Coronavirus watch

Global Statistics

World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom said on Wednesday he expected the number of novel coronavirus cases around the world, now at about 9.5 million, to reach 10 million next week.

He said WHO was now supporting many countries in dealing with difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators, devices that boost the flow of oxygen to support the breathing of COVID-19 sufferers.

“Demand is outstripping supply,” he said. Many countries in the region have experienced 25-50% increases in cases in the last week, he said.

9,532,038 cases of the virus have been confirmed and the global coronavirus death toll has surged past 475 000 as 483, 959 deaths have been recorded. 

The United States recorded 38,386 new cases to bring the total number of cases to 2,462,554 and the death toll recorded was 808 hence the total deaths is now 124,281.

Latin America and Caribbean passed 100 000 Covid-19 deaths.

Cases in Africa increased by 11,302 to bring the total number of Covid-19 cases to 338,766. The death toll is now at 8,889 after 236 new deaths were recorded.

South Africa’s Covid-19 death toll has surged pass the 2 000 mark as of Wednesday, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is 111 796 with 5 688 new cases identified. 1 416 894 tests have been completed in total of which 34 122 new tests are reported.

The number of tests conducted so far stands at 1 416 894, while recoveries are 56 874 which translate to a recovery rate of 50.9%. 

South Africa will record its worst economic performance since the Great Depression with Treasury projecting a contraction of 7.2% because of the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already weak economic environment.

April inflation has eased to 3%, its lowest level in 15 years. According to data released from Stats SA on Wednesday, annual consumer price inflation is at its lowest level since June 2005, when the rate was 2.8%. Analysts had expected it to moderate to around 3.5% from 4.1% in March.

Malawi recorded a spike of 138 new cases to bring the total to 941 cases.279 cases have been reported to have recovered. 

Zimbabwe recorded 5 new cases of the virus to bring the total number of cases to 530, with 123 recoveries and 401 active cases.64,520 cumulative tests have been conducted.

COVID crisis sinks global economy in 2020, collapsing GDP 4.9%: IMF

The global coronavirus pandemic has sparked an economic “crisis like no other,” sending world GDP plunging 4.9 percent this year and wiping out $12 trillion over two years, the IMF said Wednesday.

Worldwide business shutdowns destroyed hundreds of millions of jobs, and major economies in Europe face double-digit collapses in the worst crisis since the Great Depression nearly a century ago.

The prospects for recovery post-pandemic — like the forecasts themselves — are steeped in “pervasive uncertainty” given the unpredictable path of the virus, the IMF said in its updated World Economic Outlook. Bangkok Post

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25/06/2020

(Kitco)