Virus outbreak: news and analysis from April 11

Photographer: Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg

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Growing cases in the Midwest helped increase the number of daily infections in the United States to a maximum in more than two weeks as vaccination in the country picks up pace.

Vaccines are less abundant in India as the second most populous country in the world faces a new viral wave. The governor of Osaka prefecture in western Japan warned that he might have to ask the central government to declare a state of emergency if current steps to quell the Covid-19 outbreak are considered insufficient.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed to the proposal national rules of blockade and curfews to try to force compliance by some regional governments. European Union officials said the bloc is overcoming its vaccine supply problem.

Main developments:

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Osaka may seek state of emergency (9:22 am HK)

The governor of Osaka prefecture in western Japan warned that perhaps it should ask the central government to declare a state of emergency if current measures to quell the coronavirus outbreak are considered insufficient.

The effect of the stricter measures imposed earlier this month could begin to emerge in the week of April 19 and authorities will then decide whether an emergency declaration is needed, Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said on a television program Saturday afternoon. If declared, stronger measures than those taken during a the state of emergency would be required earlier this year, he said.

Osaka, Japan’s third-largest prefecture by population of 8.81 million, is experiencing a sharp rise in the number of infections, surpassing that of the capital Tokyo. On Saturday, it recorded a daily record of 918 new cases of the virus, compared to Tokyo’s 570.

Brazil’s weekly deaths are recorded (7:22 am HK)

Fatalities in Brazil have risen for seven weeks in a row to a record high, with deaths about three times the peak of last summer’s rise, according to health ministry numbers. The nation broke daily death toll records twice in the past seven days, as the pandemic continues to worsen.

The Fiocruz health foundation has warned that the south and midwest of the country will face a particularly critical stage of the outbreak in the coming weeks. The presence of coronavirus variants and faster spread among young people will put more pressure on the virus health care system. Meanwhile, President Jair Bolsonaro reiterated his opposition to the closures in video posted Saturday on social media.

A total of 351,334 people were reported to have died from the virus, most after weekly cases in the United States rose again, after a weekend during the Easter holidays. The nation has recorded a total of 13,445,006 infections.

S. African Strain May Shoot Pfizer Shot, Study Suggests (5:37 pm NY)

The coronavirus variant first discovered in South Africa may be more likely than other strains to “break” and reinfect people who had two doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine, according to a Israeli study released Saturday.

The study compared infected Israelis who had not been vaccinated with those who had one or two doses of the vaccine. He found that the prevalence of the South African strain was eight times higher in those who had two doses of vaccine compared to those who had not been vaccinated, suggesting reduced effectiveness against the strain.

The study, conducted by Tel Aviv University and the country’s largest health care provider, Clalit, warned that the presence of the variant in Israel is very low. The study has not been peer-reviewed.

Canada Speed ​​Shot Target (5:20 p.m. in NY)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that any adult in the country who wants to be vaccinated can be fully inoculated in late summer.

“We are on track to fulfill our commitment that all Canadians who want to be fully vaccinated by the end of the summer,” he said in a speech. The government’s original goal was to vaccinate all citizens by the end of September.

US has approximately 54 million doses in stock (4pm NY)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly a quarter of the doses of Covid-19 vaccine distributed by the United States have not been administered.

While CDC data does not specify reasons, health officials have expressed concern about equity in vaccine distribution and hesitation, especially among rural and minority populations. Of some 233 million doses administered nationwide, 179 million, or about 76%, were administered as of Friday.

The CDC says some vaccines will always be kept behind to maintain inventory, including second vaccines. Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi and Wyoming have the lowest first-dose administration rates on hand.

About 68 million people in the U.S., or 20.5% of the population, are completely vaccinated and 34.5% have had at least one dose. Among people aged 65 and over, 59% are fully vaccinated and 77% have had at least one dose.

Colorado provider cuts J&J Shot usage (2:10 pm NY)

A health care provider in Colorado will stop administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at its three mass vaccination sites after adverse reactions.

Peter D. Banko, CEO of Centura Health, said in a statement Friday night that the decision was based on both the reduced shipments of the federal government’s J&J vaccine and 11 reactions reported at a vaccination site. Governor Jared Polis and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said they examined the reactions (which included dizziness and nausea) and determined there was no cause for concern.

Centura Health said the J&J vaccine is “safe and effective” and will continue to be used in outpatient clinics and clinics.

Minneapolis Spike leads US subway areas (13:30 NY)

Weekly cases of Covid-19 in 10 U.S. metropolitan areas increased the fastest in Minneapolis, where companies like 3M Co. live. and Target Corp., according to data collected on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cases rose 27% in the Minneapolis area, followed by rises of more than 20% in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Detroit. Adjusted for population, new cases over the seven-day period increased further in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Buffalo, New York. Minneapolis ranked sixth for this measure.

Merkel presents the German blockade plan (10:43 am NY)

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed to the proposal national rules of blockade and curfews to try to force compliance by some regional governments. Hotspot designations would be based on county-wide per capita infections, according to the bill seen by Bloomberg on Saturday.

Merkel’s biggest obstacle is the upper house of parliament, where her ruling parties have no majority. German hospitals have been under pressure after rates of Covid-19 infection began to rise in February, although vaccines have risen and reached daily records this week.

U.S. Supreme Court Facilitates Worship Boundaries (10:24 am NY)

A divided U.S. Supreme Court it eased the limits of religious services in California, which added to a series of orders that have freed the faithful from state and local restrictions designed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an unsigned 5-4 order issued Friday night, the court authorized two Northern Californians to resume weekly Bible studies and community worship for eight to twelve people.

US cases continue to accelerate (8:00 NY)

The United States added nearly 81,000 new cases on Friday as the virus spreads rapidly to pockets across the country, especially in the Midwest, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. The seven-day average has increased for five consecutive weeks.

According to the data, another 962 deaths were recorded on Friday, down for the second day, amid a general decline in fatalities. The United States recorded 4 million doses of vaccine on Friday as the pace picked up again after the Easter and Easter holidays, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.

Astral Shot Linked to Clots: Study (6:53 am NY)

A Norwegian study on blood clots and abnormally low platelet levels in five people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 has found that their condition was a vaccine-induced syndrome, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“By providing a link between thrombosis and the immune system, these results reinforce the view that vaccination may have triggered the syndrome,” the article says the study.