th June 2020 - Wilson James€¦ · COVID-19 REPORT. SUMMARY • The number of confirmed -19 cases...
11
19 5 th June 2020
Transcript of th June 2020 - Wilson James€¦ · COVID-19 REPORT. SUMMARY • The number of confirmed -19 cases...
19
5th June 2020
2 COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
COVID-19 REPORT
SUMMARY
• The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally is now over 6.7 million, with just under 400,000 deaths, according to Worldometer.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported over 100,000 new cases of coronavirus infection every day for the last five days. The Director General for the organisation said Central and South America are especially concerning. Meanwhile figures in Europe continue to decline.
• The WHO is worried about the potential long-term impacts to a lack of vaccinated children, after previously
advising countries to suspend programmes due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
• A study has found that the COVID-19 pandemic could trigger a £20 trillion collapse in the fossil fuel industry. Kingsmill Bond, author of the report, warned fossil fuel companies against delaying the inevitable, saying that they must find ways to adapt rather than continue to resist change.
• Civil unrest continues across the United States (US) as thousands of people protest the killing of African American
citizen George Floyd in Police custody. Mr Floyd’s death has been ruled a homicide following an official post-mortem. Several cities have imposed curfews, and President Donald Trump has vowed to deploy the military to quell the demonstrations.
• A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine has reportedly proved that the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in preventing COVID-19 infection.
• Video conferencing platform Zoom, which has surged in popularity over the course of the pandemic, has announced plans to implement end-to-end encryption after facing a number of concerns over privacy and security. However, the measures will only be applied to paid users in order to allow the company to work with law enforcement, said CEO Eric Yuan.
• A total of 42 million people has now filed for unemployment benefits in the US since March.
GLOBAL MAP OF CASES OF COVID-19
Source: Centre’s for Disease Control and Prevention 04.06.2020
3 COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
COVID-19 REPORT
UK UPDATE
For an interactive map of COVID-19 deaths in England & Wales click here.
• The total number of weekly COVID-19-related deaths in England and Wales fell to 2,589 in the week ending 22nd May, according to the Office for National Statistics. This weekly figure is the lowest since March.
• Since Monday 1st June, people have been allowed to meet outdoors in limited numbers while social distancing. However, the sunny weather is forecast to turn cooler and rainier in the coming days, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged the public not to move meetings indoors. In his daily briefing, he warned that the risk of spreading the infection is much greater indoors than outside. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave a similar warning for Scotland.
• Face coverings will be mandatory on all public transport in England from 15th June, the Transport Secretary has announced. Fines may be enforced for those who do not comply; however, exemptions will be made for the elderly, young children, disabled people, and people with respiratory difficulties.
• The Guardian has reported that the NHS test-and-trace system designed to contain further spread of COVID-19 is unlikely to be fully operational until September or October. A leaked email from the Chief Executive of Serco, one of the main companies developing the service, revealed he is doubtful it will be able to meet its proposed targets. The email also said Serco’s involvement would nonetheless “[cement] the position of private sector companies in the public sector supply chain.”
• Business Secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for COVID-19 after feeling unwell in the Commons chamber. MPs returned to Parliament this week in limited numbers and with social distancing in place, however, a number of MPs fear the risk to themselves and their constituents is still too great.
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES
281,661
TOTAL DEATHS 39,904
UK DAILY CASES 1,805
LIVE STATISTICS
UK WIDE – Public Health England SCOTLAND - Scottish Government
NORTHERN IRELAND: NISRA
4 COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
COVID-19 REPORT
• From 8th June all passengers arriving in the UK must self-isolate for 14 days. The travel industry has condemned the government’s quarantine rules warning it will deter travellers and put jobs at risk.
• After reopening their showrooms, car dealership Lookers and Aston Martin have announced job cuts of 1,500 and 500, respectively.
• Black Lives Matter protests continue to take place in a number of cities across the UK. Thousands gathered in Birmingham on Wednesday 3rd June to protest against racism and Police brutality. Reports show the demonstration was peaceful and had the support of Birmingham City Council who said the city has a “proud history of standing up to racism.”
• A union representing more than 800 parliamentary staff has warned that the reopening of UK parliament will put lives at unnecessary risk.
