Category Archives: Corona Virus

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 241.6 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.91 million. More than 6.7 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

COVID-19 travel restrictions between Sydney and Melbourne have been eased, as Victoria opened its borders to fully vaccinated residents of New South Wales.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen for the third consecutive day in France - a trend not seen for almost two months, health authorities said.

New confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Netherlands rose 44% in the week through Tuesday, with some hospitals cutting back on regular care to deal with the increase in infections.

Bulgaria will make a COVID-19 'Green Certificate' mandatory for indoor access to restaurants, cinemas, gyms and shopping malls. The pass shows someone has been vaccinated, tested negative or recently recovered from the virus.

Britain has reported 223 deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test - the highest figure since March.

It comes as Britain announced it would open up the national COVID-19 vaccine booking service to those aged 12 to 15.

Singapore has reported 3,994 new cases of COVID-19, the highest daily rise since the beginning of the pandemic.

Romania has also reported a record number of daily COVID-19 deaths and infections.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries.

Image: Our World in Data

Moscow's mayor has announced four months of stay-at-home restrictions for unvaccinated over-60s and the national government has proposed a week-long workplace shutdown. The moves come as the national death toll from COVID-19 hit another record daily high.

"The number of people hospitalized with a severe form of the disease is increasing every day," Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his website.

"The most alarming thing is the situation with COVID infection among the older generation," he added, saying over-60s accounted for 60% of patients, nearly 80% of people on ventilators, and 86% of deaths.

He ordered those over the age of 60 to stay at home for four months from 25 October, unless they've been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, and for businesses to move at least 30% of their staff to remote work.

Each of our Top 50 social enterprise last mile responders and multi-stakeholder initiatives is working across four priority areas of need: Prevention and protection; COVID-19 treatment and relief; inclusive vaccine access; and securing livelihoods. The list was curated jointly with regional hosts Catalyst 2030s NASE and Aavishkaar Group. Their profiles can be found on http://www.wef.ch/lastmiletop50india.

Top Last Mile Partnership Initiatives to collaborate with:

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was 93% effective in preventing hospitalizations among those aged 12 to 18, according to analysis released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The study took place between June and September when the Delta variant was dominant in the United States.

Also reassuring was that the data from 19 paediatric hospitals showed that among the 179 patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19, 97% were unvaccinated, demonstrating the vaccine's efficacy. Of the roughly 16% of patients hospitalized with severe enough COVID-19 to require life support, none were vaccinated.

The CDC data "reinforces the importance of vaccination to protect US youths against severe COVID-19," the study authors said.

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 20 October - World Economic Forum

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 242 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.92 million. More than 6.72 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

New Zealand has reported a record daily rise in COVID19 cases for the second time in three days, with 102 new infections.

Britain's health minister Sajid Javid has resisted calls from doctors for a return of restrictions, a so-called 'Plan B', but warned that could change if more people did not take up the offer of vaccination. The country reported 223 new deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since March, and cases are the highest in Europe.

It came as a descendant of the the Delta COVID-19 variant was being tested in the UK to assess the level of threat it poses. But it's not yet considered a variant of concern, according to the BBC.

Ukraine has also reported a record daily rise in new COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths, with 22,415 new cases and 546 deaths.

The United States has now donated more than 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to more than 100 countries, the White House announced.

Japan's Shionogi & Co Ltd has announced Phase II/III trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

France's lower house of parliament voted to approve the extension of COVID-19 health pass measures until at least 31 July, 2022. The pass shows the holder is vaccinated against COVID-19, or has recently tested negative.

The Pan American Health Organization has called on countries to grant entry to vaccinated travellers regardless of which shot they received, to prevent discrimination and facilitate business.

Poland plans to make COVID-19 vaccine booster doses available to all adults over the next few weeks, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, said.

The Czech Republic is set to introduce new restrictions, due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. It also said Americans could choose a different shot from their original inoculation for their booster.

The World Health Organization has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic will go on longer than necessary because of vaccine inequity. It means it could 'easily drag deep into 2022'.

How COVID-19 cases are rising and falling a round the world.

Image: Our World in Data

India's immunization campaign has covered three-quarters of its 944 million adults with at least one dose, but only 31% with two. The government wants all adults to get vaccinated this year.

"India scripts history," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter. "We are witnessing the triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of (1.3 billion) Indians."

Nearly 90% of the vaccines administered in India have come from the Serum Institute of India (SII), which produces a licensed version of the AstraZeneca drug. SII has more than tripled its capacity since April and can now produce 220 million vaccine doses a month.

