Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Says Covid Deaths Are Rising Globally — Again
CIDRAP: Global COVID-19 Deaths On The Rise Again
In its weekly pandemic snapshot yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said COVID-19 deaths are increasing again after falling for 9 weeks, with the sharpest upticks in Africa and Southeast Asia. Deaths are often a lagging COVID-19 marker, and global illnesses last week jumped 10% over the previous week, marking the fourth consecutive weekly rise. With no end in sight to the world's latest COVID-19 surge, several countries from diverse regions today reported new daily highs for cases. (Schnirring, 7/14)
Reuters: Grappling With 'Worst-Case Scenario', Indonesia Faces More COVID-19 Pain
Indonesia is already grappling with a "worst-case scenario" COVID-19 situation, a senior minister said on Thursday, adding the government was preparing for a further climb in cases as the more virulent Delta variant continues to spread. The world's fourth most populous country is struggling to slow virus transmission even after imposing its toughest mobility curbs so far. Indonesia began its vaccine rollout in January, but only about 5.8% of its 270 million people have received both shots. (Suroyo and Widianto, 7/15)
Bloomberg: Argentina Marks Somber Milestone As Covid Deaths Surpass 100,000
Argentina reached a somber milestone in its fight to control the pandemic as deaths caused by Covid-19 crossed 100,000 on Wednesday afternoon. Argentina added 19,697 new Covid-19 cases and 614 more deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 100,250, according to data published by the Health Ministry. The death count puts the South American nation in the company of 10 other countries that have suffered losses of 100,000 or more, according to data compiled by the World Health Organization. (Squires, 7/14)
Reuters: Singapore Sees Most COVID-19 Cases In 10 Months After Karaoke Cluster
Singapore reported its highest number of local coronavirus cases in 10 months on Wednesday, after the discovery of a cluster among hostesses and customers of KTV karaoke lounges. Of the 56 new community infections, 42 were linked to the KTV outbreak, the health ministry said. (7/14)
Axios: Victoria, Australia, To Lockdown
Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, will enter a five-day lockdown just before midnight to combat a growing COVID-19 outbreak, officials announced on Thursday. It will be the fifth time such restrictions have been imposed on residents in Victoria's state capital, Melbourne — who last year endured one of the world's longest lockdowns (112 days), when the city was Australia's pandemic epicenter. (Falconer, 7/15)
AP: Vaccine Deliveries Rising As Delta Virus Variant Slams Asia
As many Asian countries battle their worst surge of COVID-19 infections, the slow-flow of vaccine doses from around the world is finally picking up speed, giving hope that low inoculation rates can increase and help blunt the effect of the rapidly spreading delta variant. With many vaccine pledges still unfulfilled and the rates of infection spiking across multiple countries, however, experts say more needs to be done to help nations struggling with the overflow of patients and shortages of oxygen and other critical supplies. (Rising and Milko, 7/15)
AP: Haiti Gets 500K Vaccine Doses; Its First Of The Pandemic
Haiti on Wednesday received its first coronavirus vaccine since the pandemic began, welcoming 500,000 doses as the country battles a spike in cases and deaths. The Pan American Health Organization said the United States donated the doses via the United Nations’ COVAX program for low-income countries. Spokeswoman Nadia Peimbert-Rappaport told The Associated Press that the shipment was Moderna vaccine. (Coto, 7/15)
In Olympics news —
AP: Olympic Athletes To Put On Own Medals At Tokyo Ceremonies
Athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will put their medals around their own necks to protect against spreading the coronavirus. The “very significant change” to traditional medal ceremonies in the 339 events was revealed Wednesday by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. (7/14)
CBS News: Olympic Swimmer Michael Andrew Defends Decision To Not Get Vaccinated Before Tokyo, Calls It A "Risk" He's Willing To Take
Star American swimmer Michael Andrew says he is standing by his decision to not get the COVID-19 vaccine before the Tokyo Olympics. Andrew, an Olympic gold medal favorite, said in an interview on the Fox Business show "Varney & Co." on Tuesday that remaining unvaccinated is a "risk" he's willing to take. "Everything we take and put in our body is very calculated," he said. "You know, with the period going into Olympic trials, I didn't want to risk any time out of the pool." (Brito, 7/14)
Also —
Politico: Trudeau Stresses Caution After State Legislators Demand Immediate U.S.-Canada Border Reopening
U.S. lawmakers are calling on Canada to open the border "immediately" to fully vaccinated travelers, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will proceed with caution. “We've seen a success where Canadians are able to come back to Canada if they're fully vaccinated and not have to quarantine,” Trudeau told reporters in Gaspé, Quebec on Wednesday, adding recent minor changes to restrictions have gone “extremely well.” (Lum, 7/14)
Reuters: Cuba Lifts Food, Medicine Customs Restrictions After Protests
Cuba announced on Wednesday it was temporarily lifting restrictions on the amount of food and medicine travelers could bring into the country in an apparent small concession to demands by protesters who took to the street last weekend. Thousands joined a wave of nationwide protests over shortages of basic goods, curbs on civil liberties and the government's handling of a surge in COVID-19 infections on Sunday, in the most significant unrest in decades in the Communist-run country. (Marsh and Acosta, 7/15)
The Washington Post: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Hospitalized After 10 Days Of Hiccups
There’s holding your breath, getting spooked or sipping ice cold water — but Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro can’t seem to shake his case of hiccups. The hiccups have persisted for so long — more than 10 days — that the country’s far-right leader has been hospitalized so doctors can try to figure out the cause. (Westfall, 7/14)
