Brazil has confirmed over 40,000 new cases of the novel coronavirus, more than 900 people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the case tally had risen by 40,816 to 2,483,191 and the death toll had grown by 921 to 88,539 in the past day.
The day before, the rise in cases and in the death toll was much lower - 23,284 and 614 respectively.
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BEIJING (Sputnik) - China has registered, over the past 24 hours, 105 cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 21 asymptomatic carriers, 13 patients were discharged from hospitals, the state health committee said.
Out of 105 new cases, 102 were local and three were imported.
Overall, during the epidemic in mainland China, 84,165 cases of coronavirus infection were registered, with 4,634 deaths, 78,957 recoveries, and 574 patients with COVID-19 still remaining in hospitals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on 11 March.
According to the WHO, the global coronavirus death toll has surpassed 656,000 people, with the number of cases worldwide exceeding 16.5 million.
BEIJING (Sputnik) - China has registered, over the past 24 hours, 105 cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 21 asymptomatic carriers, 13 patients were discharged from hospitals, the state health committee said.
Out of 105 new cases, 102 were local and three were imported.
Overall, during the epidemic in mainland China, 84,165 cases of coronavirus infection were registered, with 4,634 deaths, 78,957 recoveries, and 574 patients with COVID-19 still remaining in hospitals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on 11 March.
According to the WHO, the global coronavirus death toll has surpassed 656,000 people, with the number of cases worldwide exceeding 16.5 million.
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Mexico, has risen by 485 to 45,361 within the past 24 hours, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said.
He also said on late Wednesday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had increased by 5,752 to 408,449 within the same period of time.
A day earlier, the Latin American nation recorded 7,208 new cases of the coronavirus, with 854 fatalities.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March. To date, more than 16.9 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 665,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) – Argentina has confirmed 5,641 new cases of the coronavirus across the country within the past 24 hours, with the total number of people infected with COVID-19 having reached 178,996, the national Ministry of Health said.
A day earlier, Argentina recorded 5,320 new COVID-19 cases and 118 fatalities.
"Today, 5,641 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total number of [COVID-19] positive tests in the country to 178,996," the ministry said in a daily bulletin on late Wednesday.
The death toll has increased by 110 to 3,288 people within the same period of time.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March. To date, more than 16.9 million people have been infected with the coronavirus
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said that she is intending to make wearing protective facial masks obligatory for all lawmakers and staff on the House floor during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The speaker has the authority to direct the sergeant-at-arms to remove a member from the floor as a matter of decorum,” Pelosi said on the House floor, adding that not wearing a mask would be considered a “serious breach of decorum”, as cited by Axios. “The chair expects all members and staff to adhere to the requirement as a sign of respect for the health, safety and well-being of others present in the chamber”.
The announcement came after GOP Rep. Louis Gohmert tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, after he had insisted that wearing a mask might increase the chances that he would be infected by the disease.
Pelosi noted, however, that representatives would be permitted to remove their protective masks when addressing the House chamber.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Sputnik) – The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Brazil has increased by 69,074 to 2,552,265 within the past 24 hours, the national Ministry of Health said on late Wednesday.
The death toll has risen by 1,595 to 90,134 people within the same period of time. Over 1.7 million people have recovered since the start of the outbreak.
A day earlier, Brazil reported about 40,816 new cases of the coronavirus disease and 921 new fatalities.
Brazil comes second on a global tally of coronavirus cases after the United States, which has recorded more than 4.4 million COVID-19 patients.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March. To date, more than 16.8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 662,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkey is continuing its cooperation with Russia and China on developing the vaccine from the coronavirus disease, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.
In early June, Koca said that the health ministers of Turkey and Russia had agreed to cooperate on clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccines.
"We are engaged in cooperation with Russia and China on developing the vaccine. The vaccine may be developed in the first quarter of the next year," Koca told reporters in Ankara on late Wednesday.
