. Earth Science News .
EPIDEMICS
Coronavirus: latest global developments
by Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) July 21, 2020

Florida teachers sue to stop school openings as virus rages
Miami (AFP) July 21, 2020 - Florida's main teachers union on Monday sued Governor Ron DeSantis and other authorities to stop schools from reopening in August, as the state has become a US epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida Education Association, which represents 140,000 teachers, says the state constitution asserts that schools must provide a "safe and secure" environment, but that the COVID-19 resurgence "is remarkable and out of control."

Florida reported 10,347 new COVID-19 cases and 90 deaths on Monday, bringing the total death toll to 5,072.

More than 9,500 novel coronavirus patients have been hospitalized and just 18 percent of intensive care beds are available, officials say.

DeSantis "needs a reality check," said FEA President Fedrick Ingram.

"Everyone wants schools to reopen, but we don't want to begin in-person teaching, face an explosion of cases and sickness, then be forced to return to distance learning," he said.

The lawsuit calls on DeSantis, state education commissioner Richard Corcoran and the mayor of Miami county to desist "from unnecessarily and unconstitutionally forcing millions of public-school students and employees to report to unsafe brick and mortar schools."

On July 6, Corcoran ordered schools to reopen for the academic year that begins in August, unleashing a tsunami of protests from parents, teachers and pediatricians.

DeSantis said that children have a low probability of contracting COVID-19, without mentioning that even asymptomatic children can infect adults.

He also said that he would have no problem sending his kids to school -- if he had school-age children.

- Demand for plasma -

The situation is so dire that DeSantis pleaded for COVID-19 survivors to donate blood plasma to help save lives, as supplies of antiviral drugs run short.

The governor, who has come under fire for his handling of the public health response and his opposition to ordering people to wear face masks, was interrupted by protesters chanting, "You're lying," as he made the appeal at the OneBlood donor center in Orlando.

Raising his voice over activists banging at the door, DeSantis called on Floridians to take tests for antibodies and to donate plasma if they test positive.

"There are people that had this with no symptoms a month or two ago that will have antibodies that can be used for this," the Republican governor said.

Lines of people hoping to get tested, however, can stretch for almost a mile, and the results take seven to 10 days to come back, during which time contagious people can easily infect others.

Plasma transfers have shown encouraging results in hospital patients, as the so-called "convalescent plasma" can be used to help infected people develop antibodies that stay in their own blood.

"The demand is currently unprecedented, it's a revolving door," said OneBlood president George Scholl.

"As quickly as the plasma comes in, it goes back out because that is the importance of the need," he said.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- EU seals giant rescue deal -

European Union leaders agree on a 750 billion euro ($858 billion) rescue plan for the bloc's economies, battered into recession by the coronavirus pandemic.

The deal emerged from a marathon four-day and four-night summit in Brussels that saw fierce opposition from the Netherlands and Austria to what they said was too generous a package for coronavirus-hammered and highly indebted Italy and Spain.

- Trump to resume coronavirus briefings -

US President Donald Trump will resume regular televised coronavirus briefings Tuesday in what is seen as a bid to restore his standing with US voters who accuse him of badly fumbling the pandemic response.

The announcement comes after the leader finally speaks out in favour of mask-wearing after months of stonewalling, as polls suggest he faces defeat at November's election after the US emerged as the world's worst-hit country in the pandemic.

- China demands test on entry -

People travelling to China will have to prove they are not infected with COVID-19 before boarding their flights, Beijing announces, as the country seeks to prevent new infections after easing travel restrictions.

China has been relaxing a ban on most foreign travellers that was imposed in March to prevent an influx of infections after authorities largely brought the domestic epidemic under control.

- More than 610,600 dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 610,604 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Tuesday based on official sources.

The United States has the most deaths with 140,909, followed by Brazil with 80,120, Britain with 45,312, Mexico with 39,485 and Italy with 35,058.

- Madagascar hospitals overwhelmed -

Hospitals in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo say they are struggling to cope with a rush of coronavirus patients despite the distribution of a herbal drink touted as a remedy by President Andry Rajoelina.

- Hackers 'stole' vaccine research -

Two Chinese nationals allegedly working partly for the state security ministry have been indicted for hacking COVID-19 vaccine research and the intellectual property of companies in the United States and other countries, the US Justice Department says.

Li Xiaoyu, 34, and Dong Jiazhi, 33, "probed for vulnerabilities in computer networks of companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, testing technology and treatments," it says.

- Nobel banquet cancelled -

The Nobel Foundation, which manages the Nobel Prizes, cancels its traditional December banquet due to the pandemic, but says the award ceremonies will still be held in "new forms". It says it is the first time since 1956 that the banquet has been cancelled.

