Jun 21, 2020 - Health

WHO reports highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The World Health Organization on Sunday reported the pandemic's largest single-day increase of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 183,000 cases reported in the last 24 hours, according to AP.

Why it matters: The staggering number of new cases underscores the degree to which the pandemic is accelerating worldwide, not slowing down.

By the numbers: Brazil, the epicenter of the virus in the Southern Hemisphere, reported 54,771 new cases, while the United States reported 36,617. India reported 15,400 cases, bringing the total global case count as of Sunday evening to over 8.7 million.

  • 461,000 people have died from the coronavirus, with more than two-thirds of new deaths coming from North and South America, per AP.

Between the lines: In the U.S., spikes in states like California, Texas, Arizona and Florida are a product of both community spread and increase in testing.

  • President Trump has brushed off the surge in cases, stating at a rally on Saturday: "When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases."
  • However, the growth in testing does not fully account for the surge in new cases. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, warned on Sunday that he does not believe the epidemic will slow down in the summer or fall.
  • Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb also warned that the outbreaks in some states could tip into "exponential growth" in the next week, and he urged Americans to wear masks in public.

Go deeper: Tracking the coronavirus pandemic, by the numbers

Editor's note: This post has been corrected to show that two-thirds of new deaths come from North and South America (not the United States).

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Updated Sep 18, 2020 - Health

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Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Axios Visuals

Though health workers represent less than 3% of the population in many countries, they account for around 14% of the coronavirus cases reported to the World Health Organization, WHO announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The WHO called on governments and health care leaders to address threats facing the health and safety of these workers, adding that the pandemic has highlighted how protecting them is needed to ensure a functioning health care system.

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Sep 17, 2020 - Health

Coronavirus cases increase in 17 states

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Data: The COVID Tracking Project, state health departments; Map: Andrew Witherspoon, Sara Wise/Axios

Coronavirus infections ticked up slightly over the past week, thanks to scattered outbreaks in every region of the country.

Where it stands: The U.S. has been making halting, uneven progress against the virus since August. Overall, we're moving in the right direction, but we're often taking two steps forward and one step back.

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Updated 10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 30,393,591 — Total deaths: 950,344— Total recoveries: 20,679,272 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 6,722,699 — Total deaths: 198,484 — Total recoveries: 2,556,465 — Total tests: 92,163,649 — Map.
  3. Politics: In reversal, CDC again recommends coronavirus testing for asymptomatic people.
  4. Health: Massive USPS face mask operation called off — The risks of moving too fast on a vaccine.
  5. Business: Unemployment drop-off reverses course — 1 million mortgage-holders fall through safety net — How the pandemic has deepened Boeing's 737 MAX crunch.
  6. Education: At least 42% of school employees are vulnerable.
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