The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News update 13th /14th June 2020.

Sunday, 14 June 2020

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News update 13th /14th June 2020.

The UK added 1,514 cases today and now has reported a total of 295,889 positive cases of COVID-19. It's only around 100 cases less than last week, which isn't as quick of a fall as you'd hope really - however it is still a drop.

We completed 144,865 tests yesterday and in total we've reported completing 6,772,602 tests. The only countries that have tested more are the USA, Russia and China. Not testing enough at the start inevitably leads to more cases overall, and far more testing overall.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we lost another 36 people who have tested positive to COVID-19. We now very sadly have a total of 41,698 losses of life in all settings, with a positive test result before the person succumbs. .

England 157,074 / 37,266

Northern Ireland 4,848 / 541

Scotland 15,755 / 2,447

Wales 14,742 / 1,444

Rep. Of Ireland 25,303 (+8) cases and 1,706 (+1) losses of life.

There have now been a total of 7,929,659 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 433,602. Already 4,076,120 people have recovered.

There has been a lot of speculation about the possibility of different strains of Covid-19 with slightly different features. A not yet peer reviewed study has found that in lab experiments, a specific coronavirus mutation allows it to infect more cells. If this variant causes greater infectivity in people, it could explain differences in severity of outbreaks.

The patient who has spent the longest time recovering in a US hospital, 70 year old Michael Flor, has had his bill. He spent 62 days in hospital, and the fee is a whopping $1,122,501.04. He is insured, but crikey it makes you appreciate the NHS, and just how expensive private healthcare is.

A team from University of Manchester are investigating the effects of COVID-19 on hearing. Many diseases can cause hearing loss, and the team have identified 5 patients so far who have reported hearing problems, as well as having anecdotal evidence from COVID-19 doctors. It's unknown as to whether this is something we just haven't spotted yet (as it's not 'urgent' care) and more people will come forward over time, or if it's just random and coincidental.

Face coverings public transport CDC poster

Beijing reported 50 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. After almost 2 months without any cases, a symptomatic case came forward who had visited a market. Beijing authorities swabbed 1,940 local food retail workers, and collected 5,424 environmental samples. Out of 517 asymptomatic people tested at the market itself, 45 were positive, and Coronavirus has reportedly also been found on a chopping board. The market has been closed and 11 nearby districts have been locked down.

India's Health Ministry has published revised 'Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19', which advise anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) should be used in the early stages, but never in severely ill patients (who really don't seem to benefit from it).

They also recommend anti-viral remdesivir, immunosuppressant tocilizumab, and convalescent plasma therapy (using plasma from recovered patients)

Yesterday's official Black Lives Matter protest in London was called off, as was today's in St George Square, Glasgow. It left right wing protesters no-one to fight with, so they fought (and are still fighting) with the police. They claimed they were there to defend statues. More than 100 people protesting against Black Lives Matter were arrested in London yesterday, fireworks were among the items thrown at police. Scotland's non-event looks a lot more peaceful so far.

On paper Asthmatics should be worse affected by COVID-19 than people without comorbidities, but they aren't, and the jury is still out on why? Some studies suggest use of corticosteroids (brown inhaler or tablets) may play a part, but other studies haven't found any evidence to back that up. UK data found asthmatics have the same chance of serious illness from COVID-19 as the rest of the population.

Support bubbles for single people and single parents

A reminder that right now there are still hundreds of thousands of people stuck on luxury cruise, freight and pleasure ships. The vast majority are employees, most of whom are on contracts that were due to end weeks or months ago.

A German study has looked at the use of face masks to reduce transmission, comparing growth in areas which imposed them early and those who followed a couple of weeks later, and has found that:

"Assessing the credibility of the various estimates, we conclude that face masks reduce the daily growth rate of reported infections by around 40%."

Remember, face coverings are mandatory on public transport in the UK from tomorrow - and recommended in shops and other areas where physical distancing isn't always possible.

Some numbers. Each and every one a person as unique as you:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (some states /provinces yet to report):

USA 2,151,113 (+8,889) 117,614 (+87)

Brazil 852,785 (+1,989) 42,837 (+46)

Russia 528,964 (+8,835) 6,948 (+119)

India 331,724 (+10,098) 9,485 (+286)

UK 295,889 (+1,514) 41,698 (+36)

Spain 290,685 not yet reported today 27,136

Italy 236,989 (+338) 34,345 (+44)

Peru 225,132 not yet reported today 6,498

Germany 187,580 (+157) 8,867

Iran 187,427 (+2,472) 8,837 (+107)