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Brazil confirmed another 201 coronavirus deaths over the last 24 hours and 8,429 new cases, the nation’s health ministry said on Monday. The country has now registered 5,103,408 total confirmed coronavirus cases, up from 5,094,979 on Sunday. Total reported deaths rose to 150,689 from 150,488 on Sunday, the second highest toll in the world after the US.
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Summary
- Top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said the president Donald Trump’s campaign team should take down an advertisement that draws on a public statement Fauci made that he says is being used out of context. The ad, released last week, discusses Trump’s effort to recover from Covid-19, as well as his administration’s work to address the coronavirus pandemic. The 30-second spot uses older remarks from Fauci in a way that suggests he was praising the president. Fauci said the ad was “unfortunate and really disappointing”.
- The Czech government will order bars, restaurants and clubs to close from Wednesday until 3 November and shift most schools to distance learning as it puts new measures in place to curb the fast spread of Covid-19 cases in the country. Public gatherings will also be limited to six people, alcohol consumption in public spaces will be banned, and masks will be required at public transport stops.
- France reported a three-month high in ICU patients. Health authorities said the number of people treated in intensive care units for Covid-19 surpassed the 1,500 threshold on Monday, for the first time since 27 May, raising fears of local lockdowns in the country.
- The WHO has warned that the number of new Covid cases is at its highest level since the start of the pandemic. Speaking at the regular Monday press conference in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the organisation’s director general, also called ideas of herd immunity “scientifically and ethically problematic”.
- In France, prime minister Jean Castex has urged people to limit gatherings in their homes but said he “cannot regulate” them. He added that the battle against the virus will last “several months more, I think”.
- In Spain, the government agreed protocols to establish travel corridors between European states and the Canary and Balearic Islands, both of which rely heavily on tourism and have been hit hard by the Covid crisis. Unemployment in the Balearics has risen by 90% since last year as a result of coronavirus.
- For the second day in a row, Iran has announced the highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus, with 272 new victims, as well as its single-day highest count of new cases, with 4,206.
- Malaysia announced that it will impose some restrictions on movement in its capital city and in the neighbouring state of Selangor from Wednesday, as the country grapples with a fresh surge of cases.
- In China, the city of Qingdao in eastern Shandong province announced plans to test each of its nine million residents, after six new cases emerged linked to a hospital treating infections in returning international travellers.
- The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, set out a new, three-tiered system for Covid restrictions to “simplify and standardise” rules in England. The city region of Liverpool was immediately put into the “very high” category, with pubs and bars closed and almost all household mixing banned.
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Top US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci said on Monday that the president Donald Trump’s campaign team should take down an advertisement that draws on a public statement Fauci made that he says is being used out of context.
Asked in an interview on CNN if the ad should be removed, Fauci said, “I think so.” He said the ad was “unfortunate and really disappointing.”
The ad, released last week, discusses Trump’s efforts to recover from Covid-19, as well as his administration’s work to address the coronavirus pandemic. The 30-second spot uses older remarks from Fauci in a way that suggests he was praising the president.
Updated
Peru opened the ruins of Machu Picchu for a single Japanese tourist after he waited almost seven months to enter the Inca citadel, while trapped in the Andean country during the coronavirus outbreak.
Jesse Takayama’s entry into the ruins came thanks to a special request he submitted while stranded since mid-March in the town of Aguas Calientes, on the slopes of the mountains near the site, said the minister of culture Alejandro Neyra on Monday.
“He had come to Peru with the dream of being able to enter,” Neyra said in a virtual press conference. “The Japanese citizen has entered together with our head of the park so that he can do this before returning to his country.”
Takayama, his entry ticket on hand since March, entered the ruins of the citadel built more than 500 years ago on Saturday, and became the first visitor in seven months to be able to walk through the world heritage site. His original plan had been to spend only a few days in Peru to take in Machu Picchu.
“This is so amazing! Thank you!” said Takayama in a video recorded on the top of Machu Picchu mountain.
Minister Neyra said that in November the stone ruins of Machu Picchu will be reopened for national and foreign tourists, without specifying the date. The site will permit 30% of its normal capacity of 675 people per day.
“We are still in the middle of a pandemic,” Neyra said. “It will be done with all the necessary care.”
The Czech government will order bars, restaurants and clubs to close from Wednesday until 3 November and shift most schools to distance learning as it puts new measures in place to curb the fast spread of Covid-19 cases in the country.
The health minister, Roman Prymula, said on Twitter on Monday that public gatherings would also be limited to six people, alcohol consumption in public spaces would be banned, and masks would be required at public transport stops.
The Czech Republic is facing Europe’s strongest surge in Covid-19 cases, when adjusted for population, as the number of infections detected since the outbreak started has soared to nearly 120,000, from around 25,000 at the start of September.
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French health authorities said the number of people treated in intensive care units for Covid-19 has gone beyond the 1,500 threshold on Monday, a first since 27 May, raising fears of local lockdowns in the country.
The number of people hospitalised for the disease stood above the 8,600 threshold for the first time since 29 June.
France has reported soaring Covid-19 infections since the beginning of September. The renewed strain on the country’s hospital system prompted the government to announce extra restrictive measures on Wednesday, mainly in big cities, to contain the disease.
The Premier League says five people have returned positive results in its latest round of Covid-19 tests conducted on players and staff last week.
The league said the individuals who had tested positive for the virus would now self-isolate for 10 days.
“The Premier League can today confirm that between 5 October and 11 October, 1,128 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were five new positive tests,” it said in a statement.
A total of 34 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in six rounds of testing since the new campaign began on 12 September.
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Ireland’s chief medical officer has said he has not seen anywhere near enough evidence to suggest that Covid-19 cases have stabilised sufficiently in Dublin, a bellwether in deciding if nationwide restrictions are strict enough.
Ireland’s government rejected a call by health chiefs last week to enter a second national lockdown and have pinned their hopes on less severe restrictions showing signs of success in the capital city, where they were first imposed.
The government banned indoor restaurant dining and advised against non-essential travel in and out of Dublin on 18 September under the level 3 constraints that were rolled out across the country last week.
Data on Monday showed that cases in Dublin have been broadly stable for the past week at 178.4 per 100,000 people, just above the national rate of 167.8 and lower than in eight of Ireland’s 25 other counties.
Health chief Tony Holohan told a news conference:
We have seen some impact of the measures. The growth rate in Dublin has dropped, it’s now at least lower than other parts of the country. We saw some stabilisation in the numbers last week, but in each of the last three days, we’ve seen case numbers up again.
I don’t think we have anything like the kind of evidence that I would like to have to conclude that the situation in Dublin is sufficiently stable … I don’t think we can conclude that we have turned a corner.
Ireland’s health chiefs will meet on Thursday to provide updated advice to the government, and Holohan said that if the level 3 measures are to make a difference, his team would like to start seeing some encouraging signs by then.
In Northern Ireland, the devolved government will meet on Tuesday to consider new restrictions to slow a far more rapid growth in cases. Curbs there are currently not as strict as in Ireland or many parts of the UK.
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Summary
Thanks for following the coronavirus global live blog today. Here’s a summary of the most significant events so far.
- The WHO has warned that the number of new Covid cases is at its highest level since the start of the pandemic. Speaking at the regular Monday press conference in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the organisation’s director general, also called ideas of herd immunity “scientifically and ethically problematic”.
- In France, the prime minister, Jean Castex, has urged people to limit gatherings in their homes, but said he “cannot regulate” them. He added that he thought the battle against the virus would last “several months more”.
- In Spain, the government agreed protocols to establish travel corridors between European states and the Canary and Balearic islands, both of which rely heavily on tourism and have been hit hard by the Covid crisis. Unemployment in the Balearics has risen by 90% since last year as a result of coronavirus.
