Coronavirus Watch

Global Statistics

Cases of the Coronavirus are now over 22, 75 million around the world. Over 794 000 deaths have been recorded with 4,079 new deaths having been recorded yesterday.

 The USA remains the country with the highest number of cases with 5, 7 million cases and over 177 000 deaths. There has been a reduction in the number of daily cases recorded in the country.

Brazil has expressed cautious optimism that the country’s coronavirus outbreak could be about to slow down, with cases and deaths on a weekly basis falling from their late July peaks. 

India recorded a record number of new cases of the pandemic in the world with 68, 057 new cases to bring the total number of cases in the country to over 3, 4 million. The total number of fatalities in the country is now at 68, 507 and remains the third worst-affected country in the world.

Germany confirmed 1,707 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll since April, official figures showed.

Britain has recorded 1,182 new coronavirus cases, the second-highest daily total since June 21, government figures showed, in part reflecting the higher number of tests being processed. Britain also reported a further six deaths of people who died within 28 days of receiving a positive coronavirus test result, taking the total number of fatalities on this measure to 41,403.

Spikes in coronavirus infections in European countries caused alarm on Thursday but the World Health Organization (WHO) said the continent should be able to fight the pandemic without reimposing full lockdowns.

Average Daily cases in Africa fell last week as a hopeful sign for the continents fight against the pandemic, according to the center for Africa Diseases. The continent wide daily average was 10, 300 last week down from 11 000 the week before. “We have begun to bend the curve slowly… it’s important to recognize those slight tendencies that are positive,” said Dr John Nkengasong, head of the African Union’s health body, Africa CDC. The continent has suffered less harm than most other regions from the pandemic, which has hit the Americas harder than anywhere else.

South Africa has seen its figures drop from over 12 000 to just over 5,000 driving the drop in the continent-wide average.  Africa has passed the threshold of 10 million tests. 2,980 new cases were recorded to bring the total number of cases to 599, 040. 195 new deaths were recorded and the death toll is now at 12,618.

Zimbabwe recorded 102 deaths and the number of confirmed cases is at 5.745. The death toll is at 151 after 1 new death was recorded. 4,525 cases have been reported to have recovered which translate to a recovery rate of 78.76%.

Johnson & Johnson to test vaccine in 60,000 volunteers

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) aims to test its experimental coronavirus vaccine in up to 60,000 volunteers in a late-stage trial scheduled to start in September, according bit.ly/3iWRuic to a U.S. government database of clinical trials. The trial would be conducted in nearly 180 sites across the United States and other countries, including Brazil and Mexico, according to the information posted on clinicaltrials.gov on Aug. 10. “We can confirm that planning and recruitment is underway for our Phase 3 program, which is subject to interim data of the Phase 1/2a trials and approval of regulators,” a Johnson & Johnson spokesman said.Rival coronavirus vaccine makers such as Moderna Inc. (MRNA.O) and Pfizer (PFE.N) are targeting recruitment of up to 30,000 volunteers for their late-stage studies. Reuters

Metal Prices Asia/Europe/NY market

21/08/2020

 (Source: Kitco)