【無了期唔知幾時完嘅武漢肺炎】國際疫情討論區09

南韓新增2152宗確診 為疫情爆發第二高

南韓新增2152宗新型肺炎確診病例，時隔8日再次新增超過2千宗病例，是疫情爆發以來第二高紀錄，累計超過23萬宗。新增13名患者死亡，累計2191人死亡。

韓聯社報道，傳播力更強的Delta變種病毒已成為南韓主要流行病毒，加上疫情可能受暑假和光復節假期影響進一步蔓延，確診病例隨時都可能增加。

英國增33904宗新型肺炎確診 近一個月新高

英國新增33904宗新型肺炎確診個案，是近一個月來新高。

過去七日的患者人數，比再前七日增加百分之7。再有111名患者去世，比一星期前增加百分之8。

妮歌潔曼抵港豁免檢疫 商經局：獲批進行指定專業工作

荷里活影星妮歌潔曼，本月12日由澳洲悉尼乘搭私人飛機抵港拍攝劇集，期間被拍攝到外出購物及參與拍攝工作，亦並非逗留在檢疫酒店。

商務及經濟發展局回覆查詢時表示，根據《外國地區到港人士強制檢疫規例》即第599E章，有關人士獲批准到港進行與指定專業工作相關的活動，同時必須遵守指定防疫措施及其他條件，包括疫苗接種、指定逗留居所、定期檢測及提供工作相關行程等，當局會確保有關人士遵從這些條件。

本港日前宣布，全球新冠疫情受到Delta變異病毒株嚴重威脅，周五起收緊從16個海外地區到港人士的檢疫要求，其中將澳洲提升為中風險地區，抵港者如已接種疫苗，出示起飛前72小時內的核酸檢測陰性結果證明，最多可獲縮短檢疫至14天。

Deer in 4 states have been exposed to the coronavirus, USDA study shows. What does that mean for humans?

A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that white-tail deer, the kind some people will see in their backyards, are being exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The study, not yet peer-reviewed, showed that 40% of deer tested across four states in 2021 were positive for antibodies, meaning they had been exposed to the virus at some point. The positive tests do not necessarily indicate deer had active infections.

The findings raise questions about whether deer are transmitting the virus among themselves and how their interactions with humans could affect spread.

"At the moment, there’s no immediate cause for concern but justification for precaution. Just as we socially distance from people who could be infected, we also have to think about socially distancing from some animals who could potentially be infected," Peter Rabinowitz, a physician who specializes in zoonotic diseases and co-directs the University of Washington Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness, told USA TODAY on Wednesday.

"This definitely justifies continued surveillance, so we need to look at more deer populations in more places... how did the deer get infected, how much are they actually shedding virus and infecting other deer, and posing risk to humans?" he said.

Long article,more at https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/18/deer-tested-positive-covid-antibodies-usda-study/8188718002/

747 new cases (new national record) and 1 new death in Australia

Keep worsening!

158,127 new cases and 1,055 new deaths in the United States

Surpass 1,000 new deaths again.
Lead by Texas: 188 new deaths.


I would like to say this one more time:
To those anti-lockdown, anti-mask and anti-vaxxers in Texas,
Please take suitable actions to protect yourselves.

日本40地疫情爆發擴大 估新確診逾9成為Delta變種病毒

日本昨天新增新冠肺炎確診逾2萬3000例，創新高紀錄。47個都道府縣中，有40處達最嚴重的疫情爆發性擴大階段，專家推估新確診病例中，有逾9成感染Delta變種病毒（原稱印度變種病毒）。日本放送協會（NHK）統計，日本全境昨天新增新冠肺炎確診2萬3917例，再寫單日歷史新高紀錄；另重症患者達1716例，連6天創新高。

朝日新聞報導，這波疫情持續擴大，仍看不到高峰期，重症患者同時急速增加，壓迫醫療體系。從最近一週的新增確診病例數來看，有40個都道府縣疫情已達到最嚴重的第4階段「爆發性擴大」，比前一週的31個都道府縣進一步增加。

報導指出，國立傳染病研究所推算，8月中旬時，日本全境新增確診病例中，有9成以上是Delta變種病毒。

截至本月17日，日本全國一週新增確診病例數是前一週的1.31倍，各都道府縣中只有2地比前一週下降，分別是福井縣（0.84倍）與鳥取縣（0.76倍）。

重症患者1716例的數字，也大幅超過之前第3波疫情高峰、1月26日的1043例，以及第4波5月25日的1413例。病床使用率至少有25個都道府縣超過5成，其中以神奈川縣的82.7%、滋賀縣83.3%、沖繩縣86.2%特別高；東京都雖整體病床使用率為60.6%，但重症病床使用率已達84.9%。

