COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News update June 2nd 2020.
The UK added 1,613 cases today and now has reported a total of 277,985 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 135,643 tests yesterday. 7,607 people are in hospital, down from 8,811 this time last week.
In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we lost another 324 people who have tested positive to COVID-19. We now very sadly have a total of 39,369 losses of life in all settings.
England 152,914 / 35,128
Northern Ireland 4,732 / 524
Scotland 15,471 / 2,363
Wales 14,121 / 1,354
Rep. Of Ireland 25,066 (+4) cases and 1,658 (+8) losses of life.
There have now been a total of 6,427,911 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 379,503. Already 2,943,309 people have recovered.
All 4 of the UK's Chief Medical Officers are believed to have refused to bring the alert level down to 3, which is why the English government ministers keep referring to 'moving towards level 3'.
It's Tuesday and the Office For National Statistics (ONS) has released more accurate figures for the week ending 22nd May.
Up until 22nd May, a total of 48,106 people have died with COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate. (The official daily reported numbers only include people with a positive test.)
During that week, the number of people who died from COVID-19 (2,589) was higher than the number of deaths above normal average (2,348).
Deaths from all causes is expected to be below average for 2020, as COVID-19 is particularly severe among groups who are already very ill or frail.
The ONS also looked at the social impact of COVID-19:
"Across Great Britain, 80% of adults were worried about the effect that the coronavirus (COVID-19) was having on their life; this varied from 76% in the East Midlands and in Scotland, to 87% in the North East. We found those aged 16 to 34 years in the North East were particularly worried."
"About 86% of people in each country and region of Britain said they had felt either stressed, anxious or worried about the future or that their mental health had become worse."
Public Health England have completed a study looking at how COVID-19 affects people differently, including the greater risk to the black and minority ethnic population. It has been published, despite current sensitivity surrounding what is happening in America.
Age remains the biggest risk - a male over 80 is 70 times more likely to die than a male under 40.
Working age men are twice as likely to die than women.
The mortality rates from COVID-19 in the most deprived areas were more than double the least deprived areas.
"People of Bangladeshi ethnicity had around twice the risk of death than people of White British ethnicity. People of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Other Asian, Caribbean and Other Black ethnicity had between 10 and 50% higher risk of death when compared to White British."
Diabetes was mentioned on 21% of death certificates where COVID-19 was also mentioned.
54 men and 13 women with no fixed abode succumbed to COVID-19. (That figure would be much higher if they had been left in hostels - thank you that they weren't.)
As of 13 May, there had been 17,598 deaths in confirmed cases among males (59.3%) and 12,075 in females (40.7%). 56.3% of deaths were among people 80 years and older.
10,841 COVID-19 cases were identified in nurses, midwives and nursing
associates. As a percentage of the workforce this represents:
4% of Asian ethnic groups
3.1% of Other ethnic groups
1.7% of White ethnic groups
1.5% of both Black and Mixed ethnic groups
Today's England briefing was with Matt Hancock and Prof. John Newton, testing bloke. I didn't spot much new or that we can't really work out with half a brain cell.
A lot of questions were asking if BAME staff were going to be treated as at extra risk. The answer was that if you follow the guidance then you should massively lower your risk, and although this is incredibly important, other factors are also risks, and you should consider the whole picture. .
John said the test and trace is going well, and already thousands of people are isolating. He explained there's little point testing contacts who have no symptoms, as they may well not test positive until they have symptoms anyway. (While that's true, we are pretty sure most people are infectious for an average 3 days before they have symptoms, and may be quite likely to test positive at this point.)
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, tabled a motion to stop MP's being allowed to use Virtual Voting online, and today they've had to return in person. There really is absolutely no common sense behind it and it will prevent shielded or isolating MP's from having a vote. Anyone who can work from home should do so.
UAE capital Abu Dhabi has imposed a 1 week transport ban. No-one can move in or out, and inter-area travel is barred without a permit. They are mass testing to try and wipe out all cases of coronavirus, and keeping everyone where they are should mean they can isolate clusters of cases far more easily.
The situation in America is really not improving, and an unarmed black protestor has now died in Louisville. There are also claims 2 police officers have been shot in other locations.
Trump has dispatched "heavily armed soldiers" against protestors, and last night Police dispersed a peaceful protest with rubber bullets and tear gas, so that Trump could go and stand outside St John's Church with a bible for a photo opportunity. Live reporting Australian and other journalists have been caught up in the action, so there's plenty of video.
The Bishop of St John's Church is furious.
