Covid-19 news: UK funding for trials of rapid new coronavirus tests

A medical worker takes a swab to test for the coronavirus at a drive-in testing facility, as a colleague looks on

A scientific employee takes a swab to take a look at for the coronavirus at a force-in testing facility

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Pictures

Most up to the moment coronavirus data as of 5 pm on 3 September

New funding announced for trials of fleet new coronavirus assessments in the UK

The UK government this present day announced £500 million price of funding for trials of fleet coronavirus assessments, at the side of no longer too prolonged ago developed swab and saliva assessments that can be performed in 90 minutes or much less. The trials will also embody workforce pilots investigating the effectiveness of repeat testing in colleges and among the many fashioned population. “We’re backing modern new assessments which can be swiftly, appropriate and more uncomplicated to utilize and may possibly possibly maximise the impact and scale of testing, helping us to safe encourage to a extra fashioned project of existence,” UK effectively being minister Matt Hancock acknowledged in a assertion this present day. 

Having sooner assessments may possibly possibly well encourage saunter up the identification of contaminated folk and the tracing of their conclude contacts. But having a fleet take a look at is “needless” if contacts can’t be identified since the tracing arrangement is overwhelmed, Joshua Moon on the University of Sussex acknowledged in a assertion. NHS Test and Hint has been criticised for its repeated failure to put a ample share of the contacts of folk that take a look at certain for the coronavirus in England. In accordance to the most modern figures, 78.5 per cent of the contacts of folk recognized with the virus in England had been reached by NHS Test and Hint between 28 Could presumably possibly and 26 August – below the target of 80 per cent or extra urged by government scientific advisors.

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Assorted coronavirus data

The US Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention (CDC) has notified states to prepare for the roll-out of a coronavirus vaccine within two months. “Exiguous covid-19 vaccine doses can be readily accessible by early November 2020,” in step with CDC paperwork first printed by the New York Cases.  And in a letter to governors on 27 August, first obtained by McClatchy, CDC director Robert Redfield wrote: “CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for [vaccine] distribution products and services and, if needed, asks that it is probably you’ll possibly private in recommendations waiving requirements that can prevent these products and services from turning into fully operational by November 1, 2020.” But public effectively being researchers are concerned that the switch is being pushed much less by proof and as a replace by a political effort to bustle a vaccine sooner than the November election. Michael Osterholm on the University of Minnesota told the Linked Press that “the overall public effectively being workforce wants a stable and efficient vaccine as great as anybody […] but the info private to be determined and compelling.”

Pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi will launch testing their protein-based fully mostly coronavirus vaccine candidate in humans for the first time, to assess its security and abilities to induce an immune response. If this and subsequent trials are winning, the firms private acknowledged they’ll be asking for regulatory approval in the first half of subsequent year. 

A surge in question for coronavirus assessments has left the UK struggling to withhold up. Some folk with symptoms who tried to e book coronavirus swab assessments on-line told the BBC they had been directed to testing centres extra than 100 miles away from their homes. This may possibly possibly act as a “substantial disincentive to being examined”, Paul Hunter on the University of East Anglia told the BBC, presumably limiting efforts to private localised spikes in cases.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 864,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 26 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Very critical data about coronavirus

What’s covid-19?

What are the worst symptoms and how lethal is covid-19?

You is probably to be spreading the coronavirus without realising you’ve got it

Which covid-19 therapies work and how conclude are we to getting extra?

What are the predominant coronavirus vaccine candidates?

What to study, stare and eavesdrop on about coronavirus

Coronavirus fundamental manual: On this particular field of New scientist’s Very critical Guides sequence, you are going to discover a wealth of appropriate, effectively-reported data that we hope will allow you to no longer most productive realize the coronavirus and this pandemic greater, but additionally encourage you in navigating the alternatives we’re all having to create, no longer just now but in the a truly great months to return.

Speed Towards the Virus: Hunt for a Vaccine is a Channel 4 documentary which tells the parable of the coronavirus pandemic via the eyes of the scientists on the frontline.

The New York Cases is assessing the event of varied vaccine candidates and probably drug therapies for covid-19, and ranking them for effectiveness and security.

Other folk of COVID-19 is a project highlighting the experiences of key staff on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus in the UK, via social media.

Coronavirus, Defined on Netflix is a short documentary series inspecting the on-going coronavirus pandemic, the efforts to battle it and ways to connect watch over its psychological effectively being toll.

New scientist Weekly aspects updates and diagnosis on essentially the most modern tendencies in the covid-19 pandemic. Our podcast sees expert journalists from the magazine focus on about the biggest science tales to hit the headlines every week – from technology and dwelling, to effectively being and the setting.

The Principles of Contagion is set the new science of contagion and the hideous ways it shapes our lives and behavior. The writer, Adam Kucharski, is an epidemiologist on the London College of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines, UK, and in the e book he examines how diseases spread and why they cease.

Outdated updates

Pharmacist holding packs of dexamethasone anti-inflammatory steroid tablets.

Pharmacist preserving packs of dexamethasone anti-inflammatory steroid tablets.

LEWIS HOUGHTON / science PHOTO LIBRARY

2 September

Steroid remedy that lower irritation stumbled on to assign lives from extreme covid-19

A workforce of remedy that lower irritation had been confirmed to amplify survival in folk with extreme covid-19. In a landmark ogle bringing collectively the overall trials accomplished up to now taking a search on the attain of steroids on coronavirus, researchers in the World Health Organization (WHO) REACT working workforce analysed outcomes from seven randomised scientific trials, which included 1703 seriously sick sufferers with covid-19. They in comparison the outcomes of those who had obtained surely one of three corticosteroid remedy dexamethasone, hydrocortisone or methylprednisolone with those who obtained not contemporary care or a placebo. The researchers stumbled on that 32 per cent of those who obtained a corticosteroid remedy had died from the disease after 28 days, in comparison to 40 per cent of those who did not. 

“The proof for reduction is strongest for dexamethasone,” Stephen Evans on the London College of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines acknowledged in a assertion. These new outcomes, printed this present day in the Journal of the American Medical Affiliation, add weight to earlier findings from the RECOVERY trial, which stumbled on that dexamethasone lowered deaths in seriously sick covid-19 sufferers by a third for sufferers on ventilators and by a fifth for those receiving oxygen – the first drug confirmed to attain so. “This diagnosis will enhance self belief that [dexamethasone] has a terribly worthwhile goal in seriously sick sufferers with covid-19,” Evans acknowledged. Attributable to the ogle, the WHO is anticipated to interchange its steering on remedy. In the UK, the drug has been in use for treating severely sick covid-19 sufferers since June.

Assorted coronavirus data

The US is no longer going to bewitch share in a global initiative to create and distribute a future coronavirus vaccine, due to its association with the WHO. More than 170 worldwide locations are taking part in the initiative, called COVAX, which is working to be obvious the equitable and comely global allocation of a doable vaccine. “We would no longer be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by the defective World Health Organization and China,” White Condominium spokesperson Judd Deere acknowledged in a assertion. The US is due to withdraw from the WHO entirely subsequent July – a switch Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has vowed to reverse if he’s elected in November.

Coronavirus restrictions had been eased in aspects of Elevated Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire in England, with the exceptions of Bolton and Trafford in Elevated Manchester. The federal government this present day announced that restrictions on conferences between varied households indoors in these areas, which had been also due to be lifted this present day, would now stay in put due to growing infection rates. Bolton for the time being has surely one of the most very best rates of new virus cases in England, with 59 cases per 100,000 folk in the week ending 29 August. Identical restrictions private also been launched in the Glasgow space in Scotland, which has considered a rise in cases over the final two days.