6
COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
REGIONAL UPDATES
(Johns Hopkins University, 2020)
(Worldometer, 04.06.2020)
*Above figures via Worldometer. Figures will vary between sources.
CLICK HERE FOR GRAPH DETAILS
CLICK HERE FOR LIVE REPORTED CASES
COUNTRIES/REGIONS 213
PATIENTS RECOVERED 3,252,376
TOTAL DEATHS 393,244
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES
6,702,835
7
COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
ASIA China The central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected last year, has declared itself ‘safe’ after testing nearly 10 million people in a 19-day campaign. The testing identified only 300 positive cases none of whom had symptoms. None of the close contacts identified as being connected to these people had the disease either, suggesting the virus is not spreading easily. Wuhan was the hardest hit city in China and accounted for more than 80 per cent of the country’s deaths and also endured a strict lockdown. The mass testing was made possible in part by batch testing. If a batch of samples tested positive, then individuals were tested again. Hong Kong Tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents have defied a ban to stage a mass vigil in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing in 1989. Protesters knocked down barricades in order to enter the city’s Victoria Park going against measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
AFRICA
The Gambia The son of a Gambian diplomat was shot dead after a car chase in Georgia, USA on Friday 5th June morning, leading Gambian officials to demand an investigation into the incident. Thirty-nine-year-old Momodou Lamin Sisay was killed after allegedly pointing a handgun at Police officers who were trying to apprehend him. Mr Sisay’s father, Lare Sisay who works at the United Nations, said that Police did not do enough to deescalate the situation peacefully. The incident occurred as thousands protest across America against racism and Police brutality. Senegal Senegal has announced that plans for schools to reopen have been delayed following a new cluster of COVID-19 infections. Pupils were set to return on 2nd June, but an official announcement postponed the return “until a later date.” Education officials reported that 10 teachers had tested positive for the virus in the Ziguinchor region, leading to the delay. To date, the country has reported over 3700 cases of infection and 43 related deaths. Uganda Uganda’s public transport system is struggling with new social distancing rules. Currently buses are only allowed to run at half capacity leaving citizens stranded on the side of the road. Many people had been hoping to leave the capital of Kampala after two months of lockdown, with many laden down with their belongings. Fares on public transport has gone up and passengers have to wear face masks. Liberia The authorities in Liberia will conduct a mandatory virus test on anyone caught violating a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew. Liberia has around 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths. There has been little uptake so far of the test centres set up in the capital of Monrovia.
AMERICAS Brazil Brazil continues to relax quarantine measures even as the nation recorded 1349 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday 3rd June. This is the second consecutive day to set a new record. Meanwhile, many types of shops and businesses reopened in Rio de Janeiro on the same day. Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro faces further criticisms for his consistent downplaying of the pandemic’s toll, saying on Tuesday 2nd June that death is “everyone’s destiny.”
8
COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
Mexico Mexico recorded a new daily high of COVID-19 deaths at 1092, more than double the previous 24-hour record. Officials are reportedly embarrassed by the news after consistent reassurances that the country’s rate of infection was levelling off. Mexico has confirmed over 101,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths since the start of this pandemic. United States Over 10,000 people have been arrested across the country as civil unrest continues as thousands protest against Police brutality and racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Curfews are still in place in many cities including New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. New charges have been brought against all of the Police officers present at the death of Mr Floyd. The charge against Derek Chauvin has been elevated from third- to second-degree murder. Under Minnesota law, charges of first- and second-degree murder require proof that the defendant intended to kill (whether premeditated or a “crime of passion”), which prosecutors warn may be difficult to prove definitively in court. The three other officers had not previously been charged but now face counts of aiding and abetting murder. A full autopsy report released by the Hennepin county medical examiner’s office revealed that George Floyd had COVID-19 at the time of his death. The report clarified that Mr Floyd’s condition was asymptomatic and did not contribute to his cause of death.
EUROPE For a full list of changes to travel restriction in Europe please click here. The list is frequently updated.
