COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 28th / 29th July 2021
The UK added 31,117 cases today (down from 39,905 a week earlier) and now has reported a total of 5,801,561 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 911,012 tests yesterday.
The counter says 46,733,115 people (88.4% of UK adults) had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 37,782,252 people (71.4%) had received 2 doses.
6,034 people were in hospital yesterday Wednesday 28th July (up from 4,861 a week earlier), with 853 using a ventilator (up from 647 a week earlier).
In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 85 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 129,515 losses of life in all settings.
Rep. Of Ireland 298,048 (+1,361) cases and 5,035 losses of life.
There have now been a total of 197,035,002 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 4,209,410. Already 178,353,731 people have recovered.
"One billion doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine have now been supplied to 170 countries. This British vaccine, distributed at cost, is saving lives across the globe.
Together we can vaccinate the world by the end of next year and build back better from coronavirus."
Boris Johnson, UK PM
"BREAKING: The number of covid positive patients in English hospitals has FALLEN for the first time in 30 days!
One swallow doesn't make a summer - but VERY good sign."
Alistair McLellan, Editor of the Health Services Journal.
According to the figures London has a sudden drop of 80 patients, which is a bit weird, but even if you ignore London, figures look static/slightly down elsewhere.
I still won't believe it for another week myself, but I'll be more than happy to be proven wrong if this continues, and every less patient in hospital is a good thing. (Across the whole UK, the drop was 1 patient.)
9 of the 10 English Ambulance Services were on Black Alert last week, and today that has changed to all 10. A big part of the problem is ambulances having to wait outside hospitals to hand over patients. UK A&E departments are really struggling with demand, and it's not all COVID.
“Passengers fully vaccinated with vaccines authorised by the EMA (European Medicines Agency) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in Europe and the USA will be able to travel to England from amber countries without having to quarantine on arrival from 4am 2 August.
Part of the second Global Travel Taskforce review, these latest changes will boost economy and make it easier for those vaccinated in Europe or USA to return to the England and unite with family and friends.
Updates include restart of international cruise sailings and bespoke testing programmes for certain groups of workers.”
UK Department of Transport.
Luxury Cruise News:
"Following the close monitoring of epidemiological evidence, gained through the restart of the domestic cruise industry earlier this year, the UK government has also confirmed the go ahead for international cruise sailings to restart from England in line with Public Health England guidance. International cruise travel advice will be amended to encourage travellers to understand the risks associated with cruise travel and take personal responsibility for their own safety abroad."
Test positivity rates in England are soaring, with many areas reporting over 15% of PCR tests come back positive - the average last week was over 10%. We really want that below 5%, or we aren't anywhere near catching all cases.
According to National World, who compiled the figures, in 4 areas over 1 in every 5 tests was positive - Middlesbrough (20.5%), Hartlepool (20.6%), Stockton-On-Tees (21.3%) and Redcar & Cleveland (22.6%). Yowch.
3 out of every 5 young people aged 18-24 in England have had at least 1 dose of a COVID vaccine.
Delta Variant cases are causing havoc in the USA, which js a real shame as cases there had been static for a while, and then declining nicely for the last 3 months.
The CDC have revised their guidance:
"Delta Variant surging in U.S. New data show Delta much more contagious than previous versions of COVID19. Unvaccinated people: get vaccinated & mask until you do. Everyone in areas of substantial/high transmission should wear a mask, even if vaccinated."
(I've included some of their new posters below.)
Big business is reacting swiftly. Apple, Google, Twitter and the House of Representatives at Capitol Hill are among those demanding employees are vaccinated, sending employees back to home working and/or making mask-wearing mandatory again.
According to Chinese media, the Delta COVID19 variant outbreak that began in China's Nanjing Province has now spread to 15 provinces and 26 cities. In 9 days, the number of cases in Nanjing alone has jumped to 171.
China have mainly vaccinated using SinoVac, which doesn't have the best efficacy against regular COVID, so chances against Delta don't seem too rosy right now.
From this weekend ALL arrivals in Germany need proof of immunity (previous infection or vaccination) or a negative test result. Previously they worked on a Risk Level system, and some travellers could enter without.
Olympic Hopefuls:
COVID cases are soaring. Tokyo reported a record 3,865 cases today. and Japan had a record total of 9,577 cases.
Associated Press are reporting that 2 foreign athletes are now in hospital with COVID, and 38 are self-isolating at designated hotels.
People who have had COVID can be left with brain or cognitive problems - these are multitude, but include lack of concentration, brain fog, insomnia, tiredness, anxiety, depression, memory problems, trouble problem-solving etc.