Coronavirus deaths

New Scientist Default Image

Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 858,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 25.8 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Colleges reopening: Colleges across England and the US are about to reopen their doors to students who had been at dwelling for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. What’s the handiest capacity to withhold youth, and college staff and folk, stable?

Face coverings in colleges: Have to restful youth returning to varsity wear face coverings? Reliable advice on this has evolved correct via the pandemic.

Oxford vaccine: A immense trial of a coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford has begun in the US. With an identical trials already below capacity in the UK and Brazil, hopes are rising that we may possibly possibly well discover out if the vaccine works sooner than the tip of the year.

Pupils wash their hands

Pupils wash their fingers as they advance on the first day encourage to varsity at Charles Dickens Fundamental College in London

Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Pictures

1 September

Pupils around the enviornment return to schools with new coronavirus measures in put

Millions of pupils returned to varsity this present day for the first time since coronavirus lockdowns had been launched, at the side of pupils in France, Poland, Russia, England and Wales to boot to in Wuhan in China, the put the coronavirus was first detected. Colleges in England and Wales private launched hygiene and social distancing measures per no longer too prolonged ago updated government steering, at the side of sporting of face coverings by pupils in communal areas and staggering of destroy times for diverse year groups. But a stumble on of 653 folk in these areas by YouGov printed that 17 per cent had been brooding about keeping their youth out of college due to concerns about coronavirus. 

UK colleges minister Prick Gibb this present day entreated folk to send their youth encourage to varsity. Doing so would “encourage them take dangle of up on the misplaced training they’ll inevitably private suffered in the lockdown length,” he told the BBC Breakfast camouflage. A stumble on of thousands of academics by the National Foundation for Tutorial Research means that youth in England are three months in the encourage of in their reviews following lockdown, and that the estimated learning gap between advantaged and deprived pupils has risen by 46 per cent. 98 per cent of the lecturers in the stumble on, which was performed on the tip of the final college year in July, acknowledged their pupils had been further in the encourage of in the curriculum than they have to had been on the time.

Assorted coronavirus data

The UK’s top minister Boris Johnson this present day told MPs that participants in the UK had been returning to the workplace in “tall numbers”, despite the proven truth that no proof has emerged to augment the claim. A spokesperson for Johnson told the Huffington Post “folk will probably be returning to the workplace after the summer season destroy and also youth going encourage to varsity provides folk some added flexibility.” The UK government’s marketing campaign to encourage folk to return to offices launched this present day. But in a most modern stumble on of additional than 6000 staff who had been working from dwelling due to the pandemic, nine out of 10 acknowledged they would devour to proceed to attain so.

Pharmaceutical enormous Astrazeneca has expanded its agreement with UK company Oxford Biomedica to scale up manufacturing of its coronavirus vaccine candidate. Oxford Biomedica has agreed to win tens of millions of doses of the vaccine candidate, which is being developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the University of Oxford. The candidate no longer too prolonged ago entered silly-stage trials in the US, with 30,000 folk enrolled. In a assertion, AstraZeneca acknowledged its global manufacturing capacity was conclude to a couple billion doses.

Even supposing there was an amplify in the use of face coverings in the UK, most productive 13 per cent of folk that wear reusable face masks are sustaining them in a capacity that’s precious to stopping the spread of coronavirus, in step with a poll of 1944 folk by YouGov. The stumble on stumbled on that the use of face coverings in the UK elevated from 38 per cent to 69 per cent from mid to silly July. On the different hand, most productive 13 per cent of folk that acknowledged they wear washable face masks also acknowledged they wash them after every use and at 60 levels C or elevated.

Coronavirus deaths

New Scientist Default Image

Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 851,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 25.5 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Immune response: Throughout the coronavirus pandemic there had been fierce debates over the science – when to lock down, whether or no longer face coverings encourage and whether or no longer youth are much less susceptible, as an example. Essentially the most modern row is over whether or no longer now we had been ignoring a a truly great share of our immune response to the virus: T-cells.

schoolchildren waiting

Kids wait launch air the college gate in Johannesburg, South Africa.

KIM LUDBROOK/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

28 August

Kids are at “strikingly low” risk of getting severely sick from coronavirus

Kids are great much less probably to safe extreme covid-19 than adults, and it is terribly rare for them to die from it, in step with a UK ogle that was printed in the BMJ this present day. The ogle tracked 651 below-18s admitted to effectively being facility with coronavirus between January and July in England, Scotland and Wales. Six youth died, 1 per cent of the overall, and that they had all had varied extreme diseases sooner than the virus struck, some of which had been themselves existence-limiting. The authors verbalize right here’s a “strikingly low” death price in comparison with 27 per cent for all ages in the population as a complete over the same length of time. The findings are per old an identical study. Younger folk create up 1 to 2 per cent of cases of covid-19 worldwide, despite the proven truth that it’s no longer determined why they seem to be much less affected.

“There had been no deaths in otherwise wholesome college-age youth,” Calum Semple on the University of Liverpool told the BBC. “There is just not one of these thing as a instruct hurt from youth going encourage to varsity,” he acknowledged. The findings come as some UK colleges had been reopening for all their pupils for the first time since lockdown in March, with most colleges in England due to be encourage by subsequent week.

Assorted coronavirus data

The UK has announced plans for fleet immunising immense numbers of folk if a coronavirus vaccine is developed sooner than chilly climate. They private allowing a great wider fluctuate of healthcare staff to give photos, similar to midwives, physiotherapists and dentists, to boot to pharmacists, who already administer flu vaccines. It also grants powers to approve any vaccine that’s confirmed stable and efficient sooner than the tip of the year to the Medicines Healthcare Regulatory Agency. This physique will became to blame for approving all remedy and vaccines from the launch of 2021 once the UK’s Brexit transition length is over.

Colleges reopening in the US private stumbled on Legionnaires’ disease bacteria in their water present, which can trigger lethal pneumonia. The Legionella microbe was stumbled on in the water present of 5 colleges in Ohio and four in Pennsylvania final week, and experts verbalize it is a long way probably to be in additional.

The World Health Organization is making an try to safe extra worldwide locations to hitch Covax, its coronavirus vaccine allocation scheme, in step with paperwork considered by Reuters. The WHO notion would ogle worldwide locations pooling funds so that if one vaccine succeeds, all participants will safe a comely allocation. However the UN company has struggled to safe ample richer nations on board. International locations at the side of the UK, the US and Japan private made their very dangle offers with manufacturers establishing vaccines, securing millions of doses for his or her dangle voters. 

Several immense US states private acknowledged they is no longer going to examine authentic federal coverage to cease testing folk that mediate they’ve been exposed to the coronavirus but who attain no longer private symptoms. In a rebuke to the new testing coverage announced by the US Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention (CDC), California, Texas, Florida, New York and four varied states private acknowledged they’re going to proceed with the outmoded regime. The CDC’s switch provoked claims that it was a politically motivated switch to lower the preference of folk testing certain sooner than the 2020 election.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 832,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 24.5 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Net outage slows covid-19 contact tracing: Health officers had been unable to label and isolate the contacts of thousands of folk that examined certain for the coronavirus in England till up to a week later.

