Robots will destroy 85 million jobs at mid-sized to large businesses over the next five years as the COVID-19 pandemic quickens changes in the workplace likely to exaggerate inequalities. Watch report.

COVID-19 pandemic speeds labour shift from Humans to robots

China claims to be the first country to grow its economy after the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak. But, is China cherry-picking data to claim that its economy has bounced back? WION's Palki Sharma brings you an assessment

Gravitas: China: The only country profiting in the pandemic

From controlling vital signs to filtering filthy air and even translating speech into other languages, the coronavirus-fuelled boom in mask-wearing has generated an unusual range of high-tech face coverings. Watch report.

COVID-19 pandemic fueled boom in mask-wearing

The second wave of Wuhan Coronavirus infections is well & truly here. Countries are racing to reimpose restrictions to keep new infections at bay. A second lockdown looks inevitable in major countries. WION's Palki Sharma gets you the story.

Gravitas: World braces for a second lockdown

The Wuhan Coronavirus is: Leaving cured patients with lasting symptoms. Crippling families with debt. Causing global economic losses worth trillions. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how you are paying for China's cover-up.

Gravitas: Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic: How you are paying for China's cover up?

In the US, major insurance companies have doubled their profits amid the pandemic. While Insurers in India are facing the charge of denying payments. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Coronavirus and Health insurance: The business of pandemic

Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented loss of lives, and crippled healthcare systems across the globe. The United States, India, and Brazil currently account for half of the 40 million+ cases of COVID-19.

With no vaccine and an a totally effective cure in sight, scientists around the world are scrambling to find relief in a bid to slow down the infection rates.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/how-insurance-companies-are-profiting-off-the-coronavirus-pandemic-336715" hreflang="en">How insurance companies are profiting off the coronavirus pandemic</a>

Right now, Europe is facing a second-wave of coronavirus infections, with lockdowns being reimposed in parts of the United Kingdom, France, and Spain. Additionally, the United States is now witnessing infections in line with the summer peak in the country.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/europe-reporting-100000-covid-19-cases-per-day-second-coronavirus-pandemic-wave-335349/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

While many are hopeful of an end to the ordeal through medical measures, a top British scientist does not seem to think so.

According to John Edmunds, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) in Britain believes the virus will not be “eradicated”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/abnormalities-spotted-in-lungs-of-60-coronavirus-patients-months-later-oxford-university-study-336676" hreflang="en">Abnormalities spotted in lungs of 60% coronavirus patients months later: Oxford University study</a>

In fact, the scientist from the government committee claimed that there is very little chance of the virus disappearing, or being eradicated, and goes on a step further to suggest that humans may have to live with COVID-19 forever.

"We are going to have to live with this virus for evermore. There is very little chance that it's going to become eradicated," Edmunds told lawmakers, as reported by Reuters.

"If vaccines are just around the corner then, in my view, we should try and keep the incidence as low as we can now, because we will be able to use vaccines in the not too distant future," he added.

While referring to the UK, he added that the country had played a "clever game" by investing in an array of potential vaccines. As of now, the country has signed deals with six different vaccine makers. This means that the country has secured 340 million doses of the vaccine.

Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented loss of lives, and crippled healthcare systems across the globe. The United States, India, and Brazil currently account for half of the 40 million+ cases of COVID-19.

Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented loss of lives, and crippled healthcare systems across the globe. The United States, India, and Brazil currently account for half of the 40 million+ cases of COVID-19. With no vaccine and an a totally effective cure in sight, scientists around the world are scrambling to find relief in a bid to slow down the infection rates. Also read: How insurance companies are profiting off the coronavirus pandemic Right now, Europe is facing a second-wave of coronavirus infections, with lockdowns being reimposed in parts of the United Kingdom, France, and Spain. Additionally, the United States is now witnessing infections in line with the summer peak in the country. While many are hopeful of an end to the ordeal through medical measures, a top British scientist does not seem to think so. According to John Edmunds, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) in Britain believes the virus will not be “eradicated”. Also read: Abnormalities spotted in lungs of 60% coronavirus patients months later: Oxford University study In fact, the scientist from the government committee claimed that there is very little chance of the virus disappearing, or being eradicated, and goes on a step further to suggest that humans may have to live with COVID-19 forever. "We are going to have to live with this virus for evermore. There is very little chance that it's going to become eradicated," Edmunds told lawmakers, as reported by Reuters. "If vaccines are just around the corner then, in my view, we should try and keep the incidence as low as we can now, because we will be able to use vaccines in the not too distant future," he added. While referring to the UK, he added that the country had played a "clever game" by investing in an array of potential vaccines. As of now, the country has signed deals with six different vaccine makers. This means that the country has secured 340 million doses of the vaccine.

Will coronavirus ever be eradicated? Top British scientist says it's unlikely

President Donald Trump's wife Melania canceled a rare joint appearance with him at a campaign rally Tuesday due to a "lingering cough" following her infection with the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said. 
 
"Mrs Trump continues to feel better every day following her recovery from COVID-19, but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today," Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. 
 
The first lady's appearance with Trump in Erie, Pennsylvania, was to have been her first at a campaign rally in more than a year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/trump-and-biden-pooper-figurines-steal-the-show-in-catalan-nativity-336757" hreflang="en">Trump and Biden 'pooper' figurines steal the show in Catalan nativity</a> 
 
Trump, the first lady and their teenage son Barron all tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. 
 
The president was hospitalised for three nights and later said he'd risked death, but now appears to have recovered. The first lady's case was described as having been considerably milder. 
 
However, last week she revealed details of the illness in an unusual statement entitled "My Personal Experience with Covid-19" in which she said the aftermath had been difficult. 
 
"It seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after. I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time," she said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/opinions-blogs/trump-is-giving-up-336754" hreflang="en">Trump is giving up</a> 
 
Melania Trump said that in contrast to the president, who took an intense therapy of experimental drugs and received oxygen to assist his breathing, "I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food." 
 
It was only in that statement that she revealed that Barron, 14, had also become infected, although he has since recovered. 
 
Trump has been holding at least one election rally a day in the last two weeks before Election Day but he has not appeared on stage with his wife since 2019.

President Donald Trump's wife Melania canceled a rare joint appearance with him at a campaign rally Tuesday due to a "lingering cough" following her infection with the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said.

President Donald Trump's wife Melania canceled a rare joint appearance with him at a campaign rally Tuesday due to a "lingering cough" following her infection with the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said. "Mrs Trump continues to feel better every day following her recovery from COVID-19, but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today," Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. The first lady's appearance with Trump in Erie, Pennsylvania, was to have been her first at a campaign rally in more than a year. Also read: Trump and Biden 'pooper' figurines steal the show in Catalan nativity Trump, the first lady and their teenage son Barron all tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month. The president was hospitalised for three nights and later said he'd risked death, but now appears to have recovered. The first lady's case was described as having been considerably milder. However, last week she revealed details of the illness in an unusual statement entitled "My Personal Experience with Covid-19" in which she said the aftermath had been difficult. "It seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after. I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time," she said. Also read: Trump is giving up Melania Trump said that in contrast to the president, who took an intense therapy of experimental drugs and received oxygen to assist his breathing, "I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food." It was only in that statement that she revealed that Barron, 14, had also become infected, although he has since recovered. Trump has been holding at least one election rally a day in the last two weeks before Election Day but he has not appeared on stage with his wife since 2019.

Melania Trump cancels rare campaign appearance due to 'cough'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation at 6 PM on Tuesday (October 20, 2020). The PM took to twitter to inform that he would be “sharing a message” with the citizens of the country.

Indian PM's 7th address to the nation since COVID-19 outbreak

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, who was once at the helm of Microsoft, recently highlighted the role of India in the global fight against COVID-19.

While speaking at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020, Gates spoke about the challenges in developing and deploying a potential vaccine for COVID-19.

He called India’s role in making the vaccines on a large-scale critical, owing to the country’s manufacturing capabilities.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-posts-lowest-daily-new-coronavirus-cases-in-nearly-three-months-336594" hreflang="en">India posts lowest daily new coronavirus cases in nearly three months</a>

Calling India “very inspiring”, Gates said that India had achieved a lot in the healthcare sector over the last two decades.

“And now, India’s research and manufacturing will be critical to fighting COVID-19 especially when it comes to making vaccines at large scale,”&nbsp; news agency PTI reported him as saying.

Gates referred to the fight against COVID as a “grand challenge” for scientists across the world.

“Since the pandemic began, scientists have shared 1,37,000 viral COVID-19 genomic sequences,” Gates said.&nbsp;

He also added that Pharma companies are showing cooperation with producers unlike ever before.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-worldwide-cases-surpass-40-million-more-than-50-cases-from-us-india-and-brazil-336386" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil</a>

Bill Gates said that mRNA vaccine has shown “great promises”, and that it would probably the first approved vaccine for the virus.

“Even when sometimes people are tested, results come back negative because some of the tests are not sensitive to the small nano virus… So, the diagnostics are letting us down” he said.

“Right now, the current business model is identifying people with symptoms and we need to change that. We need sensitive and specific diagnostic tests which matter and we need to make it easy to access,” he said.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, who was once at the helm of Microsoft, recently highlighted the role of India in the global fight against COVID-19. While speaking at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020, Gates spoke about the challenges in developing and deploying a potential vaccine for COVID-19.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, who was once at the helm of Microsoft, recently highlighted the role of India in the global fight against COVID-19. While speaking at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020, Gates spoke about the challenges in developing and deploying a potential vaccine for COVID-19. He called India’s role in making the vaccines on a large-scale critical, owing to the country’s manufacturing capabilities. Also read: India posts lowest daily new coronavirus cases in nearly three months Calling India “very inspiring”, Gates said that India had achieved a lot in the healthcare sector over the last two decades. “And now, India’s research and manufacturing will be critical to fighting COVID-19 especially when it comes to making vaccines at large scale,” news agency PTI reported him as saying. Gates referred to the fight against COVID as a “grand challenge” for scientists across the world. “Since the pandemic began, scientists have shared 1,37,000 viral COVID-19 genomic sequences,” Gates said. He also added that Pharma companies are showing cooperation with producers unlike ever before. Also read: Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil Bill Gates said that mRNA vaccine has shown “great promises”, and that it would probably the first approved vaccine for the virus. “Even when sometimes people are tested, results come back negative because some of the tests are not sensitive to the small nano virus… So, the diagnostics are letting us down” he said. “Right now, the current business model is identifying people with symptoms and we need to change that. We need sensitive and specific diagnostic tests which matter and we need to make it easy to access,” he said.

India's role in production of COVID-19 vaccine 'critical', says billionaire Bill Gates

Coronavirus cases in Germany continue to surge past 366,000. Restaurants in the country fights COVID-19 with sheepskins. Watch the report to know more.

