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19th June 2020
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COVID-19 REPORT
SUMMARY
• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally is now over 8.6 million with over 456,000 deaths recorded, according to Worldometer.
• Chinese officials say the recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Beijing is a strain that may have come from Europe.
• The UK Government announced this morning they are scrapping their COVID-19 ‘Track and Trace’ app.
• The WHO is drawing up plans to decide who will be first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once one is approved. Keyworkers, vulnerable groups, and those living in high transmission areas are expected to be at the top of the list.
• COVID-19 deaths in the United States (US) prisons have risen to 73% since May, with complaints some prisons are not taking enough social distancing measures.
• Two studies from the journal ‘Nature’ have a shown the social distancing measures engaged by 11 European countries helped reduce the spread of the virus. It is believed transmission was reduced 81% and 3 million lives saved. It is also thought 6 nations (including the US and China) have prevented more than 5 million cases.
GLOBAL MAP OF CASES OF COVID-19
Source: Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 16.06.2020
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COVID-19 REPORT
UK UPDATE
For an interactive map of COVID-19 deaths in England & Wales click here.
• The UK has lowered its COVID-19 alert level from four to three. The virus is now considered in ‘general circulation’ and though there could now be a general easing of restrictions localised spikes of infection could still occur.
• First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that Scotland will further relax lockdown restrictions from 29th June. The new rules will mean all shops apart from indoor malls will be allowed to reopen, along with many indoor workplaces such as factories and warehouses, with social distancing rules in place. Other changes mirror England’s new rules, as face coverings will be mandatory on public transport, and those living alone will be able to form an “extended group” with another household, similar to England’s “social bubble” policy.
• Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, it has been announced that barbers and hairdressers will be able to reopen from 6th July. The government also announced that social distancing can be reduced to a distance of 1 metre for children and young people within education facilities.
• It has been announced cinemas across England will reopen on July 10th with Gyms expected to follow suit.
• The UK government has scrapped the current track and trace app and announced a major overhaul to the way it works, switching to a new model designed by Apple and Google. This new model means the app will be more secure from a privacy standpoint, but also that healthcare researchers will have access to less data. The government intends to release the app in England in the autumn, but similar plans have not yet been confirmed by the other constituent countries.
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES
300,469
TOTAL DEATHS 42,288
UK DAILY CASES 1,218
LIVE STATISTICS
UK WIDE – Public Health England SCOTLAND - Scottish Government
NORTHERN IRELAND: NISRA
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COVID-19 REPORT
• The UK Government has approved the ground-breaking Coronavirus treatment Dexamethasone for use across the NHS from Thursday June 18th. The world’s first coronavirus treatment saves lives by significantly reducing the risk of death to patients who need oxygen and potentially reducing the 28-day mortality rate by 17%.
• A chicken processing facility in Anglesey, North Wales has suspended all production and will remain closed for two weeks following an outbreak of 51 cases of coronavirus infection. Non-essential shops will open in Wales from Monday 22nd June.
• South Asian people are more likely to die from COVID-19 in hospitals in Great Britain according to new data. They are 20% more likely to die according to the research from Dr Ewen Harrison at the University of Edinburgh. While they are more likely to be younger and have fewer underlying conditions, they have a high predisposition to diabetes which is now being thought to be a contributory factor.
• Government borrowing hit a record £55.2 billion in the month May. The Chancellor Rishi Sunak is keen to get the economy going again in a “gradual and safe fashion”.
• A £1 billion catch up fund has been announced by the Prime Minister to help tutoring in English schools.
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REGIONAL UPDATES
(Johns Hopkins University, 2020)
(Worldometer, 19.06.2020) *Above figures via Worldometer. Figures will vary between sources.
CLICK HERE FOR GRAPH DETAILS
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE REPORTED CASES
COUNTRIES/REGIONS 213
PATIENTS RECOVERED 4,559,735
TOTAL DEATHS 456,960
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES
8,609,425
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ASIA China Millions of people are living with renewed restrictions as the spike in COVID-19 cases continues. Beijing reported another 31 cases on Wednesday 17th June bringing the total in the last week to 137. More than 1,200 flights have been cancelled to and from the city and railway services have been reduced until at least 9 July. Primary school, middle school, and college classes are suspended, sports teams cannot play, and swimming pools and gyms are closed. The country had essentially got to grips with the virus as only 3,200 cases have been confirmed since passing 80,000 in late March. India Indian officials have re-imposed a lockdown in the southern city of Chennai and three neighbouring districts. It is currently one of India’s largest hotspots of infection with over 37,000 confirmed cases. It is the only city to re-impose a lockdown. Local reports say roads were clogged with traffic of people trying to leave the area before the lockdown began. Kazakhstan Former President Nursultan Nazarbayev has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is self-isolating, as announced by his spokesman, who said there is “no reason for concern.” The 79-year-old officially resigned from the presidency last year after 30 years in power. Lockdown restrictions ended in Kazakhstan last month, but a sharp increase in infections has led to some restrictions being re-imposed. Pakistan Countrywide “smart lockdowns” have been put in place in Pakistan to combat the spread of COVID-19 but their effectiveness has been questioned by the medical community. From Tuesday 16th June the government enforced lockdowns in hundreds of places where there were high infection rates. These areas have had to undergo the standard lockdown mantra of staying at home and all businesses that are non-essential closing. The Prime Minister Imran Khan has tried to implement a herd immunity approach and steer away from restrictions that would bring severe economic hardship. He has seen opposition from provinces and the military in his handling of the epidemic.
