Covid-19 news: Health leaders warn of pressure on NHS in England

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By Michael Le Page , Clare Wilson , Jessica Hamzelou , Sam Wong , Graham Lawton , Adam Vaughan , Conrad Quilty-Harper and Layal Liverpool

Latest coronavirus quality arsenic of 5pm connected 27 July

Rising covid-19 hospitalisations, agelong covid cases and a important attraction backlog are putting unit connected wellness services successful England, accidental wellness leaders

Health leaders successful England person warned that the country’s health work is arsenic stretched present arsenic it was during the highest of the 2nd wave of the coronavirus epidemic successful January. NHS providers, a rank organisation for NHS trusts successful England, said “the NHS is presently grappling with a precise hard operation of pressures”, including rising covid-19 hospitalisations and long covid cases, a important attraction backlog and a ample fig of unit self-isolating owed to caller rises successful assemblage cases successful England.

“Many spot main executives are saying that the wide level of unit they are present experiencing is, though precise antithetic successful shape, akin to the unit they saw successful January of this twelvemonth erstwhile the NHS was nether the top unit successful a generation,” NHS providers said successful a letter sent to UK premier curate Boris Johnson and different ministers, connected 26 July. The missive called for much authorities backing for the wellness work successful bid to escaped up infirmary beds, code the backlog of patients and grow exigency departments and ambulance capableness up of winter.

The fig of infirmary beds successful England occupied by confirmed covid-19 patients accrued from 1998 connected 6 July to 4401 connected 23 July, NHS providers said. “Given the lag betwixt corruption and infirmary admittance rates and the apt interaction of the relaxation of restrictions connected July 19th, it seems tenable to presume these numbers are apt to summation further,” said the letter.

Other coronavirus news

There were 218 deaths from covid-19 successful England and Wales successful the week to 16 July, up from 183 the erstwhile week, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The latest fig is the highest fig of covid-19 deaths recorded crossed the 2 nations since the week to 23 April, erstwhile 260 deaths were recorded. Across the UK arsenic a whole, regular caller coronavirus cases person been falling successful caller days, nevertheless determination is simply a clip lag betwixt cases and resulting hospitalisations and deaths. “The effect of vaccines is hugely reducing the hazard of hospitalisations and death,” Neil Ferguson astatine Imperial College London, told the BBC. “I’m affirmative that by precocious September oregon October clip we volition beryllium looking backmost astatine astir of the pandemic,” said Ferguson.

Hospitals successful Thailand are under increasing pressure amid a caller surge of coronavirus cases. On 27 July, authorities successful the superior Bangkok announced plans to person 15 disused railway carriages into a 240-bed isolation ward for covid-19 patients. Coronavirus cases successful Thailand person been rising sharply since mid-June and connected 26 July determination were 14,150 caller regular cases reported – up from 7970 caller cases reported 2 weeks earlier.

Tokyo saw a record summation successful regular caller coronavirus cases of 2848 connected 27 July. Cases successful the city, which is presently hosting the Olympics, person been rising for the past 8 days. Olympics organisers reported 16 caller coronavirus cases connected 26 July, including 3 athletes, bringing the full fig of cases linked to the lawsuit to 148 since 1 July, Reuters reported.

Coronavirus deaths

The worldwide covid-19 decease toll has passed 4.17 million. The fig of confirmed cases is much than 194.8 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the existent fig of cases volition beryllium overmuch higher. According to Our World In Data, 2.14 cardinal radical globally person received astatine slightest 1 dose of a covid-19 vaccine.

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Previous updates

26 July

As regular UK cases fall, scientists accidental it is excessively soon to find the afloat interaction of lifted restrictions successful England connected the UK’s epidemic

Daily caller coronavirus cases successful the UK fell for the sixth consecutive day connected 26 July. There were 24,950 caller cases reported connected 26 July, the lowest regular fig of caller cases since 4 July. However, James Naismith astatine the University of Oxford said that much information is needed to recognize however the UK’s epidemic mightiness progress. “Daily ups oregon downs successful the numbers has small worth successful knowing illness progression,” said Naismith successful a statement.

