The Brick Castle: COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 26th / 27th June 2021.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 26th / 27th June 2021.

The UK added 14,876 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,732,434 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,068,088 tests yesterday.

The counter says 44,314,799 people (84.1% of UK adults) had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 32,460,191 people (61.6%) had received 2 doses.

1,505 people were in hospital on Thursday 24th June, with 259 using a ventilator.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 11 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 128,100 losses of life in all settings.

Nation: Cases in the last 7 days / Rate per 100,000 population
Wales: 1,642 / 52.1
Scotland: 12,530 / 229.3
Northern Ireland: 1,178 / 62.2
England: 67,252 / 119.5

Rep. Of Ireland 271,260 (+340) cases and 4,989 losses of life.

There have now been a total of 181,732,183 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,936,217. Already 166,239,200 people have recovered.

Download the UK NHS COVID app for a COVID passport

"Half of adults under 30 have already received the NHS COVID Vaccine — that is more than 4.2 million people aged 18 to 29 in just three weeks!
Thank you to everyone involved in the vaccine rollout. Thank You NHS."
NHS England

Matt Hancock, UK Health Secretary has resigned. Over 150,000 people across the UK have had COVID written as a cause on their death certificate, and he has recently lost 2 different court cases investigating his use of public money during the pandemic.
He hasn't resigned because of that. He's resigned for personal reasons. Footage has been "leaked" of his Scooby Doo style "let's have an affair right here under this camera which bizarrely just points at a door" tryst, and an investigation is apparently underway to find out who leaked it. Waddayamean? How many people have access to security camera footage in UK Parliament? Too many apparently.

Personally I'll kind of miss him. I refer to him privately as Hat Mancock, and I don't support his political stance, but he did at least answer questions and talk clearly. And he had the balls to stand up there every time it was going wrong and Boris didn't want to. Farewell to the ex-face of the UK COVID Response, and employer to his bezzies, Matt Hancock.

1/2 of UK adults 18-30 have come forward for a jab. Bold text

"Honoured to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care at this critical time.
I look forward to contributing to our fight against the pandemic, and serving my country from the Cabinet once again."
Sajid Javid, the new UK Health Secretary.
And this morning he adds:
"We are still in a pandemic and I want to see that come to an end as soon as possible. That will be my most immediate priority, to see that we can return to normal as soon and as quickly as possible.”
We expect big things Sajid. Don't let us down.
Oop. Hang on a minute. Update. By the time they typed it up he's amended his priority:
"I want our country to get out of this pandemic and that will be my most immediate priority."
Sure? Final offer? Happy with the wording?

The jury really is still out on whether Delta Variant is actually more deadly, or just appears so. We seem to maybe have a bigger split, with a higher percentage of seriously ill people needing high volumes of oxygen, and a smaller percentage of people hospitalised with less severe symptoms - but even that could just be an illusion.
Because we are better at assessing and treating COVID patients swiftly, and vaccinations are having their own huge effect, its impossible to really judge anything as yet.
Former UK Health Minister Matt Hancock apparently used a personal email account for government business over the last 18 months, including some PPE contracts. ALL government business should be conducted through secure channels that are monitored and recorded. So now we don't actually have all the records of all the dodgy contracts anyway.... terrific.
Very, very naughty.

AstraZeneca have begun trials of a vaccine booster designed especially to combat the Beta (South African) Variant.
2,250 fully vaccinated participants will take part in testing - in the UK, Brazil, Poland and South Africa.
Fingers crossed - we should get data on whether it helps prevent people catching the Delta and Gamma (Brazilian) Variants too.

Venice is having a rethink on their future. UNESCO have recommended it be placed on the 'World Heritage in Danger' site list. This is basically a warning that "you can't carry on like you were for long", and it appears the locals didn't actually enjoy massive throngs blocking the streets. It was simply too popular.
Mass tourism stopped in March 2020, and when it reopens, after danger from the pandemic is considered passed, there is a chance tourism in Venice may look very different.

WHO 1of2 GET vaccinated even if you've had COVID

How The Other Half Live:
A gold mine in Australia's Northern Territory is under lockdown after a worker tested positive. 750 people are currently at work at the mine, and 900 have left the mine in recent days. They all have to isolate where they are.
Australia currently has a breakout in the Sydney area, and today reported 39 cases.

There were massive protests in London yesterday, both for climate change action and against COVID restrictions. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out, and a lot of them at the anti-lockdown protest didn't wear masks. If everyone attending could do a PCR test and report the results, you'd have some evidence to back up your points or prove you wrong, and it would put the Government mass event trials to shame. Also, it would make it all a bit safer for your mates.

It would have been Glastonbury festival weekend, and founder Michael Eavis is the latest person to make a video for the NHS.
"This weekend fortunately, all the people who have not been vaccinated so far, in the country can actually get a jab, and they need to get it done. This weekend, Glastonbury weekend."
For a man who has partied so hard, he still makes quite a lot of sense. Pop-up walk-in vaccination clinics are happening everywhere. Check your local council website for details.

Boris tomorrow! Back then...

Some numbers. All were their parent's most precious gift:

Countries / Cases / Losses of life (since midnight GMT. In larger countries some states /provinces have yet to report today):

USA 34,490,328 (+194) 619,358 (+15)

India 30,276,685 (+44,365) 396,636 (+856)

Brazil 18,386,894 not yet reported today 512,819

France 5,768,443 not yet reported today 110,951

Russia 5,451,291 (+20,538) 133,282 (+599)

Turkey 5,409,027 (+4,883) 49,576 (+52)

UK 4,732,434 (+14,876) 128,100 (+11)

Argentina 4,393,142 not yet reported today 92,317

Italy 4,258,069 (+782) 127,472 (+14)

Spain 3,782,463 not yet reported today 80,779

Germany 3,734,136 not yet reported today 91,303

Iran 3,167,741 (+9,758) 83,845 (+134)

Poland 2,879,638 (+71) 74,979 (+5)