As of 8 am, August 5, 2020:
World count: 18,445,787 cases, 11,036,083 recoveries, 691,740 deaths
There are now a total of 18,445,787 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases, with 4,850,114 infections, followed by Brazil (2,808,076) and India (1,855,745).
There have been 691,740 deaths from the coronavirus all over the globe since the pandemic began. The US has the highest number of deaths in the world, with 159,128 fatalities from Covid-19, followed by Brazil (96,096), and Mexico (48,012).
11,036,083 people worldwide have recovered from Covid-19.
Singapore: 295 additional cases, 253 more discharged, 7 imported cases
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on August 4 that there are 226 new Covid-19 cases in the country, of which two are community cases and seven are imported cases. The other 216 cases are of Work Permit holders living in dormitories. Singapore now has a total of 53,346 confirmed cases, with an additional 253 discharged from hospital. A total of 47,454 individuals have recovered.
Of the active coronavirus cases in Singapore, 125 are in hospital, and none are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. 5,740 are in community facilities. Twenty-seven people in Singapore have died of complications due to the Covid-19 infection.
Philippines may become epicentre of Covid-19 in Southeast Asia
The Philippines saw its highest daily jump in coronavirus cases on Tuesday, August 4, with 6,352 new infections, and the country may become the epicentre of the infection in Southeast Asia. The country’s total case count is now at 112,593, and its death toll stands at 2,115. Only Indonesia has a higher case count in the region, with 115,056 infections. The Philippines’ capital Manila has been placed under a two-week lockdown after health workers warned the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte that the country is fighting “a losing battle” against the infection as hospitals are getting overwhelmed by the soaring number of cases.
Concerns over the economy abound, however. “I have to be honest. Our economy cannot withstand a long lockdown,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. Daily losses from a lockdown are estimated at S$340 million.
US: President Donald Trump says US is doing better in battling Covid-19 than other countries
According to President Donald Trump, despite having the highest case count and death toll around the globe, the US is doing better than other countries. “It is what it is,” he said in an interview on Monday, August 3.
Axios interviewer Jonathan Swan told the President, “I’ve gone to your rallies. I’ve talked to your people. They love you. They listen to you. They listen to every word you say. They hang on your every word. And so when they hear you say, ‘everything’s under control. Don’t worry about wearing masks,’ I mean, these are people — many of them are older people.”
He answered, ”Well, what’s your definition of control? I think it’s under control. They are dying. That’s true. And you — it is what it is. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t doing everything we can. It’s under control as much as you can control it.”
Japan: Covid-19 cases surpass 40,000 with infections on the rise in Okinawa
On August 3, the Ministry of Health of Japan reported 937 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s case total to 40,570 (39,858 on land and 712 on the Diamond Princess). Tokyo has 309 new cases, with Osaka reporting 198 and Okinawa, 83. In the US bases alone in Okinawa, there has been a total of 285 cases reported. Okinawa is now under a state of emergency until August 15. Japan’s death toll stands at 1,016.
Germany now in second wave—doctors’ association
A doctors’ association in Germany has said that the country is currently experiencing a second wave of coronavirus cases. The head of the Marburger Bund, Susanne Johna, “We are already in a second … wave of rising infections. There is the danger that we could gamble away the successes we have achieved so far in Germany due to a combination of blocking out reality and a yearning for normalcy.” Germany has a total of 212,331 coronavirus cases and 9,232 deaths. The country has seen a recent uptick of cases, possibly brought on by the return of holiday-makers this summer.
Study shows only 2.5% of Italians have Covid-19 antibodies
A study in Italy has shown that only 2.5 percent of Italians, or 1,482,000 people, have Covid-19 antibodies, even though the country was severely affected by the pandemic, with a total of 248,419 confirmed cases and 35,171 deaths. Lombardy, the region in Italy that had the highest number of cases has the largest number of people with antibodies, 7.5 percent, while Sicily and Sardinia have the lowest number of people with antibodies, at 0.3 percent.
Minister of Health Roberto Speranza said, “The different results of the survey in the country’s territory are very relevant. This means that the tough and rigorous measure adopted by the central and regional governments, and the correct behavior of the Italian people avoided a more massive spread of the virus.”
Read also: ‘Pathetic!’ — Trump lashes out at virus coordinator