COVID-19 updates: India crossed 4,000 cases, the US braces for the worst week yet and UK Prime Minister gets hospitalized

Over 1.27 million people have been infected with COVID-19 across the globe with close to 69,500 deaths. The US, which has the highest number of cases by far, is bracing for its worst week yet. The Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, likened it to a 9/11 or Pearl Harbour moment, as cases rack up in New York, Michigan and Louisiana. India also crossed 100 deaths over the weekend.   The UK President, Boris Johnson, has been hospitalized due to persistent 10-day fever. Officials have maintained that it is a precautionary measure and that he is stable.   [caption id=“attachment_8232531” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image by ISIDORO MATIAS GONZALEZ from Pixabay.[/caption] On the brighter side, the death rate appears to be dipping in Italy and Spain, the worst affected countries in the world. Italy reported 525 deaths on Sunday, the lowest figure since the 19th of March. Spain reported 624 deaths, the lowest figure since the 26th of March. South Korea also reported the fewest daily cases since 29th February, with 47 cases. There are growing concerns about an outbreak in vulnerable populations such as refugee populations. The Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, the largest with over 860,000 inhabitants is of particular concern, given cramped living conditions and not a single ventilator in the premises.   A tiger in the Bronx zoo, New York tested positive for COVID-19.  

Developments in India

According to the MoHFW website, which was updated at 9 am this morning, there are 3,666 active cases. Of which 291 have been cured and discharged whereas 109 people have died.   80% of cases in 62 districts:  Most reported cases have been concentrated in 62 districts thus far. Containment efforts will be amplified within a ‘buffer zone’ by increased policing to discourage people from leaving their homes, extensive testing and quarantining. The ICMR released a document yesterday saying they are expecting a delivery of 7 lakh antibody tests soon which will be deployed in hotspots. So far, 274 districts have reported cases. Testing to approach capacity soon:  As per the ICMR website, which was updated last night at 9 pm, 89,534 tests have been conducted so far, of which 9,369 were done yesterday, indicating an increase from previous days.   The country observes 9 minutes of candlelight on Sunday:  Citizens across the country heeded the PM’s call and switched off their lights and lit  diyas  at 9 pm last. The gesture was a display of solidarity during these times of uncertainty and loneliness. There were concerns about the power grid collapsing because of shifting loads, but thankfully there was no untoward incident. There were many reports of firecrackers being lit across the country as well. For more information, read our article on   Mild vs Severe Symptoms of COVID-19_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.