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27Th APRIL 2020 27th APRIL 2020 19 COVID-19 REPORT SUMMARY • The number of confirmed deaths as a result of COVID-19 has now passed 200,000 with Johns Hopkins University confirming almost 2,980,053 cases worldwide. • On 25th April, the UK became the fifth country in the world to record 20,000 hospital deaths as a result of COVID- 19. The UK death toll currently stands at 20,732. • Several Muslim majority countries have now begun to soften COVID-19 measures in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Algeria all shortening curfews that had been in place. • Multiple US States and European countries have begun to ease lockdown restrictions having instituted plans to begin reopening shops. • The World Health Organisation has warned that Africa could see as many as 10 million cases of COVID-19 within three to six months. In the last 10 days alone, the continent has seen a 40% rise in new COVID-19 cases. • A second wave of locusts has descended on East Africa and the swarm is estimated to be 20 times bigger than the first invasion at the end of 2019. Amidst the COVID-19 global lockdown, pesticides and bio-pesticides usually sourced from countries such as Japan, Morocco and the Netherlands, have become more expensive and harder to obtain. Further to this, protective clothing worn when using pesticides have been taken for those combating this coronavirus outbreak. • The World Health Organisation has warned against introducing ‘immunity passports’ for people who have recovered from the COVID-19 virus, citing that ‘there is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection’. • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to return to work on 27th April after spending three nights in intensive care due to this coronavirus. GLOBAL MAP OF CASES OF COVID-19 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 22.04.2020 COVID -19/RAS/27th APRIL 2020 2 COVID-19 REPORT UK UPDATE TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES 152,840 TOTAL DEATHS 20,732 UK DAILY CASES 4,463 CLICK HERE FOR LIVE REPORTED CASES FROM PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND Source: Public Health England 27.04.2020 • At least 96 new pop-up facilities operated by the military have been created to begin testing essential workers for COVID-19. The new mobile units, due to start in May, will be travelling to rural, hard to reach places, as well as care homes, Police and fire stations, and prisons. These new measures have been imposed in order to help the government reach their target of carrying out 100,000 tests a day. • 10 days after being opened by the Duke of Cambridge, Birmingham’s new Nightingale Hospital has still not been used. • Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, who is currently deputising as Prime Minister has said that the UK should not rush into easing the restrictions through fears that a second spike in COVID019 infections may occur. When asked when Britain might begin to ease restrictions, he declined to provide a date stating that Britain is at a ‘delicate and dangerous stage’. • England’s 343 local authorities could face a potential £5 billion funding shortfall as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. It has emerged that councils have spent millions on responding to this coronavirus pandemic such as providing social care, PPE for staff, housing rough sleepers and supplying emergency food packages. Further to this, they are unable to recoup costs through usual means such as council tax, parking charges and leisure fees. COVID -19/RAS/27th APRIL 2020 3 COVID-19 REPORT • Due to lockdown procedures it is feared that thousands of routine vaccination appointments will have been missed or postponed, potentially laying the foundations for outbreaks of infections such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough. • The UK government have announced that a COVID-19 vaccine available for public use is unlikely to become available this year. In light of this, the government are considering making a mass order of antibody tests in order to ascertain how many people have had the virus. • Imperial College Professor Neil Ferguson, an expert in epidemiology, has warned against lifting the UK lockdown too early, claiming that this could potentially cause the death toll to increase past 100,000 by the end of the year. • According to the Sunday Telegraph, the government have plans to impose a two-week quarantine for people entering the UK as part of a ‘second phase’ to this coronavirus response. • Dr Moosa Quereshi, an NHS doctor and campaigner for the advocate group 54000dcotors.org, has threatened to take the government to court if they do not publish its Exercise Cygnus report. Exercise Cygnus was a three-day event in 2016 which saw government and public health bodies simulate an influenza pandemic. The findings of the simulation were reported to be ‘too terrifying’ to be made