France France has cancelled its military parade for Bastille Day on the 14th July as a health precaution. Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that a €130 billion stimulus package has been approved to aid the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The aid will come in the form of VAT cuts, cash for families and incentives for buying electric cars. The country is currently heading into its worst recession in seventy years with GDP expected to shrink by 6.3% this year. Russia Russia now has over 440,000 confirmed cases with 5,384 deaths. President Vladimir Putin has declared a state of emergency after an oil spill near the Siberian city of Norilsk. The spill occurred last Friday 29th May when a fuel tank at a power plant collapsed, leaking 20,000 tonnes of oil into a river. President Putin has ordered an investigation into the accident, which is believed to be the second largest spill in Russian history according to the World Wildlife Fund. Spain Spain’s state of emergency has been extended until 21st June, in what officials say will be the final extension. The measure has been renewed six times in total, meaning that social distancing restrictions are still in place, although they have been relaxed over the past weeks. On 4th June, around 600 people attended a funeral mass at Seville Cathedral to mourn those who have died from the coronavirus. Turkey Turkey is to impose a “weekend lockdown” in 15 cities to help curb the spread of the virus, including Istanbul and the capital, Ankara. A statement from the interior ministry said that certain shops and businesses, such as bakeries, would be allowed to remain in operation.
9
COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
AUSTRALIA / OCEANIA Australia Australian airline Qantas say it hopes to increase domestic flights from the current 5% to 40% of pre-pandemic levels by August. New Zealand New Zealand has again reported zero new cases of COVID-19 for the 13th consecutive day. Only one active case remains, with the patient recovering at home. According to the WHO, the total number of confirmed cases remains at 1154, with 22 related deaths.
MIDDLE EAST Iran Iran has reported 3,574 new cases of COVID-19 in a day. This is their highest since the outbreak began in February. Israel Israel have suspended parliament sessions after an MP tested positive for COVID-19. All non-essential Knesset staff have been instructed to stay home. The country has reported 17,343 confirmed cases and 290 deaths. There have been worries the virus is beginning to spread through schools that reopened last month.
10
COVID -19/RAS/5th June 2020
WILSON JAMES ADVISORY
Our Risk Advisory Service regularly publish articles and advisories covering a myriad of subjects. These publications can be found within our Insights section on our Risk Advisory Service website. New rules on face coverings in England: what you need to know
From 15th June 2020, all passengers on public transport in England will be required to wear face coverings to help prevent any further spread of COVID-19. The government has already recommended the wearing of face coverings in “enclosed public spaces” like shops and public transport when social distancing is not possible. Under the new rules, those refusing to wear face masks may be subject to fines, although some exemptions are given. Since the start of this pandemic, there has been much conflicting, confusing, and misleading information regarding the wearing of face coverings. These new rules coincide with further easing of lockdown restrictions, as more non-essential businesses are set to open, and some secondary school pupils will return to class. As more people begin to use public transport again and prepare to return to work, it is important to be aware of these new rules and consider the efficacy of face coverings. Read more.
The effect of COVID-19 on national defence budgets
The COVID-19 pandemic has put an increased strain on public finances in the UK, with the healthcare system, social welfare and job retention schemes all requiring major injections of funds not previously planned for. It is therefore expected that on top of already delayed projects, logistical difficulties, and temporary income shortfalls, the defence industry could experience significant cutbacks as government budgets are used for more demanding issues.
Since 2013 defence spending in the UK has steadily increased but as GDP looks set to fall in the wake of a recession, keeping the defence budget in line with previous years will be unlikely. Currently the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) receives a budget minimum of 2% of GDP in line with NATO recomendations. Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary has sought assurances from the Chancellor that the current £41.5 billion budget will not be affected due to COVID-19 pressures, but Rishi Sunak has made no promises. If national output shrinks by 10%, as experts predict, then this could cost the MoD around £4.15 billion alone without any direct ‘cuts’ being made. The Defence Secretary has pointed out that defence spending is not based on GDP going up and down, as projects require regular amounts of cash injection. Due to the UK’s close ties with NATO and their many operations abroad it must maintain a level of defence funding regardless. Tobias Ellwood, Chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, has said that it would be irresponsible to cut defence budgets now saying: “Britain’s enemies were using the COVID-19 pandemic to rearm” even though all countries seem to be having to make similar financial reductions. Read more.
