H5N1

Covid-19 in the US on November 6: 132,797 new cases, 1,223 new deaths

The pandemic continues. Via The New York Times: Covid in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count. Excerpt:

At least 1,223 new coronavirus deaths and 132,797 new cases were reported in the United States on Nov. 6. Over the past week, there has been an average of 100,991 cases per day, an increase of 57 percent from the average two weeks earlier.  

As of Saturday evening, more than 9,948,400 people in the United States have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 237,500 have died, according to a New York Times database. 

Case numbers in the United States have been spiking for weeks. Weekly infection reports reached record levels in more than half the country in early November, and there were almost no hopeful signs in the data. 

As conditions worsened and winter approached, some governors in the Northeast issued stay-at-home advisories. In Iowa, exhausted hospital leaders pleaded with residents to wear masks and avoid crowds. And in both rural counties and major cities, infections continued rising to fearsome new levels with no end in sight.

Deaths, though still well below their peak spring levels, averaged more than 800 per day in early November, far more than were reported in early July.

COVID-19 on Saturday afternoon: 49,688,351 cases, 1,248,150 deaths

A screenshot from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) dashboard:

Given current US case counts, the Americans will likely reach 10 million cases Sunday night or Monday. The world will reach 50 million cases tonight or early Sunday.

Six countries report COVID-19 on mink farms, WHO says

This is a rapidly developing story, and not an encouraging one. Via CTV News, an AFP report: Six countries reported coronavirus on mink farms, WHO says. Excerpt:

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Denmark and the United States are among six countries that have reported new coronavirus cases linked to mink farms, the World Health Organization said.  

Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden are the other nations to have discovered SARS-CoV-2 in minks, WHO said in a statement. 

Denmark has imposed strict measures on the north of the country after warning that a mutation of the virus had jumped from minks to humans and infected 12 people. 

Copenhagen has warned the mutation could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine and has ordered the slaughter of all the estimated 15-17 million minks in the country. 

Britain on Saturday banned entry to all non-resident foreigners coming from Denmark after the mutation linked to mink farms was found in humans. 

Scientists say virus mutations are common and often harmless, and this one doesn't cause a more severe illness in humans. 

But Danish health authorities have expressed concern this strain, known as "Cluster 5", is not inhibited by antibodies to the same degree as the normal virus, which they fear could threaten the efficacy of vaccines that are being developed across the globe.

Wisconsin: Mink farms in Taylor County under quarantine after 5,000 COVID-19 deaths

Despite the good news this morning, bad news is also coming in. Thanks to Brenda Beagi for sending the link to this November 6 report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mink farms in Taylor County under quarantine after 5,000 COVID deaths. Excerpt:

Two mink farms in Taylor County are under quarantine after animals in the facilities tested positive for ARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans.  

Between the two farms, more than 5,400 mink have died, said Kevin Hoffman, the public information officer for the state Division of Animal Health.  

The virus was confirmed at the first farm in early October when a dead mink tested positive for the disease. The farm was quarantined at that point, meaning no animals or animal parts could leave the premises. It's believed the virus jumped from a human to the animals, Hoffman said, but an investigation into the transfer is still underway.  

The outbreak at the second farm was found more recently, Hoffman said. It is not believed that the virus jumped from the first farm to the second.  

Mink are members of the Mustelidae family that also includes weasels, badgers, otters, marten and wolverines. Wisconsin is one of the top producers of mink pelts in the U.S., Hoffman said. State officials are worried about the outbreaks and are regularly communicating with the state's 19 mink farms. 

Aspirin to be tested in UK as potential COVID-19 treatment

Via The Guardian: Aspirin to be tested in UK as potential coronavirus treatment | World news | The Guardian.

Thousands of coronavirus patients in Britain will be given aspirin as part of a trial to determine whether the painkiller can reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots.  

The cheap and widely available drug has been added to a list of potential treatments to be tested as part of the Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 therapy (Recovery) trial, one of the biggest in Britain. 

People infected with coronavirus seem to have hyper-reactive platelets, the cell fragments that help stop bleeding, which means that they are at higher risk of potentially deadly blood clots, scientists say. 

Experts hope that aspirin, an anti-platelet agent which is commonly used as a blood thinner, can reduce the possibility of clotting complications.  

“Aspirin is widely used to prevent blood clots in many other conditions, including heart attack, stroke, and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women,” said Prof Martin Landray, co-chief investigator of the trial.  

“But enrolling patients in a randomised trial such as Recovery is the only way to assess whether there are clear benefits for patients with Covid-19 and whether those benefits outweigh any potential side-effects such as the risk of bleeding.”  

At least 2,000 patients are expected to get 150mg of aspirin daily along with the usual regimen. Data from those patients will be compared with at least 2,000 other patients who receive the standard Covid-19 treatment on its own.

