Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s continued coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. I am Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.
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From the skeptic of masks to the advocate of facial coatings: After months of minimizing their use, US President Donald Trump has told Americans to wear masks because they “have an impact.” “Gladly” I would use one, he added.
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More than 14.8 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and nearly 614,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Here are the updates:
Wednesday July 22
02:00 GMT – Study suggests coronavirus may spread by speaking
A new University of Nebraska study suggests that COVID-19 can spread through normal speech and breathing, and travel more than two meters, according to an AFP report.
The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.
Nebraska scientists collected air samples from the rooms of five bedridden COVID-19 patients about 12 inches above the foot of their beds. The patients were talking, producing microdroplets or aerosols that can remain in the air for several hours, and some coughed.
The team collected small droplets one micron in diameter, and three of the 18 samples were able to replicate in the laboratory.
Joshua Santarpia, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said the findings supported the idea that people can obtain COVID-19 through microdroplets.
“It replicates in cell culture and is therefore infectious,” he told the news agency.
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COVID-19 survivor: ‘You understand how important life is’ |
01:15 GMT – China reports nine new cases in Xinjiang
China has reported 14 new cases of coronavirus, five of them imported and the rest in the western region of Xinjiang.
There have been no new cases of community transmission in Beijing for 16 days, according to state media.
On Tuesday, the Chinese mainland reported:
– No new deaths # COVID19
– 14 new cases: 5 imported cases and 9 cases of national transmission in Xinjiang
– 22 new asymptomatic cases
– 233 active cases in total, including six in critical condition pic.twitter.com/2VctIqdgzs– People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) July 22, 2020
23:30 GMT (Tuesday) – Qatar to relax travel restrictions from August 1
Qatar has been relaxing its coronavirus travel restrictions since early next month.
Starting August 1, citizens and permanent residents will be able to travel abroad and return, while residents will be able to return.
Travelers from low-risk countries will have to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and another after a seven-day home quarantine period, the Government Communications Office said in a statement.
If confirmed to be COVID-free from a recognized testing center no more than 48 hours prior to travel, they will be exempt from testing upon arrival.
A list of designated low-risk countries will be published on the website of the Ministry of Public Health and will be updated every two weeks.
23:00 GMT (Tuesday) – Trump comes out in favor of the masks
After months of downplaying its importance, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has unequivocally come out in favor of wearing masks.
Speaking at the first White House press conference in weeks, and without the presence of any medical experts, Trump urged Americans to obtain a mask and wear it.
“Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact, they will have an effect and we need everything we can get,” he said. “I will use it with pleasure.”
Homemade masks for sale outside a home in Los Angeles. The President of the United States finally recognized that face masks can help curb the spread of the coronavirus [Chris Delmas/AFP]
Read all the updates from yesterday (July 21) here.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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