Germany dealing with outbreak at slaughterhouse, India records highest 1-day spike
The Associated Press · Posted: Jun 19, 2020
- COVID-19 is worse than a bad flu season, despite online claims to the contrary.
- NATO nations agree to stockpile medical equipment to prepare for 2nd pandemic wave.
- India reports record rise in coronavirus cases as major city locks down.
- Retail sales plunged, but online shopping soared in April, as COVID-19 settled in.
Germany’s disease control centre reported the highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases in a month, as positive tests from an outbreak at a slaughterhouse entered the country’s official statistics.
The Robert Koch Institute listed 770 new cases Friday, taking its total tally since the start of the outbreak to 188,534. It was the biggest daily increase since May 20.
The German government has stuck to its course of gradually reopening the country while seeking to clamp down swiftly on local outbreaks.
Authorities in the western county of Güetersloh are testing thousands of workers at a slaughterhouse. At least 730 people have already tested positive there for COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 8.5 million COVID-19 cases worldwide, with more than 454,000 deaths.
The United States accounts for more than 2.1 million cases, with more than 118,000 deaths.
California on Thursday started requiring people throughout the state to wear masks in most indoor settings and outdoors when distancing isn’t possible, as the coronavirus continues to spread.
The order came as California broadly reopens its economy. In most counties, people can now shop, dine in at restaurants, get their hair done and go to church, among other things.
As restrictions relax, coronavirus cases are increasing, something the state says was expected as more people get tested. More than 3,400 infected people were hospitalized as of Wednesday, the most since April.
The state order requires people to wear masks when inside or in line for any indoor public spaces, in health-care settings like hospitals and pharmacies, while waiting for or riding public transportation and in outdoor spaces where it’s not possible to stay apart from others, with some exceptions for young children and people with health issues.
Until now, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom had allowed local governments to decide whether to mandate masks, an issue that has become politically fraught as some Americans resist orders to wear them. Meanwhile, Arizona’s count of known COVID-19 cases has jumped again, a day after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey reversed himself by saying local governments could make wearing face masks mandatory.
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported a daily record 2,519 additional cases as of Wednesday and 32 new deaths. That raised the state’s total to 43,443 with 1,271 deaths.
Ducey faced pressure as the state became a national virus hot spot, and he said Wednesday that Arizona cities and counties can make wearing face masks mandatory to slow the spread of coronavirus. Mayors in Phoenix, Tucson and other cities said they would move quickly to require masks. Ducey previously resisted allowing cities to do more than the state allows to slow the virus spread, saying statewide directives avoid a patchwork of regulations.
What’s happening in Canada with COVID-19
As of 11:25 a.m. ET on Friday, Canada had 100,565 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, with 62,742 of the cases considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial information, regional health data and CBC’s reporting stood at 8,387.
Quebec accounts for more than 54,000 cases, and there are more than 33,000 recorded cases in Ontario.
As provinces take initial steps to reopen economies, many are already looking ahead to fall and trying to plan for a potential second wave. Ontario’s education minister is set to reveal the province’s plan for a return to school later Friday.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said Friday that the number of deaths will “always be too high,” but noted that: “We have seen a significant decline in the daily number of deaths reported from a peak average of 177 deaths reported daily in early May to an average of 39 deaths reported daily over the past seven days.”
Tam said “our collective hard work is paying off,” and said a top priority going forward must be to keep COVID-19 away from older people and high-risk populations.
Infectious disease specialist on what we’ve learned about COVID-19
Dr. Michael Gardam, chief of staff for Humber River Hospital in Toronto, says it’s tough trying to reopen and remain safe: ‘We’re all figuring this thing out as we go.’ 7:08
European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde told EU leaders their economy was in a “dramatic fall” and called on the bloc to act to spearhead revival, diplomatic sources and officials said.
EU leaders began the process of approving an unprecedented stimulus package, aware of the need to deliver help quickly but still divided over its final size and terms.
Several hundred new cases per day and a growing outbreak after a party in the Algarve region are threatening Portugal’s image as a safe holiday destination while a number of EU nations are also limiting entry for Portuguese visitors.
The number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia exceeded 150,000 on Friday, following a rise in new infections over the past 10 days.
Singaporeans can wine and dine at restaurants, work out at the gym and get together with no more than five people after most lockdown restrictions were lifted Friday.
The city-state has one of the highest infection rates in Asia with 41,473 confirmed cases, mostly linked to foreign workers’ dorms. The government says the infections have declined, with no new large clusters emerging.
Cases outside the dorms were also stable despite a partial economic reopening two weeks ago.
Malls, gyms, massage parlours, parks and other public spaces reopened Friday, with strict physical distancing and health and safety rules. Minor prohibitions remain, including on contact sports and mass religious congregations.
Entertainment venues such as cinemas, karaoke rooms and bars are still shut, while big events including trade fairs and concerts are banned.
The coronavirus continues to spread in South Korea, particularly in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan region, which is home to half the country’s 51 million people.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 49 new cases for the nation Friday, with 26 of them in Seoul and the nearby port city of Incheon. South Korea has had a total of 12,306 infections, including 280 deaths.
Officials have been reporting around 30 to 50 new cases a day since late May, inspiring second guessing on whether officials were too quick to ease physical distancing guidelines in April after the country’s first wave of infections waned.
Hundreds of cases in the Seoul area have been linked to leisure and religious activities and low-income workers who can’t afford to stay home.
New coronavirus cases remained stable in China’s capital Friday, a day after a public health official declared Beijing’s latest outbreak under control.
Beijing recorded 25 new cases, up by just four from Thursday, out of a total of 32 cases reported nationwide.
Beijing has confirmed 183 new cases over the past week, but an official of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that the daily numbers should begin to decline soon. Wu Zunyou said such outbreaks are inevitable, though this one was larger than expected because it spread from Beijing’s main wholesale market.
Classes in the city have been suspended and opening-up plans for everything from sports events to art exhibitions are on hold.
India has recorded the highest one-day spike of 13,586 coronavirus cases, raising the total to 380,532.
India’s death toll on Friday reached 12,573, a rise of 336. The number of recoveries touched 52 per cent at 204,711.
India stands behind the U.S., Brazil and Russia in the number of cases. But the country is continuing with unlocking the economy.
The lockdown, imposed on March 25, is now restricted to high-risk areas. The worst-hit states are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and New Delhi. They account for 60 per cent of all cases.
The early success Argentina had in slowing the pandemic is in the balance, with new cases soaring in recent weeks and a new daily record set on Thursday.
The total has more than doubled to nearly 38,000 since the start of June, though it still stands well below the number of cases in neighbouring countries such as Brazil and Peru.
The official death toll is nearing 1,000, while President Alberto Fernandez was put into partial isolation at his official Olivos residence this week due to the risk from rising cases.
With files from CBC News