COVID-19: Workers face permanent job losses; Chileans turn bakers & pizza makers

Ireland will be the first EU country to return to coronavirus lockdown, prime minister Micheal Martin said Monday, issuing a nationwide "stay at home".

Ireland to re-enter lockdown as COVID-19 surges in Europe

Britain’s Oxford University on Monday claimed that in some cases, COVID-19 symptoms persist for&nbsp;last way longer than previously thought.

Initial findings from a study suggest that symptoms such as breathlessness, anxiety, fatigue, and depression continue to appear months after contracting the virus. The study is observing the long-term impact of COVID-19.&nbsp;Additionally, scientists found abnormalities in the organs of many coronavirus survivors, and believe that continued inflammation may continue to be a factor for people who had developed COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-worldwide-cases-surpass-40-million-more-than-50-cases-from-us-india-and-brazil-336386" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil</a>

The study has not been peer-reviewed by additional scientists so far, but has been published on the MedRxiv website.

According to the Oxford study, two to three months after developing coronavirus, at least 64 per cent patients suffered breathlessness, while 55 per cent reported fatigue.

Based on MRI scanning, doctors found abnormalities in lungs of 60 per cent people who had contracted COVID-19. Similar anomalies were noticed in the kidneys of 29 per cent patients, in the hearts of 26 per cent patients, and livers of at least 10 per cent.

“These findings underscore the need to further explore the physiological processes associated with Covid-19 and to develop a holistic, integrated model of clinical care for our patients after they have been discharged from hospital,” Betty Raman, a doctor at Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine, one of the leaders of the research, told Reuters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/as-the-coronavirus-surges-a-new-culprit-emerges-pandemic-fatigue-336261" hreflang="en">As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue</a>

“The abnormalities detected ... strongly correlated with serum markers of inflammation… This suggests a potential link between chronic inflammation and ongoing organ damage among survivors”, Raman added.

Last week, Britain’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) showed prolonged illness and symptoms after COVID-19, referred to as “Long Covid”. It can involve any or all of the symptoms of coronavirus, which could affect various parts of the body.

Britain’s Oxford University on Monday claimed that in some cases, COVID-19 symptoms persist for last way longer than previously thought. Initial findings from a study suggest that symptoms such as breathlessness, anxiety, fatigue, and depression continue to appear months after contracting the virus.

Britain’s Oxford University on Monday claimed that in some cases, COVID-19 symptoms persist for last way longer than previously thought. Initial findings from a study suggest that symptoms such as breathlessness, anxiety, fatigue, and depression continue to appear months after contracting the virus. The study is observing the long-term impact of COVID-19. Additionally, scientists found abnormalities in the organs of many coronavirus survivors, and believe that continued inflammation may continue to be a factor for people who had developed COVID-19. Also read: Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil The study has not been peer-reviewed by additional scientists so far, but has been published on the MedRxiv website. According to the Oxford study, two to three months after developing coronavirus, at least 64 per cent patients suffered breathlessness, while 55 per cent reported fatigue. Based on MRI scanning, doctors found abnormalities in lungs of 60 per cent people who had contracted COVID-19. Similar anomalies were noticed in the kidneys of 29 per cent patients, in the hearts of 26 per cent patients, and livers of at least 10 per cent. “These findings underscore the need to further explore the physiological processes associated with Covid-19 and to develop a holistic, integrated model of clinical care for our patients after they have been discharged from hospital,” Betty Raman, a doctor at Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine, one of the leaders of the research, told Reuters. Also read: As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue “The abnormalities detected ... strongly correlated with serum markers of inflammation… This suggests a potential link between chronic inflammation and ongoing organ damage among survivors”, Raman added. Last week, Britain’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) showed prolonged illness and symptoms after COVID-19, referred to as “Long Covid”. It can involve any or all of the symptoms of coronavirus, which could affect various parts of the body.

Abnormalities spotted in lungs of 60% coronavirus patients months later: Oxford University study

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week.

Authorities in the northern region of Castile and Leon announced they would seal off the city of Burgos and nearby Aranda de Duero to all but essential travel from Tuesday night after infection rates in the area surpassed 500 cases per 100,000 people.

"We are in circumstances similar to those of March or April," Burgos Mayor Daniel de la Rosa told state broadcaster TVE, recalling the beginning of the pandemic, when many Spaniards were confined to their homes to stop the spread.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/spain-imposes-new-restrictions-in-catalonia-amid-virus-surge-in-europe-334549" hreflang="en">Spain imposes new restrictions in Catalonia amid virus surge in Europe</a>

Aragon, which was at the centre of several outbreaks linked to migrant agricultural workers over summer, introduced capacity limits at bars and restaurants and banned the sale of alcohol in shops between 10 pm and 8 am.

Regional health chief Sira Repolles said she was "very close" to imposing restrictions on movement in the regional capital Zaragoza.

And Catalonia, which last week ordered a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants, told 24-hour businesses they must shut at 10 p.m. and cannot reopen until 7 a.m.

Spain's decentralised political system leaves the handling of the pandemic largely up to the regions, although the central government can intervene, as it did on Oct. 9 by declaring a state of emergency in Madrid to reimpose a partial lockdown on several million people in and around the capital.

Despite the increasingly severe clampdown, Spain has added nearly 38,000 cases since Friday, bringing the nationwide total up to 974,449. The death toll jumped by 217 to 33,992.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/spain-invokes-state-of-emergency-over-madrid-lockdown-as-europe-grapples-with-virus-334020" hreflang="en">Spain invokes state of emergency over Madrid lockdown as Europe grapples with virus</a>

Health emergency chief Fernando Simon warned the daily infection rate was increasing after a brief period of stability last week.

"It's likely that in winter if we don't take great care with precautionary measures the infection rate will increase again," he told a news conference.

Neighbouring France has nearly 900,000 cases and could also surpass 1 million this week.

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week.

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week. Authorities in the northern region of Castile and Leon announced they would seal off the city of Burgos and nearby Aranda de Duero to all but essential travel from Tuesday night after infection rates in the area surpassed 500 cases per 100,000 people. "We are in circumstances similar to those of March or April," Burgos Mayor Daniel de la Rosa told state broadcaster TVE, recalling the beginning of the pandemic, when many Spaniards were confined to their homes to stop the spread. Also read: Spain imposes new restrictions in Catalonia amid virus surge in Europe Aragon, which was at the centre of several outbreaks linked to migrant agricultural workers over summer, introduced capacity limits at bars and restaurants and banned the sale of alcohol in shops between 10 pm and 8 am. Regional health chief Sira Repolles said she was "very close" to imposing restrictions on movement in the regional capital Zaragoza. And Catalonia, which last week ordered a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants, told 24-hour businesses they must shut at 10 p.m. and cannot reopen until 7 a.m. Spain's decentralised political system leaves the handling of the pandemic largely up to the regions, although the central government can intervene, as it did on Oct. 9 by declaring a state of emergency in Madrid to reimpose a partial lockdown on several million people in and around the capital. Despite the increasingly severe clampdown, Spain has added nearly 38,000 cases since Friday, bringing the nationwide total up to 974,449. The death toll jumped by 217 to 33,992. Also read: Spain invokes state of emergency over Madrid lockdown as Europe grapples with virus Health emergency chief Fernando Simon warned the daily infection rate was increasing after a brief period of stability last week. "It's likely that in winter if we don't take great care with precautionary measures the infection rate will increase again," he told a news conference. Neighbouring France has nearly 900,000 cases and could also surpass 1 million this week.

Spain's regions tighten COVID-19 measures as 1 million case milestone looms

BJP national president J P Nadda Monday said the execution of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been delayed due to the pandemic and asserted that the law will be implemented soon.

Nadda, who was speaking at a meeting of social groups of north Bengal, accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of indulging in "divide and rule politics" in the state to serve the political interests of her party - the TMC, unlike BJP which works for the development of all.

All of you will get the benefits of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. It has been passed in Parliament. We are committed to it," he said at the meeting.

"Due to COVID-19 pandemic, implementation of CAA got delayed. But as the situation is slowing improving, work has started and rules are now being framed. It (CAA) will be implemented very soon," Nadda added.

He exuded confidence that the BJP will form the next government in West Bengal after the state assembly polls in 2021 as the people of the state are fed up with the violence and cut-money culture of the TMC government.

Nadda, who is on a day-long visit to take stock of organisational matters ahead of 2021 assembly elections, held separate meetings with BJP leaders of north Bengal region and social and religious groups.

BJP national president J P Nadda Monday said the execution of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been delayed due to the pandemic and asserted that the law will be implemented soon.

BJP national president J P Nadda Monday said the execution of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been delayed due to the pandemic and asserted that the law will be implemented soon. Nadda, who was speaking at a meeting of social groups of north Bengal, accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of indulging in "divide and rule politics" in the state to serve the political interests of her party - the TMC, unlike BJP which works for the development of all. All of you will get the benefits of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. It has been passed in Parliament. We are committed to it," he said at the meeting. "Due to COVID-19 pandemic, implementation of CAA got delayed. But as the situation is slowing improving, work has started and rules are now being framed. It (CAA) will be implemented very soon," Nadda added. He exuded confidence that the BJP will form the next government in West Bengal after the state assembly polls in 2021 as the people of the state are fed up with the violence and cut-money culture of the TMC government. Nadda, who is on a day-long visit to take stock of organisational matters ahead of 2021 assembly elections, held separate meetings with BJP leaders of north Bengal region and social and religious groups.

CAA delayed due to COVID-19, to be implemented soon: BJP national president J P Nadda

Wales will impose a two-week "fire-break" lockdown from Friday in which everybody apart from essential workers must stay at home to combat an accelerating second wave of COVID-19.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said he understood that people were tired of coronavirus restrictions but tougher rules were essential as critical care units were already full.

"It will have to be sharp and deep in order to have the impact we need," Drakeford told reporters. "Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home."

"If we do not act now, it will continue to accelerate."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-worldwide-cases-surpass-40-million-more-than-50-cases-from-us-india-and-brazil-336386" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil</a>

The lockdown will begin on Friday at 1700 GMT and end on Nov. 9. Everybody but essential workers will have to work from home. All non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality and tourist businesses will have to close in Wales, as will places of worship.

Most children apart from some older students will return to school in the second week after the half-term holiday.

Business affected will be supported by a 300 million pound ($390 million) fund, Drakeford said.

The United Kingdom recorded 16,982 new daily cases of COVID-19 in the space of 24 hours, according to government data issued on Sunday, up from 16,717 the previous day. Wales recorded 950 cases, up from just 400 at the start of the month.

All four countries of the United Kingdom are seeing a resurgence of COVID, and devolved governments and local councils are introducing a range of measures to try to stem the rise.

Northern Ireland started a four-week period of tougher curbs on Friday, while Scotland has imposed new rules for hospitality.

