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2 hours ago
Mexico reports more than 5,200 new cases of covid-19
By Karol Suarez
Mexico registered 5,267 new cases of covid-19 and 626 deaths related to the virus on Wednesday.
This brings the country's total to 573,888 cases and 62,076 deaths.
Mexico has reported the third highest number of deaths from coronavirus, behind only the United States and Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Within Latin America, Mexico has had the third highest number of total cases, after Brazil and Peru.
6 hours ago
Fauci says he was in surgery when the task force discussed the new CDC testing guidelines.
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
(Credit: KEVIN DIETSCH / AFP via Getty Images)
Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said he was in surgery and was not part of the discussion during the August 20 task force meeting when updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA.
"I was under general anesthesia in the operating room and I did not participate in any discussion or deliberation on the new testing recommendations," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN. “I am concerned about the interpretation of these recommendations, and I am concerned that it gives people the incorrect assumption that asymptomatic spread is not of great concern. Of course".
Fauci underwent surgery Thursday morning to remove a polyp on his vocal cord. He was given general anesthesia and doctors advised him to stop talking for a while to allow his vocal cords to heal.
Some context: US Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services Dr. Brett Giroir said during a phone call with reporters on Wednesday that the CDC's updated guidance on testing for Covid-19 was discussed and approved. for the last time by members of the White House coronavirus task force last Thursday.
Giroir said in the call that the updated testing guidelines originated within the CDC and were written by multiple authors, adding that he, Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx, and Dr. Stephen Hahn worked on them.
“The new guidelines are an action of the CDC. As always, the guidelines received proper attention, consultation, and input from the experts on the task force, and I mean medical and scientific experts, ”said Giroir, also mentioning CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield. "All the experts on the task force advise on matters related to the coronavirus."
The updated guidelines were released Monday. The CDC's previous testing guide said that anyone who has had close contact with someone with coronavirus should be tested, whether or not they have symptoms. The site was changed to read: 'If you have been in close contact (within 6 feet) of a person with a COVID-19 infection for at least 15 minutes, but have no symptoms, you do not necessarily need a test unless you are a vulnerable person or your healthcare provider or state or local public health officials recommend that you take one.
A senior federal health official close to the process told CNN on Wednesday that the changes came as a result of pressure from the Trump administration. "It comes from above," said the source.
8 hours ago
One Expert Says CDC's New Testing Guidelines Are "The Wrong Measure"
By Andrea Diaz
New guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that appear to advocate for fewer coronavirus tests are likely a wrong step, an infectious disease expert said Wednesday.
Testing is a cornerstone in controlling outbreaks of any infectious disease, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Infectious Diseases, told CNN Newsroom.
“I think we need to fully understand one of the best interventions that we have against covid-19 at the moment, in addition to the masks and distancing, it is testing, it is the triad, it is the things we have to do. So anything I defend for less evidence rather than more is probably the wrong decision, ”Walensky said.
"I mean where the CDC guidance really falls short is they talk about antibody testing, they talk about diagnostic testing, and even seven months later, we don't have any guidance on surveillance testing," added Walensky. "When we have so many asymptomatic diseases spreading new infections, we need to do surveillance tests."
A little more context: CDC guidelines suggest that most people without symptoms do not need to be tested, even after being exposed to someone with the virus.
The important thing, Walensky said, is the timing of testing.
"I think the CDC guidelines, I question, and I would say that a test is needed after exposure," Walensky said. "I advocate calling your doctor, calling a public health authority, to say when is the best time to get tested after I've been exposed."
11 hours ago
FDA Approves New Saliva Test to Detect Covid-19
By Melissa Alonnso
The FDA has approved a new saliva-based COVID-19 test developed in Missouri, Governor Mike Parson announced in a briefing Wednesday. This new COVID-19 test was developed by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and is "A major development in test technology and it will help us continue to increase test volumes and improve response time for test results," said Parson.
Missouri officials "have focused on significantly increasing access to testing across COVID-19, increasing testing volumes from 15,000 per week in early April to more than 90,000 per week today," according to Parson.
"We look forward to more updates in the coming days on how this technology can and will be used to increase covid testing in Missouri," said the Governor.
13 hours ago
The government of Panama announces a new reactivation schedule
By Elizabeth González
(STR / AFP via Getty Images)
The Minister of Health of Panama, Luis Francisco Sucre, reported on Tuesday that the government plans to lift the mobility restriction by gender on September 14.
At a press conference, the official added that the government's plans include eliminating the curfew and quarantine on Sundays, starting October 12.
On that same day, international aviation, hotels and tourist activities would be reactivated, among other complementary services.
These dates are part of the new reactivation calendar approved by the Cabinet Council.
The updated plan would begin on September 7 with the opening of the construction industry and related activities, as well as the Colon Free Zone and the Panama Pacific Special Economic Area, to name a few.
The Panamanian government's decision was based on current biosafety indicators, but the Minister of Health explained that compliance with the dates will depend on maintaining these parameters.
