The World Health Organization reported that 2 million cases of Covid-19 were reported worldwide last week, a new record, as Europe moved towards new restrictions and closures to curb a relentless second wave.
Global cases have exceeded 44 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Reports say France may enter a new month-long national lockdown as President Emmanuel Macron prepares to address the nation on Wednesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with state prime ministers in a video conference on Wednesday and agreed to a partial closure that will see bars and restaurants close from November 2 to 30. The stores may remain open on the condition that they establish strict limits on social distancing. familiar with the conversations, he said.
Records for daily infections and deaths were broken in several countries: Germany reported a new record of 14,964 new infections; Russia recorded unprecedented 346 daily deaths and Iran recorded 415 deaths, the worst in its history. The United States added nearly 500,000 cases in one week.
The situation is so bad in Belgium that even Covid-positive doctors and nurses have been asked to work as long as they don’t show any symptoms. Belgian hospital admissions soared to a record 689, surpassing the peak reached on March 28.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure for a new lockdown amid 367 more deaths on Tuesday and warnings that the number of patients in hospitals could double in weeks to more than 25,000. In Italy, opposition businessmen and politicians rebelled against new virus restrictions, even as the country recorded 24,991 cases a day, a record for the second day in a row.
China has reported 42 new cases of Covid-19, including 22 local broadcasts, registering the steepest increase in several weeks, national health authorities said on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s count rose sharply from Monday’s 16, with 22 new local cases reported in the past 24 hours from the remote Xinjiang region’s Kashgar prefecture.
The death toll in Canada has surpassed 10,000, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the situation “really sucks,” warned that if the current trajectory continues, it may affect family gatherings during the Christmas season.
On the vaccine and treatment front, the US agreed to pay Eli Lilly & Co $ 375 million for 300,000 vials of its experimental Covid-19 antibody.
Drug makers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline Plc agreed to make 200 million doses of its experimental vaccine available to Covax, a global effort to provide injections to developing countries.
Drug makers signed the supply agreement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, according to a statement. Gavi is among groups working with the World Health Organization to ensure access to immunization for people around the world.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has submitted requests to the World Health Organization for an Emergency Use List and prequalification of its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, said on Tuesday.
The only good news came from Melbourne. There was joy and relief when the five million people in Australia’s second-largest city were able to return to shops and restaurants after months at home. The pandemic lockdown in the city had lasted 111 days.
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