(Photo: Flickr / Yvonne) 
The US added 106,570 Covid-19 cases, almost 8,000 fewer than the week’s previous low, suggesting that the declining trend in infections is continuing. A new study warns of “further surges” in the US as the coronavirus variant first found in the UK likely to become the dominant strain.
Vaccine developers said they are working on a new shot to combat the South African strain after early data suggested AstraZeneca’s product has limited efficacy against mild disease caused by the variant. South Africa plans to fast-track the roll-out of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine after it showed more efficacy against the variant that makes up more than 90% of new cases.
Germany reported a drop in the pace of new virus cases, though the economy minister dampened hopes for a quick end to restrictions in Europe’s largest economy. Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, will go into lockdown after the South African variant was detected.
Key developments:
- Global Tracker: Cases exceed 105.9 million; deaths pass 2.3 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 128 million shots given worldwide
- ECB President Christine Lagarde sees a recovery in the summer
- Chronic Covid and convalescent plasma may boost mutation risk
- Where did Covid come from? Investigator foreshadows fresh clues
California deaths decline
California reported 295 new fatalities, the lowest this month and below the rolling 14-day average of 510, the health department said on its website. New cases numbered 15,064, compared with the 14-day average of 16,198. The total number of Covid-19 cases now tops 3.3 million, with 43,942 deaths.
The state’s 14-day positive test rate continued its descent, dropping to 6.1%, the lowest since November 28. The state has administered about 44 million coronavirus tests in total.
South Africa to speed up use of J&J shot
South Africa plans to fast-track the roll-out of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine after it showed more efficacy against a new variant that’s prevalent in more than 90% of new cases in the country, according to Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council.
The move comes after trial data released on Sunday showed that a shot developed by AstraZeneca has limited efficacy against the mutation that was identified late last year. Even though South Africa received its first vaccines this month with the arrival of AstraZeneca’s product, its use should temporarily be suspended, Barry Schoub, chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines, said on Sunday in an online briefing.
France aims to vaccinate four million by March
France aims to vaccinate up to four million by the end of this month, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said in an interview on CNews, without clarifying if this target included the shots from both Pfizer and Moderna.
The number of deaths due to the virus fell for a sixth day in a row to 171, according to Sante Publique France. New virus cases are still hovering around 20,000 a day. “We’re seeing a stabilisation of new cases but the situation remains fragile,” Attal said.
UK minister says all over-50s will be vaccinated by May
The UK is on track to vaccinate all over-50s by May, with almost 1,000 people a minute receiving shots during the busiest period, Health Minister Nadhim Zahawi said.
Zahawi, who is responsible for the vaccine roll-out, said the rate of 979 doses a minute was reached between 11am and 12pm on Saturday.
Quebec reaches 10,000 Covid deaths
Quebec, Canada’s second-largest province by population, has become the first region in the country to record more than 10,000 Covid-19 deaths, reporting 32 fatalities on Sunday. The milestone was passed as hospitalisations have started to decline in the last two weeks, Health Minister Christian Dube said on Twitter.
Chicago teachers, mayor have tentative deal, Tribune reports
Chicago Public Schools and the city’s mayor reached a tentative agreement with teachers to resume in-person learning, which if finalised would narrowly avert a strike, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing people familiar.
The move in the third-largest US district comes as tensions escalate coast to coast between unions fearing the spread of Covid-19 and local officials under pressure to resume in-person teaching.
New vaccine in works to fight South Africa variant
Vaccine developers said they are working on a new shot to combat the South African strain of coronavirus after early data suggested AstraZeneca’s product has limited efficacy against mild disease caused by the variant.
There isn’t yet enough information from research to show whether the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is effective at preventing severe Covid-19 cases, hospitalisation and deaths, the company said in a statement.
Sarah Gilbert, leading the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine programme, said work was already under way to adapt the vaccine to deal specifically with the South African variant. The new shot is “very likely” to be available by autumn, she said.
Study predicts US spread of UK variant
A new study warns of “further surges” in the US as the coronavirus variant first found in the UK is likely to become the dominant strain.
The B.1.1.7 variant is 35-40% more transmissible, the study says, and “will likely become the dominant variant in many US states by March 2021, leading to further surges of Covid-19 in the country, unless urgent mitigation efforts are immediately implemented.”
