Coronavirus Global Updates, Oct 29: Northern Ireland updates as Department of Health reports 22 deaths in 48 hours

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Zimbabwe COVID19 Update


COVID-19 update: As at 28 October 2020, Zimbabwe had 8 320 confirmed cases, including 7 845 recoveries and 242 deaths. 


 






Coronavirus updates: DC case average its highest since August


The coronavirus impact on the DMV continues. Here are the latest updates.

 

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WASHINGTON — The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) remains present around the country, as well as here in the DMV. Things like masks and social distancing are the most important to help combat the spread of the virus.

This blog details the latest updates on the coronavirus in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Check-in each day for what’s new, where each part of the DMV is at in its phased reopening plan and what direction the coronavirus trend is headed.

Have a question? Text it to us at 202-895-5599.

Updates on coronavirus cases come from health departments between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. every day.


Tracking the Coronavirus


*	D.C. is now averaging 68 new cases of the coronavirus a day. That’s its highest daily average since mid-August.
*	Maryland is now averaging 741 cases of the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 607 cases. That's an increase of 22%.
*	As of Wednesday, more than 500 people are currently hospitalized in Maryland for treatment of COVID-19. Of those, nearly 400 are in acute care. That’s the highest number the state has seen in two months.
*	Virginia is now averaging 1,140 new cases of the coronavirus a day. That’s its highest daily average in more than two months, and more than 50% higher than where the commonwealth started off October.


Northern Ireland coronavirus updates as Department of Health reports 22 deaths in 48 hours


Northern Ireland's youngest coronavirus victim has been named as Derry teenager Aaron Doherty

*          

Nightingale City Hospital, Belfast. 

In the last 48 hours, the Department of Health has recorded a further 22 coronavirus related deaths.

Northern Ireland's Covid-19 death toll now stands at 680, as of Wednesday morning.

And the first person in the 0-19 age category has sadly passed away after contracting the virus.

Aaron Doherty, 17, from Derry, died at Altnagelvin Hospital on Tuesday after taking unwell on Monday.

Speaking to Derry News, Aaron's father Jim described his son as "the happiest child you could ever have met and was just so loved".

*          

*         Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Full breakdown of Wednesday's Covid-19 figures

Mr Doherty added: "The outpouring of grief and messages we have received just shows how much Aaron was loved.

“I can honestly say that Aaron was the happiest child ever. He was such a positive fella and a wee gem.

“He loved his football and was a big Derry City and Celtic fan and he used to play with local team Ballymoor.

“He was also a kickboxing champion when he was about 12 or 13. He loved his sport."

On Wednesday's Department of Health dashboad, a further 840 positive cases of the virus were recorded.

 

How coronavirus contact tracing is operating in Northern Ireland

 

Contact tracing is an established method to help prevent the further spread of infections such as Covid-19.

In Northern Ireland, this approach is now being used to target potential clusters which could spark new outbreaks of the virus.

As outlined by the Public Health Agency, contact tracing works by identifying a confirmed case and asking them who they have been in contact with. Individual contacts are identified as being high risk, low risk or no risk.

To be considered high risk you will have to have been in close contact with a confirmed case and have spent more than 15 minutes with them without any personal protection, they say. This means that those who have casually passed by someone on the street will not be considered high risk.


 


Halloween Trick or Treating in Northern Ireland is 'not safe'


The usual Halloween traditions should not go ahead this weekend, the Public Health Agency has warned.

The PHA is urging people to keep safe at Halloween by coming up with new ways to have fun which stick to guidance around staying safe from contracting and spreading coronavirus within our families and communities.

 

Dr Gerry Waldron, Head of Health Protection at the PHA, said: “The past six months have been tough for everyone, so it is important that we take the opportunity to have fun and enjoy ourselves when we can, and Halloween is the perfect opportunity to do this safely.

 

“With just a bit of creativity, we can think of new ways to have fun at Halloween which also keep us safe from Covid-19.

“We do not advise continuing the tradition of ‘bobbing for apples’ this year or going outside to trick or treat within the community, as these are not safe practices this year, as they increase the risk of infection. Sharing of food and sweets can also spread the Covid-19 virus.

