The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 57.7 million people and killed over 1.3 million. Here are the updates for November 21:
November 21, 2020
Pakistan hits new Covid-19 peak since mid-July
Pakistan has seen the highest single-day deaths, and new coronavirus cases since mid-July.
The country, which wrestles to contain a second wave of Covid-19, recorded 2,843 fresh infections, pushing the total caseload to 371,508, including 328,931 recoveries, while the number of active cases stood at 34,974.
The previous daily infection record since July was 2,738.
Another 42 people died from the novel coronavirus over the last 24 hours, the highest single-day toll since July 15. The fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 7,603.
The country has recorded over 35,000 cases this month, following the looming flu season.
Pakistan was one of the countries where coronavirus cases started to significantly drop in mid-July.
Hospitals in New Delhi near capacity
India has reported 46,232 new cases in the past 24 hours, with the situation particularly alarming in New Delhi.
The next two weeks in the post-festival season, including celebrations for the Diwali holiday, are going to be important in determining which way the virus will go. The Health Ministry registered 564 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities up to 132,726.
While the pace of new cases in the country of 1.3 billion appears to be slowing, experts have cautioned that official figures may be offering false hope since many infections are undetected.
Germany’s cases rise to 22,964
The number of confirmed cases in Germany has increased by 22,964 to 902,528.
The reported death toll rose by 254 to 13,884, the data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed.
China starts mass testing 3 million in Tianjin
China is starting mass testing on 3 million people in a section of the northern city of Tianjin and has tested 4,015 others in a hospital in Shanghai after the discovery of a pair of cases there.
The National Health Commission recorded seven new domestically transmitted cases, including five in Tianjin and two in Shanghai.
China’s total number of confirmed cases is now 86,414.
Donald Trump Jr. tests positive
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, has been quarantining after learning he has been infected with the coronavirus.
The younger Trump learned his diagnosis at the beginning of the week and has had no symptoms, said a spokesperson, who was granted anonymity to discuss private medical information.
Trump Jr. is following all medically recommended guidelines for the disease caused by the virus, the spokesperson added.
The 42-year-old is the latest member of the president’s family to become infected with a virus that has killed more than 250,000 Americans and infected nearly 12 million others.
Duterte ends overseas travel ban on healthcare workers
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has approved ending a ban on deploying the nation’s healthcare workers, clearing the way for thousands of nurses to take up jobs overseas.
“The president already approved the lifting of the temporary suspension of deployment of nurses and other medical workers,” Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello told Reuters.
But to ensure the Philippines, which has the second-highest number of the virus cases and deaths in Southeast Asia, will have enough medical professionals to fight the pandemic, only 5,000 healthcare workers will be allowed to leave every year, Bello said.
Mexico adds 6,426 confirmed cases
Mexico’s health ministry reported 6,426 new confirmed coronavirus infections in the country and 719 deaths, bringing the official totals to 1,025,969 cases and 100,823 dead.
Health officials have said the real number of cases is likely significantly higher than the official tally.
Mainland China reports 16 new cases
Mainland China reported 16 new virus cases on November 20, down from 17 the previous day, with seven cases of local transmission and nine cases originating overseas, the country’s health authority said.
The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that five of the local transmissions took place in Tianjin and two in Shanghai.
Tianjin, which neighbours the capital Beijing, will launch a three-day universal screening programme covering nearly 3 million of its residents on Saturday.
Local officials said on Friday that one community in Tianjin had been placed in lockdown and around 1,900 people have been quarantined, according to the China Daily newspaper.
Mainland China also reported another 18 cases of asymptomatic cases on November 20, up from 14 on the previous day.
G20 determined to use all tools to contain pandemic
G20 nations are determined to continue doing everything possible to contain the pandemic, warning in a draft communique that the global economic recovery remains “uneven, highly uncertain, and subject to elevated downside risks.”
Bringing the pandemic under control is the key to supporting a global economic recovery, the G20 leaders said in the draft, excerpts of which were seen by Reuters.
A final joint statement will be released by leaders from the United States, China and other Group of 20 nations after they meet by video conference on Saturday.
AstraZeneca starts new Covid-19 prevention trials of antibody cocktail
AstraZeneca started late-stage trials of an experimental long-acting monoclonal antibody combination drug it hopes could be used as a so-called prophylactic to prevent Covid-19 infection in at-risk people for up to 12 months.
The Phase III international clinical trial will recruit a total of 5,000 people across countries in Europe and the United States to assess the safety and effectiveness of the antibody cocktail, known as AZD7442.
The prophylactic treatment differs from a vaccine in that it introduces antibodies, rather than prompting the body’s immune system to make them. It may prove useful in people whose immune systems are weaker or compromised, and who don’t respond to vaccination.
Separately, AstraZeneca is developing a Covid-19 vaccine in conjunction with researchers at Oxford University.
Brazil virus cases speed past 6 million
Brazil surpassed 6 million confirmed virus cases, the health ministry said, as the world’s third-worst coronavirus outbreak begins to surge again amid fears that a second wave is underway.
The South American nation joined the United States and India as the only countries to have passed the 6 million mark. With almost 170,000 confirmed fatalities, Brazil has the world’s second highest death toll.
Source: TRTWorld and agencies