As of 8 am, July 24, 2020:
World count: 15,429,889 cases, 8,758,636 recoveries, 631,680 deaths
There are now 15,429,889 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases, with 4,099,809 infections, followed by Brazil (2,287,475) and India (1,238,635).
There have been 631,680 deaths from the coronavirus all over the globe since the pandemic began. The US has the highest number of deaths in the world, with 146,295 fatalities from Covid-19, followed by Brazil (84,082), and the United Kingdom (45,554).
8,758,636 people worldwide have recovered from Covid-19.
Singapore: 354 additional cases, 220 more discharged, 8 community cases
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on July 23 that there are 354 new Covid-19 cases in the country, of which eight are community cases and five are imported cases. The other 341 cases are of Work Permit holders living in dormitories. Singapore now has a total of 49,098 confirmed cases, with an additional 220 discharged from hospital. A total of 45,015 individuals have recovered.
Of the active coronavirus cases in Singapore, 137 are in hospital, and none are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. 3,919 are in community facilities. Twenty-seven people in Singapore have died of complications due to the Covid-19 infection.
“We will never eradicate this virus”—Infectious disease expert
The director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, Michael Osterholm, said that it’s likely that the novel coronavirus is here to stay.
He said, “We will never eradicate this virus. This is here for the rest of all humankind. This is a virus we’re never going to get rid of. Until we actually have a commitment to getting this virus to a very, very low level, we’re not going to really do much except continue to put out this raging forest fire the best we can.”
At best, he added, a vaccine developed now could offer protection “for months” and not years. “That next level of vaccines would try to do more with the immune system than we have now. But they’re far, far off into the future.”
Hong Kong continues to battle 3rd wave of infections
The third wave of coronavirus infections continues in Hong Kong, with another 118 cases reported on July 23. Except for seven cases, all were local transmissions, with half deemed untraceable. The city also recorded another death, making a total of 15 thus far.
“The epidemic situation in Hong Kong remains severe. From July 16-22, there were 543 confirmed cases, of which 481 are locally transmitted. Compared to last week, 256 cases were recorded from July 9-15, of which 207 were locally transmitted. The epidemic trend is still increasing,” said Dr Chui Tak-yi, the undersecretary of food and health.
Japan: New Covid-19 cases still on the rise
A record 796 new cases were reported in Japan on July 22, and 366 cases were recorded in hard-hit Tokyo on Thursday, its highest 24-hour jump. Japan now has a total of 27,741 cases and 1,003 deaths. Tokyo’s governor Yuriko Koike said that nearly two-thirds of the new cases are in people between the ages of 20 and 30.
South Korea is now in a recession
The Bank of Korea announced that the economy shrank 3.3 percent from April to June, the second straight quarter of declines. The country is now in a recession due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus. According to Alex Holmes, Asia economist for Capital Economics, Thursday. It marked a second straight quarter of declines. According to Alex Holmes, Asia economist for Capital Economics, “While the recovery is already underway, it is likely to be slow going in the months ahead as the external environment only improves gradually. We don’t think it will be until next year that output regains its pre-crisis level.”
England makes masks mandatory in specific public areas
From July 24, face masks are required by the UK government to be worn in specific public enclosed spaces including shops and shopping centers, supermarkets, banks, building societies, post offices, take out restaurants, transport hubs such as train stations and airports. An announcement from the government said: “It will be compulsory to wear a face-covering when buying food and drink to take away from cafes and shops. If you are in premises where you are able to sit down and consume food or drink that you have bought, then you can remove your face covering in order to eat and drink on site.” Violators may be fined up to £100 but only as “a last resort.” —/TISG