Some of the scientific community believe this could be far more widespread than we realise - even now. There is masses of evidence to support this, and although it does generally seem worse if the COVID is severe, it can still occur in mild cases.
A new peer-reviewed study has discovered that patients who needed ventilators can drop as much as 7 IQ points, which is actually more than lead poisoning or a stroke.
As I've said many times, and have experienced when my partner had meningitis, the brain can continue to repair / reroute incredibly slowly over the course of many months, or even years. Anyone suffering now still has a fair chance of full recovery, but sadly no guarantee.
Yesterday Pfizer said they believe a 3rd jab will be necessary in order to combat Delta Variant.
Delta Variant is pretty good at escaping vaccinations, but with a 3rd jab, evidence shows much improved protection - higher than after 2 jabs and considerably better against Delta.
Antibodies in older people may start to wane from about 6 months (very slowly), so these groups may well be targeted first.
Israel have already announced they will begin offering booster jabs to their over 60's from this weekend.
Having 3 doses of a jab is definitely not a new thing - in the UK infants get their 6in1 vaccinations in 3 doses at 2, 3 and 4 months (Whooping Cough, Diphtheria, Flu, Hepatitis B, Tetanus and Polio). Meningitis B is also a 3 dose vaccination.
Famous People With COVID:
USA Olympic Pole Vaulter Sam Kendricks - which initially caused the entire Australian Track & Field Team to isolate as contacts, but they've been coaxed back out now.
AstraZeneca is apparently exploring business options for the future. They weren't really a vaccines manufacturer before COVID, they just agreed to step up for the pandemic at no profit. Now they have decisions to make about their long term future - do they carry on making COVID vaccines? Do they carry on with vaccines at all, or should they pass it on and go back to what they were doing before the crazy happened?
Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, had a real struggle with an umbrella yesterday in Staffordshire. He managed to put it up on only the 2nd go, but then it flipped inside out. None of this was a surprise really, but Priti Patel was sitting near him and laughed. I didn't realise she could.
There are nasty storms expected tonight in Cornwall and the South West, so best of luck to anyone camping, or attempting to travel tomorrow. The weather does make it harder to play outdoors, which won't help our COVID figures. When the rain has passed, breathe in that petrichor. You can't beat that fresh smell, and it'll remind you to open a window...
Some numbers. They're all people:
Countries / Cases / Losses of life (since midnight GMT. In larger countries some states /provinces have yet to report today, so figures will not be a full day's total):
USA 35,494,551 (+7,061) 628,152 (+54)
India 31,570,904 (+44,282) 423,243 (+548)
Brazil 19,797,516 not yet reported today 553,272
Russia 6,218,502 (+23,270) 156,977 (+799)
France 6,054,049 not yet reported today 111,735
UK 5,801,561 (+31,117) 129,515 (+85)
Turkey 5,682,630 (+22,161) 51,184 (+60)
Argentina 4,891,810 not yet reported today 104,822
Colombia 4,757,139 not yet reported today 119,801
Spain 4,395,602 not yet reported today 81,396
Italy 4,336,906 (+6,171) 128,029 (+19)
Iran 3,826,447 (+34,433) 90,074 (+292)
Germany 3,771,050 (+1,509) 92,114 (+8)
Indonesia 3,331,206 (+43,479) 90,552 (+1,893)
Poland 2,882,630 (+167) 75,257 (+5)
Mexico 2,790,874 (+19,028) 239,616 (+537)
.
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Sources:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/
Daily hospital admissions
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-hospital-activity/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
https://twitter.com/Rebeccasmt/status/1420707644554219520?s=19
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/nhs-ambulance-emergency-delays-pressure-b1889349.html
https://twitter.com/HSJEditor/status/1420764029006622724?s=19
https://www.thebrickcastle.com/2021/07/covid-19-coronavirus-uk-and-world-news_22.html
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-travel-update-government-waives-quarantine-for-arrivals-fully-vaccinated-from-europe-and-usa-while-also-confirming-international-cruise-restart
https://twitter.com/5_News/status/1420384701257330689?s=19
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?date=2021-07-29
https://twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/status/1420708181219545098?s=19
https://reut.rs/3BOQRBH
https://twitter.com/WilliamYang120/status/1420776567358181388?s=19
https://twitter.com/CDCgov/status/1420104200957038594?s=19
https://t.co/tt49zOEC8N
https://twitter.com/theage/status/1420606992662634499?s=19
https://twitter.com/USOPC_News/status/1420589753141927936?s=19
Israel Booster Jabs: https://reut.rs/3zPbThu
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1419873294023602176?s=19
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-linked-to-substantial-drop-in-intelligence-new-research-finds-12364433
Cognitive Deficits In People Who Have Recovered From COVID-19
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00324-2/fulltext
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