Later, the Turkish minister said that 942 new COVID-19 cases had been registered in the country within the past 24 hours.
"Today, 942 new cases have been discovered, the total number of those infected has reached 228,924. [Today] 14 patients have died, the death toll amounts to 5,659 people," Koca wrote on his Twitter page.
The number of recoveries has increased by 996 to 212,557 within the same period of time.
A day earlier, Turkey registered 963 new coronavirus cases and 15 fatalities.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on 11 March. To date, more than 16.8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 662,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US state of California has distributed more than $1 billion to 3.6 million residents through two tax credits during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom said in a press release.
“As of Monday, more than 3.6 million filers claimed the CalEITC [earned income tax credit] and YCTC [young child tax credit], providing over $1 billion back to hardworking Californians,” Newsom said in the release on Wednesday.
Newsom explained that the expansion of the earned income tax credit and the young child tax credit have provided much-needed financial relief to millions of Californians, especially families with young children, during the pandemic.
The governor also announced that although the current economic conditions authorize him to suspend the scheduled increase in the minimum wage for 2021, he will move the increase forward as reflected in the 2020 state budget.
The minimum wage will increase on 1 January, to $13.00 per hour for businesses with 25 or fewer employees, and to $14.00 per hour for businesses with more than 25 employees, the release said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has surpassed 150,000, with the number of documented cases nearing 4.4 million, Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center data showed on Wednesday.
Health officials in the country have documented 150,034 fatalities and 4,390,491 cases overall, according to the data.
The United States is leading the world in the number of reported COVID-19 deaths and confirmed cases. There are nearly 17 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 662,000 deaths, the data showed.
Germany will not force air travellers coming back from at-risk regions to take a coronavirus test, Interior Ministry spokesman Steve Alter told reporters on Wednesday.
Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Monday that tests at German airports would be mandatory for all holidaymakers returning from virus-hit countries, starting 3 August.
"I do not think it would be practical to use force. The question is what alternatives we have here. For instance, people returning from at-risk areas are not tested at present, but they are required to self-isolate", Alter said.
A Health Ministry spokeswoman said test costs would be covered by the federal government from health insurance funds.
"FIFA’s groundbreaking COVID-19 Relief Plan reached a major milestone as the Bureau of the FIFA Council approved the plan’s regulations. Under the terms of the COVID-19 Relief Plan, USD 1.5 billion is being made available to support all 211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations to assist in the alleviation of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic", the statement said.
According to the statement, a universal grant of $1 million will be available to all national associations that are members of FIFA. Meanwhile, an additional grant of $500,000 will be allocated specifically for women's football. In addition, each confederation will receive a $2 million grant.
FIFA member associations will be able to apply for interest-free loans of up to 35 percent of their audited annual revenue. The minimum loan amounts to $500,000 dollars, the maximum level stands at $5 million. In addition, each confederation will have access to a loan of up to $4 million.
Kerri Kupec, a DOJ spokeswoman, says AG Barr will be tested for covid-19 today. He and Louie Gohmert were in close proximity because of yesterday's Judiciary Committee hearing.
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) July 29, 2020
Texas Republican Louie Gohmert has confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus. Gohmert has frequently refused to wear a mask while at the Capitol amid the pandemic.
My statement about today's diagnosis: pic.twitter.com/qvf7zIcgdN
— Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) July 29, 2020
BELGRADE (Sputnik) - Croatia has reserved 1.5 million doses of a vaccine against COVID-19 that is being developed by European manufacturers, the country's health minister, Vili Beros, said on Wednesday.
According to the Croatian Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday morning, 4,922 COVID-19 cases were recorded in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, with a total of 140 deaths. According to the minister, several international pharmaceutical companies are entering the final phase of trials and have started signing preliminary supply contracts with states.
"There are several large initiatives, two of them are the largest, one of which is at the European level. Preliminary agreements are signed with various vaccine manufacturers, the most advanced in their trials. At the European level, Croatia has signed one such document, by which we have reserved 1.5 million doses of a new vaccine", the minister told Croatian Radiotelevision broadcasting company.
