Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

Cases continue to rise exponentially around the globe with 404,793 new cases being recorded yesterday. This brings the total number of cases to 43,323,453. New deaths recorded were 4,498 and the total number of fatalities recorded so far are now over 1,15million.

United States recorded its highest ever number of new COVID-19 cases in the past two days at nearly 89,000, with a further surge expected as cold weather arrives. The country has the world’s worst death toll at around 230,000 deaths and over 8,8 million cases. The United States remains the hardest-hit country. Hospitalizations are also rising and have hit a two-month high and deaths are trending upwards, according to a Reuters tally. So far in October, 29 states have set records for increases in new cases including Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

India’s total coronavirus infections are now at 7.91 million, having risen by 45,148 cases in the last 24 hours, health ministry data showed. The world’s second-most populous country also has the second-highest number of infections after the United States, which has around 8.8 million. However, India recorded its lowest death toll in about four months on Monday with 463 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 119,030.

The WHO has warned that some countries are on a “dangerous track”, with too many witnessing an exponential increase in cases, and called on authorities to take decisive action to curb the spread of the disease. The World Health Organization’s coronavirus dashboard showed a third consecutive daily record high in the number of new confirmed cases. Nearly half of Saturday’s new cases were registered in the WHO’s Europe region, which logged a one-day record high of 221,898 cases.

France recorded 52,010 cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours on Sunday, according to the French Health Authority — its highest daily increase. Sunday is the fourth consecutive day that France has reported its highest daily caseload.  The country’s positivity rate is now at 17%, according to the health ministry. That’s more than double the positivity rate of the United States.

Spain declared a national state of emergency Sunday to tackle a second coronavirus wave as the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a third straight day of record new infections around the world. Spain imposed one of the toughest lockdowns early on in the pandemic and then relaxed curbs over the summer.

South Africa recorded 1,622 new cases and this brings the total number of cases to 715,868. The country also recorded 24 new related fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 18,968. Recoveries now stand at 646 170 which translates to a recovery rate of 90,3 %

Zimbabwe recorded 7 new cases to bring the total number of cases to 8,276. 1 new death was recorded in Bulawayo to bring the total deaths to 237. 12 new recoveries were recorded and the total number of recoveries is now at 7,797. The national recovery rate is still at 94%.

F.D.A. Approves First Drug for Treating Coronavirus Patients

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it had formally approved remdesivir as the first drug to treat Covid-19, a move that indicated the government’s confidence in its safe and effective use for hospitalized patients. The F.D.A. said the antiviral drug had been approved for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 40 kilograms (about 88 pounds) who require hospitalization for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 220,000 people in the United States.

 In May, the F.D.A. granted remdesivir emergency authorization after a trial by the National Institutes of Health found that it modestly reduced the time to recovery in hospitalized patients. President Trump received the drug after he began showing symptoms earlier this month. CBS News

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY market

26/10/2020

(Source: Kitco)