which is published in JAMA Network Open.
18th Aug 2022 - Sky News
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 18th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullTwo test positive for COVID-19 after traveling back to Shanghai
Shanghai reported two COVID-19 community infections on Wednesday, both asymptomatic cases who traveled back from other Chinese provinces recently. The 33-year-old female, who lives in downtown Huangpu District, had traveled to southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The other case, a 27-year-old male truck driver from Hongkou District, returned from a self-driving tour outside Shanghai on Sunday. "Apart from the cases related to a foot massage parlor in Xuhui (District), most local infections reported recently had traveled to other provinces or cities," said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Commission.
18th Aug 2022 - SHINE
Covid 19 coronavirus: How many Kiwis haven't had the virus?
One year on from the day New Zealand forever left the Covid-free comfort of Level 1, a modeller says Kiwis who haven't yet caught the virus are now a minority. But without a nationwide infection prevalence survey – soon to be launched by the Ministry of Health – it remains unclear just how many Kiwis have been exposed to Covid-19. As at today, the official case tally stood at 1,696,239 – that's a third of our resident population – of which just 28,775 were probable reinfections. But as Professor Michael Plank, of Covid-19 Modelling Aotearoa, pointed out, these were only those cases that had been notified after people got themselves tested and reported their results. "The proportion of infections that are reported is probably somewhere between 40 per cent and 65 per cent," Plank said.
17th Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald
COVID-19 levels remain high in Ottawa as indicators decline
While many of the key indicators of COVID-19 levels in Ottawa have dropped, public health officials say levels remain high in the community. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) says the local vaccination rate of children under five is among the highest in the province. Earlier this month, the province's chief medical officer of health said the seventh wave of COVID-19 in Ontario had peaked. Health officials say the current wave is driven by the BA.5 coronavirus subvariant, and is again straining a health-care system already stretched thin by staff shortages.
17th Aug 2022 - CBC.ca
Russia's daily COVID cases cross 30000 for first time since mid-March
Russia reported 33,106 new daily coronavirus cases on Wednesday, authorities said, the highest figure since mid-March this year. Sixty-three people in Russia died of coronavirus over the past day, the country's taskforce against the virus said. Russia said in early July that it was ending all restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including the requirement to wear masks, citing a steady decline in deaths from the virus.
17th Aug 2022 - Reuters
China reports 3036 new COVID cases for Aug 16 vs 2526 day earlier
China reported 3,036 new coronavirus cases for Aug. 16, of which 637 were symptomatic and 2,399 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. That compared with 2,526 new cases a day earlier - 591 symptomatic and 1,935 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.
There were no new deaths, leaving the nation's death count at 5,226. As of Aug. 16, mainland China had confirmed 236,898 cases with symptoms.
17th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 17th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullEgypt's COVID-19 situation remains stable, cases down 50%: Minister
Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Monday that the epidemiological situation of the coronavirus in Egypt is currently stable. “We are in a safe stage, and we have had a decrease in the last two weeks in the number of community cases by up to 50 percent in infections, and 26 percent in deaths,” he explained. The Minister of Health explained that the hospital occupancy rate of coronavirus patients is currently very low – the lowest point since the beginning of the pandemic. He added that his ministry had reserved considering the current situation as a sixth wave, as it has already declined in a short period.
16th Aug 2022 - Egypt Independent
N.S. COVID-19: Rise in cases, hospitalizations in July
Nova Scotia is reporting a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for the month of July, while the number of deaths decreased compared to previous months, according to the provincial government’s monthly COVID-19 summary. During July, health officials say nine people died from COVID-19, six fewer than what was reported for the month of June. Of the nine deaths, six people were aged 70 and older, and three were living in a long-term care facility.
16th Aug 2022 - CTV News Atlantic
China's service sector sustains recovery amid COVID-19 resurgence
China's service sector, a key driver of its economic growth, has sustained recovery momentum in July despite a resurgence of sporadic COVID-19 cases and a weak property market. The services production index grew 0.6 percent year on year last month, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. In the first seven months, the index dropped by 0.3 percent year on year, narrowing 0.1 percentage points from that of the first six months.
16th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
Chinese mainland reports 530 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases
The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 530 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 426 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Altogether 1,838 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on the day, including 785 in Hainan, 629 in Tibet Autonomous Region and 248 in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said the commission in its report. A total of 117 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Monday. The total number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery reached 224,688 on the Chinese mainland as of Monday.
16th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
Shanghai reports 3 new local asymptomatic COVID cases, no symptomatic for Aug 15
Shanghai reported three new domestically transmitted asymptomatic coronavirus cases for Aug. 15, down from five a day earlier, while no local symptomatic cases were reported, versus one the day before, the city government said on Tuesday.
No cases were reported outside quarantined areas, compared with one the day before. Shanghai recorded no COVID-19-related deaths for Aug. 15, unchanged from a day earlier.
16th Aug 2022 - Reuters
China Covid Cases Near Three-Month High With Hainan, Tibet Outbreaks
China reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections for a fourth day as outbreaks flare across the country, raising the prospect of more disruptive restrictions in line with its Covid Zero strategy. Nationwide, there were 2,368 cases for Monday, near the highest level since May. More than half the infections are in the tropical island of Hainan, where an outbreak has stranded more than 150,000 tourists who have faced lockdowns, frequent testing and a dearth of flights.
16th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 16th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullIkea Shanghai Lockdown: Panic After China Authorities Try to Quarantine Shoppers
Scenes of mayhem unfolded in an Ikea in Shanghai as health authorities tried to lock down the store on Saturday and quarantine those on site after learning someone who had been in contact with a Covid-19 patient had visited. News of the flash shutdown sent shoppers fleeing and screaming in an effort to get out of the building before the doors were locked, videos on social media showed. Shanghai’s 25 million residents are well versed in lockdowns, after being barred from leaving their homes for two months this spring in an effort to eradicate the virus.
16th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
China Covid-19 Cases Top 2000 as More Lockdowns Imposed
China reported more than 2,000 local Covid-19 cases on Friday as infections in the southern Hainan island edged higher despite stricter curbs imposed earlier this week. The southern province, a popular tourist destination, reported 1,426 cases. More than 1,230 of them were in the beach resort city of Sanya, where more restrictions were added on Thursday. Hainan’s authorities had aimed to eliminate community transmission by Aug. 12.
15th Aug 2022 - Bloomberg
S.Korea reports 62078 new COVID-19 cases
South Korea recorded 62,078 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Sunday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 21,418,036, the health authorities said Monday. The daily caseload was down from 119,603 in the previous day due to fewer virus tests on the weekend, but it was higher than 55,262 tallied a week earlier, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). For the past week, the daily average number of confirmed cases was 124,829.
15th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 15th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid reinfections: How likely are you to catch coronavirus again?
More than two years on from the first Covid case in the UK, millions of Britons have caught the virus and some have had it multiple times. Around one in 25 people in England are now testing positive for the virus,
12th Aug 2022 - The Independent
COVID-19: WHO names disease caused by new coronavirus
The announcement came as the death toll in mainland China has now reached more than 1,000, after 108 people died from the virus on Monday – the highest daily toll since the outbreak began late last year in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. Tedros said that “CO” stands for “corona”, “VI” for “virus” and “D” for “disease”, while “19” was for the year, as the outbreak was first identified on December 31. The WHO chief said the name had been chosen to avoid references to a specific geographical location, animal species or group of people in line with international recommendations for naming aimed at preventing stigmatisation.
12th Aug 2022 - Al Jazeera
FDA says 3 negative rapid tests needed for asymptomatic Covid cases
The Food and Drug Administration now recommends that people who have been exposed to the coronavirus should have three negative at-home tests, even if they don’t have symptoms. The FDA made the change Thursday based on evidence that people with an omicron infection — but who are asymptomatic — need multiple negative rapid antigen tests over a number of days to be sure they don’t have Covid. Rapid at-home tests are more likely to give a false negative result in asymptomatic cases. “If repeat testing is not performed after a negative result, an infection may be missed and people may unknowingly spread the SARS-CoV-2 virus to others, especially if they are not experiencing symptoms,” the FDA tweeted.
12th Aug 2022 - The Guardian
People Exposed to Coronavirus May Need to Take as Many as Three At-Home Tests, F.D.A. Says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new recommendation on Thursday that asymptomatic people who are using coronavirus antigen tests take at least three tests, each spaced 48 hours apart, to reduce the odds of missing an infection. People who have Covid-19 symptoms should take at least two tests, 48 hours apart, according to the agency.
The new guidelines come as the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant of Omicron continues to spread, and after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its recommendation for routine surveillance testing in most circumstances.
12th Aug 2022 - The New York Times
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 12th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullSingapore reports 7776 new COVID-19 cases
Singapore reported 7,776 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total tally to 1,781,162. Of the new cases, 537 cases were detected through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and 7,239 through ART (antigen rapid test) tests, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Health. Among the PCR cases, 506 were local transmissions and 31 were imported cases. Among the ART cases with mild symptoms and assessed to be of low risk, there were 6,756 local transmissions and 483 imported cases, respectively. A total of 686 cases are currently warded in hospitals, with 22 cases in intensive care units.
12th Aug 2022 - Xinhua
WHO: COVID-19 deaths fall overall by 9%, infections stable
The number of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% in the last week while new cases remained relatively stable, according to the latest weekly pandemic report released by the World Health Organization Wednesday. The U.N. health agency said there were more than 14,000 COVID-19 deaths in the last week and nearly 7 million new infections. The Western Pacific reported a 30% jump in cases while Africa reported a 46% drop. Cases also fell by more than 20% in the Americas and the Middle East. The number of new deaths rose by 19% in the Middle East, while dropping by more than 70% in Africa, 15% in Europe and 10% in the Americas.
11th Aug 2022 - The Independent
Hospital admissions continue to fall as Covid-19 wave recedes
The rate of Covid-19 admissions to hospitals in England has fallen for the third week in a row, in fresh evidence the current wave of infections is receding. The overall number of patients testing positive for the virus is also continuing to drop and is down 40% from the recent peak. Infection levels rose from the end of May to mid-July, driven by the spread of the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. But data in the last few weeks has suggested the virus is now becoming less prevalent across the country.
11th Aug 2022 - Belfast Telegraph
COVID-19, arguably, has become endemic in India
It is time to deal with COVID-19 just like any other health condition and integrate COVID-19 interventions in general health service. The infectious disease ‘outbreaks’ or ‘epidemics’ or ‘pandemics’ share a fate — there is a day when the majority of them run their course and fade away. However, a small proportion (of epidemics or pandemics) transitions to the stage of endemicity, i.e., a level of transmission which is not considered to be a broad threat.
11th Aug 2022 - The Hindu
Number of people in Alberta hospitals with COVID-19 increases
The number of people in Alberta hospitals with COVID-19 continues to rise. New numbers released by the Alberta government on Wednesday revealed there were 748 patients in hospitals with COVID-19 on Aug. 8, up from 702 a week earlier. Of those patients, 28 are being treated in intensive-care units.
11th Aug 2022 - Global News
Health panel issues warning over COVID-19 in Japan
A health ministry advisory board has issued a warning over the coronavirus situation, saying that new infection cases remain at the highest level. The medical system has been under heavy strain, and the situation could become even more severe, the panel of experts said. The situation needs to be watched with the utmost caution as close contact opportunities are expected to increase amid the summer holiday season, it said. "New infection cases are starting to decrease in some areas, but we cannot be optimistic," National Institute of Infectious Diseases chief Takaji Wakita, who heads the advisory board, told a news conference after the panel's meeting on Wednesday. "We are concerned about future developments in the situation."
11th Aug 2022 - The Japan Times
Covid-19 cases mild but underreported, says Health experts amid rise in infection | Mint
As India is seeing a rise in Covid-19 cases, especially in the national capital, ahead of the festival season, experts feel that the infections are mild but are underreported. According to Dr S Chatterjee, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, it seems as if the coronavirus next wave has already started as a huge number of cases are coming and most of them are underreported. "The number of cases are huge at this moment in the city. I think it has been underreported because quite a few people not even getting themselves tested. The doctors also not advising and the patients are also not getting tested," Dr Chatterjee. He further said that if the testing is increased then the daily number of cases will also increase.
11th Aug 2022 - Mint
Russia's daily coronavirus cases jump to 25815
Russia reported 25,815 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, authorities said, the highest such figure since March 23. Fifty-two people in Russia died of coronavirus over the last day, the country's taskforce against COVID-19 said.
11th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 11th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullAt 852, Covid cases in Mumbai spike by 79% in 24 hours
Mumbai on Wednesday reported 852 Covid-19 cases, the highest daily rise after July 1, and a single fatality, taking the tally to 11,29,285 and the toll to 19,661, the city civic body said. On July 1, the Metropolis reported 978 cases and two fatalities, before the daily number of cases started dipping gradually. Barring the first two days of this month, Mumbai has been reporting more than 400 coronavirus infections every day. The spike in the number of cases in the past 24 hours is nearly 79 per cent or 376 more compared to 476 infections reported on Tuesday.
11th Aug 2022 - The Indian Express
Covid-19: Delhi sees 2,146 new cases, 8 fatalities
The national capital saw 1,372 infections and six deaths on Sunday as the case positivity rate rose to 17.85 per cent, the highest since January 21, it said. On Tuesday, Delhi had reported 2,495 new coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 15.41 per cent and seven fatalities.
11th Aug 2022 - Economic Times
China reports 1094 new COVID cases for Aug 9 vs 939 day earlier
Mainland China reported 1,094 new coronavirus cases for Aug. 9, of which 444 were symptomatic and 650 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. That compared with 939 new cases a day earlier, made up of 399 symptomatic and 540 asymptomatic infections. China counts the symptomatic and asymptomatic cases separately. There were no new deaths, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of Aug. 9, mainland China had confirmed 232,109 cases with symptoms.
10th Aug 2022 - Reuters
More Transmissible Omicron Sub-Variant Detected In Delhi
A new sub-variant of the coronavirus strain Omicron has been detected in samples sent for genome sequencing in Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, a top medical officer of the hospital said. The Omicron sub-variant BA 2.75 has been detected in many samples, LNJP Hospital Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar told NDTV. The sub-variant has been found amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases and positivity rate, or cases per 100 tests, in the national capital. The number of people getting admitted to the hospital is also rising, the Medical Director said. This Omicron variant is spreading faster and likely escaping immunity from previous infection and vaccination, Dr Kumar said. "Omicron's sub-variant BA 2.75 has been found in the report. It has more transmission rate. This has emerged in the study report of 90 samples sent for genome sequencing. This new sub-variant also attacks people already having antibodies and also those who have taken vaccines," Dr Kumar said, news agency PTI reported.
10th Aug 2022 - NDTV
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 10th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Covid-19: New Zealand to stay at orange as 5939 new community cases announced, 15 in ICU
Minister for Covid-19 Response Ayesha Verrall has confirmed that the country will stay at the orange traffic light setting as 5939 new community cases of Covid-19 in Aotearoa were reported by the Ministry of Health. She said there was still “significant pressure” on hospitals from winter illnesses though it was thought that Covid-19 cases may have peaked about 11,000 cases per day in mid-July. “Our response to Omicron is moving in the right direction, but loosening settings before we are completely on top of it risk infections going up again,” she said. “We just need to stay the course a little longer.”
9th Aug 2022 - Stuff
UAE reaches one million Covid-19 cases
The UAE on Tuesday surpassed one million Covid-19 infections since the start of the global outbreak. This milestone figure was reached after a further 919 cases were confirmed. The country's overall tally now stands at 1,000,556. Recoveries climbed to 979,362 after another 859 people beat the virus in the past 24 hours. There were no coronavirus-related deaths during the latest reporting period, with the toll standing at 2,337.
9th Aug 2022 - The National
India logs over 12,000 fresh Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours
For the third consecutive day, Covid-19 cases in India witnessed a downward journey on Tuesday with the country logging 12,751 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data. With this, the country's active caseload currently stands at 1,31,807. On Monday, India recorded 16,167 new Covid-19 cases, while the country had more than 18,000 infections on Sunday and over 19,000 cases on Saturday. The data shows that a total of 16,412 people recovered from the coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the country's cumulative recoveries to 4,35,16,071. The recovery rate remains consistent at 98.51%.
9th Aug 2022 - Mint
Rise in Covid-19 death registrations shows signs of slowing
The number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales has risen for the sixth week in a row – but there are signs the increase may be slowing down. A total of 810 deaths registered in the seven days to July 29 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is up 9% on the previous week and is the highest number since the seven days to April 29. It is the smallest percentage increase since mid-June, however
9th Aug 2022 - Evening Standard
Toyota suspends some Japan factory production due to COVID outbreak
Toyota Motor Corp said it would suspend the night shift operation on Tuesday at one production line at its factory in central Japan due to an outbreak of COVID-19, after it suspended operations there also on Monday night. The suspension comes as the Japanese automaker seeks to boost its production in earnest after COVID-19 lockdowns in China and a global chip shortage forced it to repeatedly scale back output in the April-June quarter, falling about 10% short of its initially planned target.
9th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 9th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 nation's third biggest killer
More Australians are expected to have died from COVID-19 so far this year than some of the country's traditionally largest killers, such as cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. New analysis by the Actuaries Institute has shown the COVID-19 death toll to the end of July to be 7100, making it the third largest cause of death in 2022. Only ischaemic heart diseases and dementia are expected to be a bigger cause of death than COVID-10, with each responsible for about 10,000 fatalities.
The analysis revealed deaths from cardiovascular disease, such as strokes, and lung cancer were expected to be about 5500 and 5400 respectively this year.
In the year to the end of April, excess mortality was 13 per cent, or 6800 deaths, with more than half of that due to COVID-19.
8th Aug 2022 - The West Australian
Omicron outbreak: Child among 13 Covid-related deaths, 4006 new cases today
A child under the age of 10 is among 13 deaths linked to Covid in today's Ministry of Health update. There are 4006 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today. There are 654 people in hospital with the virus, including 16 in intensive care. Health officials have reported a further 13 Covid-related deaths - including a child under the age of 10.
8th Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Queensland's latest COVID-19 wave has passed, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says
Queensland has passed the peak of the third COVID-19 wave with it expected to end in the coming weeks, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says. Ms Palaszczuk made the announcement at the Ekka on Monday with hospitalisation numbers falling steadily since last month. "We actually peaked around July 25 … that's excellent news," she said. Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the news came much earlier than national modelling had predicted. "We believe this fantastic result is because Queenslanders have responded to national advice. Namely to get heir boosters, stay at home when sick, take anti-viral medicines and wear a mask in indoor crowded environments," he said.
8th Aug 2022 - ABC News
India's daily COVID-19 caseload falls to 16167
India reported 16,167 new cases of COVID-19 during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 44,161,899 in the country, according to federal health ministry data released on Monday morning. Monday's new cases marked a decrease in comparison to the daily caseload of Sunday which was 18,738. Currently, India's active caseload stands at 135,510. The country also logged 41 related deaths during the past 24 hours, pushing the overall death toll to 526,730 since the beginning of the pandemic, the ministry said.
8th Aug 2022 - Xinhuanet
ONS records a continued fall in UK COVID-19 infections
Around 2.6 million people reported that they had the virus in the week to 26 July, while the previous week had recorded 3.2 million cases. The number of those in hospital with COVID-19 has also seen a significant decrease. Despite the considerable fall in infections, experts are still cautioning against complacency, warning that COVID-19 cases are still prevalent, with one in 25 people in England currently having the virus. However, vaccines are still helping protect people from severe illness. The COVID-19 infection rates from the ONS come from data collated by testing thousands of people from UK households – regardless of whether they have symptoms or not – in order to gauge how much of the virus is circulating.
8th Aug 2022 - PMLiVE
China's Tibet region faces rare COVID flareup, fresh curbs imposed
The Chinese autonomous region of Tibet, which had barely reported COVID patients for more than two years, is facing a spate of new infections, forcing it to impose various restriction in its second largest city. Tibet reported one infection with confirmed symptoms in January 2020, and then remained clear of cases for over 900 days, the best record among Chinese regions and provinces under China's "dynamic zero COVID" policy. Its disclosure of asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately, was less clear.
8th Aug 2022 - Reuters
China reports 940 new COVID cases for Aug 7 vs 868 a day earlier
China's Hainan, an island province dependent on tourism, locked down more areas on Monday, state media reported, as it battles its worst COVID-19 outbreak after seeing very few cases in the past two years compared with many other regions in the country. The province, which recorded just two local symptomatic COVID cases last year, has reported more than 1,500 domestically transmitted infections this month, including over 1,000 symptomatic ones. Although that is low by global standards, it is Hainan's biggest outbreak since the virus was first reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
8th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 8th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullTamil Nadu sees 1,094 new Covid-19 cases
Tamil Nadu logged 1,094 new Covid-19 cases, including two returnees from Maharashtra and Karnataka, pushing the tally to 35,51,641 till date, the Health Department said on Saturday. There were no fresh fatalities and the death toll remained unchanged at 38,033, a bulletin said. As many as 1,431 people have recuperated from the virus in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 35,03,347 leaving, 10,261 active cases. Two districts accounted for most of the new cases with Chennai recording 239, Coimbatore 127 and the rest were spread across other districts. The neighboring Chengalpet, which has been reporting fresh cases in three districts till Friday, has added 94 new infections, indicating a decline in the cases.
7th Aug 2022 - The Indian Express
Top covid symptom is ‘sore throat’, says latest data
Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped by around 7 per cent, with the ongoing rise still driven by the newest Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. Hospital numbers are also continuing to increase, with early signs of a rise in intensive care admissions among older age groups. A total of 3.8 million people in private households are estimated to have had in the week up to 14 July, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures. The previous week there were around 3.3 million cases across the UK. That is the highest estimate for total infections since late April, but is still some way below the record high of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March.
5th Aug 2022 - The Independent
How A Covid-19 Infection May Affect Your Period
Recently, Dr. Leslie Farland, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, and a team of her colleagues studied menstruation changes after Covid infections. The research was conducted in 127 people ranging from ages 18 to 45 beginning in May 2020. All participants tested positive for Covid at some point between the beginning of the pandemic and now; the study is still ongoing. “Approximately 16% of menstruating participants who had Covid-19 reported changes to their menstrual cycle following infection,” Farland tells HuffPost. Participants most commonly reported irregular menstruation, an increase in premenstrual syndrome symptoms like mood swings and tiredness, and infrequent menstruation.
5th Aug 2022 - HuffPost UK
Covid-19: One in eight adults develops long covid symptoms, study suggests
One in eight covid-19 patients (12.7%) is likely to experience long term symptoms, a study from the Netherlands has reported. Using digital questionnaires, researchers collected data on the frequency of 23 symptoms commonly associated with covid in an uninfected population and in people who had had a covid diagnosis. The findings, published in the Lancet,1 found that 21.4% (381/1782) of adults who had had covid experienced at least one new or severely increased symptom three to five months after infection when compared with before. This compared with only 8.7% (361/4130) of uninfected people followed over the same period. The core long covid symptoms highlighted by the researchers include chest pain, difficulties breathing, pain when breathing, painful muscles, loss of taste and smell, tingling extremities, lump in throat, feeling hot and cold, heavy arms or legs, and general tiredness.
5th Aug 2022 - The BMJ
Even Mild Covid-19 May Cause Lasting Brain Fog
In previous installments of this series, we looked at new research that suggests even mild SARS-CoV-2 infection can impair cognitive function. The first step in this chain of events happens when the virus sets off an intense inflammatory response that eventually reaches the brain. Once there, inflammation triggers reactivity of microglial cells —the resident immune cells of the central nervous system— which produce yet more inflammation and interfere with the normal functioning of important cells, including oligodendrocytes and neural precursor cells (Figure 1).
Schematic of the pathway through which general inflammation causes cognitive dysfunction. But given that all of this happens off the back of inflammation, which we experience during any number of infections or injuries, wouldn’t we expect to see something similar unfold in other viral diseases? As part of their research, Fernández-Castañeda et al. asked themselves this same question. In the search for an answer, they turned to influenza.
Like Covid-19, the flu has also been associated with cognitive and neurological issues. And like SARS-CoV-2, influenza is rarely neuroinvasive — even though both viruses can infect the brain directly, as can many other viruses, it seems to happen only infrequently. It could be, then, that influenza causes cognitive issues through a similar mechanism as Covid.
5th Aug 2022 - Forbes
What is GBS, the syndrome behind SA’s first Covid-19 vaccine-related death?
The South African patient got vaccinated against the coronavirus, choosing the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 jab. But what happened soon after had everyone stumped and many health professionals floored. The patient developed Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS), one of the possible side effects of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine. A mere 100 000 people, globally, are affected by this disease a year – and few of them die from it. What is even more puzzling about this SA patient, whose details were withheld, is that they seemed relatively healthy and had no other diseases which could have led to their sudden death.
5th Aug 2022 - News24
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 5th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullAustralia's winter COVID wave may have peaked early, health minister says
Australia's COVID-19 winter outbreak fuelled by the new Omicron sub-variants BA.4/5 may have peaked early, Health Minister Mark Butler said on Thursday, as hospitals reported a steady fall in admissions over the past week. Australia is battling one of its worst flare-ups of the coronavirus driven by the fast-moving new Omicron sub-variants, putting severe strain on hospitals and retirement homes. But Health Minister Mark Butler flagged the worst could be over.
4th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong reports 5020 new COVID cases on Thursday
Hong Kong reported more than 5,000 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday and three new deaths, as daily infections continue to rise. The Chinese-ruled city, which enforces some of the toughest COVID restrictions in the world, is expected to ease quarantine requirements for travellers in coming days. Its COVID policies are not as strict as in mainland China.
4th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Russia sees largest COVID cases daily increase since April
Russia registered 17,126 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the highest daily increase since April 2, the country's anti-pandemic taskforce said in a statement. The taskforce said 44 people in Russia died of the disease in the previous day.
4th Aug 2022 - Reuters
New COVID case numbers in New Zealand trending lower, signs wave peaked
New Zealand's health ministry sees strong signs that the country's latest COVID-19 wave has peaked, as new cases continue to trend lower. The number of people in hospitals with COVID is also down on late July. "The case rates have continued to trend lower across all regions for the second week running," Andrew Old, head of the New Zealand Public Health Agency, told reporters on Thursday. In the past seven days there were on average 6,142 new cases daily of COVID, down from a seven-day rolling average of 7,776 new cases a week earlier, according to Health Ministry data released on Thursday.
4th Aug 2022 - Reuters
Global COVID cases trend down, with surges in Japan, Korea
After global cases rose through June, COVID activity appears to be declining, with a 9% drop last week compared to the week before, the WHO said. Two regions, however, reported increases, the Western Pacific, where cases rose 20%, and Africa, where illnesses were up 5%. The WHO has urged caution in interpreting trends based on cases, due to declines in testing and surveillance. In the Western Pacific region, the highest jumps were in Japan, which reported a 42% increase, and South Korea, which reported a 25% rise compared to the week before. Japan's cases are averaging more than 200,000 per day, with healthcare systems feeling pressure in some areas, partly due to COVID-19 illnesses in staff, according to the Japan Times. South Korea is reporting more than 100,000 cases a day, the highest since the middle of April, according to the Korea Herald.