The most caller figures from the UK’s Office for National Statistics bespeak that coronavirus infections accrued successful each 4 of the UK’s nations during the week to 17 July. “It is acold excessively early, connected 26 July, a week aft restrictions [in England] were lifted, to cognize the interaction of the last lifting of those restrictions,” said Jeremy Farrar, a subordinate of the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, during a Q&A astatine the Institute for Government successful London.

A spokesperson for UK premier curate Boris Johnson said that portion “any simplification successful cases is encouraging”, Johnson “has stressed galore times earlier that the pandemic is not implicit and we are not retired of the woods yet”.

Other coronavirus news

Almost 60 aesculapian groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, are calling for the US to make covid-19 vaccination mandatory for US healthcare workers. “Due to the caller covid-19 surge and the availability of harmless and effectual vaccines, our wellness attraction organizations and societies advocator that each healthcare and semipermanent attraction employers necessitate their workers to person the Covid-19 vaccine,” the groups said successful a associated connection shared with the Washington Post.

France’s parliament approved a instrumentality requiring radical to person a wellness pass, showing that they are either afloat vaccinated against covid-19, person recovered from the illness oregon person a caller antagonistic coronavirus test, successful bid to participate bars, restaurants, trains, planes and immoderate different nationalist venues from the commencement of August. The instrumentality initially applies to each adults but volition use to everyone aged 12 and supra from 30 September. Vaccinations volition beryllium mandatory for healthcare workers who are medically capable to person the vaccine, with those who don’t comply risking suspension if they are not afloat vaccinated by 15 September.

A survey of much than 5000 adults successful England conducted by Public Health England recovered that 41 per cent said they had gained weight since the country’s archetypal coronavirus lockdown successful March 2020. “The past sixteen months person caused galore to alteration their habits, truthful it is not a astonishment to spot truthful galore radical reporting value gain,” said Alison Tedstone, main nutritionist astatine Public Health England, successful a statement.

Coronavirus deaths
The worldwide covid-19 decease toll has passed 4.16 million. The fig of confirmed cases is much than 194.3 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the existent fig of cases volition beryllium overmuch higher. According to Our World In Data, 2.12 cardinal radical globally person received astatine slightest 1 dose of a covid-19 vaccine.

23 July

Longer interval betwixt archetypal and 2nd Pfizer/BioNTech jabs whitethorn boost antibody responses

A preliminary survey recovered that a longer spread betwixt the archetypal and 2nd doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech covid-19 vaccine whitethorn boost the immune response. The survey measured coronavirus antibody responses successful 503 healthcare workers successful England who received 2 doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine astatine antithetic intervals successful precocious 2020 and aboriginal 2021, astatine a clip erstwhile the alpha coronavirus variant was becoming dominant. They compared a three-week spread and a 10-week spread betwixt the archetypal and 2nd shot, and recovered that those who had the longer play betwixt the 2 generated much neutralising antibodies, which tin hindrance the microorganism and halt it from infecting cells.

Given the existent dominance of the highly transmissible delta coronavirus variant, Susanna Dunachie astatine the University of Oxford, who was progressive successful the study, told the BBC that an eight-week interval whitethorn beryllium champion to guarantee radical tin get afloat vaccinated arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable without compromising immunity. “Eight weeks is astir the saccharine spot for me, due to the fact that radical bash privation to get the 2 vaccine [doses] and determination is simply a batch of delta retired determination close now,” said Dunachie.

The UK authorities extended the dosing gap for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to 12 weeks successful December 2020, but connected 15 July NHS England announced it would commencement asking radical to bring guardant their 2nd covid-19 vaccine to 8 weeks if possible.

Other coronavirus news

Coronavirus infections are rising successful each 4 of the UK’s nations, according to the latest results of a random swab investigating survey by the Office for National Statistics. An estimated 1 successful 75 radical successful England had covid-19 successful the week up to 17 July, up from 1 successful 95 the erstwhile week. Equivalent estimates for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales successful the week up to 10 July were 1 successful 80 people, 1 successful 170 radical and 1 successful 210 people, respectively.

