Health and Healthcare Systems

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 14 August

Catholic Priest Omar is pictured as the military work to disinfect the Christ the Redeemer statue ahead of its re-opening amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 13, 2020. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC20DI9I3B5C

Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer is being disinfected to protect visitors. Image: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

Joe Myers
Writer, Forum Agenda
  • 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 750,000; more confirmed cases in New Zealand; 500,000 cases in Peru and Mexico.
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1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached more than 20.9 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 755,000.

New Zealand reported 12 new confirmed cases on Friday. All have been linked to a cluster of 30 in Auckland, first detected this week. As a result, lockdown measures have been extended in Auckland for another 12 days. Social distancing measures have also been extended across the country.

Both Peru and Mexico have passed more than half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19. More than 55,000 have died in Mexico, the third highest total globally.

Brazil reported 60,091 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said. More than 3.2 million cases have been confirmed in total, with over 105,000 deaths.

Smoking has been 'all but' banned in the streets on the Canary Islands. It's forbidden when people cannot maintain a 2-metre distance, reports Reuters.

And the UK has announced that arrivals from France, the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Turks and Caicos, and Aruba will be forced to spend 14 days in quarantine from Saturday. France has warned the decision will lead to 'reciprocal measures.'

coronavirus cases Brazil COVID-19
Brazil has reported more than 3 million cases. Image: Our World in Data

2. WHO issues call for funding

Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for funding for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT).

The ACT-Accelerator is a global collaboration platform that aims to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

"The ACT-Accelerator funding gap can’t be covered by traditional development assistance alone," said Tedros, calling the initiative a key route out of the pandemic and to global economic recovery.

"The real beauty of the ACT-Accelerator and its work is that stimulus investments and globally coordinated rollout of new vaccines, tests and therapeutics would have a major multiplier effect on our economies," he said.

It has an immediate need of US$31.3 billion.

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

3. Paris returns to red

The decree gives increased power to local authorities, including restricting access to public transport and air travel, as well as closing establishments where there's a high risk of infection.

It comes after a sharp increase in COVID-19 infections.

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