COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 26 August – World Economic Forum

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached more than 23.9 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 819,000.

Myanmar has reported its biggest daily rise in new cases - 70. It has reported six deaths and 574 infections since March.

Researchers in Australia hope to launch trials of an antibody therapy early next year. A large-scale trial of a vaccine could start before the end of 2020.

US colleges are grappling with an increase in coronavirus cases as classes resume.

Global confirmed cases

Image: Our World in Data

Around 6% of residents of a German town that was an early COVID-19 hotspot, had antibodies to the virus.

Researchers from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases tested people in Bad Feilnbach, in the south of the country, between 23 June and 4 July. They found 2.6 times more infections that previously reported.

Of those who had antibodies, 14.5% had shown no symptoms. The highest prevalence of the virus was among 18-34 year-olds, at 8%.

The study is part of ongoing research of towns in Germany, and the Institute said it would wait for more results before drawing broader conclusions.

The first global pandemic in more than 100 years, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world at an unprecedented speed. At the time of writing, 4.5 million cases have been confirmed and more than 300,000 people have died due to the virus.

As countries seek to recover, some of the more long-term economic, business, environmental, societal and technological challenges and opportunities are just beginning to become visible.

To help all stakeholders communities, governments, businesses and individuals understand the emerging risks and follow-on effects generated by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Marsh and McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group, has launched its COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications - a companion for decision-makers, building on the Forums annual Global Risks Report.

The report reveals that the economic impact of COVID-19 is dominating companies risks perceptions.

Companies are invited to join the Forums work to help manage the identified emerging risks of COVID-19 across industries to shape a better future. Read the full COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications report here, and our impact story with further information.

3. Re-infections in Europe

Two patients - one in Belgium and one in the Netherlands - are confirmed to have been re-infected with coronavirus.

The cases follow a report of re-infection from Hong Kong. The Belgian case saw a woman first contract COVID-19 in March before contracting a different strain in June.

The Dutch case saw an elderly patient contract a different strain.

It is clear there has been a first and a second infection with a substantial quantity of virus. Enough to be able to determine the genetic code of the virus, that is what showed they were indeed different, said Marion Koopmans, a leading virologist in the Netherlands and a member of the World Health Organizations scientific advisory group.

But, she also cautioned that the patient had a weakened immune system, and that she didn't think re-infection was 'standard'.

The World Health Organization, in reference to the Hong Kong case, has also cautioned that more research is needed before conclusions can be drawn.

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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 26 August - World Economic Forum