The coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom is now the most common strain of Covid-19 in the US, CDC director says.
Both the UK and EU regulators found a “possible link” between AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine and “very rare” blood clot cases, but said the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh the risks.
Brazil’s president shrugged off criticism he is “genocidal” as the nation reports a record 4,000 daily deaths — its deadliest 24 hours of the pandemic so far.
Our live coverage has ended for the day. Follow the latest on the pandemic here.
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All 50 states commit to Biden's April 19 deadline to make Covid-19 vaccines available to all US adults
From CNN’s Ben Tinker and Lauren Mascarenhas
Hawaii on Wednesday became the last state to commit to meeting President Biden’s expedited deadline to make Covid-19 vaccines available to all US adults by April 19 – nearly two weeks earlier than the President’s original target of May 1.
Janice Okubo, communications director for the Hawaii State Department of Health, confirmed to CNN that her state will open vaccine eligibility to all residents age 16 and older by April 19.
Of the three vaccines currently authorized for emergency use in the United States by the US Food and Drug Administration, only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is authorized for use in people age 16 and older. The other two Covid-19 vaccines – manufactured by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – are authorized for use in people age 18 and older.
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Vaccines likely protect well against so-called California variant of coronavirus, study finds
From CNN’s Maggie Fox
Tests suggest that current coronavirus vaccines should protect people against one of the so-called California variants of the virus, researchers reported Wednesday.
They tested blood taken from people vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine and also one being developed by Maryland biotech Novavax and found reassuring results. While the variant does evade the immune response a little, it’s not by much, the team at Novavax, Moderna, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said.
The ability of Moderna’s and Novavax’s vaccines to generate antibodies against the B.1.429 variant is about the same as the efficacy against B.1.1.7 – the so-called UK variant, they wrote in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.
“The magnitude of resistance seen with the B.1.351 variant is of greater concern with respect to current vaccines.” The B.1.351 variant, first seen in South Africa, carries some different mutations that allow it to better evade the immune response elicited by vaccines.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated B.1.351, B.1.429 and B.1.1.7 as variants of concern, as well as P.1, which is the dominant variant in Brazil and a different variant seen in California called B.1.427.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that B.1.1.7 was now the dominant type of virus circulating in the US.
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More than 171 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the US
From CNN’s Amanda Sealy
Hundreds of people without appointments stand in line outside the mass coronavirus vaccination site at Hagerstown Premium Outlets on April 07, in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
More than 171 million doses of Covid-19 have been administered in the United States, according to data published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reported that 171,476,655 total doses have been administered, about 76% of the 225,294,435 doses delivered.
That’s about 2.9 million more doses reported administered since yesterday, for a seven-day average of about 3 million doses per day.
Just over 33% of the US population – more than 109 million people – have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and 19.4% of the population – more than 64 million people – are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
Note: Data published by the CDC may be delayed, and doses may not have been given on the day reported.
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NHL team says Covid-19 variant was the source behind 21 players testing positive for virus
From CNN’s Jacob Lev
An arena worker removes the net from the ice after the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames NHL hockey game was postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test result, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, March 31.
Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/AP/FILE
The National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks have revealed 21 of its players have tested positive for Covid-19.
There are 25 people in total on the team who have tested positive for the virus including four staff members. The team says one additional player is considered a close contact.
A Wednesday update from Canucks physician Jim Bovard and infectious disease physician Josh Douglas states the “source infection is confirmed a variant — full genome sequencing by BCCDC will be required to determine which specific type.”
The BCCDC is the BC Centre for Disease Control based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The team release continued, “An ongoing investigation by Vancouver Coastal Health and club contact tracing staff attributes the source infection to a single individual obtained in a community setting, which has since been identified by public health as a public exposure location. Rapid spread of infection throughout the team indicates a link between contacts and the primary case.”
The NHL announced last week that all Canucks games through April 6 have been postponed, but it is uncertain when the team will return to the ice. CNN has reached out to the NHL for comment.
The Canucks next scheduled game is on April 12 on the road against the Edmonton Oilers, according to the team’s website.
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Belgium pauses AstraZeneca vaccine for people 55 and under
From CNN’s James Frater
People rest after being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Brabanthal event center in Heverlee, Belgium, on Wednesday, March 17.
Francisco Seco/AP/FILE
Belgium has paused use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 18 to 55 years old, national and regional health ministers announced in a statement.
They said their decision follows a review by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) earlier today, saying there was a “possible link” between the vaccine and rare blood clots.
In their statement, Belgium’s Ministers said that based on recent scientific advice, they “have decided to temporarily replace AstraZeneca with another vaccine for people aged 18 to 55 years.”
“All vaccines continue to be used for people aged 56 and over,” the statement reads, emphasizing that the EMA has said the benefits of AstraZeneca still outweigh any risks.
The Belgian Interministerial Conference on Health will re-evaluate the decision “within 4 weeks.
The statement also adds that Belgium, through the EU conference of health ministers, is requesting that EMA make a more detailed analysis of the benefit-risk analysis per age category and “urgently consider the question regarding the 2nd dose.”
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said Wednesday that a particular combination of unusual blood clots with low blood platelet counts should be listed as a side effect of the vaccine, but stopped short of recommending its use be limited.
The benefits of the shot outweigh the risks and Covid-19 is a “very serious disease,” the EMA added.
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Italy to give people over 60 "preferential route" for AstraZeneca vaccine
From CNN’s Nicola Ruotolo
Italy will give people over 60 a “preferential route” to getting the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine since most of the rare adverse events took place in younger people, the president of the Higher Healthcare Council, Franco Locatelli, said on Wednesday.
Speaking during a news conference, Locatelli reiterated that the vaccine is safe and can be given to anyone over the age of 18. He said there was no reason why people under the age of 60 who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should not also take the second dose.
Earlier on Wednesday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that a particular combination of unusual blood clots with low blood platelet counts should be listed as a side effect of the vaccine, but stopped short of recommending its use be limited.
