Coronavirus Global Updates, June 20: Brazil’s cases top one million; South Korea reports 67 new cases

Global Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases Updates: Brazil, the second worst affected country, topped 1 million cases Saturday increasing the rapidly surging numbers in the Latin American region.




Coronavirus global updates: As the number of global coronavirus cases continue to rise, health experts fear a fresh Covid-19 surge as economies and states reopen more aggressively. The number of infections has topped 8.5 million with over 460,000 fatalities.

The United States continues to be the worst affected with over 2.2 million cases and 119,112 fatalities. In hospitals where there are a surge in cases, health professionals have started prescribing dexamethasone, which was recently found to reduce the coronavirus death rate.

Brazil’s cases, which are rapidly increasing, crossed the one million mark Saturday. It is the second-worst affected country.

Meanwhile, World Health Organizations (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the virus is still spreading fast, and is deadly, and most people are still susceptible.

Here are the top global developments

South Korea reports its biggest daily rise in three weeks

South Korea has reported an upward trend in coronavirus infections. The country registered its biggest daily spike with 67 fresh cases Saturday. This was its largest increase in about three weeks after the country started flattening the curve. Most of the new cases are reported from the metropolitan Seoul.

The country now has 12,373 cases and 280 deaths.

Brazil’s Covid figure could be seven times higher: Experts

The total number of coronavirus infections in Brazil crossed the 1 million mark as the country’s health ministry reported a rise of 50,000 new cases in 24 hours.

Health specialists suspect the actual number of cases in Brazil to be seven times higher than the official statistic. Johns Hopkins University says Brazil is performing an average of 14 tests per 100,000 people each day, and health experts say that number is up to 20 times less than needed to track the virus.

South Africa and Ethiopia recommend limited use of dexamethasone

Health ministers of South Africa and Ethiopia said they were recommending the limited use of dexamethasone for seriously ill coronavirus patients.

South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the findings of the drug were excellent news since the country was preparing for a surge in cases. The country’s Ministerial Advisory Committee recommended the use of dexamethasone for all Covid-19 patients on ventilators or supplementary oxygen, he added.

Similarly, taking to Twitter, Ethiopia’s health minister said her ministry was recommending the emergency use of the drug for critically ill patients.

Washington, D.C. to enter its second reopening phase next week

The United States’ capital is moving to its second phase of reopening next week after months of social restrictions. Starting Monday, playgrounds, gyms, libraries and nail salons will be able to reopen on a limited basis. All non-essential business and restaurants will be allowed to reopen with a capped footfall of 50 persons.

As of Friday the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Washington stood at 9,952 including 530 deaths.

Checks widen in Beijing as cases increase

In an effort to ramp up the fight against coronavirus, officials in Beijing are carrying out nucleic acid tests on all food and parcel delivery personnel. The new cluster outbreak in China’s capital has now surpassed previous peak numbers in early February.

According to the China’s National Health Commission as of Saturday, mainland China reported 27 new cases out of which 22 are from Beijing. This is compared to the 32 confirmed cases yesterday, 25 of which were in Beijing.

Ireland to accelerate reopening through a phased plan

Ireland has accelerated its plan for reopening its economy in phases that will speed the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Phase 3, set to begin on June 29 will reopen cafes, restaurants, places of worship, gyms as well as cinemas. Gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 200 people outdoors will be allowed.

Phase 4 will commence from July 20 and will allow all bars and nightclubs to open. Up to 100 people can gather indoors and up to 500 outdoors in this phase.

Italy had coronavirus in sewage as early as December says a new study

Coronavirus was present in Italy’s sewage system as early as December, which is approximately two months before the first confirmed case emerged in the European country, a new study has found.

“Traces of SARS-Cov-2 have been found in samples of waste water taken in Milan and Turin on Dec. 18 and in Bologna on Jan. 29,” said Giuseppina La Rosa, who led the research for a coming study from the country’s ISS National Health Institute.

Some other global developments: 

* Costa Rica will halt its plan for economic reopening due to the country’s increasing coronavirus cases, Health Minister Daniel Salas said Friday

* Saudi Arabia’s coronavirus cases top 150,000 as a surge was reported in the last 10 days 

* Guatemala replaced its health minister on Friday amid a spike in COVID19 infections and deaths.

* France saw its lowest increase in the number of deaths in 5 days with 14 new fatalities Friday.

* Parts of Germany may enter lockdown if the outbreak is not contained; a new cluster of 800 cases has been identified in the region of North Rhine Westphalia

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