South Korea Confirms Most New COVID-19 Cases Since March; US Deaths Drop Below 1,000: Live Updates

Summary:

• US deaths below 1k
• Cases in line with average
• India passes 3 million
• Global cases hit 23.1 million
• South Korea suffers most new cases since March
• Australia sees new cases as Victoria outbreak slows
• Beijing reports no new domestic transmission cases for 7th day

* * *

Once again, the US reported fewer than 1,000 deaths on Saturday (998 to be exact), the latest sign that projections calling for another virus-linked surge in US mortality were way off base. The US also confirmed 45,855 new cases on Saturday, matching the 0.8% daily average increase over the previous week.

All of these data show that CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield’s announcement late last week that the outbreak in the south was slowing, and that the American outbreak was solidly on a downward trajectory, was correct.

But while the debate over mail-in voting and in-classroom education continues to rage (several colleges have already reverted to all-digital learning, and many of the nation’s largest districts are doing all- or mostly- remote learning despite Trump’s demands for in-person education).

As expected, India’s outbreak crossed the three million mark as the disease tears through the world’s second-most populous country.

Infections increased by more than 69,000, and now stand at 3,044,940. The country’s epidemic is one of the world’s fastest-growing, with more than 65,000 new infections reported every day.

Globally, more than 23.1 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 around the world, and more than 14.91 million have recovered, while at least 804,400 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins data.

South Korea is back in focus on Sunday as it continues to battle another wave of the virus, reporting 397 new infections on Sunday, its biggest tally since March, and the latest sign that these new clusters are indeed growing.

The latest numbers brings the country’s total to 17,399. And SK has recorded just over 300 deaths.

Meanwhile, Mexico reported 6,482 new infections, bringing the hard-hit country’s total to 556,216, while officials also reported 644 more deaths.

The WHO said this week that Mexico’s limited testing meant the pandemic was “clearly under-recognized,” in the country, and that many more tests should be conducted per day to better capture the scope of the country’s outbreak. Mexico isn’t alone: it’s a problem that’s also affecting a broad swath of Latin America.

Ireland’s parliament is to be recalled from its recess early as public anger grows over a scandal that’s become known as ‘#golfgate’.

Source: Al Jazeera

Moving on to Australia, the country’s Queensland state had two new virus cases the day after tightening restrictions due to an outbreak at a Brisbane youth detention center. Queensland’s case total stands at 1,105. Gatherings at homes and outdoors across the southeast of the state have been limited to 10 people, and 30 people across the rest of Queensland.

Meanwhile, New South Wales reported another 4 cases.

Australia’s biggest hot spot Victoria reported 208 new infections as a lockdown in Melbourne remained in effect. The state also reported 17 more deaths, according to Victoria’s department of health and human.

The 200+ number came after Victoria reported 182 new cases on Saturday, marking two straight days with new cases under 200.

As China declares one of its vaccine candidates ready to be used under ’emergency use’ guidelines, Russia said Sunday that it expects to produce between 1.5 million and two million doses per month of its COVID-19 vaccine by the year’s end. Eventually it will gradually ramp up production to six million doses a month, according to the RIA news agency, which cited industry minister Denis Manturov.

Meanwhile, last night, Beijing health officials reported 12 new ‘imported’ cases on Sunday, China’s 7th straight day without any local transmission.

Large-scale testing of the vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya institute, is due to start in Russia next week, and will also be carried out with partner countries around the world.

The Philippines recorded 2,378 new coronavirus infections, its smallest daily spike in nearly four weeks, but the nationwide tally rose to 189,601, still the highest in Southeast Asia.

In a bulletin, the department of health also reported another 32 deaths, bringing the Philippines’ death toll to 2,998.