Global:

 

• The WHO is evaluating the pandemic warning system currently in place. Two preliminary investigations (one from the WHO and another from an independent panel) found that several countries failed to take the pandemic seriously, and that Non-pharmaceutical interventions, including early case detection, contact tracing and isolation, physical distancing, limits on travel and gathering, hand hygiene, and mask wearing, must be applied comprehensively. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has pitched a global alert system to prevent the next pandemic.
• Head of the Olympics committee, Thomas Bach has said that Tokyo’s 2021 games will go ahead as planned, although events will likely be behind closed doors.

 

Vaccine updates:

 

• 86 million vaccine doses given worldwide.
• Novavax said for the first time yesterday that its Covid-19 vaccine offered robust protection against the coronavirus, whilst the vaccine proved to be 89% effective in the UK, but less so in South Africa. The trail in South Africa found 60% efficacy among those without HIV in a separate study, efficacy dropped to 49.4% when HIV-positive people were included.
• The Seychelles, Romania, Iceland and Cyprus have all confirmed that visitors who can provide an authentic certificate proving they have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine will be able to enter without quarantining.
• Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine one-shot vaccine has been shown to be 66% effective in preventing moderate and severe disease, but 85% effective in preventing severe disease.

 

Europe

 

• Almost 500 people were arrested following the third day of anti-lockdown demonstrations in the Netherlands. Danish police arrested three people in Copenhagen, following an anti-lockdown protest.
• Germany’s vaccine committee has recommended that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine should only be given to those aged between 18 and 64.
• The EU and AstraZeneca are in discussion regarding a vaccine delay. The original deal was for 100 million vaccines, but EU sources say they expect to get only 25 million.
• Spain has become the first country in the EU to partly suspend immunisations for two weeks following vaccine supply delays.
• The French drugmaker Sanofi has said it would help produce more than 100 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to meet strong demand in Europe.

 

North America

 

• The UK variant (known as B.1.1.7) has been found in the USA, renewing scientists calls to introduce a system that quickly detects new strains.
• More than 27 million vaccines have been given in the USA, this is 8.3 doses per 100 people.

 

Russia

 

• Moscow has lifted restrictions, the Mayor of the city has said that COVID-19 hospitalisations have dropped by 1,000

 

Australia and Oceania

 

• New Zealand may approve the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine as early as next week.

 

Asia

 

• India has so far vaccinated 2.9million frontline and healthcare workers against coronavirus.
• 113,000 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine in Singapore
• China has taken the decision to implement restrictions on travel ahead of the Lunar New Year
• Vietnam reported 82 coronavirus infections, the first cases of local transmission in nearly two months
• China has begun using anal swabs, the method “can increase detection rate” in those who are infected. This follows several genome sequencing efforts collected in sewage waste, as coronavirus variants are detected in wastewater long before they are spotted in tests.

 

Middle East

 

• Saudi Arabia is currently in negotiations with several suppliers to provide vaccines to Yemen and other low-income countries.
• The second day of anti-lockdown demonstrations in the northern city of Tripoli in Lebanon led to clashes with security forces.
• The first batch of 2.1 million Pfizer vaccine doses are due to arrive in Lebanon next month, just as Lebanon’s COVID-19 vaccine registration platform goes live

South America

 

• Uruguay will partially reopen its borders from February, Uruguay will receive its first batches of Pfizer and Sinovac vaccines in late February or early March.
• Argentina plans to administer 60 million doses of the vaccine by June 2021
• A group of doctors in Peru have gone on strike to protest the lack of government preparedness

 

 

International COVID-19 analysis

 

Below is the latest international comparison of COVID-19 data using WHO published figures. As mentioned before, country to country comparison has some limitations because of the variation in approach, data collection and testing.

 

Data from 28/01/2021:

• Worldwide cases have now passed the 100 million mark. As of the 28 January, there have now been 100,455,529 confirmed cases, an increase of 5.1% since the previous week (4.8 million more cases and down from a 5.8% increase the week before). This suggests that worldwide cases continue to rise at a steady rate over the past few weeks.
• Globally, COVID-19 deaths have increased by 4.9% to 2,166,440 (100,264 more deaths, up from a 4.5% increase the week before).
• The UK remains ranked 5^th in the world with 3,715,058 total cases, an increase of 6% since the previous week. However, this is down from a growth rate of 10.8% last week. UK cases accounts for 3.7% of all world cases. This week, the UK sadly passed 100,000 deaths (accounting for 4.7% of all world deaths). The UK remains the country with the highest death toll in Europe and the fifth highest death toll globally.
• In the rest of Europe, the rate in which cases are growing continues to differ between countries. Spain have moved up the ranks and is now ranked 7^th in terms of cases. Spain experienced a 10.7% increase since last week (257,784 more cases). This is down from a growth rate of +12.9% last week. Germany experienced a 4.3% increase since last week (90,428 more cases), down from a growth rate of +6.9% last week. Cases in France increased by 4.8% (139,621 more cases), down from +5.7% last week. Italy witnessed a 3.9% increase in cases since last week (86,981 more cases). This is down from +4.8% last week.
• The USA remains the country with the most cases and deaths in the world, accounting for 25.1% of world cases (25,198,841 cases) and 19.5% of total deaths (421,570 deaths). India has now recorded 10,701,193 cases and remains the country with the second highest number of cases in the world. However, cases appear to be rising at a slow rate (+0.9% since last week).
• South Africa remains the worst affected country in Africa with 1,430,648 recorded cases and 42,550 deaths.
• Currently, England has 19 times more case than Scotland (176,533 cases), 17 times more cases than Wales (190,394 cases) and 32 times more cases than Northern Ireland (102,410 cases) (PHE data).