New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 3.5 crore cases and more than 10 lakh deaths.
A technical glitch meant 16,000 cases were not entered into the UK’s daily coronavirus count. Pilgrims have started visiting Mecca after Saudi Arabia relaxed restrictions. By-elections to several vacant parliamentary and local government seats have been banned in Zimbabwe. And France’s hospitals could be overwhelmed in a matter of weeks.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
16,000 coronavirus cases missed in UK’s daily figures after IT error
In the United Kingdom, nearly 16,000 cases were not entered into the daily coronavirus figures due to a technical glitch, reports the BBC.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s executive agency Public Health England (PHE) said that the cases were “missed off daily reports between 25 September and 2 October”. Although the unreported cases were added to Saturday and Sunday’s tallies, the glitch has meant a delay in contact tracing, so the actual Covid numbers could be even higher.
“Public Health England’s interim chief executive Michael Brodie said…[the glitch] was caused by some data files reporting positive test results exceeding the maximum file size,” explains the report.
The report quotes Brodie as saying they worked with NHS Test and Trace to “quickly resolve the issue and transferred all outstanding cases immediately into the NHS Test and Trace contact tracing system”.
The UK has recorded 5,02,978 cases and 42,350 deaths.
Hospitals in France may be overwhelmed in weeks, say Covid advisors
A government advisory body in France has predicted that the number of “extra deaths” by Covid-19 could rise by 3,800 to 12,400 by November 1, reports The Connexion.
The Conseil Scientifique, a council of scientists, also said the numbers would overwhelm hospitals “within a few weeks”.
The scientists wrote: “The virus began circulating among young people this summer but, with a lack of sufficient barrier measures, we are now seeing a phenomenon of propagation in all age groups.” The report quotes them as saying there could be a “rise in mortality linked to Covid-19, but also other illnesses due to disorganisation in the health care system”.
France has recorded 6,19,190 cases and 32,230 deaths.
Also read: Boris Johnson admits ‘Eat Out’ push to kick-start economy may have fuelled Covid spread
Pilgrims return to Mecca as Saudi Arabia eases Covid restrictions
Islam’s holiest site, Mecca in Saudi Arabia, is once again witnessing an increase in footfall after the kingdom lifted its Covid restrictions, reports Al Jazeera.
Pilgrims were allowed to enter the Grand Mosque on Sunday after the country eased restrictions on the Umrah, “the smaller pilgrimage that draws millions all year round from around the world”, notes the report.
“State TV showed on Sunday what appeared to be fewer than 50 people circling the Kaaba at the same time and walking several metres apart,” it adds.
The report explains that the “Saudi government on Sunday started allowing a maximum of 6,000 pilgrims a day to enter the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Only Saudi citizens and residents will be permitted to enter the mosque during this first phase of reopening, and each pilgrim has up to three hours to complete the pilgrimage.”
Saudi Arabia recorded 3,36,387 cases and 4,875 deaths.
Zimbabwe bans by-elections citing Covid-19
The Zimbabwe government has announced a ban on by-elections to vacant parliamentary and local government seats citing concerns over the pandemic, reports Nation.Africa.
The report highlights that the ban “coincided with a mass recall of opposition legislators under controversial circumstances”.
“Alex Magaisa, a Zimbabwean constitutional law expert based at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, said the ban was evidence that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was using the Covid-19 to stifle democracy,” it further notes.
Zimbabwe has recorded 7,888 cases and 228 deaths.
Fearing 2nd wave, N.Y.C. will adopt restrictions in hard-hit areas
As fears grow over the likelihood of a second wave of coronavirus hitting New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an “emergency crackdown”, reports The New York Times.
Blasio said that he intends to “impose new restrictions in 20 hot spots in Brooklyn and Queens that have been experiencing rising positivity rates”. The restrictions would also include the closure of all school in nine of the city’s zip codes.
“The plan is a major setback for New York City, amounting to the first significant reversal in the reopening and offering further evidence of the challenges in curbing the pandemic,” the report notes.
The US has recorded 76,36,912 cases and 2,14,611 deaths.
Brazilian markets buoyant about recovery, despite Covid-19 chaos
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic pushing the Brazilian economy into one of its worst periods of recessions, the latest forecasts show “just” a decline of 5.04 per cent, reports The Brazilian Report.
The report further notes the confidence indexes by think tank Fundação Getulio Vargas, which analysed that “business owners in both industry and commerce are already placing more trust in the economy”.
“[The federal government’s emergency salary program] promoted an increase in income and supported some form of economic activity,” economist Rodolpho Tobler was quoted as saying.
Brazil has recorded 49,15,289 cases and 1,46,375 deaths.
What else we are reading:
In California Trump Country, supporters struggling to process the president having Covid-19: The Los Angeles Times
Covid-19 patient in CGH gets back on his feet with help of robotic device: The Straits Times
Also read: Planning a post-pandemic holiday? Your company’s new paid leave policy can change that