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A girl walks past chairs painted with the colors of the Tour de France leaders’ jerseys on the seafront in Good, France

ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Pictures

27 August

WHO warns Europe is coming into “tricky moment” as coronavirus cases climb

As some European worldwide locations private persevered to narrative development in covid-19 cases, governments are responding by tightening up restrictions and security measures. France reported 5429 each day cases this present day, up from 3776 a week ago, and Italy counted 1366 cases, its biggest each day amplify in additional than three months and up against 642 a week ago. Every day numbers in varied predominant European worldwide locations are reasonably stable, with Spain at 7296, Germany at 1507 and the UK at 1048.

The French top minister Jean Castex warned the nation had considered an “easy surge” of cases and the epidemic “may possibly possibly well became exponential”, with cases rising as fleet as they did in the early days of the pandemic. The virus is now circulating in 20 of the nation’s 101 “departments”, up from two previously. With France’s reproduction amount – the practical preference of folk one contaminated person will probably infect – now at 1.4, Castex acknowledged masks will became a truly great in Paris. The 21-day Tour de France will restful walk ahead this Saturday.

The German government this present day rejected calls to take a seat again restrictions, with a leaked notion asserting non-public parties will probably be restricted to 25 folk and the predicted discontinue of a ban on immense public gatherings in October will as a replace be extended to the tip of the year.

Hans Kluge on the World Health Organization acknowledged this present day that Europe is coming into a “tricky moment” as colleges reopen across the continent, though he wired that colleges had no longer been a “predominant contributor” to the epidemic. Asked by New scientist at a press conference this present day if European worldwide locations’ responses to growing cases this week are commensurate with keeping the virus in take a look at, Maria van Kerkhove on the WHO acknowledged: “What we’re seeing is worldwide locations making use of varied measures. What we’re seeing are centered, tailored approaches. Optimistically these are time-certain.” On measures similar to mandating face coverings and limiting the size of gatherings, she acknowledged: “All of these are varied instruments that have to be applied. I mediate what we’re seeing is this calibration, of striking in efforts to suppress transmission to withhold it at a low stage whereas allowing societies to launch up. This is surely one of the most predominant issues we’re all searching for to establish now.”

Assorted coronavirus data

The preference of sufferers getting heart disease products and services at hospitals in the US and UK dropped by extra than half correct via the worldwide locations’ lockdown, researchers private stumbled on. Writing in the journal Launch Coronary heart, they warned cardiology departments private to be ready for a “predominant amplify in workload” in the approaching months as a consequence.

In the UK, government statistics this present day camouflage that three months after the launch of England’s contact tracing scheme, it is restful falling wanting reaching 80 per cent of conclude contacts of folk which private examined certain for covid-19, the stage the federal government’s scientific advisers verbalize is needed. Three quarters of conclude contacts had been reached between 13-19 August. Almost 300,000 folk had been reached for the reason that arrangement’s launch.

Individually, any individual in the UK on a low income who must self-isolate for 10 days and can’t make cash from dwelling will probably be eligible to safe £13 a day from the federal government in areas struggling from native outbreaks, effectively being secretary Matt Hancock acknowledged this present day.

A drug frail to encourage cats with one other coronavirus has been stumbled on to camouflage promise in tackling the contemporary coronavirus outbreak. The drug, GC376, and its parent, GC373, are “solid drug candidates for the remedy of human coronavirus infections because they’ve already been winning in animals,” the crew write in Nature Communications. Right here’s the New scientist manual to the overall most modern on covid-19 therapies.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 826,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 24 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Is the push to roll out a coronavirus vaccine undermining security? Some shortcuts are being taken in the bustle to safe a coronavirus vaccine licensed, but there are also extra sources, openness and scrutiny than ever sooner than.

Three school pupils walk through a doorway

Pupils in Glasgow, Scotland return to varsity after lockdown on 12 August

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Pictures

26 August

Face coverings will now be a truly great for secondary college pupils in areas of England below lockdown 

Secondary college pupils in areas of England below native lockdowns will now be required to wear face coverings in all communal areas except for classrooms, after the federal government reversed its steering final evening. The federal government has been below mounting strain from headteachers to adopt a stricter coverage on the use of face coverings sooner than colleges reopening subsequent month. Within coronavirus hotspots, “it presumably does create sense in confined areas launch air the study room to utilize a face defending in the hall and in other locations,” UK top minister Boris Johnson told journalists this present day, citing no longer too prolonged ago updated World Health Organization pointers. The brand new rule won’t apply to schools in areas that aren’t below lockdown, despite the proven truth that head academics in any secondary college will private the pliability to introduce their very dangle recommendations. In Wales, the resolution on the use of face coverings in colleges will probably be left to particular person colleges and councils.

Assorted coronavirus data

The US Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention (CDC) has been criticised for altering its tips on coronavirus testing to enlighten that some folk without symptoms also can no longer require a take a look at, even in the event that they’ve been in contact with any individual who examined certain for the virus. The alternate has no longer been explained by CDC leaders. Leana Wen, a doctor and public effectively being professor at George Washington University, told CNN, “These are exactly the folk which private to be examined,” as they are key to contact tracing.

Fewer than 40,000 cases had been confirmed in the US yesterday and each day new coronavirus cases there had been falling, after peaking on 22 July at about 70,000, though this is also due to insufficient testing. The complete preference of assessments administered has fallen from an practical of additional than 820,000 per day in mid-August to about 690,000 per day in the final week or so.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 820,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 23.9 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Vaccine bustle: Some shortcuts are being taken in the bustle to safe a coronavirus vaccine licensed, but there are also extra sources, openness and scrutiny than ever sooner than.

Face coverings: Build you safe mad whenever you ogle any individual and not utilizing a face defending? They’ll in fact private a just reason to manual determined of one, even when it isn’t glaring.

Man and two children wearing face masks walk towards school gate

Father and two youth strolling to varsity sporting face masks

Sally Anscombe/Getty Pictures

25 August

UK government below strain to take a look at coverage on face coverings in colleges in England

There may possibly be growing strain on the UK government to take a look at its coverage on the sporting of face coverings in colleges in England, after the Scottish government this present day announced that secondary college pupils will resolve on to wear them in communal areas from Monday. Public Health England’s contemporary steering, issued in July, doesn’t imply the use of face coverings in colleges. The Affiliation of College and College Leaders a headteachers’ union in the UK has criticised the inability of clarity around the foundations on whether or no longer academics and pupils can wear face coverings in colleges in England. “The steering is quiet on what colleges have to restful attain if staff or pupils desire to wear face coverings,” the union’s fashioned secretary, Geoff Barton told the BBC. All via a focus on over with to the south-west of England this present day, UK top minister Boris Johnson acknowledged the federal government is continuing to discover on the altering scientific proof, adding “if we desire to alternate the advice then in spite of every little thing we will.” The Welsh government has acknowledged this can even overview its impart on face coverings in colleges. 

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization issued new steering asserting that youth above age 12 have to restful wear face masks per urged observe for adults in the put the put they are residing. Fresh outbreaks in Scotland “make stronger the premise that covid-19 transmission in colleges is presumably immense”, acknowledged Rowland Kao on the University of Edinburgh in a assertion. “Have to restful masks be adopted, their use private to be accompanied by consciousness of the need for just cloak hygiene and standard handwashing.”

Assorted coronavirus data

Two extra sufferers had been reported to had been reinfected with the coronavirus, one in the Netherlands and one other in Belgium. The day earlier than this present day, researchers on the University of Hong Kong announced that that they had documented the first case of coronavirus reinfection. “That any individual would emerge with a reinfection, that doesn’t create me nervous,” Marion Koopmans at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands told Dutch broadcaster NOS. “Now we private got to discover whether or no longer this occurs extra typically.” 

