COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 6 August

Aug 6, 2020

Dr. Joseph Varon, 58, the chief medical officer at United Memorial Medical Center, hugs Christina Mathers, 43, a nurse from his team who became infected with COVID-19, at United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Houston, Texas, U.S., July 25, 2020. Mathers was told she tested positive for COVID-19 after she reported feeling ill during one of her shifts. "That's the hardest thing to ever hear... It messes with you," said Mathers, who has been working every other day since April 29. "But I wouldn't go anywhere else but here." REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY SEARCH "COVID-19 HOUSTON VARON" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC213I9KZW72

Global coronavirus deaths have now risen above 700,000. Image: REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare

Joe Myers

Writer, Forum Agenda

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Global Health

This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.
Top stories: Global deaths pass 700,000; WHO calls on young people to take more responsibility and New York City announces checkpoints.

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1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached more than 18.8 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 700,000.

Pubs and restaurants in the Scottish city of Aberdeen have been closed to tackle an outbreak of COVID-19 cases.

Viet Nam's deputy health minister said yesterday that the country's coronavirus outbreak is expected to peak in the next 10 days.

The US government is set to pay Johnson & Johnson over $1 billion for 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, the company said.

British manufacturing and services businesses grew at their fastest rate in more than 5 years in July, suggesting a recovery from the COVID-19 lockdown.

Chicago's children will be taught online when schools reopen in September.

coronavirus COVID-19 deaths confirmed global world

Confirmed deaths have passed 700,000. Image: Our World in Data

2. WHO's message to world's youth

In an online discussion, Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme, called on young people to take more responsibility.

"Ask yourself the question: do I really need to go to that party?" he said, reports Reuters.

Young people are often reluctant to give details or disclose friends' names to contact tracers, added Ryan. "It's tough, but it is what is needed to stop the virus."

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the organization's technical lead for COVID-19, also said that as well reducing risk to others, care was needed as even a mild case might have long-term consequences.

Discover

What is the World Economic Forum doing to manage emerging risks from COVID-19?

The first global pandemic in more than 100 years, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world at an unprecedented speed. At the time of writing, 4.5 million cases have been confirmed and more than 300,000 people have died due to the virus.

As countries seek to recover, some of the more long-term economic, business, environmental, societal and technological challenges and opportunities are just beginning to become visible.

To help all stakeholders – communities, governments, businesses and individuals understand the emerging risks and follow-on effects generated by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Marsh and McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group, has launched its COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications - a companion for decision-makers, building on the Forum’s annual Global Risks Report.

The report reveals that the economic impact of COVID-19 is dominating companies’ risks perceptions.

Companies are invited to join the Forum’s work to help manage the identified emerging risks of COVID-19 across industries to shape a better future. Read the full COVID-19 Risks Outlook: A Preliminary Mapping and its Implications report here, and our impact story with further information.

3. New York City announces checkpoints

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news briefing yesterday that the city will put up checkpoints at key entry points to the city. They'll ensure that travelers from 35 other US states comply with the city's 14-day quarantine.

“Travelers coming in from those states will be given information about the quarantine and will be reminded that it is required, not optional,” de Blasio said. Fines for failing to observe the quarantine are as high as $10,000.

Teams will be at Penn Station in Manhattan from today to ensure travelers complete a travel form, said Dr. Ted Long - who is overseeing the city's contact tracing programme.

“We’re going to offer you things like free food delivery, help with medications, direct connections to doctors by the phone, or even a hotel stay,” he added.

Around a fifth of new cases in the city are from out-of-state, but the city's infection rate has been under 3% for the last 8 weeks, said de Blasio.

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