Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, May 31-June 2
Published Jun 4, 2020 12:54 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous listed in eastern time.
The S&P 500 finished the day in the positive, marking a major milestone for the index since the economic downturn in March due to the coronavirus. Since bottoming out in late March, the S&P 500 is now up 40%, closing at 3080.82 points on Tuesday afternoon, CNBC reported. “The S&P 500 remains highly news flow driven,” said Lori Calvasina, RBC’s chief U.S. equity strategist. “Good news on vaccines helped stocks in May, but US-China relations & civil unrest could steal the spotlight in June.” The quick rebound in the market has given economists a positive outlook on the markets. “This will be the quickest recession,” said Scott Colbert, chief economist at Missouri-based Commerce Trust Company. “The average recession lasts 11 months. This one will last maybe four months,” Colbert added.
Medical workers should use respirator masks instead of surgical masks, analysis shows.The results of 172 studies, funded by the World Health Organization, showed that N95 and other respirator masks are far superior to surgical or cloth masks in protecting essential medical workers against COVID-19. “It’s been disappointing that both the W.H.O. and the C.D.C. have suggested that surgical masks are adequate, and they’re clearly not,” said David Michaels, a professor at George Washington University who headed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under President Obama, according to The New York Times. “Reliance on surgical masks has no doubt led to many workers being infected,” he said. According to the analysis, N95 masks offered 96 percent protection, while surgical masks protection was 77 percent.
New cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Tokyo, spurring officials to issue a new alert to residents. On Tuesday, officials in Tokyo reported 34 new infections across the city, the highest single day total in more than three weeks, according to Bloomberg. “The number of cases today is a level at which we should be cautious,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said. “The Tokyo Alert is a step to inform Tokyo residents of the status of the outbreak and call on them to take caution.” The jump in new cases comes one week after the national state of emergency was lifted in Tokyo, allowing schools, gyms and businesses to begin reopening.
Japan ranks eleventh on the list of the most populated countries in the world, but in terms of the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the country is ranked 43 with 16,837 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Japan has also reported 902 fatalities and more than 14,500 recoveries.
A study found proteins in coronavirus patients blood could predict the severity of the illness.Scientists found 27 key proteins are present in different levels in COVID-19 patients, depending on the level of their symptoms, according to Reuters. The team looked at the proteins in blood plasma from 31 COVID-19 patients then validated their results with 17 other patients with COVID-19 at the same hospital and in 15 healthy people who made up the control group. These findings can help doctors predict how sick a patient may get from the virus, identify those most at risk of needing intensive care and may even help with potential treatments. “A test to help doctors predict whether a COVID-19 patient is likely to become critical or not would be invaluable,” said Christoph Messner, an expert in molecular biology at the Crick Institute who co-led the research.
North Carolina governor not ready to let Republicans hold a “full convention” this summer. Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to move the 2020 Republican National Convention out of Charlotte if the party was going to be prohibited from holding a convention at which “full attendance” was permitted. On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat responded to the Republican Party with a letter saying a “full convention” is something the state can’t commit to at this time. The letter, posted on Twitter, left open the possibility of going ahead with a scaled-down convention if coronavirus prevention best practices were followed. “The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity," Cooper wrote in a letter addressed to the Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Trump and Republicans are looking to hold an event that holds 50,000 attendees.
A total of 519 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Iraq Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, which cited the country's Ministry of Health. That total is a new daily record for the country, which has reported a spike in cases recently thanks to an increase in testing, according to The AP's report. Following a request from the World Health Organization (WHO), the country recently resumed a lockdown to contain the spread of infections.
WHO Representative in Iraq, Dr. Adham R. Ismail, called on Iraqis across the country "to commit to the highest levels of preventive measures and adhere to the lockdown to help the health authorities contain the spread of the virus." Over 7,300 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Iraq and that have been more than 230 deaths. The AP says that the country is facing a shortage of hospital beds and ventilators.
A COVID-19 treatment facility outside of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, has welcomed three new healthcare workers to the staff. Akazuba, Ikizere and Ngabo, three robots donated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have been deployed at the facility in an effort to minimize contact between patients infected with the coronavirus and healthcare workers, Reuters reported. The robots’ jobs consist of simple tasks, including taking temperatures and monitoring patients. The robots are also able to relay messages to doctors and cut the number of bedside visits. “It doesn’t remove the tasks the doctors are supposed to do, it’s just complementing their efforts,” Francine Umutesi, a bio-medical engineer who works as a health technology operations specialist at the ministry of health, told Reuters.
Antwerp University Hospital in Belgium is using a similar robot called CRUZR, which was provided by the Belgian company Zorabots, according to AFP. CRUZR has similar jobs to Akazuba, Ikizere and Ngabo, including detecting the temperatures of patients, registering whether or not they’re wearing masks properly when they enter and scanning a QR code that patients receive when they fill out a questionnaire. “If the patient or visitor has a temperature or mask that is not correctly worn, the screen will say so and say: ‘You have a problem. You cannot go into the hospital like that. You have to check in with a hospital employee nearby,’” Dr. Michaël Vanmechelen, head of the COVID-19 project, told AFP.
Here’s a look at CRUZR:
Major League Baseball is considering a 50-game schedule starting in July, but only as a last resort. A report by ESPN said discussions have been ongoing about playing a shorter schedule and paying players their full prorated salaries. MLB players have maintained their stance based on an agreement with league owners in March that would have covered 70.3% of original salaries. The league's first proposal was turned down by the players union because multiple players did not want significant salary cuts. MLB has said that playing games without fans while players make their full salary would cause the league to lose money. The league, which has considered numerous return-to-play ideas, has been shut down since the middle of March and has already lost two full months of games due to the pandemic.
Wuhan, China, ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic that has turned the world on its head, recently completed a rigorous testing regimen for nearly 10 million residents. According to AFP, officials said on Tuesday that only 300 new infections were uncovered as a result of the testing. Those that did test positive were said too he asymptomatic. "These numbers show that Wuhan is now the safest city," said Feng Zijian, deputy director of China's national Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to AFP. Wuhan has been experiencing a stretch of above normal-normal warmth for the past week and that trend looks like it will continue for several more days, according to the AccuWeather forecast.
Six feet apart might not be far enough for effective social distancing. The six-feet rule is based on studies that indicate droplets carrying the virus will fall to the ground within that distance. However, CBS New York reports that more recent studies suggest that while heavier droplets do fall quickly, they could stay in the air for longer and farther under “heavier breathing circumstances.” In commentary published in the journal Science, experts suggested that six- feet wouldn’t be enough to control the spread, especially indoors, according to CNN. “Evidence suggests that (the novel coronavirus) is silently spreading in aerosols exhaled by highly contagious infected individuals with no symptoms,” wrote Chia Wang, from National Sun Yet-sen University and Kimberly Prather and Dr. Robert Schooley of the University of California, San Diego. “Increasing evidence for (the coronavirus) suggests the six foot WHO recommendation is likely not enough under many indoor conditions where aerosols can remain airborne for hours, accumulate over time, and follow air flows over distances further than six feet.”