Coronavirus cases in Spain are continuing to surge, with 175.7 cases per 100,000 folk, in step with essentially the most modern 14-day cumulative figures from the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Regulate. This is in comparison to 62.8 cases per 100,000 folk in France and 22.5 cases per 100,000 folk in the UK. Unions in Madrid final week warned that the predominant care arrangement was “on the threshold of collapse” due to lack of staff and capacity for testing.

Other folk residing in the Gaza Strip had been assign below a lockdown after native authorities confirmed the first domestically obtained cases of the coronavirus. A 48-hour lockdown went into attain on Monday evening across the territory.

Bali in Indonesia is no longer going to reopen to international tourists this year due to concerns about rising coronavirus cases.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 814,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 23.6 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Much less lethal in Europe: It’s a long way popping into extra and extra determined that participants are much less probably to die in the event that they safe covid-19 now in comparison with earlier in the pandemic, on the least in Europe, but the the the explanation why are restful shrouded in uncertainty.

Plasma remedy: Blood plasma donated by folk which private recovered from covid-19 will probably be frail as a remedy for the infection in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorisation for the remedy on 23 August, but the proof that it in fact works is lacking.

First case of reinfection: A wholesome 33-year-outmoded man is the first person confirmed to private caught the coronavirus twice, in step with unpublished study from the University of Hong Kong. As critical aspects of the case emerge, researchers verbalize there is restful great we don’t know.

Person waits in line to receive covid-19 test kit

Hong Kong residents receive free covid-19 take a look at kits

MIGUEL CANDELA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

24 August

Researchers verbalize they’ve detected the first case of coronavirus reinfection

Researchers on the University of Hong Kong verbalize they’ve documented the first case of an particular person being reinfected with the coronavirus. The crew analysed virus samples taken from a person when he first examined certain for the coronavirus in silly March, and any other time when he examined certain for a second time in mid-August. They stumbled on several variations in the sequences of the virus from the first and second infections, suggesting the man had been contaminated with two separate strains of the virus, quite than one prolonged-lasting infection. Their findings had been well-liked for publication in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.

What is going to the discovery mean for the handfuls of vaccine candidates being developed to give protection to folk against the coronavirus? It have to also gift that being contaminated with the virus doesn’t essentially give protection to folk against future infections, acknowledged David Strain on the University of Exeter in a assertion. “Vaccinations work by simulating infection to the physique, thereby allowing the physique to create antibodies. If antibodies don’t present lasting security, we will have to revert to a project of viral conclude to-elimination in command to return to a extra fashioned existence,” says Strain. But Brendan Wren on the London College of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines, sassist it is predominant to bewitch these outcomes into context: “It’s a long way a in fact rare example of reinfection and it’ll restful no longer pronounce the worldwide force to create covid-19 vaccines.”

Assorted coronavirus data

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday issued emergency use authorisation for convalescent plasma as a remedy for extreme covid-19. This is drawn from folk which private recovered from infection with the coronavirus and incorporates antibodies to battle the virus. In a assertion the FDA acknowledged that “the identified and probably advantages of the [treatment] outweigh the identified and probably dangers.” More than 70,000 folk in the US private obtained convalescent plasma as a remedy for covid-19 since March, via a programme bustle by the Mayo Sanatorium. FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn acknowledged reviews private stumbled on a 35 per cent enchancment in survival for covid-19 sufferers given the plasma.

On the very least 17 staff and pupils at a college in Dundee private examined certain for the coronavirus much less than two weeks after pupils returned to schools in Scotland. Kingspark college closed final Wednesday and pupils had been told to self-isolate till 3 September. Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon this present day announced that secondary college pupils in Scotland can be told to wear face coverings, in light of new steering from the World Health Organization. Colleges in England are due to reopen in September, but a spokesperson for the top minister this present day acknowledged there don’t seem to be any plans to take a look at the contemporary steering in England for the sporting of face coverings in colleges.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 809,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 23.4 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Australia’s second wave: Australia’s second wave of the coronavirus looks to be in the raze subsiding, but the nation isn’t out of the woods yet.

Vaccine technology: Prevention is more fit than remedy, so we have to restful launch the use of genetic ways to cease awful animal diseases leaping to humans, verbalize Scott Nuismer and James Bull.

Commuters in front of a train station

Commuters advance for work at Victoria Space in London

Alex Lentati/LNP/Shutterstock

21 August

Coronavirus R amount in UK rises a little bit but infections seem to be levelling off

In the UK, the most modern estimate for the R amount, the preference of folk every coronavirus case infects, has risen to between 0.9 and 1.1, up a little bit from 0.8 to 1.0 the old week. On the different hand, due to a time traipse in the info frail to mannequin the R amount, right here’s extra consultant of the insist two to a couple weeks ago. Estimates for the infection development rates fluctuate between -3 and 1 per cent. This means infections in the UK are levelling off on practical, in a continuation of the pattern seen over the previous couple of weeks. This is according to essentially the most modern outcomes from the random swab testing stumble on by the Office for National Statistics, which implies about 24,600 folk in England 1 in 2200 had the virus in the week ending 13 August, in comparison to 28,300 folk 1 in 1900 in the week ending 9 August

Local coronavirus restrictions in put in aspects of northern England will probably be lifted on Saturday. Other folk from two varied households in Wigan in Elevated Manchester and Rossendale and Darwen in Lancashire will now be allowed to meet in homes and gardens. But restrictions will stay in put in some varied aspects of Elevated Manchester and Lancashire, to boot to in aspects of West Yorkshire and in Leicester. Oldham, which had the very best price of infections in the UK final week at 103.1 cases per 100,000 folk, has shunned the introduction of restrictions but will probably be subjected to “a extra centered intervention”, in step with the Department of Health and Social Care. 

Assorted coronavirus data

Travellers arriving in the UK from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago will probably be required to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival, beginning at 4.00 am on Saturday, UK transport minister Grant Shapps announced yesterday. There are for the time being 47.2 cases per 100,000 folk in Croatia in comparison to 21.2 per 100,000 folk in the UK, in step with cumulative figures for the final 14 days from the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Regulate. These arriving in the UK from Portugal, which for the time being has a case price of 28.5 per 100,000 folk, will no longer have to self-isolate. Shapps acknowledged it’d be “too complex” for the UK to adopt a extra centered methodology to the quarantine recommendations devour Germany’s, affecting travellers from particular areas quite than complete worldwide locations, due to the insist in assessing infection patterns out of the country in ample detail.

Coronavirus cases had been reported among pupils or academics at 41 colleges in Germany’s capital Berlin, much less than two weeks after colleges reopened. Berlin was surely one of the most first locations in Germany to reopen colleges after the summer season destroy. Colleges in Scotland reopened earlier this month and colleges in England will reopen in September. 

South Korea recorded its easiest preference of every day new coronavirus cases since 8 March, with 324 new cases confirmed on Thursday. There had been 732 cases linked to the new outbreak up to now, 56 of which had been linked to a single church in Seoul.

Lebanon has reintroduced a partial lockdown and an overnight curfew in an try to suppress a most modern spike in coronavirus infections in the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion. The nation recorded 605 new cases on Thursday, its easiest each day case amount up to now.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 794,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 22.7 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Coronavirus and flying: Is it stable to soar with the coronavirus restful circulating? That is dependent partly on the put you’re. But whereas exhausting proof is scarce, it looks the likelihood of being contaminated with covid-19 correct via a flight is reasonably low.

