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Africa’s low death rates, South Korean doctors end 2-week strike & other global Covid news

As the Covid-19 pandemic shows no signs of letting up, ThePrint highlights the most important stories on the crisis from across the globe.

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New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 26.4 crore cases and more than 8.73 lakh deaths.

Gyms in Hong Kong face massive financial pressure post-lockdown while UK real estate is booming due to pent-up demand. And why Africa has recorded much lower death rates than expected.

ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.

Why death rates are lower in Africa than expected

For several months, health experts and politicians have been warning that cramped living conditions in urban communities in South Africa could lead to rapid spread of Covid-19, However, to the experts’ surprise, the number of infections in the country have instead sharply dipped, reports BBC.

This is a trend that was seen in several African countries, where death rates are much lower than expected.

Scientists theorise that this could be due to the youthful population in African countries, since several studies suggest younger people are less susceptible to develop a severe form of the infection.

Other experts suggest that the low infection rates could also be because the population has developed a degree of immunity against Covid-19 after being exposed to other coronaviruses, for instance, those that are responsible for many common colds.

“Colds and flu are, of course, commonplace around the world. But the South African scientists wondered whether, because those viruses spread more effectively in over-crowded neighbourhoods where it is harder for people to self-isolate, there might be an extra degree of immunity towards Covid-19,” the report noted.


Also read: We can’t afford to wait for Covid vaccine, says global airlines body’s top doctor


Hong Kong gyms face post-lockdown financial toll

The Hong Kong government allowed gyms in the country to reopen Friday, however, a recent report by a fitness alliance notes that several of them will not be able to survive unless they receive financial aid, reports South China Morning Post.

The Hong Kong Alliance of Boutique Fitness Operators, which represents more than 100 locally owned and operated gyms highlighted that as many as 85 of these gyms will not be able to survive post-lockdown.

“As gyms reopen on Friday across Hong Kong — albeit under heavy restrictions which limit classes and studios to four people, spacing between patrons of 1.5 metres and requiring all attendees to wear masks — owners and operators said the damage had already been done and is more likely irreparable,” adds the report.

Demand for UK real estate post-lockdown fuels property market

More houses are being sold in the UK, within a week of them being put on the market, than at any time in the past 10 years, reports The Guardian.

“Pent-up demand for moves after lockdown and a stamp duty holiday on some homes have fuelled the property market over the summer — traditionally a quiet time for sales — with activity and prices both reaching new highs,” states the report.

“The number of homes being ‘sold, subject to contract’ after seven days or fewer was 33,620 – 125% higher than the same period last year and 28% higher than the previous high recorded in February 2016,” it adds.


Also read: ‘Batman’ tests positive for coronavirus, halts shooting of film


South Korean doctors to end strike 

South Korean doctors agreed to end their two-week strike after overnight talks with Prime Minister Chung Sye-Kung on the government’s medical reform plans, reports Al Jazeera.

“Some 16,000 interns and resident doctors, the backbone of South Korea’s coronavirus response in emergency rooms and intensive care units, and temporary testing stations, walked out on 21 August,” the report states.

The reform proposals included increasing the number of doctors, building more public medical schools, allowing state insurance to cover more traditional medicine, and expanding telemedicine.

However, according to Al Jazeera, the doctors worried that this would have increased the concentration of doctors and physicians in cities “without improving poor medical infrastructure and work conditions in more rural parts of the country”.

Five students suspended after parties led to Covid outbreak in US university

The State University of New York at Oneonta suspended five students who had organised parties which may have led to a Covid-19 outbreak on campus in late August, reports The New York Times. 

However, the report notes that it was already too late as five days later, the outbreak was out of control, with 400 cases among a student population of around 6,000.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also said that “the state was sending a virus-control team consisting of 71 contact tracers and eight case investigators to try to quell the outbreak before it spread to the town. The state also opened three free, rapid testing sites in the city of Oneonta,” the report notes.


Also read: How Boris Johnson can save London without forcing people back to work


Decline in ICU Covid-19 patients in Peshawar

There are only 20 Covid-19 patients on ICU in Peshawar, Pakistan and the use of ventilators has also dropped by 84 per cent, reports Dawn.

The Peshawar government also noted that “34,171 patients out of total 36,340 had recovered and 1,255 had passed away of the pandemic so far” in the region.

“The disinfection of the schools used as quarantine centres is also in progress and detailed SOPs have been issued with special focus on use of face mask for staff and students, hand washing, ensuring regular cleanliness etc,” the report states.

What else we are reading: 

Pupils with special needs ‘forgotten’ as English schools reopen: The Guardian 

How a bus ride turned into a coronavirus superspreader event: The New York Times 

The Afghan herbalist who claims to have a ‘cure’ for Covid-19: Al Jazeera


Also read: Brazil handed out so much cash to people during Covid that poverty is nearing historic low


 

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