Covid19: world developments

EUROPE

The weekly number of positive cases in England in late August was the highest since the end of May, the latest data from the test and trace scheme showed.

The Czech Republic reported 650 new Covid19 cases yesterday, its highest number for a single day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

ASIAPACIFIC

Thailand reported its first domestic coronavirus transmission in more than 100 days on Thursday, after a man recently jailed and with no overseas travel history tested positive in a Bangkok prison during a routine check for new inmates.

Indonesia posted another day of record high cases on Thursday, with 3622 new infections.

China has offered experimental vaccines to aviation industry workers, in a push to inoculate highrisk groups to prevent a possible resurgence as economies reopen. India reported another record daily jump of 83,883 infections, taking its tally to 3.85 million, just 100,000 behind Brazil, the world’s second most affected nation.

AMERICAS

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said yesterday there was no political pressure on the US drugs regulator to quickly approve a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus disease, after drugmakers and the Centres for Disease Control suggested one could be ready just ahead of the November presidential election.

Brazil’s Covid19 death toll appears to be easing for the first time since May, data shows, a sign the country could be descending from a long infection plateau.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Israel will impose a partial national lockdown next week to battle a coronavirus infection surge, the head of its pandemic task force said yesterday.

South Africa’s auditor general said that some of the money in its 500 billion rand ($NZ44 billion) Covid19 relief package may have been fraudulently paid to improper beneficiaries.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

Johnson & Johnson said yesterday its experimental coronavirus vaccine prevented hamsters from getting severely ill, as the drugmaker seeks to begin large, latestage studies in humans later this month.

Britain is putting £500 million ($NZ990.9 million) into trials of rapid Covid19 tests and into populationtesting for the disease, the health ministry said yesterday.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

France will spend 100 billion euros ($NZ177 billion) to help pull its economy out of one of Europe’s worst coronavirusinduced slumps.

US employers announced another 115,762 job cuts in August, led by struggling airlines as the pandemic weighs on travel and financial assistance from the government lapses.