4th Aug 2022 - CIDRAP
Utah's COVID-19 deaths jump, case counts dip, state reports
Another 28 Utahns died of COVID-19 in the past week, a dozen more than were reported a week ago, state health officials announced Thursday. As of Thursday, there have been 4,928 COVID-19 deaths in Utah since the start of the pandemic, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. All but six of the deaths reported in the past week were Utahns ages 65 or older. Ten of those who died were 85 or older. Utah’s latest COVID-19 metrics released Thursday showed a 14% decrease in newly documented coronavirus cases since last week. But 70.6% of Utah wastewater sites continue to report high levels of the virus in sewers. Case counts are generally considered underreported because home tests are not recorded.
4th Aug 2022 - Salt Lake Tribune
Photo exposes stark difference in China’s Covid-19 lockdown rules
One photo has summed up the mind-boggling difference in Covid rules between two neighboring Chinese districts. The image, shared on social media by Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow for global health Yanzhong Huang, shows locals on one side of a street lining up for Covid tests, while on the other, diners are enjoying their restaurant meals. Dr Huang said the photo represented a “tale of two districts in Chengdu, (a city in) Sichuan province”. “Residents of Chenghua district (left) line up to be tested on Covid, while residents of Jinniu district (right) wait to get a nice meal,” he wrote. He said the Chenghua district was currently under strict lockdown rules after a concentration of Covid cases in the area.
4th Aug 2022 - New York Post
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 4th Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullEli Lilly to make COVID-19 antibody drug commercially available from August
Eli Lilly and Co said on Wednesday it plans to make its COVID-19 antibody drug commercially available to U.S. states as well as hospitals and other healthcare providers from August. The drug, bebtelovimab, had received authorization in the United States in February for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 among adults and children. Eli Lilly entered an agreement in June to supply an additional 150,000 doses of the drug to the U.S. government. The U.S. government will exhaust their supply of bebtelovimab as early as the week of August 22 and, without congressional appropriations, does not have the funds to purchase more, Lilly told Reuters.
4th Aug 2022 - Financial Post
Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: 6440 new Covid cases, 28 deaths, 704 in hospital
There are 6440 new Covid community cases reported today, with 704 people in hospital. There were 28 virus-related deaths reported in the Ministry of Health's latest daily update. The seven-day rolling average of cases is 6355. Last Wednesday, it was 8111. After today's update, there have been 1589 deaths confirmed to date as attributable to Covid-19 in New Zealand, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor.
3rd Aug 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Japan's daily COVID-19 cases hit record high of nearly 250,000
Japan reported 249,830 daily coronavirus cases Wednesday, hitting a record tally as the quickly soaring number renewed concerns over a straining medical system.
It was the second day running that the country saw over 200,000 new cases, with the last record reaching 233,000 cases Thursday last week as Japan faces its seventh wave of the pandemic. Tokyo saw 38,940 new cases, while Osaka Prefecture had 24,038 cases. Hyogo Prefecture, which reported 11,201 cases, and Aichi Prefecture, at 17,778, were among 24 areas reporting record infections Wednesday.
3rd Aug 2022 - Kyodo News Plus
Sri Lankan president says COVID-19 cases are rising again
COVID-19 cases and deaths are rising in Sri Lanka, and citizens should receive a fourth vaccine dose to prevent a possible surge of the coronavirus, the president said Tuesday. President Ranil Wickremesinghe said there were only three reported COVID-19 deaths in June. That rose to 35 in July, including 28 who succumbed after July 18. There were 283 confirmed cases in June and 1,616 in July, he said.
Wickremesinghe said in a statement that only 22,623 people have received a fourth vaccine dose, compared to 8 million who received a third dose. Sri Lanka has reported a total of 665,847 confirmed cases and 16,559 deaths from the virus.
3rd Aug 2022 - The Independent
COVID deaths: US stuck in 'horrible plateau,' experts say. Here's why.
"COVID is over" might trend within social media circles, but weekly U.S. death tolls tell a different story. The pace of COVID-19 deaths has remained relatively steady since May, despite an uptick in July to about 400 a day, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. “We’re sitting on this horrible plateau,” said Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease specialist with Pro Health Care in New York and a clinical instructor of medicine at Columbia University. “It’s been this way for the past couple of months, and we’re getting used to it.”
3rd Aug 2022 - USA TODAY
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 3rd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Two months of 'substantially lower infections' ahead
New Zealand is likely in for “a couple of months” of lower Covid-19 infections now the second Omicron peak has passed, experts say. However, there are plenty of other viruses circulating and people should keep up health measures, such as wearing masks and staying home when sick, they say. A panel of health experts answered reader questions on all things Covid-19 – including what we should expect in the next six months – in a live discussion on Stuff.
2nd Aug 2022 - Stuff.co.nz
South Korea reports 3-month peak in daily COVID-19 cases
South Korea on Tuesday registered over 110,000 new cases of the novel coronavirus, the highest single-day number in three months, local media reported. As many as 111,789 new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours, bringing the total caseload to over 19.93 million, according to the Yonhap News Agency. This represents a sharp rise from 44,689 cases reported on Monday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency attributed the surge, which started in late June, to the omicron subvariant BA.5. The daily count climbed to over 10,000 on June 29 for the first time, before doubling by July 9 and hitting 100,000 last week.
2nd Aug 2022 - Anadolu Agency
Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in England down a quarter since latest peak
The number of hospital patients in England testing positive for Covid-19 has fallen by more than a quarter in just two weeks, in the latest sign the current wave of infections is receding. A total of 10,417 people with coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on August 1, according to NHS England
2nd Aug 2022 - The Independent
Covid-19 deaths rise for fifth week in a row but levels remain low
The number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales has risen for the fifth week in a row, but levels continue to remain well below those seen in the early part of the pandemic. A total of 745 deaths registered in the seven days to July 22 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics,
2nd Aug 2022 - Evening Standard
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 2nd Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Ontario hospitals close wards as nursing shortage bites
At least 14 hospitals in Canada’s most populous province are operating without key services this weekend as exhausted and depleted nursing staff struggle to cope with a surge in patients with covid-19. The closures include the intensive care unit at Bowmanville’s hospital and emergency departments at Wingham and Listowel. Hospitals in Alexandria, Brampton, Clinton, and Perth have also shut their emergency departments at times in recent weeks. “This decision was not made lightly,” a spokeswoman for the Bowmanville hospital told CTV News, explaining that intensive care patients would be transferred to Ajax Pickering and Oshawa hospitals. “We recognise the impact of this temporary relocation on patients and their families.” Toronto’s University Health Network revealed this week that the emergency department of Toronto Western Hospital was so understaffed last weekend that nursing students were called in.
1st Aug 2022 - The BMJ
Covid-19: Staff absences in July surged amid ongoing pressure on hospitals
NHS staff absences in England reached the highest peak in July since mid-April, amid continuing high numbers of SARS-CoV-2 infections and unrelenting demand for hospital beds. In a joint editorial published last week the editors of The BMJ and Health Service Journal, Kamran Abbasi and Alastair McLellan, sounded the alarm at the current situation and lamented the government’s inaction in tackling the “covid-driven collapse in services.” They argued, “The constant pressure created by repeated covid waves is already the main reason that the NHS is nowhere near reaching the activity levels needed to begin to recover performance. “The nation’s attempt to ‘live with covid’ is the straw that is breaking the NHS’s back. The government must stop gaslighting the public and be honest about the threat the pandemic still poses to them and the NHS.” Given the current trends, the editors also questioned the government’s assertion that the link between infections and hospital admissions had been broken.
1st Aug 2022 - The BMJ
China reports 393 new COVID cases for July 31 vs 541 day earlier
China reported 393 new coronavirus cases for July 31, of which 84 were symptomatic and 309 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compared with 541 new cases a day earlier, 116 symptomatic and 425 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, leaving the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of July 31, mainland China had confirmed 229,594 cases with symptoms.
1st Aug 2022 - Reuters
Biden feeling well, isolating after rebound case of COVID
U.S. President Joe Biden is feeling well and continuing his isolation measures after again testing positive for COVID-19, his physician said in a memo released by the White House on Sunday. Biden tested positive for COVID again on Saturday in what the White House doctor described as a "rebound" case seen in a small percentage of patients who take the antiviral drug Paxlovid."Given his rebound positivity which we reported yesterday, we continued daily monitoring. This morning, unsurprisingly, his SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing remained positive," the physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in the memo on Sunday.
1st Aug 2022 - Reuters
'Living with COVID': Where the pandemic could go next
As the third winter of the coronavirus pandemic looms in the northern hemisphere, scientists are warning weary governments and populations alike to brace for more waves of COVID-19. In the United States alone, there could be up to a million infections a day this winter, Chris Murray, head of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent modeling group at the University of Washington that has been tracking the pandemic, told Reuters. That would be around double the current daily tally.
1st Aug 2022 - Reuters
China factory activity sees shock contraction on Covid-19 outbreaks
China’s factory activity unexpectedly contracted in July, reversing earlier economic momentum as sporadic Covid-19 outbreaks weigh on the recovery. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 49 from 50.2 in June, the National Bureau of Statistics said Sunday. Economists had expected a reading of 50.3, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists. A reading above 50 indicates expansion from the previous month, while anything below indicates contraction. The non-manufacturing gauge, which measures activity in the construction and services sectors, decreased to 53.8 from 54.7 the previous month. That was below the consensus forecast of 53.9.
1st Aug 2022 - News24
COVID in WA: Pressure eased on hospitals as virus admissions fall but AMA warns ‘worst still to come’
WA has reported a dip in COVID hospitalisations and continued its downward trend in active cases providing hope the worst of the winter Omicron wave may have passed. Speaking form Karratha, Premier Mark McGowan announced the number of West Australians in hospital with COVID fell to 418 on Thursday, down from 442 the previous day. There was also a slight fall in ICU patients from 17 to 16. Mr McGowan said both figures were “good news” while 4961 new infections were reported – down from 5422 on Wednesday. Five more West Australians died with COVID in the latest reporting period although the Premier did not detail their ages.
1st Aug 2022 - PerthNow
Australia's Covid-19 wave at record levels, prompting push to work from home again
Australia's surging Covid-19 outbreak has prompted debate about whether workplaces should again be encouraging staff to work from home. As hospitalisations reached record levels last Tuesday (July 26), the health authorities and experts have urged employers to allow staff to work from home if feasible. The nation's chief medical officer Paul Kelly warned on July 19 that Australia was "at the start of this wave, not the end", and that staff should talk to their employers to see if they can work from home. "If it's possible for you to work from home during the next couple of weeks, that will make a big difference," he told Channel Seven. Some of Australia's biggest firms have heeded this advice.
1st Aug 2022 - The Straits Times
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 1st Aug 2022
View this newsletter in fullRise of Omicron subvariants sends UK staff absence soaring
“I visited the Butler’s Wharf Chop House earlier this week and when I asked about our general manager he was off with Covid,” said the D&D boss, who oversees 2,000 staff in outlets across the UK, France and US. For Gunewardena, the latest round of pandemic-induced shortages have compounded an already tough market. The number of people going off sick has “gone up considerably,” he said, “piling on the problems that our London restaurants have already faced from a 10% staff shortage, the heatwave during which we lost 30% of our business and the £1m we lost in the week of rail and tube strikes”. The rapid spread of Covid-19 infections in the past month has sent the number of workers taking sick leave soaring, according to official figures, making staff shortages even worse and forcing many employers to shut down parts of their business.
29th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
Omicron outbreak: 7605 Covid cases, 41 deaths - Bloomfield's final message for NZ
Deaths linked to Covid have hit 41 in today's update, with 7605 new community cases of the virus reported. A total of 799 people are in hospital with the virus, including 25 patients in ICU. Of today's 41 deaths, one was aged in their 50s, one was in their 60s, eight were in their 70s, 12 were in their 80s and 19 were aged over 90. Of these people, 22 were women and 19 were men. Fourteen of these people were from Auckland region, three were from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, three were from Lakes, two were from Hawke's Bay, one was from Taranaki, two were from MidCentral, two were from Whanganui, two were from Wellington region, seven were from Canterbury, three were from Southern.
29th Jul 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Covid-19 infections drop for first time in two months
Covid-19 infections in the UK have dropped for the first time in two months, though prevalence of the virus remains high, new figures show. It is the first time total infections have fallen since the week ending May 28 and is the biggest sign so far that the current wave may have peaked. This comes as the number of hospital patients with Covid-19 has also started to fall. Estimates suggest 3.2 million people in private households in the UK have had the virus in the week to 20 July, down 16% from 3.8 million in the previous week, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, infections are not on a clear downwards trend in all parts of the country.
29th Jul 2022 - Liverpool Echo
COVID infections fall in New Zealand, worst case scenario likely avoided
New Zealand's government said on Wednesday new COVID-19 cases were trending down and it looked likely the country would avoid a feared worst-case scenario of 20,000 infections daily. In the last seven days there were on average 8,111 new cases daily of COVID, down from a seven-day rolling average of 9,367 new cases in the week prior, according to Health Ministry data released on Wednesday. Currently 808 people were in hospital with COVID, which was also a lower number than earlier, data showed.
29th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Japan urges regions to mount COVID fight as variant spreads
Japan is encouraging regional authorities to take steps to contain a new coronavirus variant that has sent cases to record levels, but there is no plan for sweeping national measures. A seventh wave of COVID-19 pushed the daily tally of new cases in Japan to a record 233,094 on Thursday as the BA.5 variant spreads, putting pressure on medical services and disrupting some company operations.
Japan has never imposed national lockdowns on the scale of some other countries and has instead periodically asked people to stay at home as much as possible and limited the opening hours of restaurants and bars.
29th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Russia daily COVID cases hit highest since April
Russia reported 11,515 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, authorities said, the highest such figure since April 13. Forty-one people in Russia died of coronavirus over the last day, the country's anti-COVID-19 taskforce said in an update. Russia has recorded 18,565,551 cases of COVID since April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic in the country. Russia said earlier this month it was ending all restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including the requirement to wear masks, citing a steady decline in deaths from the virus
29th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 29th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullHong Kong May Not Be Ready for Another COVID-19 Surge
COVID-19 finally came to the Kei Tak (Tai Hang) Home For the Aged on Feb. 13, after sparing it for two years and four previous waves of the disease. The next day, 17 residents tested positive. The day after that, it was 30. Soon, 98% of the residents had been infected—and after two months, 27 of the nursing home’s 200 residents had died. “Our elderly home turned into a battlefield as hospitals were overloaded and the healthcare system collapsed,” said Wong, who has worked at Kei Tak for more than 10 years.
28th Jul 2022 - TIME
Tokyo's daily COVID cases to exceed 40000 in record high -FNN, citing govt sources
The daily number of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo is set to exceed 40,000 on Thursday, a record high, broadcaster FNN reported citing government sources. Japan has seen a spike in cases recently, with total domestic cases topping 200,000 on Wednesday, according to NHK.
28th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Russia daily COVID cases hit highest since April
Russia reported 11,515 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, authorities said, the highest such figure since April 13. Forty-one people in Russia died of coronavirus over the last day, the country's anti-COVID-19 taskforce said in an update. Russia has recorded 18,565,551 cases of COVID since April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic in the country. Russia said earlier this month it was ending all restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including the requirement to wear masks, citing a steady decline in deaths from the virus.
28th Jul 2022 - Reuters
COVID Hospitalization Rate in NYC Soars 70% in Month, ICU Patient Tally Nearly Doubles
BA.5 more easily transmits and escapes immunity, leading many to call it the "worst version" of omicron yet. Breakthrough hospitalizations are rising, too, but it might not just be the variant causing the spike
28th Jul 2022 - NBC New York
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 28th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullSouth Korea reports 100,285 new Covid-19 cases; fatality rate at 0.13%
South Korea reported 100,285 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Tuesday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 19,446,946, the health authorities said on Wednesday. The daily caseload was up from 99,327 the previous day, and higher than 76,379 tallied a week earlier, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). For the past week, the daily average number of confirmed cases was 72,735. Among the new cases, 532 were imported from overseas, lifting the total to 42,683.
27th Jul 2022 - Business Standard
Covid-19: Hong Kong logs 4508 cases as Penny's Bay camp for the infected reaches 60% capacity
Hong Kong reported 4,508 Covid-19 infections on Wednesday – the highest in almost three months. The infection figures exceeded 4,000 for the seventh day in a row, with 10 deaths also reported on Wednesday. The recent surge has seen the city’s only operational isolation camp reach 60 per cent capacity, according to the Security Bureau, which manages the facility.
27th Jul 2022 - Hong Kong Free Press
New Zealand COVID-19 cases trend downwards and steer clear of feared infection peak
New Zealand's Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield says the shift in case rates was supported by waste-water testing. Omicron BA.5 sub-variant has been driving the current wave in New Zealand. The country has recorded a total of about 1.6 million infections and 1,427 deaths, although the way it records deaths is changing
27th Jul 2022 - ABC News
newsGP - Almost one in every two Australians has had COVID-19
Almost one in two Australians had COVID-19 in the six months leading up to June, the results of a new blood survey indicate – and that figure is likely to be a significant understatement. Researchers at UNSW’s Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney and the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) have released the results of their most recent study into the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the wider community. The research involved analysing 5139 de-identified blood donor specimens from around Australia from donations given from 9–18 June.
27th Jul 2022 - RACGP
China reports 703 new COVID cases for July 26 vs 976 day earlier
China reported 703 new coronavirus cases for July 26, of which 120 were symptomatic and 583 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. That compared with 976 new cases a day earlier - 148 symptomatic and 828 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, leaving the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of July 26, mainland China had confirmed 229,066 cases with symptoms.
27th Jul 2022 - Reuters
No new daily COVID cases in Macau for first time in over a month
Authorities in Macau reported no new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday for the first time since mid-June, after the city's worst outbreak of the disease led to a 12-day closure of casinos and locked down most of the world's biggest gambling hub.
The tally of infections since June 18 stood at 1,816, the government said in a statement, as the city grapples with the fast-spreading Omicron variant for the first time.
27th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Toyota suspends some Japan factory output over COVID outbreak
Toyota Motor Corp has suspended night shift operations at one production line of its Takaoka factory in central Japan because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the company said on Wednesday. The cancellation came after eight plant workers caught the virus, it said. Toyota suspended night shift production of the line on Tuesday. The partial suspension would affect vehicle output of about 650 units from the two shifts, a Toyota spokesperson told Reuters.
27th Jul 2022 - Reuters
COVID infections fall in New Zealand, worst case scenario likely avoided
New Zealand's government said on Wednesday new COVID-19 cases were trending down and it looked likely the country would avoid a feared worst-case scenario of 20,000 infections daily. In the last seven days there were on average 8,111 new cases daily of COVID, down from a seven-day rolling average of 9,367 new cases in the week prior, according to Health Ministry data released on Wednesday. Currently 808 people were in hospital with COVID, which was also a lower number than earlier, data showed
27th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 27th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Hospital visitors refusing to wear masks, ward outbreaks 'unavoidable'
Hospital visitors who refuse to wear masks or walk around wards visiting different patients are creating difficulties for Northland hospitals trying to manage Covid-19 infections. Dargaville Hospital’s general ward reopened to visitors on Tuesday, a week after rising infection numbers put a halt to visits. Whangārei Hospital’s ward 1, an orthopaedic ward, has not had any visitors since July 14 because of a spike in Covid-19 infections. It will reopen to visitors on Wednesday, as long as there are no further Covid-19 cases.
26th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Covid-19: 9256 new case numbers, 822 hospitalisations
The Ministry of Health has reported 9256 new community cases of Covid-19 and 822 current hospitalisations, including 24 in intensive care or high dependency units. In the past seven days there have been an average of 17 deaths confirmed each day as being attributable to Covid-19. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers on Tuesday is 8335. On Monday, the ministry reported 6910 new community cases and 836 current hospitalisations, including 27 people in intensive care or high dependency units.
26th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Micronesia's first COVID-19 outbreak balloons, causing alarm
Micronesia's first outbreak of COVID-19 grew in one week to more than 1,000 cases by Tuesday, causing alarm in the Pacific island nation. Last week, Micronesia likely became the final nation in the world with a population of more than 100,000 to experience an outbreak of the disease, after avoiding it for 2 1/2 years thanks to its geographic isolation
26th Jul 2022 - The Independent
Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in England shows signs of falling
The number of hospital patients in England testing positive for Covid-19 is showing early signs of falling, suggesting the latest wave of infections may have peaked.
A total of 12,529 people with coronavirus were in hospital on July 25, down 11% on the previous week. It is the sixth day in a row the week-on-week change has shown a drop. Patient numbers had been climbing through much of June and the first half of July, driven by the current wave of Covid-19 infections. But the latest figures, from NHS England, show this rise appears to have come to a halt after peaking at 14,044 on July 18.
26th Jul 2022 - North Wales Pioneer
Omicron BA.5 makes up 82% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC
The BA.5 subvariant of Omicron was estimated to make up 81.9% of the circulating coronavirus variants in the United States for the week ended July 23, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. This was higher than the 75.9% prevalence estimated in the preceding week. BA.5 has been driving a surge of new infections globally and has shown to be particularly good at evading the immune protection afforded either by vaccination or prior infection.
26th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Australia's COVID hospital admissions, deaths rise as variant surges
Hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Australia have reached a new high for a second straight day, data showed on Tuesday, while the daily death toll rose to its second-highest as an outbreak fuelled by a coronavirus sub-variant sweeps the country. Nearly 5,600 patients infected with COVID are in hospital while 100 new deaths were reported, just short of a record 102 deaths on Saturday. Nearly 330,000 infections have been reported over the last seven days but authorities say the real numbers could be double that.
26th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Record number of COVID-hit Australians in hospital as Omicron surges
The number of Australians admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 hit a record of about 5,450 on Monday, official data showed, as the spread of highly contagious new Omicron sub-variants strains the healthcare system nationwide. The figure has grown since late June, as the BA.4 and BA.5 strains became dominant since they can evade immune protection, whether from vaccination or prior infection, while some experts say the latter can be as infectious as measles.
26th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 26th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid 19 Omicron: School attendance rates plummet below 50 per cent
School attendance rates for term 1 plummeted below 50 per cent - the lowest in at least a decade, as the Omicron outbreak ripped through communities. Record low levels of school attendance hit Māori and Pasifika hardest with fewer than a third of those populations attending school regularly (attending more than 90 per cent of the time). The latest Ministry of Education data showed overall 46.1 per cent of all students were attending school regularly. This was down from 72.8 per cent in term 1 2019, pre-Covid, 50.5 per cent in 2020 and 66.8 per cent in 2021. In term 4 last year it was 65 per cent. The Ministry noted the Covid-19 Omicron outbreak resulted in "high levels of absences for both students and staff".
25th Jul 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Covid-19: 6910 new community cases, 836 hospitalisations and further 16 deaths
The Ministry of Health has reported 6910 new community cases of Covid-19 and 836 current hospitalisations, including 27 in intensive care or high dependency units. A further 16 people with the virus have died. All these deaths occurred in the past three days. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers on Monday is 8498. There has been a recent downturn in numbers suggesting the second wave has peaked.
25th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Australia's COVID-19 cases and death rates currently among world's highest per capita
Australia ranked third in cases per million people in the past seven days. Experts are pleading with the public to wear masks, get PCR tests if symptomatic and get boosters. Health workers say they are bearing the the strain of the ongoing pandemic
25th Jul 2022 - ABC News
India's daily COVID-19 caseload slips to 16866
After days of reporting over 20,000 new cases a day, India's daily caseload on Monday slipped to 16,866, officials said. According to federal health ministry data released on Monday morning, 16,866 new cases of COVID-19 were reported during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 43,905,621 in the country. The cases reported on Monday mark a decrease in comparison to the daily caseload of Sunday (20,279). With the reporting of fresh cases, India's active caseload currently stands at 150,877.
25th Jul 2022 - Xinhuanet
China's Shenzhen reports 8 symptomatic, 13 asymptomatic COVID cases for July 24
China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported 21 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Sunday, up from 19 a day earlier, official data showed on Monday. Of Sunday's local infections, eight were confirmed to be symptomatic, while 13 were asymptomatic, the Shenzhen Health Commission said. Of the new Shenzhen cases, all except five were found in quarantined areas.
25th Jul 2022 - Reuters
New Zealand's prime minister says there are early signs that COVID cases falling
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that there were early signs that new COVID-19 cases were falling, even as hospitalisations jumped to their highest level since March. New Zealand recorded 6,910 new COVID cases on Monday, well below average levels over the past week, according to data from the health ministry. However, the number of people in hospital with COVID jumped to 836, the most since March 29 when 842 COVID patients were in hospital.
25th Jul 2022 - Reuters
COVID-19 cases decline 9% worldwide in week but Asia up 26% with Japan 200,000 daily
Despite a worldwide 9% decline in COVID-19 cases in the past week, the virus is spiking in Asia with a 26% gain, including surpassing 200,000 cases for the first time in Japan. Deaths were down 4% and remain at among the lowest levels since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. On Sunday, Japan reported 176,554 infections for a total of 11,389,392 in 11th place with 200,975 on Saturday. Deaths were 25 for a total of 31,915 in 31st.
25th Jul 2022 - UPI News
Texas lieutenant guv tests positive a second time for COVID
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time in the last seven months, his campaign said Sunday. Patrick, 72, tested positive on Saturday and was experiencing mild symptoms, according to a campaign statement. Patrick was isolating at his house and planned to work from home this week. His campaign said the two-term Republican is fully vaccinated and received a booster last year. Patrick had previously tested positive on Dec. 27 and experienced mild symptoms.
25th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
China reports 800 new COVID cases for July 24 vs 982 day earlier
Mainland China reported 800 new coronavirus cases for July 24, of which 150 were symptomatic and 650 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compared with 982 new cases a day earlier - 129 symptomatic and 853 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were zero new deaths, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of Sunday, mainland China had confirmed 228,798 cases with symptoms.
25th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Record number of COVID-hit Australians in hospital as Omicron surges
The number of Australians admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 hit a record of about 5,450 on Monday, official data showed, as the spread of highly contagious new Omicron sub-variants strains the healthcare system nationwide. The figure has grown since late June, as the BA.4 and BA.5 strains became dominant since they can evade immune protection, whether from vaccination or prior infection, while some experts say the latter can be as infectious as measles.
25th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 25th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullMask wearing required in Kentucky's largest school district
Kentucky’s largest school district will require universal masking on school property as Jefferson County moves into the highest level of COVID-19 community spread.