These include that the index on the reproduction time of the coronavirus is 1 or less than 1; that the fatality rate is less than 3%; and that the availability of hospital beds is at least 20%.
If the program is complied with, on September 21 federative sports activities will be allowed without public, and on September 28, consumers will be able to enter retail stores, restaurants and inns.
The government of Panama will also authorize trips to beaches, rivers and natural parks as of September 28.
However, for now there are a number of activities that are not included in the plan, such as the opening of cinemas, theaters, gyms, bars and discos, as well as schools, universities and kindergartens.
The Ministry of Health of Panama registered in the last 24 hours about 13 deaths from covid-19, reaching a total of 1,919 people who lost their lives due to the disease since the pandemic began.
The country registers 88,381 infections of the new coronavirus until Tuesday.
12 hours ago
New York to launch the "Bridge to School Plan" focused on children's mental health
By Sheena Jones
(Michael Loccisano / Getty Images)
New York City is launching the "Bridge to School Plan" designed to help students with their mental health needs when they return to school, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.
The plan is a citywide strategy to help children cope and learn, according to the mayor.
The "Bridge to School Plan" will include a program to assist students, training for teachers and resources for in-person and distance learning, de Blasio explained.
Mayor de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray, spoke about social and emotional learning in classrooms last year and how teachers will receive additional training this year.
"There is no health without mental health," said Mayor de Blasio.
De Blasio added that the new training will be available to teachers when they need it. The 1,600 principals across the city have been trained to help with mental and emotional health needs over the summer, said New York City Schools Principal Richard Carranza.
12 hours ago
Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Guatemala exceed 70,000
A worker digs graves for Covid-19 victims in the municipal cemetery of Mixco, Guatemala, on August 6, 2020 (Johan Ordonez / AFP via Getty Images).
Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Guatemala reached 70,714 and deaths totaled 2,662, the Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday.
The Central American country reported 1,067 new cases and 32 deaths in the last 24 hours.
12 hours ago
Italy records the largest increase in active covid-19 cases since April
By Nicola Ruotolo
(Vincenzo Pinto / AFP via Getty Images)
Italy has seen a new jump in covid-19 infections, with 1,039 new active cases reported in the last 24 hours. This is the largest daily increase since April 16, according to data from the Italian Health Ministry published on Wednesday.
That brings the total number of active cases to 20,753, up from the 20,000 mark that had not been surpassed since late June.
Another 13 people have died in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 35,458, while 314 patients have recovered, for a total of 206,329 recoveries.
The total number of covid-19 cases, which also includes deaths and recoveries, has increased by 1,367 in the last day, bringing the total to 262,540. That's the biggest daily increase since May 12 and indicates an upward trend in cases over the past week.
13 hours ago
Florida publishes daily covid-19 figures: 3,220 new cases and 153 additional deaths
By Dan Shepherd
Florida health authorities report 3,220 new cases of covid-19 and 153 additional resident deaths on Wednesday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
So far the state reports 602,113 coronavirus cases among Florida residents and 608,722 total cases statewide.
The Department of Health reports that the total number of deaths from covid-19 in the state is 10,733 among Florida residents. 153 new deaths were reported, 30 fewer than yesterday's count.
More than 4.4 million covid-19 tests have been done in Florida, 86% of them negative. There are 4,430 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in the state.
These numbers were released by the Florida public health agency, and may not exactly line up in real time with the CNN database pulled from Johns Hopkins University and the Covid Tracking Project.
13 hours ago
Spanish student union announces national strike over conditions for returning to classes
By Laura PĂ©rez Maestro
Spanish students announced Wednesday that they will go on strike over the conditions established for the return to schools in September.
The student union explained, through its official Twitter account, its demands for smaller classes and hiring teachers.
They will go on strike on September 16, 17 and 18.
The Spanish Ministry of Education has not yet issued its final recommendations for the start of classes.
The Minister of Education, Isabel Celaá, will meet on Thursday with representatives of the regional governments to agree on the final security measures and the procedures to follow.
In an interview with a Spanish radio on Wednesday, Celaá advanced that children from the age of 6 will have to wear masks while they are at school, that the "bubble system" will be put into operation and that classes will have to be ventilated and disinfected often.
18 hours ago
The pope will resume public hearings starting next week
By Hada Messia
Pope Francis will resume his regular Wednesday public appearances next week (starting Sept. 2), the Vatican announced, the first since the coronavirus shutdown began there in March.
The hearings will not be held in the Plaza de San Pedro, but in the courtyard of San Dámaso inside the Apostolic Palace.
It is unclear how many people will be able to attend the hearing.
20 hours ago
Germany reports increase in coronavirus infections from abroad
By Nadine Schmidt
More than 40% of people who recently tested positive for coronavirus in Germany were likely infected abroad, according to data from the country's infectious disease agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), reported Tuesday night.
