Category Archives: Coronavirus

Anti-lockdown advocate appears on radio show that has featured Holocaust deniers

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Dr Martin Kulldorff discussed ‘Great Barrington declaration’ letter on Richie Allen Show

One of the three co-authors of a letter that calls for lockdowns to be abandoned in favour of herd immunity has appeared on a radio broadcast that previously featured multiple Holocaust deniers and antisemites.

Dr Martin Kulldorff of Harvard medical school appeared on the Richie Allen Show on 6 October to discuss the letter, described as the Great Barrington declaration, after the Massachusetts town where it was drawn up.

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Belgium facing ‘tsunami’ of Covid infections, health minister says

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Frank Vandenbroucke says situation in parts of country is ‘most dangerous in all of Europe’

Belgium is losing control of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and is very close to being overwhelmed by a “tsunami” of infection, the country’s health minister has said.

Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium’s federal minister, told the broadcaster RTL that Belgians needed to radically alter their behaviour.

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Coronavirus live news: global cases pass 40m; US cases rise in 48 states

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Johns Hopkins figures show new landmark tally; Italy introduces new restrictions; Dr Fauci not surprised that Trump caught coronavirus

Malaysian health authorities reported 865 new coronavirus cases on Monday, raising the country’s total to 21,363. The Southeast Asian country, which imposed targeted lockdowns this month as infections surged, also recorded three new deaths, bringing its total number of fatalities to 190

In the UK, the government is still facing resistance over its attempt to move Greater Manchester into a tier 3 lockdown.

The mayor, Andy Burnham, has said he is willing to resolve the impasse but won’t “just roll over” at the sight of a cheque.

Related: UK coronavirus live: Burnham says Greater Manchester resisting tier 3 as he won't 'roll over' for money

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‘This is mutilation’: Chile’s blinded protesters seek justice after Covid lockdown – video

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More than 400 people in Chile have suffered eye injuries after being shot by police while protesting against inequality. They allege that police deliberately aimed teargas canisters and rubber bullets at protesters' faces. 

We follow Carlos Puebla, a former construction worker who was blinded in one eye and subsequently lost his job. With Chile hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, he is struggling to pay the rent and feed his family. As Chile exits lockdown and inequality grows ever deeper, he heads back to the streets to seek justice 

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ALP pursues government over land deal as Coalition defends childcare scheme – as it happened

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Melburnians can now travel up to 25km and spend more time out of the house; and federal parliament resumes with Senate estimates. This blog is now closed

To recap:

In the off chance you aren’t completely fed up with Covid-19 data, the federal health department has been publishing a weekly snapshot of how each state is going.

This is an interesting tool for assessing the success of contact tracing in various states, especially as the case load in Victoria continues to drop.

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‘If it wasn’t for lockdown’: lives that changed for the better

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From a new couple buying a house to a diagnosis that helped a family reunite, five people share their positive life changes

For Rose de la Font and Aagash Vadera from Altrincham, Greater Manchester, lockdown has been a “really good acid test” for their 11-month relationship. “We figured out how to live together and resolve all the things you encounter when two lives become one,” said Vadera, 28.

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Global report: Fauci ‘absolutely not’ surprised Trump got Covid; Biden warns virus worsening

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China’s economy grows 4.9%; ‘Situation is critical’ in Italy, says PM; restrictions ease in Australian city of Melbourne

Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious diseases expert and sidelined White House coronavirus taskforce member, has said he was “absolutely not” surprised that Donald Trump contracted coronavirus, as Joe Biden warned that the coronavirus outbreak was worsening.

In an interview with 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, shortly before Trump held a rally in Nevada, Fauci said: “I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation of crowded, no separation between people, and almost nobody wearing a mask.”

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Covid: Greater Manchester running out of hospital beds, leak reveals

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NHS document shows no spare beds for patients in Salford, Stockport and Bolton

Greater Manchester is set to run out of beds to treat people left seriously ill by Covid-19, and some of the region’s 12 hospitals are already full, a leaked NHS document has revealed.

It showed that by last Friday the resurgence of the disease had left hospitals in Salford, Stockport and Bolton at maximum capacity, with no spare beds to help with the growing influx. The picture it paints ratchets up the pressure on ministers to reach a deal with local leaders over the region’s planned move to the top level of coronavirus restrictions.

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Trump attempts to save himself in battleground states as Covid cases surge

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With little more than two weeks to reverse his dismal standing in the polls, and amid a coronavirus resurgence that could sink his pursuit of a second term, Donald Trump has embarked on a tour of battleground states.

Related: Trump's hopes fade in Wisconsin as 'greatest economy' boast unravels

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US coronavirus cases surge in most states

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  • Connecticut and Florida lead the nation, with increases of 50%
  • Only Vermont and Missouri report falls in average numbers
  • US politics – live coverage

Only two US states, Vermont and Missouri, have reported falls in the average number of reported coronavirus cases over the past week. The outbreak is surging nearly everywhere else.

