Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Warns Nations Not To 'Take Foot Off The Pedal' As Coronavirus Cases Spike To Highest Daily Level
Reuters: WHO Says Pandemic 'Far From Over' As Daily Cases Hit Record High
New coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus. “More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing. More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, he said. Nearly 75% of them were reported from 10 countries, mostly in the Americas and South Asia. (Nebehay and Farge, 6/8)
The New York Times: Furious Backlash In Brazil After Coronavirus Data Withheld By Ministry
As the coronavirus tore through Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro came under blistering criticism for sabotaging the isolation measures imposed by states, encouraging mass rallies by his supporters and lashing out on the soaring death toll, saying, “What do you want me to do?” Now that the outbreak in Brazil has gotten even worse — with more infections than any country but the United States — Mr. Bolsonaro’s government has come up with a unique response to the growing alarm: It decided to stop reporting the cumulative toll of the virus altogether. (Londono, 6/8)
The Associated Press: In Poor Regions, Easing Virus Lockdowns Brings New Risks
As many countries gingerly start lifting their lockdown measures, experts worry that a further surge of the coronavirus in under-developed regions with shaky health systems could undermine efforts to halt the pandemic, and they say more realistic options are needed. Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, India and Pakistan are among countries easing tight restrictions, not only before their outbreaks have peaked but also before any detailed surveillance and testing system is in place to keep the virus under control. That could ultimately have devastating consequences, health experts warn. (Cheng and Savarese, 6/9)
The Associated Press: President 'Worried' As South Africa's Virus Cases Rise Fast
South Africa’s numbers of COVID-19 are “rising fast,” according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who says that he’s worried. More than half of South Africa’s more than 50,000 confirmed cases have been recorded in the last two weeks, prompting concerns that Africa’s most developed economy is about to see a steep rise in infections. South Africa has the most cases in Africa, whose 54 countries have reported more than 190,000 cases including more than 5,000 deaths, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Imray, 6/8)
Reuters: England Launches Study Of Coronavirus Spread In Schools
Health minister Matt Hancock launched a study to find out the prevalence and spread of the coronavirus among school children and teachers in England on Tuesday to help inform the phased reintroduction of education after a lengthy national lockdown. The decision to gradually re-open schools has divided opinion, with Britain suffering the second-worst international death toll from COVID-19 and ministers warning of the need for caution to prevent a second wave of the virus. (6/8)
The New York Times: Its Defenses Undone By A Virus, France Seeks Lessons From A Lost War
It became the indispensable book of the pandemic, its French author revealing how society’s weaknesses and human frailties gave way to disaster. As the coronavirus tore through France, intellectuals, historians and journalists cracked open their old copies in search of eternal truths in an unsettling time. No, it was not Albert Camus’s “The Plague.’’ It was “Strange Defeat’’ by Marc Bloch. (Onishi, 6/9)
Reuters: Closing In On All Sides: Cuba Nears Declaring Coronavirus Victory
[Reina] Paula’s story illustrates the rigorous approach Cuba has taken to curb the coronavirus outbreak - helped by the Caribbean island nation’s preventive, universal and well-staffed healthcare system, centralization and use of coercion. Doing so was politically vital for Cuba’s ruling Communist Party, which claims the country’s strong healthcare system as a key achievements, even as it has failed to deliver on the economy, partly due to a U.S. trade embargo. (Acosta and Marsh, 6/8)
The Wall Street Journal: As Countries Reopen, Many Avoid A Second Wave Of Covid-19 Cases—So Far
Europe and Asia have so far avoided a significant resurgence of Covid-19 cases even though most countries have emerged from lockdown and restarted chunks of their economies, a possible sign the coronavirus pandemic can be held in check by less stringent means. The preliminary evidence offers some hope to areas of the U.S. like New York City that are emerging from the lockdown, even as disease experts caution that the virus is far from defeated and the risk of a major new wave of infection remains. (Douglas and Yoon, 6/8)