AFRICA South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will be easing lockdown restrictions further, despite the fact that cases of the virus are increasing rapidly. The number has increased by 37% in the last week alone. President Ramaphosa warned that the virus is likely to remain for “months, possibly years,” but is determined to reopen businesses to allow people to return to work and boost the damaged economy. Businesses such as hotels, restaurants, salons, and casinos will be allowed to reopen, however, no definitive date has yet been stated. Nigeria Non-COVID-19 patients are being turned away from hospitals in Nigeria as doctors strike indefinitely in protest over inadequate COVID-19 protection. 800+ Nigerian health workers have tested positive so far and the capital Abuja has recorded an average of 42 cases per day for 2 weeks.
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AMERICAS Brazil The country’s President Jair Bolsanaro is under increasing pressure as allegations surface of alleged corruption by one of his son’s former aides. The investigation is on top of an ongoing investigation into the President’s own behaviour after an alleged attempt to control Police. The political divide is deepening across Brazil as their number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is over 978,000 with over 47,000 deaths. Peru Over 240,000 cases of coronavirus infection have now been recorded in Peru, bringing the total above that of Italy. Health experts believe the total to be even higher than reported due to lack of testing. However, the country had just extended its lockdown period until 30th June, and trends indicate the number of daily new infections is decreasing.
EUROPE
EU European Union leaders have gathered for a virtual summit focussing on the €750 billion COVID-19 rescue package. Several northern European countries are resisting part of the EU Commission plan to collectively raise €500 billion in grants for the countries hit hardest by the pandemic, most notably Spain and Italy. Leaders are to meet face to face in July when it is hoped they will be able to come to some agreement.
Czech Republic Health Minister Adam Vojtech has announced that face coverings will no longer be mandatory across most of the Czech Republic, starting from 1st July. They will still be required in areas with localised outbreaks, for example in Prague currently. To date, the country has confirmed 10,176 cases of infection and 333 deaths. France Preschools and nurseries in France are set to reopen for all children from 22nd June without any social distancing regulations. A number of schools have been open since 11th May with restrictions on class size, however, the Education Minister said it is difficult to impose distancing among young children and that scientific evidence indicates it is now safe to lift such restrictions for this age group. Germany Thousands of people in Germany have been ordered to quarantine following an outbreak of over 650 cases of COVID-19 at an abattoir in the northwest. Over 1000 employees have been tested so far, with thousands more awaiting testing. Operations at the processing plant have been suspended since Wednesday 17th June. Local authorities have closed schools and childcare facilities until the end of the month as a result. Almost 10 million people have downloaded the German form of a contact tracing app on their smartphones. Russia Russian health watchdog, Roszdravnadzor, has reported that 489 medics have died of COVID-19 within the country. The country has reported 7,972 new cases of COVID-19 with a total of around 569,000 confirmed cases. Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has revealed a €4.25 billion plan to help boost the tourism industry, which has of course been gravely affected by the pandemic. The full details are yet to be confirmed, however, the Prime Minister said the money will go towards several measures, such as tax aid for airlines, and the foundation of a “tourism intelligence observatory.”
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Although travel and lockdown restrictions are easing across Spain, it has been announced that indoor nightclubs in the Balearic Islands, home to a number of popular clubbing destinations such as Ibiza, will not be reopening in time for the summer holiday season. Local media suggests that such venues will remain closed until next year “at the earliest,” and possibly even until an effective vaccine or treatment is found. It has not yet been clarified whether outdoor beach clubs will also be included in the ban. Italy Researchers have discovered genetic traces of Sars-Cov-2, as the virus is officially known, in samples of waste water collected in Milan and Turin at the end of last year, and Bologna in January even though the first native case was only discovered in mid-February.
AUSTRALIA / OCEANIA Australia Victoria has confirmed 18 new COVID-19 cases that includes for a third Black Lives Matter protester. Health authorities confirmed the infected person attended the rally with a number of friends who went on to work two shifts at a Northland Shopping Centre H&M, which was promptly closed for deep cleaning. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos warned people to be vigilant as it was possible to contract the virus even if wearing PPE. Two Melbourne childcare centres were also closed for deep cleaning after a worker at Learning Sanctuary in Pakenham contracted the virus, and a one-year-old child from Guardian Childcare in Pakenham tested positive. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the surge in infections would not impact the state’s reopening plan, but they would move ahead cautiously to ensure “everything we do minimises the chances of a second wave”. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will use the military to oversee all quarantine facilities after a blunder saw two new coronavirus cases escape quarantine. Two arrivals from the United Kingdom left hotel isolation to visit a dying parent without being tested, before eventually returning a positive result. Ms Ardern announced exemptions on compassionate grounds would be suspended and contact tracing was underway to locate more than 300 people who crossed paths with the pair. "I know this will be upsetting to some New Zealanders seeking to return home to visit dying relatives and loved ones, however, the risk to our collective efforts to eliminate COVID are simply too great," Ms Ardern said. New Zealand lifted all lockdown restrictions after declaring victory over the virus.