Each of our Top 50 social enterprise last mile responders and multi-stakeholder initiatives is working across four priority areas of need: Prevention and protection; COVID-19 treatment and relief; inclusive vaccine access; and securing livelihoods. The list was curated jointly with regional hosts Catalyst 2030s NASE and Aavishkaar Group. Their profiles can be found on http://www.wef.ch/lastmiletop50india.

Top Last Mile Partnership Initiatives to collaborate with:

People vaccinated against COVID-19 are highly unlikely to die of the disease unless very old and already badly ill before getting it, a study in Italy showed on Wednesday.

The study by the National Health Institute (ISS), contained in a regular ISS report on COVID-19 deaths, shows the average age of people who died despite being vaccinated was 85. On average they had five underlying illnesses.

The average age of death among those not vaccinated was 78, with four pre-existing conditions. Cases of heart problems, dementia and cancer were all found to be higher in the sample of deaths among those vaccinated.

The analysis, carried out from Feb. 1 to Oct. 5 this year, studied the medical records of 671 unvaccinated COVID fatalities and 171 fully vaccinated ones.

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: Top news stories about the coronavirus pandemic as on 21 October - World Economic Forum

(WXYZ) Despite falling COVID-19 cases across the country, Michigan is bucking the national trend. Cases remain high.

In fact, new daily COVID-19 cases in the state remain nearly twice as high as much larger states like Florida and California.

So why is Michigan different? Infectious disease experts say there are no easy answers.

The state has been through multiple surges of COVID-19. The latest is fueled by the delta variant, and as we move into the colder months, Michigan remains one of just five states that have yet to stop rising cases.

According to Dr. Matthew Sims of Beaumont Health, it is not unusual for Michigan COVID-19 cases to ebb and flow out of step with the rest of the nation. He said that's just one of the ways the delta surge is unique. Past surges have been shorter and sharper.

"Prior times, we would get this tremendous number of cases over a short period of time, and then it would fall immediately," he said.

But during the delta surge, cases have been climbing slowly and steadily since the end of June. The peak hasn't been as pronounced with this surge. It's likely just as large.

"Because it sort of spread out over more time, that's probably more cases overall involved. The reasons for these aren't 100% clear," he said.

Sims said one of the reasons states in the south, including Florida and Texas, saw peaks during summer may be the intense heat driving people inside just as the delta variant hit. Michiganders were spending more time outdoors.

Another factor in Michigan is the return to school. Last week, Michigan reported 100 new outbreaks. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said K-12 outbreaks are outpacing all other settings.

Sims said pediatric cases are a key driver of the surge and point to districts without mask mandates.

"The data is absolutely clear that in the school districts without mask mandates, there are higher cases of COVID-19," he said.

Now, we're entering the cold months with family gatherings and holiday celebrations.

Michigan's COVID-19 positivity rate, case rate, percent of inpatient hospital beds with COVID-19 patients and the death rate are all up.

"Do you expect this slow, steady surge to continue into and through the holidays, maybe into 2022?" I asked.

"It may. And that's frustrating and scary," Sims said.

The challenge in getting to the bottom of the surge in Michigan is that a lot of factors are driven by human behavior.

It's the same delta variant in Michigan as it is everywhere else.

Health experts say masking, vaccinations and staying home when you are sick will be critical in stopping the surge as we move into the cold weather season.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.

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Michigan's COVID-19 cases are rising while they fall elsewhere; here's why that could be - WXYZ

COLUMBUS (WCMH) The Ohio Department of Healthhasreleasedthe latest number of COVID-19 casesin the state.

As of Thursday, Oct. 21, the state is reporting a total of 1,511,760 (+4,084) cases, leading to 78,249 (+275) total hospitalizations and 9,967(+46) ICU admissions. A total of 6,425,794 or 54.97% of the population has begun vaccination. Thats an increase of 5,685 since the last report.

The ODH reported 289 deaths Tuesday, bringing the total to 23,616. The state is updating the number only after death certificates have been processed, usually twice a week.

The 21-day case average is now just below 5,000.

Recently, ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said the delta surge seems to have plateaued, but he urged continued vigilance.

Its far too early for us to claim victory, he said at Thursdays ODH press conference. We may not know the full impact of this surge for some time. What we do know is hospitals are feeling the real effects of the surge.

Dr. Vanderhoff said it takes approximately six weeks for the vaccinated to be fully protected after their last shot. This is important because Thanksgiving a potential superspreader holiday is only seven weeks away.

