The World Health Organization has warned that there might never be a “silver bullet” for COVID-19 in the form of a perfect vaccine.
And that the road to normality would be long, with some countries requiring a reset of strategy.
EUROPE
* Millions of tests able to detect the coronavirus within 90 minutes will be rolled out in Britain, the health minister said.
* France said the number of people in intensive care units for COVID-19 stood at 384 on Monday, versus 371 on Friday, the second time in a week that figure has increased after declining for 16 weeks.
* Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports from Monday.
* Greece will make mask-wearing compulsory on the decks of ferries sailing to its islands, extending the requirement beyond indoor public spaces.
AMERICAS
* The U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said states with high coronavirus case counts should reconsider imposing lockdown restrictions, emphasizing the need to get cases to a low baseline before the fall flu season.
* Congressional Democrats and Trump administration officials resumed talks aimed at hammering out a coronavirus relief bill, after missing a vital deadline to extend relief benefits to tens of millions of jobless Americans.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Vietnam is embroiled in a “decisive” fight against the coronavirus, its premier said, focusing on the city of Danang where infections have appeared in four factories.
* Tens of millions of people in and around the Philippine capital will go back to a strict lockdown from Tuesday.
* Australia’s second-biggest city, Melbourne, already under night curfew, announced fresh restrictions on industries including retail and construction.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* One person is dying from COVID-19 every seven minutes in Iran, state television said.
* Three cabinet ministers in Gambia have tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency said.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* COVID-19 survivors suffer higher rates of psychiatric disorders, according to a study conducted by San Raffaele hospital in Milan.
* Rival drugmakers AbbVie Inc, Amgen Inc and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc have begun treating patients in a trial to quickly show whether a drug from each company can be repurposed and used against COVID-19.
* U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co is beginning a late-stage trial to study whether one of its experimental COVID-19 antibody treatments can prevent the spread of the virus in residents and staff at U.S. nursing homes.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
* U.S. manufacturing activity accelerated to its highest level in nearly 1-1/2 years in July as orders increased despite a resurgence in new infections.
* Asia’s factory pain continued to ease in July with contraction slowing in big export-reliant nations.
(Reuters)
