7th July 2020 - Wilson James
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7th July 2020 19
HIGHLIGHTS
• Worldwide cases of COVID-19 have reached 11.78 million while 6.78 million patients have recovered,
according to the latest Worldometer tally. The number of deaths worldwide is more than 540,000.
• Over 212,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported globally by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 4th
July, the highest single-day increase since the start of this pandemic.
• The WHO has said that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine in
combination with the HIV drug Lopinavir/Ritonavir in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 after the
medications failed to reduce mortality.
• India now has the third highest tally of confirmed cases OF COVID-19 globally.
• Spain has put 70,000 people on lockdown in the Galicia region in the North-West of the country.
• Mexico has recorded more than 30,000 deaths due to COVID-19 making it the country with fifth highest
number of fatalities.
• China has warned the UK not to interfere with Hong Kong after pro-democracy campaigners have begged
for international support. The UK had offered a path to citizenship for up to 3 million Hong Kongers and
has argued that China has reneged on its agreement that took effect in 1997.
• A suspected case of the bubonic plague has been identified in the Inner Mongolia region of China with
authorities issuing a third-level alert (the second lowest in a four-tier system).
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020COVID-19
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES TOTAL DEATHS PATIENTS RECOVERED
11,779,836 541,748 6,775,345
07.07.2020 - Worldometer
COVID-19 - UK
• The total confirmed UK COVID-19 cases as of 6th July is 285,768 with 44,236 deaths. Latest figures can be
found here.
• Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in England and Northern Ireland welcomed customers back on Saturday
4th July for the first time since lockdown began in March. Pubs are required to have certain restrictions such
as limited numbers, mandatory table service and protective screens. Pub-goers are encouraged to book
tables in advance, standing at the bar is not allowed and there will be controlled access to toilets. Indoor
seating areas may be divided by protective screens. The 2-metre distancing rule has been reduced to 1
metre in England.
• The Scottish Health Secretary has admitted there have been no quarantine checks on visitors arriving in
Scotland from overseas to date even though anyone entering Scotland from abroad must isolate for two
weeks or face a £480 fine.
• Employees at a food factory in Wrexham linked to a COVID-19 outbreak have been continuing to work
while awaiting test results. The site has been linked to 289 cases of COVID-19. Workers have previously
reported that it was ‘impossible’ to social distance at the factory.
• The Department of Health have agreed to give local authorities access to postcode-level data about the
number of people testing positive for COVID-19. Until now, local authorities have not routinely had full
access to the data on people who are tested for the virus in the community. Bradford, Barnsley, and
Rochdale are all reported hotspots along with Leicester.
• The list of countries that will have to undergo quarantine if people travel to the UK includes the US, China,
the Maldives, Portugal, and Sweden.
• The COVID-19 crisis could "level down" the UK economy with London and the South East expected to
bounce back more quicker than Hull and Bradford. The Social Market Foundation think tank has warned
that the finance and construction sectors in the UK will be worst affected by the pandemic.
• A study has revealed that thirteen universities in the UK could become insolvent following the COVID-19
pandemic if they do not receive an urgent government bailout. The Institute of Fiscal studies has said that
high-ranking universities with large numbers of international students will be hardest hit.
• Three pubs in England have closed their doors just days after re-opening them after customers tested
positive for COVID-19. The affected pubs are: The Lighthouse Kitchen and Carvery in Burnham-on-Sea,
Somerset, The Fox and Hounds, West Yorkshire, and the Village Home Pub in Hampshire.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020COVID-19- OTHER COUNTRIES
Australia
The border between Australia’s two most populous states, Victoria and New South Wales, will close after a
spike in COVID-19 cases. The outbreak in Victoria has seen hundreds of cases in the past two weeks, which is
more than 95% of all new Australian infections. The borders between the two states will close on 7th July and
will be the first-time movement between states has been blocked since the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic. Until
now, the borders between the two states had remained open even when others had shut. Police and army
troops have been deployed on the border in order to enforce the closure.
Amidst the ongoing restrictions currently in place, authorities in the city of Melbourne have confined people
living in nine housing estates because of an outbreak of COVID-19. The 3,000 or so residents have been told
not to leave their homes for any reason for at least five days under a ‘hard lockdown’.
The Balkans
The Balkan countries are showing a surge in new COVID-19 cases. Serbia is on the list of countries that do not
need to quarantine when entering the UK but have recently re-imposed lockdown restrictions in its capital,
Belgrade, due to a spike in cases. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in several major cities and
towns. Gatherings are restricted and opening hours for cafes and restaurants have been shortened. Masks are
now compulsory on public transport. Montenegro recorded a record daily rise in infections on Sunday 5th July,
while Kosovo has brought back a nightly curfew in the capital Pristina as cases rise. Austria issued a travel
warning for six Balkan nations on Tuesday, including Serbia and Montenegro, and Croatia has reinstated 14-
day quarantines for travellers from Bosnia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
Greece
Greece has banned all but essential travel from Serbia as infection numbers steadily rise in the Balkan country.