The study was carried out by a team of virologists in the US in association with the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. It echoed the same warning last month by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the variant’s rapid spread. The variant has been found in at least 30 US states.
UK new cases lowest in two months
The UK reported 15,845 new cases on Sunday, the lowest daily total since December. 8. Another 373 people died within 28 days of a positive test, a six-week low. Reporting delays often result in lower figures on weekends. More than 12 million people have received the first dose of a vaccine after almost 550,000 shots were administered on Saturday.
Italy cases slow as restrictions ease
Italy reported 11,641 new cases, slightly lower than the previous day as the nation continues its vaccination drive. The positive test rate was stable around 5.6%. Another 270 people died. It was the first weekend with bars and restaurants open across most of the country, and the boost for the sector was about €200 million, Ansa reported.
Yellen sees full employment with Biden’s stimulus
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the US can return to full employment in 2022 if it enacts a robust enough coronavirus stimulus package, but otherwise risks a slower rebound in jobs and the economy.
“I’m afraid that the job market is stalling,” she said on CBS’s Face the Nation, in one of two Sunday-morning interviews.
New York’s surge shows signs of easing
New York state’s recent virus surge continued to show signs of slowing. Hospitalisations declined again, to 7,649, the lowest since Christmas Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. The positive test rate dropped to 4%, the lowest since November and half the rate of early last month. The state reported 10,025 new cases, a decline from the previous day and roughly half the record of January 14. Another 143 people died.
US cases slow sharply
The US added 106,570 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, almost 8,000 fewer than the week’s previous low, suggesting that the declining trend in infections is continuing. While testing has slowed over the past month, according to the Covid Tracking Project, the latest number compares with an average of some 177,000 daily new cases in the US over the preceding four weeks. The numbers are based on nationwide data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg.
Another 2,778 people of Covid-related illness, bringing the US toll to more than 462,000.
Norway’s Bergen to go into lockdown
Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen, will go into lockdown after transmission of the South African virus variant was detected at construction sites. Shops, cafes, restaurants, gyms and museums will close, and all events were banned in the city and two nearby municipalities for one week from 6pm on Sunday.
Germany new cases lowest in four days
Germany added 8,632 new Covid-19 cases, the lowest number in four days. The number of deaths rose by 65 to 61,389, which on weekends can be distorted as official reporting is slower than on weekdays. The R number held below the key level of one for a fifth day, with the seven-day incidence declining for a sixth day to 75.6.
Economy Minister Peter Altmaier dampened hopes for a quick end to social restrictions in Europe’s largest economy, indicating in an interview with Bild that it could take another six to eight weeks until shops and restaurants will again be allowed to open.
Hong Kong worries about Lunar New Year
Hong Kong health officials expressed worries about large family gatherings and celebratory public markets ahead of the Lunar New Year festival in the coming days as it reported 27 new coronavirus cases on Sunday.
“It’s a source of worry for us because with all the festivities we know people will want to come together, meet up with relatives or spend time at new years markets,” Chuang Shuk-kwan, the head of the Health Department’s communicable disease branch, told reporters.
UK considering vaccinating some at work
UK ministers are considering proposals to vaccinate millions of people in frontline roles – including teachers and emergency services – under the age of 50 at work from the spring, the Telegraph reported, citing unidentified government sources.
Under the plan, delivery drivers, supermarket and food processing factory workers, would jump to the front of the queue for jobs, according to the newspaper. Prison staff, police officers and even jurors may also be prioritised.
France minister ‘agnostic’ on Russian vaccine
France’s Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said she’s “agnostic” on the Russian shot, adding that any jab “that’s ready and that presents the safety and efficacy conditions is welcome in Europe”. During an interview on France Info TV on Sunday, Pannier-Runacher also said that virus circulation in France is relatively low compared to other European countries.
“We have a number of cases that’s stabilised, on a high plateau, but it’s stabilised, so we’re lucky that we don’t have to go into another lockdown.”
France also plans to stick to its goal of vaccinating the “vulnerable” population by June, representing around 15 million, she added. DM
— With assistance by Ian Fisher, Niclas Rolander, Abeer Abu Omar, Sara Marley, Chiara Albanese, Angelina Rascouet, and Virginia Van Natta.
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