Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a record daily increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 236,918in 24 hours. More than 12.6 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus disease, and more than 562,888have died. The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to a daily report.

In the USA, Florida confirmed its place as an emerging epicenter of the COVID pandemic in the United States by reporting its second sharpest daily rise in cases. The United States has 3,291,786 confirmed cases as 71,787 new cases were recorded yesterday.

Brazil reported 1,270 new deaths in 24 hours and WHO has called for aggressive action after a record surge in global cases although the number of daily fatalities appears to be stabilizing. Brazil is the second-worst affected country in the world after the United States.The country has a total of 1,804,338 and 70,524 fatalities have been recorded so far.

India’s coronavirus cases passed 800,000 with the biggest spike of 27,761 cases in the past 24 hours, causing nearly a dozen states to impose a partial lockdown in high-risk areas. The new confirmed cases took the national total to 822,603. A surge in infections saw the cases jumping from 600,000 to more than 800,000 in nine days. The country surpassed Russia this week to become the world’s third-worst hit nation.

South Africa has a total of 250 687 positive Covid-19 cases. There have been 3 860 deaths, with 118 232 recoveries. The recovery rate currently sits at 47%. Gauteng province has so far recorded the highest number of cases with 87 033 positive infections, 554 deaths (39 new deaths) and 23 804 recoveries. Johannesburghas46.6% of the total 81 546 cases in the province. The Western Cape has the second highest cases with 76 067 infections, 2 295 deaths (66 new deaths) and 55 534 recoveries. Eastern Cape Province has the third highest cases with 46 284 infections, 634 deaths (24 new deaths) and 28 903 recoveries.

Malawi has the second highest cases in Southern Africa as the country has so far recorded 2,069 cases of the pandemic. The country continues to witness a rise in the number of cases and deaths as 6 were recorded yesterday to bring the total deaths to 31.

Zimbabwe recorded 1 new death and the death toll is now at 13, while 16 new cases were recorded to bring the total number of cases to 942. 320 recoveries have been recorded so far and the number of active cases is at 609. The new death was recorded in Matabeleland North.

Airborne COVID-19 spread possible, risky in some settings

The new coronavirus can possibly be transmitted through the air in crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation such as restaurants, gyms, night clubs and offices, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, as lockdown restrictions are being eased globally.

The health agency on Thursday published an updated scientific brief on the different modes of transmission of COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, identifying the different locations and circumstances of virus spread.

According to the WHO, the coronavirus is primarily transmitted by droplets through direct or close contact with an infected person and indirect contact through contaminated surfaces, also known as fomite transmission. But the possibility of airborne transmission, combined with droplet transmission, cannot be ruled out in specific settings and more research is needed, it said. –Aljazeera

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11/07/2020