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Canada's Ontario province issues stay-at-home order as hospitalizations spike
From CNN’s Paula Newton
The province of Ontario, which includes Canada’s largest city Toronto, will be under a stay-at-home order for at least four weeks beginning Thursday as a third wave of the pandemic threatens to overwhelm hospitals.
Hospital admissions in Ontario increased by 20% in the last day alone and intensive care occupancy has already set a pandemic record this week, as the healthcare system relies on surge capacity and patient transfers to keep up with Covid-19 patients.
“The hospitalizations happening as a result of these variants are taking over our hospitals,” Christine Elliott, Ontario’s health minister, said.
Non-essential retail stores including malls will close to in-person shopping with only grocery stores, pharmacies and garden centers open to the public. Restaurant dining rooms, personal care services, and gyms were already closed across the province.
Toronto and the adjacent region of Peel moved student to virtual learning earlier this week just ahead of a previously scheduled spring break. The Ford government says its priority is to keep schools open throughout the province.
Ford also imposed the province’s third state of emergency since the pandemic began, although healthcare experts, including the province’s hospital and medical associations have been calling for more restrictions for at least two weeks saying current measures were “not enough.”
While vaccine doses have been scarce in Canada, the rollout is ramping up now with Ontario saying it had set a record for vaccinations Tuesday, administering more than 100,000 doses.
Ford said the province will begin deploying mobile vaccination teams throughout communities in hotspots like Toronto, including providing vaccines to teachers and other education workers beginning next week.
Outside of Canada’s Atlantic provinces: the third wave of the pandemic is straining hospitals throughout most of the country.
Dr. Tam also underscored the threat of new variants spreading and leading to more infections and severe illness.
“Although B.1.1.7 continues to account for the majority of variants of concern in Canada and has likely replaced the original virus in some areas, there has been a concerning rise in P.1 cases in recent weeks. Early evidence suggests that the P.1 variant may reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, making it even more important to control its spread,” her statement said.
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Turkey hits record number of Covid-19 deaths in one day
From CNN’s Işıl Sariyuce in Istanbul
Turkey reported at least 276 new deaths over the last 24 hours, the highest number of deaths in one day since the start of the pandemic, according to Turkish health ministry data released on Wednesday.
The health ministry reported at least 54,740 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours— also a record high in daily cases since the start of the pandemic.
The total number fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic is at least 32,943.
Turkey has reimposed weekend curfews in most cities and announced plans for further restrictions such as a ban on indoor dining during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan set to begin on April 13.
The country has recorded at least 3,633,925 Covid-19 cases since the health ministry reported the first case on March 11.
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Here's how many fourth- and eighth-graders are attending full in-person school
From CNN's Elizabeth Stuart
Mirna Sanchez walks down the halls stocked with a sanitizing station and social distancing markers during the first day of partial in-person instruction at Garfield Elementary School in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, March 30. Garfield Elementary School partially re-opened for students in grades kindergarten through second grade on Tuesday, March 30.
Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
The nation’s school districts are making strides in their efforts to reopen, but new data shows that many more students are still learning fully remotely than fully in-person.
Just 39% of fourth-graders are attending full-time in-person school and just 29% of eighth-graders, according to data released on Wednesday from the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
The data comes from a nationwide survey of school districts, looking at Grade 4 and Grade 8, assessing mode of instruction available, what proportion of students are using each method, a breakdown of instruction method by race, attendance rates, as well as what percentage of teachers have received a Covid-19 vaccine.
About three-quarters of US public schools are open for full time in-person or hybrid learning, but this new data shows that the percentage of students actually attending in-person is still the minority.
Here are some more key findings of the study:
For the mode of instruction availableto fourth-graders, 51% of schools were open for full-time in-person, and 32% were open for hybrid. 82% of all schools surveyed offered a remote learning program.
The survey said for the month of February 2021, 39% of fourth-graders were attending full in-person, 18% attended hybrid, and 42% were fully remote.
For the mode of instruction available to eighth-graders, 46% of schools were open for full-time in-person and 38% were open for hybrid. 78% of schools offered fully remote for those students who chose it.
Among eighth-graders, just 29% were attending full in-person, 24% attended hybrid, and 45% were fully remote.
“This is encouraging early data, covering the month of February, and shows progress toward the President’s goal to have K through 8th grade schools open five days a week,” said Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for Covid-19 response at Wednesday’s Covid-19 Response Team briefing.
Regionally, the NAEP’s data shows that more districts in the South and Midwest are open for full in-person instruction than those in the Northeast and West.
The data also shows the racial divide in students who are attending in-person. “More than half of Black, Hispanic, and Asian fourth-graders learn fully remotely, while nearly half of White fourth-graders learned full-time in-person, in school,” according to the study.
“Although White students continue to enroll in full-time in-person instruction at higher rates, we are beginning to see shifts toward full-time in-person learning for other groups,” said Peggy G. Carr, associate commissioner of the assessment division at NCES. “The percentages of Black students at both grades four and eight enrolled in full-time in-person instruction increased between January and February, and more children with disabilities at grade eight also enrolled for in-person full-time learning.”
The data was collected between March 17 and March 30 with 2,200 schools reporting on fourth-grade, and 2,100 schools reporting on eighth-grade. The next update will be in May.
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WHO: Link between AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clot risk is "plausible" but rare
From CNN's Richard Greene and Schams Elwazer
The World Health Organization said it was “plausible” there was a link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare cases of blood clots.
Having reviewed the latest information from the EU and UK regulators among others, the WHO said “a causal relationship between the vaccine and the occurrence of blood clots with low platelets is considered plausible but is not confirmed.”
Earlier Wednesday, the European and British medicines regulators announced a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare cases of blood clots, with the UK announcing it would offer under 30s an alternative vaccine.
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Brazil records deadliest day of pandemic as president continues to refuse nationwide safety measures
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Marcia Reverdosa
Cemetery workers wearing protective gear lower the coffin of a person who died from complications related to COVID-19 into a gravesite at the Vila Formosa cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, April 7.