Taiwan: 新冠肺炎今增1例本土、5境外 添5死、累計826人病逝

中央流行疫情指揮中心今天公布國內新增6例COVID-19確定病例，分別為1例本土及5例境外移入；另確診個案中新增5例死亡。

指揮中心表示，今日新增之1例本土病例（案16006），為本國籍50多歲男性，近期無國內外旅遊史，今年8月18日陪家人就醫，因家人需住院治療，故於同日接受陪病者採檢，於今日確診（Ct值22.7）；個案為無症狀感染，衛生單位已啟動醫院及社區調查與防治，相關接觸者匡列中。

指揮中心說明，今日新增5例死亡個案，為3例男性、2例女性，年齡介於60多歲至80多歲，發病日介5月24日至6月13日，確診日介於6月2日至6月15日，死亡日介於8月13日至8月17日。

23,918 new cases (new national record) and 34 new deaths in Japan

1,226 new cases (new national record) and 3 new deaths in Austria

A very good essay that describes the thinking in New Zealand about this new wave of virus:

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/insanity-nz-national-lockdown-mocked-cases-grow-030047944.html?.tsrc=fp_deeplink

10,654 new cases (new national record) and 380 new deaths in Vietnam

Notice that these are NOT the final numbers for today.
Even so, Vietnam has surpassed 10,000 new cases!

南韓新增2052宗確診 防疫響應級別再延長兩星期

南韓新增2052宗新型肺炎確診個案，連績兩日超過2千宗確診，累計超過23萬2千宗，新增病例當中，2千宗屬社區感染，另外新增6宗死亡病例，累計2197名患者亡。

南韓政府決定，將現行防疫響應級別再延長兩星期至下月5日，即維持首都圈4級、非首都圈3級、限制私人聚會人數等措施，國務總理金富謙表示，雖然民眾積極配合政府防疫工作，但疫情第四波大流行仍持續猖獗，政府將進一步加強對違規行為的行政處罰力度，地方政府亦將設立小組，負責監管落實防疫守則，有系統地應對疫情。

德國連續兩天逾8千宗確診

德國新增8400宗新冠病毒確診個案，連續兩天突破8000宗，再多22名患者不治。

德國五成八人已完成接種新冠疫苗。政府計劃從9月起為高風險人群接種第三劑疫苗。一名權威病毒學家認為，對於大多數已經完成接種疫苗人士，第三劑可能沒有必要性，但高齡人群和特定高風險人群仍有必要接種加強劑。

法國將推動學生接種疫苗

法國新增23973宗確診病例，再多127人染疫不治，連續3天單日新增死亡病例超過100宗。

法國累計超過655萬人受感染，教育部長表示，為應對變種病毒帶來的風險，將推動學生接種新冠疫苗，保證新學年開始後所有學校都能夠盡可能開放。

英國新增36572宗新冠病毒確診個案

英國周四新增36572宗新型冠狀病毒確診個案，比前一天增加2600多宗，再多113人染疫死亡。

日本全國破紀錄新增逾2.5萬宗確診

日本的新型肺炎疫情惡化，全國單日新增超過25000宗確診個案，創疫情爆發以來新高。

東京都新增5534宗確診，連續兩日超過5000宗，是疫情爆發以來第二高，重症患者人數較前一日少一人，有274人。

日本傳媒報道，鄰近東京的千葉縣有一名30多歲確診孕婦，因為找不到醫院接收，在家中早產，嬰兒之後死亡。報道說，這名懷胎八個月的孕婦，確診後一直在家療養，星期二因為出血要叫救護車，但一直找不到醫療機構接收她，數小時後被迫在家分娩，早產的嬰兒其後被送到醫院，但為時已晚。

另外，負責推廣疫苗接種的行政改革擔當相河野太郎表示，如果衛生部門認為有必要，政府準備向醫護人員提供第三針新冠疫苗。

港星傾唔掂 旅泡徹底破滅

多次爆破的港星旅遊氣泡正式告吹！港府和新加坡政府昨日宣布，考慮到兩地目前在疫情防控方面所採取的策略存在差異，決定不再就雙邊「航空旅遊氣泡」作進一步討論。雙方會按照各自的入境防控措施，繼續推動兩地人員的往來。有議員認為屬意料之內，但強調最首要的通關地點是內地，期望港府能與內地商討更彈性的通關條件，讓冰封多時的業界早日脫離苦況。

港府發言人表示，「航空旅遊氣泡」討論的基礎是兩地均採取相近的疫情防控策略，並以遏止兩地確診個案數目為目標。不過，隨着新加坡現時採取了新的疫情防控策略，逐漸成為「堅強抗疫社會」，原有的討論基礎有所改變。發言人強調，香港和新加坡會繼續促進兩地連繫，新加坡前往香港的旅客，可根據目前就新加坡所屬B組指明地區所訂定的要求入境，即無接種疫苗人士必須酒店檢疫21天，而已接種疫苗人士就可縮減至14天。

