British epidemiologists are concerned that the number of infected people in the country is growing too fast. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a second wave of the epidemic. Israel has again gone into a nationwide lockdown, and the Czech Republic has become the second most infected country in Europe. This and other news about the Covid-19 pandemic situation around the world is covered in our daily review.
According to Johns Hopkins University, to date, nearly 30.2 million people worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 946,000 have died. Israel became the first country in the world to impose a second nationwide lockdown. People are only allowed to leave their homes in cases of extreme necessity, and their movements are strictly restricted. The start of the lockdown coincided with the first day of celebrations for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). Traditionally, the holiday lasts a week, during which people actively visit each other and gather in large groups.
Israelis are once again unable to leave their homes. COVID-19 infection statistics in Israel have risen sharply recently, and authorities are hoping to slow the further spread of the virus by implementing a quarantine. Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly 177,000 people in Israel have been infected with the coronavirus and 1,169 people have died.
On Thursday, the Czech Republic set a single-day record for the number of new Covid-19 cases – 3130 people infected. According to the Ministry of Health, such numbers were not observed in the country even in March, when the pandemic was just beginning in Europe. The incidence of the virus in the Czech Republic has been steadily increasing in recent days. According to Czech media, the Czech Republic is now the second country in Europe, after Spain, with the highest number of new cases per 100,000 people. Currently, a total of 44.1 thousand people have been infected in the Czech Republic since the beginning of the epidemic. However, the mortality rate is one of the lowest in Europe, with 489 reported deaths. On September 1, the wearing of masks in public places and on public transport was reintroduced throughout the country, and on September 10, additional restrictions were introduced in cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues.
In France, the epidemiological situation has deteriorated significantly. The authorities in Nice are discussing the possibility of banning gatherings of more than 10 people. Earlier, the authorities of Marseille announced similar measures. Since Monday, French authorities have seen a steady increase in the number of new cases of the virus. Dozens of schools in the country have already been closed this week. Meanwhile, French unions are calling on people to take part in protests against the French government’s inadequate measures to combat the economic consequences of the pandemic. To date, 454.2 thousand people have been infected with the coronavirus in France and 31.1 thousand have died.
The authorities in London are also discussing the possibility of introducing restrictive measures in a number of areas of life in the British capital, particularly in catering establishments. On Friday, the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced that the New Year’s fireworks display over the Thames would be canceled. This is traditionally one of the most vibrant events of the winter holidays, usually attracting thousands of people.
Recent studies by Irish scientists have shown that half of the patients who recover from Covid-19 continue to suffer from weakness for a long time. They believe that rapid fatigue is one of the inevitable consequences of the virus, regardless of the severity of the disease. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. Episodes End of story
Podcast Advertising The United Kingdom is experiencing a second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday. According to him, the prime minister does not want to tighten quarantine measures again, close schools and impose restrictions on businesses. But stricter social distancing rules may be necessary. British epidemiologists are also concerned about the sharp increase in the number of infected people in Britain. According to them, the increase was expected with the onset of autumn, but they are very worried about the speed at which it is happening. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (abbreviated SAGE) recommends that the government limit the hours of operation of entertainment venues and restaurants, and possibly impose a wider lockdown for two weeks, partially coinciding with the English school holidays (the week beginning October 26). As of Monday, the “rule of six” is in effect across the country: people who do not live under the same roof are not allowed to gather in groups of more than six people (even at home). Since Friday, additional restrictions have been in place in some areas of north-east England and will be extended to three more counties in the near future: Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, and areas in the central Midlands.
However, in addition to these measures, experts insist that the authorities urgently need to establish a system for testing for Covid-19. British laboratories are struggling to process the results, and the situation is particularly bad in England. Scientists from Imperial College London have unveiled a new development – a special device for conducting rapid tests that do not require laboratory data processing. It takes 90 minutes to obtain test results. The device is the size of a shoebox and easy to use. At the same time, the new device will not be able to handle a large volume of untreated samples, as it can only handle one analysis at a time and no more than 16 per day. Currently, only eight hospitals in the country have such machines. Scientists say that mass production of the devices will take a lot of time, which we do not have.
Anna Netrebko contracted the coronavirus as soon as she returned to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater after the lockdown. Russian opera diva Anna Netrebko has been hospitalized with a diagnosis of pneumonia, which doctors say was caused by a coronavirus infection. Netrebko began to feel unwell in early September after attending the first performance of the season at the Bolshoi Theater – “Don Carlos” by Verdi. Later, another artist in the production was diagnosed with coronavirus, and the show was temporarily removed from the repertoire. Netrebko said she does not regret her decision to return to the stage despite the ongoing seriousness of the coronavirus situation. According to her, in times like these, people need culture more than ever. Doctors predict that the singer will recover quickly. After the resumption of performances at the Bolshoi Theater, social distancing measures will be observed and the audience will have to wear masks.
The epicenter of the pandemic in Latin America appears to be shifting from Brazil to Argentina. In the past day, the country has recorded a record number of new cases – 13,000. The total number of people infected in Argentina has exceeded 600,000, with more than 12,000 deaths. The country is still under the lockdown imposed in March, but some relaxations were made in the second half of August. In particular, Argentines were allowed to gather in groups of up to 10 people, and some restaurants reopened. Since September 5, however, the number of cases has risen sharply.
In Argentina, some easing of the lockdown, introduced in March, did not begin until the end of August. Meanwhile, the epidemic has been brought under control in the hardest-hit countries of the continent – Brazil and Mexico – and has even slowed in some areas. Despite the fact that the number of cases in these two countries is higher than in Argentina, Argentina significantly outperforms them in terms of the number of people infected per 100,000.
Australian authorities have increased the number of Australians allowed to enter the country from 4,000 per week to 6,000. Due to the travel restrictions, approximately 30,000 Australian citizens are unable to fly home from the UK. Many have essentially been living at Heathrow Airport for several days.