Andre Penner/AP
Brazil continues to mark grim milestones in its fight against coronavirus, as the country saw its deadliest day on Tuesday since the start of the pandemic, with a record 4,195 new deaths.
The month of March was also the deadliest month for the country since the start of pandemic, with at least 66,573 recorded deaths.
With nearly 337,000 total deaths, and total cases surpassing 13 million, Brazil is second only to the US in terms of cases.
It also accounted for approximately one third, about 28%, of the total global deaths since March 21, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Intensive care unit occupancy rates in almost all states are at or above 80%, according to local authorities. Yet, only 2.42% of the total population in Brazil has been fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, a coronavirus skeptic since the start of the pandemic, continues to refuse to implement nationwide safety measures. On Wednesday, the day after Brazil reported the record death toll, Bolsonaro again criticized the adoption of restrictive measures to halt the spread of Covid-19 in Brazil and said there won’t be a national lockdown.
“We will look for alternatives, we will not accept the ‘stay at home’ policy to close everything, to lockdown. The virus will not go away. This virus, like others, is here to stay, and will stay for a lifetime. It is practically impossible to eradicate it,” he said.
Bolsonaro on Tuesday dismissed accusations of being “genocidal” for not taking proper measures to address the crisis. “What am I not blamed for here in Brazil?” he said.
A new report by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) released on Tuesday says that only a national lockdown with a minimum duration of two weeks could curb the rapid spread of coronavirus cases across the country.
“Lockdown measures are a bitter remedy, but they are absolutely necessary in times of crisis and collapse of the health system like the one the country is experiencing now. Only this will prevent more deaths and effectively save lives,” says the Fiocruz report.
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UK government says AstraZeneca vaccine is "safe" and encourages people to get their second dose
From Natasha Maguder
The UK government said Wednesday that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “is safe, effective and has already saved thousands of lives” and people who have received a first dose of the vaccine should receive a second dose from the same brand.
Earlier Wednesday, the European and British medicines regulators announced a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare cases of blood clots, with the UK announcing it would offer people under 30 an alternative vaccine.
“As the MHRA – the UK’s independent regulator – and the JCVI have said, the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of adults,” a government spokesperson said in a statement.
“The government will follow today’s updated advice, which sets out that, as a precaution, it is preferable for people under the age of 30 with no underlying health conditions to be offered an alternative vaccine where possible once they are eligible.”
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CDC director believes decreasing number of daily US Covid-19 deaths is "an impact of vaccination"
From CNN's Ben Tinker
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky speaks during a White House coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, April 7.
White House
In response to a question about when the United States can reopen more broadly, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, outlined the conditions she believes are needed to reach that point alongside the vaccination of the population.
“In the context of vaccination, we still need to have our case counts be really low to stop circulating virus, to stop the emergence of variants, to stop hospitalizations, and ultimately to stop deaths,” she said.
According to the latest CDC data, 19% of the total US population is now fully vaccinated, with 56% of people age 65 and older are fully vaccinated.
The US is currently averaging 785 daily deaths over the last seven days – down 21% since last week, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The country is now averaging 64,766 daily cases over the last seven days – down 3% since last week.
“What we will almost certainly see, as we get more and more proportion of the population vaccinated, is that those case count numbers will come down,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at the White House briefing. “But we would not recommend doing anything different until we get well below the level where we are right now.”
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Study: Pandemic stay-at-home orders caused increased well-being risk to US Black and Hispanic communities
From CNN's Virginia Langmaid
The decrease in personal mobility caused by Covid-19 stay-at-home orders was connected to increased well-being risks, particularly in Black and Hispanic communities, new data published Tuesday show.
For every 10% reduction in mobility through implemented Covid-19 measure, the odds of an individual experiencing unemployment, food insufficiency, mental health problems, and class cancellations increased, according to the research published in the JAMA Network Open.
Researchers collected data using the Household Pulse Survey, and participants self-reported their experience of different well-being factors in relation to the pandemic. Over one million respondents participated in the study.
When compared to the risk experienced by high-income White men, low-income Black people faced the greatest risk of these adverse outcomes. Hispanic people and low-income women across all ethnicities also had a higher risk.
Low-income people overall were at the greatest risk of experiencing all well-being risks, while low-income Black people were at the greatest risk of experiencing almost any of the adverse outcomes.
Researchers also looked at the risk of defaulting on rent or mortgage, and of inaccessible medical care.
Overall risk of these outcomes did not show the sharp increase observed in other outcomes, but low-income, non-Hispanic White women did experience the largest risk of inaccessible medical care when compared to other groups.
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Go There: CNN reports from Los Angeles as California plans to fully reopen in June
From CNN's Jason Hanna, Cheri Mossburg and Madeline Holcombe
Falling infection rates, low hospitalizations and rising vaccinations are reasons this can be done, state Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said.
California’s mask mandate, however, would remain in place, at least “in the short run,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
CNN correspondent Stephanie Elam is in Los Angeles with the latest.
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UK regulator says under-30s should be offered alternative to AstraZeneca vaccine where available
From CNN's Vasco Cotovio
Britain’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that adults below 30 years of age should be offered an alternative Covid-19 vaccine in preference to an AstraZeneca one.
Here’s why: This comes after a review by Britain’s drug regulator Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed there is a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine and “very rare cases of blood clots,” maintaining the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks.
“The evidence is firming up and our review has concluded that, while it’s a strong possibility, more work is needed to establish beyond all doubt that the vaccine has caused these side effects,” Chief Executive of the MHRA, Dr June Raine, said at a briefing Wednesday.
“Based on the current evidence, the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca, against Covid-19 and its associated risks, hospitalization and death, continues to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people.”
Raine explained that the MHRA had detected 79 cases out of more than 20 million doses administered in the UK up until March 30.
Of those 79 cases, 19 people died and among those, three were under 30s.
