Coronavirus: surge in infections leads to oxygen shortages
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that many countries are “experiencing difficulties obtaining oxygen concentrators” as worldwide coronavirus infections rose by around 1 million in just one week. Some countries have seen a 25-50% increases in cases according to Mike Ryan, head of the WHO emergencies programme. “Unfortunately, the pandemic for many countries in the Americas has not peaked,” Ryan said. The Guardian and CNBC have live updates on the global situation.
East coast states order quarantine for some visitors
The states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are imposing 14-day quarantines on visitors from 8 US states that have experienced spikes in the number of coronavirus infections. The US on Wednesday recorded its highest one-day total of new infections since late April. Reuters and The Wall Street Journal (paywall) have more.
Luxembourg: end of state of emergency
The temporary state of emergency in Luxembourg ended at midnight. While that means that no covid-19 related restrictions apply to private homes, the government is still imposing strict measures to reduce the risk of infection. Health minister Paulette Lenert said the current deconfinement period was a delicate phase and she appealed for people to continue to act responsibly. More in our noon briefing.
Luxembourg: latest figures
7 people tested positive for coronavirus in the 24 hours to Wednesday evening, the health ministry announced. There are no longer any patients in intensive care, though 13 people remain hospitalised. There have been no fatalities reported since 23 May. The Rt_eff reproduction rate held steady at 1.49.
Vaccine trials start in UK
Human volunteers have started receiving an experimental coronavirus vaccine as part of trials being run at Imperial College London and Oxford University. The Oxford vaccine is also being tested via universities in South Africa and Brazil. Meanwhile, the China National Biotec Group and United Arab Emirates state media claim that their respective countries have launched phase 3 clinical trials of vaccines. The BBC and CNN have details.
Arbery suspects charged
Three men who chased and then shot 25-year old black man Ahmaud Arbery while he was jogging through their neighbourhood in Brunswick, Georgia in February have been charged with malice and felony murder. Arbery's death inspired Georgia's legislature to pass a hate crime bill, says NBC.
Bayer agrees Roundup settlement
Pharmaceutical giant Bayer will pay $10 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits from cancer patients who claim weed killer Roundup caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Roundup was originally made by Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018. CNN and The New York Times (paywall) report.
Google to end search history storage
Tech giant Google has announced that new users will have their web and app searches automatically deleted by default after 18 months. The company will also promote the auto-delete feature to other users. The Verge and CNBC have details.
Qantas takes drastic measure
Australian airline Qantas has announced it will cut its workforce by 20%, meaning the loss of some 6,000 jobs, ground 100 aircraft for at least 12 months, and seek to raise A$1.9 billion of equity as it tackles the impact of the coronavirus. The Sydney Morning Herald and CNBC report.
Tanzanian miner strikes it rich
A 52-year old miner in Tanzania has become a millionaire by selling two rocks loaded with precious gem stone Tanzanite. The stones were sold for the equivalent of $3.4 million, which Saniniu Laizer, who has four wives, says he will party use to build a school in his community. The BBC and The Guardian have reports.
“Gone With The Wind” returns with disclaimer
Streaming service HBO Max has reinstated 1939 Oscar winning movie “Gone With The Wind” to its programme, but has included a disclaimer that the film “denies the horrors of slavery”. The Guardian and Variety have more.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts