Coronavirus: Latest on COVID-19 from around the world - Saturday, October 24

The world is now at a critical juncture in the COVID-19 pandemic and some countries are on a dangerous path, facing the prospect of health services collapsing under from the strain, the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday.

"We are at a critical juncture in the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the Northern hemisphere," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference. "The next few months are going to be very tough and some countries are on a dangerous track."

There have been 42.2 million confirmed infections of the novel coronavirus to date, and 1.15 million deaths. Here's the latest from around the world overnight.

Europe

The coronavirus is spreading even faster than it did during the first phase of the pandemic, a French government adviser said on Friday as authorities across Europe scrambled to try to contain the disease once again racing through the continent. 

The disease is in resurgence all over Europe, where daily reported cases have more than doubled in 10 days.

France

France, set to pass 1 million cases later on Friday after posting a record daily total of more than 41,000 a day earlier, has been one of the countries hardest hit in the second wave and has imposed curfews across much of the nation.

France reported 41,622 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a new daily record.

COVID patients occupy nearly half of all of France's 5000 intensive care beds and its well-regarded health system has been showing increasing signs of strain.

"The virus is circulating more quickly than in the spring," epidemiologist Arnaud Fontanet, who sits on the Scientific Council advising the French government, said.

France will have to live with the coronavirus at least until next summer, President Emmanuel Macron said.

Czechia

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis moved to sack his health minister on Friday for holding a meeting in a restaurant closed under government restrictions as the country combats Europe's fastest spread of the novel coronavirus.

"When our medical staff are fighting on the front line to save lives of our fellow citizens, such a thing is absolutely inexcusable," Babis told reporters. "We cannot preach water and drink wine."

Denmark

Denmark is lowering the limit on public gatherings to 10 people from 50 and banning the sale of alcohol after 10 pm to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Friday.

The Nordic country, which has seen coronavirus infections surge, will also make wearing face masks obligatory in all indoor public spaces such as supermarkets.

Spain

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez exhorted Spaniards on Friday to further limit social contact to combat Europe's worst COVID-19 hotspot, but he stopped short of announcing new measures amid political disputes over potential curfews.

masked woman
Masks are vital in stopping the spread of the disease. Photo credit: Getty

Belgium

Belgium, one of the European countries worst hit by COVID-19, tightened curbs on social contacts on Friday by banning fans from sports matches and limiting numbers in cultural spaces, while officials in Wallonia imposed a stricter night curfew on residents.

Russia

COVID-19 was the main cause of death for 543 people in Moscow in September, up 21 percent from August, the Russian capital's healthcare department said on Friday as the spread of the coronavirus intensified.

Moscow, the city worst hit by the pandemic in Russia, said it had recorded 11,159 total deaths in September, 1441 more than in September 2019 and 1702 more than the average of the previous three years.

Norway

Norway will announce stricter measures next week to limit the spread of the coronavirus following a recent increase in the number of cases, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Friday.

"We see that the infection is spreading in many places," Solberg said.

"This is worrying. Therefore we already now announce that there will be a tightening of national restrictions next week. The measures will be directed towards the areas where the infection is now spreading," she said.

Americas

United States

More than a half-million people in the United States could die from COVID-19 by the end of February next year, but around 130,000 of those lives could be saved if everybody were to wear masks, according to estimates from a modelling study.

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the United States on Thursday was the second highest on record, coming in just short of their midsummer peak as the spread of the novel coronavirus accelerates in nearly every region of the country.

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all accelerating as cooler weather descends on much of the country. With 76,195 new cases on Thursday, the United States was approaching its one-day record high of 77,299 new cases on July 16.

Mexico

Mexico's health ministry said six of its 32 federal entities are now showing signs of new outbreaks, after previously bringing down the number of infections.

Asia

Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday his government will pay the 931 million pesos it owes the Red Cross after the humanitarian agency stopped conducting COVID-19 tests.

The Philippine Red Cross, which has conducted 1.1 million swab tests and accounts for quarter of the country's output, on Friday stopped providing testing services until it gets paid, prompting the country's limited number of laboratories to fill the gap.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his first election rally on Friday since the coronavirus took hold in the country in March, drawing thousands of cheering supporters standing shoulder to shoulder and ignoring social distancing rules.

Australia

Australia's Victoria state - the epicentre of the country's COVID-19 outbreak - reported that active cases have fallen to a four-month low.

Medical developments

Shares of Gilead Sciences Inc rose 6 percent on Friday after its antiviral drug, remdesivir, became the first and only approved treatment for COVID-19 in the United States.

The US health regulator's approval on Thursday for its use in hospitalised patients came despite the World Health Organization last week saying the drug did not have a substantial effect on patients' length of hospital stay or chances of survival in a global trial.

Researchers called for more research into using blood from recovered patients as a potential treatment, after a small trial of hospitalised patients in India found it was of no benefit.

German biotech company CureVac said on Friday its potential vaccine against the coronavirus triggered an immune response in pre-clinical animal studies.

The Tuebingen-based company, which is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said the potential vaccine, known as CVnCoV, produced neutralising antibodies and activated T-cells in hamsters and mice.

Reuters / Newshub.