COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 21 October
Pope Francis wore a mask at a public event for the first time. Image: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale
Stay up to date:
Global Health
- 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: New data on world trade; experimental vaccines to be offered in Chinese city; Spanish minister issues warning.
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 40.7 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed deaths stands at over 1.12 million.
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have urged residents not to travel between the three states. California has also said major theme parks – including Disneyland – would not reopen any time soon.
India's total confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen to 7.65 million, after recording 54,044 new infections.
The Czech Republic has reported its highest daily tally of new infections on record – 11,984.
United Airlines is set to test a digital health pass as part of a global pilot programme. CommonPass, backed by the World Economic Forum and Swiss-based foundation The Commons Project, seeks to establish an international standard for COVID-19 test results and eventually vaccine records.
New Zealand has reported two new community cases, alongside 23 imported cases.
Spain is considering new restrictions to tackle the spread of the virus, Health Minister Salvador Illa said yesterday. “We have very tough weeks ahead, winter is coming,” Illa told reporters. “The second wave is no longer a threat, it is a reality in all of Europe.”
Pope Francis has worn a mask for the first time at a public event, during a prayer service for world peace with other religious leaders.
2. World trade rebounding slowly
The value of global trade is set to fall by 7-9% this year, compared to last year, according to a United Nations report.
The fall comes despite signs of a fragile recovery, led by China. At the height of global lockdowns and restrictions, trade fell an estimated 19% year-on-year in the second quarter. In the third quarter, it was estimated to be 4.5% down.
“Trade in home office equipment and medical supplies has increased in Q3, while it further weakened in the automotive and energy sectors,” the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said.
Chinese exports have rebounded strongly in the third quarter, the report found. “Overall, the level of Chinese exports for the first nine months of 2020 was comparable to that of 2019 over the same period,” it said.
What is the World Economic Forum doing to help the manufacturing industry rebound from COVID-19?
3. Chinese city to offer experimental COVID-19 vaccine
The Chinese city of Shaoxing will offer experimental coronavirus vaccines to its residents.
Those aged 18-59, who are not in priority groups, will be able to apply online, the city's health commission said on its WeChat account.
The commission hasn't said which vaccine is being offered, or when the inoculation will start. The use of vaccines that are still under study has raised concern among experts, but hundreds of thousands of people have received shots in China since the launch of an emergency-use programme in July. The programme is aimed at essential workers and other groups at higher risk of infection.
Don't miss any update on this topic
Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
The Agenda Weekly
A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.
More on Health and Healthcare SystemsSee all
Shyam Bishen
October 10, 2024
Shyam Bishen
October 10, 2024
Manica Balasegaram
October 10, 2024
Dr George Cheriyan
October 8, 2024
Simon Torkington
October 8, 2024
Ewan Thomson and Madeleine North
October 7, 2024