 

“Face-to-face interactions with older and vulnerable neighbours could also put them at risk.”

 

The official rules on face masks in Northern Ireland

Social distancing, stricter hand hygiene and the wearing of face coverings have become part of our everyday lives now as the fight against coronavirus continues.

Since August, the use of face coverings in certain indoor settings, such as shops or shopping centres has been mandatory.

You must also wear a face covering on public transport.

In more recent weeks, this has been extended to include airports, banks and some government offices, as well as private buses and taxis.

We have pulled together the most recent information and guidance on face masks in Northern Ireland, from the NI Executive.

NI's youngest coronavirus victim dies age 17

Aaron Doherty has been described as “just the best child you could have wished for” by his doting father.

The 17-year-old, from Derry, is the first person under the age of 20 to have died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Aaron, who was recently diagnosed with a condition called Cushing Syndrome, sadly passed away on Tuesday at Altnagelvin Hospital.


Coronavirus update: India tally crosses 8 million mark


Global tally crosses 44 million mark

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India’s tally of those infected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crossed the 8 million mark October 29, 2020. The country has 8,039,434 total cases, of which 603,269 are active, according to covid19india.org.

The country recorded 50,225 COVID-19 between October 28 and 29 (1,075,760 tests conducted).

*	The number has been steadily on the rise after recording a decline in the last few days: At least 43,036 more cases were recorded on October 27 (1,066,786 tests conducted); 36,104 on October 26 (958,116 tests conducted) and 45,922 (939,309 tests) on October 25, according to covid19india.org.
*	A total of 120,570 people have died due to the virus in the country, with 514 deaths being reported in the last 24 hours.
*	The fresh surge in cases has come as national capital Delhi recorded the highest single-day spike of 5,673 infections (60,571 tests conducted), taking the total tally to 370,014 of which 29,378 are active cases. The city had logged 4,853 cases a day before (57,210 tests conducted).
*	The active-case ratio in the city is at 7.9 per cent. That is, for every 100 infected people, eight are currently infected. The fatality ratio is 1.7 per cent.
*	The case fatality ratio was the highest in Maharashtra at 2.6 per cent, followed by Gujarat at 2.2 per cent. A total of 1,660,766 people have been infected in Maharashtra so far, of whom 43,554 have died. Gujarat has recorded 170,053 cases so far; 3,704 have died of the virus.
*	As many as 71 seats went to polls in the first phase in Bihar, the first Indian state to hold elections amid the pandemic. As the turnout clocked 54 per cent, voters and polling officers defied COVID-19 norms by not adhering to social distancing and abandoning masks.    
*	The global tally crossed the 44 million-mark, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. The World Health Organization said that two million COVID-19 cases were reported globally in the last one week.
*	The United States continues to add more daily cases than India. As of October 28, it had 8,858,024 total cases. Brazil, which is the third-most affected country after US and India, has recorded 5,468,270 cases.
*	 A COVID-19 vaccine may be available for some people before Christmas, Kate Bingham, chair of the United Kingdom government’s vaccine taskforce, said in an interview to BBC. She, however, added that early 2021 launch was more likely. Two phase III efficacy clinical trials are now underway in the UK — the Oxford AstraZeneca Plc vaccine and Novavax vaccine.
*	The Serum Institute of India (SII), which has an agreement with AstraZeneca to manufacture the Oxford University vaccine, said on October 28 the vaccine candidate could be ready as early as December.
*	Earlier, AstraZeneca said the vaccine candidate “produced a robust immune response in older adults and the elderly, those at highest risk of severe illness”.


Coronavirus latest news: National lockdown similar to those in Europe needed to curb spread, warns government adviser


A national lockdown similar to those in Europe is needed to curb the spread of Covid-19, a government adviser has warned.

Steven Riley, professor of infectious disease dynamics at Imperial College London, said the data from the React coronavirus study suggests "we need to think about changing the approach".

"We're getting to the stage where we have to see prevalence go down," he said.

"I think what our study shows is there would be genuine benefits to some kind of national policy. In that we could prevent the pattern in the south turning into the current pattern in the north and bring about a reversal in the north as quickly as possible.

