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 India leads global rise in new weekly cases
India reported the most new COVID-19 cases of any country in the
past week, its nearly half a million fresh infections pushing the
global tally up by 1 percent, the World Health Organization (WHO)
said.
Overall global new deaths in the past seven days fell by 3% compared
to the previous week, the WHO reported, adding that overall new
infections around the world rose by 1.8 million.
The respiratory disease is also spreading in the Americas, which
continues to account for more than half of reported cases and deaths
worldwide, although there have been slight decreases in some areas,
WHO said in its latest update.
Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina have seen "increasing trends",
it said.
Text books and face masks
Tens of millions of pupils returned to school across Europe, their
rucksacks loaded with exercise books, geometry sets and, for many,
face masks to protect them from the resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
Hand cleansing stations, social distancing and staggered play time
will become the new normal as countries seek ways to get children
back into the classroom safely and their economies functioning once
again.
But they do so at a time when infections rates are spiralling
upwards across the continent and there are widespread concerns that
the return to schools and offices, the autumn flu season and excess
mortality in winter could drive a second wave.
Hong Kong begins China-led mass testing
Hong Kong began free coronavirus testing for all residents in the
Asian financial hub, as the mainland Chinese-led initiative faced
scepticism from the city's medical community and public, with some
activists urging a boycott.
The initiative began with a 60-strong mainland team conducting
tests. It is the first direct help from China's health officials for
the semi-autonomous city as it battles the pandemic.
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The scheme has emerged as a politically charged issue, with authorities in Hong
Kong and China saying critics are trying to smear the central government.
AstraZeneca bolsters vaccine supply
AstraZeneca has expanded its agreement with cell therapy firm Oxford Biomedica
to mass-produce its COVID-19 potential vaccine, as it looks to scale-up supply
ahead of a possible U.S. fast-track approval.
AZD1222 is among the leading candidates in the global race for a successful
vaccine and it has entered late-stage trials in the United States, the British
drugmaker said, as it targets 3 billion doses of the vaccine, globally.
Medical waste spills into Indonesian river
For residents along Indonesia's Cisadane River, the coronavirus has brought not
just deadly disease, but also a deluge of medical waste: a constant stream of
syringes, masks and hazmat suits floating by.
As the virus has spread, medical waste had been piling up at Tangerang's
Cipeucang landfill. Then in May its walls collapsed, sending tons of garbage
straight into the Cisadane's khaki green waters.
"I still worry to be honest, but I have to wash here," resident Eka Purwanti,
36, told Reuters, as she did her laundry in the river, and children played on
the bank.
Indonesia's health ministry acknowledged the problem - saying 1,480 tons of
COVID-19 medical waste was produced across the country from March through June -
and admitted it lacked treatment facilities, but was working on solutions.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes, Editing by William Maclean)
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