“In no way do we support the President’s incendiary response to a wounded, grieving nation.”
“In faithfulness to our Savior who lived a life of non-violence and sacrificial love, we align ourselves with those seeking justice for the death of George Floyd and countless others.”
The Times have reported that quarantine-free "air bridges" between the UK and low-risk countries are likely to be introduced by the end of this month. Ermmmm yeah, best of luck with that one. If you were a 'low-risk country', would you allow free movement to people from a country with around 35,000 new cases a week?
Your chances of a week away this Summer, in any country that isn't being politically blackmailed or on it's knees financially, are only slightly better than your chance of going to the moon.
Australian Health Minister, Greg Hunt has announced that "the Australian Government will invest $66 million in research into vaccines, into antivirals, and also into respiratory clinical trials as well as health system management."
Nigeria reopens banks, places of worship and hotels today. The dusk til dawn curfew is being relaxed to 10pm-4pm. Domestic flights are due to resume from 21st June.
The UK government and Matt Hancock are under fire from the UK statistics watchdog for 'fudging' the number of tests. They keep saying the largest number they can, even if it includes 2 tests meaning 1 patient's throat and nose, 'tests in the post' and other not quite actually completed tests.
Wuhan in China managed to test more than 9.8m people between May 14th and June 1st, and they have found 300 people who tested positive and had no symptoms. None of them were found to have infected anyone else.
A YouGov poll has found that people from the UK believe we have handled the outbreak less well than other European countries. People from other European countries believe the same. So do I. Americans were also polled, they thought maybe they handled it worse than the UK, but believe they've done a better job than China, Italy or Spain. Give it another week...
Around 1/3 of Singapore's workforce went back to work today, and some pupils returned to school. School pupils have to wear masks or face visors, and their temperature is checked. Everyone who can work from home has to continue, and people should stay at home without good reason to go out.
Singapore had terrible outbreaks at worker's dormitories, and tested extensively. They have reported over 35,000 cases in total, and lost 24 people.
There were dozens of simultaneous firework displays last night in Japan, to cheer everyone up.
The Colosseum in Rome was reopened to socially distanced visitors yesterday.
68 Kenyans are being recognised for their help during the crisis with a Presidential Order Of Service Award. They include a 9 year old boy who invented a way of handwashing without touching taps or bowls with your hands - so that you don't spread COVID-19 in exactly the same way that the residents of Broad Street, London, spread cholera in 1854, when they all used the same water pump handle.
Some people. Shown as numbers because I don't have space for all of their names:
Countries / Cases / Losses of life (some states yet to report):
USA 1,866,456 (+7,133) 107,357 (+432)
Brazil 531,768 (+2,363) 30,152 (+106)
Russia 423,741 (+8,863) 5,037 (+182)
Spain 286,718 not yet reported today 27,127
UK 277,985 (+1,613) 39,369 (+324)
Italy 233,515 (+318) 33,530 (+55)
India 206,588 (+8,218) 5,820 (+212)
France 189,220 not yet reported today 28,833
Germany 183,984 (+219) 8,639 (+21)
Peru 170,039 not yet reported today 4,634
Turkey 165,555 (+786) 4,585 (+22)
Iran 157,562 (+3,117) 7,942 (+64)
Chile 108,686 (+3,527) 1,188 (+75)
Mexico 93,435 (+2,771) 10,167 (+237)
Canada 92,390 (+685) 7,395 (+69)
Saudi Arabia 89,011 (+1,869) 549 (+24)
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Sources:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/889195/disparities_review.pdf
https://twitter.com/i/events/1267752349340065792
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/06/02/europeans-think-uk-has-managed-covid-19-poorly-and
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/06/02/europeans-think-uk-has-managed-covid-19-poorly-and
https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-52881821
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/amphtml/back-school-masks-singapore-eases-virus-curbs-050945962.html
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/amp/coronavirus/2020/06/02/Coronavirus-Am-I-allowed-to-leave-Abu-Dhabi-UAE-movement-ban-questions-answered
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/06/01/politics/cnntv-bishop-trump-photo-op/index.html
"Peaceful protesters dispersed with tear gas outside the White House ahead of Trump photo op" https://twitter.com/i/events/1267605726903463936
https://amp.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/01/rees-moggs-plans-for-mps-to-vote-in-person-branded-beyond-a-farce
Now if only the government would like to the Yougov. Things do seem to be improving on the stats, but are they I wonder? I do wonder how the lockdown easing will go. Stay well and lots of love x
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