- For the second day in a row, Iran has announced the highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus, with 272 new victims, as well as its single-day highest count of new cases, 4,206.
- Malaysia announced plans to impose some restrictions on movement in its capital city and in the neighbouring state of Selangor from Wednesday, as the country grapples with a fresh surge of cases.
- In China, the city of Qingdao in eastern Shandong province announced plans to test each of its nine million residents, after six new cases emerged linked to a hospital treating infections in returning international travellers.
- In England, the prime minister, Boris Johnson, set out a new, three-tiered system for Covid restrictions to “simplify and standardise”. The city of Liverpool was immediately put into the “very high” category, with pubs and bars closed and almost all household mixing banned.
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An extremely weird and interesting story from my colleague Gwyn Topham, who reports that diners have paid up to £360 to eat a meal on a stationary plane, so desperate are they to recreate the feel of air travel during the pandemic (and so desperate are airlines to find new revenue streams).
Gwyn writes:
All tickets were snapped up in less than half an hour for the pop-up Restaurant A380, the airline told Bloomberg. About half of the 471 seats on each of the airline’s double-decker superjumbos, parked at Changi airport, were expected to be available with social distancing in place.
Diners within Singapore who missed out are able to pay $S888 (£501) for the airline’s first-class dining experience at home, including delivery of tableware, slippers and amenity kits.
Singapore’s dining offer follows other revenue-raising initiatives by cash-strapped airlines, who have collectively lost tens of billions during the pandemic. “Flights to nowhere” have proved popular across Asia, with Taiwanese carrier EVA selling joyrides from Taipei and Japan’s ANA laying on Hawaii-themed flights after its actual service to Honolulu was suspended.
Australian carrier Qantas also recently swiftly sold out a sightseeing trip on a 787 Dreamliner that flew around the country from Sydney and back, with the airline’s international travel schedule halted.
You can read the full story here.
In France, health authorities said the number of people treated in intensive care units for Covid-19 has gone beyond the 1,500 threshold on Monday, a first since 27 May, raising fears of local lockdowns in the country.
The number of people hospitalised for the disease stood above the 8,600 threshold for the first time since June 29.
France has reported soaring Covid-19 infections since the beginning of September. The renewed strain on the country’s hospital system prompted the government to announce extra restrictive measures on Wednesday, mainly in big cities, to contain the disease.
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My colleague Philip Oltermann reports on a new report which finds “momentous miscalculations” in how Austrian authorities handled an outbreak at a ski resort.
The outbreak in Ischgl, described as the “ground zero” of the coronavirus first wave in Europe, led to thousands of tourists taking the virus home.
Philip writes:
[The report said] that authorities should have shut down après-ski bars, restaurants, ski lifts and non-essential bus services on 9 March.
The previous day, health authorities had been informed that a waiter at one of the town’s après-ski bars had been tested positive for Covid-19 and eleven staff members had served tourists for a week while displaying flu-like symptoms.
Yet bars in Ischgl were not ordered to shut down until 10 March and the skiing season not declared over until 12 March – “a wrong decision, from an epidemiological perspective”, said Roland Rohrer, the commission’s chair.
You can read the story here:
Mike Ryan of the WHO says that a sharp bump in cases in Mexico is because of a change in counting methods, capturing more cases when there is no positive test, which means the country will tend to report more cases than elsewhere.
He commends the Mexican government on that move and says that in common with other countries across North, Central and South America, “no country is out of the woods”.
He also notes “serious inequities in the way healthcare is delivered” around the world and says that the pandemic has “revealed huge inequities in the system” which already existed.
That’s the end of the WHO briefing.
Updated
Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO, said the rise in hospital admissions in the UK, France, Ireland and other European countries was “worrying”.
He said it was too early to draw any comfort from figures showing fewer deaths compared to new cases, than those seen in the first wave of the pandemic.
I think we need to be really careful right now not to make an assumption about the current disconnect between the rising number of cases and deaths. That could reconnect, very very badly and very catastrophically unless we’re very, very careful.
The World Bank has stepped up its call for a comprehensive programme of debt relief after revealing the amount owed by the poorest countries was at record levels even before the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.
Statistics released by the Washington-based institution showed the external debt of the 73 countries currently eligible to have this year’s repayments suspended stood at $744bn (£568bn) at the end of 2019 – an increase of 9.5% on 2018.
The new figures from the Bank come amid growing concern of an imminent debt crisis among low-income countries struggling to keep up the payments on money borrowed from a mix of public and private creditors over the past decade.
Both the World Bank and its sister organisation, the International Monetary Fund, have warned that poor countries are being forced to cut back on health and education spending to keep up repayments on debts incurred before their economies were hit by a collapse in demand for their exports and drop in remittances.
Read the full story here:
WHO: 'herd immunity is scientifically and ethically problematic'
The WHO has warned that the number of new Covid cases is at its highest level since the start of the pandemic.
Speaking at the regular Monday press conference in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the organisation’s director general, said: “Each of the last four days has seen the highest number of cases reported so far.”
He added: “Around the world, we’re now seeing an increase in the number of reported cases of Covid-19 especially in Europe and the Americas.”
Tedros also warned against the idea of herd immunity. He said:
Herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated. The remaining 5% will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated. In other words immunity is achieved by protecting people from the virus, not by exposing them to it. Never has herd immunity been been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak, let alone a pandemic. It is scientifically and ethically problematic.
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In England, Boris Johnson has set out the details of a new, three-tier coronavirus restriction system after days of briefing to the media.
Peter Walker reports:
The new system, intended to simplify the current patchwork of local restrictions across England, will group local authorities into the three tiers. The full list of which areas are in which tier is expected by the end of Monday.
Officials says a “significant part” of England will be on the lowest tier, and will thus keep the national measures introduced last month, notably the maximum gathering size of six, and the 10pm closure for pubs and other hospitality businesses.
The “high” level is expected in the areas already with local lockdowns, and the hope is to standardise these. In this tier, people cannot mix indoors beyond their household or support bubble, but outdoor meetings would still be subject to the rule of six.
The top level, which will apply to Liverpool, involves a baseline of restrictions, including no mixing between different households or support bubbles indoors or outdoors, except for public spaces such as parks, meaning friends can meet, for example, for a walk.
Read the full story here.
In Italy, police have blocked around 60 websites and a number of social media advertising campaigns that were selling fake products to fight Covid-19.
The Carabinieri health protection command said on Monday that the bogus products included illegal medicines, previously banned due to their side-effects. The websites were based outside Italy, the Italian press agency ANSA has reported.
In September, Italian authorities had blocked two websites based in Cameroon that were selling antidepressant drugs disguised as a cure for the coronavirus. The sites were blocked as part of the Tranquil Summer 2020 drive between June and September.
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In the US, a leader of protests against new coronavirus restrictions in Brooklyn has been arrested on charges of incitement to riot and unlawful imprisonment of a journalist.
Heshy Tischler, a city council candidate and activist in the Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Borough Park, was taken into custody on Sunday evening in connection with his actions during a street protest on 7 October.
Video shows a crowd of men surrounding, jostling and taunting Jewish Insider reporter Jacob Kornbluh, who has been covering resistance to social distancing in the neighbourhood.
Tischler, who was not wearing a mask, can be seen screaming in Kornbluh’s face. Kornbluh, also an Orthodox Jew, said he was struck and kicked during the incident.
Read the full story here:
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AP reports that Jordan’s King Abdullah II has sworn in a new prime minister and Cabinet, tasking the new government to manage the country through an economic and health crisis as it faces a growing wave of coronavirus infections.
The king appointed Bisher al-Khasawneh as the new prime minister after his predecessor, Omar Razzaz, resigned last week.
After a strict lockdown appeared to bring the coronavirus crisis under control, the rate of infections has skyrocketed since the economy was reopened.
