France reports exponential growth in cases – latest updates

Sunday, August 30, 2020

France reports 5,413 new  cases in past 24 hours

France has reported 5,413 new confirmed coronavirus cases, a slight decrease from the 5,453 infections seen on Saturday. 

Compared to several hundred cases a day in May and June, the national health service says the growth is exponential, and neighbouring countries have imposed quarantines or testing for people arriving from parts or all of France.

The health ministry said the cumulative number of Covid-19 deaths rose to 30,606  on Sunday from 30,602 reported on Saturday.

The number of people in hospital with the disease was 4,535 versus 4,530 the day before and the number in intensive care rose to 402 from 400.

The figures comes as the country's education ministry acknowledged that not all French classrooms can safely reopen Tuesday. 

“It’s being decided by a day-by-day analysis based on the health situation of each territory,” Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said Sunday on France-Info radio. Some classes will remain closed, he said, but “as few as possible.”

A collective of doctors published an appeal Saturday saying the governments’ school virus measures aren’t strict enough. It urged mask requirements for children as young as six and a mix of online and in-person schooling.

The government wants to reopen all schools starting Tuesday to reduce learning gaps worsened by the spring lockdown, and to get parents back at work and revive the economy.

Turkey's recoveries near a quarter of a million 

Turkey has confirmed 1,482 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the nationwide tally to 268,546.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca also announced that the number of recoveries have reached 243,839.

Citing the ministry data, Koca said 1,027 additional patients recovered from Covid-19, while the death toll rose to 6,326 as 42 more people lost their lives to the disease.

UK records highest level of cases since June 

The United Kingdom recorded 1,715 daily confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to government data on Sunday, the highest level since June 4.

One person had died within 28 days of testing positive for the disease, it said. 

Covid-19 hospitalisations in Italy increase 

The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care beds in Italy has been rising in the past few weeks.

On Sunday, 86 persons infected with the coronavirus occupied ICU beds, compared to 38 in late July, as returning vacationers drive up Italy’s numbers of day-to-day new caseloads as well as hospitalisations.

Italy counts 268,218 confirmed infections and 35,477 known deaths, including four in the last 24 hours. After months in which the heaviest concentration of cases occurred in northern Italy, lately many southern regions are seeing sharply rising numbers. 

On Sunday, Campania, the region which includes the southern metropolis of Naples, had the most new cases in Italy — 270.

Brazil tourist spot bets on Covid-19 immunity in novel strategy 

Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago 354 kilometres off Brazil's northeastern coast famous for abundant sea life, pristine beaches and dramatic mountainsides rising above the coast, is trying a novel method for fighting the coronavirus.

Only tourists who have already had Covid-19 and recovered will be allowed onto the island chain, according to statements released by local and state governments over the past week.

There is significant debate as to the level and duration of immunity that coronavirus patients develop after a first infection. There have been cases of re-infection reported, including in Brazil. However, such reports are relatively rare.

The new rules go into effect September 1. For now, tourists are not allowed on the islands. The island has about 3,100 permanent residents. 

"There hasn't been community transmission on the island for a long time. We have to keep it that way," Andre Longo, the health secretary of the state of Pernambuco, said in a statement. "Obviously, this step is going to be done with an eye on safety and reactivating economic activity on the archipelago."

Fernando de Noronha has so far registered 93 confirmed cases of the virus and no deaths. It prohibited tourism starting in March. For a period from April to June, even residents who were on the mainland were not allowed to return.

Indonesia reports 2,858 new infections, 82 new deaths

Indonesia reported 2,858 new coronavirus infections and 82 more deaths, taking the total number of cases to 172,053 and fatalities to 7,343, data by the country's health ministry showed.

Russia's infection tally climbs to near 1 million

Russia reported 4,980 new coronavirus cases, pushing its confirmed national tally up to 990,326.

Authorities said 68 people had died of Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, raising the official death toll to 17,093.

Victoria registers 114 new virus cases, 11 deaths

The Premier of the virus-hit Australian state of Victoria announced 114 new Covid-19 cases and 11 more deaths had been recorded in the past 24 hours.

The fatalities bring the death toll from the virus in Victoria to 524 and the Australian total to 611.

It follows 94 new cases on Saturday, which was the first day since July 5 that cases had dropped to double digits.

Melbourne residents will be subjected to two more weeks of restricted movement, including a nightly curfew.

Restrictions across Australia's second largest city are due to expire on September 13 but will be reduced gradually rather than removed completely.

Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria, said he shared Victorians' frustration over the continued restrictions.

"We all want this to be, this second wave, to be defeated."

