World Coronavirus Dispatch: German parliament building stormed over curbs

Virus resurgence hindering eurozone recovery, Indonesia's Bali to remain closed to foreigners all year, Brazil deaths above 120,000 and other pandemic-related news across the globe

Far-right extremists tried to storm the German parliament building on Saturday following a protest against the country’s pandemic restrictions, but were intercepted by police and forcibly removed.The incident occurred in Berlin after a daylong demonstration by tens of thousands of people opposed to the wearing of masks and other government measures. Read more here...

 

Let’s look at the global statistics:                                            

Total Confirmed Cases: 25,009,739

Change Over Yesterday: 243,968

Total Deaths: 842,709

Total Recovered: 16,412,452

 

Nations hit with most cases: US (5,961,581), Brazil (3,846,153), India (3,542,733), Russia (982,573) and Peru (639,435)

 

Source:Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center 

 

Virus resurgence dragging on eurozone recovery, data suggest: Europe is set for an economic rebound in the third quarter, but high-frequency data point to slowing momentum in countries which have seen a resurgence of cases of the virus — particularly Spain. This has prompted economists to warn that the recovery might be slower than previously thought. Read more here...

 

Airline analysts warn ‘the hardest part’ is yet to come: In the past week alone, US carrier American Airlines said it would cut 19,000 jobs, Australian airline Qantas announced it would shed thousands more jobs and Norwegian Air Shuttle warned it needed another rescue package — only months after securing a bailout. Read more here...

 

Tourist hotspot Bali to remain closed to foreigners all year: The Indonesian island of Bali will remain closed to foreign visitors for the rest of 2020 after authorities postponed a plan to welcome back international tourists from Sept. 11 as the coronavirus continues to spread. The island had 4,576 confirmed cases as of Monday and 52 deaths. Read more here...

 

Brazil coronavirus deaths rise above 120,000: The nation has now registered 120,262 coronavirus deaths and 3,846,153 confirmed cases. In terms of total deaths, Brazil is the hardest hit country in the world outside of the US. However, daily new cases and deaths have begun to stabilize in recent weeks. Read more here...

 

Singapore seeks ‘Quality’ labor in new foreign worker rules: Singapore said it will remain “open and connected” as a financial hub even as it tightens restrictions on foreign workers to protect local jobs amid the pandemic. New rules announced Thursday make it tougher for firms to hire foreigners over Singaporean applicants. Read more here...

 

Specials

 

China’s vaccine front-runner aims to beat Covid the old-fashioned way

Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a company with a strong medical track record but a turbulent corporate history, began final-stage trials in July on CoronaVac. It relies on an inactive version of the novel coronavirus to teach human immune systems to recognize and destroy the real thing. In terms of timing, the company was ahead of most other potential vaccines, including the new models meant to facilitate strong protection and fast production. Read more here...

 

What to know about covid-19 tests, from PCR to antigen to antibody:

Covid-19 tests fall into three main categories: PCR, antigen and antibody. Majority testing happening right now uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. These tests detect disease by looking for traces of the virus’ genetic material on a sample most often collected via a nose or throat swab. Dr. Aneesh Mehta, chief of infectious diseases services at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, explains the science behind different tests—and what to keep in mind if you decide to get tested. Read here...