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Commuters at Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof central prepare dwelling in Frankfurt, Germany.

Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Pictures

20 August

WHO warns of “risk of resurgence” in Europe as Germany and Spain ogle cases surge

The likelihood of a resurgence of the coronavirus “has never been a long way-off,” the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge acknowledged correct via a briefing this present day. Europe recorded 40,000 extra coronavirus cases in the first week of August, in comparison to the first week of June, when cases had been at their lowest, and cases private gradually been rising in the dwelling, in share due to the leisure of public effectively being and social measures, he acknowledged. Germany recorded its easiest each day preference of new cases since April, with 1707 new cases confirmed on Wednesday. Spain recorded 3715 cases on the same day, the very best each day amount there for the reason that nation’s lockdown was lifted in silly June. “Authorities had been easing one of the most predominant restrictions and folk had been dropping their guard,” acknowledged Kluge. 

Kluge thanked young folk for the sacrifices they’ve made to give protection to themselves and others from covid-19 but expressed field about folk feeble between 15 and 24, who tale for a growing preference of cases. “Low risk does no longer mean no risk. No one is invincible,” he acknowledged.

Assorted coronavirus data

England seen a 27 per cent amplify in the preference of folk testing certain for coronavirus in the week ending 12 August in comparison to the old week, in step with the Department of Health and Social Care. Its most modern figures impart that 6616 folk examined certain for the virus, whilst the preference of folk examined for the virus went down by 2 per cent over the same length of time.

UK effectively being minister Matt Hancock yesterday told the BBC that participants in the UK needs in explain to return to offices without the need for sporting face masks, citing proof from NHS Test and Hint that participants had been largely catching the virus in conferences between households quite than in offices. But researchers, at the side of microbiologist Simon Clarke on the University of Reading, verbalize there isn’t ample data to rule out the likelihood of transmission within offices and from offices to households. “The virus private to be taken into homes by any individual and so that they’re going to private needed to rob it up from in varied locations […] even a single workplace transmission may possibly possibly well consequence in numerous onward infections in a family, family or varied setting.”

India reported a narrative each day amplify in coronavirus cases for the nation this present day, with extra than 69,652 cases confirmed, in step with its effectively being ministry.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 788,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 22.4 million, in step with Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Rewilding the sky: Let’s bewitch inspiration from the capacity we intervene to encourage degraded ecosystems safe effectively and try to restore the ambiance encourage to plump effectively being, taking reduction of the lull in human exercise below covid-19, writes Graham Lawton.

Medical worker takes swab sample in a drive-thru testing centre

A scientific employee takes a swab pattern in a force-via testing centre

REUTERS/Carl Recine – RC2Z2I9ILO1A

19 August

Random swab testing stumble on to be expanded in England and to varied UK nations

Coronavirus assessments will probably be performed on extra folk in the UK to encourage video display the spread of the virus, the federal government says. The random swab testing stumble on for coronavirus by the Office for National Statistics, which began in Could presumably possibly, will probably be expanded to take a look at extra folk in England to boot to folk in Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire, the UK’s effectively being minister Matt Hancock announced this present day. In England, the stumble on will amplify from testing 28,000 folk every two weeks in the workforce, launch air of hospitals and care homes, to testing 150,000 folk. Hancock acknowledged right here’s share of a great wider effort to amplify coronavirus testing in the UK.

Checking out elevated numbers of folk will allow smaller adjustments in infection development tendencies to be interpreted with extra reliability, says biologist and scientific innovation researcher Michael Hopkins on the University of Sussex. It have to present a “elevated definition portray of the outbreak”, helping to pinpoint at-risk groups sooner or later of the population, says Hopkins. More frequent testing may possibly possibly well also encourage desire folk which private the virus but are asymptomatic. An diagnosis by the ONS printed yesterday stumbled on that most productive 28 per cent of folk testing certain for the coronavirus in England reported having symptoms around the time they had been examined.

Assorted coronavirus data

Australia’s top minister Scott Morrison backtracked this present day after asserting that coronavirus vaccination would be a truly great in Australia. Presently there isn’t a coronavirus vaccine readily accessible but there are 160 vaccine candidates being developed and 31 are in human trials. The Australian government no longer too prolonged ago secured safe entry to to the vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, and has now acknowledged that if the vaccine is licensed this can even provide it to Australian voters for free. Clarifying his earlier comments about making the vaccine a truly great, Morrison acknowledged “we are able to’t withhold any individual down and create them bewitch it”, adding that vaccination would be “impressed.”

Nearly 1200 fewer folk died this year in New Zealand up to 20 July in comparison to correct via the same length final year, a rare pattern in light of the worldwide pandemic. Some researchers speculate this is also due to a reduction in deaths from varied respiratory diseases, due to the introduction of measures to restrict the spread of the coronavirus. In Could presumably possibly, neighbouring Australia reported lower flu rates than traditional, which was also attributed to coronavirus lockdown measures. New Zealand has recorded most productive 22 covid-19 associated deaths

South Korea recorded its biggest each day amplify in coronavirus cases since March yesterday, with 297 cases of the virus confirmed. Officials in Seoul private begun introducing restrictions on gatherings in the metropolis and its surrounding space, prohibiting indoor gatherings of additional than 50 folk and launch air gatherings of additional than 100 folk.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 782,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 22.1 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Reaching herd immunity: On the present time, some headlines private an very ideal time the proven truth that many locations may possibly possibly well need carried out herd immunity at the side of Britain and pockets of London, New York and Mumbai. But others warn that millions will die sooner than we safe there. The just portray is arrangement messier, partly because scientists don’t even agree on what herd immunity is, let on my own the arrangement in which it is a long way probably to be carried out. So how will we know when populations are safe against the coronavirus?

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A employee preserving a tray containing ampoules of “Sputnik V”, a covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Zelenograd, Russia

Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Pictures

18 August

“Now we private got to forestall vaccine nationalism,” says WHO director-fashioned

The World Health Organization (WHO) this present day called for an discontinue to “vaccine nationalism”, the hoarding of vaccine doses by some nations. “The fastest capacity to discontinue this pandemic and to reopen economies is to launch by defending the very best risk populations in every single place,” WHO director-fashioned Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing this present day. “Now we private got to forestall vaccine nationalism,” he acknowledged. The priority private to be defending fundamental staff and varied at-risk groups, Ghebreyesus acknowledged: “If we are able to work collectively, we are able to create obvious every fundamental staff are safe and confirmed therapies devour dexamethasone are readily accessible to folk who need them.” Even supposing there for the time being isn’t a vaccine readily accessible for covid-19 there are extra than 160 candidates in pattern, with 31 in human trials. Several worldwide locations private already secured offers for doses of these styles of vaccine candidates. The UK has purchased on the least 190 million doses, at the side of 100 million of the vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. 

Individually, Takeshi Kasai, WHO Western Pacific regional director, told the briefing that “the epidemic is altering.” He acknowledged that “folk in their 20s, 30s and 40s are extra and extra driving the spread. Many are unaware they are contaminated.” This may possibly occasionally enhance the likelihood of the virus spreading to the extra inclined,” he added.

Assorted coronavirus data

Public Health England will probably be modified by a new public effectively being company, UK effectively being minister Matt Hancock confirmed this present day. The brand new company, called the National Institute for Health Protection, will mix “the abilities of Public Health England with the immense response capabilities of NHS Test and Hint and the Joint Biosecurity Centre,” Hancock acknowledged on the Coverage Substitute mediate tank. Dido Harding, the contemporary head of NHS Test and Hint, will lead the new organisation on the beginning, Hancock acknowledged. NHS Test and Hint has been criticised for masses of times failing to put the share of contacts of folk recognized with coronavirus that’s urged by government scientific advisors 80 per cent or extra. Between 30 July and 5 August as an example, the arrangement most productive managed to put 74.2 per cent of the contacts of folk that examined certain for the virus in England. 