The previous government was criticised for its handling of the pandemic. There was widespread public anger over a lack of freedom and right of expression after authorities imposed a state of emergency and lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic.
In his letter designating Khaswneh as prime minister, Abdullah said the formation of this government comes at an “exceptional time” and called on the new government to improve the healthcare system as it grapples with the coronavirus crisis.
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On US Politics Live, Joan E Greve is covering the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, where Barrett is wearing a mask …
… but Republican Senator Mike Lee, who tested positive for coronavirus 10 days ago and has not confirmed whether he has since had a negative test, is not.
Follow proceedings here:
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Here’s Kim Willsher’s piece on French prime minister Jean Castex urging people to limit gatherings in their homes and warning that he expects the battle against coronavirus to go on for months:
“I cannot regulate things in private spaces. It is not legally possible, we are the country of public freedoms and it is not possible under our constitution. I ask people, I keep asking … the only people who can introduce regulations in private spaces are the people themselves,” Castex said.
“We are engaged in battle against a virus, it’s not finished, it will last several months more, I think.
“What we have to avoid are people glued to each other, not wearing a mask, in enclosed spaces. I ask them to respect the protection measures in private places as they do in public places.”
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Four Swiss Guards have tested positive for coronavirus and were showing symptoms, the Vatican said on Monday, as the surge in infections in Italy penetrates the Vatican walls.
The Swiss Guards, the world’s oldest standing army, provide ceremonial guard duty during papal masses, man the Vatican gates and help protect the 83-year-old Pope Francis.
The four are in isolation while their contacts are being traced, the Associated Press reported. They join three other Vatican residents who tested positive in recent weeks plus the dozen or so Holy See officials who tested positive during the first wave of the outbreak.
Despite the positive cases among his own guards, Francis on Monday was seen once again without a mask. He warmly greeted Cardinal George Pell in his private studio, and neither man wore a mask. Also unmasked were Pell’s secretary and the Vatican photographer.
Francis, who lost part of one lung to illness when he was a young man, has drawn sharp criticism in social media for not wearing a mask during his Wednesday general audience, held last week indoors. He was seen shaking hands with clerics and otherwise mingling with the masked crowd. His bodyguards were similarly maskless.
The Vatican last week amended its mask mandates to conform to that of Italy, requiring them indoors and out. The Vatican didn’t immediately respond when asked why Francis wasn’t wearing one to receive Pell.
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Reuters reports that in the Czech Republic, businesses, arts establishments and sports facilities have called for state support after new coronavirus restrictions were expected to cause further financial pain.
The government has ordered theatres, cinemas and sport and fitness centres to close. Restaurants and pubs, an important part of life in the world’s most beer-thirsty nation, must shut by 8pm.
The new measures came as a surprise to some, as the government had pledged not to bring back blanket restrictions.
Among businesses affected was Prague Zoo, which had already lost 45m crowns ($1.95m) in lost ticket sales during a lockdown in the spring. “Closing means just that visitors are not inside. Zookeepers are still caring for the animals, everything runs as normal,” said spokeswoman Lucie Dosedelova.
The health ministry reported 59,920 active Covid-19 cases as of Monday morning. A daily record of 8,615 new cases was reported on Friday.
A near-doubling in hospitalisations over the past week to 2,106 has already forced some hospitals to reduce non-urgent care and re-purpose beds for Covid-19 patients in preparation for a further rise.
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The Spanish government has agreed protocols to establish travel corridors between European states and the Canary and Balearic Islands, both of which rely heavily on tourism and have been hit hard by the Covid crisis.
The protocol states that a traveller arriving in the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands from a destination with an Accumulated Incidence (AI) of 50 or less per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous 14 days would not have to undergo any test on arrival.
Those coming from destinations with an AI greater than 50 will have to present a negative diagnostic test for active infection carried out a maximum of 48 hours before the flight.
Before leaving the islands, visitors must undergo a diagnostic test 48 hours before their flight’s scheduled departure. The tests will be carried out at designated health centres and the cost will be borne by the regional governments.
If visitors prove positive and are obliged to quarantine or are hospitalised, the local government will cover the costs.
“The protocols are a useful measure to reach agreements with our European partners to allow us to recover mobility and reactivate the flow of tourists under safe conditions,” Reyes Maroto, the tourism minister said, adding that she hoped the measures could be extended to other tourism destination on the Spanish mainland.
In a written statement, the government said the protocols are complementary to EU guidelines on travel restrictions that are expected to be approved next week.
Unemployment in the Balearics has risen by 90% compared with last year as a result of the Covid emergency. The Canary Island government says GDP has fallen by 32.6% while unemployment is running at 40%.
Both the Balearics and the Canaries are heavily dependent on British and German tourism.
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Summary
Here are the key events from the last few hours:
- For the second day in a row, Iran has announced the highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus, with 272 new victims, as well as its single-day highest count of new cases, with 4,206.
- Moscow began enforcing measures to keep a third of office workers at home, as Russia reported more than 13,000 new cases on Monday.
- In the UK, three Nightingale hospitals in the north of England have been told to prepare to take patients as Covid cases rise. Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy medical director, said a corresponding rise in deaths was inevitable.
- Malaysia announced it will impose some restrictions on movement in its capital city and in the neighbouring state of Selangor from Wednesday, as the country grapples with a fresh surge of coronavirus cases.
- French authorities could be forced to impose new lockdowns in a bid to contain another surge in coronavirus cases that is putting a strain on hospitals, prime minister Jean Castex warned.
Updated
Supporters of Spain’s far-right Vox party have been protesting against a partial lockdown imposed on Madrid.
Reuters reported that the protests escalated a standoff between Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez and the conservative-led Madrid regional government, on which Vox holds 12 of 132 seats, and which argues that the government’s curbs are illegal and excessive and will spell disaster for the local economy.
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Italy has stepped up measures to stem mafia infiltration into companies struggling financially because of the coronavirus crisis, reports said on Monday.
Officials have issued an average of 150 “anti-mafia bans” each month so far this year, measures that prevent companies from entering into contracts with the public administration, AFP quoted the La Repubblica newspaper as saying.
The figure was a 25% rise on last year, according to the paper.
The efforts are part of a broader attempt to keep European Union recovery funds out of the hands of criminal groups, a risk Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese warned of earlier this year as the pandemic began to bite.
Police are investigating about 3,000 cases of alleged fraud involving virus funds, the Sole 24 Ore said.
The groups have been offering loans or buying out companies that hit dire financial difficulties after Italy imposed a more than two-month lockdown in March.
“The mafia’s movements, in this period, focus more than ever on financing, acquisitions and infiltration into companies,” national anti-mafia prosecutor Cafiero De Raho told Il Sole 24 Ore.
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In Malawi, Reuters’ Charles Pensulo has written about a widely held misconception that there is a link between HIV and coronavirus. He writes:
A widely held misconception that HIV-positive people are at high risk of catching the coronavirus is fueling discrimination and making it harder for them to access the medical care they need, health activists in the southern African country said…
Many HIV-positive Malawians are now so scared of becoming infected with Covid-19 they are staying at home - skipping appointments to pick up medication or missing support group meetings, health workers and campaigners said.
There has also been a 35% drop in the number of HIV tests conducted during the lockdown, said Nuha Ceesay, UNAIDS’ country director, and health activists fear the Covid-19 pandemic could roll back years of steady progress to tackle HIV/Aids in Malawi.
“If you cough or sneeze, people assume you have Covid, especially if they already know you are HIV-positive. People are now afraid to talk openly about their status,” said Grace Ngulube, 25, a Malawian health activist based in Blantyre.
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Human trials of Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine have begun in the United Arab Emirates, the Kremlin said on Monday in a statement detailing a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
The trials in the UAE are the second trials of the Sputnik V vaccine abroad, following the launch of trials in Belarus. Trials are also expected to begin in Venezuela in the near future, Reuters reported.