England has moved to a three-tier approach that has led to clashes between central and regional government.

After a public row with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of attempting to sacrifice the north of England to save jobs in the south, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said a stricter lockdown could be imposed there within days.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/as-the-coronavirus-surges-a-new-culprit-emerges-pandemic-fatigue-336261" hreflang="en">As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue</a>

"We do need to conclude this," Jenrick said of talks with local leaders, adding that the basis for an agreement was there.

Johnson has threatened to put the area into "Tier 3" - the highest level of restrictions forcing pubs and bars to close and banning different households from mixing indoors - against the will of local leaders if agreement is not possible.

Jenrick said he was hopeful a deal could be struck with Manchester leaders on Monday, with newspapers reporting that tens of millions of pounds were on offer to help businesses cope with the lockdown measures.

"Delay will only make the situation worse, will only put people's lives at risk, and will only make the economic fallout for the city worse in the long term," Jenrick told BBC TV.

Johnson has so far rejected calls for England to adopt the same approach as Wales and Northern Ireland and implement a countrywide lockdown.

Wales will impose a two-week "fire-break" lockdown from Friday in which everybody apart from essential workers must stay at home to combat an accelerating second wave of COVID-19.

Wales will impose a two-week "fire-break" lockdown from Friday in which everybody apart from essential workers must stay at home to combat an accelerating second wave of COVID-19. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said he understood that people were tired of coronavirus restrictions but tougher rules were essential as critical care units were already full. "It will have to be sharp and deep in order to have the impact we need," Drakeford told reporters. "Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home." "If we do not act now, it will continue to accelerate." Also read: Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil The lockdown will begin on Friday at 1700 GMT and end on Nov. 9. Everybody but essential workers will have to work from home. All non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality and tourist businesses will have to close in Wales, as will places of worship. Most children apart from some older students will return to school in the second week after the half-term holiday. Business affected will be supported by a 300 million pound ($390 million) fund, Drakeford said. The United Kingdom recorded 16,982 new daily cases of COVID-19 in the space of 24 hours, according to government data issued on Sunday, up from 16,717 the previous day. Wales recorded 950 cases, up from just 400 at the start of the month. All four countries of the United Kingdom are seeing a resurgence of COVID, and devolved governments and local councils are introducing a range of measures to try to stem the rise. Northern Ireland started a four-week period of tougher curbs on Friday, while Scotland has imposed new rules for hospitality. England has moved to a three-tier approach that has led to clashes between central and regional government. After a public row with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of attempting to sacrifice the north of England to save jobs in the south, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said a stricter lockdown could be imposed there within days. Also read: As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue "We do need to conclude this," Jenrick said of talks with local leaders, adding that the basis for an agreement was there. Johnson has threatened to put the area into "Tier 3" - the highest level of restrictions forcing pubs and bars to close and banning different households from mixing indoors - against the will of local leaders if agreement is not possible. Jenrick said he was hopeful a deal could be struck with Manchester leaders on Monday, with newspapers reporting that tens of millions of pounds were on offer to help businesses cope with the lockdown measures. "Delay will only make the situation worse, will only put people's lives at risk, and will only make the economic fallout for the city worse in the long term," Jenrick told BBC TV. Johnson has so far rejected calls for England to adopt the same approach as Wales and Northern Ireland and implement a countrywide lockdown.

Wales imposes two-week lockdown: 'Everybody must stay at home'

40 million COVID-19 cases has been registered across the world. More than a half global cases have been recorded in three hardest hit countries US, India & Brazil.

COVID-19 Update: 52% of global cases from US, India & Brazil

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday. 
 
Amid the WFH strategy, 53 per cent businesses also reported a drop in productivity of call centre agents. 
 
Some of the challenges listed were internet connectivity, telecom issues, practical constraints such as lack of privacy, space, noise cancellation, lack of desktops and laptops, according to the study by on-demand cloud communication and telephony solutions provider Ozonetel. 
 
"The pandemic has made contact centres look at the services that they provide and how they provide it," said Chaitanya Chokkareddy, Chief Innovation Officer, Ozonetel. 
 
"At the start of the lockdown in March, we promptly assisted many of our clients to move their agents to a work from home mode to help with business continuity plan very quickly," he added. 
 
Nearly 71 per cent of call centre agents mentioned internet connectivity as the biggest barriers to agent productivity, followed by telecom issues by 42 per cent. 
 
The study found that while 61 per cent call centre agents were happy with work from structure initially, gradually their motivation levels dropped. 
 
In spite of all challenges, most companies continue to realise the risk that commute and working from of?ce pose. 55% call centres are letting agents opt for work from home, while 16% are not opening of?ces, and keeping work from home mandatory. 
 
Many call centres have seen the value in creating a robust work from home process even if they do not switch to work from home permanently, or if they are still undecided. 
 
Nearly 38 per cent call centres said they will create a robust work-from-home process. 
 
"We have analysed various metrics to determine and understand trends in customer experience as well as agent efficiency as call centres switch to work from home," Chaitanya said. 
 
The study was done on 50 organisations to uncover the state of the call centre agents during Covid-19 lockdown. 
 
Many of the productivity challenges that call center agents face can be solved when provided with better hardware such as better handsets and headsets, laptops or desktops, direct telecom DID numbers and reimbursement of Wi-Fi charges, the findings showed.

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday.

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday. Amid the WFH strategy, 53 per cent businesses also reported a drop in productivity of call centre agents. Some of the challenges listed were internet connectivity, telecom issues, practical constraints such as lack of privacy, space, noise cancellation, lack of desktops and laptops, according to the study by on-demand cloud communication and telephony solutions provider Ozonetel. "The pandemic has made contact centres look at the services that they provide and how they provide it," said Chaitanya Chokkareddy, Chief Innovation Officer, Ozonetel. "At the start of the lockdown in March, we promptly assisted many of our clients to move their agents to a work from home mode to help with business continuity plan very quickly," he added. Nearly 71 per cent of call centre agents mentioned internet connectivity as the biggest barriers to agent productivity, followed by telecom issues by 42 per cent. The study found that while 61 per cent call centre agents were happy with work from structure initially, gradually their motivation levels dropped. In spite of all challenges, most companies continue to realise the risk that commute and working from of?ce pose. 55% call centres are letting agents opt for work from home, while 16% are not opening of?ces, and keeping work from home mandatory. Many call centres have seen the value in creating a robust work from home process even if they do not switch to work from home permanently, or if they are still undecided. Nearly 38 per cent call centres said they will create a robust work-from-home process. "We have analysed various metrics to determine and understand trends in customer experience as well as agent efficiency as call centres switch to work from home," Chaitanya said. The study was done on 50 organisations to uncover the state of the call centre agents during Covid-19 lockdown. Many of the productivity challenges that call center agents face can be solved when provided with better hardware such as better handsets and headsets, laptops or desktops, direct telecom DID numbers and reimbursement of Wi-Fi charges, the findings showed.

1 in 3 call centres in India to switch permanently to work from home

Mario Buelna, a healthy 28-year-old father, caught a fever and started having trouble breathing in June. He soon tested positive for COVID-19.

Weeks later, after what had seemed like a recovery, he felt weak and started vomiting. At 3 a.m. on Aug. 1, he passed out on the floor of his home in Mesa, Arizona.

Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors put him in intensive care after saving him from a coma. They told him he could have died. Their diagnosis – type 1 diabetes – stunned and frightened him. He had no history of the disease.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/coronavirus-worldwide-cases-surpass-40-million-more-than-50-cases-from-us-india-and-brazil-336386" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil</a>

“COVID triggered it,” Buelna said the doctors told him.

Buelna’s ordeal and similar cases reflect a new worry about the dangerous relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 that’s being urgently studied by doctors and scientists around the world. Many experts are convinced that COVID-19 can trigger the onset of diabetes - even in some adults and children who do not have the traditional risk factors.

It’s already been well-documented that people with diabetes face much higher risks of severe illness or death if they contract COVID-19. In July, U.S. health officials found that nearly 40% of people who have died with COVID-19 had diabetes. Now, cases like Buelna’s suggest the connection between the diseases runs both ways.

“COVID could be causing diabetes from scratch,” said Dr. Francesco Rubino, a diabetes researcher and chair of metabolic and bariatric surgery at King’s College London.

Rubino is leading an international team that is collecting patient cases globally to unravel one of the biggest mysteries of the pandemic. Initially, he said, more than 300 doctors have applied to share cases for review, a number he expects to grow as infections flare up again.

“These cases are coming from every corner of the world and every continent,” Rubino told Reuters.

In addition to the global registry, the U.S. National Institutes of Health is financing research into how the coronavirus may cause high blood sugars and diabetes.

In these situations, symptoms can escalate quickly and become life threatening. These cases may take months to surface after exposure to COVID-19, so the full extent of the problem and the long-term ramifications may not be known until well into next year. More intensive research is needed to definitively prove, beyond the mounting anecdotal evidence, that COVID-19 is triggering diabetes on a wide scale.

“We have more questions than answers right now,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. “We could be dealing with an entirely new form of diabetes.”

‘ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING’ DIAGNOSIS

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, preventing the regulation of blood sugar levels. About 1.6 million Americans have the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent, afflicting about 30 million Americans. Those patients still produce insulin, but over time their cells become insulin-resistant, allowing blood sugar to rise.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/italy-announces-new-restrictions-amid-coronavirus-surge-in-europe-336284" hreflang="en">Italy announces new restrictions amid coronavirus surge in Europe</a>

Type 1 diabetes cases have previously been associated with other viral infections, including influenza and previous coronaviruses. It is known that infections can stress the body and increase blood sugar levels. But this tends to happen in people predisposed to the disease. Only some of them eventually develop diabetes, and scientists still don’t fully understand why.

This year, doctors also are seeing some people without the risk factors for type 2 diabetes - such as being older or overweight - experience a diabetic emergency after exposure to COVID-19.

In type 1 diabetes, initial symptoms can include extreme thirst, fatigue, frequent urination and weight loss. Arthur Simis had no idea those were signs for the disease.

This summer, he and his wife, Sarah, noticed their 12-year-old son, Atticus, appeared thin and slept a lot. They figured he was stressed out from being trapped at home in the pandemic, or going through a growth spurt.

On July 9, as his symptoms persisted, Arthur Simis took his son to an urgent care center near their home in Gardnerville, Nevada. The medical staff detected dangerously high blood sugar levels and ketones in his urine, both indicators that Atticus was in diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.

The doctor told Simis that his son needed hospital care immediately to avoid slipping into a coma from his newly diagnosed type 1. An ambulance took them 50 miles to the nearest hospital in Reno.

His father spent three nights sleeping at his side in the pediatric ICU. He sobbed on the phone to his wife, because only one parent was allowed inside, a measure to control coronavirus infections.

