Global Statistics
The World Health Organization received reports of 307,930 new Covid-19 cases worldwide in the past 24 hours — the highest single-day increase in global infections since the pandemic began. The previous daily high was set on September 6, when 306,857 cases were reported. The total number of cases that have been reported to the WHO from around the globe now stands at 28,637,952. There were also 5,537 new coronavirus deaths reported to the WHO over the past 24 hours, bringing the global death toll to at least 928,287.
India, the United States and Brazil posted the highest number of cases, with India reporting over 94,300 cases on Sunday a slight fall from Saturday’s new daily high. Europe has also seen a resurgence of cases. Both the United States and India each reported over 1,000 new deaths and Brazil reported 874 lives lost in the past 24 hours.
In some parts of India, medical oxygen is becoming hard to find as total cases exceed 4.84 million. Only the United States has recorded more cases at 6.7 million. COVID-19 infections are still rising in 58 countries, including surges in Argentina, Indonesia, Morocco, Spain and Ukraine, according to a Reuters analysis.
The total French death toll climbed by six over the past 24 hours, reaching 30,916. France’s health authorities on Sunday reported 7,183 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, falling from a record 10,561 new infections on Saturday.
Cases in Africa are now at 1,359,569 after 6,805 new cases were reported yesterday. 121 fatalities were recorded and the total death toll in the continent is now at 32,678. The continent has been witnessing a decline in daily caseloads, however countries in East Africa still record daily increases in cases.
South Africa recorded 1,579 new cases to bring the total number of confirmed cases to 649 793. 20 new deaths were recorded, which is the lowest death toll in 3 months to bring the total death toll to 15 447 confirmed deaths. International travel will soon be permitted, according to Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Zambia and Namibia continue to report high number of cases in Southern Africa, with daily caseloads averaging 100 per day. For the first time in two weeks, Zambia has recorded figures less than 100 daily cases with 73 recorded and this brings the total cases to 13,539.
Zimbabwe recorded 18 new cases to bring the total number of cases to 7,526. No new deaths were reported hence the death toll still stands at 224. The number of active coronavirus cases rose 1,624 after having witnessed a reduction in the number of active cases for the past two weeks.
Covid-19: More reasons why men and the elderly are hit harder.
Men and the elderly have been found to be the most vulnerable groups when infected with Covid-19. The Covid-19 fatality rate is higher among men and the elderly, as well as those with comorbidities. Older people, as well as those with comorbidities, have been found to be more vulnerable to severe Covid-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, since the early stages of the pandemic. And more recently, it has become clear why men as a group are also hit harder by the disease. According to a latest study published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology this month, it appears that delayed immune response may drive higher Covid-19 mortality rates among men and the elderly.
Clues from immune cell response.
The researchers found that immune cell responses were not activated until after three days following the onset of infection. They also wrote that the immune cell composition and function fluctuated with viral loads, suggesting a dysfunctional antiviral response in males and the elderly. This means that varying immune responses to the virus – due to age and sex – may depend on viral load and the time-course of infection. They wrote that while these findings have important implications for the development of immunomodulatory treatments (used to help regulate or normalise the immune system) for Covid-19, further studies are needed as swabs were taken from the nasopharynx.
According to the authors, this is not a sensitive anatomic location for accurately studying markers of systemic inflammation in Covid-19 patients. Health 24
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