Updated
Iran daily death toll reaches new high
For the second day in a row, Iran has announced the highest single-day death toll from the coronavirus, with 272 new victims, AP reports.
In an announcement on Monday by the health ministry spokeswoman, Sima Sadat Lari, Iran reported its single-day highest count of new cases, with 4,206 new patients.
On Saturday, a partial lockdown in Tehran was extended for an additional week and the government set new penalties for breaking the rules. It also made mask-wearing mandatory outdoors.
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In Moscow, Theo Merz reports on what’s been called a “decisive” week in the fight against the virus there:
Moscow on Monday began enforcing measures to keep a third of office workers at home, as Russia continues to report record numbers of new Coronavirus cases.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of the Russian capital, said that this week would be “decisive” in Moscow’s fight against the virus.
“There are more and more people in hospitals, and the number of people in a very serious condition is increasing,” Sobyanin said at the weekend, but insisted that a Russia-produced vaccine would be ready for “mass roll-out” in the coming months.
Moscow imposed a strict lockdown in the spring, but relaxed measures in June ahead of a nationwide vote on constitutional changes that will allow President Vladimir Putin to rule until 2036.
On Monday, Russia reported more than 13,000 new cases, bringing its total number of Covid infections to around 1.3 million. Some 22,000 deaths have been registered, a lower proportion than other badly hit countries. This has led to suggestions that Russia is underreporting fatalities, a charge officials deny.
Moscow is the worst-hit area and infections in the capital have increased by 40 percent over the last week, to 4,395.
The mayor’s office has demanded that businesses provide data on their employees to prove that at least 30 percent of them are working from home. Businesses that fail to comply risk fines or temporary closure.
Sobyanin has previously instructed over 65s and people with underlying conditions to self-isolate.
Restrictions in Moscow remain relatively relaxed compared to most other European cities. Bars, clubs and theatres are open, while mask-wearing on public transport is patchy.
Russian media have reported that restaurants and clubs may close again if case numbers continue to grow, and state television has shown commuters being fined for not wearing masks.
Meanwhile more than 10,000 people have taken part in tests for Russia’s controversial “Sputnik V” vaccine, the news agency Interfax reported on Monday. Putin announced in August that the vaccine had been approved and was safe for use, before it had passed the final stage of trials.
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In the United Kingdom, government scientists are giving an update on the latest coronavirus statistics, with deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van Tam describing a “worrying” new rise in cases in the south of England. You can follow that story at our UK blog:
This is Archie Bland picking up the global coronavirus liveblog. You can reach me at archie.bland@theguardian.com or on Twitter.
In the United States, health reporter Jessica Glenza has written about the dilemma in care homes, where advocates for older people and their loved ones say that lockdown is doing huge harm to residents:
Now, a grassroots movement of families is demanding compromise on nursing home lockdowns, arguing that social isolation for nursing home residents is nearly as deadly as the virus that sent their facilities into lockdown. The calls come amid uneasiness from eldercare advocates and as rapid Covid-19 tests are only beginning to reach nursing homes.
“Many of these facilities’ families haven’t been in there in months, and they can see their family members dwindling away, and they’re losing days they can never get back,” said Dave Bruns, a spokesperson for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) of Florida. Nevertheless, they face a “lose-lose” proposition.
“Just the isolation caused by the shutdown order is literally killing people,” he said. “If you don’t reopen them, that’s definitely going to kill some people, and if you do open them it’s definitely going to kill some people.”
Mary Daniels, whose husband Steve lives in a nursing home, went to extreme lengths to spend time with him:
Daniels, after watching her husband cry in confusion through a window, got a job as a dishwasher to see him. She was permitted to see him in his room on her days working.
“My response to that, again, is why is it OK as a dishwasher, but it’s not OK as a wife?” she said. “I would buy that at two months, and three months and four months, but these patients need stimulus and touch,” she said.
Mary Nichols, daughter of another resident, has a starker way of putting it: “We have been saving them to death.”
You can read Jessica’s piece here.
Summary
Below are updates of what’s happened in recent hours. I am now handing the blog over to my colleague Archie Bland, who will continue bringing you live updates. Thanks for following.
- Malaysia on Monday announced that it will impose some restrictions on movement in its capital city and in the neighbouring state of Selangor from Wednesday, as the country grapples with a fresh surge of coronavirus cases.
- French authorities could be forced to impose new lockdowns in a bid to contain another surge in coronavirus cases that is putting a strain on hospitals, prime minister Jean Castex warned on Monday.
- British prime minister Boris Johnson will on Monday impose a tiered system of further restrictions on parts of England as the Covid-19 outbreak accelerates, though anger is rising at the cost of the stringent curtailment of freedoms.
- Italy is set to ban private parties and limit the numbers of guests at weddings and funerals among new restrictions aimed at curbing a surge in coronavirus infections, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters.
- All 9 million people in a major Chinese port city will be tested for Covid-19 following a tiny outbreak, health officials said on Monday, as surging infection numbers in Europe force another round of containment efforts.
Updated
Italy is set to ban private parties and limit the numbers of guests at weddings and funerals among new restrictions aimed at curbing a surge in coronavirus infections, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters.
The decree, which could be issued as early as Monday, prohibits people from hosting more than 10 guests in their homes or in any other private premises.
It also states that no more than 10 guests will be allowed at weddings, and no more than 15 people can be present at funerals. Italy on Friday topped 5,000 new Covid-19 cases in a single day for the first time since March. Daily infections remained above 5,000 on both Saturday and Sunday.
Deaths linked to Covid-19 are far fewer, normally below 30, compared with peaks above 900 a day around the end of March.
Under the draft decree, amateur contact sports involving more than six people, such as soccer, are to be suspended and more severe social distancing is to be imposed in some workplaces.
Updated
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia could afford to be more flexible in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic than earlier this year when it imposed a lockdown.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had more room for manoeuvre this time around because of better available treatment methods, more hospital beds, and a tried and tested the system in place to tackle the virus.
Russia, which has no lockdown currently, recorded a new record increase in coronavirus cases on Sunday. Earlier on Monday, new cases remained close to that level.
Malaysia on Monday announced that it will impose some restrictions on movement in its capital city and in the neighbouring state of Selangor from Wednesday, as the country grapples with a fresh surge of coronavirus cases.
The government will bring in curbs on activities, ranging from attending schools and places of worship to playing sports, from 14-27 October, defence minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
“However, all economic activities in Selangor, the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will be allowed to operate as usual,” Ismail Sabri said in an address broadcast over Facebook Live.
The minister said the government will also extend limited movement restrictions to the entire state of Sabah, a key palm oil-producing state.
Updated
Defying the threat of contracting coronavirus and a citywide lockdown, Myanmar taxi driver Ko Naing, 50, still travels each day to pray outside the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, the country*s holiest Buddhist site.
“I’m not scared of the virus because I feel protected by my religion and regular praying at the pagoda,” he told Reuters, kneeling at the front gate of the pagoda.
The number of Covid-19 infections in Myanmar, which has one of the world’s weakest health systems, has surged from a few hundred in mid-August to more than 27,000 cases and 646 deaths as of Monday.
The country of 53 million people has locked down its biggest city, Yangon, and imposed a broad stay-at-home order across the whole city to stop the virus from spreading.
French authorities could be forced to impose new lockdowns in a bid to contain another surge in coronavirus cases that is putting a strain on hospitals, prime minister Jean Castex warned on Monday.
“If over the next two weeks we see the epidemic indicators worsen, if intensive care beds fill up even more than we expect, we will indeed take additional measures,” Castex said in an interview with France Info radio.