public. • Budget airline company Wizz Air have become one of the first airlines in Europe to resume flights and have announced that some routes will begin operating again on 1st May. However, people have been told by the Foreign Office not to travel unless it is essential, but airlines will not pay cash refunds for passengers that do not fly if their flights still operate. Some destinations are only repatriating citizens so many people will be not be allowed in and are unable to reclaim their money. • Furloughed workers have been urged to become fruit pickers by the environment secretary, George Eustace, in a bid to cover the lack of seasonal migrant workers. COVID -19/RAS/27th APRIL 2020 4 Source: Public Health England 26.04.2020 5 WORLD UPDATES TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES 2,980,053 TOTAL DEATHS 206,640 PATIENTS RECOVERED 869,548 COUNTRIES/REGIONS 210 CLICK HERE FOR LIVE REPORTED CASES CLICK HERE FOR GRAPH DETAILS Source: Centre for Systems Science and Engineering at John Hopkins University on 27.04.2020 *Figures will vary between sources Worldometers 27.04.2020 COVID -19/RAS/27th April 2020 6 REGIONAL UPDATES ASIA India India has begun to ease its lockdown by beginning to open small local stores across the country. As part of the reopening of these stores, guidelines call for a 50% reduction in staff as well as further precautions such as face masks and the observance of social distancing. Shopping malls will remain closed. Pakistan Pakistan have extended their lockdown until 9th May and have introduced what they have referred to as a ‘smart lockdown’. This new ‘smart lockdown’ will implement tracking and tracing of cases and allow for limited industrial and commercial activities to restart. Bangladesh More than 250 doctors working in Bangladesh have tested positive for COVID-19. It is thought that the country’s fragile healthcare system and lack of PPE has left the country struggling to contain the outbreak. AFRICA South Africa South Africa have announced plans to partially reopen its agricultural, manufacturing and retail sectors as it eases its COVID-19 restrictions. The government announced that 20% of all manufacturing workers will begin to restart with the automotive sector running at 50% production and open-cast mining at 100% capacity. Nigeria The International Monetary Fund are meeting on 28th April to consider Nigeria’s request for emergency finance. The government have requested $3.4 billion to combat the impact of this coronavirus. Somali Protests were seen in Mogadishu on Friday 24th April after a police officer killed a civilian whilst enforcing COVID- 19 lockdown restrictions. The officer has since been arrested. Djibouti Lockdown restrictions in Djibouti have largely been ignored, leading to a rapid spike in COVID-19 cases. The country in the Horn of Africa now has one of the highest number of cases per million on the continent with 1,008 cases and two deaths. AMERICAS Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has this week announced further cuts as a response to COVID-19. In these new cuts he has abolished 10 government departments, imposed hiring freezes and cut government salaries by 25%. In further measures, the Mexican government have announced a $25.6 billion spending plan which will invest in social programmes and infrastructure projects in order to revitalise the pandemic hit economy. Uruguay Uruguay have eased their lockdown in various rural areas of the country and have allowed primary schools to reopen – although attendance will be at the discretion of the parents. 7 COVID -19/RAS/27th April 2020 Cuba During this global coronavirus pandemic Cuba have sent out more than 20 medical brigades totalling roughly 1,200 healthcare workers. The brigades have been used primarily in vulnerable African and Caribbean nations in order to help combat COVID-19 but have also been spotted in Italy. Most recently the country has sent 216 healthcare workers to help combat COVID-19 in South Africa. United States of America States in the USA have begun to lift lockdown restrictions with Georgia and Oklahoma opening salons and spas, and Alaska beginning to lift restrictions on restaurants. Other States have also begun to adjust their lockdown restrictions with Colorado changing their message from ‘stay at home’ to ‘safer at home’, and Florida and Michigan expected to start easing their lockdown measures too. It is believed that Donald Trump has been advised to stop hosting the White House’s coronavirus press briefing warning that they could hurt his campaign. This advice comes after Trump’s latest controversial statement in which he raised the idea of injecting disinfectant and exposure to UV light as possible cures for COVID-19. Both suggestions have been debunked as possible cures by medical professionals who have advised that Trump’s suggestions would be ineffective and extremely harmful to the person.
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