COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 30 October

Oct 30, 2020

A medical worker is seen inside the pre-intensive care unit for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome, Italy, October 29, 2020. REUTERS/Yara Nardi - RC2DSJ9CZOXB

Italy reported a record one-day rise in cases yesterday. Image: REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Joe Myers

Writer, Forum Agenda

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COVID-19

This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news and updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.
Top stories: Record case increases across Europe and US; EU leaders agree to fair vaccine distribution; global oil prices fall.

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1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 45 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed deaths stands at over 1.18 million.

Spain has entered a six-month state of emergency, giving regions legal backing to implement curfews and restrict travel.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized those who argue the coronavirus is harmless. “Lies and disinformation, conspiracy theories and hatred damage not only the democratic debate but also the fight against the virus,” she told parliament.

European Union leaders have agreed to fair distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine once one is available.

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What is the World Economic Forum doing about access to vaccines?

In 2000, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance was launched at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, with an initial pledge of $750 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The aim of Gavi is to make vaccines more accessible and affordable for all - wherever people live in the world.

Along with saving an estimated 10 million lives worldwide in less than 20 years,through the vaccination of nearly 700 million children, - Gavi has most recently ensured a life-saving vaccine for Ebola.

At Davos 2016, we announced Gavi's partnership with Merck to make the life-saving Ebola vaccine a reality.

The Ebola vaccine is the result of years of energy and commitment from Merck; the generosity of Canada’s federal government; leadership by WHO; strong support to test the vaccine from both NGOs such as MSF and the countries affected by the West Africa outbreak; and the rapid response and dedication of the DRC Minister of Health. Without these efforts, it is unlikely this vaccine would be available for several years, if at all.

Read more about the Vaccine Alliance, and how you can contribute to the improvement of access to vaccines globally - in our Impact Story.

Brazil has recorded 513 new COVID-19 deaths, with 26,106 new cases, according to the country's health ministry.

The Polish government has ordered six large state-run companies to create field hospitals to deal with the pandemic.

Global oil prices fell more than 1% today – on track for a second monthly fall – as concerns grow that rising COVID-19 cases in Europe and the US will hurt demand. More than 400,000 oil and gas sector jobs have been lost this year, according to Rystad Energy.

The EU has announced it will fund the transfer of patients across borders within the bloc the stop hospitals becoming overwhelmed.

Global cases continue to rise. Image: Our World in Data

2. Record case rises

Global coronavirus cases rose by more than 500,000 for the first time on Wednesday – a record one-day increase.

Global cases have risen by nearly a quarter in the past two weeks. 400,000 new daily cases were only reported for the first time last Friday.

Countries across Europe and the United States have reported record daily rises in recent weeks. Europe, North America and Latin America account for over 66% of global cases and over 76% of global deaths.

The United States broke its single-day record yesterday, with 91,000 new cases, with hospitalizations also on the rise in many cases.

In Europe, Italy, Spain and Sweden all set one-day record increases yesterday, with 26,831, 23,580 and 2,820 respectively.

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