Asked about the chances of new stay-at-home orders and business closures specifically, he said “nothing can be ruled out, given what we’re seeing in our hospitals.”
Castex reiterated that “it should be possible” to avoid a nationwide lockdown like the two-month one at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak in the spring.
But he said too many people were failing to appreciate that “the second wave is here”, noting that two more cities, Toulouse and Montpellier, were placed on maximum alert late Sunday because of a surge in new cases – bringing the total to nine.
In particular, he pointed to Paris and its suburbs, where agents carried out some 500 checks over the weekend to ensure bars were closed as ordered and restaurants were ensuring social distancing measures.
“In 95 cases, the agents had to hand out fines,” Castex said.
On Saturday, the national health agency reported a record of nearly 27,000 new daily virus cases on Saturday, and more than 16,000 on Sunday, with the overall death toll now standing at 32,730.
Castex acknowledged that the government’s homegrown StopCovid tracing app had been ineffective, just weeks after he admitted that he himself had not downloaded it.
Only 2.6m downloads have been carried out since June, far below the versions in Britain and Germany, which have 16m and 18m downloads respectively.
But the government is working on a new version to be released on 22 October, “and this one I will download”, Castex said.
Updated
Hello!
I am running the coronavirus live blog today, bringing you global updates from London where it is 8 am.
Please get in touch with me while I work to share any thoughts, comments or news tips using any of the methods below. Thanks for following.
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British prime minister Boris Johnson will on Monday impose a tiered system of further restrictions on parts of England as the Covid-19 outbreak accelerates, though anger is rising at the cost of the stringent curtailment of freedoms.
Johnson will hold a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee and then address parliament, offering lawmakers a vote later in the week on the measures. He will then hold a press conference alongside England’s chief medical officer and his finance minister.
Johnson’s three-tiered local lockdowns will include shutting bars, gyms, casinos and bookmakers in some areas placed into the “very high” alert level, probably across the north of England, British media reported.
Updated
British Airways, slammed by the coronavirus pandemic, said on Monday that chief executive Alex Cruz is stepping down “with immediate effect” but gave no reason for his departure.
Parent group IAG added in a statement that Cruz, who has been BA chief executive for four and half years, will be replaced by its Aer Lingus boss Sean Doyle but will remain non-executive chairman.
New IAG chief executive Luis Gallego, who took the reins from Willie Walsh just last month, said the reshuffle was aimed at emerging stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has decimated demand for air travel.
“We’re navigating the worst crisis faced in our industry and I’m confident these internal promotions will ensure IAG is well placed to emerge in a strong position,” Gallego said in the statement.
“I want to thank Alex for all that he has done at British Airways. He worked tirelessly to modernise the airline in the years leading up to the celebration of its 100th anniversary.
“Since then, he has led the airline through a particularly demanding period and has secured restructuring agreements with the vast majority of employees.”
Updated
All 9 million people in a major Chinese port city will be tested for Covid-19 following a tiny outbreak, health officials said on Monday, as surging infection numbers in Europe force another round of containment efforts.
The virus has been largely brought under control in China – where it first emerged last year – in stark contrast to many parts of the world still afflicted by rolling lockdowns and high case numbers.
British prime minister Boris Johnson will on Monday announce a new three-tiered alert system for coronavirus cases in England, while German authorities shuttered Berlin bars and clubs after 11 pm until the end of the month and France is believed to be mulling local lockdowns in major cities.
In the US – the world’s worst-affected nation with 7.7 million infections and 214,000 deaths – President Donald Trump declared himself immune after his treatment at a Washington hospital last week.
Six cases of Covid-19 were confirmed on Sunday in Qingdao – a north-eastern port city of 9.4 million – prompting health officials to announce China’s first mass testing in months.
Updated
Hello everyone. I am taking over the coronavirus live blog, bringing you global updates from London. Please get in touch with me while I work to share any thoughts, comments or news tips using any of the methods below.
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That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. Thanks for following along.
My distinguished colleague Sarah Marsh will bring you the latest in pandemic news for the next few hours.
Downing Street says the country is at a “critical juncture” in managing Covid-19 as Boris Johnson prepares to lay out a new three-tier alert system for England. After a Cobra meeting this morning which will determine the final plan, Johnson will address parliament and then appear on TV tonight alongside the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty.
“This is a critical juncture and it is absolutely vital that everyone follows the clear guidance we have set out to help contain the virus,” a spokesman for No 10 said.
The plan is expected to include areas with relatively low infection levels being placed in what is being described as tier 1, where only national restrictions such as the rule of six, the 10pm curfew on restaurants and pubs and existing rules on masks and social distancing will apply. The next tier is likely to include bans on home visits and indoor socialising with other households in bars or restaurants.
In areas under the toughest tier 3 restrictions – including Merseyside, Manchester and Newcastle – bars and pubs are expected to be forced to close. Late last night, the metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region and six other local leaders said in a statement their area was expected to face the toughest restrictions. Restaurants in tier 3 councils were expected to be allowed to stay open until 10pm, but casinos, gyms and betting shops will have to close.
However, government sources have reportedly disputed that restaurants would be allowed to remain open in Liverpool, and claimed that “nothing has been agreed” until this morning.
You can read the details of the tiers here. The plans will be debated on Tuesday, and could be implemented as soon as Wednesday, sources said. Business leaders are preparing to mount a legal challenge to the changes, which they say have “decimated the hospitality industry”. It comes as a survey by the Sustainable Restaurant Association showed 76% of respondents said they would revert to their previous habits of dining out up to four times a month, once restrictions allowed.
Updated
The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, shed tears as he issued a rare apology for his failure to guide the country through tumultuous times exacerbated by the coronavirus outbreak.
Speaking at a huge military parade held at the weekend to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ party, Kim removed his glasses and wiped away tears – an indication, analysts say, of mounting pressure on his regime.
“Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily,” he said, according to a translation of his comments in the Korea Times. “I am really sorry for that.”
Citing his grandfather and father – North Korea’s previous two leaders – Kim continued: “Although I am entrusted with the important responsibility to lead this country upholding the cause of the great comrades Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il thanks to the trust of all the people, my efforts and sincerity have not been sufficient enough to rid our people of the difficulties in their lives.”
Summary
Here are the key developments from the last few hours:
- Global coronavirus cases are nearing 37.5m, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, as surging infections in India as well as the US and Europe contribute to higher daily totals that show no sign of slowing. The death toll worldwide stands at 1,075,848.
- Italy is planning to introduce new restrictions nationwide as infections climb to levels last seen in March. Italian experts meet on Monday to consider new restrictions, expected later in the week, as the country’s daily infections surpassed 5,000 in recent days for the first time since March. Deaths linked to the virus, however, are far lower than at the peak of the pandemic in spring.The health minister, Roberto Speranza, said he had proposed a nationwide ban on private parties, while Rome would also target opening hours for bars and restaurants.
- Health authorities in Greece announced a daily record of 13 deaths from Covid-19, along with 280 new confirmed infections. The country’s total number of cases since the pandemic started stands at 22,358, with 449 deaths.New restrictions on the number of people allowed inside restaurants, museums and archaeological site are being imposed on Monday in Athens and several regions around Greece where the incidence of new cases is considered particularly high.
- More than half of France’s nurses are close to burning out, according to a survey of nearly 60,000 of them, which found they were struggling with cancelled holidays and increased work due to coronavirus.
- The British prime minister, Boris, Johnson is expected to unveil a three-tier alert system of Covid restrictions for England. The first tier is expected to include existing restrictions limiting gatherings to six people and a 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants, and existing rules on masks and social distancing. The second tier is likely to include bans on home visits and indoor socialising with other households in bars or restaurants, while the final tier could force bars and pubs to close. Places such as Merseyside, Manchester and Newcastle – the worst-affected areas – are expected to face the toughest restrictions.
