Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

More than 26,4 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and at least 871, have died. Some 18, 5 million people have recovered.

Brazil surpassed 4 million cases of coronavirus on Thursday as a growing number of infections continue to be recorded throughout the country. The health ministry reported 38,741 new cases of Covid-19 and 752 deaths on Thursday evening, bringing total confirmed cases in Brazil to 4,040,163 and its death toll to 124,651. Brazil also joins the US as only the second country in the world to have passed the grim milestone of 4 million infections. While cases and deaths continue to rise, both Brazil’s infection rate and virus-related mortality rate appeared to decline last month.

India has reported a record jump in cases of coronavirus. The health ministry confirmed 84,156 cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 3.85 million. India – the world’s third worst-affected country after the United States and Brazil, has been reporting the world’s highest daily caseload every day for nearly a month.   A further 1,083 people died from the disease, the health ministry said, bringing the death toll to 68,569.

Russia reported 4,995 new coronavirus cases, bringing its national tally to 1,009,995, the fourth-largest in the world. Russia’s coronavirus task force said 114 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 17,528. 

Peru now has the fifth highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 663,437 reported by Wednesday. South Africa has been reporting fewer new cases daily compared to Peru in recent days. The death toll in Peru is also higher at 29,259 compared to South Africa’s 14,263.

South Africa is no longer among the five countries most affected by coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization.  South Africa, which accounts for half of all the cases confirmed in Africa, has had 630,595 cases. Although South Africa is still the hardest hit country in Africa, it has experienced a sustained decline in new cases for the past six weeks. Over the past month, there has been an overall 14% decrease in the number of new cases being reported each week on the continent. The death toll has hit 14 563, while the number of cases now sits at 633, 015. The number of recoveries is now 554 887, which is a recovery rate of 88%, above the global average of 86%

Rwanda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to impose a total lockdown after confirming its first cases. The authorities in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, have announced that people will be fined $10 (£7.50) for not wearing face masks in public or not wearing them properly. Rwanda has so far reported more than 4,200 Covid-19 and 17 fatalities. It has been praised for being effective in the fight against the disease, and is the only country in sub-Saharan Africa whose residents are allowed to enter the European Schengen zone.

Zimbabwe recorded 40 new cases of the virus to bring the total number to 6,678. No new death was recorded yesterday and the death toll is at 206.

WHO updates clinical care guidance with corticosteroid recommendations

On 2 September, WHO published guidance for clinicians and health care decision-makers on the use of corticosteroids in patients with COVID-19.

We recommend systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of patients with severe and critical COVID-19. We suggest not to use corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with non-severe COVID-19 as the treatment brought no benefits, and could even prove harmful. Treatment should be under supervision of a clinician.

Corticosteroids are listed in the WHO model list of essential medicines, readily available globally at a low cost.  WHO encourages countries to maintain sufficient stocks of corticosteroids to treat COVID-19 and the other disease for which they are effective, while not maintaining excessive stocks which could deny other countries access.

This guidance was developed in collaboration with the non-profit Magic Evidence Ecosystem Foundation (MAGIC), which provided methodologic support to develop and disseminate living guidance for COVID-19 drug treatments. www.who.int

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY market

04/08/2020

(Source: Kitco)