The change begins Monday and lasts until Jefferson County comes out of the red, media outlets reported. It comes a little more than two weeks before classes resume in Jefferson County Public Schools. Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear a mask on district property or on school buses. District policy automatically requires universal masking whenever the county has a high level of COVID-19 community spread. When community spread in Jefferson County drops, masks in JCPS become optional.
24th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
China reports 982 new COVID cases for July 23 vs 817 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 982 new coronavirus cases for July 23, of which 129 were symptomatic and 853 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. That compares with 817 new cases a day earlier - 164 symptomatic and 653 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. The bulk of the cases were in the northwestern province of Gansu and the southern region of Guangxi.
24th Jul 2022 - Reuters
India logs 21,411 new COVID-19 cases, 67 deaths
India reported 21,411 fresh Covid-19 cases on Saturday with a daily positivity rate of 4.46 per cent. The death toll increased to 5,25,997 as 67 more people succumbed to the disease. The active cases increased to 1,50,100, holding 0.34 per cent of the total infections. The ministry data said that the weekly positivity rate stood at 4.46 per cent and the national recovery rate was recorded at 98.46 per cent. The number of people who have recovered from the disease surged to 4,31,92,379. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent, the ministry data added.
23rd Jul 2022 - Economic Times
China Reports Fewer Covid Cases as Gansu Outbreak Eases
China said all its leaders received locally-made Covid-19 shots, the first time a confirmation was made in the absence of a vaccine mandate for the country with the world’s strictest controls against the virus. The Chinese leadership is “highly confident” in domestic vaccines, National Health Commission official Zeng Yixin said at a briefing on Saturday. The department also addressed concerns surrounding the shots, saying the vaccines won’t trigger illnesses such as leukemia and diabetes.
23rd Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 22nd Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullActive COVID-19 cases hit 5-month high in West Virginia
Active cases of COVID-19 hit their highest levels in West Virginia in five months Thursday. There were at least 3,221 ongoing cases in the state, the highest since 3,339 on Feb. 24, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources’ COVID-19 dashboard. Active cases statewide had plunged to 263 on April 4 after surpassing 21,000 in January. Confirmed daily cases in West Virginia surpassed 480 on Tuesday and Wednesday after falling below 400 on each of the previous four days.
21st Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
China Covid Latest: Macau Now Targets Filipino Workers as High-Risk Group
Macau ordered any resident who holds a Philippine passport to take a daily nucleic acid test, with officials singling them out as more at risk for infection even though they account for a small number of cases in a Covid-19 wave that’s abating. The testing regimen will start Friday, health official Leong Iek Hou said at a briefing Thursday. Government data show Filipinos have accounted for 9.5% of the city’s total Covid cases this outbreak, Leong said. “Our epidemiology research found they tend to have more gatherings, like meetings among friends,” Leong said. “It’s likely that they have more interactions within their own ethnicity, so we need to find out whether there are hidden sources of infections among them via frequent testing.”
21st Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Rise in Covid-19 hospital patients in England levels off
The latest rise in the number of hospital patients in England testing positive for Covid-19 looks to have come to a halt, with figures levelling off slightly below the previous peak. A total of 13,375 people with coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on July 21, down 3% on the previous week. It is the second day in a row the total has shown a week-on-week fall. The rate of increase has been slowing steadily since the start of July, after rising as high as 39%. The figures suggest the impact of the current wave of Covid-19 may be starting to ease – and that patient levels will not reach the sort of levels seen during the surge in infections earlier this year.
21st Jul 2022 - The Independent on MSN.com
Mask and sanitiser plea as Covid-19 cases rise in Walsall
People living in Walsall in the West Midlands are being urged to to wear masks and use sanitiser due to a rise Covid cases. Latest figures show there were 608 positive cases recorded in the seven days up to 10 July, a 4.6 per cent increase on the previous week. The current rate in the town is 221 per 100,000 population, lower than the national rate of 309.4. People must do all they can to protect themselves, public health bosses said. The total number of cases in the town is 96,296.
Nearly 3.5 million people, or one in 18, has the virus - up from 2.7m, or one in 25, the week before. "We continue to see a weekly increase in the number of positive cases in Walsall," Stephen Gunther, Walsall's Director of Public Health said.
21st Jul 2022 - BBC News
BA.5 is causing more Covid-19 reinfections, data suggests, but they don't appear to be more frequent
It's not your imagination: As the rapidly spreading BA.5 coronavirus subvariant causes a surge in infections across the United States, more people are catching Covid-19 for the second or third time. But on average, these reinfections do not seem to be happening more rapidly, according to a new analysis from the gene sequencing company Helix. BA.5, another offshoot of the Omicron variant, is now causing about 80% of new Covid-19 infections in the United States, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Helix, which sequences Covid-19 tests to monitor variants, recently plumbed its data to find out how many times the same person tested positive for Covid-19 and whether there are more reinfections now compared to earlier waves.
21st Jul 2022 - CNN
Biden tests positive for the coronavirus.
President Biden tested positive on Thursday for the coronavirus, raising health concerns for the 79-year-old president and underscoring how the virus remains a persistent, if muted, threat in a country trying to put the pandemic in the past. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said in a statement that Mr. Biden had “tested positive for Covid-19. He is fully vaccinated and twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms.” The president will “continue to carry out all of his duties fully” during this time, she said. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a letter released by the White House Thursday morning that Mr. Biden felt fatigued, had a runny nose and an occasional dry cough and that his symptoms began on Wednesday evening.
21st Jul 2022 - The New York Times
Australia battles fresh Omicron outbreak as COVID deaths rise
Australia reported one of its highest daily death tolls from the novel coronavirus on Thursday while hospital admissions hovered near record levels, as authorities struggle to get ahead of highly contagious Omicron variants. The BA.4/5 variants are good at evading immune protection from vaccination or prior infection and have been driving a surge of new infections globally. Australia is reporting the highest daily numbers since the first Omicron wave earlier this year, with 89 deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday and 90 on Wednesday. Just over 55,600 new cases were recorded on Thursday, the highest since May 18. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said state leaders and federal health officials have not recommended making masks mandatory in indoor venues, despite calls by some doctors to do so.
21st Jul 2022 - Yahoo News UK
China's Shenzhen vows to 'mobilise all resources' to curb COVID spread
China's southern megacity of Shenzhen vowed to "mobilise all resources" to curb a slowly spreading COVID-19 outbreak, ordering strict implementation of testing and temperature checks, and lockdowns for COVID-affected buildings.
21st Jul 2022 - Reuters
Active COVID-19 cases hit 5-month high in West Virginia
Active cases of COVID-19 hit their highest levels in West Virginia in five months Thursday. There were at least 3,221 ongoing cases in the state, the highest since 3,339 on Feb. 24, according to the Department of Health and Human Resources’ COVID-19 dashboard. Active cases statewide had plunged to 263 on April 4 after surpassing 21,000 in January. Confirmed daily cases in West Virginia surpassed 480 on Tuesday and Wednesday after falling below 400 on each of the previous four days.
21st Jul 2022 - Associated Press
Oregon urges return to mask wearing as hospitals feel strain
Oregon health officials are urging people in 21 counties with high COVID-19 cases — including the three Portland-area counties — to return to mask wearing because the hospital system is again under extreme strain. While COVID-19 hospitalizations are lower than past surges, staff shortages, patients who delayed care and elevated COVID-19 infections have substantially reduced hospital systems’ capacity to care for patients, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
21st Jul 2022 - Associated Press
Micronesia last of bigger nations to have COVID-19 outbreak
Micronesia has likely become the final nation in the world with a population of more than 100,000 to experience an outbreak of COVID-19. For more than two-and-a-half years, the Pacific archipelago managed to avoid any outbreaks thanks to its geographic isolation and border controls. Those people who flew into the country with the disease didn’t spread it because all new arrivals were required to quarantine. But as has been the case in several other Pacific nations this year, those defenses couldn’t keep out the more transmissible omicron variant forever.
21st Jul 2022 - Associated Press
Global COVID-19 cases plateau, but deaths rise
Global COVID-19 activity stayed high and largely even last week, as deaths rose, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today in its latest weekly update on the pandemic. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday signed off on its advisory committee's recommendation for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine primary series in those ages 18 years and older.
20th Jul 2022 - CIDRAP
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 21st Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullAsia stepping up fight against more infectious Covid-19 variants
Governments across Asia are doubling down on efforts to protect their populations from the newer and more infectious strains of Covid-19 that have caused cases to surge in recent days. South Korea on Sunday (July 17) said infection numbers on Saturday doubled from a week ago, largely due to the highly contagious BA.5 Omicron sub-variant and waning immunity among its population. Data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shows the daily Covid-19 cases during the 24 hours of Saturday was 40,342. Health experts anticipated daily infection numbers could increase more than the government expected, given the current pace of the spread. The discovery of a newer strain of Omicron, BA.2.75, also known as "centaurus", was also posing a threat.
20th Jul 2022 - The Straits Times
Lockdown ruled out as Turkey faces less serious COVID-19 surge
Turkey will not go under a new lockdown or similar restrictions, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said after a Cabinet meeting, amid a dramatic climb in coronavirus cases, as he pointed out that they already have vaccines and drugs
20th Jul 2022 - Daily Sabah
2,886 new Covid cases, 19 more deaths
There were 19 more Covid-19 fatalities and 2,886 new cases admitted to hospitals on Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday. This compared with 18 coronavirus-related deaths and 2,125 cases admitted to hospitals on Monday, as reported on Tuesday.
20th Jul 2022 - ฺBangkok Post
Macau Casinos to Reopen Saturday After Covid-19 Shutdown
Casinos in the gambling hub of Macau will be allowed to reopen Saturday after a nearly two-week shutdown amid a Covid-19 outbreak, according to the government.
The citywide lockdown that began July 11 was the first shutdown of casinos in Macau since the early days of the pandemic in 2020. The government said most nonessential industries, companies and venues will be allowed to reopen starting Saturday through July 30. Las Vegas Sands Corp which operates several casinos in Macau, is scheduled to report quarterly earnings Wednesday, the first of the three U.S.-based operators in Macau to update investors since the closures this month. Industry executives have continued to express confidence in a Macau comeback, but analysts have lowered gambling revenue forecasts for the Chinese territory this year, and some predict a full recovery won’t come until 2024.
20th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
China Covid Cases Near 1,000 in Test of Zero Tolerance as Outbreak Spreads
New Covid-19 cases in China surged to almost 1,000, as social media posts showed residents in previously hard-hit areas literally climbing fences and running through the streets to try to escape renewed lockdowns. China reported 935 cases for Tuesday, up from 699 Monday, and the highest daily tally since May 21. While most of the outbreak is hitting beyond major cities, some neighborhoods in Shenzhen implemented new lockdowns and infections in Shanghai continue to spread -- spooking residents who endured previous isolation efforts.
20th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
North Korea says nearing end of COVID crisis
North Korea is on the path to “finally defuse” a crisis stemming from its first acknowledged outbreak of COVID-19, the state news agency said on Monday, while Asian neighbours battle a new wave of infections driven by Omicron subvariants.
The North says 99.98 percent of its 4.77 million fever patients since late April have fully recovered, but due to an apparent lack of testing, it has not released any figures for those who tested positive.
19th Jul 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 18th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullJapan daily COVID infections exceed 110000 to hit record -Jiji
Japan's daily COVID-19 infections hit a record of more than 110,000, Jiji news agency reported on Saturday. Faced with a seventh COVID wave, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday urged the public to exercise maximum vigilance.
16th Jul 2022 - Reuters
China reports 547 new COVID cases on July 15 vs 533 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 547 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, of which 129 were symptomatic and 418 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. That compares with 533 new cases a day earlier - 113 symptomatic and 420 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. China's capital, Beijing, reported another day of no new infections. The financial hub of Shanghai reported 28 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases for Friday, down from 42 a day earlier, with symptomatic cases at five, compared with six the previous day, the local government said on Saturday. All the infections were in quarantined areas.
16th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Japan Covid Cases Hit Record Ahead of Summer Holidays, NHK Says
Japan found a record 110,600 new Covid cases on Saturday, surpassing the previous high set in February, just as the country prepares for the summer holidays, public broadcaster NHK said. Deaths and severe illness have remained at relatively low levels so far in the current wave. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a July 14 news conference that he wasn’t planning any return to restrictions on people’s movements, nor thinking of strengthening border controls at that point.
16th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
UK Covid infections rise by almost 30% in a week
Covid infection levels in the UK have risen by almost 30% in a week, with an estimated 3.5 million people thought to have had the disease in the first week of July, as a leading epidemiologist called for a return of free lateral flow tests. Figures from the Office for National Statistics based on swabs collected from randomly selected households show that 2,873,600 people in the community in England are estimated to have had Covid in the week ending 6 July – about one in 19 people. The week before, the figure was 2,154,000 people – or about one in 25. Increases were also seen in other parts of the UK with an estimated one in 16 people in Scotland and one in 17 in both Wales and Northern Ireland thought to have had Covid in the most recent week.
16th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
There’s a BA.5 Covid wave in the US – should you be worried? Everything you need to know
Over the past two weeks, cases have increased in 38 US states, and hospitalizations have increased in 43 states. Some of the greatest case increases are among states with the lowest vaccination rates, including Louisiana, Wyoming and Arkansas – despite widespread infection in previous waves, pointing to the greater protection offered by vaccines. According to official case numbers, the US has been in a plateau for several weeks, but the total case count – in addition to being vastly under-reported – cloaked the concurrent fall of BA.2 subvariants and the rapid rise of BA.5. The ascension of the new, more immune-evasive variant shows no signs of slowing. The US is now seeing the likely beginning of a surge, with more than 120,000 new cases confirmed each day and hospitalizations rising by 12% last week from the week before.
15th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
Coronavirus sub-variant 'Centaurus' spreads across India and parts of Europe
An Omicron sub-variant that is spreading rapidly in India and has been detected in several European countries may be better than other coronavirus strains at overcoming immunity provided by prior infection and vaccines. BA.2.75, which has been nicknamed Centaurus, appeared to have mutated in a way that could indicate “major immune escape”, said the World Health Organization’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan, adding that it showed a “clear growth advantage” over other variants in India. Global health authorities issued a similar warning when the highly mutated Omicron variant emerged late last year.
15th Jul 2022 - Financial Times
More than 15,000 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths in last week
Seven coronavirus deaths and 15,386 new infections were recorded between July 8 and 14, the health ministry said on Friday. According to the report, the new cases were detected from 122,335 rapid and PCR tests, with a positivity rate of 12.58 per cent. The deaths concerned an 87-year-old man who died on July 9, a man, aged 76, and a woman, aged 87, who both died on July 10 and a man, aged 76, who died on 11 July. An 87-year-old man, a 76-year-old woman and an 87-year-old woman also died from the virus on July 12. This brings the total number of Covid-19 fatalities to 1,086.
15th Jul 2022 - Cyprus Mail
Covid-19: High prevalence and lack of hospital beds putting “intense pressure” on ambulances
All 11 ambulance services in England are working under extreme pressure because of rising rates of covid-19 and a lack of available hospital beds, and leaders are now asking the public to take extra precautions in the hot weather to avoid adding to the already overwhelming workload. In a statement issued on 12 July, Martin Flaherty, managing director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives said that the NHS ambulance sector was “under intense pressure” and was now operating at the highest level of their local resource escalation action plans, which is normally reserved for “major incidents or short term periods of unusual demand.”
In their Resource Escalation Action Plan there are four levels used to describe the pressure that ambulance services are under, with level 1 being “steady state” and level 4 “extreme pressure.” Positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 rose 32% at the end of June, with an estimated 2.3 million people infected.2
15th Jul 2022 - The BMJ
UK weekly COVID-19 infections rise nearly 30% to 3.5 million - ONS
An estimated 3.5 million people in Britain had COVID-19 in the latest week of available data, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday, up nearly 30% on the 2.7 million recorded in the previous week. Separately, the government announced that a new COVID booster jab programme would begin later this year.
"The percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to increase across the UK," the ONS said. "These increases were likely caused by increases in infections compatible with Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5." An estimated 1 in 19 people in England were testing positive in the week to July 6, the ONS said, up from around 1 in 25 the previous week.
15th Jul 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com
Most of U.S. Population Now in Areas With High Covid-19 Levels as BA.5 Subvariant Spreads
More than half the U.S. population lives in counties where Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are high enough that people should wear masks in indoor public settings, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The CDC’s latest assessment represents a significant jump from the week before, reflecting the added pressure that the easily spread Omicron BA.5 subvariant is putting on the U.S. since it became the dominant Covid-19 strain. Over a third of U.S. counties now fall into the CDC’s “high” category, up from one in five counties a week earlier. Los Angeles County—the largest in the country, with more than 10 million people—recently joined the list. And if it stays there for two weeks, officials say they will reinstate an indoor masking requirement on July 29.
15th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 15th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullSt Lucia confirms first case of new Covid variant
St Lucia has confirmed its first case of the new Covid-19 variant. Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) confirmed the BA5 variant of the coronavirus has been detected on the island. The case has been confirmed in a 36-year-old woman from Vieux Fort, chief medical officer Dr Sharon Belmar George said. The woman, does not have a history of travelling. Experts now believe the BA5 variant could be spreading across the Eastern Caribbean nation. This comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is not over.
15th Jul 2022 - The Voice Online
Jersey in fifth wave of Covid infections as case numbers rise
Jersey's new Health Minister says the island is now in a fifth wave of Covid infections. There are just over 1,500 known active infections and Deputy Karen Wilson is encouraging everyone to take sensible steps this summer to curb the spread. She explained: “It is in this period of high infection rates that I would like to encourage islanders to continue to follow the current guidance, which includes wearing masks in recommended settings. “If islanders work together and follow the current guidance issued by Public Health, we will be able to move through the wave more quickly and ensure that we can enjoy a safe summer.”
15th Jul 2022 - ITV News
Hospital staff absences due to Covid-19 highest for nearly three months
Staff absences at NHS hospitals in England due to Covid-19 have jumped to their highest level for nearly three months, putting further pressure on health teams struggling to clear a record backlog of treatment, new figures show. It comes as the number of patients testing positive for the virus continues to rise across the country, driven by the latest wave of infections. An average of 22,918 hospital staff in England were absent each day in the week to July 6, either because they were sick with Covid-19 or were self-isolating. This is up 30% on the previous week, and is the highest since 23,813 absences in the week to April 20.
14th Jul 2022 - The Independent
COVID-19 cases in WA hospitals surpass previous peak amid calls for new mask mandate
There are now 329 people with COVID-19 in WA hospitals. The previous record of 327 hospital cases was recorded on May 18. The peak groups for doctors and nurses want broader mask rules
14th Jul 2022 - ABC News
COVID-19’s fifth wave hits the Gaza Strip: health ministry
The Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Wednesday evening that the besieged impoverished coastal enclave has been involved in the fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said Wednesday evening that the besieged and impoverished coastal enclave is officially experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic's fifth wave due to "the significant increase" of daily infections.
In a press statement sent to The New Arab, the ministry said that “the significant increase in daily recorded infections with the coronavirus, mostly driven by the omicron variant BA.5, which spreads faster than the other variants.”
14th Jul 2022 - The New Arab
COVID cases down in Americas but Omicron subvariants driving new infections -PAHO
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Wednesday warned of the growing number of COVID-19 cases caused by the highly infectious BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus even as overall cases dipped in the Americas. There were 1,562,967 new COVID-19 cases in the Americas last week, a 0.9% decrease, PAHO said at a news conference, while deaths fell 3.5% to 4,789.
But PAHO Director Dr. Carissa Etienne cautioned that the Omicron subvariants, now dominant in the United States and several other countries, "is driving new infections across the Americas."
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Explainer: What is the COVID BA.5 variant and why is it reinfecting so many people?
BA.5, part of the Omicron family, is the latest coronavirus variant to cause widespread waves of infection globally. According to the World Health Organization's most recent report, it was behind 52% of cases sequenced in late June, up from 37% in one week. In the United States, it is estimated to be causing around 65% of infections
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Fresh COVID wave sweeps Asia; New Zealand warns of pressure on hospitals
A new wave of coronavirus infections is rapidly spreading through Asia, prompting warnings for residents from New Zealand to Japan to take precautions to slow the outbreak and help prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. The renewed surge in cases, mostly of the BA.4/5 Omicron variants, provides a further challenge for authorities grappling with the economic fallout of earlier waves of the pandemic while trying to avoid extending or reintroducing unpopular restrictions.
14th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Covid rise deepens Lake District staffing crisis
Tourism businesses in the Lake District say the rise in Covid infections is making their recruitment crisis even worse. More than 170,000 positions are thought to be unfilled in the UK. In May, for the first time ever, the number of vacancies across the UK was higher than the number of unemployed. It means businesses like The Lancrigg Hotel in Grasmere are trying to offer the same service with fewer staff. It is proving difficult for the manager, Paul Criscuolo-Wray.
14th Jul 2022 - ITV News
Summer COVID spike is less severe - but relentless pressure on emergency departments is taking its toll
The North West has seen a rise of between 50% and 200% in COVID infections in recent weeks. And this comes at a time when the Royal Preston Hospital emergency department is struggling to cope with the sheer number of patients coming through its doors.
14th Jul 2022 - Sky News
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 14th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullWHO warns coronavirus 'running freely' as BA.4, BA.5 subvariants drive infections
“The virus is running freely,” the World Health Organization warns as the latest omicron offshoots drive up coronavirus infections around the world. Many countries have lifted restrictions and reduced coronavirus tracking as they grapple with pandemic fatigue. But “new waves of the virus demonstrate again that covid-19 is nowhere near over,” according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He appealed to governments Tuesday to pour efforts back into testing and improving vaccine deployment and said rising cases were straining medical systems already stretched by the pandemic.
13th Jul 2022 - The Washington Post
‘Centaurus’: virologists express concern at new Covid subvariant
Virologists have voiced concerns about the emergence of another fast-spreading Omicron variant, which is rapidly gaining ground in India and has already arrived in the UK. The warning came as MPs called for redoubled efforts to persuade the nearly 3 million adults in England who have not yet received a single dose of Covid vaccine, to take up the offer of vaccination. The BA.2.75 variant – nicknamed “Centaurus” – was first detected in India in early May. Cases in the UK have since risen steeply – and apparently faster than those of the extremely transmissible BA.5 variant, which is also present in India, and is rapidly displacing the previously dominant BA.2 variant in many countries.
13th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
Premier Mark McGowan labels WA's rising number of COVID-19 cases in hospital 'concerning'
During Western Australia's most significant wave of COVID infections almost two months ago, there was a peak of more than 90,000 active cases recorded in the state. Around that time, on May 18, there were 327 people with COVID in hospital – the state's highest figure yet – and medical groups warned of a "system collapse" if that trajectory continued.
13th Jul 2022 - ABC News
Japan's new COVID-19 cases top 90000, 1st time in 5 months
Japan's new COVID-19 cases topped 90,000 for the first time since Feb. 17 on Wednesday, official data showed, as public health experts said the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant of Omicron is fueling a seventh wave of infections.
The 94,493 cases come close to the peak number of cases of some 104,000 that the country saw in February. The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 16,878 coronavirus cases, surpassing the 10,000 mark for a second straight day and more than doubling from the level a week earlier. Osaka Prefecture also logged 10,452 cases, topping 10,000 for the first time since Feb. 26. Health minister Shigeyuki Goto said in a meeting of a panel of experts that the government forecasts new infections will continue to increase in many areas of the country.
13th Jul 2022 - Kyodo News Plus
Infectious disease expert says N.S. in midst of seventh COVID-19 wave
An infectious disease expert says Nova Scotia is now in the midst of its seventh wave of COVID-19. Tara Moriarty, an infectious diseases researcher at the University of Toronto, says eased restrictions and Omicron's increased spread has caused an increase in hospitalizations. The province's current situation marks a turnaround from the beginning of the pandemic when Nova Scotia, as a part of the Atlantic Bubble, was considered an example of how to best deal with the public health crisis. Moriarty talked to reporter Danielle Edwards about how events are changing in the province during this emerging wave of the disease.
13th Jul 2022 - CBC.ca
Deaths involving COVID in UK pass 200,000, ONS says
The UK has surpassed 200,000 deaths involving coronavirus, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Up to the start of July, a total of 200,247 COVID deaths were registered, the ONS said on Wednesday. The 200,000 milestone was reached on 25 June, but not revealed until today due to a delay in registration. In the week ending 1 July, 11,828 deaths were registered nationwide, with 412 (3.48%) involving coronavirus. COVID deaths were up 65 on the previous week.
13th Jul 2022 - Sky News
Calls for return of Covid controls after UK death toll passes 200,000
Doctors and people bereaved by Covid have described the 200,000th death from the virus in the UK as a “tragic milestone” and called for the return of infection control measures, including mask wearing and better sick pay amid concern about rising cases and new variants. Prof Philip Banfield, council chair of the British Medical Association, said: “This terrible loss of life must serve as an important reminder that Covid-19 has not gone away and remains a serious threat to public health.” Care home residents’ representatives said reaching the landmark death toll was “heartbreaking”.
13th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
World Health Organization warns COVID-19 is 'running freely' and global deaths are unacceptably high
The head of the World Health Organisaton (WHO) has urged governments across the world to deploy measures like masking and improved ventilation amid unacceptably high numbers of deaths. While many governments of wealthier countries have all but abandoned coronavirus restrictions following successful vaccine rollouts, the organisation's director-general emphasised that the pandemic is "nowhere near over". Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said sub-variants of Omicron continue to drive new waves of cases, hospitalisations and deaths around the world.
13th Jul 2022 - Sky News
South Korea's PM warns of COVID surge as cases hit two-month high
Daily COVID-19 infections in South Korea have jumped above 40,000 for the first time in two months, with the government warning of a potential five-fold surge in the coming months. "Daily infections could soar to as many as 200,000 between mid-August and late September," Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told a government COVID response meeting, citing the view of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and experts.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters
U.S. CDC director: BA.5 estimated to represent 65% of circulating COVID-19 variants
The fast-spreading BA.5 sub-lineage of Omicron is estimated to make up 65% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of last week, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday. The BA.5 and BA.4 variants together accounted for more than 80% of circulating variants last week, with BA.4 making up 16 %, Walensky told reporters at a White House briefing, adding that the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospital admissions has doubled since early May.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai sweats over small, but stubborn COVID outbreak already hampering economy
Anxiety levels rose along with temperatures in Shanghai on Wednesday, as medical workers sweated beneath their hazmat suits while administering compulsory mass testing for COVID-19 in a city that recently emerged from a painful two-month lockdown. China's commercial hub is battling an outbreak that has seen dozens of new infections recorded daily for the past week, and though the numbers are relatively low it has unnerved many among the city's 25 million people, after their ordeal in April and May.