- In China, the city of Qingdao in the eastern Shandong province announced plans to test each of its nine million residents, after six new cases emerged linked to a hospital treating infections in returning international travellers. The exercise is expected to take place over five days. The city reported six new cases and six asymptomatic cases as of 11 October. Most of the cases were linked to the Qingdao chest hospital.
- South Korea confirmed 97 new cases, a modest rise from the daily levels reported last week, just as officials eased social distancing restrictions after concluding that transmissions have slowed after a resurgence in mid-August.
- A second case has been confirmed in Solomon Islands, the Pacific archipelago that had, until this month, remained Covid-free. The first case, confirmed on 3 October, was a student who had been repatriated from the Philippines in late September. The second confirmed case is another student who was on the same flight.
- French Polynesia’s president, Edouard Fritch, has tested positive on returning to Tahiti from France, where he met the French prime minister, Jean Castex, and the president, Emmanuel Macron.
US President Donald Trump will try to put his bout with Covid-19 behind him when he returns to the campaign trail on Monday, Reuters reports, beginning a three-week sprint to the 3 November election with a rally in the vital battleground state of Florida.
The event at an airport in Sanford, Florida, will be Trump’s first campaign rally since he disclosed on 2 October that he tested positive for Covid-19. Trump, who spent three days in the hospital for treatment, said on Sunday he was fully recovered and no longer infectious, but did not say directly whether he had tested negative for the virus.
The Republican president is seeking to change the dynamics of a race that opinion polls show he is losing to Democratic rival Joe Biden just 21 days before Election Day.
For months, Trump had worked furiously to shift public attention away from the virus and his handling of the pandemic, which has infected nearly 7.7 million people in the United States, killed more than 214,000 and put millions out of work.
But his own illness has put the spotlight squarely on his coronavirus response during the closing stretch of the race.
UK cinema admissions are set to hit their lowest level since records began almost a century ago, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic wiping almost £1bn from box office sales.
When the final ticket stubs are counted at the end of the year, it is expected that British cinemagoers will have attended between 40m and 44m times this year, the fewest since records began in 1928. It is well below the previous nadir of 53.8m set in 1984, when hits included Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters and The Karate Kid.
Attendance this year will be about 75% down on the 176m admissions in 2019, one of the best years in decades:
South Korea to make masks mandatory on public transport and in public spaces
South Korea will make wearing masks mandatory on public transport and in public spaces from Tuesday, as the country attempts to prevent a resurgence in coronavirus cases following an easing of social distancing measures.
The country’s authorities, which have won praise for their response to the pandemic, warned that people who refused to wear masks faced fines of up to 100,000 won (£67), possibly including those who wear them incorrectly.
South Koreans, though, will be given a 30-day grace period to acclimatise to the measure, while people with medical conditions and children under 14 will not be required to wear masks, South Korean media said.
Bigger fines of up to 3 million won could be imposed on operators of medical and care facilities if they fail to ensure that visitors are wearing masks. The penalty could also apply to the organisers of protests after Covid-19 clusters were linked to large demonstrations, including those organised by conservative Christian groups.
The mask requirement appears to be an attempt to keep the outbreak in check now that social social distancing guidelines have been relaxed to their lowest level following a recent slowdown in new cases.
High-risk businesses such as nightclubs and karaoke bars can open provided they take preventive measures, such as requiring masks and keeping lists of visitors, while spectators will be allowed to occupy up to 30% of seats in baseball and football stadiums.
South Korea confirmed 97 new infections on Monday, a modest rise from the daily levels reported last week. It has recorded a total of 24,703 cases, including 433 deaths, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, has criticised Donald Trump’s re-election campaign for using his words out of context to make it appear as if he was praising the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
In the video released on Saturday, Fauci can be heard saying: ‘I can’t imagine that … anyone could be doing more’ as the advert boasts of Trump’s response to Covid-19, which in the US has killed more than 214,000 and infected more than 7.7m.
The clip came from an interview Fauci gave to Fox News, in which he was describing the work that he and other members of the White House coronavirus task force undertook to respond to the virus:
Here is today’s wrap of global pandemic news:
People in Gaza are searching through rubbish to find food as Palestinians battle unprecedented levels of poverty, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said.
Across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza and elsewhere, Palestinian refugees are suffering at new depths because of the pandemic, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency chief, Philippe Lazzarini. “There is despair and hopelessness,” he said in an interview:
In Australia, the top public servant in the state of Victoria, the country’s coronavirus hotspot, has resigned after a review of his telephone records revealed he spoke to the state’s highest-ranking police officer on the afternoon that the decision was made to use private security guards in Covid-19 quarantine hotels.
Chris Eccles, the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, released a detailed statement on Monday morning saying he had resigned, effective immediately.
Eccles previously held similar roles as the top bureaucrat in South Australia and New South Wales:
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 2,467 to 325,331, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Monday.
The reported death toll rose by 6 to 9,621, the tally showed.
New Zealand secures 1.5m vaccines from Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech
The New Zealand government signed a deal on Monday to buy 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc and Germany’s BioNTech, with delivery potentially as early as the first quarter of 2021, Reuters reports.
The government did not disclose financial terms of the deal, its first vaccine purchase, which will provide enough doses to vaccinate 750,000 people.
Officials said talks were continuing with other drug companies to secure more vaccine supplies for the country of 5 million people and further announcements were expected next month.
“The additional agreements will ensure that once the portfolio is completed, we will have sufficient Covid-19 vaccines for the whole population,” Research Minister Megan Woods said in a statement.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is one of the leading candidates in the race to be the first to get regulatory approval in the United States and Europe.
New Zealand appeared to have stamped out community transmission of Covid-19 earlier this year following a tough nationwide lockdown. A renewed outbreak in the city of Auckland in August was also brought under control with fresh lockdown measures.
The country has reported just over 1,500 cases, including 25 deaths, far less than most other developed nations.
Liverpool City Region will go into strictest “third tier” restrictions
Liverpool City Region will go into the strictest “third tier” of new anti-coronavirus restrictions to be announced imminently by Britain, its leaders said late on Sunday after talks with the British government, Reuters reports.
The government has decided that further measures and closures will apply to Liverpool City Region, its leaders, including Mayor Steve Rotheram, said in a joint statement.
“Pubs and bars; betting shops, casinos and adult gaming centres and gyms will close,” the statement added.
The statement added that the leaders have agreed with the government to remain in dialogue to establish a “mutually agreeable” financial support package to mitigate the impact of new “Tier 3” restrictions.
“We also require clear definition of the exit strategy from Tier 3”, the statement said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out new measures to try to contain a growing coronavirus crisis on Monday, outlining three new alert levels to better coordinate the government’s under-fire response.
Northern England has been particularly hard hit by a new surge in coronavirus cases that has forced local lockdowns.
In their statement, Liverpool City Region leaders acknowledged the government’s offer on new local arrangements and funding support for a coronavirus test-and-trace system.
The Sunday Times newspaper had reported earlier that mayors in the UK will be given more control over the test-and-trace system as the national government attempts to secure their backing for tough new lockdown rules.
South Korea has confirmed 97 new cases of the coronavirus, a modest uptick from the daily levels reported last week, just as officials ease social distancing restrictions after concluding that transmissions have slowed following a resurgence in mid-August.
The figures released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Monday brought the national caseload to 24,703, including 433 deaths.
Sixty-three of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country’s 51 million people, where health workers have struggled to track infections tied to various places and groups, including churches, hospitals, schools, workers and troops.
Twenty-nine of the new cases were linked to international arrivals, including 13 passengers from Nepal, most of whom who came to South Korea for a Korean language program.
South Korea relaxed its social distancing guidelines beginning Monday, allowing high-risk businesses like nightclubs and karaoke bars to open as long as they employ preventive measures, such as requiring masks and keeping lists of visitors.
