Category: Covid-19

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 190.4 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 4.08 million. More than 3.66 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

A COVID-19 lockdown will be extended beyond Tuesday in the Australian state of Victoria, with new cases still being detected in the community.

Muslim pilgrims, who are vaccinated against COVID-19, have gathered for the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Singapore has advised unvaccinated adults to stay at home as much as possible over the next few weeks, citing concerns over rising COVID-19 cases.

France has reported more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row.

Residents of Viet Nam's capital Hanoi have been urged to stay at home and authorities have ordered a halt to all non-essential services due to clusters of new COVID-19 infections.

Tokyo Olympic organizers have reported the first COVID-19 cases among competitors in the athletes' village.

Thailand has announced plans for heightened COVID-19 restrictions, including a tighter lockdown in Bangkok and high-risk provinces, an expansion of curfew areas and the suspensions of most domestic flights.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries

Image: Our World in Data

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for caution as COVID-19 restrictions end in England today.

From midnight, laws in England requiring facemasks to be worn in shops and other indoor settings lapsed, as did capacity limits in bars and restaurants, and rules limiting the number of people who can socialise together.

The strategy comes with risks though - notably, a vaccine-resistant variable emerging - and so Johnson urged caution.

"If we dont do it now weve got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it?" he said in a video message filmed on Sunday.

"This is the right moment but weve got to do it cautiously. Weve got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there."

The COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship is a coalition of 85 global leaders, hosted by the World Economic Forum. Its mission: Join hands in support of social entrepreneurs everywhere as vital first responders to the pandemic and as pioneers of a green, inclusive economic reality.

Its COVID Social Enterprise Action Agenda, outlines 25 concrete recommendations for key stakeholder groups, including funders and philanthropists, investors, government institutions, support organizations, and corporations. In January of 2021, its members launched its 2021 Roadmap through which its members will roll out an ambitious set of 21 action projects in 10 areas of work. Including corporate access and policy change in support of a social economy.

For more information see the Alliance website or its impact story here.

Nigeria has put six states on red alert after reporting a 'worrisome' rise in COVID-19 infections, a government official has said.

Authorities have urged people to curb gatherings and hold prayers outside mosques during this week's Muslim festival Eid-el-Kabir.

A red alert allows authorities in the states to restrict celebrations and gatherings to a minimum.

The country has recorded 169,329 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 2,000 recorded deaths.

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 19 July - World Economic Forum

Below is thefull COVID-19 report for the past weekend, July 16-18

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevadas COVID-19 test positivity rate hit 12% on Monday as cases and hospitalizations soared over the weekend, data shows.

The states test positivity rate climbed from 11.3% to 12%, with Clark County hitting 13.5%.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Nevada hospitals jumped by 75 to a total of 894, according to data released Monday. Hospitals reported 196 of those patients were in intensive care units, and 92 were on ventilators all levels Nevada hasnt seen since mid-February.

New state COVID-19 cases jumped by more than 2,000 since Friday, with 1,900 reported in Clark County. About 92% of the states cases came from Southern Nevada.

On Friday, the Southern Nevada Health District recommended thateveryone vaccinated or not should wear a maskin crowded indoor public settings.

Nevadas case count grew by 2,067 over the weekend, most from Clark County (1,907). The states total cases are now at 345,163. Clark County has a total of 270,421.Its important to note thatthe state no longer updates the dashboard on the weekendor holidays, which may be why Monday and Tuesday reports show higher case and death totals.

Nevadas test positivity rate is at 12%, up from 11.3% on Friday. It fell below 5.0%, the World Health Organizations goal, on May 17 and climbed above it on June 28. Clark Countys rate is even higher, at 13.5%, up from Fridays report of 12.7%.

Nevada reported three additional COVID-19-related deaths, all from Clark County in the past 24 hours. Nevadas most populous county now accounts for 4,566 of the states 5,761 deaths. The 14-day rolling average is three deaths per day.

As of Sunday, a total of 3,631,541 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Nevada, with an increase of 17,777 in the past day.

*NOTE: Daily lab data from DHHS and SNHD reports is updated every morning for theprevious day.

July 6 was the first time since March 3 that Clark County had been flagged for elevated disease transmission(A county is flagged for elevated disease transmission if it meets two or three of the above criteria). In todays report, Clark remains flagged, along with Churchill, Elko, Esmeralda, Lyon, Mineral and Nye counties.