How are many in the U.K. dealing with the coronavirus pandemic? By drinking more, and by having the first drink of the day earlier. An interim report from the Global Drug Survey has found that nearly 47% of Brits who were polled are now drinking alcoholic beverages earlier in the day than they were in February, before the pandemic had upended life. Additionally, more than 50% of those who responded indicated they drink alcohol more days of the week than before. One-third reported an increase in binge drinking. The main reason for the increase was reported as boredom. According to the results, 40% of those are are drinking more reported poorer physical health, and decreased mental health, work performance. Moreover, that group also reported a decrease in pleasure from drinking, according to The Guardian. There have been some good trends, too, the survey found: Of those who have been drinking less during the pandemic, 60% reported having improved health and 40% reporting improved finances.
Seeking to refute some claims made by doctors elsewhere around the globe, the World Health Organization said Monday that the coronavirus is not losing potency and stated that it remains a "killer virus." “We need to be exceptionally careful that we are not creating a sense that all of a sudden the virus has decided to be less pathogenic. That is not the case at all,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s emergencies program, said during a press conference, according to CNBC. WHO leaders addressed the claims from a top Italian doctor who said the virus is losing its potency.
“In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan told Reuters. Zangrillo also said some experts were too "alarmist" about a second wave of infections. However, the Italian government cautioned against Zangrillo's claims. “Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappeared ... I would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians,” Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the health ministry, said, according to Reuters.
Minnesota health officials are urging people protesting the death of George Floyd to get tested for COVID-19 due to the risk of transmission at mass gatherings, the Star Tribune reported. “Concentrated gatherings and loud talking, singing, yelling, you know, all of those loud vocal expressions, exacerbate the risk of spread,” Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. She asked that protestors get tested regardless of whether they feel sick, even though the protests being outdoors “mitigated” the risk. For the first time since April 28, Minnesota reported a daily count of lab-confirmed cases below 400, with only 361 cases. However, the Star Tribune notes the number was most likely deflated due to lower reporting on Monday and the closure of the state’s public health lab over the weekend, which didn’t contribute any results on Monday.
A concern also stems from the fact that any asymptomatic protestors could possibly spread COVID-19 unknowingly. “Obviously, it’s something to be nervous about and thoughtful of,” Jessica Tomann, who wore a mask at a memorial on Monday for Floyd, told the Star Tribune. “It’s also like there’s two viruses fighting this nation right now, and it’s like, ‘What’s more important?’ It’s a double-edged sword, but you’ve got to pick the justice you really are going to fight for, you know?”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said late Monday that the state recorded its lowest daily number of COVID-19 fatalities since March 30. "We also had the fewest Texans testing positive for COVID in the past six weeks. And, we have the 2nd-most recoveries from COVID in America," Abbott wrote on Twitter. Only six new deaths were reported on Monday along with 593 confirmed cases. The Texas Department of Health lists nearly 65,000 total confirmed cases and over 1,600 fatalities related to the disease on its website. Over 43,000 residents are estimated to have recovered.
Businesses reopened in India Monday, sending crowds into the streets and markets across as the country as the government started to lift most restrictions for what was the world's largest coronavirus lockdown. India enforced a strict nationwide lockdown more than two months ago on March 25, according to CBS News. On Monday, hundreds of thousands of people crowded into railway stations as 200 more trains were put into operation. During the lockdown, only 35 special train services were running to help migrant workers stranded in big cities get home. The lifting of some restrictions comes as the country reported a single-day record of over 8,300 new cases on Sunday, CBS News reported. Over 190,000 have tested positive in the country. As people head back into their communities, parts of western India are on alert for for developing Cyclone Nisarga, which could make an unprecedented strike on the country this week.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
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Total confirmed cases: 6,288,167
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Total deaths: 375,987
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Total recovered: 2,706,820
Italy’s famous Colosseum in Rome reopened on Monday with new health protocols in place. The amphitheater that used to bustle with tourists and held fights with gladiators and wild animals centuries ago, has been eerily quiet the past couple of months. Workers have been taking advantage of the lack of crowds to make repairs on the site. The Colosseum's director, Alfonsina Russo, saidit had been "surreal" seeing the empty landmark during the three-month closure, and said ”It's a symbol of Rome and of Italy.” Typically the site sees thousands of tourists a day, however officials said they expected 300 people. "But the sense of emptiness highlighted the great beauty of this place and it's fragility," Russo told AFP, according to The Local.
Journalists follow a press conference inside the Colosseum in Rome, Monday, June 1, 2020, announcing the reopening to the public of one of Italy's most visited monument, after more of two months of lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson believes players should be miked if NFL teams have to play in empty stadiums this season. His reasoning behind the idea was to give fans a behind-the-scenes look that they wouldn’t normally get otherwise. "I think they should [mike up players]. They should give fans the [insight] to see what really goes on between the white lines," Jackson said on teammate Lane Johnson's "Outside the Lane" podcast. "It gets crazy, bro. I know in the trenches it gets crazy. And I know on the outside it gets crazy, too, the conversations we go back and forth on." Jackson went on to say "it's gonna definitely be a culture shock" if stands are empty this season. Atlanta Falcons center Alex Mack said he would be concerned if people heard his play calls, but is still open to the idea, according to ESPN. "I like the idea of finding new ways to entertain people and add the second level of sports viewing for people at home because it's all we have," Mack said.
Alcohol sales resume in South Africa after a nine-week ban due to the coronavirus lockdown. On Monday, some of the lockdown restrictions across the country were lifted, allowing people to purchase alcohol from the first time since March.Lines at liquor stores wrapped around the block with some shoppers, such as Teboho Mofokeng, waiting longer than two hours just to buy a few bottles of booze. “I’ve been without liquor for some time now. I’m over-excited and relieved,” Mofokeng told Reuters. South Africa has one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita in the world, and the extended ban on alcohol sales has caused more than 100,000 jobs to be lost across the industry.
A new executive order from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will allow retail stores to reopen on June 4 and bars and restaurants on June 8. The move to reopen was announced on Monday. Groups of 100 or less are now allowed to gather outdoors as long as social distancing permits, as well. “The data has shown that we are ready to carefully move our state into the next phase,” Whitmer said in a statement, Reuters reported. “While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing.”
Thousands of graduates across the country have literally crossed the finish line to mark the end of their high school career. Seniors at Notre Dame Senior High School in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, gathered at the nearby Pocono Raceway for their commencement ceremony where they were able to drive around the track. It was a perfect day for the unique ceremony with warm and sunny weather. AccuWeather’s Bill Wadell crashed a similar ceremony at Texas Motor Speedway where students graduating from Westlake Academy used the racetrack to hold a commencement ceremony that followed social distancing guidelines.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has announced that all types of businesses in the state are now allowed to reopen. All restrictive orders were lifted in the state bringing movie theaters, bowling alleys, and other entertainment venues back up and operational. This comes despite Mississippi seeing cases continue to climb. Currently, Mississippi has over 15,000 confirmed cases and more than 700 deaths related to COVID-19, according to the AP. Just a day before the reopening was announced, 251 new cases were reported. The state health department said nearly 184,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted and more than 7,700 were blood tests that detected antibodies that usually show up after an infection clears.