The share of folk in the UK who reported experiencing symptoms of uncomfortable was 20 per cent in June, up from 10 per cent in July final year, in step with a stumble on by the Office for National Statistics.

Voters from six US states filed a lawsuit against the nation’s president Donald Trump and the postmaster fashioned Louis DeJoy yesterday over cuts to the US postal service sooner than the upcoming fashioned election. Many states are looking ahead to a surge in postal ballots this year due to the pandemic.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 775,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 21.9 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Travelling in a single other nation safely: Many worldwide locations private considered an amplify in coronavirus cases, making going in a single other nation extra of of enterprise. So what are the varied alternate choices for managing the contemporary dangers from global lope, and which worldwide locations private got it appropriate?

Return of covid-19 to New Zealand: New Zealand has acted all right away to private a new coronavirus outbreak after going 102 days virus-free, but it surely’s restful unclear whether or no longer it’ll set apart it out any other time.

Protestor holds placard reading &#src39;Yo Gavin, I just wanna talk&#src39;A-stage students withhold a sit in convey on the Department for Training over the implications fiasco

17 August

A-stage and GCSE grades in England to be based fully totally on academics’ predictions as a replace of controversial algorithm

Pupils in England will probably be given A-stage and GCSE grades estimated by their academics quite than by an algorithm that sparked protests after it was frail to moderate the grades of A-stage pupils final week. The algorithm, which was launched since the pandemic disrupted the conventional examination project, resulted in about 280,000 A-stage pupils in England seeing their ratings tumble by on the least one grade or extra in comparison to their predicted outcomes.These from deprived backgrounds had been worst-affected. UK training minister Gavin Williamson this present day announced that England’s assessments regulator, Ofqual is scrapping the algorithm, bringing coverage per the UK’s varied nations. Williamson and Ofqual chair, Roger Taylor apologised for the “misery” caused. 

Assorted coronavirus data

England’s effectively being company, Public Health England, is probably to safe modified by a new physique specifically centered on dealing with pandemics. The brand new company would be modelled on Germany’s Robert Koch Institute and is anticipated to be announced this week by the UK’s effectively being minister, Matt Hancock, in step with a narrative in the Sunday Telegraph. The article also signifies that Hancock plans to merge the NHS Test and Hint scheme with the pandemic response work of Public Health England. “The reports in the media of a proposed ‘axing’ of Public Health England is of tall field,” acknowledged Amitava Banerjee, scientific data scientist and cardiologist at University College London. A predominant restructuring of public effectively being goal, as the worldwide covid-19 emergency continues, will divert restricted sources away from public effectively being measures similar to testing and tracing, acknowledged Banerjee. 

Voters in the US are concerned with whether or no longer it is restful stable to submit their ballots, after the nation’s president Donald Trump final week acknowledged he would block extra funding required for the postal service to handle the anticipated surge in postal ballots this year. Many US states had been searching for to create postal vote casting more uncomplicated so that participants are in a impart to vote safely correct via the pandemic.

South Korea tightened social distancing recommendations on Sunday after 197 new coronavirus cases linked to a new outbreak had been confirmed on Saturday. “We’re going via a disaster the put if the contemporary spread isn’t managed, it may possibly possibly probably possibly well bring an exponential rise in cases, which may possibly possibly well in turn consequence in the collapse of our scientific arrangement and substantial financial misery,” director of the Korea Facilities for Illness Regulate and Prevention, Jeong Eun-kyeong acknowledged correct via a briefing.

New Zealand’s fashioned election will probably be postponed by a month due to an on-going coronavirus outbreak in Auckland, the nation’s top minister Jacinda Ardern announced this present day. Nine new cases in the new cluster had been confirmed this present day, bringing the overall to 58 cases up to now.

A new take a look at for coronavirus-particular T-cells immune cells that encourage the physique battle infections may possibly possibly well encourage researchers establishing vaccine candidates. The take a look at is being developed by UK company Indoor Biotechnologies, which says early trials stumbled on that some folk that had the coronavirus but examined detrimental for antibodies went on to take a look at certain for T-cells. It restful isn’t determined whether or no longer antibodies or T-cells present prolonged-lasting immunity against the virus and how prolonged such immunity may possibly possibly well final.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 776,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 21.7 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Coronavirus and pets: Reports of pets being contaminated with the coronavirus had been growing, but how anxious have to restful householders be? And may possibly possibly pets be spreading the virus between folk?

People sitting and waiting in a train station

Passengers wait subsequent to the Eurostar Terminal on the Gare du Nord prepare dwelling in Paris.

Michel Euler/AP/Shutterstock

14 August

UK traffic to France may possibly possibly well face restrictions after UK imposed quarantine on arrivals 

Travellers arriving in France from the UK is probably to be required to quarantine for 2 weeks after arrival into the nation, Clément Beaune, France’s junior minister for European Affairs, told journalists on Thursday. His assertion came after the UK added France and the Netherlands to its checklist of worldwide locations from which arriving travellers will probably be required to quarantine for 14 days. France for the time being has a coronavirus case price of 34.0 folk per 100,000, in step with cumulative figures for the final 14 days from the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Regulate, with 41.6 cases per 100,000 folk in the Netherlands. The case price in the UK is for the time being 17.3 per 100,000 folk. The UK’s new recommendations are efficient from 4: 00 BST on Saturday 15 August and also can apply for folks arriving in the UK from Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos and Aruba. Transport minister Grant Shapps acknowledged that there are for the time being about 160,000 folk from the UK on holidays in France. 

Assorted coronavirus data

Restrictions affecting aspects of northern England and Leicester will attach in put due to on-going native outbreaks, the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care announced this present day. Other folk residing in the affected areas in Elevated Manchester, West Yorkshire, East Lancashire and Leicester aren’t allowed to meet with folk from varied households indoors or in non-public gardens. Oldham in Elevated Manchester has experienced the finest week-on-week rise in cases in England, recording a price of 107.5 cases per 100,000 folk between 2 and eight August, up from 57.8 correct via the old week. The federal government says the limitations will probably be reviewed any other time subsequent week. 

In other locations in England, easing of restrictions allowing miniature wedding receptions, are residing indoor performances and sweetness therapies will walk ahead from Saturday after being delayed from the accepted date of 1 August, UK top minister Boris Johnson confirmed this present day. Bowling alleys, casinos and play centres will even be allowed to reopen.

Despite some native outbreaks, coronavirus cases across England as a complete seem to be levelling off, in step with essentially the most modern outcomes from a random swab testing stumble on by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS estimates that 28,300 folk in England one in 1900 folk had the virus in the week ending 9 August, the same as the old week.

New Zealand has extended a lockdown in Auckland by on the least 12 days, the nation’s top minister Jacinda Ardern announced this present day. New Zealand had been free of domestically transmitted coronavirus infections for 102 days till four folk from the same family in Auckland examined certain for the virus earlier this week. The preference of cases in the new outbreak there has since risen to 29. 