港澳去新加坡 無染疫可自由活動

據新加坡《聯合早報》報道，新加坡交通部長易華仁昨日表示，星港兩地的策略不同，新加坡已逐漸過渡到「與冠病共存」，因此無法啟動或維持航空氣泡計劃。目前，新加坡疫情持續，前日新增本土病例49宗，其中19宗源頭不明，過去一星期平均日增15宗源頭不明本土病例。不過，當地不再以清零為目標，而是提升接種率，逐步恢復社會正常運作，而現時接種率已達75%。因此，當局宣布今日晚上11時59分起，來自香港及澳門的旅客只要入境新加坡時進行檢測，證明無染疫，就可在當地活動。而曾逗留港澳的短期訪客也可從即日起申請航空通行證，從下周四起飛往新加坡。

議員：意料之內 盼聚焦與粵通關

旅遊業界議員姚思榮認為，旅遊氣泡告吹屬意料之內，坦言「沒有期望，所以不太失望」。他續指，與病毒共存、推行疫苗護照是全球大趨勢，但香港與內地通關的需求最大，因此防疫方針必須與內地看齊，難以倣效新加坡等地的做法。然而，目前的通關條件頗為苛刻，質疑「是否一定要過去14天無任何個案，才算清零？輸入個案是否一定要計算在內？」，期望港府能與內地商討較為彈性的條件，讓旅遊業界的冰封苦況盡快結束。

Monkeypore

As of 19 August 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed 29 new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection. 11 are linked to previous cases, and have already been placed on quarantine. 5 are linked to previous cases and were detected through surveillance. 13 are currently unlinked.

2. In addition, there are 3 imported cases, who have already been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or isolated upon arrival in Singapore. 1 was detected upon arrival in Singapore, while 2 developed the illness during SHN or isolation.

3. In total, there are 32 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore today.

Texas health officials warn of full ICUs as state grapples with worsening Covid-19 surge

The latest surge in Covid-19 hospitalizations this summer is having a deepening effect in Texas, a state that has seen its leadership rebuke steps such as mandatory mask wearing, yet now faces hospitals stretched to capacity with sick patients.

And amid both the crises at health care facilities as well as court battles raging over the legality of safety measures in schools, recent news of Gov. Greg Abbott's positive test for Covid-19 has punctuated messaging from health officials that Texans need to remain vigilant during the pandemic.
The state's Department of State Health Services said Texas is in "one of its worst fights" it has faced with Covid-19, and mortuary trailers were requested this month as a preparatory maneuver.

"Hospital capacity concerns worsening. Fatalities are increasing faster," the department said Wednesday. More than 12,400 people are hospitalized with the virus as of Wednesday, according to state data, an increase from 10,791 last Wednesday.
ICU beds are running low, and health care employees are working frantically to find available space for those in need.
At Goodall Witcher Hospital in the central Texas town of Clifton, officials are finding it difficult to transfer Covid-19 patients in need of ICU care to other hospitals since they are at capacity, they say.
Chief Nursing Officer Joycesarah McCabe told CNN affiliate KWTX she calls hospitals throughout Texas, looking for availability. Sometimes calls are made to neighboring states, such as Louisiana or New Mexico.
"We have no beds, and then that's the end of the conversation. Some will say 'we are closed, we are on full divert, we've been on full divert for two weeks,'" McCabe told KWTX. "Sometimes on the other end of the phone you get someone that says, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' Because they know we are desperate."
McCabe said staffers themselves have lost relatives or friends while providing care at the rural hospital. "A nurse, a sonographer and one of our physicians all lost someone either Saturday or Sunday to Covid. The youngest was 21, the oldest was 38," McCabe told KWTX.
Justin Squyres, a physician at the hospital, said to KWTX, "I lost my brother on Saturday. We waited five days for an ICU bed and it never happened.
"I have no way of knowing if an ICU bed would have saved him," Squyres said. "But he's not the only one, there are so many others."

28,953 new cases (new national record) and 940 new deaths in Mexico

Keep worsening!

美國死亡病例兩周上升一倍，回復去年第三季水平

https://lihkg.com/thread/2667064/page/1

Monkeypore

As of 20 August 2021, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed 36 new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection. 19 are linked to previous cases, and have already been placed on quarantine. 3 are linked to previous cases and were detected through surveillance. 14 are currently unlinked. Amongst the cases are 2 seniors above 70 years who are unvaccinated/ partially vaccinated, and are at risk of serious illness.

2. In addition, there are 4 imported cases, who have already been placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or isolated upon arrival in Singapore. 3 were detected upon arrival in Singapore, while 1 developed the illness during SHN or isolation.

3. In total, there are 40 new cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore today.

23,564 new cases (new national record) and 233 new deaths in Malaysia

Keep worsening!