- Opening tennis tournament called off -

The tournament in Washington DC that was due to mark the resumption of the men's tennis season after the coronavirus lockdown on August 13 has been cancelled, the ATP says, citing "continued uncertainties" over the pandemic.

However, US Open organisers say the cancellation "in no way impacts" the behind-closed-doors Grand Slam tournament scheduled for the end of August.

Chinese COVID-19 vaccine starts final tests in Brazil
Bras�lia (AFP) July 21, 2020 - A Chinese-made vaccine against the new coronavirus entered the final stage of testing Tuesday in Brazil, where volunteers received the first doses of what officials hope will be a game-changer in the global pandemic.

The vaccine, developed by private Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, became the third in the world to enter Phase 3 clinical trials, or large-scale testing on humans -- the last step before regulatory approval.

"We're living in unique and historic times, and that's why I wanted to be part of this trial," said the 27-year-old doctor who received the first dose at the Clinical Hospital of Sao Paulo.

Her name was withheld for confidentiality.

Around 9,000 health workers across six Brazilian states will receive the vaccine, known as CoronaVac, in two doses over the next three months under the study.

Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria said Monday initial results were expected within 90 days.

Sinovac is partnering with a Brazilian public health research center, the Butantan Institute, on the trials.

If the vaccine proves safe and effective, the institute will have the right to produce 120 million doses under the deal, according to officials.

Brazil is the second-hardest-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic, after the United States.

Its death toll surpassed 80,000 Monday, and it has registered 2.1 million infections.

Because the virus is still spreading quickly in the South American country, it is seen as an ideal testing ground for vaccine candidates.

Brazil is also helping carry out Phase 3 testing of another experimental vaccine, developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.

It has a similar deal to produce that vaccine domestically if it is successful in tests, which are also being carried out in Britain and South Africa.

Brazilian health regulators announced Monday they have also authorized Phase 1, 2 and 3 trials of two more vaccines, developed by US firm Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech.

Researchers worldwide are racing to develop and test a vaccine for the virus. There are more than 150 projects so far.

Studies published Monday in British medical journal The Lancet found two vaccine candidates were safe and produced an immune response in Phase 2 trials: the Oxford vaccine and another Chinese-made vaccine, developed by pharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology.


Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


EPIDEMICS
UK's Johnson says reluctant to use national lockdown again
London (AFP) July 18, 2020
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will only impose another nationwide coronavirus lockdown as a last resort, comparing the tool to "a nuclear deterrent" in a Sunday newspaper interview. Johnson, who is hoping Britain can return to "normality" by Christmas despite fears of a second wave of cases over winter, insisted the country was getting better at tackling the virus. The UK has been among the worst-hit countries in the world by COVID-19, registering the highest death toll in Europe. ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

EPIDEMICS
Snapchat grudges, COVID-19 pressures drive US shooting epidemic

Myanmar army sacks officers over landslide tragedy

Iran says damage at nuclear site 'significant'

More than 160 dead in Myanmar jade mine landslide

EPIDEMICS
NASA's Deep Space Station in Australia Is Getting an Upgrade

Shock-dissipating fractal cubes could forge high-tech armor

Programmable balloons pave the way for new shape-morphing devices

Portable system boosts laser precision, at room temperature

EPIDEMICS
New insight into the origin of water on the earth

Ethiopia says rising waters at mega-dam a 'natural' part of construction

Purifying water with the help of wood, bacteria and the sun

AU leaders to discuss Nile dam on July 21

EPIDEMICS
First comprehensive documentation of glacial retreat in the Alps

Arctic Ocean changes driven by sub-Arctic seas

First comprehensive documentation of glacial retreat in the alps

Giant A-68 iceberg three years on

EPIDEMICS
Burger King unveils Whopper from cows on green diet

Bayer loses appeal in California Roundup cancer verdict

Brazil exports to EU produced on illegally cleared land: report

G20 carbon 'food-print' highest in meat-loving nations: report

EPIDEMICS
North Sea sediment analysis helps scientists reconstruct ancient tsunami

Bangladesh, Nepal warn of rising rivers as monsoon toll rises

Indonesian rescuers hunt for dozens missing after floods kill 36

Yangtze floods force millions from their homes in central China

EPIDEMICS
IMF predicts Zambia economy to shrink by 5% due to virus, drought

'Bandits' kill 23 Nigerian troops in northwest: security sources

Sudan army to prosecute over 'insults'

Senegal builds military camp near border with troubled Mali

EPIDEMICS
Study reveals differences between nobles, commoners in Middle Ages

Racism in the UK: the effects of a 'hostile environment'

Early peoples in Pacific Northwest were smoking smooth sumac

In the wild, chimpanzees are more motivated to cooperate than bonobos









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.