According to the latest figures, the proportion of new cases related to international travel has increased dramatically since the borders began to reopen and now stands at 42%.
Many of the cases have been linked to Kosovo, Croatia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria, according to the RKI.
But the center also noted that people who have been abroad are screened more often than the rest of the population.
What's happening in Germany: On Wednesday, Germany reported 1,576 new covid-19 infections, according to the RKI, bringing the total count to 236,429 cases and 9,280 deaths.
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said that if the number of confirmed infections per 100,000 residents exceeds 35 over a seven-day period, the authorities will ban the sale of alcohol after 9 p.m. and after 11 p.m., the Consumption of alcohol in public will be prohibited.
23 hours ago
India has registered more than 1.5 million new cases in August alone
By Esha Mitra
India has recorded more than 1.5 million new coronavirus cases in the month of August so far, according to a CNN tally of data from the country's Ministry of Health.
The country recorded 67,151 new COVID-19 cases and 1,059 deaths on Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced on Wednesday.
That brings the total number of cases recorded since the pandemic began to more than 3.2 million, including 59,449 deaths, and means that nearly half of the coronavirus cases in India have been reported in August alone.
The South Asian nation has reported 60,000 new daily cases and more than 800 coronavirus-related deaths daily for eight consecutive days.
India has stepped up its coronavirus testing lately, with more than 18 million tests conducted so far in August, according to a CNN tally of data provided by the Indian Council for Medical Research.
Recovered patients: More than 2.4 million people have recovered from the virus in India, the Health Ministry said.
In the country, not all patients require a test to be considered recovered. Patients with mild and moderate symptoms are no longer considered active after 10 days of symptom onset if they meet certain conditions, and a test is not required to confirm that they no longer have the virus. However, severe cases can only be discharged after a negative coronavirus test.
23 hours ago
More than 1,300 health workers have died from covid-19 in Mexico
By Karol Suárez
(Photo by PEDRO PARDO / AFP via Getty Images)
More than 1,300 health workers have died from coronavirus in Mexico since the start of the pandemic, the country's Health Secretariat reported Tuesday.
The secretariat also reported 4,916 new cases of covid-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number confirmed in the country to 568,621.
650 more deaths were also confirmed, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country to 61,450, including 1,320 healthcare workers.
Mexico braces for a rebound in cases: On Monday, Undersecretary of Health Hugo LĂłpez-Gatell said the country should expect to see a marked increase in new daily cases after expanding the criteria for detecting suspected covid-19 cases. .
Starting Tuesday, patients will only have to report one symptom of Covid-19 to be identified as a suspected case, Lopez-Gatell said. New symptoms added to the criteria include loss of smell, loss of taste, and diarrhea.
24 hours ago
The United States reports more than 38,000 new cases
By CNN
The United States reported 38,148 new COVID-19 cases and 1,232 virus-related deaths on Tuesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
That brings the country's total to at least 5,777,684 cases and 178,477 related deaths.
Totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.
1 day ago
Brazil reports more than 47,000 new cases of covid-19
By Rodrigo Pedroso and Sharif Paget
Brazil's Ministry of Health reported at least 47,134 new cases of covid-19 in the last 24 hours on Tuesday, bringing the country's total to 3,669,995.
The ministry also reported 1,271 new deaths from coronavirus, bringing the death toll in the country to 116,580.
This occurs when the eldest son of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio Bolsonaro, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to his press officer. Bolsonaro's son, who is a senator, has reported no symptoms and currently works from his home in Brasilia.
Brazil remains second after the United States with the highest total number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world.
1 day ago
Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, tests positive for coronavirus
By Ravi Ubha and Aleks Klosok
(Photo by Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Usain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus and the government of his native Jamaica says the fastest man on the planet will not escape punishment if he broke the rules stemming from a party celebrated for his 34th birthday on Friday, according to Jamaica's health minister. .
"It is now public knowledge that Mr. Bolt has tested positive," Dr. Christopher Tufton, Jamaica's Minister of Health and Welfare, said at a virtual press conference on Monday.
“It has been formally notified - I was told - by the authorities and according to standard protocols once there is a positive case, regardless of the person, it triggers a questioning approach, interrogation if you will, which would then continue with the tracking of contacts, ”Tufton said.
Ricky Simms, Bolt's agent, confirmed his positive test to CNN.
"The covid test was positive, but Usain does not show any symptoms," he wrote to CNN in an email.
Bolt, a world record holder in the 100 and 200 meters and an eight-time Olympic gold medalist, had posted a video on social media the Monday before the test results.
He had been tested on Saturday, he said, and he was not showing any symptoms. He intended to quarantine himself and urged those around him to isolate themselves as well.
"I did a test on Saturday because I have a job," Bolt said. “I am trying to be responsible, so I will stay home and do it for my friends. Besides, I have no symptoms.
“I will quarantine myself and wait to see what the protocol is… Until then… I am quarantined alone and taking things easy. Stay safe out there.
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