Country,	Total	New	Total
Other	Cases	Cases	Deaths
World	215,434,678	713,217	4,487,395
USA	39,342,153	169,953	651,956
India	32,602,325	44,558	436,889
Brazil	20,676,561	31,024	577,605
Russia	6,824,540	19,630	179,243
France	6,693,019	19,683	113,775
UK	6,628,709	38,281	132,143
Turkey	6,293,297	19,616	55,469
Argentina	5,161,926	6,847	111,117
Colombia	4,899,085	1,935	124,567
Iran	4,833,135	36,758	104,716
Spain	4,822,320	7,115	83,861
Italy	4,509,611	7,221	128,957
Indonesia	4,043,736	16,899	130,182
Germany	3,913,945	12,081	92,597
Mexico	3,271,128	21,250	255,452
Poland	2,887,485	251	75,332
South Africa	2,734,973	12,771	80,826
Ukraine	2,278,171	1,581	53,566
Peru	2,145,051		198,031
Netherlands	1,929,018	2,594	17,982
Philippines	1,899,200	16,313	32,728
Iraq	1,855,781	8,084	20,480
Czechia	1,678,331	247	30,393
Malaysia	1,640,843	24,599	15,211
Chile	1,635,958	785	36,778
Canada	1,482,659	3,349	26,864
Bangladesh	1,482,628	4,698	25,729
Japan	1,362,813	24,321	15,737
Belgium	1,173,108	2,895	25,348
Pakistan	1,140,411	4,553	25,320
Sweden	1,122,139		14,641
Thailand	1,120,869	18,501	10,314
Romania	1,093,924	953	34,471
Portugal	1,028,421	2,552	17,689
Israel	1,028,271	6,064	6,937
Morocco	836,494	7,357	12,176
Hungary	811,517	180	30,056
Jordan	793,182	904	10,350
Switzerland	768,001	2,809	10,962
Kazakhstan	761,249	6,358	8,758
Nepal	754,915	2,052	10,638
Serbia	751,147	2,454	7,240
UAE	713,402	991	2,031
Austria	681,617	1,438	10,772
Tunisia	651,035	3,552	22,932
Cuba	619,672	8,509	4,902
Lebanon	596,854	1,332	8,031
Greece	573,605	3,528	13,487
Saudi Arabia	543,318	290	8,512
Georgia	532,171	4,128	7,028
Ecuador	500,084	453	32,166
Bolivia	488,403	682	18,350
Belarus	474,403	1,551	3,723
Paraguay	458,207	91	15,653
Guatemala	455,263	5,113	11,694
Panama	454,878	548	7,031
Costa Rica	452,997	2,706	5,417
Bulgaria	448,431	1,733	18,647
Sri Lanka	412,370	4,602	8,157
Kuwait	409,009	212	2,414
Azerbaijan	405,542	3,714	5,434
Slovakia	394,446	161	12,547
Vietnam	392,938	11,575	9,667
Uruguay	384,458	66	6,025
Myanmar	383,514	2,635	14,850
Croatia	371,623	638	8,316
Dominican Republic	348,915	349	4,007
Ireland	344,195	1,866	5,092
Denmark	341,549	982	2,573
Honduras	332,832	1,460	8,751
Palestine	332,609	1788	3,657
Venezuela	329,736	1,186	3,955
Libya	302,177	1,722	4,152
Oman	301,784	101	4,049
Ethiopia	301,713	1,621	4,606
Lithuania	296,096	703	4,513
Egypt	287,159	221	16,701
Bahrain	272,042	109	1,388
Moldova	266,314	497	6,384
Slovenia	265,159	509	4,444
S. Korea	243,317	1,878	2,257
Armenia	239,739	683	4,785
Kenya	232,869	817	4,635
Qatar	231,792	233	601
Bosnia and Herzegovina	211,689	630	9,770
Zambia	205,315	208	3,587
Mongolia	201,746	2467	919
Algeria	193,674	503	5,121
Nigeria	189,715	835	2,298
Kyrgyzstan	174,813	237	2,503
North Macedonia	172,657	1081	5,782
Botswana	153,793	2951	2,213
Norway	153,534	1,415	814
Afghanistan	152,960	138	7,101
Uzbekistan	152,363	846	1050
Mozambique	144,468	436	1,825
Albania	142,253	888	2,486
Latvia	141,686	150	2,571
Estonia	140,341	405	1,286
Finland	124,285	650	1,018
Australia	47,840	1,112	989
Suriname	28,228	230	707

 

Retrieved from：https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

 

 

U.S. coronavirus hospitalizations hit eight-month high over 100,000

By Anurag Maan

 

Patients are held in the hallway as St. Mary Medical Center resorts to using tents outside to handle the overflow at its 200 bed hospital during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Apple Valley, California, U.S., January 12, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

 

The number of coronavirus patients in U.S. hospitals breached 100,000 on Thursday, the highest level in eight months, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, as a resurgence of COVID-19 spurred by the highly contagious Delta variant strains the nation's health care system.