As the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off today,the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines on how to properly prepare for hurricanes in the wake of COVID-19. The CDC said planning will look different this year because of the extra precautions needing to be taken. Some recommendations for hurricane preparation are:
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Allow for more time than usual to prepare for supplies
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Sign up for mail delivery for prescriptions to limit in-person visits
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Stay up to date on local shelters, including shelters for pets
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Prepare an evacuation kit that includes necessities such as cloth face coverings and hand sanitizer
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Follow social distancing guidelines when checking in on loved ones
In the event that someone must go to a disaster shelter, the CDC has recommended they stay six feet apart from others, follow the policies of the shelter, keep up with hygiene like hand washing, avoid touching high-traffic surfaces, frequently clean and disinfect your cleaning area andimmediately alert staff if you begin to feel sick. In response to what is expected to be an active hurricane season for the Atlantic, AccuWeather held it's first ever hurricane town hall to address disaster planning and response amid the pandemic.“We expect the 2020 hurricane season to be different and we recognized early planning was the key to everyone staying safe and prepared,” AccuWeather TV Network Executive Producer Jim Proeller said during the town hall.
Vietnam, a country of 97 million people, has yet to report a single death from COVID-19. Considering the country only has eight doctors for every 10,000 people, some have said the numbers are too good to be true, according to CNN. "I go to the wards every day, I know the cases, I know there has been no death," infectious disease doctor Guy Thwaites said. "If you had unreported or uncontrolled community transmission, then we'll be seeing cases in our hospital, people coming in with chest infections perhaps not diagnosed -- that has never happened."
The country acted quickly in preparing for an outbreak weeks before the first reported case. “We were not only waiting for guidelines from WHO. We used the data we gathered from outside and inside (the country to) decide to take action early,” saidPham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Infection Control Department at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
At 100 years old, an Indonesian woman has become the oldest survivor of the coronavirus in Indonesia. Kamtim was born in 1920 and was taken to the hospital last month upon developing symptoms of COVID-19, she later tested positive for the virus, according to France24. Kamtim was discharged from the hospital after a month of treatment. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa expressed that she hopes the story of Kamtim will help give hope to residents who are at-risk. Indonesia currently has over 26,000 cases and over 1,600 deaths.
New findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide new insight on the early spread of COVID-19. An analysis provided by the CDC suggests the virus could have begun spreading in the U.S. as early as mid to late January, despite evading health surveillance systems that could have worked to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus. Despite a delayed response, CDC Chief Robert Redfield said they were “never really blind when it came to surveillance,” and compared widespread diagnostic testing to “looking for a needle in a haystack.”
William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said the CDC failed to curb the spread of the virus early on, which he said they had the opportunity to do, according to The Washington Post. “There’s a succession of missed opportunities here,” he said. “Surveillance at the time was wholly inadequate to the task of catching a pandemic virus of this sort, whenever it was introduced."
Major League Baseball players are proposing a 114-game regular season, countering the owners' proposal for a 82-game season. The proposal from the MLB would lower 2020 salaries from $4 billion to approximately $1.2 billion, The Associated Press reported. Under the suggestion from the players union, salaries would be around $2.8 billion. The league is reportedly worried play extending into the fall, due to COVID-19 concerns, but the latest proposal from the players calls for the regular season to end on Halloween, and depending on the length of the playoffs, the World Series could extend past Thanksgiving.
A French designer is working on a new way to allow diners to return to restaurants and eat their food safely without fear of contracting the coronavirus. According to Reuters, designer Christophe Gernigon has created a device called the Plex'Eat. It's a cylinder of transparent plastic shaped like a lampshade that surrounds a person's face while an opening in the back of the plastic allows the person to move freely from their table. Gernigon told Reuters that some other protective designs already on the market "looked like booths in prison visiting rooms," and were not as "inviting" for customers. “I wanted to make it more glamorous, more pretty,” he said. His design will reportedly go into production next week.
Bangladesh lifted its coronavirus lockdown on Sunday despite seeing a record amount of deaths on the same day. On Sunday, 2,454 new cases of the coronavirus were reported along with 40 deaths, a record for the country. The lockdown was put into place on March 26 with restrictions easing over the last couple weeks. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, saw passengers piling into trains and traffic becoming slow, according to AFP. Bangladesh has 47,151 reported cases and 650 deaths. However, experts have warned that the country is not conducting enough tests so the actual numbers are likely higher.
The coronavirus pandemic has directly impacted health services worldwide for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, the World Health Organization said Monday. A survey involving 155 countries showed that low-income countries are most affected by the disruption to prevention and treatment services for these diseases. Compounding matters is that those who live with NCDs are at a higher risk of COVID-19 related death, the WHO said. Rehabilitation services have been disrupted in over two-thirds of the countries surveyed. Many hospital staff workers have been reassigned to support the onslaught of COVID-19 cases, while other elective procedures have been delayed or postponed. The WHO's survey also showed how widespread the disruptions were for specific diseases.
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More than half (53%) of the countries surveyed had partially or completely disrupted services for hypertension treatment
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49% for treatment for diabetes and diabetes-related complications
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42% for cancer treatment
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31% for cardiovascular emergencies
“Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services for NCDs continue, even as they fight COVID-19 said, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
Boris Johnson warns Brits to be wary of social distancing while out enjoying warmer weather. The British Prime Minister on Sunday took to Twitter to remind people not to forget about social distancing as they head outside to enjoy a stretch of more pleasant weather. "I know many of you will be enjoying the warmer weather today," Johnson wrote on Twitter, adding "If you’re out exercising or meeting a friend, remember to stay" at least six feet apart. He also underscored the importance of handwashing. The weather over the weekend in London was mostly sunny and pleasant with above-normal temperatures in the low 70s Fahrenheit. On Monday and Tuesday, that trend is continuing with temperatures forecast to be about 10-12 degrees above normal, before more seasonable temperatures return on Wednesday. The U.K. is third worldwide with more than 276,000 COVID-19 cases and nearly 40,000 fatalities.
A mix of peaceful protests and violent looting continued across the United States this past weekend following the death of George Floyd, 46, who was killed while in police custody on Monday, May 25 in Minneapolis. Many people who took to the streets could be seen wearing face masks but were also in close contact with one another, ignoring social distancing guidelines. The U.S. already has the most confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 by a wide margin. The latest numbers provided by Johns Hopkins University on Monday morning showed over 1.7 million cases and more than 104,000 deaths in the country.
Now, some officials are worried about a spike in coronavirus cases due to the protests. “I’m concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay-at-home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later,” Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington D.C., said, according to The Guardian. “I’m so concerned about it that I’m urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested … because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve.” "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Sunday, according to NBC News. "Because there's still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers."
