World Coronavirus Dispatch: Colombian market is using AI to combat Covid-19

US passenger flights to India can resume July 23, 25 million Iranians affected by Covid-19, China battles new outbreak in far west Xinjiang and other pandemic-related news across the globe

US President Donald Trump has vowed not to order Americans to wear masks to contain the spread of coronavirus. His comments came after the country's top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, urged state and local leaders to be "as forceful as possible" in getting people to wear masks. Trump said he wanted people to have “a certain freedom". Read more here 

Let’s look at the global statistics

Total Confirmed Cases: 1,41,18,115

Change Over Yesterday: 2,99,152


Total Deaths: 6,02,948


Total Recovered: 78,96,736

Nations hit with most cases: US (36,47,705), Brazil (20,46,328), India (10,39,084), Russia (7,58,001) and Peru (3,45,537)

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center 

South Africa data may underreport virus deaths, experts say: The country recorded 10,994 excess deaths between May 6 and July 6, according to the South African Medical Research Council, which publishes weekly figures. The provinces with some of the highest confirmed infection rates -- Gauteng and the Eastern Cape -- are experiencing a particularly sharp increase. Read more here

US passenger flights to India can resume July 23: The government of India has agreed to allow US air carriers to resume passenger services in the U.S.-India market starting July 23, the US Transportation Department said. The Indian government, citing the coronavirus, had banned all scheduled services. Read more here

25 million Iranians affected by Covid-19: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said that 25 million Iranians have been infected with the coronavirus and that another 35 million are at risk of acquiring it. The figures are far higher Iran’s official toll of 269,440 infected. Rouhani in a televised speech did not address the discrepancy. Read more here

China battles new outbreak in far west Xinjiang: The outbreak in the city of Urumqi is the latest to pop up since China largely contained the domestic spread of the virus in March. The largest was a recent outbreak in Beijing that infected more than 330 people. Authorities in Urumqi have reduced subways, buses and taxis and closed off some residential communities. Read more here

Specials

Gaming tech is replaces soccer crowds at stadiums: 
Soccer stadiums may be empty but TV coverage is full of cheering supporters. That's because gaming tech is helping out. Mediapro,  produces Spain’s La Liga, has access to EA Sports library contains sound clips of all kinds of match situations recorded at different stadiums. Now, in a form of reverse engineering, Mediapro is using that resource to bring more ambiance to the televised matches of the league that’s home to Real Madrid and Barcelona. Read more here

T-cells: the missing link in coronavirus immunity
Scientists who have spent months focused on the role of antibodies in fighting Covid-19 are beginning to suspect that a lesser known part of the immune system is equally crucial: T-cells. Evidence is emerging that T-cells, which can “remember” past infections and kill pathogens if they reappear, have a big influence on how long patients remain resistant to reinfection by Covid-19. The cells, whose size and complexity dwarf tiny antibodies, also appear to affect how well vaccines work and even the level of immunity in the community required to suppress new waves of disease. Read more here 

How a Colombian market is using AI to combat Covid-19 outbreaks
 

Civic authorities in Colombia are using facial recognition software connected to cameras at the entrances and to security cameras around the building to collect data on the vendors and market-dwellers. Among the data they collect is their age range, gender, and if the person is wearing their mask correctly in order to assess risks and more vulnerable demographics.
 

Thermal cameras can take the temperature of 200 people per minute. If someone has a high temperature or wears their mask incorrectly, an alarm will go off and alert market security. Read more here