“How could he have diabetes?” Simis recalls asking the doctors. “It was absolutely terrifying.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/as-the-coronavirus-surges-a-new-culprit-emerges-pandemic-fatigue-336261" hreflang="en">As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue</a>

Simis believes his son had been infected by the coronavirus because the father and his wife experienced symptoms in the spring. The couple went to urgent care but never got tested for the coronavirus because of stricter testing criteria at the time. Atticus tested negative for an active coronavirus infection in the ICU, medical records show. But he was never tested for antibodies that could show whether he was exposed weeks earlier.

Doctors say that’s not unusual in a fast-moving pandemic, as they focus on individual emergencies rather than big-picture research questions. But the lack of testing in many of these cases, they say, may complicate efforts to detect whether and how the coronavirus might be causing diabetes.

CHILDREN IN INTENSIVE CARE

The initial reports of COVID-related diabetes include more children with cases like that of Atticus.

In a study published in August, researchers at Imperial College in London and several hospitals there found that cases of type 1 diabetes among children nearly doubled to 30 during late March to early June - as the pandemic raged - compared to the same period in previous years. Five of the children tested positive for a prior coronavirus infection, but the study’s authors said many of the children were not tested.

In the United States, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said the percentage of newly diagnosed type 2 patients who arrived in diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal buildup of acid in the blood, has nearly doubled for March through August compared to the same period in 2018 and 2019.

Dr. Lily Chao, director of the type 2 diabetes clinic there, said the hospital is still investigating whether this increase is driven by exposure to COVID-19.

Brandi Edwards, a registered nurse and diabetes educator at Alabama’s Huntsville Hospital, said calls about pediatric cases began to surge in May. Doctors summon her when a child arrives in the emergency room or ICU so she can counsel the family on insulin injections, glucose readings and how daily life will change going forward.

“We’ve seen more type 1 cases this year than I ever remember,” Edwards said. “There were three kids in the pediatric ICU at the same time. That is so rare.”

EVICTION NOTICE

After surviving a diabetic emergency, life for a newly diagnosed patient can be overwhelming. Medication and other supplies to manage diabetes can cost hundreds of dollars every month, and long waits to see an endocrinologist are common in many areas.

Buelna, the patient in Arizona, is still waiting for his Medicaid plan to approve a continuous glucose monitor more than two months after his diagnosis. The disease knocked him out of work for weeks and wrecked his family’s finances. His wife, Erika, is eight months pregnant and they have a 3-year-old daughter, Katalina. The family got an eviction notice on Aug. 2, while Mario was in the ICU, and they rely on a food bank for some meals.

Buelna said he fell into a depression in the hospital, cut off from family visits, and credits his sister with lifting his spirits in phone calls.

“I want to get better so I can see my kids grow up,” he said. “I’m not ready to go yet.”

Mario Buelna, a healthy 28-year-old father, caught a fever and started having trouble breathing in June. He soon tested positive for COVID-19. Weeks later, after what had seemed like a recovery, he felt weak and started vomiting.

Mario Buelna, a healthy 28-year-old father, caught a fever and started having trouble breathing in June. He soon tested positive for COVID-19. Weeks later, after what had seemed like a recovery, he felt weak and started vomiting. At 3 a.m. on Aug. 1, he passed out on the floor of his home in Mesa, Arizona. Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors put him in intensive care after saving him from a coma. They told him he could have died. Their diagnosis – type 1 diabetes – stunned and frightened him. He had no history of the disease. Also read: Coronavirus: Worldwide cases surpass 40 million; more than 50% cases from US, India and Brazil “COVID triggered it,” Buelna said the doctors told him. Buelna’s ordeal and similar cases reflect a new worry about the dangerous relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 that’s being urgently studied by doctors and scientists around the world. Many experts are convinced that COVID-19 can trigger the onset of diabetes - even in some adults and children who do not have the traditional risk factors. It’s already been well-documented that people with diabetes face much higher risks of severe illness or death if they contract COVID-19. In July, U.S. health officials found that nearly 40% of people who have died with COVID-19 had diabetes. Now, cases like Buelna’s suggest the connection between the diseases runs both ways. “COVID could be causing diabetes from scratch,” said Dr. Francesco Rubino, a diabetes researcher and chair of metabolic and bariatric surgery at King’s College London. Rubino is leading an international team that is collecting patient cases globally to unravel one of the biggest mysteries of the pandemic. Initially, he said, more than 300 doctors have applied to share cases for review, a number he expects to grow as infections flare up again. “These cases are coming from every corner of the world and every continent,” Rubino told Reuters. In addition to the global registry, the U.S. National Institutes of Health is financing research into how the coronavirus may cause high blood sugars and diabetes. In these situations, symptoms can escalate quickly and become life threatening. These cases may take months to surface after exposure to COVID-19, so the full extent of the problem and the long-term ramifications may not be known until well into next year. More intensive research is needed to definitively prove, beyond the mounting anecdotal evidence, that COVID-19 is triggering diabetes on a wide scale. “We have more questions than answers right now,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. “We could be dealing with an entirely new form of diabetes.” ‘ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING’ DIAGNOSIS Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, preventing the regulation of blood sugar levels. About 1.6 million Americans have the disease. Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent, afflicting about 30 million Americans. Those patients still produce insulin, but over time their cells become insulin-resistant, allowing blood sugar to rise. Also read: Italy announces new restrictions amid coronavirus surge in Europe Type 1 diabetes cases have previously been associated with other viral infections, including influenza and previous coronaviruses. It is known that infections can stress the body and increase blood sugar levels. But this tends to happen in people predisposed to the disease. Only some of them eventually develop diabetes, and scientists still don’t fully understand why. This year, doctors also are seeing some people without the risk factors for type 2 diabetes - such as being older or overweight - experience a diabetic emergency after exposure to COVID-19. In type 1 diabetes, initial symptoms can include extreme thirst, fatigue, frequent urination and weight loss. Arthur Simis had no idea those were signs for the disease. This summer, he and his wife, Sarah, noticed their 12-year-old son, Atticus, appeared thin and slept a lot. They figured he was stressed out from being trapped at home in the pandemic, or going through a growth spurt. On July 9, as his symptoms persisted, Arthur Simis took his son to an urgent care center near their home in Gardnerville, Nevada. The medical staff detected dangerously high blood sugar levels and ketones in his urine, both indicators that Atticus was in diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. The doctor told Simis that his son needed hospital care immediately to avoid slipping into a coma from his newly diagnosed type 1. An ambulance took them 50 miles to the nearest hospital in Reno. His father spent three nights sleeping at his side in the pediatric ICU. He sobbed on the phone to his wife, because only one parent was allowed inside, a measure to control coronavirus infections. “How could he have diabetes?” Simis recalls asking the doctors. “It was absolutely terrifying.” Also read: As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue Simis believes his son had been infected by the coronavirus because the father and his wife experienced symptoms in the spring. The couple went to urgent care but never got tested for the coronavirus because of stricter testing criteria at the time. Atticus tested negative for an active coronavirus infection in the ICU, medical records show. But he was never tested for antibodies that could show whether he was exposed weeks earlier. Doctors say that’s not unusual in a fast-moving pandemic, as they focus on individual emergencies rather than big-picture research questions. But the lack of testing in many of these cases, they say, may complicate efforts to detect whether and how the coronavirus might be causing diabetes. CHILDREN IN INTENSIVE CARE The initial reports of COVID-related diabetes include more children with cases like that of Atticus. In a study published in August, researchers at Imperial College in London and several hospitals there found that cases of type 1 diabetes among children nearly doubled to 30 during late March to early June - as the pandemic raged - compared to the same period in previous years. Five of the children tested positive for a prior coronavirus infection, but the study’s authors said many of the children were not tested. In the United States, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said the percentage of newly diagnosed type 2 patients who arrived in diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal buildup of acid in the blood, has nearly doubled for March through August compared to the same period in 2018 and 2019. Dr. Lily Chao, director of the type 2 diabetes clinic there, said the hospital is still investigating whether this increase is driven by exposure to COVID-19. Brandi Edwards, a registered nurse and diabetes educator at Alabama’s Huntsville Hospital, said calls about pediatric cases began to surge in May. Doctors summon her when a child arrives in the emergency room or ICU so she can counsel the family on insulin injections, glucose readings and how daily life will change going forward. “We’ve seen more type 1 cases this year than I ever remember,” Edwards said. “There were three kids in the pediatric ICU at the same time. That is so rare.” EVICTION NOTICE After surviving a diabetic emergency, life for a newly diagnosed patient can be overwhelming. Medication and other supplies to manage diabetes can cost hundreds of dollars every month, and long waits to see an endocrinologist are common in many areas. Buelna, the patient in Arizona, is still waiting for his Medicaid plan to approve a continuous glucose monitor more than two months after his diagnosis. The disease knocked him out of work for weeks and wrecked his family’s finances. His wife, Erika, is eight months pregnant and they have a 3-year-old daughter, Katalina. The family got an eviction notice on Aug. 2, while Mario was in the ICU, and they rely on a food bank for some meals. Buelna said he fell into a depression in the hospital, cut off from family visits, and credits his sister with lifting his spirits in phone calls. “I want to get better so I can see my kids grow up,” he said. “I’m not ready to go yet.”

Doctors probe whether COVID-19 is causing diabetes

Britain’s Oxford University on Monday claimed that in some cases, COVID-19 symptoms persist for&nbsp;last way longer than previously thought.

Initial findings from a study suggest that symptoms such as breathlessness, anxiety, fatigue, and depression continue to appear months after contracting the virus. The study is observing the long-term impact of COVID-19.

Additionally, scientists found abnormalities in the organs of many coronavirus survivors, and believe that continued inflammation may continue to be a factor for people who had developed COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/living-coronavirus-found-on-frozen-food-packaging-for-the-first-time-in-china-336243" hreflang="en">Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging for the first time in China</a>

Coronavirus emerged last year in Wuhan, China and has led to a loss of lives across the globe.

On Monday, the novel coronavirus crossed another grim milestone with the confirmed infections surpassing 40 million.

More than 50 per cent of the infections are from the three worst-hit countries: the United States with 8,154,935 cases, India with 7,550,273 and Brazil 5,235,344.