A week after a video of a huge Memorial Day weekend party at Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks went viral, one person who attended the bash has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The Associated Press reported that a resident of Boone County in central Missouri tested positive on Sunday, May 24, after arriving at the lake a day earlier. Officials have since released a brief timeline of the person's whereabouts including what bars and restaurants the individual visited over that time because “mass numbers of unknown people” need to be notified, The AP reported. Check out the video embedded in the tweet below to see how enormous the gathering was.
COVID-19 is losing its potency and becoming less lethal, according to some Italian doctors. Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, said some doctors may have been overly alarmist in regards to a second wave of the virus emerging, and that the virus is actually weakening. “In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” Zangrillo said, according to Reuters. “The swabs that were performed over the last 10 days showed a viral load in quantitative terms that was absolutely infinitesimal compared to the ones carried out a month or two months ago.” In Italy, over 200,000 people have contracted COVID-19, and more than 33,000 have died from the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University. However,new infections and fatalities in the country steadily decreased throughout May.
A second doctor weighed in, as well. Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino hospital in the city of Genoa, echoed the sentiments made by Zangrillo. “The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today,” Bassetti said. “It is clear that today the COVID-19 disease is different.” The claims made by Zangrillo and Bassetti are not undisputed, however. “Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappeared ... I would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians,” Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the health ministry, said in a statement. “We should instead invite Italians to maintain the maximum caution, maintain physical distancing, avoid large groups, to frequently wash their hands and to wear masks.”
Here are the latest totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
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Total confirmed cases: 6,185,523
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Total deaths: 372,377
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Total recovered: 2,648,538
Here are the latest COVID-19 global numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
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Confirmed cases: 6,152,160
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Reported deaths: 371,700
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Recoveries: 2,637,496
As many states and counties begin the process of reopening, Utah is continuing to see a rise in new cases of COVID-19. The Utah Department of Health reported over 260 new cases three days in a row, KSL TV reported. In the past three days, a total of 876 new cases have been reported in the state. “Low and moderate risk does not mean ‘no risk,’” Angela Dunn, the state’s epidemiologist said as a reminder to residents, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “We all have a responsibility to be proactive and to do the things we know will help limit the spread of this virus.”
A new study suggests that COVID-19 could be more than just a respiratory illness -- it could be a vascular infection as well. The study comes as a result of many mysterious symptoms of the virus, including blood clotting, strokes, and painful red and purple toes that are being called “COVID toes,” all of which are related to blood circulation complications. Elemental reported cardiovascular complications are responsible for 40% of deaths related to COVID-19. “The concept that’s emerging is that this is not a respiratory illness alone, this is a respiratory illness to start with, but it is actually a vascular illness that kills people through its involvement of the vasculature,” Mandeep Mehra, medical director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, said.
“All these COVID-associated complications were a mystery,” William Li, president of the Angiogenesis Foundation, said. “We see blood clotting, we see kidney damage, we see inflammation of the heart, we see stroke, we see encephalitis [brain swelling]. A whole myriad of seemingly unconnected phenomena that you do not normally see with SARS or H1N1 or, frankly, most infectious diseases.”
After the global case count for COVID-19 surpassed 6 million, the World Health Organization has adjusted their recommendations for mass gatherings. To make events safer once they are allowed again, WHO suggests:
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Staggering the arrival of participants
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Increasing the frequency of transport
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Designated seating arrangements
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Adjusting the capacity of venues
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Hold gatherings either outside or online when possible
“In the context of COVID-19, mass gatherings are events that could amplify the transmission of the virus and potentially disrupt the host country’s response capacity,” WHO said, according to CNN. WHO recommended at risk people stay away or seek out special accommodations.
New York Governor says the number of coronavirus deaths in the state continues to drop. At least 56 people died due to coronavirus in New York state on Saturday, which is a decrease from 67 deaths on May 29, Gov. Cuomo said at his daily news briefing on Sunday. "This reduction in the number of deaths is tremendous progress from where we were," he said. The number of total hospitalizations, new hospitalizations and intubations have also all decreased, Cuomo said. Last weekend, the state's single-day death toll from the virus fell below 100 for the first time in weeks.Eighty four people died from the coronavirus in New York on May 22, down from 109 the day before on May 21. "All good news," Cuomo said.
Photo by: John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx 2020 5/27/20 A view of a person enjoying the weather in Battery Park with Statue of Liberty in the background during the coronavirus pandemic on May 27, 2020 in New York City. Government guidelines encourage wearing a mask in public with strong social distancing in effect as all 50 states in the USA have begun a gradual process to slowly reopen after weeks of stay-at-home measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines encouraging people to drive themselves to work and avoid mass transit to prevent the spread of COVOD-19. With an estimated 400,000 people returning to work in New York City next month, advocates of public transit, however, say this guidance could lead to a gridlock in the city. "We cannot be in a situation where literally everyone is abandoning mass transit for cars,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson told NY1. “So clearly that guidance did not have New York City in mind.”
One of the holiest sites in Jerusalem reopened on Sunday morning for the first time in more than two months. The site is known as the Noble Sanctuary or the Temple Mount is considered to be the holiest site in the world for Jewish people and the third holiest site for Muslims. Worshippers were allowed to enter the mosque building, as well as the Dome of the Rock shrine, but they were required to have their own prayer rug and mask. Approximately 4,000 people arrived for dawn prayers, the director of the mosque told CNN.
President Donald Trump has postponed the Group of Seven summit that was originally planned for June, as the world passed the milestone of six million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. President Trump will also expand the list of countries invited to attend the rescheduled event to include Australia, South Korea, Russia and India. Trump told reporters the G7 in its current format was a “very outdated group of countries. I’m postponing it because I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world.”
World coronavirus cases eclipse 6 million as recoveries top 2.5 million. Here are the latest totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
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Total confirmed cases: 6,082,549
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Total deaths: 369,544
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Total recovered: 2,575,166
Previous coverage:
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 28-30.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 26-27.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 23-25.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 20-22.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 17-19.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 13-16.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 10-12.
Click here previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak.
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, John Roach, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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News / Health
Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, May 31-June 2
Published Jun 4, 2020 12:54 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous listed in eastern time.
June 2, 9:28 p.m.
The S&P 500 finished the day in the positive, marking a major milestone for the index since the economic downturn in March due to the coronavirus. Since bottoming out in late March, the S&P 500 is now up 40%, closing at 3080.82 points on Tuesday afternoon, CNBC reported. “The S&P 500 remains highly news flow driven,” said Lori Calvasina, RBC’s chief U.S. equity strategist. “Good news on vaccines helped stocks in May, but US-China relations & civil unrest could steal the spotlight in June.” The quick rebound in the market has given economists a positive outlook on the markets. “This will be the quickest recession,” said Scott Colbert, chief economist at Missouri-based Commerce Trust Company. “The average recession lasts 11 months. This one will last maybe four months,” Colbert added.
