Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

Confirmed cases of the Coronavirus are now over 37, 74 million after an estimated 278, 013 new cases were recorded yesterday. India recorded the highest number of cases as more than 67 000 cases were recorded yesterday. The country now has over 7, 12 cases of the virus and deaths of over 109 000.

The USA continues to see an uptick in the number of cases recorded daily. Cases of the pandemic hit a two month high on Friday as cases were averaging 58 000 daily for 5 days in a row. 19 states saw record increases in the number of cases so far in October. The country now has 7,991,998 and is fast approaching the 8 million mark in the number of positive cases. Total deaths are more than 219 000 after an estimated 325 were recorded yesterday.

Brazil has surpassed 150,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to the country’s health ministry, but there were signs that the rate of infections continued to slow in the South American country. The toll came as Latin America and the Caribbean marked 10 million cases on Saturday and more than 360,000 deaths. The region is the worst hit in terms of fatalities, according to official figures. With 212 million inhabitants, Brazil has accumulated the majority of the region’s deaths: 150,198 from COVID-19 since the first death was recorded in March, and 5,082,637 infections, the ministry said. Brazil’s tally has been falling slowly since it plateaued in earlier in the year, when it saw an average of approximately 1,000 deaths per day for two months.

Cases in Africa have reached over 1, 58 million cases. There has been a marked reduction in cases recorded for the past 2 months. 8.975 cases were recorded yesterday and 208 deaths were recorded to bring the total deaths to 38,168. Recoveries amounting to 623 675 have been recorded which translates to a recovery rate of 90%.

South Africa recorded 1 575 new coronavirus cases. This brings the total number of cases to 692 471. The country has also recorded 107 new COVID-19 related fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 17 780.

1 new case was recorded in Zimbabwe to bring the number of cases to 8,011; no new death was recorded yesterday and the death toll remains at 230.

According to a local report, the Department of Immigration has advised the Government on health grounds to consider phasing the reopening of land borders for passenger traffic, especially at Beitbridge Border Post where 500 000 people crossed in both directions before the start of the lockdown in March alone.

Covid virus ‘can survive for 28 days on surfaces’, according to lab study

The coronavirus that causes Covid-19 can survive on items such as banknotes and phones for up to 28 days in cool, dark conditions, according to a study by Australia’s national science agency. Researchers at CSIRO’s disease preparedness centre tested the longevity of SARS-CoV-2 in the dark at three temperatures, showing survival rates decreased as conditions became hotter, the agency said Monday.

The scientists found that at 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), SARS-CoV-2 was “extremely robust” on smooth surfaces — like mobile phone screens — surviving for 28 days on glass, steel and plastic banknotes. At 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), the survival rate dropped to seven days and plunged to just 24 hours at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

The virus survived for shorter periods on porous surfaces such as cotton — up to 14 days at the lowest temperatures and less than 16 hours at the highest — the researchers said. This was “significantly longer” than previous studies which found the disease could survive for up to four days on non-porous surfaces, according to the paper published in the peer-reviewed Virology Journal. France 24

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY market

12/10/2020

 (Source: Kitco)