COVID-19 Outbreak: Weekly Global Report for Friday, October 16, 2020
AdvaMed recognizes that its members, particularly those with global government affairs responsibilities, are tracking COVID-19 related developments around the world to assess the public health and economic impacts on their businesses. Knowing that companies are consuming information from a variety of sources, AdvaMed's global team would like to provide members with a weekly snapshot of the key statistics, policy developments and advocacy initiatives underway in our priority markets. If you have any suggestions, we welcome your feedback.
Global
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics- global cases reached 38.7 million, a 2.4 million increase over the previous week. Deaths around are about to approach the 1.1 million mark. The countries with the most reported cases continue to be the U.S. (7.9 million), India (7.3 million), and Brazil (5.1 million).
- U.S. cases exceeded 7.9 million with deaths increasing to 217,000.
- Staff Contact: Ralph Ives (rives@advamed.org).
China
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics –China’s total COVID cases now stand at 90,881 (an increase of 192 over the previous week). There were no reported deaths for two weeks in a row, leaving the death count unchanged at 4,739. Almost all new cases have been linked to foreign arrivals.
- Following the discovery of a dozen new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, the Qingdao municipal government announced plans to test all nine million of its residents within five days. Qingdao—located in China’s eastern Shandong provinces—has decided not to issue a city-wide lockdown, preferring targeted quarantine measures around the local hospital linked to the new infections.
- The Chinese government appears convinced that imported frozen food can carry the virus. The Beijing city government urged companies to halt imports of frozen food from countries that have been severely hit by the pandemic.
- New indicators suggest September was a very good month for China’s economy. Manufacturing output is on par with pre-COVID levels and exports remain resilient compared to earlier this year. In addition, China last month posted its strongest import data since last December.
- China reportedly has four coronavirus vaccine candidates in the last stage of clinical trials. Beijing officially joined the WHO’s COVAX initiative on Oct. 9, perhaps to help aid in the marketing of Chinese-made vaccine shots.
- Anecdotal evidence suggests that hospitals have been gradually resuming elective/regular surgeries and operations appear to be at 80-90% of pre-COVID levels, with this range varying by particular medical condition of the patient and geographical area.
- U.S.-China relations remain strained but analysts do not expect further tension before the U.S. election on November 3. The Phase One trade deal remains intact and has emerged as a key area of cooperation. China continues to make record buys of U.S. farm products, most notable soybeans and corn.
- Staff Contact: Kyle Churchman (kchurchman@advamed.org)
India
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – 7,301,870 total cases, 812,390 active cases/111,266 deaths as compared to 6,832,906 total cases, 902,425 active cases/105,526 deaths last week. While 62,93,524 patients have recovered from the virus, active cases in the country dropped by nearly 13,000 to 8,28,889 infections, according to the data collated from various state governments.
- The Union Health Ministry has initiated the process of importing liquid oxygen as part of its preparedness to meet any unforeseen shortage during the winter when the country may witness an increase in Covid-19 cases leading to a rise in demand for oxygen.
- India’s drug regulator has allowed Mylan to expand the indication of remdesivir “for moderate Covid-19 patients” after the global drug major approached it with a proposal seeking the expansion.
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday, October 13 issued guidelines for the management of co-infection of Covid-19 with other seasonal epidemic-prone diseases. With the aim of providing clear guidelines on prevention and treatment of co-infections of coronavirus with other diseases.
- India's drug regulator declined a proposal from Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd to conduct a large study in the country to evaluate Russia's Sputnik-V Covid-19 vaccine and has asked it to first test the vaccine in a smaller trial.
- Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a press conference on Tuesday, October 13 said that a subgroup under the National Expert Committee on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 has already mapped the existing cold chain presently being utilised under the government's immunisation programme and has also made a projection of the additional requirement for effective distribution of the vaccine.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has lauded India's Aarogya Setu mobile application for helping health departments to identify Covid-19 clusters. "Aarogya Setu app from India has been downloaded by 150 million users, and has helped city public health departments to identify areas where clusters could be anticipated and expand testing in a targeted way," WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing.
- Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, October 11 said that Feluda test will soon be rolled out to test Covid 19 in India. "Based on tests in over 2,000 patients during the trials at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) and on testing in private labs, the test showed 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity,” he said.
- Staff Contact: Abby Pratt (apratt@advamed.org).
Japan
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – 92,238 reported cases and 1,663 reported deaths compared to 81,315 reported cases and 1,550 reported deaths the previous week.
- The growth rate in the number of daily cases is increasing, raising concerns in the government that a mini-surge may be beginning. However, the number of actual cases is extremely small compared to the U.S.
