Denmark continues to improve rapidly, 7-day average is down from 3,600 to 1,300, nearly reduced by a factor of 3.
Restrictions in Denmark until Feb 7 include a 5-person limit on public gatherings and the closure of bars, restaurants and schools.
Australian success continues: Two days of no (zero) cases of local transmission. All new cases (25 in two days) were imported from overseas and already quarantined.
UK case rates are going down significantly, showing that the new variant can be controlled. Yesterday 37,610 new cases, down from a peak of over 68,000.
Today UK reported 1,610 deaths, new high. Another week or two before deaths significantly decline.
Some countries are in severe crisis mode, but recently many countries are improving. Today we highlight the countries that are now less than 20% of their peak in new cases. Not only are these countries succeeding, but this is a significant shift in the global situation.
At EndCoronavirus.org/countries, we sort countries into three categories: “winning”, “nearly there”, “needs action”
“Winning” report very few new cases
“Nearly there” made significant progress reducing cases, less than 20% of peak
“Needs action” are those that haven’t gotten there
Recently more countries became “nearly there,” the number increased from 10 to 25 in a month, with almost all of them coming from the “needs action.” Let’s look at what is happening.
Indonesia yesterday reported 12,818 new cases and 238 deaths.
Cases are rising rapidly, low test rate, and high test positivity of 25-30% suggest more cases are being missed.
“Hospitals on Java, the country’s most populous island, are on the brink of collapse...”
Indonesia recently appointed a new Health Minister and there are hopes of a science-based response. The previous HM advocated widespread use of an unproven treatment he developed.
Hopefully they look to nearby Australia for example and support.
Canada begins to see cases decline. From a maximum 7 day average of 8,885, yesterday they reported 6,880 cases, and 184 deaths.
Ontario, Quebec sharp declines.
Atlantic Canada continues to have fairly low cases.
NB and NS battle outbreaks. Cases in last two weeks:
New Brunswick: 300
Nova Scotia: 55
Prince Edward Island: 8
Newfoundland and Labrador: 5
Alaska improves in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Given trends and geographical distribution of cases, using a Green Zone Exit Strategy, like in Australia, could allow Alaska to return to normal very quickly.
There is nothing we can’t do together. Today I am presenting to you a science-based plan to eliminate the coronavirus from the United States. We can meet this challenge as we have met challenges before.
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We are not only facing the original coronavirus, we are facing new faster transmitting and potentially vaccination evading mutants. Some of them are already here, some may be here soon, or start here. We have to stop accepting defeat and get ahead of the virus and stop it.
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Ireland reports significant reduction in daily cases. Yesterday 3,491, down from peak near 8,000.
Test positivity is high but declined from 25% to 20% in past week.
(See also earlier tweet on UK planned travel restrictions)
Yesterday US State Dept warned U.S. citizens in countries “where adequate COVID-19 testing is not available or may not be able to satisfy the requirements, should depart immediately or prepare to be unable to return to the US…”
As U.S. authorities debate whether to keep schools open, a consensus is emerging in Europe that children are a considerable factor in the spread of Covid-19—and more countries are shutting schools for the first time since the spring.
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Closures have been announced recently in the U.K., Germany, Ireland, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands on concerns about a more infectious variant of the virus first detected in the U.K. and rising case counts despite lockdowns.
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