Related: Trump sets out to save himself in battleground states as Covid cases surge

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Covid in Europe: protests in Czech Republic, Ireland to toughen rules

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Switzerland makes masks mandatory as continent struggles to contain infections

Police fought anti-mask protesters in the Czech Republic, Ireland prepared to announce tough new restrictions and Switzerland made masks mandatory indoors as European governments struggled to contain continuing record Covid case numbers.

As Italy on Sunday reported 11,705 new infections over the past 24 hours, its largest ever figure, and France on Saturday set a new high of 32,427 cases, police in Prague’s historic tourist district fired teargas and water cannon after demonstrations against strict anti-coronavirus restrictions turned violent.

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Michael Gove accuses Andy Burnham of risking lives in Covid lockdown row – video

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The dispute between the UK government and Greater Manchester continued on Sunday after the Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, said its mayor, Andy Burnham, was risking lives by opting for 'press conferences and posturing' rather than agreeing to new coronavirus rules. Burnham has accused Boris Johnson of exaggerating the severity of the Covid-19 situation in Greater Manchester 

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Samba makes tentative return in Rio de Janeiro laid low by Covid

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Legendary sambista Moacyr Luz spent much of the pandemic confined to his beachside home but is resuming his weekly jam sessions as lockdown curbs ease

It has been seven months since Moacyr Luz, one of Brazil’s most celebrated sambistas, sat down before a live audience in the city his songs serenade.

As Covid-19 shook Luz’s homeland, killing more than 150,000 and infecting millions, it also wreaked havoc on Rio’s signature sound, with all shows scrapped, carnival postponed until a vaccine is found and several cherished samba proponents among the dead.

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Global covid report: Paris under curfew, as Europe battles soaring caseload

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Nine French cities now under month-long curfew; European cases rise 44% in a week; resistance to lockdowns in UK

Millions of Europeans faced tough new coronavirus restrictions as governments stepped up efforts to slow the surge in infections, after the World Health Organization reported a “very concerning” 44% rise in European cases over one week.

From Saturday evening, Paris and several other French cities go under a nighttime curfew that will last at least a month. England is banning mixed household gatherings in the capital and other areas, and Italy’s most populous region is limiting bar openings and suspending sports events.

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Coronavirus live news: Italy brings in new restrictions amid record cases

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Mayors will be able to impose 9pm curfews; Senior PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat in hospital; Switzerland to introduce more measures on Monday – follow live

Here’s a snapshot of the countries with the highest coronavirus cumulative cases on the African continent, via the WHO African Region dashboard.

Over 1.6 million confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent - with more than 1.3 million recoveries & 39,000 deaths cumulatively.

View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/V0fkK8dYTg pic.twitter.com/MzKYRI4gyY

The Australian state of Victoria has reported four new coronavirus cases and one further death, taking the state’s toll 817 and the national figure to 905.

It comes as the state eases its Covid restrictions, including expanding Melbourne’s 5km travel radius to 25km.

Yesterday there were 4 new cases & sadly the loss of 1 life reported. Condolences to all those affected. Cases with unknown source & average in Regional are stable, Metro average decreased slightly. More info available later today. https://t.co/eTputEZdhs #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/hJpnTBpQ76

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New Zealand’s three-week streak without local Covid case ends as port worker falls ill

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Jacinda Ardern says case is an example of the system working, as Dr Ashley Bloomfield urges continued vigilance

After 22 days of no new Covid-19 cases in the community, a port worker in New Zealand has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The case is a New Zealand man who worked at the ports of Taranaki and Auckland and began showing symptoms on Friday, before testing positive on Saturday evening.

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Victoria’s Covid restrictions ease as Daniel Andrews reveals 25km travel bubble and scraps exercise time limit

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Melbourne to resume real estate auctions and reopen hairdressers and outdoor sporting facilities as state records two new cases

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Melbourne’s 5km travel radius will expand to 25km from midnight under eased restrictions announced by the state’s premier Daniel Andrews.

From 11.59pm on Sunday, residents of the city who have been under lockdown for more than 100 days will be able to travel up to 25km for either exercise or shopping.

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Biden accuses Trump of trying to wish away Covid ahead of Wisconsin rally – as it happened

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Here’s a summary of the latest events:

Mitch McConnell announced Saturday that the Senate will vote Tuesday on a Paycheck Protection Plan funding bill and Wednesday on the same $500bn Covid-19 aid package that Democrats blocked last month on the grounds that it didn’t go far enough.

“It is long past time for the two parties to agree where we can and get more money out the door,” the Senate majority leader said in a statement.

I just announced the Senate will vote next week on hundreds of billions more dollars for relief programs that Democrats do not even oppose. Working families have already waited too long for Speaker Pelosi’s Marie Antoinette act to stop. Let's make law. pic.twitter.com/iR7OYKuCKw

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Are we near to having a vaccine for Covid-19?

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Even a once bullish PM is now not so optimistic but there are promising signs of a vaccine on the horizon

In March, Boris Johnson said we would turn the tide in 12 weeks and “send the coronavirus packing” and by May ministers were boasting of having a vaccine by September. Last week the prime minister sounded far less confident, telling MPs that there was still no vaccine for SARS, 18 years after it emerged. A vaccine may not be far away though.

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