Clark Countys case rate (570 per 100,000 over the past 30 days) and test positivity rate (13.5%) are flagged in data reported today. Testing (183 tests per day per 100,000) is within the states acceptable range.

Thestates health department reports2,611,811 dosesof the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Nevada,as of July 18.Of Nevadas total doses, 2,070,421 have been administered in the southern part of the state, according to the Health Districtsdaily dashboard update.

As of today, 46% of Nevadans currently eligible for the vaccine are fully vaccinated, and 55% of the eligible population has initiated vaccinations. Clark County reports that nearly 45% of its eligible residents is fully vaccinated, edging closer to its goal of 60%.

NOTE: The state is not updating hospitalization dataonweekendsor holidays.

According to the statesDepartment of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the number of hospitalized patients in Nevada wasUPover the weekend, increasing by 75 patients.

The current number of hospitalizations is894 confirmed/suspected cases.

Nevadas resurgence continues with COVID-19-related hospitalizations increasing in the southern region, according to themost recent report from the Nevada Hospital Association.

Full statement released Wednesday, July 14, from the Nevada Hospital Association:

The general population appears desensitized to the threat, and individuals are not following CDC guidelines related to mask-wearing for unvaccinated persons or maintaining social distancing in crowdedindoor locations. Vaccinations have plateaued, and while most patients are unvaccinated, hospitals are seeing some breakthrough cases requiring advanced medical treatments.

COVID-19 patients account for approximately 14% of the relative demand placed on hospitals statewide and 16% of the relative demand in the southern region (confirmed and suspected/ total census). Some facilities are reporting increased hospital and ICU occupancy rates (at or above 90%); however, most of these patients are all-cause hospitalizations. Hospitals are not reporting shortages of ventilators, supplies, vaccines, or other therapeutics, although ICU and ventilator use is increasing.

To give some perspective, the state set a record high for hospitalized patients on Dec. 13 with 2,025 cases.

The number of people who have recovered from the virus in Southern Nevada continues to increase. The latest county update estimates a total of 253,126 recovered cases; thats 94.3% of all reported cases in the county, according toSNHDs latest report.

The health district providesa daily map with the number of positive tests in each ZIPcodein Clark County.

Nevadareopened to 100% capacity on June 1and social distancing guidelines lifted, helping the state return to mostly pre-pandemic times, with some exceptions.

Fully-vaccinated Nevadans no longer have to wear masks. However, masks still must be worn when required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local businesses and workplace guidance.

SEE ALSO:Previous days report

See the article here:

NEW: Nevadas COVID-19 hospitalizations, cases soar as state hits 12% test positivity over the weekend - KLAS - 8 News Now

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) The Virginia Beach Department of Public Health announced it is hosting another COVID-19 vaccination clinic at New Light Baptist Church this week.

The free clinic is on Wednesday, July 21 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the church located at 5549 Indian River Road.

All three approved vaccines, Johnson & Johnson (one dose), Moderna (first and second dose), and Pfizer (first and second dose), will be available.

Children under 18 will receive the Pfizer vaccine and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If you plan to attend, you can schedule your appointment time at this link. Although appointments are encouraged, walk-ins will be accepted.

A new COVID-19 dashboard on the Virginia Department of Health website shows, as of July 19, 2021, 99.4% of coronavirus cases since the start of this year have been among individuals not fully vaccinated. Click here to see the data.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccines for COVID-19 page at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines.

Excerpt from:

VB health department hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Wednesday, July 21 - WAVY.com

Its a rough start to the week for markets. Dow industrials tumbled more than 800 points, following European and Asian stocks lower and setting the tone for turbulence ahead.

Blame rising COVID-19 cases globally, and the spread of the more infectious delta variant of coronavirus.

What were seeing in markets is a July chop triggered by the delta variant, according to analyst Thomas Lee of Fundstrat Global Advisors. Our call of the day is from Lee, who said that delta variant concerns could lead to a 5% correction for the S&P 500 SPX, -1.59%, setting up certain types of stocks for a strong rally through the rest of 2021.

Daily U.S. COVID-19 cases are approaching the 30,000 mark, but there is a risk that infections could go parabolic with the spread of the delta variant, and rise to around 100,000, Lee said.

The delta variant could create panic, because markets and investors typically focus on case counts as opposed to hospitalizations, Lee said and as many as 82 million Americans remain unvaccinated or without COVID-19 antibodies. However, hospitalizations remain low.

