Coronavirus: What’s happening around the world on Thursday – CBC.ca

The latest:

Florida reportedthe largest one-day increase in deaths from the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began and its second-largest increase in cases ever on Thursday.

Florida announced 13,965 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in the state and the centre of the latest outbreak to over 315,775, according to the state health department.

Florida's COVID-19-related deaths rose by 156 to a total of 4,782, surpassing its previous one-day record of 133 new deaths on July 12. Current hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19 was the highest ever reported at 8,626, up 321 in the past 24 hours, according to a state agency.

The United Statesis the worst-affected country in terms of infections, followed by Brazil and India. More than 137,000 people have died in the U.S. as a result of the virus, the highest of any country. As of 12:25 p.m. ETon Thursday, the global coronavirus case count stood at 13,589,273, with 584,990deaths and 7,607,033 cases considered recovered, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

On Thursday,CVSsaidit would require customers to wear face coverings while shopping at its U.S. pharmacies, joining a host of retailers, including Walmart,in their push to curb the spread of the coronaviruspandemic.

Meanwhile, Republicans will significantly limit the number of attendees at the party's August convention nominating U.S. President Donald Trump for a second White House term in Jacksonville, Fla., amid the ongoing surge of cases.

The shift to a smaller gathering is the latest in a series of changes sought by organizers as they scramble to host a large-scale event next month amid the health crisis.

WATCH |Infection control epidemiologist responds to questions on the evolving risk of coronavirus:

"We had hoped to be able to plan a traditional convention celebration to which we are all accustomed. However, adjustments must be made to comply with state and local health guidelines," Republican National Committee chairRonna McDaniel said in a letter delivered to delegates on Thursday.

Elsewhere in the U.S., bars and restaurants in New York City that receive three "strikes" for failing to enforce physical distancing will be forced to close, Gov.Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday. Separately, an announcement on whether New York City would enter Phase 4 of reopening will be made at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Cuomo said.

In Georgia, officialswere headed for a clash over masks to fight the spread of the coronavirusafter the Republican governor barred mayors from requiring residents to wear them. Gov.Brian Kemp issued an executive order late on Wednesday suspending local regulations requiring "face coverings, masks, face shields or any other personal protective equipment" in public.

The order said residents were "strongly encouraged" to wear face coverings in public. Kempsuggested any order mandating masks would be too restrictive. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who issued a mask mandate in his city on July 1, reacted swiftly.

"It is officially official. Governor Kemp does not give a damn about us. Every man and woman for himself/herself. Ignore the science and survive the best you can," Johnson, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter. "In Savannah, we will continue to keep the faith and follow the science. Masks will continue to be available!"

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, issued an order requiring masks in Georgia's largest city on July 8.

As of 12:25 p.m. ET on Thursday, Canada had 109,082confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. Provinces and territories listed 72,782of those as recovered or resolved. ACBC News tallyof deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 8,858.

WATCH |Labour lawyer cautions that enforcing mask policies is likely to cause some conflict:

A Russian hacking group has gone after COVID-19-related vaccine research in Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., according to Canada's cyber spies.

The Communications Security Establishment, responsible for Canada's foreign signals intelligence, said APT29 also known as Cozy Bear and the Dukes is behind the malicious activity. The group "almost certainly operates as part of Russian intelligence services," the CSE said in a statement released Thursday morningin co-ordination with its international counterparts, an allegation the Kremlin immediately denied.

Cozy Bear has been identified by Washington as one of two Russian government-linked hacking groups that broke into the Democratic National Committee computer network and stole emails ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The other group is usually called Fancy Bear.

Spain paid tribute Thursday to the nation's victims of the novelcoronavirus and workers who put their lives at risk during the worst of the pandemic with a solemn state ceremony in Madrid.

Relatives of around 100 people who died during the pandemic, andrepresentatives of medical personnel, police and other essential workers, joined King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, government members and officials from the European Union and the World Health Organization at an esplanade in Madrid's Royal Palace.

The guests, masked and seated in a physicallydistanced fashion surrounding a central cauldron, included representatives from a dozen religious organizations and ambassadors. As a live performance of string music took over from the speeches, attendees left white roses by the cauldron.

Spain has officially recorded 28,413 deaths from the virus, although excess mortality figures suggest the actual figure is thousands higher. The country is grappling with dozens of fresh outbreaks after it emerged from a strict lockdown last month.