- The Japanese government is planning to gradually lower its travel entry restrictions for at least ten countries and regions that have low coronavirus infection rates including Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. The revised restrictions are still expected to require foreign nationals from the relevant locations to undergo a two-week quarantine period after arriving in Japan. The government is also reportedly considering limiting the number of entries to 1,000 per day and plans to expand testing capacity in various airports.
- The pandemic has had a severe impact on Japan’s hospitals. Nearly 70% of Japan’s hospitals are now operating in the red.
- According to a survey conducted by the Japan Public Hospital Federation of 1,481 member hospitals, patient visits in May 2020 were down by 24.9 percent, compared with one year ago.
- The majority of new cases are in Tokyo and are affecting people in their 20s and 30s.
- Japan currently has an entry ban in place for 111 countries and regions, with foreign travelers who have been to any of those areas within the last two weeks being turned away.
- However, reports indicate that Japan is planning to re-open entry for foreign travelers who intend to stay in the country for more than three months, with entries likely limited to 1,000 people per day.
- Japan's Ministry of Health has adopted priority regulatory review procedures for new COVID-related medical devices.
- Japan will ban purchases from foreign companies of advanced medical device companies that are deemed essential to the national security in the fight against Covid-19. This measure is based on concerns about China but applies to companies from all countries. The government aims to ensure stable supply of essential devices that are vulnerable to contamination by infection, such as implants and dialyzers.
- Staff Contact: Phil Agress (PAgress@AdvaMed.org).
Korea
- South Korea’s numbers are up a bit this week, with 110 new cases per day. This remains low compared to most countries but is a significant spike from last week. South Korea ranks 80th in the world in cases.
- There are 24,988 total cases, 1,467 active cases, and 487 deaths. Korea is reporting 1 death per day.
- The country's daily number of new COVID-19 infections has bounced back to three digits due mainly to an outbreak at a geriatric hospital in Busan in addition to other sporadic infection clusters in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Thursday.
- South Korea relaxed some rules on social distancing from Monday, allowing nightspots to re-open and spectators to attend sports events, after new coronavirus cases edged lower in recent weeks.
- The KDCA said the nation added 110 cases for Wednesday, up from 84 identified for the day before and raising the total caseload to 24,988. The hospital infections came after the government lowered social distancing guidelines to their lowest ― Level 1 ― Monday, based on the belief that the country's coronavirus situation had been showing signs of a slowdown.
- Police on Thursday announced a decision to ban large-scale outdoor rallies planned by a conservative civic group critical of the Moon Jae-in government around Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul. According to police officials, Seoul's Jongno Police Station has notified the "August 15 emergency civic response committee" of its decision not to permit its Gwanghwamun rallies planned for Sunday and Oct. 25, citing risks of coronavirus transmissions.
- South Korea will resume offering free seasonal flu shots, a month after suspending the program amid safety concerns over mishandled vaccines during storage.
- According to the current fiscal management plan, South Korea’s national debt is projected to rise by more than 400 trillion won ($344 billion) in 2017 to 1,070 trillion won in 2022, the final year of Moon’s five-year presidency. The country’s national debt as a percentage of its annual gross domestic product, which stood at 37.7 percent in 2019, is estimated to reach 51.2 percent in 2022. If left unchecked, the figure is forecast to exceed 75 percent by 2030. This has led the Finance Ministry to announce a plan to rein in excessive fiscal expenditure. Under the proposed rules, Korea’s national debt-to-GDP ratio would be kept at 60 percent and the deficit in its consolidated fiscal balance could not exceed 3 percent of GDP. Global rating agencies have put the appropriate level of the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio at slightly over 40 percent.
- Australia is in talks with Japan, South Korea, Singapore and South Pacific nations on reopening travel as coronavirus infections ease
- The number of recipients of unemployment benefits in South Korea saw the sharpest increase among people in their 20s this year. According to the Korea Employment Information Service, the number of recipients came to 711,471 in August, up 56.4 percent from 454,630 in December 2019. The first case of the novel coronavirus in Korea was reported in January 2020.
- South Korea maintains its 2-week quarantine for all other incoming international travelers and a requirement for all inbound flights to check passengers' temperatures. Anyone with a temperature over 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 Fahrenheit) is denied entry. Korea has not issued any guidance on an exemption that is supposedly available. Korea has indicated all US inbound travelers will be tested for symptoms prior to being moved to quarantine.
- Korea appears to be moving toward implementation of a proposal that would potentially reduce the price of certain cardiac and peripheral stents. AdvaMed is in touch with members and the medtech association in Korea and has had several discussions with the US Government on this topic. We have sent a letter to the health ministry expressing opposition to the proposal. Please contact Joseph Gatewood (jgatewood@advamed.org) if you have an interest in this matter and are not already engaged.