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Coronavirus in Ohio Thursday update: More than 4,000 cases reported - NBC4 WCMH-TV

We're breaking down the trends and relaying information from across the state.

ATLANTA We're breaking down the trends and relaying information from across the state of Georgia as it comes in, bringing perspective to the data and context to the trends.

Visit the 11Alive coronavirus page for comprehensive coverage, find out what you need to know about Georgia specifically, learn more about the symptoms, and keep tabs on the cases around the world.

State and federal officials with the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continually monitoring the spread of the virus. They are also working hand-in-hand with the World Health Organization to track the spread around the world and to stop it.

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Bacon 1856 47

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Montgomery 1140 36

Morgan 1855 32

Murray 6197 123

Muscogee 20659 538

Newton 11043 304

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Coronavirus in Georgia | COVID case, death, and hospitalization data Oct. 21 - 11Alive.com WXIA

RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) Virginia health officials reported 1,779 new coronavirus cases and 39 new virus-related deaths on Thursday morning, which brings the Commonwealths total COVID-19 count up to 913,100 confirmed and probable cases and 13,624 confirmed and probable deaths.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) confirmed 679,262 cases and 11,461 deaths are related to the virus as of Thursday, Oct. 21. However, 233,838 cases and 2,163 deaths are still reported as probable.

Meanwhile, the department says theseven-day testing positivity ratehas dropped from 6.8 percent to 6.7 percent over the past 24 hours.

According toVDHs Thursday tally,more than 143,000 cases have been reported from the following localities in southwest and central Virginia:

**items in bold indicate new cases, hospitalizations, and/or deaths from previous weekdays totals**

Since Wednesday, Oct. 20, the VDH reported 34 new COVID-19 cases in Pittsylvania County, 34 in Roanoke City, 31 in Franklin County, 30 in Campbell County, 26 in Montgomery County, 25 in Roanoke County, 19 in Pulaski County, 19 in Salem, 16 in Botetourt County, 16 in Lynchburg, 14 in Wythe County, 13 in Amherst County, 13 in Bedford County, 13 in Henry County, 12 in Carroll County, 11 in Alleghany County, nine in Danville, nine in Floyd County, nine in Giles County, eight in Patrick County, seven in Radford, seven in Rockbridge County, six in Appomattox County, six in Bath County, six in Grayson County, six in Halifax County, four in Charlotte County, four in Covington, four in Nelson County, three in Buena Vista, three in Craig County, three in Galax, three in Martinsville, two in Bland County, and two in Highland County.

In addition, of the 39 new virus-related deaths reported on Thursday, health officials say 12 are from the localities listed above. More specifically, two are from Alleghany County, one is from Campbell County, one is from Carroll County, one is from Danville, one is from Floyd County, one is from Franklin County, one is from Halifax County, one is from Lynchburg, one is from Pulaski County, one is from Pittsylvania County, and one is from Roanoke City.

However, between Wednesday and Thursday, the VDH reported two less coronavirus cases in Lexington.

The department has received 38,194 total records of confirmed and probable virus-related hospitalizations around Virginia as of Thursday, which is 66 more hospitalizations than VDH reported on Wednesday.

Of these newly-reported hospitalizations from Thursday, four are from Pittsylvania County, three are from Montgomery County, two are from Amherst County, two are from Campbell County, two are from Pulaski County, two are from Roanoke County, one is from Appomattox County, one is from Bedford County, one is from Carroll County, one is from Danville, one is from Galax, one is from Giles County, one is from Henry County, one is from Lynchburg, and one is from Wythe County.

Get breaking news, weather, and sports delivered to your smartphone with the WFXR News app available on Apple and Android.

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VDHs Thursday tally includes 1,779 new COVID-19 cases, 66 new hospitalizations - WFXRtv.com

Fourmore Mainers have died while health officials on Thursday reported there have been another 551coronavirus cases across the state.

Thursdays report brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Maine to 99,807,according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats up from 99,256 on Wednesday.

Of those, 71,110have been confirmed positive, while 28,697were classified as probable cases, the Maine CDC reported.

Two women and two men have succumbed to the virus, bringing the statewide death toll to 1,113.

Of those, one was from Franklin County, one from Knox County and two from Oxford County. They were in their 60s (2), 70s (1) and 80s (1).

The number of coronavirus cases diagnosed in the past 14 days statewide is 5,926. This is an estimation of the current number of active cases in the state, as the Maine CDC is no longer tracking recoveries for all patients. Thats down from 6,055 on Wednesday.

The new case rate statewide Thursday was 4.12 cases per 10,000 residents, and the total case rate statewide was 745.72.

