Global Statistics
Currently, the COVID-19 cases worldwide stand at over 30.6 million with more than 22 million recoveries and deaths at 955,152. The US remains the worst-hit country in the world, logging more than 6.9 million cases. India and Brazil had 5.3 million and 4.4 million cases, respectively. The United States is approaching the grim milestone of 200,000 coronavirus deaths.
Infections have climbed steadily across most of Europe over the last two months. Intensive care admissions and deaths have also begun to tick up, especially in Spain and France.
European nations from Denmark in the north to Greece in the south announced new restrictions on Friday to curb surging coronavirus infections in some of their largest cities, and Britain was considering a new national lockdown. Cases in the United Kingdom almost doubled to 6,000 per day in the latest reporting week, hospital admissions rose and infection rates soared across parts of northern England and London. The United Kingdom recorded 4,322 new cases of COVID-19, an increase of nearly a thousand on Thursday’s tally and the highest since May 8, according to official statistics.
In Spain, which has seen more cases than any other European country, officials in Madrid said they would announce measures later on Friday and were considering targeted lockdowns in the worst-hit parts of the city.
France has recorded 13,215 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, according to data released by the country’s National Health Agency. The latest numbers also show an increasing trend in hospital admissions, with 3,626 new patients over the past seven days. The new infections bring the total number of confirmed cases in France to 428,696.
South Africa recorded 2 055 new coronavirus cases. This brings the total number of cases to 657 627.The country has also recorded 85 new COVID-19 related fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 15 857. The number of recoveries is at 586 844 translating to a 89.2% recovery rate.
Zimbabwe recorded 14 new cases of the virus to bring the total number of cases to 7,647. No new death was recorded. 5,883 recoveries have been recorded and the national recovery rate now stands at 77%.
The impending resumption of cross-border passenger traffic by Zimbabwe and South Africa through Beitbridge may allow traders to resume their business in person, rather than using intermediaries to buy and ship goods. Both Zimbabwe and South Africa are opening international airports from October, but for passenger traffic, the only South African border post will be Beitbridge.
Oral COVID-19 vaccine candidate to enter Phase I human trials.
Vaxart’s application for a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its oral COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been cleared by the FDA.
Vaxart has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has completed its review of the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its oral COVID-19 vaccine candidate, clearing the review.
The Phase I, open-label, dose-ranging study will be conducted in healthy adults ages 18 to 55 years old. The study’s primary objective is to examine the safety and reactogenicity of two doses of the vaccine. Secondary objectives include immunogenicity, duration of immune response and occurrence of symptomatic COVID-19. European Pharmaceutical Review
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