"If we're going to end up using those restrictions that have been brought in elsewhere in Europe today and yesterday, we should think about timing - and sooner is better than later."


Face masks should be washed and tumble dried each day, study finds


Face masks should be washed daily at 60C and tumble dried if possible in order to completely kill off any traces of coronavirus, experts have said.

A recent study by the University of California found that particles can build up in masks and regular washing is important.

Professor William Ristenpart, a chemical engineer at the university, found that while masks prevent emissions they also store droplets and aerosols and could be a source of infection. 

Angela Merkel wearing a face mask in the German parliament CREDIT: FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS

"Our results suggest that individuals using homemade fabric masks should take care to wash or otherwise sterilise them on a regular basis to minimise the possibility of emission," he wrote in a recent paper published in Nature. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that reusable masks should be changed more frequently than daily if they get dirty, damp or wet. They should also be stored in a clear, resealable plastic bag between uses and only touched by their elastic straps. 

West Yorkshire council leader denies region is in 'stand-off' with government   

Leader of Bradford Council, Susan Hinchcliffe, said it appeared the Government was "unflinching in their resolve" to place the region into Tier 3 as another day passed without a decision.

But Ms Hinchliffe, who is also the chairwoman of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said she would not describe it as a "stand-off".

The talks have been ongoing as hospitals in West Yorkshire announced the cancellation of some routine operations as numbers of Covid-19 patients on wards reached levels higher than in the April/May peak.

Ms Hinchliffe told Today: "I wouldn't call it a stand-off."

She said the "only thing that's worked" is a national approach but added: "I've been told there's no prospect of a national lockdown."

"The whole country was in it together and doing things together. There is something about people following rules and wanting to see the fairness of it all."

 

We'll do 'everything in our power' to stop national lockdown, says Communities Secretary

"It is very concentrated in some places and so I think it is right that we try everything in our power to try to avoid a blanket national lockdown," Robert Jenrick told the BBC.

He said discussions will take place on Thursday over increased restrictions for Leeds and West Yorkshire.

"We're having discussions later today with Leeds and West Yorkshire where there's also a concerning rise in the number of cases and pressure on the local NHS."

Current surges are 'ferocious', warns WHO special envoy

Professor David Nabarro said coronavirus is spreading with a surprising ferocity but lockdown restrictions have slowed the spread in the North of the UK.

Discussing the situation in Europe, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This virus has been picking up extraordinary energy over the last three or four weeks and it is indeed surprising just how ferocious the current surges have become."

Prof Nabarro said the UK has "apparently been able to slow the spread in some parts of the North of the country through very effective local action".

"What that's led to is a sort of levelling up and it seems that southern parts of the UK are speeding up," he said.

Covid-19 variant from Spain accounts for more than 80% of UK cases

A coronavirus variant that originated in Spanish farm workers now accounts for the majority of new Covid-19 cases in several countries — and more than 80 per cent in the UK.

An international team of scientists that has been tracking the virus through its genetic mutations has described the extraordinary spread of the variant, called 20A.EU1, in a research paper to be published on Thursday.

It suggests that people returning from holiday in Spain played a key role in transmitting the virus across Europe.

The new variant emerged among agricultural workers in north-east Spain in June and moved quickly through the local population, according to the study.

It accounted for more than eight out of 10 cases in the UK, 80 per cent of cases in Spain, 60 per cent in Ireland and up to 40 per cent in Switzerland and France.

 The researchers concluded that the “risky behaviour” of holidaymakers in Spain — such as ignoring social distancing guidelines — who “continue to engage in such behaviour at home” helped the spread of the new variant.

 

British public gave additional £800m to charity during first months of pandemic

Charitable giving across the UK between January and June was at levels usually seen during the peak fundraising months leading up to Christmas, the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) said.

Between these months, the public donated a total of £5.4bn to charity - £800m more than for the same period in 2019.

However, the CAF found that some charities suffered unprecedented losses as donors shifted their donations to charities supporting the NHS and fundraising opportunities shrank.

There was a large increase in the number of people donating to or sponsoring hospitals and hospices, and one in five people reported donating to charities which support the NHS.

This coincided with Captain Sir Tom Moore's £32m fundraising effort for NHS Charities Together by walking laps of his garden.