“The balance of benefits and risks is very favourable for older people but it is more finely balanced for the younger people,” Raine said. “We at the MHRA are advising that this evolving evidence should be taken into account, when considering how the vaccine is used.”
For the under 30s: Despite advising that an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine be offered to adults aged 18-29, Britain’s JCVI did say that those who have already received the first jab, should receive the second one.
JCVI Chair Wei Shen Lim said people on the limit of the age recommendation should make “their own decision” about vaccination.
“For somebody who’s 31 and 32, I think they have to make their own decision as to what they want to do about vaccination,” he said. “We would still say that the balance is in favour of being vaccinated because of the risks from Covid-19 and the protection that the vaccine offers.”
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UK variant is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the US, CDC director says
From CNN’s Betsy Klein
A healthcare worker places a vial containing a Covid-19 test swab into a box at a testing site in San Francisco, California, on January 9.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom is now the most common strain of coronavirus in the United States, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday.
Asked for clarity by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Walensky said, “It is the most common lineage, period. So there are many different lineages. Of the many different potential variants, there are several different kinds – of sort of wild type variants – and this is, in fact, the most common lineage right now.”
Studies have suggested that the UK variant is more contagious than the original strain, and is possibly more dangerous associated with a higher risk of death.
There are currently 16,275 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in the United States, identified in 52 states/jurisdictions, according to the CDC.
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White House expanding US community health center vaccinations to "advance equitable distribution" of shots
From CNN's Betsy Klein
The White House announced that it is expanding vaccinations at community health centers across the country, a move aimed at advancing the distribution of vaccines more equitably.
This is an increase from the 950 community health centers currently distributing vaccines, which the administration announced during the March 26 Covid briefing.
Slavitt added, “Many community health centers are located in underserved communities, and serve patients that are predominantly either uninsured or underinsured.”
The administration has been directly sending vaccines to community health centers to get vaccines to hard-to-reach communities since earlier this year.
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EU regulator: AstraZeneca vaccine benefits outweigh risks and specific risk factors have not confirmed
From Angela Dewan and Samantha Tapfumaneyi
A medical worker prepares to administer a dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Belgrade, Serbia, on March 23.
Darko Vojinovic/AP
The European Medicines Agency’s safety committee – known as PRAC – “has confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects,” EMA’s Executive Director Emer Cooke said Wednesday at a news conference in Amsterdam.
“Based on the current available evidence, specific risk factors – such as age, gender or previous medical history” – have not been confirmed as cases are seen in all ages, including men and women, Cooke added.
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EU regulator finds "possible link" between AstraZeneca vaccine and "very rare" blood clot cases
From CNN's Schams Elwazer
A nurse prepares a vial of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine at a doctor's office in Deisenhofen, Germany, on March 31.
Lennart Preiss/AFP/Getty Images
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said Wednesday that there was a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine and “very rare cases of blood clots” but said the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the risks.
“In reaching its conclusion, the committee took into consideration all currently available evidence, including the advice from an ad hoc expert group,” it added.
It continued:
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Experts warn the pandemic is not over despite ramp up of vaccinations. Here's the latest US Covid-19 news.
From CNN's Madeline Holcombe
A White House official said on Wednesday that the US will be approaching having nearly half of all adults with their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine by the end of this weekend.
This comes after White House senior adviser for Covid-19 response Andy Slavitt gave an ambitious timeline to CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Tuesday night.
“We’re on track that by the weekend, half the adults in the country will have had their first shot,” Slavitt said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 41.7% of the population over 18 has received at least one dose of vaccine.
Slavitt warned that “100 million-plus adults still haven’t been vaccinated.”
President Biden, meanwhile, has moved the deadline for all US adults to be eligible for Covid vaccine to April 19. Speaking at the White House yesterday, Biden said that 150 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered within his first 75 days in office, in line with a stated goal of 200 million shots by his 100th day in office.
Despite those improvements and positive vaccine numbers, the US has a long way to go before reaching herd immunity. Dr. Anthony Fauci has estimated 70-85% of the population needs to become immune. And the pace for vaccinating all willing adults varies greatly among states, according to a CNN analysis of federal data.
And though health experts caution the battle against Covid-19 is not yet won, many states have already reopened and others are planning to soon as well.
California plans to fully reopen activities and businesses beginning June 15, as infection rates are failing, hospitalizations are low and vaccinations rising in the state. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott laid out a 90 day reopening plan leading up to July 4. Officials anticipate roughly 70% of Vermont residents will have received at least one vaccine dose by that time.
Meanwhile, the daily rate of new cases has been on the rise over the last four weeks as highly transmissible variants like B.1.1.7. have spread, according to the CDC. In the past week, five states have accounted for about 44% of new Covid-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
There were about 453,000 new cases in the country in the past seven days, New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey reported nearly 198,000 of those cases.
Director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota Michael Osterholm said that although the states are vaccinating quickly, enough people still haven’t been vaccinated to outpace the spread.
What will life looks life following vaccination? Experts and officials are debating how to monitor vaccinations once life in the US regains a sense of normalcy.
CDC’s ensemble forecast predicts slight slowing of US Covid-19 death rate over next 3 and a half weeks
From CNN's Ben Tinker
An ensemble forecast published Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now projects there will be 568,000 to 588,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States by May 1.
This represents a slight slowing of the death rate over the next three and a half weeks.
The previous ensemble forecast, published March 31, projected up to 585,000 coronavirus deaths by April 24.
At least 556,548 people have already died from Covid-19 in the United States, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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Fauci expects some local businesses and institutions will implement vaccine requirements
From CNN’s Naomi Thomas
Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in Washington, DC, on March 18.
Susan Walsh/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
While vaccine requirements won’t come from federal government mandates, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he would be very surprised if there weren’t local level requirements.
“I don’t think I could come out and officially say I support it because that’s going to be taken, I think, out of context in some cases,” Fauci said, asked by CBS’s Tony Dokoupil if, from a public health perspective, he supported vaccine requirements for businesses and organizations.
