South Korea daily virus cases under 500 for first time since record highs in December; one in five people in England may have had coronavirus; New Covid variant from Brazil detected in JapanUK Covid variant extremely unlikely to evade vaccines, say scientistsBrazilian Covid sleuth shames party people as deaths pass 200,000
‘South Africa is going to get a third wave, even a fourth’
Vaccine explainer: when will things go back to normal?See all our coronavirus coverage 3.04am GMT The new strain of the coronavirus first detected in Britain has been confirmed in Mexico for the first time, health officials in northern Tamaulipas state said in a statement on Sunday, adding a new layer of concern to an already severe national outbreak.
A 56-year-old man who flew on 29 December from Mexico City to the city of Matamoros, just south of the U.S.-Mexico border, tested positive for the new strain, according to Tamaulipas Health Minister Gloria Molina.
The man was described as an “international traveler,” and his name and nationality were not disclosed.
The fast-spreading new strain of the virus has also been found in South Africa and Australia, prompting authorities to take more aggressive action to prevent even greater contagion as countries across the globe struggle to contain the pandemic. 2.50am GMT England’s chief medical officer has warned the NHS faces the “most dangerous situation” in living memory as the pandemic causes record deaths and hospital admissions, PA Media reports.
As the country awaits the ramping up of coronavirus testing and vaccinations this week, Chris Whitty has said the only way to prevent avoidable deaths is for the public to stay home wherever possible.
“Hospitals are always busy in winter, but the NHS in some parts of the country is currently facing the most dangerous situation anyone can remember,” Prof Whitty wrote in the Sunday Times.
“If the virus continues on this trajectory, hospitals will be in real difficulties, and soon.
“Staff-to-patient ratios – already stretched – will become unacceptable even in intensive care.”
The number of patients with Covid-19 in hospital is at a record high in England, while the official coronavirus death toll for the UK passed 80,000 on Saturday and lab-confirmed cases hit more than three million. Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/jan/11/coronavirus-live-news-new-york-opens-mass-vaccination-sites-as-global-cases-pass-90m
Author : Helen Sullivan
Publish date : 2021-01-11 03:04:56
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