Maines seven-day average for new coronavirus cases is 454.4, down from 490 the day before, up from 399.7 a week ago and down from 479.6 a month ago. That average peaked on Jan. 14 at 625.3.

The most cases have been detected in Mainers younger than 20, while Mainers over 80 years old make up the majority of deaths. More cases have been recorded in women and more deaths in men.

So far, 2,705 Mainers have been hospitalized at some point with COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Of those, 197 are currently hospitalized, with 71 in critical care and 31 on a ventilator. Overall, 43 out of 341 critical care beds and 205 out of 305 ventilators are available.

The total statewide hospitalization rate on Thursday was 20.21 patients per 10,000 residents.

Cases have been reported in Androscoggin (10,519), Aroostook (3,751), Cumberland (21,528), Franklin (2,193), Hancock (2,678), Kennebec (9,537), Knox (1,889), Lincoln (1,757), Oxford (4,924), Penobscot (11,893), Piscataquis (1,290), Sagadahoc (1,931), Somerset (4,174), Waldo (2,348), Washington (1,785) and York (17,609) counties. Information about where an additional case was reported wasnt immediately available.

An additional 1,758 vaccine doses were administered in the previous 24 hours. As of Thursday, 898,572 Mainers are fully vaccinated, or about 75.9 percent of eligible Mainers, according to the Maine CDC.

New Hampshire reported 575 new cases on Thursday and five deaths. Vermont reported 117 new cases and two deaths, while Massachusetts reported 1,470 new cases and 11 deaths.

As of Thursday morning, the coronavirus had sickened 45,228,844 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as caused 731,410 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.

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4 more Mainers have died and another 551 coronavirus cases reported across the state - Bangor Daily News

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Record number of COVID-19 patients in Wyoming hospitals - Wyoming Tribune

by: Dr. Mary Gillis, D.Ed.

Posted: Oct 21, 2021 / 08:31 PM EST / Updated: Oct 21, 2021 / 08:32 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Scientists say some people with a specific DNA makeup are genetically resistant to the coronavirus.

A global group of researchers studied several different genes and the roles they play in peoples likelihood for infection. The groups paper was published in the most recent issue of Nature Immunology.

Scientists pioneering this research used lessons from the past to speculate why some are more susceptible than others. They based their conclusions on previous studies looking at viruses such as HIV and the norovirus, commonly known as the stomach flu.The two viruses are similar to COVID-19. People with certain genetic codes have less receptors that allow the viruses to bind to the nasal cavity, thus infecting people.

The research is still very new, the group says. But while the results of the study are still in question, the authors say their findings could lead to the development of new COVID-19 therapies and pave the way for novel drugs designed to block COVID-19.

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Some may have innate immunity to COVID-19 thanks to genetic makeup - WISHTV.com

A video call on a laptop screen during Christmas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance on Friday for safely celebrating the upcoming holiday season. FilippoBacci/Getty Images hide caption

A video call on a laptop screen during Christmas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance on Friday for safely celebrating the upcoming holiday season.

Following confusion earlier this month on how the country should safely celebrate the holidays, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released its updated guidance around gatherings and traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the new guidance issued Friday, the CDC says the best way to safely celebrate the holiday season is by being vaccinated (if eligible) against the coronavirus.

"Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination such as young children by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated," the CDC said on its website.

Health officials said that having every person in attendance vaccinated against the virus is particularly important for protecting those who can't get a shot, such as children under 12.

The CDC recommends that those who aren't fully vaccinated delay their travel plans. For those that do travel, the CDC offers recommendations for domestic or international travelers.

In addition, the CDC suggests those who aren't fully vaccinated wear well-fitting masks over the nose and mouth if in public indoor settings. It says outdoor celebrations, if possible, are recommended instead of indoor ones.

If in an outdoor setting, those who are vaccinated do not need to wear a mask, unless they are in areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases.

"By working together, we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health as well as the health of our family and friends," the CDC said.

Just this week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said that trick-or-treating can resume this Halloween, should those that are fully vaccinated feel comfortable doing so.

"I think that, particularly if you're vaccinated, you can get out there and enjoy it," Fauci told CNN's State of the Union.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, HealthyChildren.org, officials recommend that families that decide on outdoor trick-or-treating do so in small groups.

When it comes to handing out candy, the website says to sit outside and line up individually prepackaged treats for children to take, including non-edible treats for those with food allergies.

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The CDC emphasizes COVID vaccinations as a key to safe holiday gatherings - NPR