Fauci made clear that, “You’re not going to see that from a federal government mandate,” but said he would be “surprised if we did not see that at the local level.”
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White House clarifies official meant US will be "approaching" half adults vaccinated by this weekend
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins
A pharmacy technician fills syringes of Covid-19 vaccines at Whitney M. Young Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 2.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images
A White House official says that by the end of this weekend, the US will be approaching having nearly half of all adults with their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine.
That clarification comes after President Biden’s coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt gave an ambitious timeline to CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Tuesday night.
“We’re on track that by the weekend, half the adults in the country will have had their first shot,” Slavitt said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 41.7% of the population over 18 has received at least one dose of vaccine.
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German state of Bavaria will buy Sputnik vaccine
From CNN’s Claudia Otto
The wealthy German state of Bavaria is set to buy 2.5 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine, as soon as it is approved by the European Union’s drug regulator, the state’s prime minister said on Wednesday.
Illertissen is a vaccine producer based in Bavaria. The decision is in anticipation of a predicted shortfall in vaccine supplies expected in the coming months.
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US doesn’t need AstraZeneca’s vaccine doses, Fauci tells CNN
From CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen
The United States doesn’t need AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine doses, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN Wednesday.
Several European countries have paused their AstraZeneca vaccine distribution amid concerns that the vaccine might be linked to rare types of blood clots, or made rules that only people over a certain of age can receive it. No link has been established between the vaccine and blood clots.
At a congressional hearing on March 22, Ruud Dobber, president of AstraZeneca’s biopharmaceuticals business unit, said the company was “expecting” to have an EUA “at the beginning of April.” However, in media interviews he said the company was expecting to apply for an EUA in the first half of April.
Fauci said if AstraZeneca applies to the US Food and Drug Administration, they might receive an EUA, but that the doses weren’t needed in the US.
Last month, Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency, said the agency had come to a conclusion that the AstraZeneca vaccine “a is a safe and effective vaccine.”
Cooke said the group did not find that the vaccine causes clotting, though it could not definitively rule out a link to a rare blood clotting disorder. Cooke added that the benefits of AstraZeneca’s vaccine outweigh the risks, a message already stressed by both the EMA and World Health Organization.
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US on track to vaccinate 50% of all adults by this weekend with at least 1 shot, White House adviser says
From CNN's Lauren Mascarenhas
Half of the adults in the US should have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose by this weekend, White House senior adviser for Covid-19 response Andy Slavitt said Tuesday.
Slavitt did not fully explain his calculation, but indicated he expected the pace of vaccinations will pick up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 41.7% of the population over 18 has received at least one dose of vaccine.
“It’s getting easier,” Slavitt said. “Part of it’s because there’s more supply. Part of it is because it’s in more places. Part of it is because there’s more vaccinators,” he added.
But this does not mean the country is finished with the pandemic, the White House adviser note.
President Biden said Tuesday that every adult in the US should be eligible for a vaccine on April 19, up from the original May 1 deadline.
“We’ve got about 76% of seniors that have had their first shot,” Slavitt said. “Now what’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks, is we really need to make sure that more seniors get their shots, because starting on the 19th, we’re going to have some more floodgates again,” he said. “We’re going to have more people coming.”
Slavitt said that the US needs to keep pushing on Covid-19 vaccinations, so everyone who wants a shot can get one.
“We think that’s going to happen as we get into May – as we get towards the end of May,” he said.
From CNN’s Madeline Holcombe contributed reporting to this post.
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Hungary to ease restrictions after recording deadliest day of pandemic last week
From CNN's Chloe Adams in Glasgow
Hungary begins to ease anti-coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, just as the country has vaccinated 2.5 million people and despite battling a third wave of Covid-19 infections.
Starting on Wednesday morning, the country’s shops opening times are being extended from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. local time, with capacity reduced to one costumer per 10 square meters.
Night-time curfew restrictions are relaxed from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, with hair and beauty businesses also allowed to reopen. Bars and restaurants must remain closed and hotels cannot yet welcome guests.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called the vaccination number “an important milestone.”
“The virus waged a war against us, and the only weapon that promises victory is the vaccine,” Orbán said. “Hungary can be and will be the country where everyone gets a vaccine the fastest.”
Last week, the Prime Minister also signaled that on April 19, kindergartens, and primary and secondary schools will would reopen as well. He told public broadcaster, Kossuth Rádió, the next step will be taken when the vaccinated number reaches 3-3.5 million, adding that he would provide further details this Friday.
Why it matters: Hungary, with a population just under 10 million, has been in lockdown for a month as it struggled to bring down infection rates.
This Tuesday, health authorities reported at least 1,890 new cases, bringing the total to 691,743, for 170 additional deaths.
There are currently 12,007 people hospitalized with Covid-19, 1,440 of whom are on ventilators, with 251,077 coronavirus cases currently active in the country.
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India's Maharashtra state faces vaccine shortage
From CNN's Esha Mitra in Delhi
A health worker prepares a dose of the Covishield Covid-19 vaccine in Mumbai, India on April 1.
Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images
India’s Maharashtra state, where the country’s highest new daily coronavirus cases are being reported, has asked the central government to increase vaccine supply amid a shortage, the state’s minister of health said.
Tope said he has requested the central Indian authorities to supply more doses of the Covaxin and Covishield vaccines. “In both cities and villages, we have created teams… to bring all those above 45 years old to take the vaccine,” he added. “We have had a fast mobilization of recipients but haven’t received enough vaccines.”
On Tuesday, Maharashtra state recorded 55,469 new cases, nearly half the new cases across the whole country, according to the state health department. Mumbai, the state capital, recorded 10,030 new cases on Tuesday, according to the city administration.
Kishori Pednekar, the mayor of Mumbai, said the shortage comes at a time when there is rising trust in Covid-19 vaccines. “People want to take the vaccine quickly,” she told local media. “We are facing shortages of both Covishield and Covaxin, till yesterday we had only 176000 doses of Covaxin left, at this rate it will become difficult to provide even the second dose of the vaccine to those who have already received the first.”
Maharashtra has administered the highest number of vaccine doses of any state, with 8,127,248 people receiving the first dose of the vaccine, the Indian Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
Second wave grips the country: India on Wednesday reported over 115,000 new cases of coronavirus, the highest single-day total since the pandemic began, according to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian Ministry of Health. The country has seen a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases since March.
Several Indian cities and states have reinstated coronavirus restrictions in the second wave. Maharashtra has imposed weekend lockdowns and curfews, the union territory of Delhi has ordered a night curfew, and in the western state of Gujarat, a night curfew has been implemented in 20 cities.
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South Korea suspends AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people under 60 and nursing teachers
From CNN's Gawon Bae in Seoul
A nurse fills a syringe with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at Dobong health care center on February 26, in Seoul, South Korea.
Jung Yeon-Je/Pool/Getty Images
South Korea will temporarily suspend use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for people under 60 and nursing teachers, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said in a press release on Wednesday.
The KDCA said the decision was made because the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently reviewing the link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and instances of rare blood clots reported among some patients.
Nursing teachers were scheduled to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine starting Thurs, but the plan has been postponed.
KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong said the decision is a “preemptive action” as they consider people’s safety as the top priority. She added that they will have an in-depth discussion with local experts following an investigation by the EMA, before announcing further actions in a prompt manner.
The moves come as a senior health official warned of the increasing possibility the nation was heading into a fourth Covid-19 wave. South Korea reported 668 new cases from Tuesday, the biggest daily jump since January 8.
The EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee is expected to hold a virtual press briefing Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET following its latest review of AstraZeneca and thromboembolic events.
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German government calls for a short country-wide lockdown
From CNN's Fred Pleitgen in Vienna
The German government is calling for a short country-wide lockdown to try and curb the spread of Covid-19.
“Every call for a short, unified, lockdown is correct,” Ulrike Demmer, the spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, confirmed on Wednesday.
“The variety of the current measures are not contributing to safety or to acceptance,” she added, highlighting the importance of a “common federal approach.”
Demmer went on to say the current situation was unsustainable, with too much pressure on German healthcare. “We need a stable incidence rate below 100,” she concluded.
Last week, Germany’s public health authority, the Robert Koch Institute, found that the coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 – which was first identified in the UK – accounted for nearly 90% of new infections in the country.
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Osaka torch relay to take place in park without spectators after surge of cases in prefecture
The celebration cauldron is lit during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay in Minamisoma, Japan, on March 25.
Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images
The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee says the Olympic Torch Relay leg slated to take place in Osaka next week will be relocated to the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park without spectators.
In a press statement released Wednesday evening, Tokyo 2020 said the change of format to the torch relay event “will implement all necessary measures to ensure a safe environment for torchbearers who wish to run there, with no spectators being admitted on either day.”
The brief statement said other details would be announced as soon as they are decided.
Osaka prefectural government reported a record high of 878 daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
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Czech PM replaces health minister for third time since pandemic started
From CNN’s Ivana Kottasova in London
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has on Wednesday fired the country’s Health Minister Jan Blatny – the third health minister to be sacked since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Blatny had been in the post since late October.
“I believe this is a political decision, which is of course the right of the Prime Minister. I can say that my conscience is clear – I have made decisions based purely on my expertise, and always based them on data and expert analysis. I think this move can be interpreted as the Prime Minister thinking we are out of the worst situation,” Blatny said during a news conference on Wednesday.
Blatny has previously clashed with the Czech President Milos Zeman over the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. Blatny said the vaccine shouldn’t be used until after it is fully approved by the European Medicines Agency.
“I have always advocated for the use of only fully approved vaccines,” he said during the news conference. Zeman has pushed for the use of the vaccine regardless of its EMA approval status.
Blatny, a physician and an academic, is being replaced by Petr Arenberger. Arenberger, also a doctor, is currently the head of the University Hospital Vinohrady in Prague. He is a well-regarded dermatology expert.
The Czech Republic is one of the worst impacted countries in the world. The country of 10 million has reported 27,329 Covid-19 deaths and more than 1.5 million cases.
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Russia to supply 150,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine to Pakistan
From CNN’s Sophia Saifi in Islamabad
A health worker holds a dose of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 2.
Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that Russia will “soon” be supplying Pakistan with 150,000 doses of the Russian developed Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine.
Lavrov is currently visiting Pakistan on an official tour, his first to the country in 9 years.
Pakistan’s private sector has already purchased 50,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine which are currently being sold commercially.
Pakistan has recorded more than 700,000 cases of Covid-19 and more than 15,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University.
Russia announced last week agreements with 20 manufacturers in 10 different countries to produce its Sputnik V vaccine.
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Welsh patients first in UK to receive Moderna jabs, the country's third approved vaccine
From CNN's Zahid Mahmood, Sharon Braithwaite and Jo Shelley in London
A nurse administers an injection of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen, Wales on April 7.
Jacob King/WPA Pool/Getty Images
British Health Secretary said the rollout of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in the UK has started in Wales on Wednesday. Moderna’s vaccine is the third to be approved by British authorities after Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca.
“I’m delighted we can start the UK rollout of the Moderna vaccine in west Wales today,” Hancock said. The country has ordered 17 million doses from the US drug maker, according to a tweet from Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging people to get their jab as soon as they are contacted.
“Three out of every five people across the whole United Kingdom have received at least one dose, and today we start with the third approved vaccine. Wherever you live, when you get the call, get the jab,” Hancock said in a statement.
The announcement expanding the UK’s vaccination program comes amid growing concerns over a possible link between the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots.
Bolsonaro dismisses criticism he is "genocidal" as Brazil reports record 4,000 daily deaths
From CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Angela Dewan in London, Tatiana Arias in Atlanta and Journalist Marcia Reverdosa in Sao Paulo
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during a news conference at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 31.
Andressa Anholete/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has shrugged off criticisms that he is “genocidal” in his opposition to Covid-19 restrictions, as the nation recorded its deadliest 24 hours of the pandemic so far.
Brazil reported a record 4,195 new Covid-19 deaths, the latest health ministry data on Tuesday showed. The new figures increased the country’s total pandemic death toll to 336,947.
Bolsonaro, who has continued to downplay the seriousness of his country’s health crisis, brushed off claims he was to blame for the country’s spiraling death toll. The President has repeatedly opposed lockdowns and restrictive measures, and criticized governors and mayors with insulting language for implementing them.
Several of Bolsonaro’s political opponents have accused him of “genocide,” using the term loosely to characterize the consequences of his Covid-19 response.
“What am I not blamed for here in Brazil?” he asked rhetorically in the video.
The Brazilian leader also seemed to suggest the pandemic was an invention of the media that could be solved by providing outlets with government subsidies.
“I can solve the problem with the virus in a few minutes. I just have to pay what governments paid in the past to Globo, to Folha [de São Paulo], O Estado de São Paulo,” he said, referring to a nationwide broadcaster and two São Paulo-based newspapers. “Now, that money is not for the press, it’s for other things.”
Bolsonaro then reiterated his anti-restrictions stance, arguing – incorrectly – that the states where tougher measures have been imposed are experiencing higher death tolls.
“What’s the state that has locked down the most? São Paulo. Which one has the highest death toll, proportionally? São Paulo,” he falsely claimed.
Although São Paulo has the highest absolute death toll, it ranks 10th in deaths per capita.
Bolsonaro also said locking down would be counterproductive, as people would be more vulnerable to the virus.
“I saw some recent research that those who have a healthy lifestyle are eight times less likely to have problems with Covid,” he said. “You lock people at home… what does he do at home? I doubt they haven’t increased their weight a little, from last year to this year.”
“Even I grew my belly a little bit,” he joked.
Cases continue to spiral in Brazil: Tuesday saw Brazil record its deadliest day of the pandemic so far. Additionally, 86,979 new Covid-19 cases were reported across the country, raising the tally of infections to 13,100,580, according to the health ministry.
Global Covid-19 cases have risen for the sixth consecutive week, according to the World Health Organization’s Weekly Epidemiological Update on Tuesday.
Brazil, along with the US, Turkey and France followed India in the highest number of new Covid-19 cases reported globally.
Philippines man allegedly dies after "pumping exercises" punishment for breaking Covid-19 rules
From CNN's Pauline Lockwood in Hong Kong
A map shows the location of General Trias in the Philippines.
Google
An investigation has been launched in the Philippines following the death of a man who is said to have been forced to do “pumping exercises” as a punishment for breaking Covid-19 curfew rules, CNN affiliate CNN Philippines reports.
According to his family, those exercises – a pumping motion similar to squats – were performed by 28-year-old Darren Manaog Peñaredondo after he went out on April 1 to buy water during curfew hours in Cavite, under lockdown due to a surge of coronavirus infections.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the mayor of General Trias town have ordered an investigation into his death, according to CNN Philippines.
Peñaredondo’s family said that he “started to convulse on Saturday,” but that they were able to revive him at home. “Then his body failed so we revived him again, but he was already comatose. He died at 10 p.m. He also said he fell several times while they were asked to do pumping exercises.”
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, who is leading the investigation, told CNN Philippines that all police officers who are proven to have violated the law “will be prosecuted and meted with appropriate [administrative] and criminal penalties.”
Some context: Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report in March calling on Philippine authorities to “respect the basic rights of people detained for violating the government’s Covid-19 regulations.”
HRW says some local officials in Santa Cruz town in Laguna province, “admitted locking up five youths inside a dog cage on March 20,” while other officials in Parañaque, a city within Metro Manila, forced curfew violators “to sit in the intense midday sun after their arrest.” The rights group added that the officials claimed they only put them there temporarily because they had no place to hold them.
Hundreds of people have been arrested in Manila since President RodrigoDuterte put the main Philippine island of Luzon under lockdown on March 16, according to HRW. Most of the arrests were for violating curfew but some are for violating “social distancing” and quarantine regulations.
Millions of people in the Philippines were forced to spend Easter at home this year, with all religious gatherings banned in the capital and nearby provinces of the majority Catholic country.
One round of 0.5ml of the Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine can be administered to people aged 18 or older.
Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is the third Covid-19 vaccine to be approved in South Korea, after AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech.
Food and Drug Safety Minister Kim Ganglip said the approval came after the ministry’s thorough verification process of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, and added that it will cooperate with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) to strictly monitor and response to adverse reactions.
Earlier, a Senior Health Ministry official warned of the increasing possibility the country was heading into a fourth Covid-19 wave after the nation reported 668 new cases from Tuesday, the biggest daily jump since January 8.
During a briefing Wednesday, Yoon Tae-ho cited South Koreans’ exhaustion from the third wave as a factor for the recent surge in new cases.
The health official urged people to cancel unnecessary meetings, comply with the fundamental virus control measures and actively receive a Covid-19 vaccine to help prevent a fourth wave.
Yoon added that South Korea has sufficient hospital beds to respond to around 1,000 Covid-19 patients for about 20 days and is preparing additional beds.
Numbers rise once more: South Korea saw 653 new local transmissions and 15 imported cases from Tuesday, according to a KDCA press release. Of the new cases, 413 were from Seoul Metropolitan area, 61 from Daejeon and 38 from Busan.
South Korea’s total confirmed Covid-19 cases stands at 106,898 and the death toll at 1,756.
As of Wednesday, a total of 1,039,066 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 33,414 people got the second dose, the KDCA press release said.
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Osaka cancels Olympic Torch Relay on public roads
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura meets the press at the prefectural government office in Japan, on April 7.
