New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 6.1 crore cases and more than 1.4 lakh deaths.
The number of hospitalisations in the US hit a record high on Thanksgiving day. South Korea is facing a third wave with the onset of winter, asymptomatic spreaders and small social gathering, and Lithuania detected its first cases of coronavirus among minks.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Cases, hospitalisations & deaths rise in US on Thanksgiving
In the US, the number of hospitalisations hit a record high at 89,959 for the sixteenth day in a row, coinciding with Thanksgiving celebrations, reports The Guardian. There were also 2,297 deaths — the highest single-day fatalities in the country since May.
“The alarming numbers were reported as millions of Americans defied official advice against travel and gatherings for Thanksgiving,” the report noted.
However, the report adds, even as Covid numbers continue to increase drastically in the US, the Supreme Court sided with religious authorities that had sued the state of New York for imposing restrictions on them. The court said that religious freedom has to be respected.
The US has reported 13,248,676 cases and 2,69,555 deaths — the highest in the world.
Also read: Johnson warns England not to relax after virus lockdown ends
Winter, young spreaders, small gatherings spur South Korea’s third wave
South Korea is facing its third wave of Covid-19 as it struggles to keep the number of daily new cases to 100, reports The Straits Times.
On Thursday, the country reported 569 cases and according to experts, the “falling temperatures, young asymptomatic spreaders and small social gatherings where people tend to take off their masks” are the reasons behind the latest spurt.
The report quotes Professor Choi Jae-wook of Korea University’s College of Medicine, who said that unlike popular perception, the government’s response to community infections that had started in June-July had been ineffective.
“Although inevitable, the quarantine policy should be re-established on the premise that there are 400-500 confirmed cases, and that the quarantine and treatment capabilities can be improved to enable control and management,” the professor is further quoted as saying.
For now, the government has tightened restrictions on social gatherings in the capital city of Seoul and greater Seoul.
South Korea has reported 32,887 cases and 516 deaths.
Rome airport poised to try ‘Covid tested’ flights from US
In an effort to eliminate the mandatory 14-day quarantine for international passengers, the Italian government will soon approve “Covid tested” flights, reports The Associated Press.
According to this protocol, “Starting sometime in December, passengers coming in from” three US airports “wouldn’t have to quarantine if they test negative for the coronavirus within 48 hours of departure and also upon arrival in Rome”.
The protocol is set to be imposed for passengers coming in from the New York, Newark and Atlanta airports.
“ADR (Aeroporti di Roma), which operates the Leonardo da Vinci Airport, said that similar ‘COVID tested’ corridors were also expected to be approved for flights between the airport and the German cities of Munich and Frankfurt,” the report adds.
Italy has reported 15,09,875 cases and 52,850 deaths.
Also read: Maradona farewell turns chaotic, Covid restrictions go for a toss
Covid-infected minks found in Lithuania
Lithuania Thursday found the first cases of coronavirus among minks as “22 dead minks on a farm” tested positive, reports Reuters.
The report quotes a spokesperson from the country’s health agency as saying, “At this moment the farm is in isolation, but we were only told to cull 40 mink who were in close contact with the infected.”
The country has over 1.6 million minks on 86 farms and it is the second country, after Denmark, where these animals have tested positive for Covid.
Earlier, the Danish government had announced that a mutated, new strain of the virus was spreading in mink farms but later said that the virus was “most likely” extinct, the report notes.
“All farmed minks in Denmark have been culled because of coronavirus outbreaks among the animals and the discovery of the mutated strain, which authorities said showed reduced sensitivity to antibodies, has caused fears it could compromise vaccines,” AP adds.
Lithuania has reported 53,757 cases and 449 deaths.
Over 10,000 new cases recorded in Mexico City for second day in a row
Several major hospitals in Mexico City are functioning at full capacity due to a surge in Covid cases, reports Infobae.
The report is based on the data announced by Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell, which revealed that “63% of all general care hospital beds set aside for coronavirus patients in Mexico City are currently occupied while 61% of those with ventilators are in use”.
He is quoted as saying, “In Mexico City, … there are hospitals that are completely full, some of the national health institutes [for example]. It’s the same in other federal entities”.
On Wednesday the country had reported 10,000 new cases for a second day in a row. Mexico has reported 10,78,594 cases and 1,04,242 deaths, so far.
What else we are reading
US military’s role in the vaccine will be strictly behind the scenes, despite Trump’s claims: The New York Times
Their teeth fell out. Another COVID-19 consequence?: The Sydney Morning Herald
Also read: Culled minks with Covid mutation resurface after burial in Denmark, spark infection fears