Beros has not disclosed the total value of the contract but noted that "money is not a problem."
TOKYO (Sputnik) - Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Wednesday talked about outlooks for easing travel curbs imposed over the pandemic.
"Both ministers have confirmed they will make adjustments to allow the resumption of travel as soon as possible", the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
They also agreed to continue sharing information on the coronavirus epidemic in a transparent manner.
Japan has banned entry to nationals from 146 countries and territories affected by the outbreak but has been weighing easing the restrictions for some nations in a bid to salvage the economy.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on Wednesday that regions should have a cautious approach to lifting the remaining coronavirus restrictions, since undue hurry could result in a new surge in cases.
The epidemiological situation in Russia keep stabilizing, with regions gradually lifting restrictions imposed to contain the virus, Putin said at talks with officials.
"Of course, it is possible and it is necessary to continue this effort, but decisions should be prudent and cautious, and should be based on experts' recommendations. As the situation in some of the regions shows, undue hurry is fraught with resurgence", Putin said.
The president emphasised the need to avoid new lockdowns.
"Of course, we should do everything possible to avoid repeated introduction of restrictions, especially large-scale restrictions, through implementing preventive measures. [We should ensure] that schools, kindergartens, universities, enterprises and organisations can work safely in a regular mode that people are used to", Putin said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Valentina Shvartsman - There is no reason for increased concern over the outbreak of the new strain of the novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 lung disease in Vietnam's resort city of Da Nang, as this strain has already been known to transmit in other countries, while nothing suggests that mutations of the virus caused any changes to its severity or transmissibility, Dr. Kidong Park, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Vietnam, said.
The outbreak in Da Nang, which is the first instance of local transmission to be detected in Vietnam since April, was reported over the weekend. A total of 30 new infections linked to this outbreak have been reported so far. The country immediately began evacuating tourists from the city, banned all domestic passenger flights to and from Da Nang, as well as gatherings of more than two outside offices, schools, hospitals and public places. Over 15,000 people have been quarantined over the past days. Vietnam's acting health minister has reportedly said that the outbreak was caused by a new strain of the virus different from the one that has been circulating in the country and appears to be more contagious.
According to the WHO official, the UN health agency has been in touch with the Vietnamese authorities on the matter.
"The COVID-19 virus found in the recent cases in Da Nang is similar to COVID-19 virus circulating in other countries in July. Although mutations have emerged amongst these circulating viruses, there is no cause for increased concern. Based on the current evidence, the transmissibility and severity of COVID-19 virus have NOT changed. There is no evidence that the mutations seen so far have imparted any increased or decreased virulence or severity of infection", Park said in written replies.
The WHO official noted that sticking to known public health measures — such as hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and avoiding having conversations in closed and crowded areas — was the best way to protect oneself and people around you from the virus. He also praised the robust response of the Vietnamese government, which had been "working round the clock" on contact tracing, testing and imposing public health measures in a transparent manner.
"The Government has always been determined to ensure that its people are protected from COVID-19 by keeping the country’s relatively low number of cases and controlling the transmission within the community. Viet Nam has effectively managed the first wave of the outbreak and has since been preparing for the possibility of wider community transmission. WHO continues to acknowledge the Government’s quick and decisive actions to prevent further spread of the virus, as well as provide support to the country in ensuring that measures implemented are balanced and based on current situation and best scientific evidence", Park said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology Vector believes that industrial production of the vaccine against COVID-19 and a large-scale immunisation campaign may start late in 2020 or in the beginning of 2021, Ilnaz Imatdinov, the head of a Vector laboratory, said on Wednesday.
"According to the data that I am aware of, our industrial partners are ready to launch commercial production after vaccine formulations are registered. If I am not mistaken, this will happen either in the end of this year or in the beginning of the next year", Imatdinov said, as broadcast by Russia-24, when asked when industrial production and immunisation could start.
