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Florida coronavirus cases rise 9243. Deaths hit record

The latest data from Florida

  • Cases rise 2.1% vs 2.6% prior
  • Cases 9243 vs 8886 yesterday
  • Median age 42 vs 43 yesterday
  • Positivity 11.69% vs 11.37% yesterday
  • Deaths hit record 186
  • Hospitalizations down 75 in past 24 hours
Positivity has been trending lower in part because of better reporting, but the trend has been higher in the median age (yesterday was a peak). With more elderly people getting it, a rise in deaths isn’t a surprise.

Tokyo reportedly finds 266 new coronavirus cases in latest update today

NHK reports on the latest virus situation in the Japanese capital

That just reaffirms the narrative that the low count from yesterday was largely skewed by the ‘weekend effect’ and the fact that there was a long weekend in Japan.

The virus trajectory in Japan has not been encouraging since the start of the month, with the spread of infections already surpassing that seen during the initial outbreak. As of yesterday, Japan has recorded over 8,000 active cases – the most since early May.

Japan
For now, the government is still maintaining that the situation does not call for any extraordinary measures to curb the spread of infections but let’s see how long they can keep at this with the Olympics next year a key focus as well.

Coronavirus situation across Europe; what is happening?

Some updates to the virus situation across Europe recently warning by Saxony state premier UK imposing a 14-days quarantine for travelers from Spain The country recorded a rise of 340 new cases today, a more modest figure but could be skewed due to the ‘weekend effect’. This compares to the slight jump of 816 and 784 new virus cases seen on 24 and 25 July respectively.The rise comes amid localised outbreaks, with a farm in Bavaria seeing more than 500 people quarantined after 174 workers were tested positive for the virus.RKI estimates the 4-day virus reproduction rate to be at 1.22 and the 7-day average to be 1.16 as of yesterday; keeping above the threshold of 1.00.There have been concerns about the rising cases across the country, with the virus reproduction rate keeping above 1.00 threshold (it was 1.3 on Saturday) while daily new infections rose by 1,130 on last Friday.On the latter, that has seen the 7-day average in terms of cases rise above 1,000 for the first time since early June.Local authorities are warning about complacency but besides , they are maintaining their course to keep the economy running.

The situation in Italy appears relatively ‘under control’ with 275 new cases reported in the past day. Regional governments are continuing to stay prudent by reinforcing the need to wear masks in public spaces so that is encouraging.The slight rise in cases in Spain is seeing countries take notice with the UK imposing a 14-day quarantine for travelers from the country, following Norway’s decision to reimpose a 10-day quarantine as well for people arriving from Spain.This comes amid a surge in cases in Catalonia but the Spanish government’s virus expert has warned that the infection is already spreading among the general community in Barcelona and Zaragoza – saying that the rate of contagion has tripled.French prime minister, Jean Castex, has also “strongly recommended” its citizens to avoid going to Catalonia (the border remains open) though the region itself announced closure of bars and nightclubs for 15 days on Friday last week.Catalonia (counted separately from Spain’s total) itself reported nearly 1,500 new cases on Saturday, as the number of new cases in the region is starting to pick up again.Despite warnings of complacency and what not, local authorities are continuing to reaffirm that these outbreaks are “localised” and have not spread out of control. The right now remains on the – or at least continuing down that path.In due time, we’ll see how this all plays out but no doubt further reopening of international borders are going to be extremely tricky.The positive takeaway is that the death rate in most places isn’t as high as when the initial outbreak began but as infection numbers rise, there could be a delayed effect on that as medical capacity also starts to be burdened even more.

Japan has approved a coronavirus drug – dexamethasone

NHK report overnight via Bloomberg

Japan’s health ministry has approved the use of the steroid drug dexamethasone
  • for the treatment of coronavirus patient
  • following the approval of remdesivir in May
Dexamethasone has been reported as reducing deaths among patients with severe cases of COVID-19
Dexamethasone is cheap, widely available.

China president Xi Jinping: Chinese economic recovery leads the world

Comments by China president Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping
  • Will strive to make up economic losses caused by coronavirus pandemic
  • Will strive to achieve good results for economic growth this year
  • Will make fiscal policy more proactive, prudent monetary policy more flexible
  • Will continue to cut taxes and fees
There isn’t much of anything new here from Xi, but this just reaffirms that China will continue to maintain the current set of policies and keep bolstering the economy for many more months as they deal with the fallout from the virus outbreak earlier in the year.

IMF cites important risks to the outlook for US economy

IMF on the US.

The IMF is out with a series of headlines on the US economy as the coronavirus risks increase.  They say:

  • Cites important risks to outlook for US economy including resurgence in coronavirus cases, systematic increase in property
  • Significant increase in US debt levels creates vulnerabilities; sees risk of extended period of low or negative inflation
  • Repairing US economy will take prolonged period, further policy efforts needed to boost demand, support most vulnerable
  • US should reverse existing trade barriers, tariff increases that are undermining stability of global trade
  • US treatment of undervalued currencies as countervailable subsidy poses significant risk to global trading system
  • Sees areas where US financial oversight could be tightened to further mitigate systematic risks
  • US financial system has proven resilient, but crisis at early state and banks should continue to restrain capital distribution plans
The statements do not give a warm fuzzy feeling

Global recovery unlikely to be v-shaped, says Shell chief

The head of Shell spoke in an online interview, in a nutshell said that there will be no V-shaped recovery for the global economy after the coronavirus epidemic

  • this will  curtail oil and gas demand for years to come
Ben van Beurden, Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell:
  • “Energy demand, and certainty mobility demand, will be lower even when this crisis is more or less behind us. Will it mean that it will never recover? It is probably too early to say, but it will have a permanent knock for years”
  • “It is most likely not going to be a v-shaped recovery.”
  • Shell & others have had to reduce spending sharply, postpone investment and will continue to do so “for some time to come”
via Reuters
The head of Shell spoke in an online interview, in a nutshell said that there will be no V-shaped recovery for the global economy after the coronavirus epidemic

Texas coronavirus cases up >10k on Thursday, record deaths in one day

COVID-19 numbers published from Texas for the preceding 24 hours

  • New cases +10,291 bring the total to 292,656. This is the fourth highest single day increase. If there is a positive to be gleaned maybe 4th biggest is it?
  • The death toll however has gained at a record pace, for a second consecutive day, up 129 to a total of 3,561
  • Hospitalisations down 14, down for a second consecutive day – again trying to gather some positive signs, this is one
COVID-19 Texas coronavirus

Fauci says will have an effective COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020

Anthony Fauci speaking with Reuters on the coronavirus

  • Says that US will have an effective coronavirus vaccine by year-end
  • Moderna’s vaccine trial results were especially promising
  • He does not think China will be first with a vaccine, at least not by much
Anthony Fauci speaking with Reuters on the coronavirus