WATCH |White roses, black masks in Spanish tribute to COVID-19 victims:

In France, new Prime Minister Jean Castex said masks will be mandatory in closed public places as of next week, sooner than Aug. 1 as announced earlier by President Emmanuel Macron.

The change in date comes as the Mayenne area of the Loire region has seen several COVID-19 outbreaks, and authorities have recorded a marginal increase in infections in the Paris region.

Calling the situation in Mayenne "problematic," French Health Minister Olivier Veran said he asked the prefect of Mayenne personally to make masks compulsory in closed public places without waiting for the later date.

Australia's coronavirus hot spot the state of Victoria is reporting a record 317 newly confirmed cases in a day. The tally for Thursday surpassed the state's previous high of 288 on July 10.

The previous one-day Australian record was 212 cases set March 28 by New South Wales state duringthe first peak of the pandemic. New South Wales reported only 10 new cases Thursday. Two men in their 80s died in Victoria in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's death toll for the pandemic to 113.

Victoria's government is reducing the number of non-urgent surgeries allowed in hospitals to increase beds available for COVID-19 patients. State officials had planned to restore hospitals to normal medical services by the end of July before infections began to rise in recent weeks.

WATCH | Australian PM says situation in Victoria 'very concerning'

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Tokyo hit a new daily record with 286, raising alarm Japan may be reopening too quickly. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said one reason for the recent rise in cases is increased testing, which numbered more than 4,000 on Thursday.

She said 760 people are hospitalized, seven of them in serious condition, while more than 350 are quarantined at hotels and homes.Japan has had fewer than 23,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and about 1,000 deaths.

Israel reached a new daily record of confirmed coronavirus cases, the country's Health Ministry said Thursday, as a new nationwide lockdown to curb the pandemic appeared imminent.

The Health Ministry on Thursday reported 1,898 new cases of the virus. The country has registered more than 44,500 total cases. At least 380 Israelis have died of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Adding to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's troubles, a new economic bailout plan announced by the embattled premier came under tough criticism from some of the government's top economic experts.

The growing coronavirus outbreak, coupled with a struggling economy, have marked a dramatic turnaround for Netanyahu. The Israeli leader received widespread praise for moving quickly to contain the coronavirus last spring.

But since lifting a series of restrictions in May, the country has experienced a surge in cases. With unemployment over 20 per cent, the pandemic's economic impact is generating domestic unrest and Netanyahu's approval rating is plummeting.

Hospitals in Iran face acute shortages of medical personnel and beds as the country tackles a powerful second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official of Tehran's anti-coronavirus task force said on Thursday.

Iran, the Middle East country hardest hit by the pandemic, began relaxing its lockdown in mid-April. But a second wave of infections emerged in early June and has proven much more serious than the first one, said Reza Jalili-Khoshnood, who is himself infected, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

WATCH | Where are we in the pandemic?

Iran recorded 13,608 related deaths as of Thursday, including 198 in the previous 24 hours, according to Health Ministry spokespersonSima Sadat Lari, who wasspeaking on state TV.Sadat Lari told state television that the total number of diagnosed cases in the country had reached 267,061, up by 2,500 in the last 24 hours.

Jalili-Khoshnood was quoted as saying that at one hospital Tehran's Shohada, where he is hospitalized 172 medical staff have been infected themselves or are caring for infected family members. He said he there were also shortages of beds, including of intensive care beds.

His comments contrast with President Hassan Rouhani's regular assurances that Iran has sufficient supplies of medical personnel and facilities. While struggling to curb the spread of COVID-19, Iranian authorities are concerned that tougher measures against it could wreck an economy already reeling under U.S. sanctions.

India's virus cases have surged another 32,695, taking the national count closer to one million and forcing a new lockdown in the popular western beach state of Goa, two weeks after it reopened to tourists.

The new confirmed cases took the national total to 968,876. The Health Ministry on Wednesday also reported a record number of 606 deaths for a total of 24,915.

The Indian Medical Association said 99 doctors have died and another 1,302 are infected with the coronavirus. It called for shortening of working hours for health workers following safety concerns. It also said the fatality rate among doctors was 7.6 per cent, much higher than the national average of about 2.5 per cent.

About a dozen states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam, have put high-risk areas under lockdowns, allowing only essential food supplies and health services.

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Coronavirus: What's happening around the world on Thursday - CBC.ca