Spectators will also be re-allowed in professional sports, although teams will be initially allowed to only sell 30% of their seats in stadiums.
China’s Qingdao city orders testing for all after cases discovered
China’s Qingdao city said on Monday it will conduct Covid-19 tests for the entire population of more than 9 million people over five days after new cases appeared linked to a hospital treating imported infections, Reuters reports.
The city reported six new Covid-19 cases and six asymptomatic cases as of late 11 October. Most of the cases were linked to the Qingdao Chest Hospital.
The National Health Commission’s (NHC) tally of 21 confirmed Covid-19 cases in mainland China for Oct. 11 was published after Qingdao’s announcement, but did not include any confirmed infections in the city and it was not immediately clear why.
The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not count as confirmed cases, rose to 32 from 23 a day earlier, the NHC said. It did not offer a breakdown on where the new asymptomatic cases were reported, though it said 29 of these cases were imported infections.
Daily Covid-19 infections in mainland China has fallen drastically from peaks early this year, but the country remains on high alert in order to prevent painful lockdowns that led to an outright contraction of the world’s No. 2 economy.
Qingdao has already locked down Qingdao Chest Hospital as well as the emergency department of its central hospital. Buildings that the infected individuals live in have also been locked down as part of the virus containment measures.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 85,578, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
In the run up to the New Zealand election this Saturday, my colleague Charlotte Graham-McLay has prepared a report card for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Here is her grade on the country’s Covid-19 response:
Covid-19 response
Professor Michael Baker, a leading epidemiologist based at the University of Otago, Wellington, who has researched and advised on the Covid-19 pandemic response since January
Grade: A
New Zealand adopted a well-communicated elimination goal and took a rapid, vigorous response to the first Covid-19 outbreak and the second one. This strategy has put New Zealand at the forefront internationally in effective pandemic management which will benefit public health and support a more rapid economic recovery than would have been the case if the virus had been allowed to circulate. However, the response could have been even better (more effective and less costly) if it had fully engaged its science community in the research and development effort and made better use of tools such as masks.
Ben Thomas, a PR consultant and former National government staffer
Grade: A
You can’t argue with results, as a procession of deposed opposition leaders have found trying to grapple with Ardern’s post-pandemic popularity. They could have gone harder, and earlier, particularly in sacking an underperforming health minister, and questions remain about where to from here, but Ardern’s personal judgment have left New Zealand well placed for now:
The Trump administration on Sunday called on Congress to pass a stripped-down coronavirus relief bill using leftover funds from an expired small-business loan program, as negotiations on a broader package ran into resistance, Reuters reports.
The administration proposal, which Democrats dismissed as inadequate, was the latest twist in on-again, off-again talks to try to secure more stimulus, as the economy struggles to recover from coronavirus-related shutdowns that threw millions of Americans out of work.
In a letter to lawmakers, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of State Mark Meadows said they would continue to talk to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to try to reach agreement on a comprehensive bill.
But they said Congress should “immediately vote” on legislation to enable the use of the unused Paycheck Protection Program funds, which total around $130 billion.
“The all or nothing approach is an unacceptable response to the American people,” they wrote.
A spokesman for Pelosi, the lead Democratic negotiator, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Updated
Here is the full story on a Canadian detained in China who was “astonished” to learn about the scale of the Covid pandemic:
Mexico’s Health Ministry on Sunday reported 3,175 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 139 additional fatalities, bringing the total to 817,503 cases and 83,781 deaths.
The government says the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.
Mainland China reported 21 new Covid-19 cases for 11 October, matching the number of new cases a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Monday.
The National Health Commission said in a statement all of the new cases were imported infection that originated from overseas. The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not count as confirmed cases, rose to 32 from 23 a day earlier.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Mainland China now stands at 85,578, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,634.
One of the two Canadians that Ottawa says are held arbitrarily in China was “relieved” to get outside news via a virtual diplomatic visit and remains determined to come home, his wife said Sunday.
From AFP: Canada announced Saturday its first contact since January with Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been imprisoned in China for nearly two years.
After months of “extreme isolation, Michael was greatly relieved to receive news from the outside world” and of his family, Kovrig’s wife Vina Nadjibulla told the CBC.
“We are extremely proud that despite his long confinement, Michael’s spirit, determination and even his sense of humor remain unbroken,” she said, adding that her husband was shocked to learn about the scale of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kovrig was “astonished to learn about the details of the COVID-19 pandemic and remarked that it all sounded like some ‘zombie apocalypse movie’,” Nadjibulla said.
Michael Kovrig's wife says that when he had a virtual consular visit after months without 'news from the outside world,' he was 'astonished to learn about the details of the COVID-19 pandemic and remarked that it all sounded like some "zombie apocalypse movie."' Full statement: pic.twitter.com/MWcRbJXwBW
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) October 11, 2020
Canada’s ambassador to China Dominic Barton obtained “virtual consular access” to Spavor on Friday and Kovrig on Saturday, the Canadian Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement.
Former diplomat Kovrig and consultant Spavor have been imprisoned in China since December 10, 2018. They were charged with espionage last June.
Updated
More than half of French nurses approaching burnout – survey
More than half of French nurses are close to burning out, according to a survey of nearly 60,000 of them published on Sunday, which found they were struggling with cancelled holidays and increased work due to coronavirus, AFP reports.
The survey carried out by the national French nursing union found that 57 percent of respondents reported being in a “state of professional exhaustion”, up from 33 percent before the global Covid-19 pandemic struck France early in 2020.
The findings underline the strains being felt in the healthcare sector in Europe, which came under unprecedented pressure during the first wave of infections and now faces another surge in admissions.
The results are also likely to increase pressure on the centrist French government of President Emmanuel Macron, with more than a third of nurses saying their departments were understaffed compared to normal, and two thirds saying working conditions have deteriorated since the start of the pandemic.
One in five nurses said they had been unable to take a holiday since March.
“While there are 34,000 vacant nurses’ positions at this time in 2020... the degraded working conditions mean we risk seeing even more nurses throwing in the towel,” the union said in its statement.
Britain and Kenya said Sunday they would co-host a summit next year to raise funds for children’s schooling in poorer countries, warning that the coronavirus pandemic risked depriving many millions of an education, AFP reports.
The summit is scheduled to take place in Britain in mid-2021 under the UK’s presidency of the G7 club of developed nations, and will be co-chaired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Johnson said the goal was to raise at least $5 billion for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), an initiative launched in 2002 which counts the singer Rihanna as a global ambassador.
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Second case confirmed in Solomon Islands
In more news from the Pacific: A second case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in Solomon Islands, the Pacific archipelago that had, until this month, remained Covid-free.
The first case, confirmed on 3 October, was a student who had been repatriated from the Philippines in late September. The second confirmed case is another student who was on the same flight.
The positive result emerged during a routine second round of testing of all returned students: the infected student has been moved into isolation at the National Referral Hospital.
Announcing the second case, prime minister Manasseh Sogavare said the second positive test had caused the government to suspend all other planned repatriation flights in Solomon Islands.
Sogavare said advice from the country’s health officials was the virus was still being contained within the country’s quarantine system.
“The infection has been contained and each will be managed and eradicated before the students can be released from the isolate and quarantine facility,”
“So my fellow citizens, my message to you all today is [that] the risk of community spread of this virus is still low and therefore we will not implement an immediate general lockdown,” he said.
Sogavare apologised to students still stranded in the Philippines, promising that the government would seek to bring them home as soon as possible.
Only the small and remote island nations and territories of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are believed to be still free of the virus.
Updated
Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett begin Monday as the US is in the grips of the coronavirus pandemic.
From AP:
Republicans who control the Senate are moving at a breakneck pace to seat Barrett before the 3 November election, in time to hear a high-profile challenge to the Affordable Care Act and any election-related challenges that may follow voting.