This delta variant has a lot of bark and is unnerving for investors, Lee said, even if theres not a strong bite. It could add weight to a July chop that has history on its side. Since 1928, a strong first half of the year leads to a flat or negative July.

While the S&P 500 was up 0.7% in July as of the end of last week, this belies the violent sector rotations taking place within the broader market, Lee said.

The Fundstrat analyst said that he doesnt expect the chop caused by the delta variant to cause a 10% or larger decline in stocks, but a 5% drop for the S&P 500 is possible.

So while theres little reason to be hugely bearish because bond spreads indicate wider stability for stocks, and volatility measures are not signalling broader weakness this vicious risk-off correction creates opportunities.

Lee is bullish on epicenter stocks shares in companies battered by the pandemic and set to benefit from the reopening like travel, consumer discretionary, energy, and basic materials. As well, Fundstrat is overweight on Big Tech, with the likes of Facebook FB, -1.23%, Apple AAPL, -2.69%, Amazon AMZN, -0.67%, Netflix NFLX, +0.37% and Google owner Alphabet GOOGL, -1.88% considered strong picks.

The buzz

Billionaire investor Bill Ackmans blank-check, special-purpose acquisition company Pershing Square Tontine Holdings PSTH, -1.16% will not proceed with its proposed acquisition of a 10% stake in Universal Music Group, owned by French media giant Vivendi VIV, -1.54%. Instead, his Pershing Square Holdings firm will make the investment.

On the U.S. economic front, investors can expect the National Association of Home Builders housing market index for July, which measures the market conditions for the sale of new single-family homes.

OPEC+, the group of oil-producing countries including Russia and Saudi Arabia, agreed on Sunday to further relax oil production cuts as demand for crude continues to rise and price soar. Production will rise by 400,000 barrels a day each month beginning in August and will eventually undo all of the pandemic-era curbs. Benchmark Brent BRN00, +0.48% crude tumbled below $70 a barrel and was set for the largest one-day loss since March.

Zoom plans to buy Five9 FIVN, +5.92% in an all-stock deal valuing the provider of cloud contact center solutions at $14.7 billion. The acquisition is meant to help Zoom ZM, -2.15% which became a ubiquitous form of video communication through the pandemic expand further into the enterprise market.

The markets

U.S. stocks were experiencing a rough day DJIA, -2.09% SPX, -1.59% COMP, -1.06% as analysts note that investors focus centers on the risk to markets from rising COVID-19 cases globally.

Equities tumbled in Europe SXXP, -2.30% UKX, -2.34% PX1, -2.54% DAX, -2.62%, following weakness in Asian markets NIK, -0.58% HSI, -0.16% SHCOMP, -0.51%.

The chart

Retail sales spikes caused by the pandemic have led to shortages of all kinds. Our chart of the day, via Wolf Richter of the Wolf Street financial blog, shows the catastrophic condition of inventories at auto dealers which before the pandemic made up more than one-third of all retail inventories.

Random reads

Tour de Franks: The worlds biggest bicycle race was almost disrupted by a sausage truck stuck on the winding roads of the Col De Romme.

Broke-chain technology: Malaysian police used a giant steamroller to destroy more than 1,000 crypto asset mining rigs seized from a property set up to steal electricity.

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COVID-19 cases may cause an S&P 500 correction, analyst says. Buy these stocks in the next dip. - MarketWatch

New Covid-19 cases are on the rise in a number of states across the U.S., worrying health officials and epidemiologists as many Americans remain unvaccinated and the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads.

The U.S. is averaging more than 23,000 new cases a day, double the seven-day average of around 11,300 cases three weeks ago, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. On 17 of the past 18 days, the seven-day case average was higher than the 14-day average, also suggesting cases have been rising nationally.

The uptick follows a significant slowdown in Covid-19 metrics after a deadly winter surge, when newly reported cases peaked at around 240,000 cases a day in mid-January, and it comes as public-health officials push to reinvigorate the nations vaccination campaign and get shots to undecided or isolated Americans.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly all recent Covid-19 cases and deaths from the disease are among unvaccinated people. Americans 65 and older, who are most likely to die from Covid-19 infections, have high rates of vaccinations.

In Los Angeles County, the countrys most populous, new cases recently exceeded 1,000 for three consecutive days, the first time in months it has done so, according to data from the countys Department of Public Health.

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U.S. Covid-19 Case Counts Have Doubled in Recent Weeks - The Wall Street Journal

This brief reviews initial 2022 premium rate filings for Marketplace-participating individual market insurers in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Although the ACA individual market represents a small share of the privately insured population, the rate filings for this market are detailed and publicly accessible, making them a useful source of information on how health insurers are thinking about their likely costs for the next year.

