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Joe Myers
How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now reached more than 18.8 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths now stands at more than 700,000.

Pubs and restaurants in the Scottish city of Aberdeen have been closed to tackle an outbreak of COVID-19 cases.

Viet Nam’s deputy health minister said yesterday that the country’s coronavirus outbreak is expected to peak in the next 10 days.

The US government is set to pay Johnson & Johnson over $1 billion for 100 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, the company said.

British manufacturing and services businesses grew at their fastest rate in more than 5 years in July, suggesting a recovery from the COVID-19 lockdown.

Chicago’s children will be taught online when schools reopen in September.

WHO’s message to world’s youth
In an online discussion, Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme, called on young people to take more responsibility.

“Ask yourself the question: do I really need to go to that party?” he said, reports Reuters.

Young people are often reluctant to give details or disclose friends’ names to contact tracers, added Ryan. “It’s tough, but it is what is needed to stop the virus.”

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the organization’s technical lead for COVID-19, also said that as well reducing risk to others, care was needed as even a mild case might have long-term consequences.

New York City announces checkpoints
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news briefing yesterday that the city will put up checkpoints at key entry points to the city. They’ll ensure that travelers from 35 other US states comply with the city’s 14-day quarantine.

“Travelers coming in from those states will be given information about the quarantine and will be reminded that it is required, not optional,” de Blasio said. Fines for failing to observe the quarantine are as high as $10,000.

Teams will be at Penn Station in Manhattan from today to ensure travelers complete a travel form, said Dr. Ted Long – who is overseeing the city’s contact tracing programme.

“We’re going to offer you things like free food delivery, help with medications, direct connections to doctors by the phone, or even a hotel stay,” he added.

Around a fifth of new cases in the city are from out-of-state, but the city’s infection rate has been under 3 percent for the last 8 weeks, said de Blasio. – The World Economic Forum