U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations have more than doubled in the past month. Over the past week, more than 500 people with COVID were admitted to hospitals each hour on average, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The United States reached its all-time peak for hospitalizations on Jan. 6 when there were 132,051 coronavirus-infected patients in hospital beds, according to a Reuters tally.

As the vaccination campaign rapidly expanded in early 2021, hospitalizations fell and hit a 2021 low of 13,843 on June 28.

However, COVID-19 admissions rose suddenly in July as the Delta variant became the dominant strain. The U.S. South is the epicenter of the latest outbreak but hospitalizations are rising nationwide.

Florida has the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients, followed by Texas and California, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than 95% of intensive care beds are currently occupied in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

The Delta variant, which is rapidly spreading among mostly the unvaccinated U.S. population, has also sent a record number of children to hospital. There are currently over 2,000 confirmed and suspected pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to HHS.

Three states - California, Florida and Texas - amount to about 32% of the total confirmed and suspected pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States.

Children currently make up about 2.3% of the nation's COVID-19 hospitalizations. Kids under 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine.

The country is hoping for vaccine authorization for younger children by autumn with the Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) vaccine.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said this week that the nation could get COVID-19 under control by early next year if vaccinations ramp up. read more

The United States has given at least one dose of vaccine to about 61% of its population, according to the CDC.

 

Retrieved from：https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-coronavirus-hospitalizations-hit-eight-month-high-over-100000-2021-08-27/

 

 

 

Illinois issues mask mandate, orders vaccines for schools

By Rich Mckay

 

People wearing protective face masks walk, as the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, along the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., December 6, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

 

Illinois will require all eligible students and school employees to be vaccinated and re-instituted an indoor mask mandate under an order announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Thursday.

Pritzker, a Democrat, issued the new policy amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases spurred largely by the Delta variant of the virus and increasing reports of "breakthrough" cases in which people already vaccinated get infected.

The statewide mask mandate applies to anyone at least two years old and will take effect on Monday.

"This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Pritzker told a news conference. "People can slow the pandemic by masks and vaccinations," he said.

"To put it bluntly, we are fighting a battle we thought would be over," he said. "Unfortunately we're running out of time as all of our hospitals are running out of beds."

Pritzker also said that any school employees exempt from the vaccine - for religious or other reasons - will be tested at least once a week.

On Monday, the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine was given full approval for use by the federal government. But the Pfizer authorization is for people ages 16 an older, not younger children.

Pritzker's announcement came in the wake of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's recent order requiring all city employees, including police and firefighters, to be vaccinated or have proof of a valid medical or religious exemption. L1N2PW1TR

The policy in the third-largest U.S. city comes as numerous other municipalities, school districts and governments across the nation grapple with masking and vaccination requirements.

 

Retrieved from：https://www.reuters.com/world/us/illinois-governor-order-statewide-mask-mandate-order-masks-vaccines-schools-2021-08-26/

 

 

 

French health minister says COVID-19 wave recedes, but calls for caution

 

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health pass posters are seen outside a bar as France brings in tougher restrictions where a proof of immunity will be required to access most public spaces and to travel by inter-city train, in Nice, France, August 9, 2021. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

 

The fourth wave of COVID-19 infections is receding in France but is not over yet, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday.

Veran also told a news conference that the fourth wave had stabilised in August, but urged caution ahead of the back-to-school period.

"The spread of the virus has been receding since several days in a row now," Veran said.

 

Retrieved from：https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/french-health-minister-says-covid-29-wave-recedes-calls-caution-2021-08-26/

 

 

 

New Zealand eases nationwide lockdown but Auckland shut off

By Praveen Menon

 

A vaccination centre sign directs the public during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Auckland, New Zealand, August 26, 2021. REUTERS/Fiona Goodall

 

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern eased the tough nationwide lockdown measures on Friday, although businesses and schools will still be closed and its biggest city Auckland will remain shut for longer.

Ardern said all of New Zealand, except Auckland and Northland, will move one step lower to alert level 3 from Tuesday, Aug. 31.

Under level 3, businesses can only operate for click and collect or contactless services. Bars and restaurants remain shut except for takeaways.

Public venues remain closed, while crowds at wedding and funerals are limited to 10 people.

"This is a wait and watch level," Ardern said.

The prime minister added that the country was possibly starting to see a plateau in cases.

Auckland and neighbouring Northland will remain in full level 4 lockdown, possibly for another 2 weeks, Ardern said.

This means Auckland, the epicentre of the outbreak, will be cut off from the rest of the country for now.

The country reported 70 new cases of COVID-19 in the community on Friday, all in the epicentre Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the latest outbreak to 347.

New Zealand has been largely free of the virus since last year, barring a small number of cases in February, but that changed last week after an outbreak of the Delta variant erupted in Auckland, prompting Ardern to order the lockdown.

