As of 8 am, June 19, 2020:
World count: 8,449,983 cases, 4,133,595 recoveries, 452,465 deaths
There are now 8,449,983 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 worldwide. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases with 2,228,902 infections, followed by Brazil (978,142) and Russia (561,091).
There have been 452,465 deaths from the coronavirus all over the globe since the pandemic began. The US has the highest number of deaths in the world, with 120,101 fatalities from Covid-19, followed by Brazil (47,748), and the United Kingdom (42,288).
4,133,595 people worldwide have recovered from the coronavirus.
Singapore: 257 additional cases, 774 more discharged, 4 community cases, 1 new cluster
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on June 18 that there are 257 new Covid-19 cases in the country, of which four are community cases. The other 253 cases are of Work Permit holders living in dormitories. Singapore now has a total of 41,473 confirmed cases, with an additional 774 discharged from hospital. A total of 32,712 individuals have recovered.
One new coronavirus cluster was reported by the MOH on June 18 at a workers’ dormitory at 10 Tech Park Crescent in Tuas.
Of the active coronavirus cases in Singapore, 225 are in hospital, and 8,510 are in community facilities. Twenty-six people in Singapore have died of Covid-19 related causes, and ten people infected with the coronavirus have died from other causes.
Bangladesh: Over 100,000 Covid-19 cases reported
Over the last five days, densely-populated Bangladesh has seen an uptick in reported cases, with over 3,000 new cases daily. The 3,803 coronavirus infections recorded on June 18 brought Bangladesh’s total case count to 102,292, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Thirty-eight individuals were recorded as having died on June 18 as well, and the country’s death count is now at 1,343.
Brazil: Nearly 1 million infections reported
Another 22,765 new coronavirus cases were added to Brazil’s total on June 18, as the country approaches the one million mark. Brazil will be the second country worldwide to reach that mark after the United States. The country’s case count now stands at 978,142. An additional 1,238 deaths were reported on June 18 as well, bringing Brazil’s death toll to 47,748.
Africa: Over 80% of infections found in just 8 countries
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa, said that 8 countries across the region account for 84 percent of all of Africa’s infections. She said, “The majority of new cases are being reported in specific hotspot, provinces, and districts in the countries concerned,” which include South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon, with other countries showing few or no cases.
Dr Moeti added, “There is great disparity in the way that countries are affected by the pandemic. Seychelles, for example, has not reported a new case for more than 70 days — that’s over a couple of months. Mauritius has not reported a new case in 10 days. And countries like Namibia and the Gambia are reporting very few new cases.”
Over 265,000 cases have been reported and 7,000 people have died in the 47 countries in Africa.
Africa: Greater concern is outbreak in refugee camps in South Sudan
Dr Moeti expressed greater concern for the cases emerging in refugee camps in South Sudan due to “the situation in which people are living in refugee camps, the type of housing that they have, and the challenges that could arise then with interventions like social distancing.” She added that WHO is “working on a global humanitarian response plan that was launched by the Secretary-General, to mobilize the resources that are needed to make sure that the interventions that need to be put in place, are put in place in refugee camps first.”
US: Infectious disease expert says there’s not going to be a post-Covid world for a long time
Dr Colleen Kraft, the associate chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital, said that states must determine how to protect people from getting infected with the coronavirus even as they reopen for economic purposes. Another round of lockdowns may not be financially feasible, though cases are still rising in some areas. “Now we’ve got to figure out how can we protect people at the same time they’re going about their daily lives. We have to focus on living with Covid. There’s not going to be a post-Covid world for a long time.”
Masks and hand sanitizers must become a part of people’s everyday lives, Dr Kraft added. “Please understand that you have within your abilities to make a difference and diminish transmission. Wearing a mask or not wearing a mask shouldn’t be how you’re going to vote in the upcoming election. It’s really about protecting yourself from an infection.” —/TISG
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