Democrats are trying in vain to delay the fast-track confirmation, raising fresh concerns about the safety of meeting as two GOP senators on the panel tested positive for Covid-19.
The committee released a letter from the Architect of the Capitol on Sunday that says the hearing room has been set up in consultation with the Office of Attending Physician with appropriate distance between seats and air ventilation systems that meet or exceed industry standards.
Still, California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee who is also a committee member, plans to participate remotely from her Senate office due to coronavirus concerns, her spokesman said Sunday.
Two members who have tested positive for the virus, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have not said if they will attend in person. Lee’s spokesman said the senator is symptom-free but would be making a decision on whether to attend Monday morning, per his doctor’s orders. A spokesman for Tillis did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Harris and others said the hearings should not move forward without plans to test those attending for Covid. One Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, said “it would be smart to do that,” according to the Des Moines Register. Aside from media, few, if any, members of the public will be allowed to attend.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York told the AP that the committee’s chairman, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has “an obligation to be tested” for Covid-19 beforehand because he has been exposed to those with the disease.
Graham told Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he took a test last week and is “negative.” He said, “We’re going to work safely.”
The majority of Britons plan to return to pre-lockdown levels of restaurant visits as soon as they can, ahead of looming new restrictions that could further cripple the ailing hospitality sector, a survey reveals.
Diners are also ready to turn their raised concern for the environment into action and ditch their favourite menu choices for sustainable dishes, according to research carried out by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).
About three-quarters said they were ready to pay for food otherwise destined for the bin, with a similar proportion keen to try British versions of exotic dishes using local ingredients.
Crucially, consumers plan to return to dining out as often as they did before lockdown, once guidelines allow, the national survey reveals. More than three-quarters (76%) said they would revert to their previous habits of dining out up to four times a month:
President of French polynesia tests positive
French Polynesia’s president Edouard Fritch has tested positive for Covid-19 on returning to Tahiti from France, where he met with French prime minister Jean Castex and president Emmanuel Macron.
France is in the middle of a massive second wave of Covid-19 infections: the number of new infections jumped by a record figure in a single day - more than 26,000 - health ministry data showed on Saturday. The total number of infections is approaching three-quarters of a million, and more than 32,000 French have died.
A statement from the French Polynesian government said Fritch undertook the trip to Europe, understanding the risks, because of a number of significant issues that required negotiation with Paris, including healthcare and development initiatives, and survival shelters on Polynesia’s islands.
Fritch followed the travel protocol for Tahiti and tested negative three days before flying back.
The government said the president’s health was “not of concern”. Fritch will be isolated for the seven days recommended by health authorities while continuing to manage the country.
French Polynesia has reported 2754 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic: 633 remain active.
There have been only 10 deaths, but the rate of infection is increasing exponentially in French Polynesia. There were fewer than 70 cases in mid-August but that has increased exponentially, the territory added more than 300 cases last Friday alone.
In July, French Polynesia re-opened its borders and mandatory quarantine requirements were abolished in order to revitalise tourism and revive the economy.
But a significant number of cases have been imported into the country from France, particularly by soldiers and police on rotation through the French territory.
UK at 'critical juncture' as No 10 unveils three-tier Covid alert system
No 10 has warned that the UK is at a “critical juncture” for controlling the spread of Covid as Boris Johnson prepares to lay out new rules that will see pubs and bars in areas with the highest infection rate forced to close.
The prime minister is expected to address the nation on Monday after a frantic weekend of discussion with local leaders from across the country.
Johnson will tell the House of Commons that areas in England will be graded in three tiers as medium, high and very high risk as the government struggles to suppress the virus in the north-west England and parts of the Midlands and north-east England and central Scotland.
In a move that is meant to underline the gravity of the situation that the UK faces, Johnson will on Monday evening front a televised Downing Street press conference with the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty. A public data briefing will also be held by health officials including the country’s deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van Tam, who on Sunday said the UK is at a ‘tipping point”:
Virus that causes Covid-19 can survive up to 28 days on some surfaces
Australian scientists have found that the virus that causes Covid-19 can survive for up to 28 days on surfaces such as the glass on mobile phones, stainless steel, vinyl and paper banknotes.
The national science agency, the CSIRO, said the research undertaken at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong also found that Sars-CoV-2 survived longer at lower temperatures.
It said in a statement the virus survived longer on paper banknotes than on plastic banknotes and lasted longer on smooth surfaces rather than porous surfaces such as cotton:
Here is the full story on Dr Fauci saying his words were used out of context in the Trump campaign ad:
Trump tweets saying 'They are indeed Dr Fauci's words'
Trump tweeted late on Sunday that “They are indeed Dr. Fauci’s own words. We have done a “phenomenal job”. He did not say that Fauci had agreed to be featured.
They are indeed Dr. Fauci’s own words. We have done a “phenomenal” job, according to certain governors. Many people agree...And now come the Vaccines & Cures, long ahead of projections! https://t.co/ANqKL4eBqJ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2020
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh also defended the ad in a statement on Sunday, saying the words from Fauci “are accurate, and directly from Dr. Fauci’s mouth.
“As Dr. Fauci recently testified in the Senate, President Trump took the virus seriously from the beginning, acted quickly, and saved lives,” Murtaugh’s statement added.
Fauci says he did not agree to appear in Trump ad
Top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday he had not agreed to be featured in an ad by President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and that his comments were taken out of context.
The ad, released last week, discusses Trump’s effort to recover from the coronavirus personally, as well as his administration’s work to address the pandemic. The 30-second spot uses older remarks from Fauci in a way that suggests he was praising the president.
“I can’t imagine that anybody could be doing more,” the ad shows Fauci saying.
But those remarks are from a March interview, where Fauci, who has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, was discussing the broader effort, including by the White House coronavirus task force.
“In my nearly five decades of public service, I have never publicly endorsed any political candidate,” Fauci said in a statement.
“The comments attributed to me without my permission in the GOP campaign ad were taken out of context from a broad statement I made months ago about the efforts of federal public health officials,” his statement added.
Updated
Summary
Hello and welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
My name is Helen Sullivan and this is where you want to be for global Covid news as well as White House outbreak news. For Australia updates, see our dedicated blog here.
The best way tp get in touch with me is on Twitter @helenrsullivan – send tips, questions, feedback or just say Hi.
Top US infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday he had not agreed to be featured in an ad by President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and that his comments were taken out of context. More on that in a moment.
Meanwhile Italy is preparing new restrictions as daily infections surpassed 5,000 in recent days for the first time since March. Deaths linked to the virus, however, are far lower than at the peak of the pandemic in spring. Health minister Roberto Speranza said he had proposed a nationwide ban on private parties, while Rome would also target opening hours for bars and restaurants.
- The UK has reported an additional 12,872 infections and 65 deaths – down from 15,166 and 81, respectively, on Saturday. However, figures are usually lower on Sundays due to weekend reporting delays.
- Israel has opened a new coronavirus treatment centre co-run by the army’s medical corps, as the country deals with one of the world’s highest daily infection rates per capita.
- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 53,363 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 577 to 213,614. The US case total stands at 7,694,865 coronavirus cases.
- Twitter has flagged a tweet by Donald Trump suggesting he has coronavirus immunity as misleading.
- Greece announced 280 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, along with 13 deaths – the highest number of daily fatalities recorded in the country since the pandemic began.
- Iran registered 251 deaths in 24 hours – its highest daily toll. The health ministry said the total number of identified cases had risen above 500,000.
- Russia suffered its worst day yet for new infections. Moscow reported 13,634 new cases in 24 hours; the worst such figure since the pandemic began.
- India’s confirmed coronavirus toll crossed 7 million on Sunday with a number of new cases dipping in recent weeks.