The country has about 2,900 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far and 26 related deaths.

 

Retrieved from：https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-reports-70-new-cases-covid-19-ahead-lockdown-decision-2021-08-27/

 

 

 

After a year without fans, the U.S. Open will welcome a full house.

By David Waldstein

 

Arthur Ashe Stadium will be considered an outdoor space, even when its roof is closed, because officials of the U.S. Open consider the stadium’s ventilation system adequate.Credit...Ed Jones/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The U.S. Open welcomed almost 750,000 fans onto its grounds in 2019 during its two-week run, and comparable numbers are expected to attend this year.

But two years ago, there was no coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the tournament was held without fans, and this year the United States Tennis Association will allow them back into what could be one of the most heavily attended mass gatherings in New York since the pandemic began in 2020.

With the tournament set to begin in earnest on Monday, the U.S.T.A. issued protocols for fans and players on Tuesday, and the policies are far more relaxed than they were last year.

No proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test will be required for fans to enter the grounds, and no masks will be required when they are outdoors. Guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend wearing masks outdoors.

Much of the event is held outdoors, and the two roofed stadiums — Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong — will be considered outdoors, too, even if the roofs are closed. That is because the stadiums’ ventilation systems are considered adequate, U.S.T.A. officials say.

Players will be granted more freedom of movement than they were given last year, when many complained about isolation because they had been sequestered in a hotel in Long Island. All players will be tested upon arrival and then tested every four days after that. If they test positive, they will have to withdraw from the tournament, regardless of what stage the event is in, according to Stacey Allaster, the tournament director.

The player would also have to go into isolation for 10 days at his or her hotel or accommodation.

The qualifying rounds started Tuesday, without fans. But once the main event begins on Monday, it will almost be business as usual, with maskless fans roaming the grounds and sitting next to one another, much as it has been with New York City’s two baseball teams, the Mets and the Yankees.

 

Retrieved from：https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/26/world/covid-delta-variant-vaccine?name=styln-coronavirus®ion=TOP_BANNER&block=storyline_menu_recirc&action=click&pgtype=LegacyCollection&variant=1_Show&is_new=false

 

 

 

BBC presenter Lisa Shaw died of Covid vaccine complications, coroner finds

By Damien Gayle

 

Shaw died of a brain haemorrhage caused by a blood clot three weeks after her first AstraZeneca dose

Lisa Shaw died at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary in May. Photograph: BBC

 

An award-winning BBC radio presenter died as a result of complications from the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, a coroner has concluded.

Lisa Shaw, who worked for BBC Radio Newcastle, died at the city’s Royal Victoria Infirmary in May, a little more than three weeks after her first dose of the vaccine developed by academics at the University of Oxford.

The inquest heard that Shaw, 44, had been admitted to hospital after doctors investigating her complaints of headaches found she had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Karen Dilks, the senior coroner for Newcastle, gave a narrative conclusion. “Lisa died due to complications of an AstraZeneca Covid vaccine,” she said.

Shaw, who was referred to by her married name, Lisa Eve, during the hearing, started complaining of headaches a few days after her vaccination. She eventually visited a hospital A&E department in Durham, where she was diagnosed with a blood clot.

She was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where she received a number of treatments, including cutting away part of her skull to relieve the pressure on her brain, but despite those efforts she died on 21 May.

Her husband, Gareth Eve, attended the inquest with other members of the family.

Tuomo Polvikoski, a pathologist, told the coroner Shaw was fit and healthy before receiving the vaccine. Asked about the underlying cause of the fatal clotting on her brain, he said the clinical evidence “strongly supports the idea that it was, indeed, vaccine induced”.

“Based on available clinical information, it seems to be the most likely explanation,” he said.

Shaw’s death came weeks after the UK’s vaccine advisory panel restricted use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to the over-40s, after rare reports of recipients developing unusual blood clots with low platelets. A number of other countries imposed similar restrictions or suspended use of the vaccine entirely.

Deaths linked to the clots are even rarer. There have been 72 deaths in the UK after 24.8 million first doses and 23.9 million second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dr Alison Cave, the chief safety officer with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency which approves vaccines for use in the UK, said the benefits of Covid jabs outweighed the risks and urged people to come forward for vaccination if they are eligible. She said: “Lisa Shaw’s death is tragic and our thoughts are with her family.

“As with any serious suspected side effects, reports of fatalities are evaluated by us, including an assessment of post-mortem details if available. We will be reviewing the coroner’s verdict.”

The family issued a statement, which read: “This is another difficult day in what has been a devastating time for us. The death of our beloved Lisa has left a terrible void in our family and in our lives.

“She truly was the most wonderful wife, mum, daughter, sister and friend. We have said all we want to say in public at this time and ask to be left alone to grieve and rebuild our lives in private. Thank you.”

 

Retrieved from：https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/aug/26/bbc-presenter-lisa-shaw-died-of-astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-complications-coroner-finds