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IN OTHER NEWS Increased Deaths Official statistics point to at least another 130,000 worldwide deaths in excess of the average, on top of the 440,000 COVID-19 recorded deaths so far. This could be in indication the death toll from COVID-19 is higher than reported by governments worldwide or may be due to wider contributory factors such as: the greater strain on healthcare systems, reduced aid, and increased levels of poverty and hunger. The number of deaths in the UK is 43 per cent higher than average with around 64,500 more people dying than usual. Only 51,804 can be attributed to COVID-19 deaths leaving an excess of 12,729 unaccounted for.
ASIA China China has charged two Canadians with spying more than 18 months after they were detained. China have always denied these were retaliatory arrests for the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada, although they came a few days after. China has an almost 100 per cent conviction rate once defendants are charged. China-India border China has denied it ever detained Indian soldiers after Indian press said they had released 10 Indian soldiers after their deadly clash on Monday 15th June. However, the Indian government has not confirmed the news and has not even confirmed it had any troops missing. The soldiers were released at 11.30 GMT on Thursday 18th June and all were unharmed. The fight in the Galwan Valley left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead, 76 injured and the capture of a Lieutenant-Colonel and three Majors, according to local news sources. Both China and India have blamed the other for the incursion along the poorly demarcated Line of Actual Control that borders the two countries. The Chinese are alleged to have used crudely made clubs as a way of keeping to the two countries peace accord of not using firearms. As both countries appear to be building infrastructure along the border, there are likely to be more clashes as neither side wants the other to be gain the upper hand. The increase in roads means that goods or troops could be more easily moved around the area. The Chinese side has seen a build-up of troops undergoing military exercises. India are under increasing pressure to deal with COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic hardship and so have little room for escalating tensions with China. The Indian military was already underfunded and the turmoil on the home front due to increased pressure on Police forces and the devastation of cyclones has left the country’s resources stretched. The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, offered his condolences for the death of the Indian officers, along with the German Ambassador to India. The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has remained noticeably quiet saying only that India did not “instigate” the conflict but will not “compromise their integrity and sovereignty”. He is meeting opposition leaders and his military in an effort to gain a consensus on how to move forward with the situation. The lack of open international condemnation of the Chinese appears to be giving them the justification they need claim sovereignty over the land they hold. The situation looks to remain open for now in what is quickly developing into an uncomfortable ‘Eastern front’ for India and world politics.
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AMERICAS Venezuela There are fears that President Maduro is tampering with the upcoming election this year. Reports say that the Venezuelan Supreme Court, which is ruled by politicians loyal to the President, has ousted the leaders of two opposition party members. The National assembly is the only institution controlled by the opposition and its speaker, Juan Guaido, declared himself President of Venezuela last year claiming that Mr Maduro’s 2018 election was illegitimate. Mr Guaido has been recognised as the legitimate leader by more than 50 countries, including the US and the UK who have backed his opposition of Mr Maduro’s latest attempt to consolidate power.
EUROPE UK The UK’s central bank and the Church of England have both apologised for the role that some of their former senior figures had in the slave trade. The Bank said it would ensure that images of former governors who were involved in the slave trade are not displayed in its buildings. The UK government raised huge sums of money in compensation, after the abolition of the slave trade in 1833, however, the money was given to slave-owners as compensation for a “loss of human property”. A database compiled by University College London shows that at least 11 former Bank governors and 16 early directors either benefited from payments or had links to the slave trade.
AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA Australia According to their Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, Australia’s governments, and institutions are being targeted by ongoing sophisticated state-based cyber-attacks. The attacks have been widespread and covered “all levels of government, industry, political organisations, education, health, essential service providers and operators of other critical infrastructure”. He did not mention a specific state actor and said no personal data breaches had been made. The attacks have happened over many months and are increasing. The announcement comes as a push to increase public awareness and to urge businesses to improve their defences. Specific mention was made to it being a ‘state hack’ due to the scale of the attack and trade craft used. Given these attacks had been ongoing for a while it is not understood why the announcement has just been made. Automatically it is thought China has had a hand in this due to the escalating tensions between the two countries in recent months. However, other countries such as Russia, Iran, and North Korea are not allied with Australia amidst a growing worldwide rise in cyber-attacks. Even friendly countries are known to spy on each other so it is not yet sure who may be behind the attacks.
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