June 2, 8:08 p.m.
Medical workers should use respirator masks instead of surgical masks, analysis shows.The results of 172 studies, funded by the World Health Organization, showed that N95 and other respirator masks are far superior to surgical or cloth masks in protecting essential medical workers against COVID-19. “It’s been disappointing that both the W.H.O. and the C.D.C. have suggested that surgical masks are adequate, and they’re clearly not,” said David Michaels, a professor at George Washington University who headed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under President Obama, according to The New York Times. “Reliance on surgical masks has no doubt led to many workers being infected,” he said. According to the analysis, N95 masks offered 96 percent protection, while surgical masks protection was 77 percent.
June 2, 7:01 p.m.
New cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Tokyo, spurring officials to issue a new alert to residents. On Tuesday, officials in Tokyo reported 34 new infections across the city, the highest single day total in more than three weeks, according to Bloomberg. “The number of cases today is a level at which we should be cautious,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said. “The Tokyo Alert is a step to inform Tokyo residents of the status of the outbreak and call on them to take caution.” The jump in new cases comes one week after the national state of emergency was lifted in Tokyo, allowing schools, gyms and businesses to begin reopening.
Japan ranks eleventh on the list of the most populated countries in the world, but in terms of the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the country is ranked 43 with 16,837 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Japan has also reported 902 fatalities and more than 14,500 recoveries.
June 2, 5:55 p.m.
A study found proteins in coronavirus patients blood could predict the severity of the illness.Scientists found 27 key proteins are present in different levels in COVID-19 patients, depending on the level of their symptoms, according to Reuters. The team looked at the proteins in blood plasma from 31 COVID-19 patients then validated their results with 17 other patients with COVID-19 at the same hospital and in 15 healthy people who made up the control group. These findings can help doctors predict how sick a patient may get from the virus, identify those most at risk of needing intensive care and may even help with potential treatments. “A test to help doctors predict whether a COVID-19 patient is likely to become critical or not would be invaluable,” said Christoph Messner, an expert in molecular biology at the Crick Institute who co-led the research.
June 2, 5:10 p.m.
North Carolina governor not ready to let Republicans hold a “full convention” this summer. Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to move the 2020 Republican National Convention out of Charlotte if the party was going to be prohibited from holding a convention at which “full attendance” was permitted. On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat responded to the Republican Party with a letter saying a “full convention” is something the state can’t commit to at this time. The letter, posted on Twitter, left open the possibility of going ahead with a scaled-down convention if coronavirus prevention best practices were followed. “The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity," Cooper wrote in a letter addressed to the Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Trump and Republicans are looking to hold an event that holds 50,000 attendees.
June 2, 4:19 p.m.
A total of 519 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Iraq Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, which cited the country's Ministry of Health. That total is a new daily record for the country, which has reported a spike in cases recently thanks to an increase in testing, according to The AP's report. Following a request from the World Health Organization (WHO), the country recently resumed a lockdown to contain the spread of infections.
WHO Representative in Iraq, Dr. Adham R. Ismail, called on Iraqis across the country "to commit to the highest levels of preventive measures and adhere to the lockdown to help the health authorities contain the spread of the virus." Over 7,300 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Iraq and that have been more than 230 deaths. The AP says that the country is facing a shortage of hospital beds and ventilators.
June 2, 3:27 p.m.
A COVID-19 treatment facility outside of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, has welcomed three new healthcare workers to the staff. Akazuba, Ikizere and Ngabo, three robots donated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have been deployed at the facility in an effort to minimize contact between patients infected with the coronavirus and healthcare workers, Reuters reported. The robots’ jobs consist of simple tasks, including taking temperatures and monitoring patients. The robots are also able to relay messages to doctors and cut the number of bedside visits. “It doesn’t remove the tasks the doctors are supposed to do, it’s just complementing their efforts,” Francine Umutesi, a bio-medical engineer who works as a health technology operations specialist at the ministry of health, told Reuters.
Antwerp University Hospital in Belgium is using a similar robot called CRUZR, which was provided by the Belgian company Zorabots, according to AFP. CRUZR has similar jobs to Akazuba, Ikizere and Ngabo, including detecting the temperatures of patients, registering whether or not they’re wearing masks properly when they enter and scanning a QR code that patients receive when they fill out a questionnaire. “If the patient or visitor has a temperature or mask that is not correctly worn, the screen will say so and say: ‘You have a problem. You cannot go into the hospital like that. You have to check in with a hospital employee nearby,’” Dr. Michaël Vanmechelen, head of the COVID-19 project, told AFP.
Here’s a look at CRUZR:
June 2, 3:06 p.m.
Major League Baseball is considering a 50-game schedule starting in July, but only as a last resort. A report by ESPN said discussions have been ongoing about playing a shorter schedule and paying players their full prorated salaries. MLB players have maintained their stance based on an agreement with league owners in March that would have covered 70.3% of original salaries. The league's first proposal was turned down by the players union because multiple players did not want significant salary cuts. MLB has said that playing games without fans while players make their full salary would cause the league to lose money. The league, which has considered numerous return-to-play ideas, has been shut down since the middle of March and has already lost two full months of games due to the pandemic.
June 2, 2:12 p.m.
Wuhan, China, ground zero for the coronavirus pandemic that has turned the world on its head, recently completed a rigorous testing regimen for nearly 10 million residents. According to AFP, officials said on Tuesday that only 300 new infections were uncovered as a result of the testing. Those that did test positive were said too he asymptomatic. "These numbers show that Wuhan is now the safest city," said Feng Zijian, deputy director of China's national Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to AFP. Wuhan has been experiencing a stretch of above normal-normal warmth for the past week and that trend looks like it will continue for several more days, according to the AccuWeather forecast.
June 2, 1:15 p.m.
Six feet apart might not be far enough for effective social distancing. The six-feet rule is based on studies that indicate droplets carrying the virus will fall to the ground within that distance. However, CBS New York reports that more recent studies suggest that while heavier droplets do fall quickly, they could stay in the air for longer and farther under “heavier breathing circumstances.” In commentary published in the journal Science, experts suggested that six- feet wouldn’t be enough to control the spread, especially indoors, according to CNN. “Evidence suggests that (the novel coronavirus) is silently spreading in aerosols exhaled by highly contagious infected individuals with no symptoms,” wrote Chia Wang, from National Sun Yet-sen University and Kimberly Prather and Dr. Robert Schooley of the University of California, San Diego. “Increasing evidence for (the coronavirus) suggests the six foot WHO recommendation is likely not enough under many indoor conditions where aerosols can remain airborne for hours, accumulate over time, and follow air flows over distances further than six feet.”
June 2, 12:10 p.m.