North Korea has lifted a 3-week lockdown in the border metropolis of Kaesong after a suspected coronavirus case there, impart media reported this present day. The World Health Organization final week acknowledged that assessments on the suspected case a person that returned to North Korea after defecting had been inconclusive. North Korea has no longer reported any varied cases.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 760,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 20.9 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Men move casket for a funeral

Workers of Guardian Funerals transport the casket of Covid-19 sufferer

Christopher Furlong/Getty Pictures

13 August

UK government has modified the capacity deaths from covid-19 are recorded in England

England’s covid-19 death toll has been revised down by extra than 5000, after the UK government announced a new UK-huge not contemporary for recording deaths attributable to the coronavirus. The adjustments mean the removal of 5377 deaths from Public Health England’s authentic narrative, decreasing the UK’s complete numbers of deaths from the virus from 46,706 to 41,329 as of 12 August. 

Other folk that recovered from covid-19 sooner than dying from varied causes extra than a month later also can had been included in the old death toll due to the capacity Public Health England was collecting its data. “It had became essentially needless for epidemiological monitoring,” acknowledged epidemiologist Keith Neal on the University of Nottingham, UK. From now on England’s authentic death toll will most productive embody folk that died within 28 days of testing certain for the virus, bringing it per the varied nations in the UK. 

Assorted coronavirus data

The preference of sufferers admitted to hospitals in England for routine remedy was down by 67 per cent in June in comparison to the same time final year, in step with data from NHS England. The preference of folk visiting accident and emergency items was also down, by 30 per cent in comparison to final year, as was the amount going to their family doctor with symptoms of most cancers and being urgently referred to a specialist , at 20 per cent lower than final year. The NHS England data also suggests extra folk waited longer than traditional for planned procedures, similar to knee and hip operations. The Health Foundation charity told the BBC that this capacity the NHS is restful “nowhere conclude to substitute as traditional following the first outbreak of covid-19,” and warned that prolonged waiting times may possibly possibly well consequence in deterioration in folk’s effectively being.

The coronavirus also can had been circulating in New Zealand for weeks ahead of the nation’s new outbreak, in step with New Zealand’s director-fashioned of effectively being, Ashley Bloomfield. The key person in the new cluster of cases began showing symptoms as early as 31 July, Bloomfield acknowledged correct via a media briefing in Wellington, adding that genome sequencing was underway on the accepted four cases to take a look at out and label the prepare of transmission. Officials are also investigating the view that the cases had been imported via refrigerated freight. New Zealand had been free of domestically transmitted coronavirus infections for 102 days sooner than four folk from the same family examined certain earlier this week. 

Authorities in two cities in China acknowledged they stumbled on traces of the coronavirus on imported frozen food and on food packaging. Samples of hen wings imported to the metropolis of Shenzhen from Brazil and packaging of frozen miniature imported from Ecuador to a metropolis in China’s Anhui province examined certain for the virus. It isn’t yet determined when the products modified into spoiled but China is growing screening at its ports. The coronavirus can continue to exist for up to 2 years frozen at -20°C but is destroyed by heating to 70°C. The World Health Organization says that there isn’t for the time being any proof that participants can take dangle of the virus from food or food packaging. 

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 750,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 20.6 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Sweden’s coronavirus technique: Sweden was surely one of the most few European worldwide locations no longer to impose a compulsory lockdown. Its contemporary technique for tackling the coronavirus outbreak has both been hailed as winning, and condemned as a failure. So which is it?

Two women wearing face masks leaving a coronavirus testing tent

Two lady in Ripollet, Catalonia sporting face masks launch air a coronavirus testing space.

PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Pictures

12 August

Germany and Spain among a growing checklist of western European worldwide locations the put coronavirus cases are surging

Coronavirus cases are rising in Germany, Spain and varied worldwide locations in western Europe, with Spain recording 1418 new infections on Tuesday, and Germany detecting 1200 cases in the final 24 hours, the nation’s biggest each day amplify for three months. In the Netherlands, each day new infections are encourage to about half the stage they had been at correct via the preliminary top. Spain now has the very best price of coronavirus infections in the dwelling, with 94 cases per 100,000 folk, in comparison to 38 in the Netherlands, 30 in France, 18 in the UK and 14 in Germany, in step with cumulative figures for the final 14 days from the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Regulate

Germany’s effectively being minister, Jens Spahn, says folk strolling again from holiday can be the reason for the growing preference of cases in Germany, as the UK and Germany proceed to warn folk against non-fundamental lope to aspects of Spain. Any holidaymakers returning to the UK from Spain are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The checklist of worldwide locations from which all arrivals to the UK have to quarantine can be updated this week to embody 14 extra worldwide locations, at the side of France.

Assorted coronavirus data

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in talks with Russian authorities about reviewing the coronavirus vaccine candidate whose approval to be used in Russia yesterday sparked criticism from researchers. Russia’s vaccine, Sputnik-V, is no longer on the WHO’s checklist of six vaccines which private reached share III trials bright scientific testing on immense groups of folk. Russia’s effectively being minister Mikhail Murashko this present day brushed apart security concerns expressed by international researchers about the fleet approval of the vaccine as “faux.”

Lebanon announced its easiest preference of every day new coronavirus cases yesterday for the reason that launch of the pandemic, with extra than 300 new cases and seven deaths from covid-19. Hospitals in the nation are overwhelmed following the aftermath of the explosion in Beirut final week. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jarasevic told a UN briefing yesterday that the displacement of folk due to the explosion dangers accelerating the spread of the coronavirus there.

On the very least 800 folk are estimated to private died around the enviornment because misinformation about the coronavirus correct via the first three months of this year, a ogle has stumbled on. A further 5800 folk are estimated to had been admitted to effectively being facility for the same reason correct via this length. The huge majority of the deaths and hospitalisations had been due to folk drinking methanol and alcohol-based fully mostly cleansing products, incorrectly believing that they had been therapies for covid-19, in step with the ogle, which was printed in The American Society of Tropical Medicines and Hygiene.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide death toll has passed 744,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 20.4 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Kids at risk: A staggering 115 million youth in India are at risk of malnutrition, as the enviornment’s finest college lunch programme has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Who’ve to restful safe vaccinated first?: It’s a long way August 2021, and the moment the enviornment has been looking ahead to has in the raze arrived – a vaccine against covid-19 has passed the overall assessments and is able to be rolled out. But this isn’t the tip. There are extra than 7.5 billion folk in need of vaccination but presumably most productive a billion doses readily accessible in the first six months of manufacturing. Who will get one?

Staying associated: Greeting neighbours or gossiping with a colleague can enhance your effectively being and effectively-being, but coronavirus lockdowns are striking that in jeopardy. Right here’s attach associated.

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New Zealand top minister Jacinda Ardern announced new lockdown measures in Auckland after four new coronavirus cases had been detected in the workforce

New Zealand government

11 August

New Zealand reimposes Auckland lockdown after first domestically transmitted cases for 102 days

New Zealand has reported its first new coronavirus cases regarded as obtained via native transmission, after going 102 days and not utilizing a single reported case launch air of managed isolation or quarantine. Four folk within one family in south Auckland examined certain for the virus, New Zealand top minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged this present day at a press briefing. New Zealand has been broadly praised for its aggressive response to the coronavirus, closing its borders to non-nationals and enforcing surely one of the most strictest lockdowns in the enviornment, all at a time when the nation had most productive 205 cases and no deaths from covid-19. Checking out is now being ramped up in Auckland and lockdown restrictions will probably be reimposed there from the next day. Each person except for fundamental staff will probably be asked to make cash from dwelling and colleges will probably be closed for most youth. Assorted public products and services, at the side of bars and restaurants, will probably be required to conclude and gatherings will probably be restricted to 10 folk. 

