Fri 23 October 2020:
The total number of confirmed cases of has surged past the 42 million mark, according to a worldometer tally.
Over a 1.1 million people have died from the virus, while almost 31 million people have recovered.
The US is the hardest-hit country, followed by India and Brazil.
Europe reports 200,000 daily cases for the first time
Europe’s reported cases have more than doubled in 10 days, crossing 200,000 daily infections for the first time, according to a Reuters tally, with many Southern European countries reporting their highest single-day cases this week.
Europe reported 100,000 daily cases for the first time on October 12.
Europe has so far reported about 7.8 million total coronavirus cases and about 247,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally.
European countries Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia reported their highest single-day coronavirus cases on Thursday.
Europe as a region is reporting more daily cases than India, Brazil and the United States combined. The increase is partly explained by far more testing than was done in the first wave of the pandemic.
According to a Reuters tally, Wednesday saw the highest total of infections reported in a single day across the world, at 422,835.
As of now, Europe accounts for nearly 19 percent of global cases and about 22 percent of global deaths, according to Reuters tally.
Poland plans curbs on restaurants to contain virus
Poland’s government plans to limit restaurant activity to serving only takeaway food in order to contain the spread of the virus, the cabinet’s top medical adviser said, after a series of daily infection records.
Andrzej Horban, the prime minister’s adviser in charge of the fight against the pandemic, also told private Radio Zet that the government would recommend people in their 70s and older to stay at home.
According to the Wirtualna Polska internet portal, the government also plans to introduce a ban on gatherings of more than five people, and to allow children to leave their homes during the day only in the company of an adult.
The government’s spokesman was unavailable to comment on the report.
New cases in India below 60,000 for fifth day
India has reported below 60,000 new cases for a fifth day as the promise of a free Covid-19 vaccine turned into a key state election issue.
The Health Ministry says 54,366 new cases have taken the overall tally past 7.7 million. It also reported 690 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising total fatalities to 117,306.
India recorded a daily average of more than 61,000 cases last week. The ministry also said India’s active caseload was below 700,000.
A political row erupted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party promised free vaccination to people in eastern Bihar state where voting is scheduled to begin next week.
Bihar is India’s third largest state with a population of about 122 million people.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, releasing the party’s election manifesto, said every Bihar resident will be given free vaccination when it becomes available. She said at least three vaccines have reached the last trial stage and are on the cusp of production.
The promise angered the Congress and other opposition parties, which accused Modi’s party of politicizing the pandemic and playing on people’s fears.
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