"We've got to find a way of keeping people safe from a second wave but also getting the economy going again", John Holland-Kaye told the BBC.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has registered 5,475 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours (5,395 yesterday), bringing the cumulative total to 828,990, the country's coronavirus response centre said on Wednesday.
"Over the past 24 hours, Russia has confirmed 5,475 COVID-19 cases in 84 regions, of which 1,465 (26.8 percent) have been detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms", the response centre said in a statement.
The total case count has thus reached 828,990, with the daily increase standing at 0.7 percent.
Moscow has registered 671 coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, which is more than any other region in Russia, followed by the Sverdlovsk Region with 223 cases and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region with 173 new cases (compared to 674, 209 and 187 yesterday, respectively).
No new cases have been recorded in the Chukotka Autonomous Region.
A total of 169 COVID-19 patients died in Russia in the past 24 hours (150 on the previous day), which brings the death toll to 13,673.
As many as 8,116 coronavirus patients have been discharged (compared to 8,888 on the previous day), bringing the total number of recoveries to 620,333.
ANKARA (Sputnik) - The Russian Embassy in Ankara announced on Wednesday it was resuming the issuance of entry visas enabling Turkish citizens to enter the Russian Federation.
"Starting 29 July, Russian foreign establishments on the territory of Turkey resume the issuance of visas of all categories for Turkish citizens and foreigners having a Turkish residence permit", the Russian Embassy in Ankara said, pointing to the need to present negative coronavirus test results upon arrival.
Starting 1 August, Russia resumes air travel with the United Kingdom, Turkey and Tanzania, which was previously suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a decree abolishing restrictions on Russia entry for citizens of the three countries.
NUR-SULTAN (Sputnik) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has requested that the quarantine restrictions imposed in the country to contain the coronavirus pandemic be extended by two more weeks, the presidential press service said on Wednesday.
"In order to further consolidate the positive effect of the imposed restrictive measures in July, and taking into account the possible complication of the epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the State Commission to extend the quarantine measures for two weeks, followed by a gradual easing", the Kazakh presidential press service said in a statement, released following Tokayev's meeting with top officials.
The Kazakh cabinet introduced a two-week quarantine in the country starting 5 July over the deterioration of the epidemiological situation and a surge in new COVID-19 cases. The measures — including a ban on mass gatherings, restrictions on senior citizens movement, and suspension of entertainment venues and fitness halls operation — were later extended through 2 August.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK government has signed a deal with the pharmaceutical firms GSK and Sanofi for 60 million doses of a candidate vaccine against COVID-19, according to a press release on Wednesday.
Sanofi and GSK’s candidate vaccine, which uses recombinant protein-based technology, is expected to enter clinical trials in September, and a Phase 3 study will begin in December, with the pharmaceutical firms looking to gain regulatory approval by summer 2021, the UK government said.
“It is important that we secure early access to a diverse range of promising vaccine candidates, like GSK and Sanofi, to increase our chances of finding one that works so we can protect the public and save lives”, Business Secretary Alok Sharma said in the press release.
The UK has already struck a deal for 100 million doses of a vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. A further agreement was reached earlier in July for a combined 90 million doses of two other candidate vaccines that are being produced by BioNtech/Pfizer and Valneva.
The government also confirmed that 72,000 people have signed up to receive further information about participating in future vaccine trials.
The UK Department of Health and Social Care has registered 300,692 lab-confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease since the start of the outbreak. Public health officials in the country confirmed 581 new positive tests on Tuesday.
The country’s COVID-19 death toll rose by 119 to 45,878 on Tuesday, the department confirmed.
BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - Colombia's authorities have registered a record number of new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the past day - 10,284, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement.
The overall number of cases currently stands at 267,385.
The death count has increased by 297 people over the past day to 9,074.
A total of 136,690 patients have recovered from the disease.