The deadly virus which was detected in China last year has also recorded 2.5 million cases in the last seven days.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, on Sunday, figures confirmed that more than 250,000 people have died in Europe of COVID-19 as the continent battles a second wave of the deadly virus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/as-the-coronavirus-surges-a-new-culprit-emerges-pandemic-fatigue-336261" hreflang="en">As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue</a>

Countries like Britain, France have reimposed strong measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 as the fear of rising cases putting stress on the medical system grows.&nbsp;

COVID-19 has caused 40,000,234 infections and 1,113,896 fatalities worldwide, according to an AFP tally compiled on official figures.&nbsp;

Britain’s Oxford University on Monday claimed that in some cases, COVID-19 symptoms persist for last way longer than previously thought. Initial findings from a study suggest that symptoms such as breathlessness, anxiety, fatigue, and depression continue to appear months after contracting the virus. The study is observing the long-term impact of COVID-19. Additionally, scientists found abnormalities in the organs of many coronavirus survivors, and believe that continued inflammation may continue to be a factor for people who had developed COVID-19. Also read: Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging for the first time in China Coronavirus emerged last year in Wuhan, China and has led to a loss of lives across the globe. On Monday, the novel coronavirus crossed another grim milestone with the confirmed infections surpassing 40 million. More than 50 per cent of the infections are from the three worst-hit countries: the United States with 8,154,935 cases, India with 7,550,273 and Brazil 5,235,344. The deadly virus which was detected in China last year has also recorded 2.5 million cases in the last seven days. Meanwhile, on Sunday, figures confirmed that more than 250,000 people have died in Europe of COVID-19 as the continent battles a second wave of the deadly virus. Also read: As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue Countries like Britain, France have reimposed strong measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 as the fear of rising cases putting stress on the medical system grows. COVID-19 has caused 40,000,234 infections and 1,113,896 fatalities worldwide, according to an AFP tally compiled on official figures.

COVID-19 survivors experience symptoms months after catching virus: Oxford University

Poland's national stadium will double as a field hospital for Warsaw as a spike in coronavirus cases has strained health care facilities to the breaking point.

Built for the&nbsp;UEFA Euro 2012 football championships, the 60,000-seat stadium has conference rooms under its stands able to accomodate patients.

The decision came days after the government asked Poles to "stay home" and "work remotely" if possible as it announced a raft of restrictions to stem infections.

The new facility, that will have around 50 intensive care beds, will be ready to accept patients by the end of the week.

Field hospitals could be created in each of Poland's 16 administrative regions if need be.

Media reports suggest that hospitals in areas with the largest spike in cases have run out of beds and are refusing to accept new patients arriving by ambulance.

Roughly half of Poland was designated a coronavirus "red zone" as of Saturday, with secondary schools switching to distance learning.

Restaurants close at 9 pm (1900 GMT), weddings have been banned and stricter limits have been placed on the numbers of people allowed in shops, on public transport and at religious services.

Poland's national stadium will double as a field hospital for Warsaw as a spike in coronavirus cases has strained health care facilities to the breaking point. Built for the UEFA Euro 2012 football championships, the 60,000-seat stadium has conference rooms under its stands able to accomodate patients.

Poland's national stadium will double as a field hospital for Warsaw as a spike in coronavirus cases has strained health care facilities to the breaking point. Built for the UEFA Euro 2012 football championships, the 60,000-seat stadium has conference rooms under its stands able to accomodate patients. The decision came days after the government asked Poles to "stay home" and "work remotely" if possible as it announced a raft of restrictions to stem infections. The new facility, that will have around 50 intensive care beds, will be ready to accept patients by the end of the week. Field hospitals could be created in each of Poland's 16 administrative regions if need be. Media reports suggest that hospitals in areas with the largest spike in cases have run out of beds and are refusing to accept new patients arriving by ambulance. Roughly half of Poland was designated a coronavirus "red zone" as of Saturday, with secondary schools switching to distance learning. Restaurants close at 9 pm (1900 GMT), weddings have been banned and stricter limits have been placed on the numbers of people allowed in shops, on public transport and at religious services.

Poland to use stadium, built for UEFA Euro 2012, as hospital as virus surges

Thirty-three-year-old Ukrainian fitness influencer, Dmitriy Stuzhuk, who had called coronavirus a ''hoax'', has died after contracting the virus.

Stuzhuk had contracted the virus on a trip to Turkey and was admitted to a hospital when he returned to his country.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVXb6mHmEZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">КОРОНАВИРУС «COVID», ДЕНЬ 8 ⠀ Как вы все знаете из историй, я болею корлнавирусом. Сегодня, вернувшись домой, первый раз появился энтузиазм хотя бы что-то написать. Хочу поделиться, как я заболел и убедительно предостеречь всех: я тоже думал, что нет никакого ковида, и это все относительно. Пока сам не заболел. COVID-19 БОЛЕЗНЬ НЕ ЭФЕМЕРНАЯ! И тяжелая. Но обо всем по порядку. ⠀ Как это было? Плохо мне стало на второй день в Турции. Я проснулся среди ночи от того, что у меня отекла шея и было тяжело дышать. При этом немного побаливал живот. ⠀ На следующий день начал появляться кашель, но температуры никакой не было. Особых симптомов болезни тоже не было, поэтому я подумал, что это могут быть последствия после занятия спортом, смены климата и питания ну и плюс сон под кондиционером. ⠀ После возвращения из Турции я сразу же пошел сдавать разные анализы, делать УЗИ и на всякий случай решил пройти тест на COVID. Он оказался положительным😔 ⠀ На следующий день я поехал делать КТ. Мне назначили лечение и стали настаивать на госпитализации. Это отдельная история, потому что сейчас там идут ремонтные работы, больница полностью набита людьми, некоторые из них живут в коридоре😱😱 Питания никакого нет, бумаги нет, столовых приборов тоже нет! Меня никто об этом не предупреждал. Медицине в нашей стране будет посвящён отдельный пост — что уж там, она это заслужила. ⠀ ПРО ЛЕЧЕНИЕ. Мне назначили курс лечения и сказали, что нужно его продолжать. Дали кислородный аппарат для дыхания, так как у меня низкий уровень кислорода (хотя я считаю, критическим он считается после 90, у меня же 94-96 это вполне позволительно для лечения дома, врач в приемной мне сказал тоже самое😄). ⠀ ☝🏻Учитывая все эти факторы, я принимаю решение, что мне будет удобней и комфортней находиться на дистанционной опеке у себя дома, где у меня есть все условия для нормального лечения. В конце концов я всегда могу обратиться в нужные службы. Та и дома, как говорится, и стены лечат🙌🏻 ⠀ Мое состояние стабильное.</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stuzhuk_dmitriy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Dima Stuzhuk</a> (@stuzhuk_dmitriy) on <time datetime="2020-10-14T18:22:40+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Oct 14, 2020 at 11:22am PDT</time>
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During this period, his one million Instagram followers thought that he was fit as he was still promoting fitness videos.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukrainian-social-media-influencer-who-called-covid-19-a-hoax-dies-of-the-virus-336310/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Although Stuzhuk was initially discharged after eight days of getting&nbsp;admitted to the hospital but he was rushed again to the hospital after his conditions&nbsp;deteriorated.

He shared that he saw people being treated for coronavirus in corridors due to the lack of wards.&nbsp;

The second hospital visit and the battle against the fatal virus took a toll on his him as his situation became extremely ill.

His cope could not cope up and he suffered clinical death but medics restarted his heart. However, it did not last and he passed away.

His ex-wife Sofia and mother of his three children confirmed the news of Stuzhuk's death on his Instagram profile.

After becoming ill, he had posted to his fans: 'I want to share how I got sick and to strongly warn everyone.

'I was one who thought that Covid does not exist… Until I got sick.'

Thirty-three-year-old Ukrainian fitness influencer, Dmitriy Stuzhuk, who had called coronavirus a ''hoax'', has died after contracting the virus. Stuzhuk had contracted the virus on a trip to Turkey and was admitted to a hospital when he returned to his country.

Thirty-three-year-old Ukrainian fitness influencer, Dmitriy Stuzhuk, who had called coronavirus a ''hoax'', has died after contracting the virus. Stuzhuk had contracted the virus on a trip to Turkey and was admitted to a hospital when he returned to his country. View this post on Instagram КОРОНАВИРУС «COVID», ДЕНЬ 8 ⠀ Как вы все знаете из историй, я болею корлнавирусом. Сегодня, вернувшись домой, первый раз появился энтузиазм хотя бы что-то написать. Хочу поделиться, как я заболел и убедительно предостеречь всех: я тоже думал, что нет никакого ковида, и это все относительно. Пока сам не заболел. COVID-19 БОЛЕЗНЬ НЕ ЭФЕМЕРНАЯ! И тяжелая. Но обо всем по порядку. ⠀ Как это было? Плохо мне стало на второй день в Турции. Я проснулся среди ночи от того, что у меня отекла шея и было тяжело дышать. При этом немного побаливал живот. ⠀ На следующий день начал появляться кашель, но температуры никакой не было. Особых симптомов болезни тоже не было, поэтому я подумал, что это могут быть последствия после занятия спортом, смены климата и питания ну и плюс сон под кондиционером. ⠀ После возвращения из Турции я сразу же пошел сдавать разные анализы, делать УЗИ и на всякий случай решил пройти тест на COVID. Он оказался положительным😔 ⠀ На следующий день я поехал делать КТ. Мне назначили лечение и стали настаивать на госпитализации. Это отдельная история, потому что сейчас там идут ремонтные работы, больница полностью набита людьми, некоторые из них живут в коридоре😱😱 Питания никакого нет, бумаги нет, столовых приборов тоже нет! Меня никто об этом не предупреждал. Медицине в нашей стране будет посвящён отдельный пост — что уж там, она это заслужила. ⠀ ПРО ЛЕЧЕНИЕ. Мне назначили курс лечения и сказали, что нужно его продолжать. Дали кислородный аппарат для дыхания, так как у меня низкий уровень кислорода (хотя я считаю, критическим он считается после 90, у меня же 94-96 это вполне позволительно для лечения дома, врач в приемной мне сказал тоже самое😄). ⠀ ☝🏻Учитывая все эти факторы, я принимаю решение, что мне будет удобней и комфортней находиться на дистанционной опеке у себя дома, где у меня есть все условия для нормального лечения. В конце концов я всегда могу обратиться в нужные службы. Та и дома, как говорится, и стены лечат🙌🏻 ⠀ Мое состояние стабильное. A post shared by Dima Stuzhuk (@stuzhuk_dmitriy) on Oct 14, 2020 at 11:22am PDT During this period, his one million Instagram followers thought that he was fit as he was still promoting fitness videos. Although Stuzhuk was initially discharged after eight days of getting admitted to the hospital but he was rushed again to the hospital after his conditions deteriorated. He shared that he saw people being treated for coronavirus in corridors due to the lack of wards. The second hospital visit and the battle against the fatal virus took a toll on his him as his situation became extremely ill. His cope could not cope up and he suffered clinical death but medics restarted his heart. However, it did not last and he passed away. His ex-wife Sofia and mother of his three children confirmed the news of Stuzhuk's death on his Instagram profile. After becoming ill, he had posted to his fans: 'I want to share how I got sick and to strongly warn everyone. 'I was one who thought that Covid does not exist… Until I got sick.'

