Japan Finds New Variant; U.K. Jabs on Track: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) --

The U.K. is on the road to meeting its target for vaccines, but faces pressure on the health service due to surging cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. Japan has found a variant of the coronavirus, similar to strains found in the Britain and South Africa.

Switzerland’s drug regulator may give the green light to Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine by Jan. 13. Japan’s government is reportedly considering approving Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, while India will kickstart one of the world’s largest coronavirus inoculation campaigns on Jan. 16.

The U.S. reported more than 269,000 virus cases for Saturday, down slightly from 287,771 new infections the previous day -- the second-highest number on record.

Key Developments:

Japan Says It Found New Coronavirus Variant (6:32 a.m. NY)

Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases said authorities have found a new strain of the coronavirus in four passengers arriving from Brazil.

The new variant has similarities to those found in the U.K. and South Africa, the NIID said in a statement Sunday. The information about the new strain is limited to its genetic make-up, and it’s difficult to determine at the moment how infectious it is, the institute said.

Iran Records Lowest Death Toll Since June (6:50 p.m. HK)

Iran recorded 71 deaths from Covid-19 over the last 24 hours, its lowest daily death toll since June 13. The number of daily new cases rose to 5,968 from 5,924 yesterday. The country now has 56,171 coronavirus fatalities in 1,286,406 confirmed infections, the Health Ministry reported.

About 81% of Germans Support Lockdown Measures, Survey Says (6:03 p.m. HK)

Four in five Germans think the Covid lockdown measures are appropriate or should be strengthened (56% and 25%, respectively), according to a survey commissioned by Bild am Sonntag.

Only 16% of respondents said the current restrictions are too strong -- that’s down from 28% of Germans in early November and 19% in late November, the newspaper said. The poll was conducted by Kantar on Jan. 6 and 7 and included 1,011 participants.

The growing approval comes as German lawmakers last week extended current measures through Jan. 31 -- and in certain instances tightened rules. The country’s infection levels have been stubbornly high for more than two months and fatalities are hitting record levels. Chancellor Angela Merkel is urging people to stay prudent in what she warns will probably be the toughest weeks of the pandemic ahead.

French Lack Confidence in Macron Virus Effort, JDD Poll Finds (5:45 p.m. HK)

A majority of French people lack confidence in the government’s ability to deal effectively with the coronavirus pandemic or manage the vaccination campaign, even after President Emmanuel Macron accelerated efforts to distribute the shots, according to a survey in newspaper Journal du Dimanche.

Didi Fined in Beijing for Virus Control Violations (5:31 p.m. HK)

An online car hailing platform of DiDi Chuxing was fined 340,000 yuan ($53,000) for failing to implement the government’s requirements on coronavirus prevention, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said at a briefing Sunday.

Poland Aims for 250,000 Jabs Next Week (5:27 p.m. HK)

Poland reported 177 new Covid deaths on Sunday, the least since Monday, with 9,410 new coronavirus cases recorded. The country has already vaccinated more than 200,000 people and is planning shots for a further 250,000 in the week to come, which would take inoculations beyond 1% of Poland’s population.

U.K. on Course for Vaccine Target, Hancock Says (5:05 p.m. HK)

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the U.K. is on course to meet its coronavirus vaccine target, but warned the surge in cases has left the state-run National Health Service in a “very, very serious situation.”

In an interview with Sky News, Hancock said more than 200,000 people are being vaccinated every day, including one-third of the over-80s regarded as the most vulnerable group to the disease. He said mass vaccination centers are opening to accelerate the rollout.

German Case Numbers Rise by 22,061 (4:17 p.m. HK)

Germany’s case numbers rose 22,061 to 1.93 million in the 24 hours through Sunday morning, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Fatalities increased by 575 to 40,597. The country issued 50,066 Covid shots yesterday, bringing the running total to 532,878 people who’ve received their first dose, according to the Robert Koch Institute public health agency.

Local Virus Cases Rise in China’s Hebei Province (3:57 p.m. HK)

The northern Chinese province of Hebei reported 40 new locally transmitted coronavirus cases, with all of them in the capital city of Shijiazhuang, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Beijing.

The provincial government gave the new numbers at a news conference Sunday, saying the figures were from midnight to 10 a.m. local time. Data from the National Health Commission earlier Sunday showed that Hebei added 46 local confirmed infections on Saturday, out of 48 local cases across China.

Switzerland May Clear Moderna Shot (03:22 p.m. HK)

Switzerland’s drug regulator is set to approve Moderna’s vaccine by Jan. 13, newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported, citing unidentified sources. Moderna will deliver 200,000 doses within one day after the approval, the paper cited Nora Kronig, an official at the country’s health authority, as saying.