It finds most of these insurers expect health utilization patterns to return to pre-pandemic levels and therefore most are factoring in no additional costs or savings related to COVID-19 into their 2022 premiums. These insurers also tended to make similar assumptions about how COVID-19 would affect their group market costs.

The brief is available on the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an online information hub dedicated to monitoring and assessing the performance of the U.S. health system.

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Insurer Filings Suggest COVID-19 Pandemic Will Not Drive Health Spending In 2022 - Kaiser Family Foundation

U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured in 2015, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. The nation is poised to lift sweeping restrictions, despite a spike in cases led by the delta variant. Leon Neal/AP hide caption

U.K. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured in 2015, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. The nation is poised to lift sweeping restrictions, despite a spike in cases led by the delta variant.

Sajid Javid, the top government official tasked with leading the United Kingdom's coronavirus response, announced Saturday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated.

In a video posted to Twitter, the health secretary said he learned of his results from a rapid lateral flow test, generally used for people without coronavirus symptoms, and was awaiting a more accurate PCR test as he isolates at home.

Javid said he took the test on Saturday after "feeling a bit groggy" the night before. He has had both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and says his symptoms have so far been "very mild."

It comes as England is poised to roll back restrictions following one of the world's most stringent lockdowns.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier this month that by Monday face masking and social distancing requirements would be lifted, along with crowd limits at private gatherings, concerts and sporting events. At pubs, patrons will once again be allowed to order pints at the bar.

At the same time, infections are up sharply. In the past week, 300,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the U.K. up 40% compared from a week earlier.

The delta variant, which has been found to spread about 225% faster than the original version of the virus, now accounts for more than 90% of infections in the country and is behind COVID-19 surges in some areas.

Two-thirds of British adults are fully vaccinated; children are not yet eligible.

Javid supports the national reopening. Days before his positive test result, he said vaccinations would build a "protective wall" to help "withstand a summer wave."

On Saturday, Javid encouraged unvaccinated people to get their shots. He also recommended getting tested for COVID-19, whatever one's vaccine status, if exposure to the disease is suspected or if symptoms are felt.

AstraZeneca says its vaccine fully protects against death and is 92% effective against hospitalization from the delta variant.

Javid has been serving as health secretary for less than three weeks. Matt Hancock abruptly stepped down last month after breaching coronavirus distancing rules. Hancock was caught on closed circuit TV kissing an aide.

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Vaccinated U.K. Health Secretary Tests Positive For COVID-19 - NPR

ATHENS, July 17 (Reuters) - Greece banned music in restaurants and bars and imposed a nighttime curfew on its popular holiday island of Mykonos on Saturday after a rise in new coronavirus infections there.

Known as the party island of the super-rich, Mykonos is one of Greece's most popular destinations, attracting more than a million visitors each summer, among them Hollywood stars, models and world-famous athletes.

Following a "worrying" local outbreak, the Civil Protection Ministry said it was banning music on the island around the clock, including in shops, cafes and beach bars. It also said it would restrict movement between 1 a.m to 6 a.m except for those going to and from work or to hospital.

Greece depends on tourism for a fifth of its economy and desperately needs a strong season this year following a disastrous 2020 when visitor numbers and revenues collapsed.

The number of infections has been rising in Greece in recent weeks, forcing the government to mandate the vaccination of healthcare workers and nursing home staff, and to introduce new restrictions across the country, including allowing only vaccinated customers indoors at restaurants and clubs.

Mykonos's Mayor Konstantinos Koukas said imposing measures at the heart of the tourism season was "unfair" and "misguided."

"Mykonos cannot be the only island where music won't be heard... the only thing this will achieve is that visitors will go to another island," he wrote on Facebook.

The government banned music in restaurants and bars across the country in May to avoid people having to get close to one another to be heard, increasing the chances of transmitting the virus. It lifted that measure when infections dropped.

"We call on the residents, visitors and professionals on our beautiful island to strictly follow the measures... so that we can quickly control and contain the spreading of the virus and Mykonos can return to normality," the ministry said.

The restrictions on Mykonos will be in place until July 26.

Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Christina Fincher

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Music banned on Greece's Mykonos in new COVID-19 restrictions - Reuters

As COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to surge among unvaccinated Louisianans, Gov. John Bel Edwards is calling upon all Louisianans to take action to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state by getting their vaccine if they have not yet done so or by helping their family, friends and neighbors get the shot. Between February and July of 2021, unvaccinated people in Louisiana were 20 times more likely to become ill with COVID-19.