Ukrainian social media influencer who called COVID-19 a 'hoax', dies of the virus

Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are expected to pursue late stage clinical trials of intranasal COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months once they receive regulatory approval, India`s health minister said on Sunday.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said the late stage trial generally involves thousands of participants, sometimes 30,000 to 40,000.

Of the vaccines currently in Phase 3 trials, all are administered by injection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

On Saturday, India`s Dr Reddy`s Laboratories Ltd and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said they have received renewed approval to conduct late-stage clinical trials in India of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine.

India`s coronavirus infections rose by another 61,871 over the past 24 hours, data released on Sunday showed, although the health ministry said it is seeing a trend of steadily declining active cases.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said it will revisit its protocol for COVID-19 treatment after the WHO found some of the commonly used drugs, including remdesivir, had little or no impact on a patient`s chances of surviving, local media reported earlier on Sunday.

Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are expected to pursue late stage clinical trials of intranasal COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months once they receive regulatory approval, India`s health minister said on Sunday.

Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are expected to pursue late stage clinical trials of intranasal COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months once they receive regulatory approval, India`s health minister said on Sunday. Dr Harsh Vardhan said the late stage trial generally involves thousands of participants, sometimes 30,000 to 40,000. Of the vaccines currently in Phase 3 trials, all are administered by injection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On Saturday, India`s Dr Reddy`s Laboratories Ltd and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said they have received renewed approval to conduct late-stage clinical trials in India of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine. India`s coronavirus infections rose by another 61,871 over the past 24 hours, data released on Sunday showed, although the health ministry said it is seeing a trend of steadily declining active cases. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said it will revisit its protocol for COVID-19 treatment after the WHO found some of the commonly used drugs, including remdesivir, had little or no impact on a patient`s chances of surviving, local media reported earlier on Sunday.

Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to begin trial of intranasal COVID-19 vaccine soon

CHICAGO — When the coronavirus began sweeping around the globe this spring, people from Seattle to Rome to London canceled weddings and vacations, cut off visits with grandparents and hunkered down in their homes for what they thought would be a brief but essential period of isolation.

But summer did not extinguish the virus. And with fall has come another dangerous, uncontrolled surge of infections that in parts of the world is the worst of the pandemic so far.

The United States surpassed 8 million known cases this past week and reported more than 70,000 new infections Friday, the most in a single day since July. Eighteen states added more new coronavirus infections during the seven-day stretch ending Friday than in any other week of the pandemic.

In Europe, cases are rising and hospitalizations are up. Britain is imposing new restrictions, and France has placed cities on “maximum alert,” ordering many to close all bars, gyms and sports centers. Germany and Italy set records for the most new daily cases. And leaders in the Czech Republic described their health care system as “in danger of collapsing,” as hospitals are overwhelmed and more deaths are occurring than at any time in the pandemic.

The virus has taken different paths through these countries as leaders have tried to tamp down the spread with a range of restrictions. Shared, though, is a public weariness and a growing tendency to risk the dangers of the coronavirus, out of desire or necessity. With no end in sight, many people are flocking to bars, family parties, bowling alleys and sporting events much as they did before the virus hit, and others must return to school or work as communities seek to resuscitate economies. And in sharp contrast to the spring, the rituals of hope and unity that helped people endure the first surge of the virus have given way to exhaustion and frustration.

“People are done putting hearts on their windows and teddy bears out for scavenger hunts,” said Katie Rosenberg, the mayor of Wausau, Wisconsin, a city of 38,000 where a hospital has opened an extra unit to treat COVID-19 patients. “They have had enough.”

In parts of the world where the virus is resurging, the outbreaks and a rising sense of apathy are colliding, making for a dangerous combination. Health officials say the growing impatience is a new challenge as they try to slow the latest outbreaks, and it threatens to exacerbate what they fear is turning into a devastating autumn.

The issue is particularly stark in the United States, which has more known cases and deaths than any other country and has already weathered two major coronavirus surges; infections spiked during the spring in the Northeast and again this summer across the Sun Belt. But a similar phenomenon is setting off alarms across Europe, where researchers from the World Health Organization estimate that about half the population is experiencing “pandemic fatigue.”

“Citizens have made huge sacrifices,” said Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe. “It has come at an extraordinary cost, which has exhausted all of us, regardless of where we live or what we do.”

If the spring was characterized by horror, the fall has become an odd mix of resignation and heedlessness. People who once would not leave their homes are now considering dining indoors for the first time — some losing patience after so many months without, others slipping in a fancy meal before the looming winter months when the virus is expected to spread more readily. Many people are still wearing masks to support their neighbors and keep others safe, but sidewalks that were decorated with chalk messages of encouragement for health care workers and others at Easter are likely to be bare at Halloween.

“In the spring, it was fear and a sense of, ‘We are all in it together,’” said Vaile Wright, a psychologist at the American Psychological Association who studies stress in the United States.

“Things are different now,” she said. “Fear has really been replaced with fatigue.”

In New York, Indra Singh, 60, took the toddler she babysits to a playground on a recent morning.

“I am so tired of everything,” she said, pulling at the black mask on her face and worrying about what she will do when the weather turns cold. “Is it going to be over?” she said. “I want it to be over.”

Medical treatments for the virus have vastly improved since the spring, and deaths remain lower than at the worst peak, but the latest growth in coronavirus infections has left public health officials worried. More than 218,000 people have died in the United States since the start of the pandemic, and daily reports of deaths have stayed relatively consistent in recent weeks, with about 700 a day.

In some parts of the world, behavior has changed, and containment efforts have been tough and effective. Infections have stayed relatively low for months in places like South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and China, where the virus first spread. After a dozen cases were detected in the Chinese city of Qingdao, authorities sought this past week to test all of its 9.5 million residents.

“We have very little backlash here against these types of measures,” said Siddharth Sridhar, an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong. “If anything, there’s a lot of pushback against governments for not doing enough to contain the virus.”

The response in the United States and much of Europe has been far different. While residents willingly banded together in the spring, time has given rise to frustration and revolt.

Hot spots are emerging in the South and the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and expanding rapidly in the Midwest and the Mountain West. Illinois this past week recorded its highest daily number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began and the most deaths in a single day since June.

In Spain, a summer of travel and dancing has led to a new surge this fall. In Germany, health authorities on Thursday registered 7,334 infections in a 24-hour period, a national record. Even Italy, which imposed one of the most sweeping lockdowns in Europe this spring, is now seeing disturbing new growth and considering a 10 p.m. curfew nationwide.

The virus has seeped through communities, rural and urban. In Chicago, public schools remained closed to students for a sixth consecutive week as the city’s rate of positive coronavirus tests inched up near 5%. In Gove County, Kansas, population 2,600, nine people have died from the virus in recent days, health officials reported. Clusters of infections have emerged from a spa in Washington state, a hockey league in Vermont, a Baptist church in North Carolina and a Sweet 16 party on Long Island.

Sick people are telling contact tracers they picked up the virus while trying to return to ordinary life. Beth Martin, a retired school librarian who is working as a contact tracer in Marathon County, Wisconsin, said she interviewed a family that had become sick through what is now a common situation — at a birthday party for a relative in early October.

“Another case said to me, ‘You know what, it’s my adult son’s fault,’” she recalled. “‘He decided to go to a wedding, and now we’re all sick.’”

Mark Harris, county executive for Winnebago County, Wisconsin, said he had been frustrated by the “loud minority” in his county that had been successfully pushing back against any public health measures to be taken against the pandemic.

They have a singular frame of mind, he said: “‘This has been inconveniencing me long enough, and I’m done changing my behavior.’”

In the Czech Republic, a politically divided nation, people met the initial order to shelter at home this spring with an unusual show of unity. They began a national mask sewing campaign, recognized around the world for its ingenuity. Confidence in the government, for its handling of the crisis, reached a record 86%.

Since then, support for the government response has plummeted, and the country is now experiencing the fastest increase in virus cases in Europe. Roughly half of the more than 150,000 cases recorded in the Czech Republic have come in the past two weeks, and more than half of the country’s nearly 1,300 deaths have come this month.

Poland is not far behind, with an explosion of new cases and a waning interest in volunteerism. The country of 38 million has the lowest number of doctors per capita in the European Union, and some doctors are now refusing to join coronavirus teams, concerned about safety protocols.

“We are on the brink of catastrophe,” Pawel Grzesiowski, a prominent Polish immunologist, told the Polish radio station RMF FM.

There are growing signs that the ongoing stress is taking a toll. In the United States, alcohol sales in stores are up 23% during the pandemic, according to Nielsen, a figure that could reflect the nation’s anxiety as well as the drop in drinks being sold at restaurants and bars.

Overdose deaths, too, are on the rise in many cities. In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland, there were recently 19 overdose deaths in a single week, far more than most weeks.

“Like a lot of other people, I’ll be happy to see 2020 end,” said Dr. Thomas Gilson, the county’s medical examiner.

In the initial days of the pandemic, Shanna Groom, 47, kept busy spreading uplifting messages in her neighborhood in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She drew smiley faces in chalk in her driveway, waved the school flag when teachers did a drive-through visit of the neighborhood and positioned a teddy bear in her window as part of a “bear hunt” for neighborhood children.

The bear, which was dressed like a nurse, wearing a mask and mint green scrubs, sat in her dining room window for months. This month, Groom finally removed the bear to paint the room.

“It kind of made me a little sad,” said Groom, who is a nurse. “We were doing sprints in the beginning, and now it’s a marathon. We’re a little tired.”

In many states, businesses are open and often operating free of restrictions, even as hospitalizations have been driven up. This past week in Wisconsin, a field hospital at the state fairgrounds with a 530-bed capacity was reopened for coronavirus patients.

Dr. Michael Landrum, who treats coronavirus patients in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said mask use is more widespread than in the spring, personal protective equipment is easier to come by for hospital workers, and treatment of the virus is more sophisticated.

Back then, it was not as hard to figure out where sick patients had contracted the coronavirus. There were outbreaks at meatpacking plants in town, and many cases were tied to them. Now it is more complicated.

“The scary scenario is the number of patients who really just don’t know where they got it,” Landrum said. “That suggests to me that it’s out there spreading very easily.”

The challenge ahead, he said, would be convincing people that they need to take significant steps — all over again — to slow down spread that could be even worse than before.

“We’re trying to get people to change their behavior back to being more socially distanced and more restrictive with their contacts,” Landrum said. “There’s been a false sense of complacency. And now it’s just a lot harder to do that.”

CHICAGO — When the coronavirus began sweeping around the globe this spring, people from Seattle to Rome to London canceled weddings and vacations, cut off visits with grandparents and hunkered down in their homes for what they thought would be a brief but essential period of isolation.