Assorted coronavirus data

Researchers private expressed concerns about the approval of a coronavirus vaccine candidate in Russia this present day. The virus has been licensed for frequent use, no matter most productive being examined in dozens of folk. “There is just not one of these thing as a data on the Russian-led vaccine for the worldwide effectively being workforce to scrutinise,” acknowledged Michael Head, public effectively being study fellow on the University of Southampton, UK. Russia’s president Vladimir Putin acknowledged surely one of his daughters has already been inoculated, and claimed it was stable. 

The preference of contact tracers working for NHS Test and Hint will probably be lowered by 6000 in England by the tip of this month, the UK government has announced. The final 12,000 contact tracers will work extra intently with native public effectively being authorities to encourage with contact tracing within communities. Between 16 and 22 July, NHS Test and Hint most productive managed to put 75 per cent of the contacts of folk that examined certain for the coronavirus in England. Dido Harding, head of NHS Test and Hint acknowledged that having a extra localised methodology will be sure extra contacts of coronavirus cases within communities is probably to be reached.

Australia’s a long way-off Northern Territory will attach its borders shut to coronavirus-affected states till on the least 2022, in step with native officers. Other folk strolling again from affected states will probably be required to quarantine at a resort for 14 days at their very dangle expense.

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 737,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 20.1 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

Most up to the moment on coronavirus from New scientist

Count on about the UK’s new fleet assessments: Two 90-minute assessments for the coronavirus will probably be rolled out by the UK government in the approaching weeks – and whereas both are promising, neither has publicly readily accessible data to augment its use.

Frequent frosty virus vaccine: A vaccine that protects against surely one of the most predominant fashioned frosty viruses – respiratory syncytial virus – has been confirmed to be stable and efficient in a scientific trial and is probably to be readily accessible by 2024.

Man wearing mask and hat in snow

A person considered in a motorway correct via a snowfall in the early stages of the pandemic.

Sergei Fadeichev/TASS via Getty Pictures

10 August

No indication there is seasonality with the coronavirus, says WHO 

There may possibly be no indication that the coronavirus is seasonal and it may possibly possibly probably possibly well safe effectively any time, World Health Organization (WHO) leaders acknowledged at a press briefing this present day. Evidence suggests the coronavirus will not be like flu, which tends to spike in autumn and chilly climate. “Whenever you bewitch strain off the virus, the virus will safe effectively. That’s what we will verbalize to worldwide locations in Europe – attach the strain on,” acknowledged Mike Ryan, WHO government director of the emergencies program. Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of WHO’s covid-19 response, acknowledged that nearly the complete world’s population stays vulnerable to the virus, and WHO director-fashioned Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised the significance of worldwide locations taking centered motion to kind out native outbreaks via suggestions devour localised lockdowns employed in Leicester, UK. 

Assorted coronavirus data

The WHO says it has most productive obtained a little bit of the funding it needs for an initiative geared toward establishing and distributing remedy, vaccines and varied instruments to encourage kind out the pandemic. “Whereas we’re grateful for many who private made contributions, we’re most productive 10 per cent of the capacity to funding the billions required to draw conclude the promise of the ACT [Access to Covid-19 Tools] accelerator,” Tedros acknowledged correct via a press briefing this present day.

“Greece has formally entered a second wave of the epidemic,” Gkikas Magiorkinis, an epidemiologist at Athens University and surely one of the most scientists advising the Greek government, told journalists this present day. This comes after Greece recorded its easiest amount of every day new coronavirus cases for the reason that pandemic began, with 203 confirmed on Sunday.

In France, it is now compulsory to wear a face cloak launch air in obvious crowded areas within Paris. Health officers acknowledged the saunter of certain coronavirus assessments was 2.4 per cent in the Paris space in comparison to the practical of 1.6 per cent for folks examined in the nation as a complete. Assorted cities, at the side of Good and Lille, private also launched new recommendations making face masks a truly great in particular launch air areas.

It has been extra than 100 days since New Zealand final detected a domestically obtained coronavirus case. As of this present day, the nation has most productive 21 energetic infections, all of which can be being managed in isolation products and services. Authorities are restful testing thousands of folk every single day. “We private to be ready to fleet set apart out any future cases,” acknowledged New Zealand’s director-fashioned of effectively being Ashley Bloomfield on Sunday. 

Coronavirus deaths

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Matthew Rowett

The worldwide death toll has passed 731,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 19.9 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.

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NHS advice board promoting Test and Hint in Birmingham metropolis centre in the UK

Mike Kemp/In PIctures via Getty Pictures

7 August

The preference of folk estimated to private the virus in England can be levelling off

The preference of folk estimated to private covid-19 in England looks to be levelling off, after rising a little bit in July, in step with a random swab testing stumble on of nearly 120,000 folk by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS estimates that 28,300 folk launch air of hospitals and care homes in England had the virus in the week ending 2 August about one in every 1900 folk. This is down a little bit from the old week’s estimate of 35,700. On the different hand it isn’t determined how infection rates also can vary across varied areas. In Wales, which was included in the stumble on for the first time, an estimated 1400 folk had covid-19 in the week ending 2 August, associated to 1 in every 2200 folk.

The share of folk in the UK who verbalize they’ve been sporting face coverings has long gone up for the second week in a row, in step with a separate ONS stumble on. In the week ending 2 August, 96 per cent of folk acknowledged that they had worn a face defending launch air their dwelling, up from 84 per cent in the old week and 71 per cent the week sooner than. The stumble on also stumbled on that 72 per cent of folk acknowledged that they had socialised with others in person, just over half of whom acknowledged that they had continuously maintained social distancing. 

Assorted coronavirus data

Coronavirus vaccine trials is probably to be undermined by the lack of diversity among participants, in step with researchers. In essentially the most modern trial of a coronavirus vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with AstraZeneca, fewer than 1 per cent of the roughly 1000 participants had been dim and most productive about 5 per cent had been Asian, in comparison to 91 per cent of participants who had been white. In a smaller trial of a vaccine candidate being developed by US company Moderna, 40 out of 45 participants had been white. “Diversity is predominant to make toddle pockets of folk don’t private negative facet-effects,” Oluwadamilola Fayanju, a surgeon and researcher at Duke University told the Guardian.

The metropolis of Preston in England is being placed below stricter native lockdown measures following a rise in coronavirus cases. From hour of darkness on 7 August residents from varied households aren’t allowed to meet indoors or in non-public gardens. These new measures are per those for the time being in put in east Lancashire, Elevated Manchester and aspects of West Yorkshire.

More than a million folk in worldwide locations across Africa had been recognized with the coronavirus, despite the proven truth that effectively being officers verbalize right here’s surely an underestimate. “We haven’t considered the discontinue in Africa yet,” Mary Stephen, technical officer on the World Health Organization’s regional workplace for Africa told Al Jazeera. Even supposing the majority of cases confirmed up to now are in South Africa, it is also performing considerably extra assessments than varied African worldwide locations.

India has recorded its easiest amount of every day new coronavirus cases for the reason that launch of the pandemic, with 62,538 cases confirmed on Friday. There had been extra than 2 million cases recorded in the nation for the reason that pandemic began.

Coronavirus deaths

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The worldwide death toll has passed 715,000. The preference of confirmed cases is extra than 19.1 million, in step with the scheme and dashboard from Johns Hopkins University, though the just preference of cases will probably be great elevated.


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Matthew Rowett

New Scientist Default Image

Matthew Rowett

New Scientist Default Image

Matthew Rowett

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