How are many in the U.K. dealing with the coronavirus pandemic? By drinking more, and by having the first drink of the day earlier. An interim report from the Global Drug Survey has found that nearly 47% of Brits who were polled are now drinking alcoholic beverages earlier in the day than they were in February, before the pandemic had upended life. Additionally, more than 50% of those who responded indicated they drink alcohol more days of the week than before. One-third reported an increase in binge drinking. The main reason for the increase was reported as boredom. According to the results, 40% of those are are drinking more reported poorer physical health, and decreased mental health, work performance. Moreover, that group also reported a decrease in pleasure from drinking, according to The Guardian. There have been some good trends, too, the survey found: Of those who have been drinking less during the pandemic, 60% reported having improved health and 40% reporting improved finances.
June 2, 11:15 a.m.
Seeking to refute some claims made by doctors elsewhere around the globe, the World Health Organization said Monday that the coronavirus is not losing potency and stated that it remains a "killer virus." “We need to be exceptionally careful that we are not creating a sense that all of a sudden the virus has decided to be less pathogenic. That is not the case at all,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s emergencies program, said during a press conference, according to CNBC. WHO leaders addressed the claims from a top Italian doctor who said the virus is losing its potency.
“In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan told Reuters. Zangrillo also said some experts were too "alarmist" about a second wave of infections. However, the Italian government cautioned against Zangrillo's claims. “Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappeared ... I would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians,” Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the health ministry, said, according to Reuters.
June 2, 10:31 a.m.
Minnesota health officials are urging people protesting the death of George Floyd to get tested for COVID-19 due to the risk of transmission at mass gatherings, the Star Tribune reported. “Concentrated gatherings and loud talking, singing, yelling, you know, all of those loud vocal expressions, exacerbate the risk of spread,” Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. She asked that protestors get tested regardless of whether they feel sick, even though the protests being outdoors “mitigated” the risk. For the first time since April 28, Minnesota reported a daily count of lab-confirmed cases below 400, with only 361 cases. However, the Star Tribune notes the number was most likely deflated due to lower reporting on Monday and the closure of the state’s public health lab over the weekend, which didn’t contribute any results on Monday.
A concern also stems from the fact that any asymptomatic protestors could possibly spread COVID-19 unknowingly. “Obviously, it’s something to be nervous about and thoughtful of,” Jessica Tomann, who wore a mask at a memorial on Monday for Floyd, told the Star Tribune. “It’s also like there’s two viruses fighting this nation right now, and it’s like, ‘What’s more important?’ It’s a double-edged sword, but you’ve got to pick the justice you really are going to fight for, you know?”
June 2, 9:55 a.m.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said late Monday that the state recorded its lowest daily number of COVID-19 fatalities since March 30. "We also had the fewest Texans testing positive for COVID in the past six weeks. And, we have the 2nd-most recoveries from COVID in America," Abbott wrote on Twitter. Only six new deaths were reported on Monday along with 593 confirmed cases. The Texas Department of Health lists nearly 65,000 total confirmed cases and over 1,600 fatalities related to the disease on its website. Over 43,000 residents are estimated to have recovered.
June 2, 8:36 a.m.
Businesses reopened in India Monday, sending crowds into the streets and markets across as the country as the government started to lift most restrictions for what was the world's largest coronavirus lockdown. India enforced a strict nationwide lockdown more than two months ago on March 25, according to CBS News. On Monday, hundreds of thousands of people crowded into railway stations as 200 more trains were put into operation. During the lockdown, only 35 special train services were running to help migrant workers stranded in big cities get home. The lifting of some restrictions comes as the country reported a single-day record of over 8,300 new cases on Sunday, CBS News reported. Over 190,000 have tested positive in the country. As people head back into their communities, parts of western India are on alert for for developing Cyclone Nisarga, which could make an unprecedented strike on the country this week.
June 2, 6:44 a.m.
Here are the latest updated totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 6,288,167
Total deaths: 375,987
Total recovered: 2,706,820
June 1, 9:45 p.m.
Italy’s famous Colosseum in Rome reopened on Monday with new health protocols in place. The amphitheater that used to bustle with tourists and held fights with gladiators and wild animals centuries ago, has been eerily quiet the past couple of months. Workers have been taking advantage of the lack of crowds to make repairs on the site. The Colosseum's director, Alfonsina Russo, saidit had been "surreal" seeing the empty landmark during the three-month closure, and said ”It's a symbol of Rome and of Italy.” Typically the site sees thousands of tourists a day, however officials said they expected 300 people. "But the sense of emptiness highlighted the great beauty of this place and it's fragility," Russo told AFP, according to The Local.
Journalists follow a press conference inside the Colosseum in Rome, Monday, June 1, 2020, announcing the reopening to the public of one of Italy's most visited monument, after more of two months of lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
June 1, 8:31 p.m.
Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson believes players should be miked if NFL teams have to play in empty stadiums this season. His reasoning behind the idea was to give fans a behind-the-scenes look that they wouldn’t normally get otherwise. "I think they should [mike up players]. They should give fans the [insight] to see what really goes on between the white lines," Jackson said on teammate Lane Johnson's "Outside the Lane" podcast. "It gets crazy, bro. I know in the trenches it gets crazy. And I know on the outside it gets crazy, too, the conversations we go back and forth on." Jackson went on to say "it's gonna definitely be a culture shock" if stands are empty this season. Atlanta Falcons center Alex Mack said he would be concerned if people heard his play calls, but is still open to the idea, according to ESPN. "I like the idea of finding new ways to entertain people and add the second level of sports viewing for people at home because it's all we have," Mack said.
June 1, 7:23 p.m.
Alcohol sales resume in South Africa after a nine-week ban due to the coronavirus lockdown. On Monday, some of the lockdown restrictions across the country were lifted, allowing people to purchase alcohol from the first time since March.Lines at liquor stores wrapped around the block with some shoppers, such as Teboho Mofokeng, waiting longer than two hours just to buy a few bottles of booze. “I’ve been without liquor for some time now. I’m over-excited and relieved,” Mofokeng told Reuters. South Africa has one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita in the world, and the extended ban on alcohol sales has caused more than 100,000 jobs to be lost across the industry.
June 1, 6:29 p.m.
A new executive order from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will allow retail stores to reopen on June 4 and bars and restaurants on June 8. The move to reopen was announced on Monday. Groups of 100 or less are now allowed to gather outdoors as long as social distancing permits, as well. “The data has shown that we are ready to carefully move our state into the next phase,” Whitmer said in a statement, Reuters reported. “While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing.”
June 1, 5:38 p.m.
Thousands of graduates across the country have literally crossed the finish line to mark the end of their high school career. Seniors at Notre Dame Senior High School in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, gathered at the nearby Pocono Raceway for their commencement ceremony where they were able to drive around the track. It was a perfect day for the unique ceremony with warm and sunny weather. AccuWeather’s Bill Wadell crashed a similar ceremony at Texas Motor Speedway where students graduating from Westlake Academy used the racetrack to hold a commencement ceremony that followed social distancing guidelines.