13th Jul 2022 - Reuters
WHO Chief Warns of Rising Infections, Deaths From New Covid Wave
The World Health Organization urged governments and health care systems to take steps to curb Covid-19 transmission as a fresh wave of infections moves across Europe and the US. Sub-variants of the omicron strain are lifting case numbers and leading to further fatalities, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. Tedros, as the head of the WHO is known, recommended the revival of protocols like mask-wearing to stop the spread. “New waves of the virus demonstrate that Covid-19 is nowhere near over,” Tedros said, adding that he is “concerned about a rising trend of deaths.”
12th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Covid-19 Strikes Wyoming's Most Populous Prison as US Cases Rise
One in four inmates at Wyoming’s most populous prison has tested positive for Covid-19 as cases rise again across the US. The Wyoming Medium Correctional Facility in Torrington houses about 645 inmates and tests last week resulted in 162 positive readings, the Casper Star-Tribune reports. Twenty staff members also tested positive and the prison is on lock-down, the newspaper said.
12th Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 13th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: 11548 new community cases, 19 deaths reported
There are 11,548 new community cases of Covid-19, as officials report a further 19 deaths in people with the virus over the past four days. There are 710 people in hospital, 17 of whom are in an intensive care or high dependency care unit, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday afternoon. The seven-day rolling average of cases is 9550, up from 7246 last Tuesday, and the average of hospitalisations is 613, from 436 this time last week.
12th Jul 2022 - Stuff
New Brunswick has 'high' COVID-19 hazard index, warns researcher
New Brunswick's COVID-19 hazard index score is "high" right now, with an estimated 1,700 people being infected with Omicron for the first time each day, according to COVID-19 Resources Canada, a research group funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. That's 213 infections per 100,000 New Brunswickers, as of July 9 — nearly 2½ times the national average of 87, says Tara Moriarty, co-founder of the group. The number of infections is likely even higher when reinfections are included, said Moriarty, an associate professor and infectious disease researcher at the University of Toronto. "You can probably add another 30 per cent," she said, or 510 infections, raising the estimated provincial daily total to 2,210.
12th Jul 2022 - CBC.ca
Covid-19: Experts 'concerned' as daily cases hit three-month high
Experts say the second Omicron wave has hit, with hospitalisations expected to be higher than during the first peak. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health recorded 11,548 new community cases of Covid-19 – the highest number of daily cases since April 7, when 11,634 cases were recorded. Hospitalisations have also not been this high since April 4. Dr Emily Harvey, a researcher with Covid-19 Modelling Aotearoa, said Tuesday's daily case numbers had left her concerned.
12th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Hospital wards and aged care homes battling COVID-19 outbreaks as Tasmania records 1,812 new cases
Tasmania has recorded 1,812 new cases of COVID-19. Acting State Health Commander Dale Webster said an outbreak management team is meeting regularly to monitor the situation. The Launceston General Hospital and the North West Regional Hospital remain at level three of their COVID-19 management plans.
12th Jul 2022 - ABC News
Omicron subvariants threaten COVID-19 resurgence across US
Health officials are once again raising the alarm about the threat of a resurgence of COVID-19 infections across the country, as concerns grow about the new omicron subvariant, BA.5, which is now the dominant viral strain in the U.S. The BA.5 variant, first detected in South Africa earlier this year, is currently estimated to account for more than half -- 53.6% -- of all new COVID-19 cases in the states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BA.5 appears to have a growth advantage over the original omicron variant, according to the World Health Organization, and scientists are closely monitoring the increase in reported cases observed in many countries across the globe.
12th Jul 2022 - ABC News
COVID-19 cases in Queensland hospitals likely to pass 1,000, CHO says, as isolation rules change
More than 2,300 Queensland health staff are off work due to COVID-19. Isolation rules around the COVID reinfection period cut from 12 weeks to four weeks
Queensland CHO John Gerrard says COVID hospitalisations are "getting close" to exceeding 1,000 during the current third wave.
12th Jul 2022 - ABC News
Growing concern over COVID-19 reinfections
CBS News reports on "Growing concern over COVID-19 reinfections as two super-infectious omicron strains become dominant variants in the United States",
12th Jul 2022 - CBS News
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 12th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCasino Stocks Fall as Macau Shuts Businesses Amid Covid-19 Outbreak
The latest restrictions in Macau come as the city struggles to contain an outbreak that had already shuttered venues such as cinemas, salons and swimming pools. The Chinese gambling hub has recorded hundreds of cases in recent weeks, its worst-ever outbreak after keeping to China’s zero-Covid strategy for most of the pandemic. Macau’s chief executive, Ho Iat-seng, had said last month that shutting down all casinos “would affect many employees,” and as such the city’s more than 40 casinos had been allowed to continue operations. Macau relies on the gambling sector for much of its economic growth and employment. Macau has a population of about 650,000. Throughout the pandemic, it has maintained strict Covid-containment measures. At one point, quarantine for travelers from what it deemed very high-risk countries was as long as 28 days.
11th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus BA.5 and BA.4 variants to blame for surge in infection rates
Two new subvariants of coronavirus are driving a surge in infection rates and hospitalisations across the globe. Health experts identified the strains - known as BA.5 and BA.4 - in Botswana and South Africa in March, and cases have quickly spread across Europe, the United States and Australia. In the wake of the surge in infection rates, health experts are urging people to ensure that they are up to date with their vaccinations and boosters. Everyone over the age of five can have the first two shots, with those aged 16 and over will be eligible for a booster shot. Those aged 75 and over, those who live in care homes, and people aged 12 and over who have a weakened immune system, will be offered a spring booster.
11th Jul 2022 - Wales Online
COVID-19: New mutant raises concerns in India, beyond
The quickly changing coronavirus has spawned yet another super contagious omicron mutant that’s worrying scientists as it gains ground in India and pops up in numerous other countries, including the United States. Scientists say the variant – called BA.2.75 – may be able to spread rapidly and get around immunity from vaccines and previous infection. It’s unclear whether it could cause more serious disease than other omicron variants, including the globally prominent BA.5.
“It’s still really early on for us to draw too many conclusions,” said Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “But it does look like, especially in India, the rates of transmission are showing kind of that exponential increase.” Whether it will outcompete BA.5, he said, is yet to be determined.
11th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
Hong Kong mulls movement restrictions as COVID cases rise
Hong Kong authorities are considering implementing a health code system in the city that would restrict the movements of those infected with the coronavirus and overseas arrivals, as infections rise again. The system is similar to that of mainland China, in which a red code completely restricts a person’s movement, a yellow code is for partial restriction, while a green code means freedom of movement. The colors would appear on Hong Kong’s risk-exposure app LeaveHomeSafe. Hong Kong’s health chief said Monday that if such a system is implemented, real-name registration would be required and those who test positive for COVID-19 would be given a red code “to identify those who have been infected” and prevent them from interacting with the community. Authorities are also considering reducing the current seven-day hotel quarantine for incoming travelers, and moving part of it to home isolation and health monitoring.
11th Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 11th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullBA.4 and BA.5 power a surge of known infections in Europe, officials say.
The rapidly spreading Omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 are driving a summertime surge of the coronavirus in Europe, health officials say, after most Covid policies were removed in spring and a more relaxed approach to the pandemic has become the norm during the warmer months. Known cases in Europe rose to 57 cases per 100,000 as of Wednesday from 33 cases per day per 100,000 just two weeks earlier, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. That is the sharpest increase — a rise of about 70 percent — of any region of the world over the same period. It comes as the summer travel season in European countries is in full swing, with warmer weather and easing coronavirus policies prompting a surge of movement in the region.
8th Jul 2022 - The New York Times
Ontario's COVID-19 test positivity climbs to 13.5% as new details of 7th wave emerge
New details are emerging about the severity of Ontario's newest wave of COVID-19, with the province reporting another 33 deaths related to the virus over the last week, as well as rising numbers of hospitalizations and ICU admissions. Test positivity has also climbed to 13.5, the highest percentage reported since May, it reported Thursday. The province says 712 people are currently in hospital with COVID-19, up from 585 at this time last week. There are 110 patients in intensive care due to the virus, up from 95 last Thursday.
8th Jul 2022 - CBC.ca
Covid-19 numbers double since start of week, with 13344 new cases on Friday
A computer glitch meant the Ministry of Health has wrongly reported 4000 extra cases in Friday’s numbers. The error meant that some cases already reported on Thursday were double-counted, resulting in Friday’s case numbers being incorrectly reported as 13,344, the ministry said in a statement on Friday afternoon. The correct figure was 9318, which was around the same level as case numbers reported for the past three days. A further 275 imported cases were reported – which was also corrected from initially being published as 390 cases.
8th Jul 2022 - Stuff
COVID-19: New wave of Omicron mutations spreading across Europe, EU Medicines Agency warns
A new wave of Covid-19 is sweeping across Europe driven by Omicron mutations, an EU Medicines Agency official has warned. Head of vaccines at the agency, Marco Cavaleri, has said "the increase in transmission among older age groups is starting to translate into severe disease". The increase in the number of people testing positive is being driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 mutations of the Omicron variant.
8th Jul 2022 - Sky News
Covid-19: UK infections are up but does it matter?
Covid infections continue to rise across the UK, with one in 25 people in England, one in 20 in Wales and one in 17 in Scotland infected with the virus.What does the latest data say? Covid-19 infections continue to rise across the UK, driven by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 2.7 million people in private households are estimated to have had Covid-19 last week, up 18% from 2.3 million the previous week. This is the highest estimate for total infections since late April, but is still below the record high of 4.9 million which was reached during the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March.
8th Jul 2022 - Evening Standard
Shanghai faces 'relatively high' risk of further COVID community spread
China's commercial hub Shanghai faces a "relatively high" risk of further community transmission of COVID-19, Lei Zhenglong, an official at the National Health Commission, said on Friday. Shanghai reopened most cinemas on Friday, sticking to a plan of gradual resumption of daily activities after lifting a two-month COVID-19 lockdown in June, while also trying, like several other Chinese cities, to contain resurgent infections.
8th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Macau uses two more casino hotels for COVID medical facilities
Macau authorities have added two hotels in popular casino resorts to be used as COVID-19 medical facilities from Friday as they try to increase capacity to handle a surge of infections in the world's biggest gambling hub. The east wing of Grand Lisboa Palace owned by SJM Holdings and the Grand Hyatt hotel owned by Melco Resorts will together provide close to 800 rooms, they said. Sands China's Sheraton hotel and Londoner resort have already been used as quarantine facilities.
8th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Sweden sees increase in COVID-19 cases, more expected over summer
Sweden is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases and healthcare can expect an increase in pressure over the summer, the health minister said on Thursday. "Quite a few are ill even though we are in the middle of the summer. We also see a small increase in the number of COVID-19 patients who need hospital care and intensive care," Minister of Health Lena Hallengren told a news conference. "However, we don't see the type of impact we saw earlier in the pandemic, I want to stress that," she said.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 8th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Hong Kong’s daily tally surpasses 3,000 as city reveals new arrangements for travellers heading to mainland China
Hong Kong has recorded more than 3,000 new coronavirus infections, the highest daily figure since April 5, as authorities revealed plans to allow more people to travel to mainland China through a special corridor to Shenzhen. Health authorities on Thursday reported 3,028 Covid-19 cases, 172 of which were imported, and one virus-related death. The city’s overall coronavirus tally currently stands at 1,261,868 cases, with 9,407 fatalities.
7th Jul 2022 - South China Morning Post on MSN.com
NZ Defence Force, medical team deployed to Niue after COVID-19 outbreak
New Zealand Defence Force said on Wednesday it had flown a team of civilian doctors, nurses and defence force personnel along with personal protective gear to tiny pacific island Niue to help with the country's COVID-19 outbreak. Niue, a self governing state that is in free association with New Zealand, had kept COVID out of the community having largely closed its borders in the early days of the pandemic. However, following its first quarantine-free flight on June 27 a number of passengers tested positive for COVID.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Millions tested in Shanghai as China grapples COVID resurgence
Millions of people in Shanghai queued for a third day of mass COVID-19 testing on Thursday as authorities in several Chinese cities scrambled to stamp out new outbreaks that have rekindled worries about growth in the world's second-largest economy. Unless local officials succeed in preventing the virus from spreading, they could be compelled to invoke prolonged, major restrictions on residents' movement, under China's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Iraq sees rebound in Covid-19 infections as nation records 4,819 cases
Iraq is witnessing a noticeable rebound in the Covid-19 infections as the country's Health Ministry reported 4,819 new cases, the highest daily hike since February 8.
The newly registered cases raised the nationwide caseload to 2,369,272, while the death toll from the virus rose by two to 25,249, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the ministry.
7th Jul 2022 - Business Standard
Experts warn of new COVID-19 wave
Türkiye may face a new wave of COVID infections as the actual number of coronavirus infections is more than detected, experts have warned. As people have stopped wearing face masks while traveling on public transport or indoor spaces, it has triggered the recent spike in coronavirus cases, the experts said. Earlier this week, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported that the number of virus cases increased from 26,635 between June 20 and 26 to 57,113 between June 27 and July 3. Last week 25 people died from COVID-19, up from 17 fatalities due to the pandemic in the previous week.
7th Jul 2022 - Hurriyet Daily News
Health experts warn Covid-19 wave to peak next week
Health experts have warned that the peak of the current wave of Covid-19 is expected next week. Professor of Immunology in DCU Christine Loscher said there are two-to-three times more positive cases than are being reported via PCR and antigen tests. She said the pattern is that subvariants have arisen every three months and that Ireland will move on from BA.4 and BA.5 variants, but it is unknown if the next variant will be mild or not. Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Prof Loscher added that there are a lot of unknowns but a decision on the vaccine strategy is a priority.
7th Jul 2022 - RTE.ie
New West Australian COVID-19 wave expected, with cases likely to exceed 10,000, says state's Chief Health Officer
The state's Chief Health Officer has warned West Australians to expect another "significant wave" of COVID-19 infections within the next six weeks. While it was hard to predict what the next outbreak would look like, Andy Robertson said Western Australia could expect to see daily COVID-19 cases mirror that of previous outbreaks. "In our previous peaks, we had an initial peak of around 10 [thousand], and then a further peak of around 17 [thousand], so it's probably going to be in that sort of ball park," Dr Robertson told ABC Radio Perth .
7th Jul 2022 - ABC News
Australia's Covid hospital admissions at highest level since summer
Covid hospital admissions have reached their highest level since early February when Australia’s health system faced great pressure at the end of the first Omicron wave. The surge has prompted calls from leading epidemiologists and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for stronger mask mandates, with concerns there are double the number of infections silently spreading through the community than official figures suggest. The national total of hospital admissions reached 3,781 on Wednesday, up from 3,740 on Tuesday and 3,511 on Monday – the highest numbers have been since 8 February. The nation is recording on average 33,000 cases each day.
7th Jul 2022 - The Guardian
Shanghai back on alert as China battles COVID outbreaks
Millions of people in Shanghai queued for a third day of mass COVID-19 testing on Thursday as authorities in several Chinese cities scrambled to stamp out new outbreaks that have rekindled worries about growth in the world's second-largest economy. Unless local officials succeed in preventing the virus from spreading, they could be compelled to invoke prolonged, major restrictions on residents' movement, under China's "dynamic zero COVID" strategy.
7th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 7th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 Vaccine Doses, Once in High Demand, Now Thrown Away
Governments, drugmakers and vaccination sites are discarding tens of millions of unused Covid-19 vaccine doses amid sagging demand, a sharp reversal from the early days of the mass-vaccination campaign, when doses were scarce. Vaccine manufacturer Moderna Inc. recently discarded about 30 million doses of its Covid-19 shot after failing to find takers, while pharmacies and clinics have had to throw out unused doses from multi-dose vials from Moderna and from Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE that have a short shelf life once they are opened.
7th Jul 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Covid-19: 10290 new community cases reported
New community case numbers remain high with the Ministry of Health reporting 10,290 new cases on Wednesday. There are 522 people in hospital and 12 people with the virus have died since July 1, the ministry said. On Tuesday, case numbers soared by more than 3000 in a single day, rising from 6498 on Monday to 9629 on Tuesday. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers on Tuesday was 7246 – a rise of about 32% on the same time last year. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers on Wednesday was 7591.
6th Jul 2022 - Stuff
BA.4/5 COVID-19 variants now dominant in all US regions
Combined, the two subvariants make up more than 70% of recently sequenced samples, up sharply from 52.3% the previous week. Of the variants CDC is tracking, BA.5 now makes up 53.6%, and BA.4 makes up 16.5%. The proportion of BA.2.12.1—first detected in New York—continues to decline. South-central states were the first to see BA.4 and BA.5 become dominant. The two subvariants are more transmissible and have mutations linked to immune escape.
6th Jul 2022 - CIDRAP
Beijing city reports three new local COVID cases
China's capital on Wednesday mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for most people to enter crowded venues such as libraries, cinemas and gyms, the first such move by Beijing which it coupled with a slight easing of domestic travel curbs. From July 11, people wanting to enter certain public would need to be vaccinated unless they have issues that render them unsuitable for shots, a city official told a news briefing. Restaurants and public transportation are exempt from the rule.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Romania COVID cases nearly double in a week
The number of new COVID-19 infections in Romania nearly doubled over the last week, with a peak of 10,000 daily cases expected in mid-August, Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said on Monday. Romania is the European Union's second-least vaccinated state, with just over 42% of the population fully inoculated amid distrust of state institutions and poor vaccine education. The number of new infections approached 8,000 over the last week, compared with 3,974 new cases in the previous week, data showed, but the number of hospitalisations and deaths remained low.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Italy daily COVID cases exceed 100000 for first time since February
Italy reported 132,274 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, health ministry official figures showed, surpassing 100,000 for the first time since Feb. 8. Italy, whose death tally since the beginning of the pandemic is the eight-highest in the world, also reported 94 deaths on Tuesday.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
China battles karaoke COVID cluster in Shanghai among other outbreaks
China is fighting nascent COVID-19 flare-ups across the country with mass testing and fresh restrictions, including in weary Shanghai where new cases have been linked to a building which houses a karaoke lounge that was operating illegally.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Macau shuts popular shopping mall in race to contain COVID outbreak
Macau shut down a popular shopping mall adjacent to MGM China's casino resort on the city's main peninsula after several COVID-19 infections were found, as authorities raced to the biggest outbreak yet in the world's biggest gambling hub.
One Central shopping mall will be shut for one week, while more than a dozen other zones or buildings, have also been ordered to close, authorities said.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
China reports 409 new COVID cases for July 6 vs 427 day earlier
Mainland China reported 409 new coronavirus cases for July 6, of which 124 were symptomatic and 285 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. That compared with 427 new cases a day earlier - 141 symptomatic and 286 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were zero new deaths, same as a day earlier, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of Wednesday, mainland China had confirmed 226,300 cases with symptoms.
6th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 6th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 NZ: Understanding the Omicron variant BA.5 and why it's fuelling a second wave
The second Omicron wave appears to have started. Case numbers – along with hospitalisations – are trending upwards. Underlying this is the rise of a new Covid subvariant called BA.5 which experts have suggested is starting to snowball.
This is a snapshot of what’s going on and what you need to know. Um, what is BA.5? Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron - all are distinct Covid-19 variants. Just like BA.1 (which was dominant here) and BA.2 (which is now dominant), BA.5 is another member of the growing Omicron family.
5th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Covid-19: New cases soar by more than 3000 in a single day, reaching 9629
New cases of Covid-19 have soared by more than 3000 in a single day, rising from 6498 on Monday to 9629 on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health says. There are also 493 people in hospital, and 24 people with the virus have died in the period since April 14, the ministry said. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers on Tuesday is 7246 – a rise of about 32 per cent on the same time last year. University of Canterbury professor and Covid-19 modeller Michael Plank said the increasing trend in cases over the past week made a second wave of Omicron “likely”.
5th Jul 2022 - Stuff
Iran records over 1,000 daily Covid-19 cases
Iran's daily recorded coronavirus cases on Monday exceeded 1,000 for the first time since late April, according to the country's health ministry. Authorities recorded 1,007 new cases within 24 hours on Monday, with 122 of the new patients needing to be hospitalised. This was the first time over 1,000 cases had been recorded since 27 April. In recent weeks, daily cases in Iran have rarely exceeded 200, with some days seeing less than 100 infections. The total number of identified coronavirus cases in Iran since the start of the pandemic in February 2020 is 7,240,564, and a total of 141,404 people have died from Covid-19.
5th Jul 2022 - The New Arab
Covid-19: Sharp rise in infections seen across the UK
Covid-19 infections in the UK are up 32% on the previous week with an estimated 2.3 million people infected, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).1
Rates have continued to increase across all four UK countries, likely driven by the growth of the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, the ONS said. In the week ending 25 June an estimated 1 829 100 people would have tested positive for covid in England—around one in 30 people—according to the ONS coronavirus infection survey. A week earlier that rate was one in 40.
5th Jul 2022 - The BMJ
Covid-19 deaths at low level despite growing wave of infections
Covid-19 deaths in England and Wales remain at a low level, despite the latest wave of infections, new figures show. There were 285 deaths registered in the week to June 24 where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is broadly unchanged on the previous two weeks, and is well below the 1,125 deaths registered in the peak week of the Omicron BA.2 wave of infections earlier in the year.
5th Jul 2022 - The Independent
Romania COVID cases nearly double in a week
The number of new COVID-19 infections in Romania nearly doubled over the last week, with a peak of 10,000 daily cases expected in mid-August, Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said on Monday. Romania is the European Union's second-least vaccinated state, with just over 42% of the population fully inoculated amid distrust of state institutions and poor vaccine education. The number of new infections approached 8,000 over the last week, compared with 3,974 new cases in the previous week, data showed, but the number of hospitalisations and deaths remained low.
5th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Macau COVID outbreak hits more than 900 as infections spread
Macau reported 89 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the total to more than 900 infections since mid-June, as authorities in the world's biggest gambling hub race to contain its largest outbreak since the pandemic began. More than 13,000 people are under quarantine in the Chinese special administrative region, which has effectively shut down to limit the spread of coronavirus. The city's more than 600,000 residents are subject to three citywide COVID-19 tests this week, with people also required to take rapid antigen tests in between.
5th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Macau steps up COVID testing as infections surge
Macau kicked off a new round of COVID-19 testing for its more than 600,000 residents on Monday, as officials in the world's biggest gambling hub raced to limit spiralling infections in the city's worst outbreak since the pandemic began. All residents face three rounds of tests this week, in addition to rapid antigen tests, as Monday's 68 new infections took the tally in the former Portuguese colony to 852 since the middle of June. About 12,000 people are in quarantine.
5th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 5th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullChennai makes masks mandatory in public places as Covid-19 cases rise
Chennai has made masks mandatory again in public places after Covid-19 cases rose again in the southern state Tamil Nadu. As per the data provided by the state health department, Tamil Nadu had recorded 2,672 fresh infections on Sunday, while 2,385 cases on Saturday. The death toll, however, stands at zero. On the other hand, in the past 24 hours, the state had seen 1,487 recoveries; the active toll rose to 14,504, official data suggested.
4th Jul 2022 - India Times
Covid-19 Omicron outbreak: BA.5 expected to become dominant sub-variant in fortnight as case numbers increase
A new Covid-19 variant is expected to become the dominant strain in the community within weeks as cases surge and an expert warns we could be "losing the arms race with the virus". University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker has again urged Kiwis to brace for the second Omicron wave as the community case average increased by almost 50 per cent in nine days. Baker described the 49 per cent increase of the seven-day rolling average of cases on June 25 (4737) to today (7046) as an "abrupt rise" and indicative that New Zealand could be at the beginning of another infection wave. Earlier today, health officials reported 6498 community cases, a further eight deaths, and 487 hospitalisations. The weekly rolling average of hospitalisations has increased from 335 this time last week to 420 today.
4th Jul 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Active Covid-19 infections in Italy surpass 1 million after surge in cases
The number of active cases of coronavirus surpassed 1 million in Italy on Sunday, the result of a swift increase in cases over the last two weeks. As recently as June 17, Italy had fewer than 5,75,000 active cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. On Sunday, that number totalled 1.01 million, an increase of more than 75 per cent in a span of 16 days. The Ministry of Health has said the increases in the infection rate are mostly due to the Omicron-5 sub-variant of the virus. Italy became the fourth country in the world to have more than 1 million active cases, following the United States, with 3.5 million, Germany, with 1.5 million, and France, with 1.4 million, according to data from the World Health Organization.
4th Jul 2022 - Business Standard
New Omicron sub-variants cause COVID-19 cases to rise in the UK
COVID-19 cases are rising across the UK, with the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing the number of people infected has more than doubled since the start of June. The surge in cases is due to two new fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5. Research in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that BA.4 and BA.5 can ‘substantially escape’ the protection from either vaccination or infection. In the week ending 24 June, the ONS estimated COVID-19 rates were one in 30 in England and Wales, one in 25 in Northern Ireland, and one in 18 in Scotland. In its analysis of England’s figures, the ONS found infections were going up in all regions and in all age groups. The two new variants were added to the World Health Organization's (WHO) monitoring list in March and have also been designated as variants of concern in Europe.
4th Jul 2022 - PMLiVE
Several eastern Chinese areas in mass COVID testing to curb new waves of infections
Parts of eastern China are running fresh rounds of mass COVID-19 testing, as the country faces new waves of infections while recovering from impact of the spring outbreaks that hit Beijing and Shanghai. China continues to demand local authorities detect and contain new infections as soon as possible in its "dynamic COVID zero" strategy, although it has warned against expanding strict curbs unnecessarily as it struggles to revive the economy. Daily numbers of locally transmitted infections in mainland China increased to more than 300 over the weekend compared with a few dozens in late June. While tiny by global standards, local officials have still closed some businesses and locked down more than a million people.
4th Jul 2022 - Investing.com
Macau steps up COVID testing as infections surge
Macau kicked off a new round of COVID-19 testing for its more than 600,000 residents on Monday, as officials in the world's biggest gambling hub raced to limit spiralling infections in the city's worst outbreak since the pandemic began. All residents face three rounds of tests this week, in addition to rapid antigen tests, as Monday's 68 new infections took the tally in the former Portuguese colony to 852 since the middle of June. About 12,000 people are in quarantine.
4th Jul 2022 - Reuters
Eastern China cities tighten COVID curbs as new clusters emerge
Cities in eastern China tightened COVID-19 curbs on Sunday as coronavirus clusters emerge, posing a new threat to China's economic recovery under the government's strict zero-COVID policy. Wuxi, a manufacturing hub in the Yangtze Delta on the central coast, halted operations at many public venues located underground, including shops and supermarkets. Dine-in services in restaurants were suspended, and the government advised people to work from home.
4th Jul 2022 - Reuters
New York City Ends Its Coronavirus Alert System as Cases Rise
New York City health officials have ended its Covid-19 alert system that informed residents about periods of higher transmission of the virus. The change took place this week and visitors to the city’s website are now met with a message that reads: “We are evaluating the city’s COVID Alert system. Before the color-coded alert categorization was dropped, the city was last at a ‘medium risk level’ on Tuesday with New Yorkers being encouraged to continue wearing a mask in public indoor setting
1st Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 4th Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullA viral reprise: When COVID-19 strikes again and again
Medical experts warn that repeat infections are getting more likely as the pandemic drags on and the virus evolves – and some people are bound to get hit more than twice. Emerging research suggests that could put them at higher risk for health problems. There’s no comprehensive data on people getting COVID-19 more than twice, although some states collect information on reinfections in general. New York, for example, reports around 277,000 reinfections out of 5.8 million total infections during the pandemic. Experts say actual numbers are much higher because so many home COVID-19 tests go unreported.
