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Passengers tested ahead of Italy's first Mediterranean cruise since lockdown

Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

Cruise ship passengers were tested for the coronavirus on Sunday before setting sail for what is believed to be the first Mediterranean cruise since Italy's lockdown, AP reports.

Why it matters: Cruise ships were the source of some of the first coronavirus outbreaks in the world due to the high population density and close quarters that passengers live in. Over 600 passengers on the Diamond Princess were infected with the virus in February.

  • Any passenger who tests positive or has a fever won't be allowed to board. All guests must wear face masks in elevators and other areas where social distancing isn't possible.
  • Italy, which was one of the worst-hit countries in the world, has been reporting around 500 new cases and fewer than 10 deaths per day over the past couple weeks, though infections have started to tick up again slightly as Europe loosens its restrictions.

Go deeper: Europe's CDC recommends new virus restrictions amid "true resurgence in cases"

Go deeper

Jacob Knutson
21 hours ago - Health

U.S. tops 88,000 COVID-19 cases, setting new single-day record

Expand chart
Data: COVID Tracking Project; Chart: Axios Visuals

The United States reported 88,452 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, setting a single-day record, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.

The big picture: The country confirmed 1,049 additional deaths due to the virus, and there are over 46,000 people currently being hospitalized, suggesting the U.S. is experiencing a third wave heading into the winter months.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Marisa Fernandez
11 hours ago - Health

Coronavirus surge threatens to shut classrooms down again

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The nationwide surge in coronavirus cases is forcing many school districts to pull back from in-person instruction.

Why it matters: Remote learning is a burden on parents, teachers and students. But the wave of new infections, and its strain on some hospitals' capacity, makes all forms of reopening harder to justify.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
Oct 29, 2020 - World

Taiwan reaches a record 200 days with no local coronavirus cases

Catholics go through containment protocols including body-temperature measurement and hands-sanitisation before entering the Saint Christopher Parish Church, Taipei City, Taiwan, in July. Photo: Ceng Shou Yi/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Taiwan on Thursday marked no locally transmitted coronavirus cases for 200 days, as the island of 23 million people's total number of infections reported stands at 550 and the COVID-19 death toll at seven.

Why it matters: Nowhere else has reached such a milestone. While COVID-19 cases surge across the U.S. and Europe, Taiwan's last locally transmitted case was on April 12. Experts credit tightly regulated travel, early border closure, "rigorous contact tracing, technology-enforced quarantine and universal mask wearing" and the island state's previous experience with the SARS virus for the achievement, per Bloomberg.

Go deeper: As Taiwan's profile rises, so does risk of conflict with China