Why COVID-19 cases are surging across Canada and what needs to be done

Via CBC News: Why COVID-19 cases are surging across Canada and what needs to be done. Excerpt:

Six weeks ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the country was at a "crossroads" in the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Now, with cases spiking in regions that were practically untouched by the virus in the first wave, it appears we've taken a wrong turn.  

There have been more than 100,000 new cases of COVID-19 and over 1,000 more deaths in this country since Trudeau made those comments. 

The percentage of COVID-19 tests across the country that have come back positive has also grown by more than 235 per cent — from 1.4 per cent in mid-September to 4.7 per cent in the past week.  

So where did Canada go wrong?   

Experts say a mix of insufficient public health measures and complacency brought us to where we are today and we need to act quickly to turn things around — or at the very least prevent them from getting worse.  

Canada 'failed' to follow lessons  

South Korea taught us that by building up a robust test, trace and isolate system, it's possible to control the spread of the coronavirus without subjecting your population to large scale lock downs.   

New Zealand locked down quickly, then shifted to a South Korean model focused on building up testing, tracing and isolating cases.   

But Australia learned the hard way in the second wave that, if you let the coronavirus spread unchecked for too long, tough action is needed to keep it under control through further lockdowns and strict public health measures.   

"The lesson across all of the world is that the places that do the best are the ones that act hard and early," said Raywat Deonandan, a global health epidemiologist and an associate professor at the University of Ottawa.  

"That's where we failed." 

Experts say Canada, comparatively, has seemingly not yet learned these lessons. 

"In Canada, we never set clear goals and so we opened up without having built a solid test, trace isolate strategy," said Dr. Irfan Dhalla, vice-president of physician quality at Unity Health in Toronto.   

"We didn't follow the indicators closely enough and now we're paying the price. The good news is we're not paying nearly as bad a price as people in some other countries are paying, but it would be a big mistake to compare ourselves to the worst countries in the world."

Denmark tightens lockdown over mink COVID-19 mutation

Thanks to Brenda Biaggi for sending the link to this DW report: Denmark tightens lockdown over mink coronavirus mutation. Excerpt:

The Danish government announced tough new restrictions on Thursday in the northeast of the country after authorities discovered that a mutated version of the coronavirus in minks was also found in humans. 

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that the mutation could threaten the effectiveness of any future vaccine. She said the mutated virus was found to weaken the ability to form antibodies. 

As a result, seven municipalities in the north of the country, home to most of Denmark's mink farms, will impose restrictions on movement across county lines.  

"From tonight, citizens in seven areas of north Jutland are strongly encouraged to stay in their area to prevent the spread of infection," Frederiksen said during a news conference.  

"We are asking you in north Jutland to do something completely extraordinary," she added, speaking of a "real closure" of the region. "The eyes of the world are on us."  

North Jutland shutdown 

Frederiksen discouraged people from traveling to the affected region. She said public transport will be shut down with buses and trains stopped from entering or leaving north Jutland until December 3. 

Frederiksen also said schools, bars and restaurants will shut, as will museums, libraries, swimming pools and gyms.  

In addition, people were advised to work from home, and public gatherings were limited to a maximum of 10 people. 

The prime minister urged inhabitants in the region to stay within their municipality and get tested.

COVID-19 in BC: 589 new cases, 2 new deaths

Via BC Government News: Joint statement on B.C.’s COVID-19 response, latest updates. Except:

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia:  

“Today, we are reporting 589 new cases, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 17,149 cases in British Columbia.  

“There are 3,741 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, 7,887 people who are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and 13,035 people who tested positive have recovered.  

“Currently, 104 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19, 28 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.  

“There have been 146 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 402 in the Fraser Health region, five in the Island Health region, 24 in the Interior Health region, 12 in the Northern Health region and no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.  

“There have been two new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 275 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“There have been six new health-care facility outbreaks at Suncreek Village, Fort Langley Seniors Community, Northcrest Care Centre, Fellburn Care Center – PATH unit, Ridge Meadows Hospital and Langley Memorial Hospital. The outbreak at Fair Haven Homes Burnaby Lodge has been declared over. In total, 31 long-term care or assisted-living facilities and four acute-care facilities have active outbreaks. 

“There has been one new community outbreak at the Royal Inland Hospital construction site. There continue to be exposure events around the province. Public alerts and notifications are posted on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) website and on all health authorities’ websites."

COVID-19 on Friday evening: 49,169,630 cases, 1,240,344 deaths

A screenshot from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) dashboard:

COVID-19 in the US at noon: 117,988 new cases, 1,135 new deaths

A screenshot from the CDC COVID Data Tracker, updated at 12:16 p.m. ET: