Welcome to the updated version of Key Developments, now published twice a week and expanding beyond just COVID-19 news. Right now, it's still largely focused on the pandemic, but we're gradually broadening the scope as we move forward.
The global case count has surpassed 21 million, with over 1.8 million new cases reported in the last week alone—growth is accelerating rapidly. There have been more than 752,000 deaths worldwide. In the U.S., there are over 5.4 million confirmed cases and more than 170,000 deaths. The country added over 51,000 new cases just since yesterday. Brazil continues to lead in daily case growth, followed closely by India, which has now become the world’s top performer in daily infections. Russia and Mexico also remain high on the list, with Mexico having the third-highest total death toll at over 54,000.
A recent antibody study in the UK found that about 6% of the population has been infected. Healthcare workers and care home staff were particularly affected, with higher infection rates compared to the general public. Approximately one-third of those tested showed no symptoms. While this was a large-scale study involving over 100,000 participants, a follow-up in the fall will be even bigger. If only 6% of the population has been infected and the UK has already recorded over 40,000 deaths, it suggests that many more could still succumb before herd immunity is reached.
Iowa is facing a major crisis after a powerful derecho storm hit the state with winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. This disaster has destroyed up to a third of the state’s crops—over 10 million acres. The impact extends far beyond Iowa’s borders, affecting food security across the region. Cities like Cedar Rapids have been devastated, and the ongoing pandemic response is being overshadowed for now:
https://twitter.com/LauraMLippman/status/1293938817762762759?s=20
Some reports suggest that cold storage facilities might be contributing to virus spread:
https://twitter.com/next_china/status/1293760429395673088?s=20
This issue isn’t limited to China. New Zealand officials are also investigating whether the virus could have re-entered the community through cold chain logistics:
Could #covid_19 have got back into the NZ community through freight in cold storage? Ashleigh Bloomfield says it's "unlikely" but NZ officials are investigating the possibility. They are not ruling it out at this stage. https://t.co/QfSgymk8J4
— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) August 12, 2020
The pandemic is worsening food insecurity, especially in areas where supply chains are struggling. Even though shelves aren't as bare as they were in early spring, many items are still hard to find. Prices are rising, and manufacturing hasn’t fully recovered yet.
Researchers from the University of Florida have detected live, infectious virus particles in the air up to 17 feet away from an infected patient. This confirms that the virus can spread through airborne transmission, not just via droplets or contaminated surfaces.
Herd immunity is not a solution—it’s a dangerous and unrealistic goal.
The U.S. is experiencing some of the worst outcomes globally. Our test positivity rate remains high, and our death toll is among the highest in the world. Despite this, the country lacks a coherent national strategy for testing, tracing, and isolating cases.
California has crossed a grim milestone with over 600,000 confirmed cases:
NEW: California becomes first U.S. state to reach 600,000 confirmed coronavirus cases https://t.co/yC7ED0zgPa
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) August 13, 2020
South Africa is showing signs of improvement, but many African nations are still seeing rising case numbers. Countries like Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, and Senegal have all reported record highs recently:
South Africa continues to improve while multiple African countries recorded new highs yesterday, including Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal. pic.twitter.com/BcOEe3jMle
— Yaneer Bar-Yam (@yaneerbaryam) August 14, 2020
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