Kyodo News/Getty Images
The governor of Japan’s Osaka prefecture has said he will not allow Olympic torchbearers to run on public streets as planned next week after a surge in Covid-19 infections prompts officials to declare a state of medical emergency.
Osaka prefectural government reported a record high of 878 daily new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said the speed of infection is “very fast” and the infection rate “very high.”
Yoshimura said that due to the rise in cases, the Olympic Torch Relay in the prefecture could not go ahead as planned. He said the prefecture is discussing holding the event at an alternative location – at the Expo ’70 Commemorative park in Suita city without spectators – with the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
Osaka prefecture was set to hold the Tokyo Olympic torch relay on April 14.
Yoshimura also warned that Osaka Prefecture’s hospital bed occupancy rate could soon surpass 70% and asked residents in the prefecture to avoid non-essential outings.
Some background: At the Osaka COVID-19 task force, data shows more contagious variants of the coronavirus make up around half of infections since the end of March.
This is not the first medical emergency announced in Osaka. Japan’s central government declared a state of emergency due to the pandemic for several prefectures including Osaka on December 3. It was lifted at the end of February.
Japan’s capital Tokyo also reported 555 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday.
Read more about the challenges Japan has faced holding the Olympic Torch Relay here:
India reports more than 115,000 new Covid-19 cases in highest daily total
From CNN's Esha Mitra and Manveena Suri in New Delhi
India on Wednesday reported 115,736 new cases of coronavirus, the highest single-day total since the pandemic began, according to a CNN tally of figures from the Indian Ministry of Health.
India has seen a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases since March. On Monday, the country reported 103,558 new cases, surpassing the previous daily high of nearly 98,000 cases recorded during the peak of the first wave in September last year.
On Wednesday, India also reported 630 virus-related fatalities. Its total coronavirus death toll now stands at 166,177, according to the Ministry of Health.
New restrictions: Several Indian cities and states have reinstated coronavirus restrictions in the second wave. Maharashtra has imposed weekend lockdowns and curfews, the union territory of Delhi has ordered a night curfew, and in the western state of Gujarat, a night curfew has been implemented in 20 cities.
Some states, including Maharashtra and Delhi, have asked the central government to lower the age restriction of those eligible to take the Covid-19 vaccine, which is currently set at 45.
However, the government said Tuesday it is necessary to vaccinate healthcare workers and vulnerable groups first.
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Chile postpones elections due to surge in Covid-19 cases
From CNN's Cristopher Ulloa and Tatiana Arias
Chile is postponing local, regional and Constitutional Assembly elections for five weeks over a recent surge in Covid-19 cases, the country’s President Sebastian Piñera announced Tuesday.
A law enacted on Tuesday by Piñera pushed the election of Constitutional Assembly members in charge of drafting the country’s new Constitution from April 10-11 to May 15-16.
Elections for governors and mayors have also been postponed under the same law.
As of Tuesday, Chile has reported a total of 1,037,780 cases of Covid-19 and 23,734 related deaths. The country’s ICU occupancy rate currently stands at 96%.
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Mexico authorizes emergency use of India's Covid-19 vaccine
From CNN's Karol Suarez in Mexico City
Mexico’s health regulator Cofepris has authorized the emergency use of India’s homegrown Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin.
The agency said in a statement Tuesday the decision received “unanimous favorable opinion from experts” when the New Molecule Committee met on March 5 to discuss the issue.
According to Bharat Biotech, the Indian pharmaceutical company that developed Covaxin, the vaccine has an initial efficacy rate of 81%, based on interim results of its Phase 3 clinical trial.
Cofepris said the authorization for emergency use certifies the Covaxin vaccine meets the quality, safety, and efficacy requirements needed to be applied in Mexico.
Mexico reported 308,524 doses administered on Tuesday, bringing the country’s total to 9,675,517 vaccinations.
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EU lifts block on AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia, Canberra says
From CNN's Angus Watson in Sydney
Australia will receive its order of 3.1 million doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine initially blocked by the European Union, Trade Minister Dan Tehan said Wednesday in an interview with public broadcaster ABC.
Papua New Guinea is suffering a surge of Covid-19 cases, and has so far received 8,000 doses of donated vaccine from Australia.
“There’s 1 million vaccines hopefully on their way for PNG sooner rather than later, and also all the other contracts that we have with AstraZeneca will now be able to be honored and AstraZeneca will be able to send those to Australia,” Tehan said.
On Wednesday Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he and Health Minister Greg Hunt had written to the EU Commission and AstraZeneca respectively to ask for the doses to be sent.
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Bangladesh sees new high in daily Covid-19 infections and deaths
From CNN's Sugam Pokharel
Bangladesh on Tuesday reported 7,213 new Covid-19 cases and 66 deaths — its highest daily increases in new infections and fatalities since the outbreak began, the country’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in a statement.
This comes a day after the South Asian nation went into a seven-day nationwide lockdown following a fresh surge in new cases.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Tuesday all educational institutions including Islamic schools, known as madrasas, will remain closed until further notice, according to state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
Bangladesh from Saturday has banned the entry of air travelers originating from European countries – except the UK – and 12 other nations, including Brazil and South Africa, until April 18, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said in a statement. The CAAB said it made the decision after “reviewing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic situation throughout the country and globally.”
The airline authority also banned all commercial domestic flights until Sunday.
Along with Bangladesh, other countries in the densely populated South Asian region, such as India and Pakistan, have been reporting high numbers of new Covid-19 cases in recent weeks.
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One third of Covid-19 patients experience psychological or neurological diagnoses over 6 months, study shows
From CNN's Ryan Prior
As many as one in three people infected with Covid-19 have longer term mental health or neurological symptoms, researchers reported Tuesday.
They found 34% of Covid-19 survivors received a diagnosis for a neurological or psychological condition within six months of their infection, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.
The most common diagnosis was anxiety, found in 17% of those treated for Covid-19, followed by mood disorders, found in 14% of patients.
And while the neurological effects are more severe in hospitalized patients, they are still common in those who were only treated as outpatients, the researchers note.