But medical research charities were among the hardest hit, losing out on an estimated £174m.

Infections 'doubling every nine days'

The second wave of coronavirus in England has reached a "critical stage", with infections doubling approximately every nine days, experts have said.

The interim data from round six of the React study at Imperial College London uses data and swab results from 86,000 people between October 16-25, and estimates there are around 96,000 new infections per day.

According to the study, the overall prevalence of infection in the community in England was 1.28% - or 128 people per 10,000, up from 60 per 10,000 in the previous round which took place between Sept 18 and Oct 5.

Infections were doubling every nine days with a national reproduction number (R) estimated at 1.56, compared to 1.16 in the previous round, according to the study.

'Covid toes' could last for months after infection

People infected with coronavirus may end up developing a skin symptom known as Covid toes, scientists have said.

Research by the International League of Dermatological Societies and the American Academy of Dermatology found some patients had chilblain-like inflammation on their feet, sometimes lasting for months at a time.

The condition typically develops within a week to four weeks of being infected and can result in toes becoming swollen or changing colour.

Symptoms are said to be mild in the majority of cases and the feet return to normal within weeks.

Scientists have also discovered that about one in six people require hospital treatment, while some of those with "long Covid" symptoms report cases lasting for several months.

New daily record for Italy

Italy reached a new daily record of nearly 25,000 coronavirus cases and added 205 deaths on Wednesday.

Nearly 1,000 people were admitted to hospitals nationwide and 125 more are in intensive care.

Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese briefed the Senate on protests following Italy's latest anti-virus restrictions, which shuttered restaurants and bars at nightfall, closed movie theatres and, in some regions, imposed overnight curfews.

 

While daytime protests by restaurant owners and taxi drivers have been largely peaceful, Ms Lamorgese accused a variety of fringe anti-government and virus-negating groups of using the crisis as an excuse for  <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/27/european-countries-mull-tougher-anti-virus-measures-italian/> violence, vandalism and looting.

Italy has nearly 590,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 38,000 deaths, the second highest in Europe after Britain.

China records highest daily increase in months

Mainland China reported 47 new Covid cases on Wednesday, up from 42 a day earlier.

It marked the highest daily increase in more than two months, the country's national health authority said on Thursday.

Of the new cases, 23 were local infections in Xinjiang involving previously asymptomatic patients following a mass infection reported in Kashgar. The rest were imported infections originating from overseas.

The increase in confirmed infections is the highest since 49 cases were reported on August 9, but still at a small fraction of what the country saw at the height of the epidemic in February.

The total number of new asymptomatic cases fell to 16 from 38 a day earlier.

The total number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 85,915, while the death toll is 4,634.

Travel ban helps protect Australia from pandemic waves

Australia has sought to prevent new coronavirus cases from reaching its shores by banning most of its residents from leaving in the first place.

The ban creates a heartbreaking burden on its multicultural population, around half of whom were born overseas or have an immigrant parent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has held up Australia's travel ban as an example to the world of how to avoid severe subsequent coronavirus waves spread by citizens who are infected while travelling on vacation.

But with Australia becoming one of the most successful countries in containing the spread of the virus, some are questioning how long the ban can be justified.

Japanese company aims for December trial of vaccine

Shionogi & Co is planning clinical trials by year-end for what may be one of Japan's first domestically produced Covid-19 vaccines to reach the market, as the globe races to secure enough doses to battle the pandemic.

The company plans to put its vaccine candidate into Phase 1 clinical trials in December and shift into Phase 2 by January and apply for tentative approval from the government, Shionogi chief executive Isao Teshirogi told Reuters.

But a Phase 3 trial would likely be done overseas due to the relative lack of Covid cases in Japan, he said.

Shionogi's plan to have enough doses to inoculate 30 million people by the end of next year means its impact will be much larger than that of first mover Osaka-based AnGes, which expects to have its first doses ready by March.

"For almost national security reasons, having good capacity in Japan makes a lot of sense," Mr Teshirogi said.

While Shionogi lags global frontrunners that are now conducting mass final-stage clinical trials, it is betting on a proven platform to help it become Japan's biggest home-grown Covid-19 vaccine producer. 

 

 

 

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