Moderna’s vaccine would be the second cleared for use in Switzerland, following the nod for Pfizer-BioNTech’s product in December. Moderna’s shot already has approval from the U.S., EU and U.K.

U.S. Reports More Than 269,000 Cases (01:45 p.m. HK)

The U.S. reports more than 269,000 virus cases, down slightly from 287,771 new infections on Friday -- the second-highest number on record, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg.

The previous high of 299,087 was recorded on Jan. 2 and was considered inflated as states reported backlogged data from over the New Year holiday.

Another 3,655 people died on Saturday.

Iran Bans U.S. Vaccine; Saudi Travel Restarts (12:19 p.m. HK)

Iran’s Supreme Leader said he was banning the purchase of coronavirus vaccines made by U.S. and U.K. companies, limiting the country’s options as it confronts the worst outbreak in the Middle East.

The number of confirmed cases in Iran stands at 1.28 million as of 6:30am Tehran, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News.

The number of fatalities in Iran is 56,100, while 1.07 million have recovered from Covid-19. It has been about 46 weeks since the first case was reported in Iran.

Saudi Arabia will allow nationals to travel abroad and return as well as resume all international flights starting March 31, state-owned Saudi Press Agency reported.

Japan Mulls Approving Pfizer Vaccine for Ages 16 and Up: NHK (10:13 a.m. HK)

Japan’s government is considering approving Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine for use by individuals aged 16 years and above, broadcaster NHK reported.

Authorities will approve the vaccine for the age group as Japan’s clinical trials are conducted on people from 20 years old, so data on those younger isn’t unavailable, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter that it didn’t identify. Inadequate data in overseas trials on people aged 15 and below, along with fewer severe Covid-19 cases among children, were also cited as reasons for excluding youngsters, NHK reported.

Pfizer and BioNTech SE, which applied for regulatory approval of their coronavirus vaccine in Japan last month, have agreed to provide 120 million doses to the country in the first half of 2021. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has saidthe government is working to start vaccinations in late February.

Mexico Reports 16,105 New Covid-19 Cases, 1,135 More Deaths (09:21 a.m. HK)

Mexico reported 16,105 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday night, bringing the total to 1,524,036, according to data released by the Health Ministry.

The country also reported 1,135 more Covid-19 deaths, bringing the total to 133,204.

As of Friday, 6,722 people in the country had been vaccinated.

Los Angeles Deaths Exceed 12,000 (9 a.m. HK)

The Greater Los Angeles area added 221 new deaths, bringing its total to 12,084. The county of 10 million reported 16,982 for a total of 906,171.

L.A. has become the epicenter of the latest wave, as ICU capacity evaporates with the surge in infections, overwhelming its health-care facilities. Almost 8,000 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized, with more than one in five of them in the ICU.

Australia’s New South Wales Reports Three New Local Cases (08:12 a.m. HK)

Australia’s New South Wales state reported three locally acquired coronavirus cases overnight, all linked to known clusters, including Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters Sunday.

The Northern Beaches region was the center of an outbreak that caused Australia’s other states to close their borders to Greater Sydney’s 5 million residents, disrupting travel plans over Christmas and the peak summer holiday season. NSW removed so-called ‘stay at home’ orders for Northern Beaches residents on Sunday.

Australia’s Queensland state recorded no new cases of coronavirus overnight as its capital city Brisbane remains in lockdown to prevent an outbreak after a cleaner at a quarantine hotel in the city was infected with the more transmissible U.K. strain, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told reporters Sunday. Palaszczuk will provide an update Monday on whether the lockdown will lift later that evening as planned, she said.

Victoria state recorded no new cases of local transmission for the fourth consecutive day.

Austin to Use Convention Center for Virus Patients (8:01 p.m. NY)

Austin, Texas is opening an “alternative care site” at its convention center as surging virus cases strain the area’s health care system.

Jason Pickett, deputy medical director for Austin Travis County, said in a tweet the center is being opened because “we believe that it is inevitable that the health care system in Central Texas will exceed capacity and will soon be overwhelmed.” The city said the center will be for patients who need less care to leave hospitals free for sicker patients.

Kentucky Passes 300,000 Cases as Governor Fights Legislators (7:39 a.m. HK)

Governor Andy Beshear announced that Kentucky had passed 300,000 Covid-19 cases as he pushed back on a state legislative effort to curb his powers to impose restrictions on businesses and schools. “This is not the time to hamper our ability to fight a deadly virus,” the Democratic governor said in a Facebook video on Saturday, in reference to a bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature.