CHICAGO — When the coronavirus began sweeping around the globe this spring, people from Seattle to Rome to London canceled weddings and vacations, cut off visits with grandparents and hunkered down in their homes for what they thought would be a brief but essential period of isolation. But summer did not extinguish the virus. And with fall has come another dangerous, uncontrolled surge of infections that in parts of the world is the worst of the pandemic so far. The United States surpassed 8 million known cases this past week and reported more than 70,000 new infections Friday, the most in a single day since July. Eighteen states added more new coronavirus infections during the seven-day stretch ending Friday than in any other week of the pandemic. In Europe, cases are rising and hospitalizations are up. Britain is imposing new restrictions, and France has placed cities on “maximum alert,” ordering many to close all bars, gyms and sports centers. Germany and Italy set records for the most new daily cases. And leaders in the Czech Republic described their health care system as “in danger of collapsing,” as hospitals are overwhelmed and more deaths are occurring than at any time in the pandemic. The virus has taken different paths through these countries as leaders have tried to tamp down the spread with a range of restrictions. Shared, though, is a public weariness and a growing tendency to risk the dangers of the coronavirus, out of desire or necessity. With no end in sight, many people are flocking to bars, family parties, bowling alleys and sporting events much as they did before the virus hit, and others must return to school or work as communities seek to resuscitate economies. And in sharp contrast to the spring, the rituals of hope and unity that helped people endure the first surge of the virus have given way to exhaustion and frustration. “People are done putting hearts on their windows and teddy bears out for scavenger hunts,” said Katie Rosenberg, the mayor of Wausau, Wisconsin, a city of 38,000 where a hospital has opened an extra unit to treat COVID-19 patients. “They have had enough.” In parts of the world where the virus is resurging, the outbreaks and a rising sense of apathy are colliding, making for a dangerous combination. Health officials say the growing impatience is a new challenge as they try to slow the latest outbreaks, and it threatens to exacerbate what they fear is turning into a devastating autumn. The issue is particularly stark in the United States, which has more known cases and deaths than any other country and has already weathered two major coronavirus surges; infections spiked during the spring in the Northeast and again this summer across the Sun Belt. But a similar phenomenon is setting off alarms across Europe, where researchers from the World Health Organization estimate that about half the population is experiencing “pandemic fatigue.” “Citizens have made huge sacrifices,” said Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe. “It has come at an extraordinary cost, which has exhausted all of us, regardless of where we live or what we do.” If the spring was characterized by horror, the fall has become an odd mix of resignation and heedlessness. People who once would not leave their homes are now considering dining indoors for the first time — some losing patience after so many months without, others slipping in a fancy meal before the looming winter months when the virus is expected to spread more readily. Many people are still wearing masks to support their neighbors and keep others safe, but sidewalks that were decorated with chalk messages of encouragement for health care workers and others at Easter are likely to be bare at Halloween. “In the spring, it was fear and a sense of, ‘We are all in it together,’” said Vaile Wright, a psychologist at the American Psychological Association who studies stress in the United States. “Things are different now,” she said. “Fear has really been replaced with fatigue.” In New York, Indra Singh, 60, took the toddler she babysits to a playground on a recent morning. “I am so tired of everything,” she said, pulling at the black mask on her face and worrying about what she will do when the weather turns cold. “Is it going to be over?” she said. “I want it to be over.” Medical treatments for the virus have vastly improved since the spring, and deaths remain lower than at the worst peak, but the latest growth in coronavirus infections has left public health officials worried. More than 218,000 people have died in the United States since the start of the pandemic, and daily reports of deaths have stayed relatively consistent in recent weeks, with about 700 a day. In some parts of the world, behavior has changed, and containment efforts have been tough and effective. Infections have stayed relatively low for months in places like South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and China, where the virus first spread. After a dozen cases were detected in the Chinese city of Qingdao, authorities sought this past week to test all of its 9.5 million residents. “We have very little backlash here against these types of measures,” said Siddharth Sridhar, an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Hong Kong. “If anything, there’s a lot of pushback against governments for not doing enough to contain the virus.” The response in the United States and much of Europe has been far different. While residents willingly banded together in the spring, time has given rise to frustration and revolt. Hot spots are emerging in the South and the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and expanding rapidly in the Midwest and the Mountain West. Illinois this past week recorded its highest daily number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began and the most deaths in a single day since June. In Spain, a summer of travel and dancing has led to a new surge this fall. In Germany, health authorities on Thursday registered 7,334 infections in a 24-hour period, a national record. Even Italy, which imposed one of the most sweeping lockdowns in Europe this spring, is now seeing disturbing new growth and considering a 10 p.m. curfew nationwide. The virus has seeped through communities, rural and urban. In Chicago, public schools remained closed to students for a sixth consecutive week as the city’s rate of positive coronavirus tests inched up near 5%. In Gove County, Kansas, population 2,600, nine people have died from the virus in recent days, health officials reported. Clusters of infections have emerged from a spa in Washington state, a hockey league in Vermont, a Baptist church in North Carolina and a Sweet 16 party on Long Island. Sick people are telling contact tracers they picked up the virus while trying to return to ordinary life. Beth Martin, a retired school librarian who is working as a contact tracer in Marathon County, Wisconsin, said she interviewed a family that had become sick through what is now a common situation — at a birthday party for a relative in early October. “Another case said to me, ‘You know what, it’s my adult son’s fault,’” she recalled. “‘He decided to go to a wedding, and now we’re all sick.’” Mark Harris, county executive for Winnebago County, Wisconsin, said he had been frustrated by the “loud minority” in his county that had been successfully pushing back against any public health measures to be taken against the pandemic. They have a singular frame of mind, he said: “‘This has been inconveniencing me long enough, and I’m done changing my behavior.’” In the Czech Republic, a politically divided nation, people met the initial order to shelter at home this spring with an unusual show of unity. They began a national mask sewing campaign, recognized around the world for its ingenuity. Confidence in the government, for its handling of the crisis, reached a record 86%. Since then, support for the government response has plummeted, and the country is now experiencing the fastest increase in virus cases in Europe. Roughly half of the more than 150,000 cases recorded in the Czech Republic have come in the past two weeks, and more than half of the country’s nearly 1,300 deaths have come this month. Poland is not far behind, with an explosion of new cases and a waning interest in volunteerism. The country of 38 million has the lowest number of doctors per capita in the European Union, and some doctors are now refusing to join coronavirus teams, concerned about safety protocols. “We are on the brink of catastrophe,” Pawel Grzesiowski, a prominent Polish immunologist, told the Polish radio station RMF FM. There are growing signs that the ongoing stress is taking a toll. In the United States, alcohol sales in stores are up 23% during the pandemic, according to Nielsen, a figure that could reflect the nation’s anxiety as well as the drop in drinks being sold at restaurants and bars. Overdose deaths, too, are on the rise in many cities. In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland, there were recently 19 overdose deaths in a single week, far more than most weeks. “Like a lot of other people, I’ll be happy to see 2020 end,” said Dr. Thomas Gilson, the county’s medical examiner. In the initial days of the pandemic, Shanna Groom, 47, kept busy spreading uplifting messages in her neighborhood in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She drew smiley faces in chalk in her driveway, waved the school flag when teachers did a drive-through visit of the neighborhood and positioned a teddy bear in her window as part of a “bear hunt” for neighborhood children. The bear, which was dressed like a nurse, wearing a mask and mint green scrubs, sat in her dining room window for months. This month, Groom finally removed the bear to paint the room. “It kind of made me a little sad,” said Groom, who is a nurse. “We were doing sprints in the beginning, and now it’s a marathon. We’re a little tired.” In many states, businesses are open and often operating free of restrictions, even as hospitalizations have been driven up. This past week in Wisconsin, a field hospital at the state fairgrounds with a 530-bed capacity was reopened for coronavirus patients. Dr. Michael Landrum, who treats coronavirus patients in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said mask use is more widespread than in the spring, personal protective equipment is easier to come by for hospital workers, and treatment of the virus is more sophisticated. Back then, it was not as hard to figure out where sick patients had contracted the coronavirus. There were outbreaks at meatpacking plants in town, and many cases were tied to them. Now it is more complicated. “The scary scenario is the number of patients who really just don’t know where they got it,” Landrum said. “That suggests to me that it’s out there spreading very easily.” The challenge ahead, he said, would be convincing people that they need to take significant steps — all over again — to slow down spread that could be even worse than before. “We’re trying to get people to change their behavior back to being more socially distanced and more restrictive with their contacts,” Landrum said. “There’s been a false sense of complacency. And now it’s just a lot harder to do that.”

As the coronavirus surges, a new culprit emerges - pandemic fatigue

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday said it detected and isolated the living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen cod(large marine fish) in Qingdao.

No new clusters of cases were, however, found after the tests conducted on about 11 million population of Qingdao, where a new cluster of COVID-19 cases were reported recently.

The finding was made during an investigation to trace the source of recent infections reported in the city. It has proved that contact with packaging contaminated by living novel coronavirus could lead to infection.

It is the first time in the world that living novel coronavirus has been isolated from the outer packaging of cold-chain food, the statement said.

Xinhua news agency said the risk of cold-chain food circulating in China's market being contaminated by the novel coronavirus is very low, citing recent nucleic acid test results for samples taken from the business.

A total of 2.98 million samples had been tested across the country's 24 provincial-level regions by September 15, including 670,000 taken from cold-chain food or food packaging, 1.24 million from working staff and 1.07 million from the environment.

Only 22 samples from cold-chain food or food packaging tested positive for the virus, the CDC said.

In July, China suspended imports of frozen shrimp after the deadly virus was found on packages and the inner wall of a container.

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world.

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday said it detected and isolated the living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen cod(large marine fish) in Qingdao. No new clusters of cases were, however, found after the tests conducted on about 11 million population of Qingdao, where a new cluster of COVID-19 cases were reported recently. The finding was made during an investigation to trace the source of recent infections reported in the city. It has proved that contact with packaging contaminated by living novel coronavirus could lead to infection. It is the first time in the world that living novel coronavirus has been isolated from the outer packaging of cold-chain food, the statement said. Xinhua news agency said the risk of cold-chain food circulating in China's market being contaminated by the novel coronavirus is very low, citing recent nucleic acid test results for samples taken from the business. A total of 2.98 million samples had been tested across the country's 24 provincial-level regions by September 15, including 670,000 taken from cold-chain food or food packaging, 1.24 million from working staff and 1.07 million from the environment. Only 22 samples from cold-chain food or food packaging tested positive for the virus, the CDC said. In July, China suspended imports of frozen shrimp after the deadly virus was found on packages and the inner wall of a container.

Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging for the first time in China

A pan-India study by the Department of Biotechnology suggests that A2a strain of SARS-CoV-2 -- the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 -- has not undergone any major mutation since June and there is no indication that the vaccine or diagnostics strategy would be hindered.

