World coronavirus dispatch: No lockdown exit strategy in sight in the UK

From governors in the US weighing reopening of states, to Asia struggles with its lockdowns, and the challenges of post-Covid-19 care - read these and more in today's world dispatch

UK at 'dangerous' stage, no lockdown exit strategy in sight: The number of deaths related to Covid-19 in hospitals across the United Kingdom has gone past 20,000, according to the latest data, with the overall figure likely to be significantly higher once deaths in care homes and hospices are tallied. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab resisted pressure on Sunday to explain how the government planned to ease the coronavirus lockdown in place for a month, warning any hasty action could result in a second peak of infections. Read more here.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total confirmed cases: 2,915,368

Change over previous day: 88,464

Total deaths: 203,545

Total recovered: 827,808

Nations hit with most cases: US (939,249), Spain (223,759), Italy (195,351), France (161,665), and Germany (156,513).

Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

Testing remains scarce as governors weigh reopening states in the US: In both red and blue states, governors, health departments and hospitals are finding innovative ways to cope, but they still seem to be wanting. As governors decide about opening their economies, they continue to be hampered by a shortage of testing capacity which is leaving them without the information that public health experts say is needed for tracking outbreaks and containing them. Read more here.

Emirates dips into cash reserve for 500,000 airfare refunds: Emirates is using cash reserves to refund customers as airlines around the world look for ways to handle rebates in the aftermath of flights being grounded. With about half a million requests pending, the Dubai-based carrier said it was ramping up the capability to handle 150,000 refunds per month from 35,000 before the coronavirus outbreak. Emirates, which received assurances for government support last month, plans to clear the backlog by early August. Read more here.

What next? Asia struggles with shutdown: Across Asia and beyond, most countries have hunkered down with various degrees of social distancing measures in place, as governments try to beat the coronavirus pandemic and keep their people safe. As the closure of borders and suspension of all non-essential activities take their toll on the economy and people, countries and territories also have to grapple with concerns between allowing greater freedom of movement and guarding against a second wave of infections. Read more here.

Italy reports 415 new Covid-19 deaths in 24 hours, lowest in nearly 6 weeks: In a sign of encouragement, Italy reported 415 new Covid-19 deaths in 24 hours, its smallest daily increase since March 18, according to the figures on Saturday. The recent number of new deaths was fewer by five from Friday’s 420, showed figures from the country’s Civil Protection Department. Read more here.

Global Coronavirus fatalities cross 200,000 mark; WHO warns about reinfection: The World Health Organization on Saturday warned that recovery from coronavirus might not protect a person from reinfection as the global death count from the pandemic surpassed 200,000. Read more here.

Opinion

Coronavirus hits the Global South: Even if the Global South does have benefits of climate and demographics, other countervailing factors make it more vulnerable to the spread of the virus. These include denser cities, poorer sanitation, less effective state machineries, more people with pre-existing conditions, weaker collective immune systems and health systems. Read more here.

Specials

Countries, companies risk billions in race for coronavirus vaccine: In the race to develop a vaccine to end the Covid-19 pandemic, governments, charities and ‘Big Pharma’ are sinking billions of dollars into bets with extraordinarily low odds of success. They are fast-tracking the testing and regulatory review of vaccines with no guarantee they will prove effective. They are building and retooling plants for vaccines with slim chances of being approved. They are placing orders for vaccines that, in the end, are unlikely to be produced. Read here on how it is the new pandemic paradigm, focused on speed and fraught with risks.

The challenges of post-Covid-19 care: Many will suffer through months of rehabilitation in unfamiliar facilities, cared for by masked strangers, unable to receive friends or loved ones. Families that just weeks ago had been happy, healthy, and intact now face the prospect of prolonged separation. Many spouses and children will become caregivers, which comes with its own emotional and physical challenges. Roughly two-thirds of family caregivers show depressive symptoms after a loved one’s stay in intensive care. Many continue to struggle years later. Read here on what happens after someone recovers from Covid-19.

 Jack Ma, the billionaire trying to stop coronavirus (and fix China's reputation):  The richest man in China opened his own Twitter account last month, in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak. So far, every one of his posts has been devoted to his unrivalled campaign to deliver medical supplies to almost every country around the world. Read more here.

Lombardy’s virus disaster is a lesson for the world: As Italy prepares to emerge from the West’s first and most extensive coronavirus lockdown, it is increasingly clear that something went terribly wrong in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region in Europe’s hardest-hit country. There is also evidence that demographics and health care deficiencies collided with political and business interests to expose Lombardy’s 10 million people to Covid-19 in ways unseen anywhere else, particularly the most vulnerable in nursing homes. Read more here.

Video

University of Oxford Covid-19 vaccine: The vaccine project, which is being run by the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, will receive a further 20 million pounds in funding from the government. “We are going to back them to the hilt and give them every resource they need to give them the best chance of success,” the Health Secretary said. A million doses of their experimental coronavirus vaccine could be ready as early as September, Oxford scientists say. Watch it here.