TUESDAY OCTOBER 13 - CORONAVIRUS GLOBAL UPDATE

 in-cyprus 13 October 2020 - by Annie Charalambous

More than 37.74 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,078,572​ have died, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson said it had temporarily paused its COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials due to an unexplained illness in a study participant, delaying one of the high-profile efforts to contain the pandemic.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

AMERICAS

* As President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail for the first time since he announced his COVID-19 diagnosis, the top U.S. infectious disease expert said the country faced a “whole lot of trouble” if it did not encourage universal wearing of face masks and avoid mass gatherings.

* Argentina surpassed 900,000 cases of coronavirus on Monday, with strong growth of infections in large populated centers in the interior of the country.

EUROPE

* The number of people being treated in French intensive care units for COVID-19 exceeded 1,500 on Monday for the first time since May 27, authorities said.

* British Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a tiered system of further restrictions on parts of England.

* The Czech government ordered bars, restaurants and clubs closed from Wednesday and shifted schools to distance learning.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Australia’s most populous state said on Tuesday it will ease restrictions despite reporting the biggest one-day jump in new COVID-19 cases in six weeks.

* China’s International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, the country’s biggest air show, has been postponed because of the pandemic.

* South Korea reported 102 new coronavirus cases as of Monday midnight, marking the first triple-digit increase in six days.

* India’s total coronavirus cases rose by 55,342 in the last 24 hours to 7.18 million on Tuesday morning, the lowest daily rise since mid-August.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Iran registered a daily record 272 deaths in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Monday, taking total fatalities to 28,816 in the worst-hit country in the Middle East.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The Takeda Pharmaceutical Co-led group that is developing a blood plasma treatment for COVID-19 has started manufacturing while the late-stage trial to determine whether it works is ongoing.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

* China’s imports grew at their fastest pace this year in September, while exports extended their strong gains as more trading partners lifted coronavirus restrictions.

* A slow economic recovery from the pandemic threatens to delay a full rebound in world energy demand to 2025, the International Energy Agency said.

* Ireland’s government will offer in its budget for 2021 on Tuesday more support to those most impacted by some of Europe’s toughest COVID-19 restrictions.

* The last pints could be pulled in some pubs across northern England this week as furious bosses warn new restrictions will wipe out their businesses.