3rd Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
For now, wary US treads water with transformed COVID-19
The fast-changing coronavirus has kicked off summer in the U.S. with lots of infections but relatively few deaths compared to its prior incarnations. COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of Americans each day, but is not nearly as dangerous as it was last fall and winter. “It’s going to be a good summer and we deserve this break,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. With more Americans shielded from severe illness through vaccination and infection, COVID-19 has transformed — for now at least — into an unpleasant, inconvenient nuisance for many. “It feels cautiously good right now,” said Dr. Dan Kaul, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. “For the first time that I can remember, pretty much since it started, we don’t have any (COVID-19) patients in the ICU.”
3rd Jul 2022 - The Associated Press
Eastern China cities tighten COVID curbs as new clusters emerge
Cities in eastern China tightened COVID-19 curbs on Sunday as coronavirus clusters emerge, posing a new threat to China's economic recovery under the government's strict zero-COVID policy. Wuxi, a manufacturing hub in the Yangtze Delta on the central coast, halted operations at many public venues located underground, including shops and supermarkets. Dine-in services in restaurants were suspended, and the government advised people to work from home.
3rd Jul 2022 - Reuters
Why You'll Probably Get Covid (Again) Soon
The question used to be: “Have you had Covid?” Now it’s: “How many times have you had it?” Both of us have had a Covid (re)infection in recent months. Many of us know people currently sick with Covid or recently recovered. In the week ending June 24, an estimated 1 in 30 people in the UK (some 2.3 million people) were infected with Covid, up 32% from the previous week.
1st Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
FT Omicron variants drive surge in UK Covid-19 infections
Covid-19 infections in England have jumped by 34 per cent in a week as new Omicron variants drive a wave of cases across the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. More than one in 30 people in the UK are carrying the virus, according to ONS, with half a million more people infected than a week earlier. The data released on Friday, covering the week to June 24, show that an estimated 1.8mn people — 3.35 per cent of the population in England — would test positive for Covid.
1st Jul 2022 - The Financial Times
Covid-19 infections in UK jump by more than half a million in a week
Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped by more than half a million in a week, with the rise likely to be driven by the latest Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, figures show. Hospital numbers are also continuing to increase, with early signs of a rise in intensive care admissions among older age groups. A total of 2.3 million people in private households are estimated to have had the virus last week, up 32% from a week earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest estimate for total infections since late April, but is still some way below the record high of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March.
1st Jul 2022 - Evening Standard
UK Covid Cases Surge 32% in One Week as BA.4, BA.5 Omicron Subvariants Spread
Britain’s Covid-19 infections are rising sharply with omicron subvariants sparking new outbreaks across the country and raising concerns that the latest wave could upend health systems and businesses. The number of people testing positive for Covid-19 is estimated at 2.3 million in the week through June 24, up 32% from the previous week, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics on Friday. News of a country-wide jump in cases comes a day after regulators reported that England’s hospital admissions are climbing again, with intensive-care cases spreading among older age groups.
1st Jul 2022 - Bloomberg
UK Sees ICU Admissions Rise Among Elderly as Covid Cases Climb
UK hospital admissions linked to Covid are climbing again as omicron subvariants cause new outbreaks across the country. England’s hospital admission rate for the week through June 26 stood at 11.11 per 100,000 people, jumping nearly 40% from 7.98 in the previous week, according to the UK Health Security Agency, with intensive-care cases spreading among older age groups. “We continue to see an increase in Covid-19 data, with a rise in case rates and hospitalizations in those aged 65 years and over, and outbreaks in care homes,” said Mary Ramsay, director of clinical programs at the agency.
30th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 1st Jul 2022
View this newsletter in fullYes, the number of Covid cases in the UK is rising – but that is no cause for alarm
Although infections are rising, we are not being swamped by yet another Covid wave. Just as we come forward each year for our flu inoculation, we must do the same for our yearly Covid vaccine. The solution to rising cases is not lockdowns or restrictions on our liberties, but vaccines. This is not just the case in Britain, but around the world. Covid is a global virus, so needs global solutions. Because while Covid is endemic here, it is still having a major impact on much of the developing world.
30th Jun 2022 - The Guardian
North Korea’s woes overflow as Kim Jong-un battles flooding, Covid-19 outbreak
Major rivers in the country are in spate following torrential rains since last week, prompting officials to step up disaster response efforts amid a wave of infections
Experts say the North’s problems are only going to worsen as it can’t receive aid from Seoul due to frosty inter-Korean ties and stringent Western sanctions
30th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post
Coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong shifting from pandemic to endemic says government health adviser
Professor Ivan Hung, a top infectious disease expert, says Hong Kong has fulfilled necessary criteria for city to transition from pandemic to endemic. Health officials on Thursday log 2,358 coronavirus infections, of which 162 were imported, and two Covid-related deaths
30th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post
WHO: COVID-19 cases rising nearly everywhere in the world
The number of new coronavirus cases rose by 18% in the last week, with more than 4.1 million cases reported globally, according to the World Health Organization. The U.N. health agency said in its latest weekly report on the pandemic that the worldwide number of deaths remained relatively similar to the week before, at about 8,500. COVID-related deaths increased in three regions: the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Americas. The biggest weekly rise in new COVID-19 cases was seen in the Middle East, where they increased by 47%, according to the report released late Wednesday. Infections rose by about 32% in Europe and Southeast Asia, and by about 14% in the Americas, WHO said. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said cases were on the rise in 110 countries, mostly driven by the omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5.
30th Jun 2022 - Associated Press
Macau COVID infections rise as spread extends to medics, police
Authorities in the world's biggest gambling hub Macau are scrambling to contain the city's biggest coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began, requiring all residents test daily and stay home as much as possible. Health, police and fire services staff are among the more than 570 infected cases, the government said on Thursday. Residents must test daily for the virus using Rapid Antigen kits.
The Chinese special administrative region carried out three city-wide mass coronavirus tests for its more than 600,000 residents in the space of a week. More than 7,000 people are in mandatory quarantine.
30th Jun 2022 - Reuters
France's new wave of COVID infections expected to peak end-July -scientist
A new wave in France of COVID-19 infections fuelled by emerging variants of the disease should peak towards end-July, the French government's top scientific adviser Jean-Francois Delfraissy said on Thursday. "The peak is not yet here, this peak of infections will probably be for end-July," Delfraissy told RTL radio.
"Then the BA.5 variant will reappear, if it is not overtaken by another variant ...in autumn," he added.
30th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Global COVID cases rise as BA.4 and BA.5 expand
Four of the six WHO regions saw rises last week: the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. Globally, deaths stayed level, but were up in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asian, and Americas regions. About 4.1 million cases were reported to the WHO last week, likely an undercount given reduced testing in many countries. The United States, Germany, Brazil, Italy, and China reported the most cases. At a briefing today of the WHO's Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officials said cases rose in all four subregions in the Americas, with a jump of 24.6% in South America. Cases in North America rose 7.7% last week, mainly due to rises in the United States and Mexico.
29th Jun 2022 - CIDRAP
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 30th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullBristol covid latest as cases spike in two areas
Bristol is not immune to this rise in covid cases, and two areas in particular are now above 400 cases per 100,000 people: Stapleton (423.8) and Downend South (512). These numbers are for the seven days ending June 23, the most recent date for which data is available, and are likely to have increased further in the days since. Most of central Bristol is between 100 and 199 cases per 100,000 people during the same time period, while the city's suburbs and outer areas are slightly higher at between 200 and 399 cases per 100,000 people. The areas with the lowest case rates are Hengrove (98.9 per 100,000), Lawrence Weston (96.5 per 100,000), Barton Hill (83.6 per 100,000), and Lockleaze (78.5 per 100,000).
30th Jun 2022 - Bristol Live
U.S. Agrees to Pay $3.2 Billion for More Pfizer Covid Vaccines
The Biden administration has agreed to pay $3.2 billion for 105 million doses of Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine. The deal would provide supplies for the federal government’s planned fall booster campaign, which administration officials are devising to blunt a potential wave in cases, possibly driven by variants of the Omicron strain now spreading across the U.S. Under the deal, the federal government would have the option to buy 195 million additional doses, the Health and Human Services Department said Wednesday. Pfizer, which developed and makes the vaccine with partner BioNTech SE, would make whatever type of vaccine federal health regulators decide should be featured in the fall campaign.
30th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Quebec reports uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations amid rise of new variants nationwide
Quebec's public health director Dr. Luc Boileau will be holding a news conference at 11:30 a.m. today, as the province sees an uptick in hospitalizations related to COVID-19. On Tuesday, the province reported 1,226 hospitalizations — an increase of 113 since Friday — and 36 people in intensive care. It also reported five more deaths.
29th Jun 2022 - CBC.ca on MSN.com
Hong Kong daily COVID cases rise above 2000, highest since April
Hong Kong reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the highest since April, as daily COVID-19 cases rise ahead of celebrations to mark the city's 25th anniversary of its handover to China.
29th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Scores of Glastonbury revellers test positive for COVID as experts warn of fifth wave
A number of Glastonbury Festival revellers have reported testing positive for COVID-19 in the days after the music event. An estimated 200,000 music fans flocked to Worthy Farm in east Somerset for the 37th iteration of Glastonbury last week. Crowds gathered to watch headliners Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar along with scores of other artists for the world's biggest outdoor festival. Following three years of cancellations due to COVID restrictions, tens of thousands of music fans did not hold back as they soaked up their favourite artists, shoulder to shoulder with other fans. But the fun was soon over after many revellers took to Twitter to report bringing COVID-19 home with them.
29th Jun 2022 - Sky News
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 29th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 deaths remain low while infections and hospital numbers rise
The number of Covid-19 deaths registered in England and Wales continues to remain low, with no evidence yet of the impact of the latest rise in infections. A total of 264 deaths registered in the seven days to June 17 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is down slightly from 284 deaths in the previous week and remains well below the 1,125 recorded in the peak week of the Omicron BA.2 wave of infections earlier in the year.
28th Jun 2022 - South Wales Guardian
Singapore reports 11504 new COVID-19 cases, highest daily number of infections in more than 3 months
Singapore reported 11,504 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Tuesday (Jun 28), comprising 10,732 local infections and 772 imported cases. There was one fatality, taking the death toll from coronavirus complications to 1,410. Cases tend to increase on Tuesdays, with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung previously referring to such a pattern, writing on Facebook in October 2021 that numbers would "always spike after the weekends". The last time Singapore reported more daily infections than Tuesday was on Mar 22, when 13,166 COVID-19 new cases were reported.
28th Jun 2022 - CNA
Covid pandemic not over warns Northamptonshire health experts
Health experts have warned the Covid-19 pandemic "isn't over", as a county saw cases rise by 20% in a week and an increase in people going to hospital. In the week to 22 June, Northamptonshire has 886 cases, up from 736 in the previous week. The county's two councils said two new subvariants of Omicron appeared to be more infectious than other variants. Sally Burns, interim director of Public Health for West Northamptonshire, said people should "take precautions". Both North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire councils said there was an increase in hospital admissions from the rise in cases. Northampton General has 16 people in hospital with Covid-19 - an increase from 13 in the previous week, and Kettering General has 21 in hospital - a rise from 17.
28th Jun 2022 - BBC News
Ireland puts army on standby to help at Dublin airport amid COVID surge
Ireland agreed on Tuesday to put the army on standby to help with security at Dublin airport should staffing be hit by a resurgence of COVID-19 during the rest of the busy summer travel period. Ireland's main airport is one of many around Europe that has struggled to hire staff fast enough to deal with a sharp rebound in travel, although it has had relatively few issues since more than 1,000 passengers missed their flights in a single day last month.
28th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 28th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullLebanon faces new wave of Covid; health ministry urges public to get shots
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health warned on Saturday that the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, urging the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The warning was issued in a statement by the ministry after its Vaccine Executive Committee held an emergency meeting on the latest epidemiological developments, the Lebanese National News Agency reported. "We are facing a new wave of the coronavirus, which is expected to be more contagious and the fastest spreading, according to the infection figures in Lebanon and in the rest of the world, which are experiencing an alarming rise," the statement said.
27th Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Covid in Scotland: public told to act over new Covid-19 surge
The use of facemasks in crowded places and staying away from work or school if infected are “small prices to pay” to reduce the latest spike in Covid-19 cases, Scotland’s national clinical director has said. Professor Jason Leitch said that mandatory restrictions to curb the rise were unnecessary because of the vaccination programme, recently developed antiviral drugs and increased knowledge among the public of how to protect themselves.
27th Jun 2022 - The Times
COVID-19's sixth wave hits Palestinian Territories
In a press statement sent to The New Arab, the ministry said it reported more than 1,000 new cases infected with the deadly coronavirus in the West Bank in a single day. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry announced on Monday that the sixth wave of the coronavirus has hit the region. In a press statement sent to The New Arab, the ministry said it reported more than 1,000 new cases infected with the deadly coronavirus in the West Bank in a single day. Mai al-Kaila, the health minister, expressed her concerns about the current health situation, urging the public to immediately receive booster vaccinations and abide by precautionary and preventive measures. The Palestinian minister warned that its ministry may call on local authorities to impose several strict measures to curb the virus's spread.
27th Jun 2022 - The New Arab
Peru facing fourth wave of COVID-19: government
Peru's government on Sunday declared that a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections had begun to hit the country, which has one of the highest mortality rates from the virus in the world. "We are currently in a fourth wave, as we have seen the increase (of cases)... in different provinces of our country, such as Junin, Arequipa, Cusco and the capital," Health Minister Jorge Lopez told local broadcaster RPP radio.
According to official figures, infections increased from 1,800 per week at the beginning of the month to more than 11,000 in the last week.
27th Jun 2022 - Medical Xpress
China reports 106 new COVID cases for June 26 vs 116 day earlier
Mainland China reported 106 new coronavirus cases for June 26, of which 39 were symptomatic and 67 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compared with 116 new cases a day earlier - 39 symptomatic and 77 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226. As of Sunday, mainland China had confirmed 225,565 cases with symptoms.
27th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Pakistan orders masks on domestic flights as COVID numbers rise
Pakistan’s aviation regulator has made masks mandatory on domestic flights given a gradual rise in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, it said a statement. The order comes a day after Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, reported that its COVID-19 positivity ratio, or the rate of positive cases out of all tests conducted, rose to 21% compared with a national rate of 2.8%. "With immediate effect, mask wearing will be mandatory onboard domestic flights,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said in the statement late on Sunday.
27th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 27th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in full2,378 new Covid cases, 17 more deaths
The country registered 2,378 more Covid-19 cases and 17 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. This compared with 2,236 new cases and 16 coronavirus-related fatalities reported on Saturday morning. The country has registered more than 2,000 new cases every day since Wednesday. Saturday's figures were the second highest during the period after the 2,387 found on Wednesday. Saturday’s figures, which were reported on Sunday, did not include 3,521 positive results from antigen tests over the past 24 hours. This would raise the total to 5,899.
26th Jun 2022 - ฺBangkok Post
Coronavirus work from home warning as spring boosters 'drop off'
Coronavirus has been branded ‘concerning’ again in Manchester amid soaring case numbers ‘across all ages’, according to public health chiefs. The rise comes as there has been a significant ‘dropoff’ of eligible people coming forward to get spring Covid-19 vaccination booster jabs. The health bosses warned that people should work from home and children should stay at home from school if they have symptoms to prevent the spread. Greater Manchester doctors have also sounded alarms that another Covid wave could be hitting the region, saying 'next Covid wave inbound? Staff, patients, colleagues, friends, family, neighbours all succumbing again'.
25th Jun 2022 - Manchester Evening News
Shanghai records zero COVID cases for first time since March
China has reported zero new COVID-19 infections in Shanghai for the first time since March, as the country’s latest outbreak subsides after months of lockdowns and other restrictions. China is the last major economy committed to a zero-COVID strategy, stamping out all infections with a combination of targeted lockdowns, mass testing and long quarantine periods.
25th Jun 2022 - Al Jazeera English
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 24th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullUK Covid cases double as 'severe' Omicron subvariants cause infections to rise by 98%
Covid cases have almost doubled this month, according to the latest figures.
Symptomatic daily infections, which stood at 114,030 on June 1, have jumped by 105 per cent, or 119,790 to 223,820, according to the ZOE Covid study app. The increase means infection rates are now at the highest they have been for all but a few weeks of the pandemic so far, although remain well below the record of 349,011 on March 31.
23rd Jun 2022 - iNews
Coronavirus: 2 top Hong Kong officials infected, Beijing ‘deeply concerned’
Two top Hong Kong officials who are members of Chief Executive-designate John Lee Ka-chiu's new cabinet, including the government's incoming No 2 minister, have tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of next week's celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the city's return to Chinese sovereignty. Their infections raised concerns over possible changes or adjustments to a much anticipated visit by state leaders as part of the celebration and the swearing-in of Lee's new government on July 1. The government revealed on Thursday that Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai and Chief Executive's Office director Eric Chan Kwok-ki had returned positive results for their nucleic acid tests. Chan's wife earlier tested positive for the virus.
23rd Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post on MSN.com
Covid-19 cases rise in Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe: WHO report
The number of new Covid cases rose in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe last week, while the number of deaths globally dropped by 16 per cent, according to WHO's latest weekly pandemic report
23rd Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Britain is being swamped by yet another Covid wave – how can we stop them coming?
We are at the beginning of another wave of Covid – the third in six months. Roughly one in 50 people in England are currently infected, while that figure is as high as one in 30 in Scotland. An estimated 1.4 million people in the UK – more than 2% of the population – would have tested positive last week according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) infection survey. Chances are you know someone who’s got the disease. Covid hospitalisations have also been rising for the past couple of weeks. On Monday there were more than 1,000 admissions in England – the first time we’ve reached that level since April. It’s possible that some of the stark 40% week-on-week rise in prevalence reported last Friday is due to large numbers of people getting together over the extended platinum jubilee weekend. However, scientists who have been monitoring the Covid situation closely have been predicting an uptick for a while now. Two new subvariants – BA.4 and BA.5 – of the Omicron variant have been increasing their share of UK infections for several weeks. Last week they finally overtook the BA.2 version of Omicron responsible for the most recent wave that the UK experienced, in March and April.
23rd Jun 2022 - The Guardian
France is facing a new COVID-19 wave - French vaccination chief
France is facing a new wave of COVID-19 infections fuelled by new variants of the disease, French vaccination chief Alain Fischer said on Wednesday, as daily new cases reached an almost two-month peak the day before at more than 95,000. Speaking on France 2 television, he said there was no doubt there was once again an upsurge of the pandemic in the country, adding he was personally in favour of reinstating mandatory face mask wearing on public transport. The question is: 'what intensity does this wave have?'" Fischer said. Other European countries, especially Portugal, are also seeing an increase, due two new Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, which, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, are likely to become dominant in the region.
22nd Jun 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 23rd Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullSingapore’s Covid-19 infections rise amid new subvariants but no change to rules – although health ministry urges boosters
The health ministry said on Tuesday night that the proportion of BA.4 and BA.5 infections is rising, contributing to about a third of Singapore's Covid-19 cases. This compared to 17 per cent, 8 per cent and 3 per cent in the previous three weeks. Singapore was hit by the Omicron wave earlier this year and saw close to 20,000 daily infections, the bulk of them being the BA.2 subvariant. On Tuesday, it reported 7,109 cases.
22nd Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post on MSN.com
Covid reinfections in the UK: how likely are you to catch coronavirus again?
Though rare at the start of the pandemic, reinfections have become increasingly common as the months and years wear on – particularly since the arrival of Omicron, which prompted a 15-fold increase in the rate of reinfections, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests. In part, this is because of a decline in protective antibodies triggered by infection and/or vaccination over time, but the virus has also evolved to evade some of these immune defences, making reinfection more likely.
22nd Jun 2022 - The Guardian
4-year-old dies from COVID-19 complications, new MIS-C case reported
The 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital on June 14 after developing a fever and muscle spasms. She tested positive for COVID-19 and was diagnosed with encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. Her condition continued to deteriorate after she was admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) the next day. She later developed liver, kidney, and brainstem dysfunction, and passed away due to sudden bleeding in her lungs on June 17, the CECC said. The new MIS-C case is a 9-year-old boy who tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19. He initially had a three-day fever, stuffy nose, and a headache but soon recovered.
22nd Jun 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
New Zealand reports 5,499 new Covid-19 community cases, 18 deaths
New Zealand recorded 5,499 new community cases of Covid-19 with 18 more deaths, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday. Among the new community infections, 1,637 were reported in the largest city Auckland, the ministry was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. In addition, 78 new cases of Covid-19 were detected at the New Zealand border. Currently, 334 Covid-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, including four in intensive care units or high dependency units.
22nd Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Singapore reports 7,109 new Covid-19 cases and one monkeypox infection
Singapore reported 7,109 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Tuesday, comprising 6,393 local infections and 716 imported ones. A monkeypox infection has also been confirmed, according to media reports. There have been 13,78,090 coronavirus cases and 1,405 deaths in Singapore since the start of the pandemic. Singapore has seen a 23 per cent week-on-week increase in COVID-19 community infections, largely driven by increased spread of newer Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). Although the BA.2 subvariant still accounts for the bulk of Singapore's COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said the proportion of BA.4 and BA.5 infections is rising.
22nd Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Beijing city reports three local COVID cases on Wednesday as of 3 p.m.
Chinese capital Beijing reported three new local COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as of 3 p.m., all found during community screening, a local health official said. Uncertainty over Beijing city's COVID prevention and control situation has increased with new community cases emerging continuously, Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director at Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told a news briefing. The three infections were found in the city's economic-technological development zone, Liu said.
22nd Jun 2022 - Reuters
France is facing a new COVID-19 wave - French vaccination chief
France is facing a new wave of COVID-19 infections fuelled by new variants of the disease, French vaccination chief Alain Fischer said on Wednesday, as daily new cases reached an almost two-month peak the day before at more than 95,000. Speaking on France 2 television, he said there was no doubt there was once again an upsurge of the pandemic in the country, adding he was personally in favour of reinstating mandatory face mask wearing on public transport.
22nd Jun 2022 - Reuters
New York City Lowers Covid-19 Risk Level to Medium as Cases Drop
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and health officials lowered the city’s Covid-19 alert level to medium from high Tuesday, citing declining case counts and hospitalization rates. The shift comes a little more than a month after the city moved the Covid-19 alert level to high as a wave of new cases spread throughout the city. “Day after day, New Yorkers are stepping up and doing their part, and because of our collective efforts we are winning the fight against Covid-19,” Adams and City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said in a joint statement.
22nd Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 22nd Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullIndonesia Tightens Screening at Large Events as Covid Cases Rise
Indonesia is tightening guidelines around organizing large-scale events to minimize the spread of Covid-19 virus as new cases increased to a two-month high. Participants should be fully vaccinated in order to attend events involving 1,000 people or more, while unvaccinated children are discouraged from joining, Covid-19 Task Force Spokesman Wiku Adisasmito said in a briefing Tuesday. The new directive takes effect immediately, and a regulation detailing all the measures will be issued shortly. “The rise in infections is unavoidable as people’s mobility increases, regardless of the variants,” Adisasmito said.
21st Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
FACTBOX-Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 537.65 million, death toll at 6,731,188
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in Mainland China in December 2019. The following table lists the top 50 countries by the number of reported cases. A complete list is available with the above links.
21st Jun 2022 - Reuters
Covid-19 patients in hospital rise by 24%
The number of patients in English hospitals with Covid-19 has increased 24 per cent in a week, figures reveal.
21st Jun 2022 - The Times
Covid-19: 5630 new community cases, 17 further deaths reported on Tuesday
The Ministry of Health is reporting 5630 new community cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, and 17 further deaths in people who had the virus. Of the 17 deaths reported today, one was a child under the age of ten, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. There are 362 people in hospital with Covid-19, four of whom are in an intensive care or a high dependency care unit, the Ministry said.
21st Jun 2022 - Stuff
Covid hospitalisations in England up 24 per cent from last week
Coronavirus hospitalisations in England have surged by almost 25 per cent in the last week, as cases spread like wildfire once more across the globe. New figures released by the NHS this week highlight 5,726 beds occupied by Covid patients as of 20 June, up from 4,602 on the previous Monday. The spike in cases represents a 24 per cent increase in England, as the virus once more rears its ahead around the world. There was also a major spike in cases following the Platinum Jubilee half term break, and as the weather heats up, and Brits enjoy more socialising.
21st Jun 2022 - City AM
UK Covid cases will exceed 200,000 a day by weekend as infections surge beyond predicted levels, expert says
Daily Covid infections will exceed 200,000 by the weekend – for the first time since late April – and carry on rising for another fortnight, a leading forecaster predicts.
Daily symptomatic cases in the UK have jumped by 70 per cent this month to 193,767, according to the latest figures from the ZOE Covid study app. And they will “very soon” cross the 200,000 mark, according to Tim Spector, the King’s College London professor who runs the app.
21st Jun 2022 - iNews
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 21st Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: Rise in infections in Wales according to ONS
Covid-19 infections in Wales have risen to their highest levels in a month. One in 45 people had Covid in the week ending 11 June, according to estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That is 64,800 people - or 2.13% of the population. It's up from last week, when only one in 75 people were estimated to have Covid. The findings are based on a weekly swab survey, which took samples from more than 4,800 people in Wales.
18th Jun 2022 - BBC News
Covid-19: 4404 new community cases, 356 in hospital, and 11 deaths
The Ministry of Health is reporting 4404 new community cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, 356 hospitalisations, and 11 deaths. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 5154 – last Saturday it was 5914. Of the deaths reported on Saturday, one was a person in their 40s, one was in their 50s, five were in their 70s, one was in their 80s, and three were aged over 90. Four were women and seven were men.
18th Jun 2022 - Stuff
Canada seeing rise in COVID-19 subvariants. Could this lead to a summer surge?
Canada is seeing an increase in several fast-spreading COVID-19 variants that have been fuelling new outbreaks in the United States and Europe, Canada’s top doctors said Friday. The BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the virus, which are subvariants of Omicron, have been detected in Canada since May, and the BA.2.12 subvariant has been showing growth in the country since March. On Friday, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, made note of the rise in the number of these cases in the country and said that these subvariants have “demonstrated a growth advantage and additional immune escape” over Omicron and other strains of the virus. “COVID-19 has shown us over the past few years that there may be more surprises ahead,” Tam said during the briefing.
