More than 14,500 new positive cases were recorded on Oct 6 with the BBC stating that the ‘daily figure has trebled in a fortnight’; a different indicator of the state of affairs is the hospitalisation rate, which in England on Sunday rose to rates last seen in June. Read more. In global news, the Oct 4 WHO epi update notes that new cases per week have hovered around two million over the past three weeks – the highest since the onset of the pandemic. The agency’s head of emergencies estimated that roughly one in 10 people worldwide may have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (depending on country, group and urban/rural settings), a number over 20 times the confirmed total. Overall, the African and the Western Pacific regions are said to be in a ‘rather more positive’ situation, SE Asian countries are facing a surge in cases, and deaths are rising in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean regions - a difficult period is ahead for the world. Read more
According to the Johns Hopkins tracking data, Turkey has recorded more than 327,000 COVID-19 cases, however a news source has quoted the health minister admitting ‘all official figures released since 29 July referred only to “patients”— meaning those exhibiting coronavirus symptoms’ and do not include asymptomatic infections. Read more
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.