June 1, 4:42 p.m.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has announced that all types of businesses in the state are now allowed to reopen. All restrictive orders were lifted in the state bringing movie theaters, bowling alleys, and other entertainment venues back up and operational. This comes despite Mississippi seeing cases continue to climb. Currently, Mississippi has over 15,000 confirmed cases and more than 700 deaths related to COVID-19, according to the AP. Just a day before the reopening was announced, 251 new cases were reported. The state health department said nearly 184,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted and more than 7,700 were blood tests that detected antibodies that usually show up after an infection clears.
June 1, 3:54 p.m.
As the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off today,the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines on how to properly prepare for hurricanes in the wake of COVID-19. The CDC said planning will look different this year because of the extra precautions needing to be taken. Some recommendations for hurricane preparation are:
Allow for more time than usual to prepare for supplies
Sign up for mail delivery for prescriptions to limit in-person visits
Stay up to date on local shelters, including shelters for pets
Prepare an evacuation kit that includes necessities such as cloth face coverings and hand sanitizer
Follow social distancing guidelines when checking in on loved ones
In the event that someone must go to a disaster shelter, the CDC has recommended they stay six feet apart from others, follow the policies of the shelter, keep up with hygiene like hand washing, avoid touching high-traffic surfaces, frequently clean and disinfect your cleaning area andimmediately alert staff if you begin to feel sick. In response to what is expected to be an active hurricane season for the Atlantic, AccuWeather held it's first ever hurricane town hall to address disaster planning and response amid the pandemic.“We expect the 2020 hurricane season to be different and we recognized early planning was the key to everyone staying safe and prepared,” AccuWeather TV Network Executive Producer Jim Proeller said during the town hall.
June 1, 3:03 p.m.
Vietnam, a country of 97 million people, has yet to report a single death from COVID-19. Considering the country only has eight doctors for every 10,000 people, some have said the numbers are too good to be true, according to CNN. "I go to the wards every day, I know the cases, I know there has been no death," infectious disease doctor Guy Thwaites said. "If you had unreported or uncontrolled community transmission, then we'll be seeing cases in our hospital, people coming in with chest infections perhaps not diagnosed -- that has never happened."
The country acted quickly in preparing for an outbreak weeks before the first reported case. “We were not only waiting for guidelines from WHO. We used the data we gathered from outside and inside (the country to) decide to take action early,” saidPham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Infection Control Department at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
June 1, 2:14 p.m.
At 100 years old, an Indonesian woman has become the oldest survivor of the coronavirus in Indonesia. Kamtim was born in 1920 and was taken to the hospital last month upon developing symptoms of COVID-19, she later tested positive for the virus, according to France24. Kamtim was discharged from the hospital after a month of treatment. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa expressed that she hopes the story of Kamtim will help give hope to residents who are at-risk. Indonesia currently has over 26,000 cases and over 1,600 deaths.
June 1, 1:48 p.m.
New findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide new insight on the early spread of COVID-19. An analysis provided by the CDC suggests the virus could have begun spreading in the U.S. as early as mid to late January, despite evading health surveillance systems that could have worked to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus. Despite a delayed response, CDC Chief Robert Redfield said they were “never really blind when it came to surveillance,” and compared widespread diagnostic testing to “looking for a needle in a haystack.”
William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said the CDC failed to curb the spread of the virus early on, which he said they had the opportunity to do, according to The Washington Post. “There’s a succession of missed opportunities here,” he said. “Surveillance at the time was wholly inadequate to the task of catching a pandemic virus of this sort, whenever it was introduced."
June 1, 12:44 p.m.
Major League Baseball players are proposing a 114-game regular season, countering the owners' proposal for a 82-game season. The proposal from the MLB would lower 2020 salaries from $4 billion to approximately $1.2 billion, The Associated Press reported. Under the suggestion from the players union, salaries would be around $2.8 billion. The league is reportedly worried play extending into the fall, due to COVID-19 concerns, but the latest proposal from the players calls for the regular season to end on Halloween, and depending on the length of the playoffs, the World Series could extend past Thanksgiving.
June 1, 12:15 p.m.
A French designer is working on a new way to allow diners to return to restaurants and eat their food safely without fear of contracting the coronavirus. According to Reuters, designer Christophe Gernigon has created a device called the Plex'Eat. It's a cylinder of transparent plastic shaped like a lampshade that surrounds a person's face while an opening in the back of the plastic allows the person to move freely from their table. Gernigon told Reuters that some other protective designs already on the market "looked like booths in prison visiting rooms," and were not as "inviting" for customers. “I wanted to make it more glamorous, more pretty,” he said. His design will reportedly go into production next week.
June 1, 11:51 a.m.
Bangladesh lifted its coronavirus lockdown on Sunday despite seeing a record amount of deaths on the same day. On Sunday, 2,454 new cases of the coronavirus were reported along with 40 deaths, a record for the country. The lockdown was put into place on March 26 with restrictions easing over the last couple weeks. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, saw passengers piling into trains and traffic becoming slow, according to AFP. Bangladesh has 47,151 reported cases and 650 deaths. However, experts have warned that the country is not conducting enough tests so the actual numbers are likely higher.
June 1, 11:28 a.m.
The coronavirus pandemic has directly impacted health services worldwide for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, the World Health Organization said Monday. A survey involving 155 countries showed that low-income countries are most affected by the disruption to prevention and treatment services for these diseases. Compounding matters is that those who live with NCDs are at a higher risk of COVID-19 related death, the WHO said. Rehabilitation services have been disrupted in over two-thirds of the countries surveyed. Many hospital staff workers have been reassigned to support the onslaught of COVID-19 cases, while other elective procedures have been delayed or postponed. The WHO's survey also showed how widespread the disruptions were for specific diseases.
More than half (53%) of the countries surveyed had partially or completely disrupted services for hypertension treatment
49% for treatment for diabetes and diabetes-related complications
42% for cancer treatment
31% for cardiovascular emergencies
“Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services for NCDs continue, even as they fight COVID-19 said, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
June 1, 11:13 a.m.
Boris Johnson warns Brits to be wary of social distancing while out enjoying warmer weather. The British Prime Minister on Sunday took to Twitter to remind people not to forget about social distancing as they head outside to enjoy a stretch of more pleasant weather. "I know many of you will be enjoying the warmer weather today," Johnson wrote on Twitter, adding "If you’re out exercising or meeting a friend, remember to stay" at least six feet apart. He also underscored the importance of handwashing. The weather over the weekend in London was mostly sunny and pleasant with above-normal temperatures in the low 70s Fahrenheit. On Monday and Tuesday, that trend is continuing with temperatures forecast to be about 10-12 degrees above normal, before more seasonable temperatures return on Wednesday. The U.K. is third worldwide with more than 276,000 COVID-19 cases and nearly 40,000 fatalities.
June 1, 10:21 a.m.
A mix of peaceful protests and violent looting continued across the United States this past weekend following the death of George Floyd, 46, who was killed while in police custody on Monday, May 25 in Minneapolis. Many people who took to the streets could be seen wearing face masks but were also in close contact with one another, ignoring social distancing guidelines. The U.S. already has the most confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 by a wide margin. The latest numbers provided by Johns Hopkins University on Monday morning showed over 1.7 million cases and more than 104,000 deaths in the country.