18th Jun 2022 - Global News
Another three deaths recorded in Northern Ireland's latest weekly Covid-19 update
Three deaths linked to Covid-19 have been recorded in Northern Ireland in the latest weekly update. The fatalities, in the week ending June 10, take the total number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) to 4,643. The figure is drawn from different data sources and is always higher than the Department of Health’s total as it provides a broader picture of the impact of Covid-19. The department’s statistics focus primarily on hospital deaths and include only people who have tested positive for the virus.
18th Jun 2022 - Belfast Telegraph
The covid waves continue to come
We are just over five months into 2022 and have already seen two record highs of coronavirus infection in England, with population prevalence peaking at 7% in early January (omicron BA.1) and 8% in late March (omicron BA.2).1 After eight weeks of declining prevalence, infections have started to increase again with the rise of yet another set of omicron variants. Instead of just one new variant, we currently have four: BA.2.12.1 (dominant in the US), BA.4 and BA.5 (dominant in South Africa), and BA.5.1 (dominant in Portugal). Together, these four variants became dominant in England in early June,2 and it looks as if BA.5 and BA.5.1 will likely win out to become the overall dominant variants.3 So what does this mean for the shorter and longer term? In the short term, we will see another wave of infections here, likely peaking at the end of June/early July. South Africa’s BA.4/5 wave has now passed, with fewer hospital admissions and deaths than in their BA.1 wave in December.
18th Jun 2022 - The BMJ
UAE records 1,464 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths
The UAE recorded 1,464 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the overall tally of infections to 925,898. Another 1,401 people overcame the virus as the number of recoveries climbed to 906,577. Two coronavirus-related deaths were announced, raising the toll to 2,308. The number of active cases stands at 17,013.
The latest cases were identified as a result of 324,877 additional PCR tests. More than 166.8 million tests have been conducted to date as part of the country's mass screening strategy.
18th Jun 2022 - The National
Beijing declares initial COVID victory as bar-linked surge eases
The city of Beijing on Thursday declared an initial victory in its latest battle with COVID-19 after testing millions of people and quarantining thousands in the past week to stem an outbreak prolonged by a sudden wave of cases linked to a bar.
The flare-up at the popular Heaven Supermarket Bar known for its cheap liquor and rowdy nights emerged just days after the Chinese capital started to lift widespread curbs. Restrictions had been in place for around a month in Beijing to tackle a broader outbreak that began in late April.
18th Jun 2022 - Reuters
COVID-19: Infections rise by nearly half a million in a week
COVID-19 cases have surged by nearly half in a week, official figures show. Last week, an estimated 1,415,600 people had coronavirus in the UK, up 425,800 or 43%. This is the highest estimate for infections since the start of May, but is still well below the record high of 4.9 million at the end of March. Cases rose in all four nations of the UK - and increased across all age groups. In England, around one in 50 people had the virus, according to the coronavirus infection survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
17th Jun 2022 - Sky News
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 17th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 Disrupts Summer Plans as Variants Keep Case Numbers High
Many people are embarking on a summer of vacations, concerts and weddings put off during the height of the pandemic. Covid-19 is still finding ways to disrupt some of those plans. Covid-19 isn’t causing acute illness and death on the scale it once did, thanks in part to protection built up by vaccines and prior infections. But Covid-19 is far from under control, epidemiologists say, and the virus is sickening and sidelining people from work or social events as it continues to spread.“People can’t come to work. People are short-staffed,” said Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. “Covid-19 is still inflicting enough damage.”
16th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
WHO: COVID-19 deaths rise, reversing a 5-week decline
After five weeks of declining coronavirus deaths, the number of fatalities reported globally increased by 4% last week, according to the World Health Organization.
In its weekly assessment of the pandemic issued on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said there were 8,700 COVID-19 deaths last week, with a 21% jump in the Americas and a 17% increase in the Western Pacific. WHO said coronavirus cases continued to fall, with about 3.2 million new cases reported last week, extending a decline in COVID-19 infections since the peak in January. Still, there were significant spikes of infection in some regions, with the Middle East and Southeast Asia reporting increases of 58% and 33% respectively.
16th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press
India records 12213 new daily cases of COVID-19
India recorded 12,213 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, its highest such tally in nearly four months. The country's richest state of Maharashtra had 4,024 new infections on Wednesday, with the capital, New Delhi, reporting more than 1,000 daily cases for a second successive day. Thursday's figure is the highest since February 26, a Reuters tally showed.
16th Jun 2022 - Reuters India
Beijing declares initial COVID victory as bar-linked surge eases
The city of Beijing on Thursday declared an initial victory in its latest battle with COVID-19 after testing millions of people and quarantining thousands in the past week to stem an outbreak prolonged by a sudden wave of cases linked to a bar.
The flare-up at the popular Heaven Supermarket Bar known for its cheap liquor and rowdy nights emerged just days after the Chinese capital started to lift widespread curbs. Restrictions had been in place for around a month in Beijing to tackle a broader outbreak that began in late April. The surge since June 9 is very modest by global standards, with a total of 351 cases found so far, but reflects how challenging it is, with the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, for China to make a success out of its strategy of stamping out each cluster of cases as soon as it materialises. "After eight days of hard fighting and the concerted efforts of Beijing residents in the battle, the swift and decisive measures have shown their effect," Beijing city government spokesperson Xu Hejian said.
16th Jun 2022 - Reuters
North Korea faces infectious disease outbreak amid COVID battle
North Korea reported an outbreak of an unidentified intestinal epidemic in a farming region on Thursday, putting further strain on the isolated country as it battles chronic food shortages and a wave of COVID-19 infections. Leader Kim Jong Un sent medicines to the western port city of Haeju on Wednesday to help patients suffering from the "acute enteric epidemic", state news agency KCNA said, without giving the number affected, or identifying the disease.
16th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Is there a new Covid wave? How many cases there are in the UK and why there are concerns over new variant
Covid infections have shot up by 47 per cent this month, prompting fears the UK is embarking on its third wave of the year. Daily symptomatic infections have increased by 53,943, from 114,030 on 1 June to 167,973 on Tuesday, according to the latest figures from the ZOE Covid study app. The four-day weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations kicked off on 2 June, so much of the rise has been put down to street parties and other events held across the country to mark the occasion.
But the post-Jubilee increase was expected to peak at about 150,000 cases a day before dropping a bit and stabilising. Instead, numbers have carried on going up, with substantial daily increases in recent days.
It is entirely possible that cases could soon peak and begin to fall, but there are growing fears we are in the early stages of a new wave driven by the new Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.
16th Jun 2022 - iNews
Portugal’s COVID deaths grow as tourism season kicks off
Marie Braud until recently considered herself an anomaly. Despite travelling extensively for her work, the recruiter had managed to avoid testing positive for COVID-19 throughout the coronavirus pandemic. But that all changed in June. The 37-year-old began to experience fever and fatigue shortly after attending the Santos Populares festival. She thought it was a cold at first, but after taking a PCR test on June 8, it was confirmed she had COVID-19.
16th Jun 2022 - AlJazeera
PAHO: COVID-19 Infections Increase by 11% In the Americas
Of the 34 countries and territories, Covid-19 hospitalizations rose in 15 during the previous week in the Americas. Cuba marked the difference with the 11th day with less than 100 infections. COVID-19 cases in the Americas increased 11 percent last week over the previous week, with a total of 1.2 million new cases and 4,069 new deaths reported, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in its most recent update of pandemic data in the region.
15th Jun 2022 - teleSUR English
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 16th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19: Is the UK on the brink of a new wave – and is 'immune imprinting' to blame?
Scientists tell Sky News that it is getting harder to predict how the UK will fare with different COVID variants because of 'immune imprinting', which means everyone's immune system reacts to them differently depending on their specific infection and vaccine history.
15th Jun 2022 - Sky News
Health boss warning over rise in East Yorkshire Covid cases
Coronavirus cases are expected to increase in East Yorkshire over the coming weeks, a council meeting heard. East Riding Council's Public Health Director Andy Kingdom said more people were getting coronavirus as their vaccine protection began to fade. He added that hospital admissions and deaths were expected to rise by mid-July, but the size of the wave would be smaller than previous ones. The county's current infection rate is estimated at around 2%. "We're expecting more waves but they won't be as big because of our levels of immunity, Mr Kingdom said.
"Infections are rising in working-age groups because they had their third jabs in around November and December so the effectiveness is beginning to wane.
15th Jun 2022 - BBC News
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: Latest cases as Auckland trust concerned over reinfections
Today there are 5554 new cases of Covid-19 in the community, says the Ministry of Health. The ministry is also reporting 11 virus-related deaths, and 368 people in hospital, including seven in intensive care. Of today's deaths, two were in their 60s, five were in their 70s, one in their 80s, and three were aged over 90. The average age of those in northern regional hospitals is 61. Today's community cases are in Northland (138), Auckland (1659), Waikato (372), Bay of Plenty (194), Lakes (76), Hawke's Bay (179), MidCentral (223), Whanganui (54), Taranaki (188), Tairāwhiti (46), Wairarapa (71), Capital and Coast (506), Hutt Valley (219), Nelson Marlborough (227), Canterbury (839), South Canterbury (76), Southern (442), West Coast (40), Unknown (5). There are also 70 new imported border cases. The ministry says they have been planning for a challenging winter.
15th Jun 2022 - New Zealand Herald
COVID-19: Is the UK on the brink of a new coronavirus wave – and should we be worried?
New COVID data suggests that after months of declining case rates, the number of people testing positive across the UK is starting to go up again. For the week ending 2 June, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were "early signs of a possible increase in percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus". It was most noticeable in England and Northern Ireland, where the positivity rate is one in every 70 people and one in every 65 people respectively. And it is being driven by new sub-variants of Omicron - BA.4 and BA.5. A separate Imperial College study released on Tuesday suggests that being infected with Omicron does not provide much immune protection from being reinfected.
15th Jun 2022 - Sky News
Chinese capital has reported 327 COVID cases linked to bar - health official
China's capital Beijing has reported a total of 327 COVID cases linked to a bar as of Wednesday afternoon, a health official said. Beijing reported seven new local COVID cases on Wednesday up to 3 p.m., Liu Xiaofeng added.
15th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong reports 1047 new coronavirus infections
Hong Kong reported 1,047 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, the first time the daily tally has topped 1,000 since mid-April, as cases crept up ahead of celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the city's handover to mainland China.
15th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Beijing in 'race against time' to contain COVID surge
Authorities in China's capital warned on Tuesday that a COVID-19 surge in cases linked to a 24-hour bar was critical and the city of 22 million was in a "race against time" to get to grips with its most serious outbreak since the pandemic began. The flare-up means millions of people are facing mandatory testing and thousands are under targeted lockdowns, just days after the city started to lift widespread curbs that had run for more than a month to tackle a broader outbreak since late April
15th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5 account for 21% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC
The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up about 8.3% and 13.3% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of June 11, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. The two fast-spreading sublineages were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and have also been designated as variants of concern in Europe.
The European Union's disease prevention agency said on Monday the new subvariants are spreading more quickly than other variants, which could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths as they become dominant in the continent.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 15th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid back on the rise in Scotland — but vaccines should hold the line
Scotland faces another wave of coronavirus over the summer but vaccines are expected to hold out against serious illness, government advisers have predicted.Positive cases are rising again among people aged 30 to 40,
14th Jun 2022 - The Times
Beijing Investigates Bar Staff as Covid-19 Outbreak Worsens
Chinese police are investigating staff at a Beijing bar that has become a Covid-19 hot spot, authorities said Tuesday, as an outbreak traced to the venue spread citywide just a week after many businesses reopened in the capital. All of the 287 cases reported in Beijing over the past six days have been linked to the Heaven Supermarket Bar in the capital’s Sanlitun district, local health officials said Tuesday. The bar’s managers are under criminal investigation on suspicion of hindering Covid prevention measures, a Beijing Public Security Bureau spokesman told a news conference Tuesday. That bar and others in Sanlitun entertainment district, as well as shops and restaurants, have been forced to close again in recent days as Beijing struggles to contain a resurgence in new Covid cases to a three-week high.
14th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Two-thirds of hospital patients with Covid-19 there because of the virus, amid heavy demand
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 continues to be about twice as high as what was modelled – roughly two-thirds of whom are in hospital with the virus as the primary cause, officials say. It comes as respiratory viruses are putting a “very significant burden” on not just the country’s hospitals, but also primary care. The rate of reported Covid-19 cases continues to decrease, to 8.3 per 1000 people this week, down from 9.3 the week before. As of Tuesday, 377 people are in hospital with the virus, including seven in intensive care.
14th Jun 2022 - Stuff
EU agency sees risk of COVID deaths rising as Omicron subvariants spread
Two new subvariants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5, are spreading more quickly than other corovanirus variants in Europe, which could lead to more hospitalisations and deaths as they become dominant,the EU's disease prevention agency said on Monday.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Beijing in 'race against time' to contain COVID surge
Authorities in China's capital warned on Tuesday that a COVID-19 surge in cases linked to a 24-hour bar was critical and the city of 22 million was in a "race against time" to get to grips with its most serious outbreak since the pandemic began. The flare-up means millions of people are facing mandatory testing and thousands are under targeted lockdowns, just days after the city started to lift widespread curbs that had run for more than a month to tackle a broader outbreak since late April.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters
United Airlines cites jump in global travel searches after U.S. ends COVID testing
United Airlines said on Monday searches for international travel have increased after the United States ended a 17-month-old requirement that air travelers arriving in the country test negative for COVID-19.
14th Jun 2022 - Reuters on MSN.com
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 14th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: no need for Hong Kong to tighten Covid curbs despite rebound in cases, medical experts say
Schools report 275 new infections as leading health official warns daily number of coronavirus cases in city could go up to four digits. Until new variant emerges that can overwhelm local hospitals with severe cases, rules do not need to be tightened, PolyU associate professor says
13th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post
Coronavirus: UAE reports 1,319 Covid-19 cases, 1,076 recoveries, no deaths
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention on Monday reported 1,319 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, along with 1,076 recoveries and no deaths. Total active cases stand at 16,152. The new cases were detected through 180,075 additional tests. The total number of cases in UAE as on June 13 are 917,815, while total recoveries stand at 900,358. The death toll now stands at 2,305.
13th Jun 2022 - Khaleej Times
North Korea reports 40060 more people with fever symptoms amid COVID outbreak
North Korea on Sunday reported 40,060 new people showing fever symptoms and one death amid the isolated nation's first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak, state media KCNA said.
13th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Beijing halts offline sports events from June 13 due to COVID outbreak
Beijing will suspend all offline sports events starting from June 13 citing high transmission risks of a recent COVID-19 outbreak linked to a bar in the city, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports said in a statement on Monday. As of June 12, some 166 cases have been linked so far to the outbreak at the Chaoyang Heaven Supermarket Bar, which emerged last week.
13th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Beijing tests millions, isolates thousands over COVID cluster at 24-hour bar
Authorities in China's capital Beijing on Monday raced to contain a COVID-19 outbreak traced to a raucous 24-hour bar known for cheap liquor and big crowds, with millions facing mandatory testing and thousands under targeted lockdowns. The outbreak of nearly 200 cases linked to the city centre Heaven Supermarket Bar, which had just reopened as curbs in Beijing eased last week, highlights how hard it will be for China to make a success of its "zero COVID" policy as much of the rest of the world opts to learn how to live with the virus.
13th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Hugh Jackman Tests Positive for COVID the Day After His Tony Awards Performance
One day after performing “The Music Man” at the 2022 Tony Awards ceremony, nominee Hugh Jackman has announced that he has tested positive for COVID. “I wanted you guys to hear it from me first that unfortunately this morning I have frustratingly been tested positive for COVID again,” Jackman says in a video posted on his Twitter account. “My incredible stand-by, Max Clayton, is gonna go on for me.”
13th Jun 2022 - Variety
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 13th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullDozens of Covid cases linked to Beijing bar
All residents living in the area where the bar is located will be tested over the next three days. The number of infections in the city is low by international standards but high for China, which is the world's only major economy still maintaining a "zero Covid" policy. The outbreak was traced to a venue called the Heaven Supermarket Bar, in the well-known entertainment area of Sanlitun in Chaoyang district. Two buildings housing hundreds of people in Chaoyang were put under strict lockdown on Sunday after a positive case was reported, a residential committee worker told Reuters news agency.
12th Jun 2022 - BBC News on MSN.com
North Korea reports 40060 more people with fever symptoms amid COVID outbreak
North Korea on Sunday reported 40,060 new people showing fever symptoms and one death amid the isolated nation's first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak, state media KCNA said.
12th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Mass COVID testing announced for Beijing district amid 'ferocious' outbreak
Beijing's most populous district Chaoyang announced three rounds of mass testing to quell a "ferocious" COVID-19 outbreak that emerged at a bar in a nightlife and shopping area last week, shortly after the city relaxed curbs imposed during an outbreak in April. City health officials said that so far there have been 166 confirmed cases linked to the outbreak that began at the Heaven Supermarket bar in the Sanlitun area on Thursday, 145 of them bar patrons.
12th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong's Quarantine Occupancy Rates Jump as Infections Rise
Hong Kong’s quarantine facilities are the fullest in more than three months after officials revived the Covid Zero tactic of mandatory centralized isolation to contain the spread of new sub-variants. More than 50 people -- close contacts of people who test positive for a sub-variant -- are in government-run facilities, with occupancy hitting the highest since February this month. The overall number is likely higher as the government doesn’t release figures for Penny’s Bay, the biggest isolation camp for confirmed Covid cases and close contacts.
10th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 10th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19: 7927 new community cases and 27 further deaths
There are 7927 new community cases of Covid-19 and a further 27 deaths, the Ministry of Health released in an update on Thursday afternoon. There are 393 people in hospital with the virus, 12 are in an intensive care or high dependency unit. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers is 6059 – last Thursday, it was 6937. Of the 27 deaths reported today, 22 of the people died in the past five days, while the other five deaths were since March 29. The number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 is now 1294, and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 14.
9th Jun 2022 - Stuff
Taiwan reports 72967 new COVID-19 cases, 211 deaths
Taiwan reported 72,967 new COVID-19 cases -- 72,921 domestically transmitted and 46 imported infections -- and 211 deaths from the disease on Thursday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC). The 211 deaths were another single-day high, surpassing the 159 recorded Wednesday, CECC data showed. The deceased, ranging in age from 17 to over 90, included 197 who had chronic illnesses or other severe diseases, and 83 who had been unvaccinated, the CECC said.
9th Jun 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
India records 7,240 new COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths
The single-day rise in new coronavirus infections in the country was recorded over 7,000 after 99 days, registering around 39 per cent jump in daily cases, while the daily positivity rate crossed 2 per cent after 111 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. A total of 7,240 infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,97,522, while the death toll has climbed to 5,24,723 with eight fresh fatalities
9th Jun 2022 - Economic Times
Community hospital in Borders closed to admissions due to Covid-19 outbreak
A community hospital in the Scottish Borders is closed to admissions due to a Covid-19 outbreak. All but essential visiting is currently suspended at the Knoll Community Hospital in Duns. NHS Borders say the situation is being kept under regular review and restrictions will be eased as soon as it is safe to do so. Essential visits include: a person receiving end-of-life care - supporting someone with a mental health issue, learning disability, autism or dementia in circumstances where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed - when someone is receiving information about life-changing illness or treatments - where support from another person is essential for advocacy and wellbeing
9th Jun 2022 - ITV News
India reports highest coronavirus daily cases since March 2
India reported 7,240 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, its highest number of daily cases since March 2. India's financial capital Mumbai, which has seen a rapid rise in cases, reported 1,765 new infections late on Wednesday, an increase of more than 500 cases from its Tuesday caseload. The country reported eight deaths from COVID-19, the ministry said, taking the official death toll to 524,723 on Thursday
9th Jun 2022 - Reuters
China reports 240 new confirmed COVID cases on June 8 vs 216 a day earlier
China reported 240 new coronavirus cases on June 8, of which 70 were symptomatic and 170 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. That compares with 216 new cases a day earlier - 67 symptomatic and 149 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, keeping the nation's death count unchanged at 5,226. As of June 8, mainland China had confirmed 224,535 cases with symptoms.
9th Jun 2022 - Reuters
S. Africa Child Admissions Exceed Elderly Amid Covid Strains
The number of South African children younger than nine admitted to hospital with Covid-19 has overtaken the proportion of patients aged over 80 for the first time as new omicron strains dominate infections, the country’s biggest health insurer said. During South Africa’s fifth wave of coronavirus infections from April 13 to May 27, 17% of all Covid-19 related admissions were children in that age group, Johannesburg-based Discovery Health Ltd. said in a statement sent to Bloomberg that detailed the results of a study of its members. That exceeded admissions for people older than 80 by five percentage points.
9th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 9th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullCoronavirus: Hong Kong logs 558 new infections, even after officials tighten rules on caseloads
After too many residents submitted misleading results, government now only includes checked results in daily tally. All residents who declare a positive RAT result on the official online portal must take a confirmatory PCR test
8th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post
South Korea reports 13,358 new Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 18,188,200
Article reports that South Korea reported 13,358 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Tuesday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 18,188,200, the health authorities said Wednesday. The daily caseload was up from 6,172 in the previous day, but it was lower than 15,790 tallied a week ago, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). For the past week, the daily average number of confirmed cases was 9,839. Among the new cases, 59 were imported from overseas, lifting the total to 33,117.
8th Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 account for up to 13% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC
The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up nearly 5% and 8% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of June 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. The two sublineages, which were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and designated as variants of concern by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were present in all U.S. regions.
8th Jun 2022 - Reuters
New coronavirus infections in India jump to cross 5,000-mark
Daily coronavirus infections in India were recorded above 5,000 after 93 days taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 43,190,282, while the active cases rose to 28,857, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday. A total of 5,233 infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours, while the death toll climbed to 524,715 with seven fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.07 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was 98.72 per cent, the ministry said.
8th Jun 2022 - Business Standard
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 8th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullOmicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 account for up to 13% of COVID variants in U.S. - CDC
The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron are estimated to make up nearly 5% and 8% of the coronavirus variants in the United States as of June 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. The two sublineages, which were added to the World Health Organization's monitoring list in March and designated as variants of concern by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), were present in all U.S. regions.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters
N.Korea reports 61730 more people with fever amid COVID outbreak -KCNA
North Korea reported 61,730 more people with fever symptoms amid its first-ever coronavirus outbreak, North Korean state media KCNA said on Tuesday.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Washington hospitals again strained by COVID-19 spread
Hospital officials in Washington are warning that facilities are heading toward another COVID-19 case peak amid high spread in the community. Washington State Hospital Association CEO Cassie Sauer on Monday said at the end of last week, almost 600 people with COVID-19 were in hospitals across the state with about 20-25 patients a day on ventilators, The News Tribune reported. That compares with an average of around 230 hospitalized cases in the daily census in April and 1,700 in February during the Omicron wave. In response to the rising hospitalizations, officials on a media briefing call Monday implored people to wear high-quality masks indoors in crowded, public spaces, and to get COVID-19 booster shots on top of vaccinations. "It’s still something you don’t want to get and we want to urge you to do everything you can to protect yourself,” said Cassie Sauer, Washington State Hospital Association CEO. Community spread is also affecting health care workers and straining hospital staffing levels, officials said.
7th Jun 2022 - The Associated Press
U.S. Treasury approves first state projects from $10 bln COVID broadband fund
The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday announced the first state awards from a $10 billion COVID-19 aid program aimed at boosting broadband internet access in underserved communities, funding $583 million worth of projects in Virginia, West Virginia, Louisiana and New Hampshire. The Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, a relatively unheralded portion of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, provides money for broadband infrastructure and other projects that enable work, education and healthcare monitoring.
7th Jun 2022 - Reuters
US, other nations track shifts in COVID-19 activity
The 7-day average for new daily COVID-19 cases is 105,576, with 269 daily deaths, according to the Washington Post tracker. Over the past week, cases dropped 1% after rising slowly since about the middle of April. Hospitalizations over the past week rose 8%, while deaths dropped 27%. The nation faces an uncertain summer, with the more transmissible BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant—first seen in New York—becoming the dominant strain over the past 2 weeks. Officials are closely watching two other more transmissible subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, that recently triggered a modest wave in South Africa and have been linked to a fresh rise in cases in Portugal.
6th Jun 2022 - CIDRAP
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 7th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullIndia reports 4,518 new Covid-19 cases, 9 deaths in last 24 hours
India reported 4,518 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry data. With this, the country's total tally of coronavirus cases rose to 4,31,81,335. It is for the second consecutive day that India reported over 4,000 coronavirus cases. India on Sunday reported 4,270 Covid-19 cases. With 9 fresh fatalities, India's Covid-19 death toll climbed to 5,24,701. The country's active coronavirus caseload currently stands at 25,782.
6th Jun 2022 - Times of India
Egypt pledges 30 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses to African states
President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi says that Egypt would supply fellow African states with 30 million doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccines. The president made this announcement on Sunday during the maiden edition of Africa Health ExCon, online news portal, Egypt today reported. This is in fulfilment of the country's selection as one of six African states that would receive the mRNA technology used in the manufacturing of vaccines and other medical drugs necessary to confront many incurable diseases. Egypt was among Senegal, Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia and Nigeria that were selected for this purpose in early 2022. Africa Health ExCon is held by the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA) and is attended by participants from around 100 countries.
6th Jun 2022 - Africanews English
Delhi records 247 fresh COVID-19 cases, positivity rate rise to 3.47 pc
Delhi on Monday logged 247 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 3.47 per cent while no new death was reported due to the viral disease, according to data shared by the city health department. This is the highest positivity rate since May 12 when 3.47 per cent of those tested turned out positive. With this, the national capital's COVID-19 case tally increased to 19,08,977, while the death toll stood at 26,212.
6th Jun 2022 - India Times
Coronavirus: Hong Kong health experts warn of rebound in cases, as city logs 543 new infections
Dr Ho Pak-leung of the University of Hong Kong says trend in daily caseloads has been on the rise, but public need not to be too worried. Rise expected after easing of social-distancing measures; hospital admissions and number of patients with serious symptoms have not increased
6th Jun 2022 - South China Morning Post
Singapore could expect new Omicron COVID-19 wave in July or August as antibodies wane: Ong Ye Kung
Singapore could expect a new Omicron wave “possibly emerging” in July or August, as COVID-19 antibodies start to wane, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sunday (Jun 5). Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to an upcoming sports and community hub in Bukit Canberra on Sunday, Mr Ong said the Ministry of Health has detected some COVID-19 cases of the new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.
However, it has not “overtaken” the BA.2 subvariant, said Mr Ong, referring to the Omicron variation which made up 99 per cent of the local COVID-19 infections sequenced in April. “The reason is because we all have very high antibodies, because of our vaccination, because of our recent Omicron wave.
6th Jun 2022 - CNA
Active COVID-19 cases rise to 25,782
India logged 4,518 new coronavirus infections taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,81,335, while the active cases increased to 25,782, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll climbed to 5,24,701 with nine fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.73 per cent, the ministry said.