The state reported 4,240 new cases Saturday, which Beshear said represented a “difficult milestone in our war against Covid 19.” The state broke a record for new infections on Wednesday, with 5,742 cases. The rate of positive tests is the highest since May, he said. Another 20 people died.

Brazil’s Case Trend Rises Further (5:25 p.m. NY)

Brazil’s 14-day rolling average of new cases rose for a fifth consecutive day, approaching record levels reached in August, according to Health Ministry data.

The country with the third-most confirmed infections behind the U.S. and India added 62,290 cases in Saturday’s tally for a total of almost 8.1 million. Deaths rose by 1,171 to more than 202,000. Both trends have ticked up since the start of the year.

President Jair Bolsonaro asked India to expedite a shipment of AstraZeneca Plc’s coronavirus vaccine, the Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday.

Nevada’s Deadliest Week; California Adds Record New Deaths (4:51 p.m. NY)

Nevada ended its deadliest week with more than 300 fatalities, almost 100 more than the previous week. The state reported 56 deaths on Saturday, just below the record 60 on Wednesday. With total deaths at 3,450, the Las Vegas Sun reported that Clark County, the state’s most populous, has begun deploying refrigerated trailers to funeral homes.

California reported 695 new deaths, its worst day for fatalities so far, bringing the total to 29,233. The state added 52,636 new cases, with a total of 2.6 million. Only six countries have more infections.

The surge in cases is putting a strain on California’s health-care system, where regions including Southern California have almost no ICU bed capacity.

Virginia reported a record 5,798 cases on Saturday, as hospitalizations also reached a new high, state data show. Neighboring Maryland reported 3,758 cases, among the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. Total cases for Maryland surpassed 300,000.

North Carolina reported 11,581 new cases on Saturday, breaking a record for the second time this week. Hospitalizations, which have soared as the state has become among the hardest hit in the virus’s recent wave, declined for a second day, state data show. Another 96 people died.

Arizona surpassed 10,000 fatalities amid a resurgence of the virus worse than the spike there last summer. Another 98 deaths were reported Saturday, two days after a record 297 fatalities. Hospitalizations are at an all-time high, according to the Covid Tracking Project. The state reported 11,094 new cases at the end of the week, which included a daily record of more than 17,000 new infections.

France Cases Remain Well Above Goal (2:27 p.m. NY)

France reported 20,177 new cases on Saturday, while the number of deaths increased by 171 to 67,599, according to statistics from the national health agency. While the government has been aiming to bring the number of daily new cases to below 5,000, they’ve been around four times that number most days in January, prompting officials to put more of the nation under an earlier curfew.

The government is accelerating the pace of its vaccination campaign after being criticized for a slow rollout.

Pope to Be Vaccinated (1:30 p.m. NY)

Pope Francis said there is an “ethical” obligation to be vaccinated against Covid-19 -- and that he will get one himself soon.

”I believe that ethically everyone must take the vaccine, it is an ethical option, because you stake your health, your life, but you also play the lives of others,” Pope Francis said in a prerecorded interview with the Italian broadcaster Mediaset. The pope said vaccinations will begin in the Vatican next week. “I have booked, it must be done,” he said.

N.Y. Finds Three More Cases of U.K. Variant, Cuomo Says (12:47 a.m. NY)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reported three additional cases of the more transmissible variant of the coronavirus first found in the U.K. Two are related to the first diagnosed case, a man in his 60s who lives in Saratoga County in upstate New York. The third is in Nassau County on Long Island, the governor said.

More than 50 cases have been found in half a dozen U.S. states and the number will grow -- “bet on that,” Cuomo told reporters on a conference call on Saturday.

He said vaccine distribution has sped up, with 259,000 people getting the shots so far this week, compared to 148,000 last week.

The state reported 16,943 new cases, a drop after two record-breaking days. Hospitalizations and the rate of positive tests fell. Another 188 people died.

U.K. Total Coronavirus Cases Exceed 3 Million; Deaths Top 80,000 (11:23 a.m. NY)

The U.K. became the first country in western Europe to report more than 3 million coronavirus cases, as it grapples with a new strain that’s putting pressure on its health service.

The country reported an additional 59,937 cases on Saturday, taking the total to 3,017,409. The total is the largest in Europe, and fifth-highest in the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The country passed 1 million cases on Oct. 31, which doubled seven weeks later on Dec. 19. It took just three weeks to reach 3 million cases. It has recorded more than 50,000 cases every day since Dec. 29.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Are Vaccinated (10:34 a.m. NY)

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccinations at Windsor Castle, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

The palace rarely comments of the private health matters of the Queen, 94, and her husband, 99.

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