Now, some officials are worried about a spike in coronavirus cases due to the protests. “I’m concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay-at-home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later,” Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington D.C., said, according to The Guardian. “I’m so concerned about it that I’m urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested … because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve.” "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on Sunday, according to NBC News. "Because there's still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers."
June 1, 10:02 a.m.
A week after a video of a huge Memorial Day weekend party at Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks went viral, one person who attended the bash has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The Associated Press reported that a resident of Boone County in central Missouri tested positive on Sunday, May 24, after arriving at the lake a day earlier. Officials have since released a brief timeline of the person's whereabouts including what bars and restaurants the individual visited over that time because “mass numbers of unknown people” need to be notified, The AP reported. Check out the video embedded in the tweet below to see how enormous the gathering was.
June 1 9:01 a.m.
COVID-19 is losing its potency and becoming less lethal, according to some Italian doctors. Alberto Zangrillo, the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, said some doctors may have been overly alarmist in regards to a second wave of the virus emerging, and that the virus is actually weakening. “In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy,” Zangrillo said, according to Reuters. “The swabs that were performed over the last 10 days showed a viral load in quantitative terms that was absolutely infinitesimal compared to the ones carried out a month or two months ago.” In Italy, over 200,000 people have contracted COVID-19, and more than 33,000 have died from the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University. However,new infections and fatalities in the country steadily decreased throughout May.
A second doctor weighed in, as well. Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino hospital in the city of Genoa, echoed the sentiments made by Zangrillo. “The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today,” Bassetti said. “It is clear that today the COVID-19 disease is different.” The claims made by Zangrillo and Bassetti are not undisputed, however. “Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappeared ... I would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians,” Sandra Zampa, an undersecretary at the health ministry, said in a statement. “We should instead invite Italians to maintain the maximum caution, maintain physical distancing, avoid large groups, to frequently wash their hands and to wear masks.”
June 1, 6:17 a.m.
Here are the latest totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 6,185,523
Total deaths: 372,377
Total recovered: 2,648,538
May 31, 7:55 p.m.
Here are the latest COVID-19 global numbers, provided by researchers at Johns Hopkins University:
Confirmed cases: 6,152,160
Reported deaths: 371,700
Recoveries: 2,637,496
May 31, 6:32 p.m.
As many states and counties begin the process of reopening, Utah is continuing to see a rise in new cases of COVID-19. The Utah Department of Health reported over 260 new cases three days in a row, KSL TV reported. In the past three days, a total of 876 new cases have been reported in the state. “Low and moderate risk does not mean ‘no risk,’” Angela Dunn, the state’s epidemiologist said as a reminder to residents, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. “We all have a responsibility to be proactive and to do the things we know will help limit the spread of this virus.”
May 31, 5:04 p.m.
A new study suggests that COVID-19 could be more than just a respiratory illness -- it could be a vascular infection as well. The study comes as a result of many mysterious symptoms of the virus, including blood clotting, strokes, and painful red and purple toes that are being called “COVID toes,” all of which are related to blood circulation complications. Elemental reported cardiovascular complications are responsible for 40% of deaths related to COVID-19. “The concept that’s emerging is that this is not a respiratory illness alone, this is a respiratory illness to start with, but it is actually a vascular illness that kills people through its involvement of the vasculature,” Mandeep Mehra, medical director of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, said.
“All these COVID-associated complications were a mystery,” William Li, president of the Angiogenesis Foundation, said. “We see blood clotting, we see kidney damage, we see inflammation of the heart, we see stroke, we see encephalitis [brain swelling]. A whole myriad of seemingly unconnected phenomena that you do not normally see with SARS or H1N1 or, frankly, most infectious diseases.”
May 31, 3:35 p.m.
After the global case count for COVID-19 surpassed 6 million, the World Health Organization has adjusted their recommendations for mass gatherings. To make events safer once they are allowed again, WHO suggests:
Staggering the arrival of participants
Increasing the frequency of transport
Designated seating arrangements
Adjusting the capacity of venues
Hold gatherings either outside or online when possible
“In the context of COVID-19, mass gatherings are events that could amplify the transmission of the virus and potentially disrupt the host country’s response capacity,” WHO said, according to CNN. WHO recommended at risk people stay away or seek out special accommodations.
May 31, 2:05 p.m.
New York Governor says the number of coronavirus deaths in the state continues to drop. At least 56 people died due to coronavirus in New York state on Saturday, which is a decrease from 67 deaths on May 29, Gov. Cuomo said at his daily news briefing on Sunday. "This reduction in the number of deaths is tremendous progress from where we were," he said. The number of total hospitalizations, new hospitalizations and intubations have also all decreased, Cuomo said. Last weekend, the state's single-day death toll from the virus fell below 100 for the first time in weeks.Eighty four people died from the coronavirus in New York on May 22, down from 109 the day before on May 21. "All good news," Cuomo said.
Photo by: John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx 2020 5/27/20 A view of a person enjoying the weather in Battery Park with Statue of Liberty in the background during the coronavirus pandemic on May 27, 2020 in New York City. Government guidelines encourage wearing a mask in public with strong social distancing in effect as all 50 states in the USA have begun a gradual process to slowly reopen after weeks of stay-at-home measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
May 31, 12:35 p.m.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines encouraging people to drive themselves to work and avoid mass transit to prevent the spread of COVOD-19. With an estimated 400,000 people returning to work in New York City next month, advocates of public transit, however, say this guidance could lead to a gridlock in the city. "We cannot be in a situation where literally everyone is abandoning mass transit for cars,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson told NY1. “So clearly that guidance did not have New York City in mind.”
May 31, 10:55 a.m.
One of the holiest sites in Jerusalem reopened on Sunday morning for the first time in more than two months. The site is known as the Noble Sanctuary or the Temple Mount is considered to be the holiest site in the world for Jewish people and the third holiest site for Muslims. Worshippers were allowed to enter the mosque building, as well as the Dome of the Rock shrine, but they were required to have their own prayer rug and mask. Approximately 4,000 people arrived for dawn prayers, the director of the mosque told CNN.
May 31, 9:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump has postponed the Group of Seven summit that was originally planned for June, as the world passed the milestone of six million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. President Trump will also expand the list of countries invited to attend the rescheduled event to include Australia, South Korea, Russia and India. Trump told reporters the G7 in its current format was a “very outdated group of countries. I’m postponing it because I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world.”
May 31, 7:38 a.m.
World coronavirus cases eclipse 6 million as recoveries top 2.5 million. Here are the latest totals from around the world, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 6,082,549
Total deaths: 369,544
Total recovered: 2,575,166
Previous coverage:
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 28-30.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 26-27.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 23-25.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 20-22.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 17-19.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 13-16.
Click here for previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak from May 10-12.
Click here previous daily briefings on the coronavirus outbreak.
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, John Roach, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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