6th Jun 2022 - Economic Times
Beijing city reports zero local COVID case during 15 hours to 3pm Monday
Beijing reported no new domestically transmitted COVID-19 infection cases during the 15 hours to 3 p.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Monday, a disease control official said on Monday. The Chinese capital Beijing has had 1,822 COVID infections as of 3 p.m. local time Monday since April 22, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director at Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told a news briefing.
6th Jun 2022 - Reuters
North Korea reports some 73,780 people with fever amid COVID wave, KCNA says
North Korea reported some 73,780 more people with fever symptoms amid its first-ever coronavirus outbreak, North Korean state media KCNA said on Sunday.
5th Jun 2022 - Reuers
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 6th Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullLatest U.S. Covid-19 Surge Moves West as Pressure Eases in Northeast
The latest Covid-19 wave in the U.S. has shifted westward, hitting places like the San Francisco area, while pressure eases in recent Northeast hot spots. The Western U.S. region, which includes mountain and coastal states, has recently eclipsed the Northeast to have the nation’s highest rate of known cases per 100,000 people, a Wall Street Journal analysis of CDC data shows. Recent increases in parts of the West come amid declines in the Northeast.
5th Jun 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
4,400 Covid-19 cases on Sunday, 8 deaths recorded
There are 4,400 new community Covid-19 cases in New Zealand, the Ministry of Health has announced on Sunday. The numbers were reported over the last 24 hours. There are 371 people in hospital with the virus, two more than on Saturday, 6 people are in ICU and 8 have died. The number of new cases at the border is 50.
Sunday's reported deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1,229 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 12. Of the people whose deaths are reported; two were from the Auckland region; two from Hawke's Bay; two from Canterbury; one from Taranaki; one from Nelson-Marlborough.
5th Jun 2022 - 1News
North Korea reports some 73780 people with fever amid COVID wave, KCNA says
North Korea reported some 73,780 more people with fever symptoms amid its first-ever coronavirus outbreak, North Korean state media KCNA said on Sunday.
5th Jun 2022 - Reuters
U.S. doctors urged to test for monkeypox, CDC says risk to public low
U.S. health officials on Friday urged doctors to test for monkeypox if they suspect cases, saying there may be community-level spread but that the overall public health risk remained low. So far, there have been 21 cases of the disease in at least 11 states. Affected patients are isolating to help prevent spreading the virus, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials told reporters in a conference call. The CDC said it was aware of 700 cases of monkeypox that have been reported globally outside of parts of Africa, where the disease is endemic. No deaths have been reported so far.
4th Jun 2022 - Reuters
Hong Kong Reports 76 More Covid Cases From Nightclub Clusters
Hong Kong on Saturday reported another 76 Covid cases from clusters at four nightclubs in the city’s Central district where a total of about 200 infections have been detected. The infections from the nightclubs were first uncovered about a week ago, following a relaxing of social-distancing measures in the city. A total of 466 new Covid cases were reported Saturday by the city’s health authorities. Of the total new cases, 64 were imported, the health officials said at a briefing. No new virus-related deaths were recorded.
4th Jun 2022 - Bloomberg
China reports 171 new COVID cases for June 3 vs 157 a day earlier
China recorded 171 new coronavirus cases on June 3, of which 46 were symptomatic and 125 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. That compares with 157 new cases a day earlier - 37 symptomatic and 120 asymptomatic, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, leaving the nation's death at 5,226. As of Friday, mainland China had confirmed 224,254 cases with symptoms.
4th Jun 2022 - Reuters
In Shanghai, lockdown blues make way for COVID testing gripes
Shanghai residents' relief over the easing of a two-month COVID-19 lockdown is giving way to frustration as they face hours waiting in line for virus tests and must show negative results to be permitted to enter public spaces.
China's biggest city and business hub lifted lockdowns for most of its 25 million residents on Wednesday. But citizens are required to have proof they have taken a COVID test within the last 72 hours in order to enter areas like malls and offices - or even to use subways and buses.
3rd Jun 2022 - Reuters
Omicron sub-variant fuels Portugal's COVID-19 surge
An Omicron sub-variant has fuelled a surge in COVID-19 cases in Portugal that now has the world's second-highest infection rate, potentially threatening the tourism sector's recovery. Portugal registered an average of 2,447 new cases per million people over the last seven days. That compares to neighbouring Spain's 449 and Britain's 70, according to tracker Our World In Data. The rolling average has subsided slightly in the past few days and is just over a third of the Jan. 31 Omicron peak.
2nd Jun 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 1st Jun 2022
View this newsletter in fullRussia records 3,526 daily COVID-19 cases — crisis center
Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 3,526 over the past day to 18,331,363, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Tuesday, TASS reports. In relative terms, the growth rate reached 0.02%. As many as 2,536 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, up 184.6% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients increased in 72 regions, while in eight regions the figure increased. The situation remained unchanged in five regions. A day earlier, 891 people were rushed to hospitals
31st May 2022 - Kazinform
4,985 new Covid-19 cases reported in S'pore, up from 2,389 cases on May 30
The number of new Covid-19 cases reported in Singapore surged on Tuesday (May 31) to 4,985 said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in an update on its website.
This was more than double the 2,389 cases reported on Monday (May 30), but lower than last Tuesday's (May 24) cases, where 5,727 were reported. Case numbers on Tuesdays tend to be higher compared with the rest of the week as they reflect the spike in infections after the weekend, when more people are out in various social settings.
31st May 2022 - The Straits Times
Covid-19: Only one hospital admission in Wales in a day
For the second time in the pandemic, only one patient has been admitted to hospital in Wales with Covid in a day. The single admission, on Monday, was in Cardiff and Vale, according to latest figures from Digital Health and Care Wales. This has only happened once before during the pandemic, on a day in late June last year. Meanwhile, deaths involving Covid-19 were at their lowest for nine months. According to the latest statistics, numbers of Covid hospital admissions - and also those in critical care - are at their lowest since mid-July 2.
31st May 2022 - BBC News
Beijing reports 16 new symptomatic COVID cases for May 30, 2 asymptomatic cases
China's capital Beijing reported 16 new domestically transmitted symptomatic coronavirus cases for May 30, up from eight a day earlier, the city government said on Tuesday. Local asymptomatic cases fell to two from four from the previous day, it said.
31st May 2022 - Investing.com
Hong Kong to distribute 240,000 RAT kits following sewage COVID-19 detection
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Tuesday that it will distribute about 240,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to people in some areas of the city as part of a follow-up on recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples. The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers, and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, it said. The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform.
31st May 2022 - English News.cn
Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 8436 community cases, 18 virus-related deaths, 389 people in hospital
There are 8436 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today. The Ministry of Health also reported a further 18 virus-related deaths. They include three people from Northland, two from the Auckland region, one from Waikato, one from Taranaki, two from MidCentral, two from Nelson Marlborough, three from Canterbury, two from West Coast and two from the Southern region. One person was aged in their 50s, two were in their 60s, one was in their 70s, eight were in their 80s and six were over 90. Ten were male and eight were female, the ministry said in today's update. This brings the total number of publicly reported Covid-19 deaths to 1172.
31st May 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Covid-19 weekly deaths lowest since last summer
The number of deaths involving coronavirus registered each week in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level for nine months. A total of 547 deaths registered in the seven days to May 20 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is down 24% on the previous week and is the lowest total since early August 2021. It is the third week in a row that deaths have decreased, which suggests the figures are now on a downwards trend. There have been similarly sharp falls in recent months in the number of Covid-19 infections and patients in hospital with the virus. Infections in both England and Wales hit an all-time high at the end of March, but in England they have dropped to levels last seen in November 2021 and in Wales they are back to where they were in September.
31st May 2022 - Wales Online
Shanghai Ready to Exit Lockdown as Covid Cases Drop
After four straight days with no Covid-19 deaths and with new cases at their lowest levels since early March, Shanghai is preparing to end more than two months of lockdowns. The easing of restrictions takes effect Wednesday, but already Tuesday evening social-media posts showed residents swarming the streets, chanting and dancing and posting images of themselves eating out at local restaurants. The majority of the 25 million residents of China’s financial capital can leave their homes and return to work starting Wednesday, the Shanghai government said. Aside from those in high-risk areas, all businesses can reopen, buses and trains will resume normal operations, and restrictions on private vehicles will be lifted. Shopping malls and other commercial centers can run at 75% of capacity.
31st May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 31st May 2022
View this newsletter in fullAs summer begins, US COVID-19 cases six times higher than last year
As the US marks Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, the seven-day average for COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are more than six times what they were a year ago. The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center showed a seven-day average of 119,725 cases as of Saturday. That figure held at 17,887 cases on May 28 of last year. Despite the rising infection rate, COVID-related deaths were down from last year, a sign of increased immunity through vaccines and prior infections, along with wider availability of treatments. The seven-day average of 470 deaths reported on Friday marked a decrease from 637 on the same day last year.
30th May 2022 - The Hill
Covid-19 update: 5836 new cases and five deaths reported in the community
There are 403 people in hospital with the coronavirus, the ministry said in a statement. That compares with 283 people in hospital, with four in ICU, in the update yesterday. There were also nine more deaths and 4841 community cases of the virus announced yesterday. The total number of publicly reported deaths of people with Covid-19 is now 1154. Of the five deaths reported today; two were from the Auckland region, one was from Taranaki, one from Canterbury, and one was the Southern region. One person was in their 70s, three were in their 80s and one was over 90. Of these, three were male and two were female. Covid-19 is also having an impact on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's trade mission to the United States.
30th May 2022 - RNZ
Taiwan reports 60103 new COVID-19 cases, 109 deaths
Taiwan on Monday recorded 60,103 new COVID-19 cases -- 60,042 domestically transmitted and 61 imported -- and 109 deaths, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC). The 109 patients reported Monday to have died of COVID-19 complications ranged in age from their 40s to 90s, including 106 who had chronic illnesses or other severe diseases, the CECC said.
30th May 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
Covid-19: Case rises in the Americas driven by increases in North and Central America
At a briefing on 18 May, PAHO officials said they were concerned that health systems in the region could be unprepared for a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2. Many countries have reduced testing and lifted restrictions on mask wearing and social distancing in recent months following a drop in infections after the surge driven by the omicron variant in January. PAHO director Carissa Etienne said some governments were letting their guard down despite them not having reached high levels of vaccine coverage. Only 14 of 51 countries in the Americas and territories have reached the World Health Organization’s goal of 70% vaccination coverage, leaving them vulnerable to future surges, particularly if new variants emerge. Etienne called on governments to strengthen testing infrastructure and maintain high levels of hospital capacity so that health services can quickly be scaled-up should infections surge. Governments must also do more to make sure vaccines reach the oldest and most vulnerable populations, officials said.
30th May 2022 - The BMJ
China reports 184 new COVID cases on May 29 vs 293 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 184 new coronavirus cases on May 29, of which 34 were symptomatic and 150 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 293 new cases a day earlier, 82 symptomatic and 211 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 5,226. As of May 29, mainland China had 224,049 confirmed cases.
30th May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 30th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullCovid-19 infections continue to fall in much of UK but rise in Scotland
Covid-19 infections are continuing to fall in most parts of the UK but have risen slightly in Scotland, figures show. A total of 1.1 million people in private households across the UK are estimated to have had the virus in the week to 21 May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is down from 1.3 million the previous week and is the lowest estimate for the whole country since the end of November 2021, when virus levels were just starting to rise due to the spread of the original Omicron variant. Total infections have now fallen by 78 per cent since the peak of the recent BA.2 Omicron wave in late March, when a record 4.9 million were estimated to have Covid-19.
28th May 2022 - The Independent
North Korea tests rivers, air, garbage as anti-COVID efforts gather steam
North Korean health officials are testing rivers, lakes, the air and household wastewater and garbage for the coronavirus as the country intensifies its fight against its first outbreak, state media said on Friday. The isolated country has been in a heated battle against an unprecedented COVID wave since declaring a state of emergency and imposing a nationwide lockdown this month, fuelling concerns about a lack of vaccines, medical supplies and food shortages.
28th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea stockpiled Chinese masks, vaccines before reporting COVID outbreak
In the months before it acknowledged its first official COVID-19 outbreak, North Korea suddenly imported millions of face masks, 1,000 ventilators, and possibly vaccines from China, trade data released by Beijing showed. Two weeks ago state media revealed the outbreak, fuelling concerns about a lack of vaccines, medical supplies and food shortages. Chinese data show that even before that announcement, the North had begun stocking up.
28th May 2022 - Reuters
China reports 362 new COVID cases for May 27 vs 444 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 362 new coronavirus cases on May 27, of which 96 were symptomatic and 266 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. That compares with 444 new cases a day earlier - 102 symptomatic and 342 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 5,226. As of May 27, mainland China had confirmed 223,933 cases.
28th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea says new fever cases under 100000 as virus fight heats up
North Korea's daily fever cases dropped to below 100,000 for the first time, state media said on Saturday, less than three weeks after the country's first acknowledgement of a COVID-19 outbreak. The isolated country has been in a heated battle against an unprecedented COVID wave since declaring a state of emergency and imposing a nationwide lockdown this month, fuelling concerns about lack of vaccines, medical supplies and food shortages.
28th May 2022 - Reuters
Taiwan's COVID cases reach plateau, government says
The COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan has reached a plateau, with cases at a high but stable level, the government said on Friday, as it maintained a policy of gradually easing restrictions and letting the island live with the virus. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said infections could stay near the current level for a while before declining. He has previously forecast a peak could appear in late May. The more than 94,800 cases and 126 COVID-related deaths reported for the latest 24 hours were both records, but Chen pointed to the trend.
27th May 2022 - Reuters
Chinese province neighbouring North Korea reports border area COVID cases
Border areas in China's northeastern province of Jilin, which shares a long frontier with coronavirus-hit North Korea, reported domestically transmitted COVID-19 infections of unknown origin, a Chinese health official said on Friday. The outbreak had shown a trend of spreading from border areas to inland areas, Lei Zhenglong, of China's National Health Commission, told a news briefing.
27th May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 27th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullMyanmar's COVID-19 tally rises to 613,260
The total number of COVID-19 infections in Myanmar rose to 613,260 on Thursday after four new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, according to the ministry of health. The ministry said health authorities tested 6,624 people for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and the daily positivity rate was 0.06 percent. The death toll from COVID-19 in the country remained unchanged at 19,434 as no new deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours, the ministry's figures showed. The total number of patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the country has reached 592,244 on Thursday with 15 more patients recovered in the past 24 hours, the ministry's figures showed.
26th May 2022 - English News.cn
Maharashtra, Manipur, UP record highest number of COVID-19 deaths in 2020
Maharashtra, followed by Manipur and Uttar Pradesh, have recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in 2020, when 1.6 lakh people succumbed to the virus in the country. In 2020, the total number of registered deaths in the country was 81,15,882 of which 18,11,688 were medically certified deaths.
26th May 2022 - India Times
Dominant coronavirus mutant contains ghost of pandemic past
The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors, is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease. Why? Because it combines properties of both omicron and delta, the nation's dominant variant in the middle of last year. A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemic's past, known as a “delta mutation," appears to allow the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the omicron wave," said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. That's because the original omicron strain that swept the world didn’t have the mutation.
26th May 2022 - The Independent
Latino and Indigenous Mexican farm-working communities face high risk of COVID-19
Although everyone has been affected by COVID-19 and the pandemic it spawned, not all populations have been affected equally. In the United States, for example, COVID-19 cases and death rates have been disproportionately high in Latino and Indigenous populations. To understand how determinants of health affect perceptions of the coronavirus, its spread, and decision making around COVID-19 testing and vaccination in vulnerable populations, a team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, conducted a study in the Eastern Coachella Valley region of inland Southern California, home to Latino and Indigenous Mexican farm-working communities. Led by Ann Cheney, an associate professor of social medicine, population, and public health in the School of Medicine, the team reports in BMC Public Health that these immigrant populations are vulnerable to inequalities that increase their risk of COVID-19 exposure, morbidity, and mortality.
26th May 2022 - News-Medical.Net
Two children under 5 die from COVID-19 complications
Two girls under the age of 5 were among the 104 deaths linked to COVID-19 reported Thursday, bringing the number of children under 10 who have passed away from the disease in Taiwan to seven, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said. One of the two girls was a 1-year-old who died of septic shock after contracting COVID-19, and the other was a 4-year-old who had developed encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, and then suffered multiple organ failure, said Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞), deputy head of the CECC's medical response division.
The two tested positive for COVID-19 on May 17 and May 11, respectively, and passed away on May 23 and May 20. Lo also reported that a 7-year-old boy had developed a severe infection of COVID-19.
26th May 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
WHO: COVID-19 cases mostly drop, except for the Americas
The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths are still falling globally after peaking in January, the World Health Organization said. In its latest weekly assessment of the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were more than 3.7 million new infections and 9,000 deaths in the last week, drops of 3% and 11% respectively. COVID-19 cases rose in only two regions of the world: the Americas and the Western Pacific. Deaths increased by 30% in the Middle East, but were stable or decreased everywhere else. WHO said it is tracking all omicron subvariants as “variants of concern.” It noted that countries which had a significant wave of disease caused by the omicron subvariant BA.2 appeared to be less affected by other subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5, which were responsible for the latest surge of disease in South Africa.
26th May 2022 - The Independent
China reports 545 new COVID cases on May 25 vs 590 a day earlier
China reported 545 new coronavirus cases on May 25, of which 130 were symptomatic and 415 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. That compares with 590 new cases a day earlier - 117 symptomatic and 473 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were 1 new deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,225.
26th May 2022 - Reuters
WHO: COVID-19 cases mostly drop, except for the Americas
The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths are still falling globally after peaking in January, the World Health Organization said. In its latest weekly assessment of the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were more than 3.7 million new infections and 9,000 deaths in the last week, drops of 3% and 11% respectively. COVID-19 cases rose in only two regions of the world: the Americas and the Western Pacific. Deaths increased by 30% in the Middle East, but were stable or decreased everywhere else. WHO said it is tracking all omicron subvariants as “variants of concern.” It noted that countries which had a significant wave of disease caused by the omicron subvariant BA.2 appeared to be less affected by other subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5, which were responsible for the latest surge of disease in South Africa.
26th May 2022 - The Associated Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 26th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullVaccines bring optimism as COVID cases soar in South America
After a reprieve of months, confirmed cases of COVID-19 are surging in the southern tip of South America. But officials in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay hope high vaccination rates mean this latest wave will not be as deadly as previous ones.
At the same time, there is concern that many people are not ready to once again take on the prevention measures that authorities say are needed to ensure cases remain manageable. Cases have been steadily increasing for weeks, largely fueled by the BA.2 version of the omicron variant. In Chile, the number of weekly confirmed cases more than doubled by late May when compared to the beginning of the month. In Argentina, cases rose 146 percent in the same period, while in Uruguay, the increase was almost 200 percent.
25th May 2022 - Yahoo News UK
Queensland records over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths as doctors warn booster shots remain 'critically important'
Queensland surpassed 1,000 COVID-19 deaths today, with the pandemic virus on course to feature among the state's leading reasons for lives lost this year. Lea King's much-loved husband Colin was one of them. The father of four and grandfather of 10 died in February, just before they were due to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The 74-year-old crossword lover, who lived in Logan, south of Brisbane, was being treated for lung cancer when he caught SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19. But Mrs King said "it was the COVID that got him and that's on the death certificate that the COVID pneumonia is the cause of death".
25th May 2022 - ABC News
Nation's latest COVID-19 wave largely hidden from view, health experts say
Current COVID-19 cases are just a fraction of what they were at the peak of the omicron wave. But many people in the country may be noticing what seems to be a flood of cases in their social circles. Health experts say this anecdotal evidence may not be simply coincidence, as the U.S. may be in a “hidden” wave — one much larger than reported data would suggest. “There's a lot of COVID out there. I see it in my social circles, in my kids' schools and in the hospital employee infection numbers,” Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, told ABC News. “We are clearly in a wave.”
25th May 2022 - ABC News
N.Korea reports no new deaths for second day amid 'stable' COVID trend
North Korea reported no new deaths among fever patients for a second consecutive day, state media KCNA said on Wednesday, a day after it said the country's first confirmed coronavirus outbreak was being stably managed. The COVID outbreak, which the isolated country confirmed about two weeks ago, has stoked concerns about a lack of vaccines and medical supplies, while experts said a nationwide lockdown could deepen a food crisis in the country of 25 million.
Pyongyang said on Tuesday its anti-virus campaign was having "successes" in curbing and controlling the outbreak and "maintaining the clearly stable situation.
25th May 2022 - Reuters
Platinum Jubilee celebrations could increase Covid infections by 50 per cent in summer spike, scientists warn
Covid infections will jump by up to 50 per cent following the Jubilee celebrations after falling by two-thirds in the past two months, leading scientists have warned.
New symptomatic infections have tumbled from a record 349,011 a day on 31 March to an estimated 117,136 cases today – with cases relatively stable over the past fortnight, according to the ZOE Covid study app. But Professor Tim Spector, who runs the ZOE app, believes greater social mixing over the extended bank holiday weekend, alongside waning immunity, will see infections rise sharply from their current level of 1 in 37 people across the UK.
25th May 2022 - iNews
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 25th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullOmicron outbreak: 8435 new cases, 15 virus-related deaths; how to download new vaccine pass
There are 8435 new Covid community cases today as the country faces at least five more weeks at the orange traffic light setting. The Ministry of Health reported a further 15 Covid-related deaths. One of these people was aged in their 40s, two were in their 60s, one was in their 70s, three were in their 80s and eight were aged over 90. The deaths took place over the past four days. There are 327 people in hospital with the virus, including 10 in intensive care. The seven-day rolling average of cases today is 7507, compared to 7795 last Tuesday, the ministry said.
24th May 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Covid-19 death registrations fall for second week in a row
The number of deaths involving coronavirus registered in England and Wales has fallen for the second week in a row. Some 719 deaths registered in the seven days to May 13 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is down 2% week-on-week and is the lowest total since mid-March, when numbers were just starting to rise due to the surge in infections caused by the Omicron BA.2 variant. The drop comes despite the latest figures including a backlog of deaths that needed to be registered following the bank holiday on May 2, when most council offices were closed.
24th May 2022 - Belfast Telegraph
Are UK coronavirus cases actually going down or are they just harder to count?
For almost two years we’ve been glued to a set of numbers: the grim trio of cases, hospitalisations and deaths that defined coronavirus in the UK. The daily figures led news reports for more than a year: people watched in horror as the height of the Omicron wave brought the highest ever daily caseload on Tuesday 4 January 2022 when 275,618 people tested positive. And they saw how many people died: a number that peaked on Tuesday 19 January 2021, when 1,366 people died, making it the the worst day of the pandemic*. Since March 2022 case numbers from the daily government dashboard have tumbled. A fall that has coincided with the government’s Living with Covid plan: as restrictions fell away in England, so did cases. The government ended restrictions including the legal requirement to self-isolate on 24 February and cut the provision of free tests on 1 April.
24th May 2022 - The Guardian
North Korea says COVID-19 outbreak under control, but analyst says claim 'essentially nonsense'
For the first time since North Korea — which is unable to confirm COVID-19 cases — revealed it had a fever outbreak, state media is reporting no new deaths and a "stable" downward trend in cases — claims doubted by experts. North Korea's COVID-19 wave, first declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million. But the North said it was reporting "successes" in stemming the spread of the virus, and there was no new fever deaths reported as of Monday evening, despite officials recording 134,510 new patients. The statistic marked a third consecutive day the daily figure stayed below 200,000.
24th May 2022 - ABC News
N.Korea says no new fever deaths, COVID situation under control
North Korea said on Tuesday there were no new deaths among fever patients in the country, the first time since it flagged a COVID-19 outbreak nearly two weeks ago, adding that it was seeing a "stable" downward trend in pandemic-related cases. The COVID-19 wave, which North Korea first declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million.
24th May 2022 - Reuters
Beijing reports 41 new symptomatic COVID cases, 7 asymptomatic cases for May 23
China's capital Beijing recorded 41 new symptomatic coronavirus cases for May 23, down from 83 a day earlier, state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday, citing official data. Asymptomatic cases fell to 7 from 16 the previous day, it said.
24th May 2022 - Reuters
Taiwan kept COVID below 15000 cases for all 2021. Now it has 80000 a day, testing its 'new model'
Billed a COVID-19 success story as its economy boomed through the pandemic, Taiwan is now battling a record wave of infections as it eases restrictions that had kept outbreaks at bay to start life with the virus. For the whole of 2021, Taiwan reported less than 15,000 locally transmitted cases. Now, it's registering around 80,000 cases a day - a startling reversal after the effectiveness of its long-standing zero-COVID policy won it international praise.
24th May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 24th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullCalifornia coronavirus spread significantly worsens, with cases doubling in some areas
The number of coronavirus cases in California significantly worsened last week, hitting a level not seen since the winter’s omicron surge and raising concerns about the possibility of a big jump in infections this summer. Weekly coronavirus cases roughly doubled across wide swaths of California, including Riverside and Santa Barbara counties, as well as the Central Valley and Silicon Valley. They rose by roughly 85% in Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Statewide, the increase was 63%, bringing the case rate to 231 for every 100,000 residents. A rate of 100 and above is considered a high rate of transmission.
23rd May 2022 - Seattle Times
Covid-19: 6000 community cases on Monday, nine deaths
The Ministry of Health is today reporting 6000 community cases, 363 hospitalisations and nine deaths. There are 363 people in hospital, including 14 in intensive care with Covid-19. The seven-day rolling average of case numbers is 7712 – last Monday it was 7702. On Sunday, the ministry reported 4990 community cases and 10 deaths.
23rd May 2022 - Stuff.co.nz
Two cases of new Covid-19 variant of concern confirmed in Ireland
Two cases of a newly classified Covid-19 variant of concern have been confirmed in Ireland. On May 12 the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reclassified two sub-lineages of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, BA.4 and BA.5, from variants of interest to variants of concern. In the chief medical officer’s latest weekly report on Covid-19 to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, he says that two cases of BA.4 have been identified as of the week beginning May 7. Dr Tony Holohan said: “In the context of the international situation in relation to these variants, it should be noted that, as of week 18 2022 (May 7), two cases of BA.4 and no cases of BA.5 have been identified in Ireland.”
23rd May 2022 - Belfast Telegraph
Covid cases in Africa pass 11.59 million-mark
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Africa reached 11,596,707, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said. The specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU) said the death toll across the continent stands at 252,892 and that 10,918,957 patients have recovered from the disease, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya are among the countries with the most cases on the continent, the most cases on the continent, said the Africa CDC.
23rd May 2022 - The Times of India
China reports 869 new COVID cases on May 22 vs 898 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 869 new coronavirus cases on May 22, of which 187 were symptomatic and 682 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 898 new cases a day earlier - 169 symptomatic and 729 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There was one new death, bringing the death toll to 5,223. As of May 22, mainland China had confirmed 223,332 cases.