- Resources: http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/en/.
- Staff Contact: Joseph Gatewood (jgatewood@advamed.org).
ASEAN
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – ASEAN now has 810,445 reported cases and 19,792 reported deaths compared to 751,254 reported cases and 18,429 reported deaths the previous week.
- For the past five weeks, the ASEAN region has seen more than 50,000 new cases each week, with the vast majority of those accounted for by Indonesia and the Philippines. However, Myanmar has recently suffered a sharp outbreak, with cases rising from 900 in early September to more than 31,000. Yangon is the country’s COVID-19 hotspot, reporting between 1,000 and 1,900 cases per day for the past week.
- The Philippines and Indonesia account for 94.8% of the deaths from COVID-19 in the region. Indonesia’s total COVID-19 deaths now exceed 12,000, the highest level in East Asia. The Philippines reported 6,497 deaths.
- Cambodia, and Laos have each reported zero deaths, while Brunei has reported 3 deaths, and Singapore has reported 28 deaths (despite having over 57,000 cases). Thailand has reported 59 deaths, up by one from last week.
- Vietnam is allowing the resumption of international air routes with six countries – China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Laos. Visitors must test negative three days prior to departure and will be tested again upon arrival in Vietnam.
- Malaysia has imposed an entry ban on citizens of countries recording more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19. International chambers of commerce, including AmCham and EuroCham, have urged the Malaysian government to reconsider the entry ban.
- Elective surgeries have resumed in Thailand and Vietnam.
- In Indonesia, provincial hospitals are resuming elective surgery with COVID-19 protocols in place.
- Malaysia maintains limits on elective surgery except in emergency cases.
- Singapore restricts most elective surgeries but allows certain procedures including cancer screening, surgical operations for advanced cataracts, flu vaccinations, and dental procedures. The government has lifted measures requiring doctors and healthcare workers in the public and private sectors to limit their movements across healthcare institutions.
- The Philippines extended its State of Calamity by a year to counter the pandemic. This extension will give national and local governments latitude to continue utilizing appropriate disaster relief funds and affords the government powers to monitor and control necessities and provide essential services to the affected populations.
- The Malaysian government relaxed its recent entry ban on expatriate and professional visit pass holders from 23 countries, provided they receive approval from the Malaysian Immigration Department and a support letter from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.
- Malaysia and Singapore partially reopened their border on August 10. Both governments have agreed to implement a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA). The RGL will enable cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes between both countries and the PCA will allow residents of Singapore and Malaysia who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to enter the country for work.
- Malaysia is considering fully reopening the Malaysia-Singapore border for daily commuters in January 2021 if conditions warrant.
- For the first time since February, Singapore’s Ministry of Health reported no new local COVID-19 cases on October 13. Though four imported cases were reported, the absence of community or worker dormitory cases was a milestone.
- Singapore and Indonesia announced a green lane between the two countries aimed at keeping essential business going. Applications for travel, which will include strict health protocols and controlled itineraries, will be accepted beginning October 26. Singapore also maintains agreements with Australia, Brunei, China, Malaysia, and Korea on fast-lane arrangements for essential travel.
- Singapore is piloting a new business travel pass for senior executives with regional or international responsibilities. Travelers on this pass would need to keep to a strict itinerary while abroad. On returning to Singapore, they would have the option of a COVID-19 test in lieu of a stay-home notice and would need to self-isolate until the results are released.
- Singapore and Japan agreed to launch a Reciprocal Green Lane for essential business and official travel between the two countries on September 18.
- Singapore and Hong Kong have agreed to establish a bilateral air travel bubble which will exempt travelers from quarantines or stay-home notices.
- Thailand is planning to reopen its borders to tourism. Visitors will be subjected to domestic quarantine while in Thailand and should be tested for COVID at the beginning and end of their stay.
- The Thai Government adopted a fifth phase of lockdown easing, allowing most daily activities and businesses to resume. It has lifted the ban on international flights and allows certain categories of individuals from Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore to enter the country. The Civil Aviation Authority will still apply stringent international travel restrictions preventing the entry of tourists.
- Staff Contact: Phil Agress (PAgress@AdvaMed.org)
Europe
There is continued and more aggressive spiking in the case rates across the EU including Central and Western Europe. In Western Europe, cases are spiking worst in the UK, France and Spain. The UK and France are showing the highest numbers of new cases, with Spain a fair margin behind. Italy and the UK remain the worst in the EU for number of deaths, but France and Spain are now compiling stats to make them almost equal to Italy in deaths. Although not in the EU, Russia's reported numbers on COVID are problematic with 1,354,163 and just 23,491 reported deaths. By comparison, Italy, with much fewer (381,602) cases, reports 36,372 deaths. |
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