New Zealand announced it is closing its question bubble with each of Australia for astatine slightest 2 months, arsenic a fig of states successful Australia are experiencing outbreaks of the delta coronavirus variant. The question bubble allowed radical to question betwixt Australia and New Zealand without quarantining connected arrival. Qantas and Air New Zealand said that from 31 July astir Australia-New Zealand services would beryllium cancelled, Reuters reported.

The European Union’s medicines regulator approved the Moderna covid-19 vaccine for usage successful children aged 12 and above. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved successful the EU for usage successful children aged 12 and older successful May.

Preliminary data from Israel’s wellness ministry suggests the Pfizer/BioNTech covid-19 vaccine is little effectual astatine preventing coronavirus corruption and symptomatic covid-19 caused by the delta coronavirus variant than it is for different variants. However, portion the vaccine was recovered to beryllium conscionable 40 per cent effectual against corruption and symptomatic illness owed to delta, it remained 91.4 per cent effectual astatine preventing terrible covid-19.

Coronavirus deaths
The worldwide covid-19 decease toll has passed 4.13 million. The fig of confirmed cases is much than 192.7 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the existent fig of cases volition beryllium overmuch higher. According to Our World In Data, 2.09 cardinal radical globally person received astatine slightest 1 dose of a covid-19 vaccine.

22 July

Weekly coronavirus cases and alerts by the NHS Covid-19 app successful England are some connected the rise

Coronavirus infections are continuing to emergence successful England, with a record fig of radical receiving alerts from the NHS Covid-19 app telling them to self-isolate. According to the latest figures from NHS Test and Trace, 259,265 radical tested affirmative for the coronavirus successful England successful the week up to 14 July – an summation of 33 per cent from the erstwhile week and the highest play fig recorded since the week up to 20 January. In the aforesaid week, the fig of radical alerted by the NHS Covid-19 app successful England and Wales accrued by 16.8 per cent, hitting 618,903 successful the week to 14 July – the highest play fig recorded to date.

UK businesses, including supermarkets and retailers, arsenic good arsenic constabulary forces, are reporting unit shortages. UK concern curate Kwasi Kwarteng told the BBC connected 22 July that the authorities would merchandise a narrow database of jobs successful which afloat vaccinated radical would beryllium exempt from self-isolating.

“The crushed that truthful galore radical are receiving notifications is simple, we person a highly transmissible microorganism that is being allowed to dispersed passim the state with the bare minimum of mitigation,” said Stephen Griffin astatine the University of Leeds successful the UK, successful a statement. Griffin was 1 of much than 1200 scientists who backed a letter published successful the diary the Lancet criticising the UK government’s program to lift astir coronavirus restrictions connected 19 July contempt rising cases.

Other coronavirus news

China rejected a World Health Organization (WHO) program for a second signifier of an probe into the root of the coronavirus pandemic, including probe of the anticipation that the microorganism escaped from a laboratory successful the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, Reuters reported connected 22 July. The 2nd signifier of probe projected by the WHO included audits of laboratories and markets successful Wuhan. Zeng Yixin, vice curate of China’s nationalist wellness committee told reporters that the WHO program “in immoderate aspects, disregards communal consciousness and defies science”. Last week, WHO main Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was premature to regularisation retired the anticipation that the microorganism leaked from a laboratory and urged China to cooperate with the WHO’s investigation.

US president Joe Biden said that children nether 12 whitethorn beryllium capable to get vaccinated against covid-19 successful the state by the extremity of August astatine the earliest. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna some started trials of their covid-19 vaccines successful children nether 12 successful March, with results expected successful the coming months. On 21 July, Biden told a municipality hallway successful Ohio that his anticipation was that “some time, possibly successful the opening of the schoolhouse year, astatine the extremity of August, opening of September, October, you’ll get a last approval” for vaccinating children.

Coronavirus deaths
The worldwide covid-19 decease toll has passed 4.12 million. The fig of confirmed cases is much than 192.1 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the existent fig of cases volition beryllium overmuch higher. According to Our World In Data, 2.08 cardinal radical globally person received astatine slightest 1 dose of a covid-19 vaccine.

See erstwhile updates from June to July 2021, May 2021, April-March 2021, February 2021, January 2021, November/December 2020, and March to November 2020.