23rd May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea's fever cases under 200000 for second day amid silence on aid offer
North Korea's daily fever cases stayed below 200,000 for a second day in a row, state media said on Monday, as Pyongyang remained silent on South Korean and U.S. offers to help fight its first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID wave, declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Washington had offered COVID-19 vaccines to China and North Korea, but "got no response."
23rd May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 23rd May 2022
View this newsletter in fullWhats Your Risk of Catching Covid? This $150 Device Helped Me Find Out
My boyfriend wasn’t feeling well. Then again, that wasn’t too surprising. We had just spent a weekend at New Orleans’ annual jazz festival, where we spent long days baking in 90 degree weather and drinking plenty of beer to stay cool. But hangovers and heatstroke weren’t the only potential culprits. The risk of Covid was everywhere. I knew that because for weeks I had been carrying around a palm-sized, $150 carbon dioxide monitor that assesses exactly that. Then Jesse told me that he couldn’t smell anything. A bright pink line soon confirmed the answer I’d been dreading. He had Covid. Three days later — after two years of avoiding it — I tested positive, too.
22nd May 2022 - Bloomberg
North Korea reports 'positive trend' in COVID fight as fever cases dip
For the first time in nearly 10 days North Korea's daily "fever" cases dropped below 200,000, state media said on Sunday, reporting "a positive trend" after measures were taken to control the country's first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID wave, declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million. It has refused most outside help, kept its borders shut and allows no independent confirmation of official data. Apparently lacking in testing supplies, North Korea has not confirmed the total number of people testing positive for the coronavirus. Instead, health authorities report the number with fever symptoms, making it difficult to assess the scale of the COVID wave, experts have said.
22nd May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai reopens some public transport, still on high COVID alert
Shanghai reopened a small part of the world's longest subway system on Sunday after some lines had been closed for almost two months, as the city paves the way for a more complete lifting of its painful COVID-19 lockdown next week. With most residents not allowed to leave their homes and restrictions tightening in parts of China's most populous city, commuters early on Sunday needed strong reasons to travel. Shanghai's lockdown and curbs in other cities have battered consumption, industrial output and other sectors of the Chinese economy in recent months, prompting pledges of support from policymakers
22nd May 2022 - Reuters
COVID may be factor in lack of North Korea response to outreach, White House official says
U.S. President Joe Biden, in Seoul before heading to Japan as part of his first Asia trip as president, had a simple message for North Korea's Kim Jong Un: "Hello... period," he told reporters on the last day of his visit to South Korea on Sunday. Biden said he was "not concerned" about new North Korean nuclear tests, which would be the first in nearly five years. But his wry response when asked what message he had for Kim underscored the administration's low-key approach to the unresolved tensions with North Korea. It is a stark contrast with former President Donald Trump's showy threats, summits, and "love letters" with Kim.
22nd May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 20th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullCOVID-19 deaths dropped by 21% last week but cases rising: World Health Organization
North Korea reported more than 2,62,000 more suspected cases on May 19, 2022, as its caseload approaches two million. The number of coronavirus deaths globally dropped by about 21% in the past week while cases rose in most parts of the world, according to the World Health Organization. In its weekly report on the pandemic released on May 19, the U. N. health agency said the number of new COVID-19 cases appears to have stabilised after weeks of decline since late March, with about 3.5 million new cases last week, or a 1% rise. WHO said cases increased in the Americas, Middle East, Africa and the Western Pacific, while falling in Europe and Southeast Asia. Some 9,000 deaths were recorded.
19th May 2022 - The Hindu
COVID-19 outbreak in 'mass spread' stage, to peak in late May: MOHW
Taiwan's COVID-19 outbreak has entered the "mass community spread" stage and is likely to reach a peak number of infections in late May, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). In a report to the Legislature Thursday, the ministry said Taiwan reported 475,497 new COVID-19 infections from May 12-18, marking "a significant increase" over the 302,597 cases recorded from May 5-11. The rising case numbers indicate Taiwan has entered the "mass community spread" stage of the disease, the ministry said, while noting that imported cases have dropped in the last week but "remain a risk."
19th May 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
Portugal worries surge in COVID-19 cases may affect tourism
The increase in COVID-19 cases could affect the tourism and services sector’s recovery, Economic Minister António Costa Silva said on Wednesday. “The virus can play more tricks on us, as it did before, and that is why it is very important to stress that the virus has not disappeared,” Silva told journalists on the sidelines of a meeting with businesspeople in Aveiro. The minister argued that it is necessary to “continue to take all measures and do everything to contain this threat,” warning that “the worst that can happen is to come out of one crisis and enter another, or worse than that, a cascade of crises that combine.” This year, according to Silva, the government estimates that the tourism and services sector will generate €16 billion, which is only 85% of what was made in 2019.
19th May 2022 - EURACTIV
On-campus COVID-19 measures couldn't contain Omicron
A study assessing Cornell University's COVID-19 surveillance and vaccination programs during the Omicron variant surge suggests that vaccination protected against severe infection, but it and other mitigation measures—including mass testing—didn't prevent rapid viral transmission. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, describes the outcomes of the university's SARS-CoV-2 transmission-prevention programs implemented after the campus reopened for in-person instruction in fall 2021. Steps included mandatory vaccination for students, urging of vaccination for employees, and an on-campus mask requirement. In addition, isolation and contact tracing took place within hours of all COVID-19–positive tests.
19th May 2022 - CIDRAP
It's happening again: COVID-19 cases are back on the rise. There are 3 main reasons why.
COVID-19 infections continue to rise, driven by new and more infectious omicron subvariants, waning immunity from both vaccines and previous infections and fewer people masking up, health officials said at a White House briefing Wednesday. About a third of Americans now live in an area with medium or high COVID-19 rates, with reported cases up 26% from last week, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control an Prevention. On average, about 3,000 Americans are being hospitalized per day and 275 are dying. Walensky urged people in communities with higher infection and hospitalization rates to protect themselves by masking in indoor public places and to get a booster shot if vaccinated and to get vaccinated if they're not.
19th May 2022 - USA TODAY
North Korea's suspected COVID-19 caseload nears 2 million
North Korea on Thursday reported 262,270 more suspected COVID-19 cases as its pandemic caseload neared 2 million — a week after the country acknowledged the outbreak and scrambled to slow infections in its unvaccinated population. The country is also trying to prevent its fragile economy from deteriorating further, but the outbreak could be worse than officially reported since the country lacks virus tests and other health care resources and may be underreporting deaths to soften the political impact on authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un.
19th May 2022 - Associated Press
Biden Health Officials Warn of Substantial Increase in Virus Cases
Federal health officials warned on Wednesday that a third of Americans live in areas where the threat of Covid-19 is now so high that they should consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings. They cited new data showing a substantial jump in both the spread of the coronavirus and hospitalizations over the past week.
Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the seven-day average of hospital admissions from Covid rose 19 percent over the previous week. About 3,000 people a day were being admitted with Covid, she said, although death rates, a lagging indicator, remained low.
18th May 2022 - The New York Times
Tea and infomercials: N. Korea fights COVID with few tools
On a recent nighttime visit to a drugstore, a double-masked Kim Jong Un lamented the slow delivery of medicine. Separately, the North Korean leader’s lieutenants have quarantined hundreds of thousands of suspected COVID-19 patients and urged people with mild symptoms to take willow leaf or honeysuckle tea. Despite what the North’s propaganda is describing as an all-out effort, the fear is palpable among citizens, according to defectors in South Korea with contacts in the North, and some outside observers worry the outbreak may get much worse, with much of an impoverished, unvaccinated population left without enough hospital care and struggling to afford even simple medicine.
18th May 2022 - Associated Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 19th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullDeaths of people with Covid-19 top 1000, 32 reported on Wednesday
New Zealand has now surpassed more than 1000 deaths of people with Covid-19.
The Ministry of Health reported 32 new deaths in a statement released at 1pm on Wednesday, with the total number of reported Covid deaths now sitting at 1017. The rolling seven-day average is 17. It comes as the Ministry announced a new way of reporting deaths with Covid. There were also 9570 new community cases and 425 hospitalisations, including nine in ICU.
18th May 2022 - Stuff
Victorian schools hit with staff shortages amid COVID-19 and flu outbreaks
One government and one private school have had to return to remote learning because of staff shortages. Some schools have experienced a doubling in absenteeism among students because of illness. An infectious diseases expert says schools should remain open.
18th May 2022 - ABC News
China reports 1305 new COVID cases for May 17 vs 1100 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 1,305 new coronavirus cases on May 17, of which 240 were symptomatic and 1,065 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. That compares with 1,100 new cases a day earlier, consisting of 175 symptomatic and 925 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were three new deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,217. As of May 17, mainland China had confirmed 222,370 coronavirus cases.
18th May 2022 - Reuters
As U.S. COVID-19 cases rise, so does demand for antivirals
Rising COVID-19 cases are driving up the use of therapeutics, with Pfizer Inc's oral antiviral treatment Paxlovid seeing a 315% jump over the past four weeks, U.S. health officials said on Tuesday. The increase in U.S. cases and hospitalizations is starting to affect recommendations on behavior, with New York City, the nation's most populous city, advising stricter mask usage but stopping short of new mandates. Apple has scrapped return to office plans
18th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea boasts recovery as WHO worries over missing data
North Korea on Wednesday added hundreds of thousands of infections to its growing pandemic caseload but also said that a million people have already recovered from suspected COVID-19 just a week after disclosing an outbreak, a public health crisis it appears to be trying to manage in isolation as global experts express deep concern about dire consequences. The country’s anti-virus headquarters announced 232,880 new cases of fever and another six deaths in state media Wednesday. Those figures raise its totals to 62 deaths and more than 1.7 million fever cases since late April. It said more than a million people recovered but at least 691,170 remain in quarantine. Outside experts believe most of the fevers are from COVID-19 but North Korea lacks tests to confirm so many. The outbreak is almost certainly larger than the fever tally, since some virus carriers may not develop fevers or other symptoms.
18th May 2022 - The Associated Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 18th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullHow big is the latest U.S. coronavirus wave? No one really knows.
Eileen Wassermann struggles to calculate her daily risks at this stage of the coronavirus pandemic — with infections drastically undercounted and mask mandates gone. The immunocompromised 69-year-old ensconces herself in her SUV for the half-hour ferry ride across the Puget Sound from her home on Bainbridge Island to Seattle, where she undergoes treatment for the rare inflammatory condition sarcoidosis. A retired scientist and lawyer who worked with drug companies, Wassermann is comfortable analyzing coronavirus data. But she said current numbers, which don’t account for most at-home test results, are unreliable. “My mode, which sounds ridiculous maybe at this point, is to be as cautious as I was at the beginning of 2020,” said Wassermann, who has received two booster doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
17th May 2022 - The Washington Post
CDC: Africa tourism favorite now at 'high' risk for Covid-19
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has placed a popular African destination in its "high" Covid-19 risk category for travelers.South Africa -- renowned for its stunning vistas, wildlife, wineries and culture -- is now at Level 3. In total, the CDC moved up four destinations to the "high" risk column on Monday:
17th May 2022 - CNN
Covid-19 deaths fall as bank holiday affects registrations
The number of deaths involving coronavirus registered in England and Wales has fallen for the first time in nine weeks – though the figure is likely to been affected by the May bank holiday. A total of 735 deaths registered in the seven days to May 6 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is down 35% week-on-week and is the lowest number since mid-March. It is also the first percentage drop since the beginning of March.
17th May 2022 - The Independent
North Korea on brink of Covid-19 catastrophe, say experts
North Korea stands on the brink of a Covid-19 catastrophe unless swift action is taken to provide vaccines and drug treatments, experts have said, as the number of people reported to have fallen ill rose to almost 1.5 million. The isolated country reported another big rise in new cases of what it continues to refer to as “fever” on Tuesday, days after it admitted it had identified Covid-19 infections for the first time since the start of the global pandemic. It recorded 269,510 additional cases and six more deaths, bringing the total number killed to 56 since late last month. About 1.48 million people have become ill with the virus since the first case was reported last Thursday and at least 663,910 people were in quarantine, according to official figures. The outbreak is almost certainly greater than the official tally, given a lack of tests and resources to monitor and treat the sick.
17th May 2022 - The Guardian
North Korean planes pick up medical supplies in China, media report
North Korea has sent aircraft to China to pick up medical supplies days after it confirmed its first COVID-19 outbreak, media reported on Tuesday. In some of its first international flights since the coronavirus pandemic began more than two years ago, three Air Koryo planes from North Korea flew to the Chinese city of Shenyang on Monday, and flew back with medical supplies later in the day, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, citing unidentified sources.
17th May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai reports 77 symptomatic, 746 asymptomatic COVID cases for May 16
The Chinese financial hub of Shanghai reported 746 new local asymptomatic coronavirus cases for May 16, down from 869 a day earlier, data released on Tuesday showed. Confirmed symptomatic cases rose to 77 from 69 the previous day. There were zero cases found outside quarantined areas, same as reported a day earlier. The city reported one new COVID-19 related death, compared with four a day earlier.
17th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea COVID outbreak could have 'devastating' impact on human rights, U.N. says
Measures taken in North Korea to fight the first reported COVID-19 outbreak could have "devastating" consequences for human rights in the country, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office said on Tuesday. New restrictions could have dire consequences for people to meet their basic needs, including getting enough food, Liz Throssell told a briefing, adding that any measures taken against the pandemic should be proportionate and necessary. The isolated country confirmed its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak last week, fuelling concerns over a major crisis due to lack of vaccines and medical infrastructure
17th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea reports another fever surge amid COVID-19 crisis
North Korea on Tuesday reported another large jump in illnesses believed to be COVID-19 and encouraged good health habits, as a mass outbreak spreads through its unvaccinated population and military officers were deployed to distribute medicine. State media said the anti-virus headquarters reported another 269,510 people were found with fevers and six had died. That raises North Korea’s deaths to 56 after more than 1.48 million people became ill with fever since late April. North Korea lacks test kits to confirm coronavirus infections in large numbers, and the report didn’t say how many of the fever cases were COVID-19. The outbreak is almost certainly greater than the fever tally, considering the lack of tests and resources to monitor and treat the sick. North Korea’s virus response comes down to isolating people with symptoms at shelters, and as of Tuesday, at least 663,910 people were in quarantine.
17th May 2022 - Associated Press
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 17th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullNYC Nears High Covid-Alert Level, May Consider Requiring Masks
New York City is preparing to hit a high Covid-transmission level in the coming days that would have it reconsidering mask requirements in public places. “If NYC’s Alert Level is raised to High, the City will consider requiring face masks in all public indoor settings,” according to guidance on the city health department’s website. Alert levels take into account cases, hospital admissions and the percentage of inpatient beds that are occupied by Covid-19 patients. Early in May, the city moved to a medium alert from low after surpassing 200 new cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.
17th May 2022 - Bloomberg
N.Korea reports 6 new COVID deaths as military mobilised for supplies
North Korea has mobilised its military to distribute COVID medications and deployed more than 10,000 health workers to help trace potential patients as it fights a sweeping coronavirus wave, state media KCNA said on Tuesday. The isolated country is grappling with its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak, which it confirmed last week, fuelling concerns over a major crisis due to a lack of vaccines and adequate medical infrastructure. The state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters reported 269,510 more people with fever symptoms, bringing the total to 1,483,060, while the death toll grew to 56 as of Monday evening, KCNA said. It did not say how many people have tested positive for COVID-19.
16th May 2022 - Reuters
Coronavirus cases proliferate, especially in the Midwest, as the U.S. death toll nears one million.
Coronavirus cases are spreading at an alarming rate across the United States, particularly in the Northeast and the Midwest, as the country’s death toll nears the one million mark. An average of more than 90,
16th May 2022 - New York Times
Taiwan Navy confirms multiple COVID-19 cases on warship
Taiwan's Navy said Monday it had ordered one of its warships to return to base and everyone on board to get tested for COVID-19, as several crew members had obtained positive rapid antigen test results. The Navy, however, did not say how many people were on the Knox-class frigate, nor did it specify the number that had tested positive for COVID-19, saying only that everyone on board the "Fong Yang" had been asked to do rapid tests. Those who tested positive have been asked to take PCR tests, the Navy Command said in press release.
16th May 2022 - Focus Taiwan News Channel
7061 Covid cases today, five virus-related deaths, 415 people in hospital
There are 7061 new community cases of Covid in the community today. The Ministry of Health reported a further five Covid-related deaths. Of the five deaths reported today, three people were from the Southern region, one person was from Auckland and one person was from Bay of Plenty. One person was in their 50s, one person was in their 70s, and three were aged over 90, the ministry said in today's update. There are 415 people in hospital with the virus, including 11 in intensive care.
16th May 2022 - New Zealand Herald
Two COVID-19 deaths in South Australia as state government launches primary school vaccination hubs
Two people with COVID-19 have died in South Australia as the state government launches an initiative to increase the vaccination rate among children. SA Health has reported 3,392 new COVID-19 cases today, the lowest figure since last Monday, following a spike in numbers over the past week. The two deaths were a man and a woman, both in their 70s. Yesterday, 3,796 new cases were reported, following 3,816 on Saturday. There are now 248 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including seven people in intensive care.
16th May 2022 - ABC News
Kim Jong-un calls in the army to respond to North Korea’s Covid-19 crisis
Kim Jong-un has criticised North Korea’s pandemic response and ordered the army to help distribute medicine, state media said Monday, as the country said 50 people had died since first reporting an outbreak of Covid-19. More than one million people have been sickened by what Pyongyang is referring to as “fever”, state media said, despite Kim ordering nationwide lockdowns in a bid to slow the spread of disease through the unvaccinated population. After two years denying North Korea had any cases of Covid-19, last week officials confirmed that there had been a Covid outbreak in the country.
16th May 2022 - The Guardian
COVID-19 may spread rapidly in North Korea, WHO warns
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that COVID-19 may spread rapidly in North Korea, where it said vaccination programmes had yet to begin. "With the country yet to initiate COVID-19 vaccination, there is risk that the virus may spread rapidly among the masses unless curtailed with immediate and appropriate measures," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO's regional director for South-East Asia, in a statement sent to journalists.
16th May 2022 - Reuters
China reports 1227 new COVID cases for May 15 vs 1789 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 1,227 new coronavirus cases for May 15, of which 151 were symptomatic and 1,076 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That compares with 1,789 new cases a day earlier, consisting of 239 symptomatic and 1,550 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were four new deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,213. As of May 15, mainland China had confirmed 221,955 coronavirus cases.
16th May 2022 - Reuters
N.Korea's Kim orders military to stabilise supply of COVID drugs
Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered North Korea's military to stabilise distribution of COVID-19 medicine in the capital, Pyongyang, in the battle against the country's first confirmed outbreak of the disease, state media said. Last week brought the North's first acknowledgment of an "explosive" outbreak, with experts warning it could devastate a country with limited medical supplies and no vaccine programme.
16th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea Covid Surge Accelerates as Unvaccinated Population Keeps Working
North Korea reported its biggest daily surge in fever cases during a nationwide outbreak of Covid-19 but didn’t respond to a South Korean offer of vaccines even as the North’s leader Kim Jong Un berated officials for failing to contain the disease. At the inter-Korean border, people could be seen walking around villages on the northern side Monday without face masks and working in groups in fields during the rice planting season, showing how unvaccinated North Korea is far from a strict lockdown that some nations have used to stop the spread of Covid.
16th May 2022 - The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 16th May 2022
View this newsletter in full1000 people could be in hospital with Covid-19 daily during winter peak – Govt
Thousands of people could be hospitalised with respiratory illnesses daily over winter, including more than 1000 at a time with Covid-19 at what could potentially be a “quite high” peak, the Government is warning. On Friday, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield outlined modelling around planning for winter. It was expected Aotearoa would see a resurgence of Covid-19, alongside influenza and RSV outbreaks. New data showed while the Southern region was seeing the highest number of cases per 1000 people (particularly in Canterbury and Dunedin) and the seven-day rolling average remains steady overall, case numbers were “creeping up again” in Auckland.
13th May 2022 - Stuff.co.nz
North Korea reports first Covid-19 death due to Omicron variant
North Korea said on Friday that six people have died and 350,000 have been treated since April for an “obscure febrile disease”, a day after the isolated country confirmed the presence of coronavirus within its borders for the first time. State news agency KCNA reported that 18,000 people had been identified on Thursday as having “a fever whose cause couldn’t be identified” and 187,800 were in quarantine. Authorities said one of the dead was infected with Covid-19, adding that the person had contracted the highly transmissible BA.2 Omicron coronavirus sub-variant.
13th May 2022 - Financial Times
China reports 2532 new COVID cases on May 12 vs 1917 a day earlier
Mainland China reported 2,532 new coronavirus cases on May 12, of which 331 were symptomatic and 2,201 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Friday. That compares with 1,917 new cases a day earlier, consisting of 237 symptomatic and 1,680 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. There were two new deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,205. As of May 12, mainland China had confirmed 221,289 coronavirus cases.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
England's COVID prevalence falls again - ONS survey
The prevalence of COVID-19 infections in England fell to 1 in 45 people in the week ending May 7, the Office for National Statistics' Infection Survey said, down from an estimated 1 in 35 people who had the infection the previous week.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korea reports first COVID-19 death as fever spreads 'explosively'
At least one person confirmed to have COVID-19 has died in North Korea and hundreds of thousands have shown fever symptoms, state media said on Friday, offering hints at the potentially dire scale of country's first confirmed outbreak of the pandemic.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
Shanghai reports 1869 new local asymptomatic COVID-19 cases for May 12
The Chinese financial hub of Shanghai reported 1,869 new local asymptomatic coronavirus cases for May 12, up from 1,305 a day earlier, the city's health authority said on Friday.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
South Africa's COVID-19 spike intensifies
At a briefing, WHO officials said Africa's cases have risen for a third straight week, with 87% of the cases from Southern Africa. Also, neighboring Eswatini and Namibia have reported case rises of 50% over the past 2 weeks, compared to the previous 2 weeks. In South Africa, the hot spot, cases have quadrupled over the past 3 weeks. Hospitalizations are still low, but in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, hospitalizations and deaths have jumped 90% to 100% in the past 2 weeks. Abdou Salam Gueye, MD, MPH, the regional office's emergency preparedness director, said, "This uptick in cases is an early warning sign which we are closely monitoring. Now is the time for countries to step up preparedness and ensure that they can mount an effective response in the event of a fresh pandemic wave." Officials warned that Africa's last four waves occurred around the middle and end of the year, coinciding with winter seasons and high population movements over the holidays. Gueye said major pushes are needed to ensure that everyone completes their primary vaccine series and that people in high-risk groups get their booster doses.
12th May 2022 - CIDRAP
Latest BC COVID-19 data appears to show a rise in ICU patients
Another 59 people died in B.C. last week after testing positive for COVID-19, while the number of patients in intensive care with the disease appears to have surged, according to the province's latest reports on the pandemic. As of Thursday, 596 people are in hospital with the novel coronavirus, including 54 in intensive care, according to the B.C. COVID-19 dashboard. That would represent an increase of eight per cent in overall hospitalizations from the numbers last Thursday, when the province reported 550 people in hospital. The number of patients in ICU is up 38 per cent from 39 a week ago. But all of the figures released by the province are preliminary, and making comparisons from week to week has become difficult.
12th May 2022 - CBC.ca
Coronavirus Resurgence - COVID-19 Lockdown Exit Analysis - 13th May 2022
View this newsletter in fullBiden marks one million U.S. COVID deaths after losing political battles
President Joe Biden on Thursday commemorated the COVID-19 deaths of 1 million people in the United States, marking what he called "a tragic milestone" and urging Americans to "remain vigilant" during the ongoing pandemic.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
North Korean state media confirms first Covid death
Six people have died amid an “explosive” spread of fever, North Korean state media has announced, a day after it admitted for the first time ever that an outbreak of Covid had occurred. There were 187,800 people being treated in isolation after a fever of unidentified origin spread in the country since late April, the official KCNA news agency reported. Around 350,000 people had shown signs of that fever with 162,200 of them treated so far. At least six people who showed fever symptoms died, with one of those cases confirmed to have contracted the Omicron variant of the virus, KCNA said. The North Korean ruler, Kim Jong-un, visited the anti-virus command centre on Tuesday, a day after declaring the “gravest state emergency” and ordering a national lockdown.
13th May 2022 - The Guardian
N.Korea reports first COVID-19 death after 350000 sickened with fever
At least one person confirmed to have COVID-19 has died in North Korea and hundreds of thousands have shown fever symptoms, state media said on Friday, offering hints at the potentially dire scale of country's first confirmed outbreak of the pandemic. About 187,800 people are being treated in isolation after a fever of unidentified origin has "explosively spread nationwide" since late April, the official KCNA news agency reported.
13th May 2022 - Reuters
COVID-19: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wears face mask for the first time amid outbreak
North Korea has imposed a nationwide lockdown to control a COVID-19 outbreak after holding for more than two years to a widely doubted claim of a perfect record in keeping out the virus that has spread to nearly every place in the world.
12th May 2022 - Sky News
Coronavirus: signs of ‘large cluster’ at Hong Kong’s Kennedy Town, university says in warning to staff and students
A “large Covid-19 cluster” could be developing in and around Kennedy Town, the University of Hong Kong’s medical school has warned, urging staff and students not to visit the area for lunch this week.
12th May 2022 - South China Morning Post
Number of Covid-19 hospital patients in England lowest since Christmas
The number of people with Covid-19 in hospital in England has fallen to its lowest level since last Christmas, new figures show. A total of 7,034 patients were in hospital as of 8am on May 11, down 21% week-on-week, according to NHS England. This is the lowest figure since December 21 2021, when it stood at 6,902. It was in late December that patient numbers started to rise sharply, driven by the spread of the original Omicron variant of coronavirus. They peaked at 17,120 on January 10 2022, then fell back – only to rise again due to the subsequent wave of infections caused by Omicron BA.2, hitting a slightly lower peak of 16,600 on April 7. Numbers have been dropping for the past month, with all regions of England now showing a steady decline. In south-east England, they have fallen to levels last seen in mid-October 2021. The trend reflects the large drop in the prevalence of the virus in recent weeks, as reported by the Office for National Statistics in its regular infection survey.
12th May 2022 - Wales Online
Analysis: COVID crisis could deepen N.Korea food shortages amid drought warnings
North Korea's coronavirus outbreak threatens to deepen its already dire food situation this year, as a nationwide lockdown would hamper ongoing anti-drought efforts and the mobilisation of labour, analysts said.
12th May 2022 - Reuters
S.Africa's new COVID cases cross 10000 for first time since January
South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases on Wednesday reported 10,017 new COVID-19 cases, the first day since January the institute has reported more than 10,000 new infections.
12th May 2022 - Reuters