Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.
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WHO reports record one-day rise in global coronavirus cases, up over 338 000
The World Health Organisation reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases on Thursday, with the total rising by 338 779 in 24 hours.
Deaths rose by 5 514 to a total of 1.05 million.
India reported 78 524 new cases, followed by Brazil at 41 906 and the United States with 38 904 new infections.
The previous WHO record for new cases was 330 340 on 2 October. The agency reported a record 12 393 deaths on April 17.
-REUTERS
Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 36.24 million, death toll at 1 054 024
More than 36.24 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1 054 024 have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
-REUTERS
Pence tests negative for virus on Thursday
US Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday, a senior administration official said.
Pence participated in a debate on Wednesday night with Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris and was to attend two campaign events in Nevada and Arizona on Thursday.
- REUTERS
Italy tops 4 000 daily coronavirus cases for first time since mid-April
Italy has registered 4 458 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Thursday, the first time the country has exceeded 4 000 cases in a single day since mid-April.
There were also 22 Covid-related deaths on Thursday against 31 the day before - far fewer than at the height of the pandemic in Italy in March and April.
Italy was the first country in Europe to be slammed by Covid-19 and has the second-highest death toll in the continent, with 36 083 dying since the outbreak flared in February, according to official figures.
Thanks to one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the government managed to get the contagion under control by the summer, but new infections have been picking up for the last three months and are now rising strongly.
They increased by around 1 000 on Wednesday, when there were more than 3 000 daily cases for the first time since 24 April.
Italy is still recording significantly fewer daily cases than several other large European countries, such as France, Spain and Britain.
The last time Italy saw more than 4 000 cases in a day was on was 12 April, with 4 092 infections reported around a month before the government allowed restaurants, bars and shops to reopen. On that same day, some 431 people died.
-REUTERS
Britain reports 17 540 new cases of Covid-19
The United Kingdom recorded 17 540 new daily cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, up from the 14 162 it reported the day before, government data showed.
A further 77 people died after testing positive for the virus within 28 days, the data showed.
-REUTERS
Russia recommends people stay at home this weekend due to coronavirus - RIA
Russia's Health Ministry issued a recommendation on Thursday that Russians stay at home this weekend because of a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases, the RIA news agency reported.
Russia reported 11 493 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, just short of the most confirmed in a single day during the pandemic, pushing the overall total to 1 260 112.
-REUTERS
Enough doses of Covid-19 vaccine could be made for US by March to April - HHS
Enough doses of a coronavirus vaccine could be manufactured by March to April next year for every American who wants one, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Thursday.
There could be up to 100 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine by year-end, enough to cover especially vulnerable populations, Azar said at Goldman Sachs Healthcare virtual conference.
Azar also said tens to hundreds of thousand doses of Regeneron's antibody treatment could be ready for use this fall, pending the US Food and Drug Administration's authorisation.
-REUTERS
Covid-positive Trump says 'no' to virtual debate
US President Donald Trump, who is still being treated for Covid-19, said Thursday he will refuse to take part in the presidential debate next week after it was switched to a virtual format.
"I'm not going to do a virtual debate," he told Fox Business News, saying this was "not acceptable to us."
He accused the bipartisan organisers of trying to "protect" his opponent Joe Biden, who won the chaotic first exchange on 29 September by a wide margin, according to most instant polls.
The Biden campaign said the former vice president looked forward to "speaking directly to the American people," apparently open to the virtual format.
The Commission on Presidential Debates said earlier it was making the change so as to "protect the health and safety of all involved."
It said the debate would have a town hall structure, with the candidates in remote locations.
Trump tested positive for Covid last week and spent three days in the hospital before returning to the White House on Monday evening.
Even though he was still contagious he dramatically removed his mask upon arriving at the mansion and posed for photographers.
Biden has a comfortable lead over Trump in nationwide polls and in most of the key battleground states ahead of the 3 November election.
In other remarks to Fox, Trump said he sees "really good" odds of reaching a deal with Democrats in Congress on a new round of coronavirus stimulus for the battered US economy.
Productive talks"We're starting to have some very productive talks," he said, referring specifically to assistance for airlines and $1 200 checks for workers.
"We're talking about a bigger deal than airlines," he told Fox Business News. "I think we have a really good chance of doing something."
House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have been negotiating a huge, new relief package for weeks but differ on how much to spend.
On Tuesday evening Trump abruptly called an end to the talks, saying Pelosi was not negotiating in good faith.
After an outcry from both parties and from business leaders, Trump changed gears and called for Congress to "immediately" pass standalone legislation to extend aid for airline workers and small businesses.
He also said he would back another round of $1 200 stimulus payments for households.
Trump's interview came the morning after Vice President Mike Pence and Biden's running mate Kamala Harris faced off in person in their only debate, separated by a plexiglass screen to protect against coronavirus infection.
Harris called Trump's Covid-19 response a historic failure that disqualified him from a second term, while Pence depicted her as an extreme leftist. The pandemic has killed more than 210 000 people in the US.
The clash was pointed but civil - a far cry from last week's raucous first debate between the principals, with Trump frequently interrupting and talking over Biden.
-AFP
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