June 2, 2020
More than 6.2 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported worldwide, with 375,000 deaths. In the US, more than 1.8 million cases and 106,000 deaths have been reported
European countries in the process of lifting coronavirus restrictions this week include Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland
Wuhan, China’s Health Commission announced that it had completed Covid-19 tests on 9.9 million residents with no new confirmed cases found. However, 300 asymptomatic infections were discovered — China does not count asymptomatic cases as confirmed cases
The UK government has denied British media reports that the publication of its review into how the coronavirus pandemic has affected black and minority communities has been delayed because of the protests in the US over the death of George Floyd. The report, analyzing how different factors including ethnicity, gender, and obesity, can impact health outcomes from Covid-19, had been due by the end of May. A preliminary analysis by Public Health England did conclude that black people were most likely to be diagnosed with the coronavirus and that deaths have been highest among black and Asian people
The Covid-19 pandemic has fueled racism against Africans and African-Americans in China, and African governments have loudly protested abuse of their citizens in China, but the White House’s response to the harassment of African-Americans has been muted — the State Department sent Americans an advisory noting that the police has specifically ordered bars and restaurants not to serve people who appear to be of African origin and advising African-Americans to avoid Guangzhou, and the US government has not organized flights to leave China but has offered loans to African-Americans for a commercial flight home if requested
The World Health Organization reported that there are 133 potential Covid-19 vaccines in development around the world with 10 in clinical trials in the US, the UK, and China. The other 123 are in pre-clinical evaluation around the world
The WHO has raised alarm about the risk of using antibiotics to treat Covid-19 which can fuel a rise in antimicrobial resistance around the world. New global data shows that bacterial infections across nations are already increasingly resistant to the medications used to treat them and warned that the use of antibiotics during the coronavirus pandemic for mild or moderate Covid-19 cases without a clear clinical indication to do so could drive this trend even more
Scientists studying tiny exhaled particles that transmit coronavirus say a CDC decision to drop warnings against choral singing is dangerous, risking more “super-spreading” events. The researchers say that Covid-19 can spread in respiratory aerosols which may linger in the air for an hour or more and float more than 6 feet with choir members particularly vulnerable because they exhale and inhale deeply to sing, often in close quarters in poorly ventilated rooms
The American Red Cross, which usually has enough blood supplies to meet the nation’s needs for 5 days, now has less than 2 days’ worth. Several months of social distancing and stay-at-home orders have resulted in fewer people donating blood, which is now leading to acute shortages. Hospitals are now resuming elective surgeries and Americans are venturing out of their homes, however, the rate of blood donations has yet to bounce back
As US cities contend with the dual crises of the George Floyd protests and Covid-19 pandemic, public health officials are issuing urgent warnings that chanting crowds and close contact can spread coronavirus, reigniting an outbreak that has already killed 106,000 Americans
The Congressional Budget Office said that the US economy could be $15.7 trillion smaller over the next decade, if Congress does not mitigate the economic damage from Covid-19. The CBO had already issued a report forecasting a severe economic impact over the next 2 years
California health officials have issued recommendations for universal Covid-19 testing in all skilled nursing facilities, but are leaving it up to individual facilities to work with local health departments to come up with a plan by Monday — and the state is not directly providing funding for the tests. In addition, the new testing directive only applies to the state’s 1,224 facilities which primarily provide short-term, round-the-clock care, and doesn’t cover assisted living facilities which house patients for longer periods
LA County reported 1,202 positive cases and 60 additional deaths — totals are now 57,118 cases and 2,443 deaths. City Breakouts (Cases/Deaths): City of LA 26,738/1,190; Long Beach 1,990/87; Carson 435/25; El Segundo 36/0; Gardena 289/25; Hawthorne 417/15; Hermosa Beach 30/2; Inglewood 643/55; Lawndale 131/5; Lomita 52/6; Manhattan Beach 80/3; PV Estates 42/1; Rancho PV 96/11; Redondo Beach 143/7; Rolling Hills 2/0; Rolling Hills Estates 14/0; Torrance 398/45
Compiled by Charlene Nishimura
Media Sources: Los Angeles Times; New York Times; Washington Post; Wall Street Journal; Forbes Magazine; Business Insider; USA Today; CBS News; CNN; KTLA; OZY; ABC World News Tonight; Spectrum News 1; The Hill.com; WebMD; AP, Politico, Newsweek, Reuters, televised briefings from the White House, Governor Newsom, LA County Health Department, Mayor Garcetti; City of Torrance press releases; Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce press releases