But Andrews cautioned "it needs to be defeated properly so that it's not some smouldering fire that then takes off again and potentially burns more intensely than it ever has."

India sets world's highest daily rise in cases

India has registered a record new 78,761 cases in the past 24 hours, the worst single-day spike in the world, as the government continues to further ease pandemic restrictions nationwide.

The Health Ministry  also reported 948 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 63,498.

India now has the fastest-growing daily coronavirus caseload of any country in the world, and has reported more than 75,000 infections for the fourth consecutive day.

Sunday’s surge has raised the country’s total virus tally to over 3.5 million and comes at a time when India is reopening its subway networks and allowing sports and religious events in a limited manner from next month as part of efforts to revive the economy.

The crowded subway, a lifeline for millions of people in capital New Delhi, will be reopened in a phased manner from Sept. 7. Schools and colleges will, however, remain closed until the end of September.

The South Asian country has the third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil, and its fatalities are the fourth-highest.

Even as eight Indian states remain among the worst-hit regions and contribute nearly 73% of the total infections, the virus is now spreading fast in the vast hinterlands, with experts warning that the month of September could be the most challenging.

South Korea sees 299 new cases as virus spikes

South Korea reported 299 new cases as officials placed limits on dining at restaurants and closed fitness centers and after-school academies in the greater capital area to slow the spread of the virus.

The 17th consecutive day of triple-digit daily increases brought the national caseload to 19,699, including 323 deaths.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 209 of the new cases came from the capital of Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province and Incheon, a region that had been at the center of a viral resurgence this month.

Health authorities have ordered churches and nightspots to close and shifted more schools back to remote learning nationwide as infections spiked in recent weeks.

For eight days starting on Sunday, restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area will be allowed to provide only deliveries and takeouts after 9 pm. Franchised coffee shops like Starbucks will sell only takeout drinks and food while gyms and after-school academies will be shut to slow the viral spread in the region.

Germany's confirmed  cases rise by 785 to 241,771

The number of confirmed cases in Germany increased by 785 to 241,771, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.

The reported death toll rose by six to 9,295, the tally showed. 

Brazil surpasses 120,000 coronavirus deaths

Just over six months after registering its first case of the new coronavirus, Brazil has crossed the grim threshold of 120,000 people killed by Covid-19, with no end in sight to the crisis.

The country of 212 million people has now registered 120,262 deaths from the virus and 3,846,153 infections, the health ministry said in its daily update.

Brazil is just the second country to surpass a death toll of 120,000 in the pandemic, after the United States, where the number killed is now more than 182,000.

Mexico cases rise to 591,712, deaths up to 63,819

Mexico's health ministry has reported 5,974 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infections and 673 additional fatalities, bringing the total to591,712 cases and 63,819 deaths.

The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

South Africa cases exceed 620,000

South Africa has registered 1,846 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the number of infections to 620,132.

The health ministry said 115 people died from the virus, pushing the number of fatalities to 13,743.

Health care professionals conducted 3.63 million tests and the number of recoveries reached 533,935.

Four more test positive for virus in Hawaii prison

The Hawaii Department of Public Safety has said that three inmates and one staff member at the Oahu Community Correction Center tested positive for Covid-19.

There are now more than 300 people who have tested positive at the Honolulu facility, including 256 inmates and 53 employees, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

Early in the pandemic, several advocacy groups raised concerns about the safety of others crowded in jails and prisons statewide and mentioned the risk of an outbreak.

Since then, the Hawaii Supreme Court has had ongoing orders to release defendants incarcerated for misdemeanour and petty misdemeanour crimes to open space in the facilities.

Arizona surpasses 5,000 coronavirus deaths

The US state of Arizona has reached a grim milestone of more than 5,000 known coronavirus deaths.

The state Department of Health Services reported 629 confirmed coronavirus cases and 29 more deaths on Saturday to total 5,007.

Meanwhile, Arizona State University President Michael Crow says 452 students have tested positive for the coronavirus. More than half involve students who live off campus in the metro Phoenix area.

Crow says 205 students are currently in quarantine on the Tempe campus.

Navajo Nation coronavirus deaths rise to 500

Navajo Nation health officials has said that the confirmation of a new death brings the number of fatalities from coronavirus to 500. 

The Navajo Nation on Friday night reported the additional death as well as 14 more confirmed cases of Covid-19. That brings the total number of people infected to 9,780. 

But that includes 165 cases that occurred between early April and mid-August and were recently identified as Covid-19 related. 

Navajo officials said 94,099 people have been tested for the coronavirus and 7,032 have recovered. 

The Navajo Nation lifted its stay-at-home order on August 16, but is asking residents to go out for emergencies or essentials.