If you have not taken one of the COVID-19 vaccines and youre 12 or older, its time to run, not walk, to one of the more than 1,400 locations where they are readily available all across the state of Louisiana, Gov. Edwards said. The Delta variant of COVID is now the dominant strain in Louisiana and without the protection that the safe and effective vaccines offer, you are far more likely to become ill with COVID in Louisiana. Our hospitals are again stretched thin with limited staff capacity, and the vast majority of COVID patients are not yet fully vaccinated against the illness.

To those who are vaccinated, thank you for taking this important step to protect yourselves and those around you. Today, Im drafting you all into advocacy for vaccination against COVID-19, because research shows that many people who had questions changed their minds after hearing from doctors, family members and friends, Gov. Edwards said. Please, reach out to the people in your life who you know have not been vaccinated and have private conversations with them about their questions, fears and the barriers they may face in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Help them get good information about how safe it is, and explain that you care about them and want them to be protected. Consider assisting them in getting an appointment or even offering transportation to get the shot. Were all in this together and we can turn things around but we have a limited time to do so.

COVID-19 cases are surging among the unvaccinated in Louisiana. Its not one outbreak, its not one region. This is a statewide problem, said Dr. Joseph Kanter, State Health Officer. And because our statewide vaccination rate is too low everyone is at elevated risk and should take precautions immediately for the safety of themselves and their families.

LDH reaffirms the following guidance for individuals in Louisiana:

FACTS ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT

Having had COVID-19 before does not offer protection against the Delta variant, which is much more contagious and is now the dominant strain in Louisiana and the country. Getting any one of the three vaccines, however, has proven to be effective against COVID-19 in general and the Delta variant specifically.

As a result of the current pace of vaccinations and the spread of the more contagious Delta variant, Louisianas COVID-19 trends continue to worsen:

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine remains the single best way of protecting yourself, your family and your community against COVID-19. While the protection provided by each of the three currently available COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) is very good against COVID-19 and the variants currently spreading in Louisiana, the protection is not absolute. LDH is aware of a small number of breakthrough cases, or individuals who contracted COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated.

So far, more than 184 million Americans including more than 1.8 million Louisianans have taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, which are safe and effective against COVID.

The CDC says 99.2% of all COVID-19 deaths are in unvaccinated people, meaning the available vaccines are very effective against the current COVID-19 variants, including Delta, which is the dominant strain in Louisiana.

HOW TO GET A COVID VACCINE IN LOUISIANA

Everyone aged 12 and older is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Louisiana. The FDA has only authorized one of the three COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer for children ages 12 to 17. Parents should confirm with the vaccine provider that their child is under 18 to ensure Pfizer vaccine is available before making an appointment.

Clickhereto view gating criteria.

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With Startling Surge in COVID-19 Cases Among the Unvaccinated, Gov. John Bel Edwards Encourages All Louisianans to Take Precautions - Governor John...

NIAMEY,NigerThis desert capitals main coronavirus ward has been empty for months and hastily erected isolation facilities are gathering dust. Masks are almost unheard of in the streets and many days go by without a single person testing positive forCovid-19. There is so little demand for vaccines that the government has sent thousands of doses abroad.

Welcome toNiger, the land that coronavirus somehow forgot.

This vast West African nationhome to one of the worlds highest birth and poverty rateswas once identifiedby the World Health Organizationas one of the most vulnerable to the coronavirus outbreak on a continent that the United Nations predicted would kill millions. Over a year later, many other countries across Africa are in the grip of the pandemics third wave, with new variants sending infections to record levels.

But whileNigeris struggling with a host of economic and security challenges, it is among a small group of nations on the southern edge of the Sahara that so far has mostly escaped the coronavirus scourge.The reasonswhich appear to include a hot and dry climate, sparsely populated and poorly connected settlements and the worlds youngest populationhavemadeNigera crucial case study for virologists studying the evolutionof Covid-19, experts say.

Doctors say the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant and the reopening of land borders in recent weeks still poses a threat to the largely unvaccinated country and its health system. But in Niamey, the quiet capital perched on the riverNiger,there is little evidence of the pandemic raging in many other countries across the continent.

Read more from the original source:

Niger Is the Land That Covid-19 Forgot - The Wall Street Journal