Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

At least 19.80 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while the global death toll crossed 729,000. More than 12, 77 million have recovered.

The United States has set a record for coronavirus cases, with more than five million people now infected, according to a Reuter’s tally, as the country’s top infectious diseases official offered hope earlier this week that an effective vaccine might be available by year-end. The country has recorded more than 165,000 deaths, nearly a quarter of the world’s total.

Brazil has now reported more than 100,000 deaths from the novel coronavirus, the second highest in the world after the US and the number of positive cases is now over 3 million.

India recorded the highest number of positive cases yesterday as 65,156 cases were reported bringing the total number of cases to 2,153,010. Total deaths in the country are now at 43,453.

Mexico’s Health Ministry reported 6,495 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the country’s total number of cases to 475,902. The country’s death toll is now at least 52,006 after 695 deaths were recorded. Mexico has the world’s 6th highest total number of confirmed cases and the 3rd highest total number of deaths.

The Covid-19 death toll in South Africa has risen by 301, taking the total past the 10 000 mark. The death toll now sits at 10 210, while the cumulative number of cases is now at 553 188. The current recovery rate of people who contracted the virus is now at 73%, after a total of 404 568 people recovered so far.

South Africa’s Covid-19 mortality rate has been reduced thanks to treatment developments.  One study shows ICU mortality has been reduced by about 25% since the introduction of dexamethasone on 16 June. The South African government has undertaken to get involved and invest in the development of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus.

The nation is participating in the ChAdOx-1 study and in the COVAX project to be part of the global research initiatives, as well as access to vaccine programmes and the Health Minister was on record saying they also wish to pursue the possibility of manufacturing vaccines locally.

The Gauteng Department of Health says it is seeing a “significant drop in daily new admissions for Covid-19 in hospitals”.  According to the department, the highest number of admissions was recorded in mid-July – the highest daily new admission surpassing 320 on 16 July. As of Friday, the province had recorded 189 159 cases and 2 524 deaths, while 135 485 people had recovered. 

Zimbabwe recorded 124 new cases to bring the total number of cases to 4,575. 118 of the cases were locally transmitted cases while the remaining 6 were imported. No new death was recorded yesterday. 1,416 cases have been reported to have recovered so far and the recovery rate is 30.95%.

Lesotho and Botswana’s statistics have not changed for the past 1 week.

‘HIT ventilators roll-out soon’

The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development has assured Zimbabweans that the Harare Institute of Technology ventilator project will deliver results soon.

Zimbabweans had anticipated that ventilators would be working in hospitals by now as Covid-19 cases are beginning to soar, however, it has emerged that the process has strict regulatory stages that need to be followed.

The expectation was raised in June, when HIT Vice Chancellor Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe told Parliament that their ventilators had passed requisite tests and that they met international standards. With the rise of Covid-19 cases, it has become relevant as one of the disease’s major symptom is difficulty in breathing.

Acting in accordance to Education 5.0, a principle in which universities answer to their society’s needs, HIT began a project to manufacture ventilators. HIT said given all the necessary components, they had the capacity to make 40 ventilators a day. Herald

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY market

09/08/2020

 (Source: Kitco)