Mutation typically refers to the property of a virus to undergo changes when it multiplies and the virus may develop some new strains after it replicates.

The DBT's National Institute of Biomedical Genomics have sequenced 1,058 genomes in the past six months.

Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or building blocks. It helps in understanding how genes work together to direct the growth, development and maintenance of an entire organism.

Saumitra Das, the director of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, said the institutes started sequencing the virus from different parts of the country from April.

In some cases, the new strains tend to be less effective and therefore die out soon, while in other cases they may become more powerful and lead to faster spread of the virus.

There had been concerns in some quarters that any major mutation detected in the novel coronavirus could hinder the development of an effective vaccine. However, some recent global studies have said the vaccines currently being developed for COVID-19 should not be affected by recent mutations.

The A2a clade, also the most predominant strain globally, accounts for 80-90 per cent of the genomes from India.

A pan-India study by the Department of Biotechnology suggests that A2a strain of SARS-CoV-2 -- the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 -- has not undergone any major mutation since June and there is no indication that the vaccine or diagnostics strategy would be hindered.

A pan-India study by the Department of Biotechnology suggests that A2a strain of SARS-CoV-2 -- the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 -- has not undergone any major mutation since June and there is no indication that the vaccine or diagnostics strategy would be hindered. Mutation typically refers to the property of a virus to undergo changes when it multiplies and the virus may develop some new strains after it replicates. The DBT's National Institute of Biomedical Genomics have sequenced 1,058 genomes in the past six months. Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or building blocks. It helps in understanding how genes work together to direct the growth, development and maintenance of an entire organism. Saumitra Das, the director of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, said the institutes started sequencing the virus from different parts of the country from April. In some cases, the new strains tend to be less effective and therefore die out soon, while in other cases they may become more powerful and lead to faster spread of the virus. There had been concerns in some quarters that any major mutation detected in the novel coronavirus could hinder the development of an effective vaccine. However, some recent global studies have said the vaccines currently being developed for COVID-19 should not be affected by recent mutations. The A2a clade, also the most predominant strain globally, accounts for 80-90 per cent of the genomes from India.

No major mutation observed in SARS-COV 2 since June, study says

We cannot discuss the second wave of the coronavirus, or the impending winter horror without mentioning what's happening around us right now.

There's a growing crowd at the market. People are flocking to movie theatres, restaurants and shopping malls. And are arranging house parties.&nbsp;

Three nights ago, in the Liverpool city centre, these pub goers were partying one last time -- before new restrictions were imposed on the city.

So have they been living in denial? Or are they people suffering from pandemic fatigue?

Will you back the doctors who claim that these party goers do not care about the people dying in the icus?

Or will you consider that these people have had too much? And for too long?

I do not want to vilify these people. But I am not even endorsing violation of social distancing.

We are into the tenth month of 2020. And we have literally spent a whole year keeping ourselves away from people and everything that defined our normal lives -- schools, offices, gyms, coffee shops, travelling, meeting our friends and families.

It wasn't easy. And there seems to be no end in sight.&nbsp;

There is no vaccine. And there is no relief.

For now, there's only a rising death toll and recurring restrictions.

Social distancing can take a toll on us. Because we are social animals.

We all want our old lives back, and because of that some of us are giving in to our desires. We go shopping, but don't want others to -- because then there will be too much crowd.

We take the elevator once in a while, but we cringe the moment the lift arrives with another person in it.

We want to eat out, but we judge other people who are back at the restaurant tables.

I repeat, I am not endorsing their actions; I am not condemning them either.

I only have a message for them -- Sars-CoV2 is unsparing.

And this is as true as the lockdown fatigue.

We have come so far in keeping ourselves safe. Why not push ourselves a little more, and stay at home and stay safe -- just for some more months.

Because you can party, only when you're alive...

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

We cannot discuss the second wave of the coronavirus, or the impending winter horror without mentioning what's happening around us right now. There's a growing crowd at the market.

We cannot discuss the second wave of the coronavirus, or the impending winter horror without mentioning what's happening around us right now. There's a growing crowd at the market. People are flocking to movie theatres, restaurants and shopping malls. And are arranging house parties. Three nights ago, in the Liverpool city centre, these pub goers were partying one last time -- before new restrictions were imposed on the city. So have they been living in denial? Or are they people suffering from pandemic fatigue? Will you back the doctors who claim that these party goers do not care about the people dying in the icus? Or will you consider that these people have had too much? And for too long? I do not want to vilify these people. But I am not even endorsing violation of social distancing. We are into the tenth month of 2020. And we have literally spent a whole year keeping ourselves away from people and everything that defined our normal lives -- schools, offices, gyms, coffee shops, travelling, meeting our friends and families. It wasn't easy. And there seems to be no end in sight. There is no vaccine. And there is no relief. For now, there's only a rising death toll and recurring restrictions. Social distancing can take a toll on us. Because we are social animals. We all want our old lives back, and because of that some of us are giving in to our desires. We go shopping, but don't want others to -- because then there will be too much crowd. We take the elevator once in a while, but we cringe the moment the lift arrives with another person in it. We want to eat out, but we judge other people who are back at the restaurant tables. I repeat, I am not endorsing their actions; I am not condemning them either. I only have a message for them -- Sars-CoV2 is unsparing. And this is as true as the lockdown fatigue. We have come so far in keeping ourselves safe. Why not push ourselves a little more, and stay at home and stay safe -- just for some more months. Because you can party, only when you're alive... (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

Stay home, stay safe -- for a few more months

As the country is witnessing a massive surge in air pollution, will the coming winter season make COVID-19 more lethal?

COVID-19 and air pollution: Will pollution make COVID more lethal?

The foreign ministers of Austria and Belgium have tested positive for coronavirus after attending a meeting with EU colleagues earlier this week, raising concerns the gathering may have been a so-called "super-spreader" event.

Austria`s Alexander Schallenberg and Belgium`s Sophie Wilmes sat next to each other during a group breakfast at the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday in Luxembourg, a spokeswoman for Austria`s Foreign Ministry said.

"It is suspected that Schallenberg might have been infected at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday," the spokeswoman said, adding that he did not have symptoms and had been tested as a routine measure.

Wilmes said on Saturday she had tested positive for COVID-19, a day after going into self-isolation with suspected symptoms of the illness.

"Contamination probably occurred within my family circle given the precautions taken outside my home," she said on Twitter, without saying when she might have become infected.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tested negative on Friday and had no close contact with Schallenberg, his ministry said, while Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde will work from home until she receives a negative test result, her department said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tested negative on Thursday while on a trip to Algeria.

Schallenberg`s only bilateral meeting in Luxembourg was with his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney but social distancing measures were implemented and Ireland has been informed of his positive test, his ministry`s spokeswoman said.

Schallenberg also attended a cabinet meeting on Wednesday but cabinet members wore face masks, she added.

"As a precautionary measure all members of the government will be tested on Saturday," the spokeswoman said.

Austria`s cabinet had a scare less than two weeks ago when a close colleague of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz`s was confirmed to have the virus.

The foreign ministers of Austria and Belgium have tested positive for coronavirus after attending a meeting with EU colleagues earlier this week, raising concerns the gathering may have been a so-called "super-spreader" event.

The foreign ministers of Austria and Belgium have tested positive for coronavirus after attending a meeting with EU colleagues earlier this week, raising concerns the gathering may have been a so-called "super-spreader" event. Austria`s Alexander Schallenberg and Belgium`s Sophie Wilmes sat next to each other during a group breakfast at the meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday in Luxembourg, a spokeswoman for Austria`s Foreign Ministry said. "It is suspected that Schallenberg might have been infected at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday," the spokeswoman said, adding that he did not have symptoms and had been tested as a routine measure. Wilmes said on Saturday she had tested positive for COVID-19, a day after going into self-isolation with suspected symptoms of the illness. "Contamination probably occurred within my family circle given the precautions taken outside my home," she said on Twitter, without saying when she might have become infected. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tested negative on Friday and had no close contact with Schallenberg, his ministry said, while Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde will work from home until she receives a negative test result, her department said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian tested negative on Thursday while on a trip to Algeria. Schallenberg`s only bilateral meeting in Luxembourg was with his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney but social distancing measures were implemented and Ireland has been informed of his positive test, his ministry`s spokeswoman said. Schallenberg also attended a cabinet meeting on Wednesday but cabinet members wore face masks, she added. "As a precautionary measure all members of the government will be tested on Saturday," the spokeswoman said. Austria`s cabinet had a scare less than two weeks ago when a close colleague of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz`s was confirmed to have the virus.

Two foreign ministers test positive for COVID-19 after EU meeting

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down, people are staying at home due to restrictions & fear of getting infected. Many countries that depends on tourism sector have seen a huge fall, one of them is Santa's home country Finland.

Santa’s home in Lapland, Finland sees fall in tourism

The president of a college in New York has resigned in view of the number of coronavirus cases reported among the students within the university since the beginning of the semester.

In a statement announcing the new interim president on Thursday, Oneonta's State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Jim Malatras said that Dr. Barbara Jean Morris had "transitioned from her position as president" and that she wanted to "pursue other opportunities."

According to CNN, Morris has resigned.

SUNY Oneonta has reported 712 student cases of Covid-19 since residence halls opened on August 17. The rising number of virus cases prompted SUNY Oneonta to switch from in-person learning to an entirely online format in late August.

There have been 1,167 positive cases reported from 61 different campuses.

The resignation of the sitting president of SUNY Oneonta comes after the university decided not to test students or quarantine them on arrival.

Soon after, the University saw an uptick in positive results. And it had got too late for the management to react to the virus, which had by then spread.

SUNY Oneonta has about 6,700 students enrolled, according to its website. A search for someone to fill Morris' role permanently is expected to begin soon.

The president of a college in New York has resigned in view of the number of coronavirus cases reported among the students within the university since the beginning of the semester.

The president of a college in New York has resigned in view of the number of coronavirus cases reported among the students within the university since the beginning of the semester. In a statement announcing the new interim president on Thursday, Oneonta's State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Jim Malatras said that Dr. Barbara Jean Morris had "transitioned from her position as president" and that she wanted to "pursue other opportunities." According to CNN, Morris has resigned. SUNY Oneonta has reported 712 student cases of Covid-19 since residence halls opened on August 17. The rising number of virus cases prompted SUNY Oneonta to switch from in-person learning to an entirely online format in late August. There have been 1,167 positive cases reported from 61 different campuses. The resignation of the sitting president of SUNY Oneonta comes after the university decided not to test students or quarantine them on arrival. Soon after, the University saw an uptick in positive results. And it had got too late for the management to react to the virus, which had by then spread. SUNY Oneonta has about 6,700 students enrolled, according to its website. A search for someone to fill Morris' role permanently is expected to begin soon.

College president resigns after over 700 students test positive for coronavirus

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