For a week from 6th July all entry points are closed to Serbian travellers as authorities re-impose lockdown
restrictions in the capital Belgrade. Currently, Serbia is on a list of 15 countries whose citizens are allowed to
enter the EU, after the bloc partially reopened its external borders on 1st July. Individual member states are
not, however, bound by the list and make their own decisions on border controls. Normally many Serbians
would make their way down to Greece for their summer holidays.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis has said that Greece will not accept strict European Union conditions for COVID-19
emergency aid. The Prime Minister has said that the Greeks have their own agenda of reforms involving ‘the
green transition’, ‘the digital transition’ and a privatisation programme, and does not need ‘additional strict
conditionality’ from the European Union.
India
India recorded more than 24,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours up to 06:00 on the 6th July, taking its
total above that of Russia. Although India has the third highest number of cases, it is eighth in fatalities,
according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University. Continuing reports are coming out of India about the
failure of their health system due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic ravaging the country. Hospitals are
continuing to turn people away amidst claims they are now having to prioritise patients due to the surge in
cases. Officials have been quick to laud the achievements of the health system given the size of their country’s
population and the sheer scale with which they have been affected by the virus. But experts point to India's
low fatality rate, 2.4% in comparison to the global average of 4.7%, as a potential silver lining. The country's
climbing recovery rate, about 60% of all its confirmed cases, is another encouraging sign. The government has
now made a deal with private sector hospitals to free up beds to help with capacity.
Iran
Iran has imposed further restrictions to help stem the spread of COVID-19 as the country continues to struggle
with containing the virus. On 4th July, President Rouhani announced that those not wearing masks would be
denied state services whilst businesses not adhering to health protocols could be shut for a week.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020Iraq
Exiled Yazidi families, driven from Sinjar, Northern Iraq, have been forced to return home due to the impact of
COVID-19 restrictions that has made living in exile even harder through the loss of income. Little of Sinjar has
been rebuilt since the Yazidi’s were forced to flee from ISIS in 2014 and the city water supply is scarce.
Israel
On 6th July, Israel reimposed COVID-19 restrictions which saw the immediate closure of bars, gyms, and event
halls. The country was thought to have effectively controlled the spread of the virus in May but has seen a
sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases since schools, beaches and businesses were re-opened.
Kenya
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a phased reopening of the country amid a rising number of
COVID-19 infections. The president lifted travel restrictions in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa and Mandera
counties, which are some of the regions with the highest number of cases. However, the 21:00 to 04:00
nationwide curfew remains in place for a further 30 days.
Mexico
Mexico has now recorded more than 30,000 deaths from COVID-19 and is now second only behind Brazil in
Latin America. The country is now fifth highest in the COVID-19 death toll and a new daily infection record of
6,914 has brought the total to 252,165 confirmed cases. In Mexico City hundreds of thousands of factory
workers returned to their jobs in mid-June. The country’s president is keen to get the flagging economy going
again and some non-essential businesses were allowed to reopen at the start of July in the epicentre of the
country’s epidemic. In contrast the health minister has said the country should not be opening up too soon in
the midst of such an ‘active epidemic’.
New Zealand
Air New Zealand, the country’s national airline, has announced that it will stop taking new bookings for three
weeks starting from 7th July. The hiatus on bookings has been implemented due to the country’s quarantine
facilities reaching near capacity after a rise in those returning home.
Portugal
Portugal’s Foreign Affairs Minister has said his country’s exclusion from the list of countries for which
quarantine will not apply for people coming to the UK is ‘absurd’. Portugal currently has almost 44,000
confirmed cases and around 1,600 deaths.
Saudi Arabia
New health protocols have been introduced in Saudi Arabia as the country prepares for the 2020 Haj season.
The number of Saudi nationals authorised to attend Haj has been limited to 1,000 whilst foreign Muslims have
been banned from attending the pilgrimage – the first time this has happened in modern times. Saudi
authorities have also imposed bans on gatherings and meetings between pilgrims.
Singapore
Singapore has adopted a ‘wearable technology’ approach to the test and trace approach. The devices work
with the islands existing contact tracing app. Thousands of vulnerable elderly people will be the first to receive
the devices. Read more in our insights section.
South Africa
South African’s Education Ministry has continued with its phased reopening of schools despite a surge in
COVID-19 cases. The country has been reporting thousands of new cases every day, with the total number
currently at 196,750 cases including 3,199 deaths. According to the Basic Education Minister 2,740 teachers
and 1,260 learners have been infected since final year students resumed classes.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020Spain
Spanish officials have reimposed lockdown restrictions in Catalonia and the North-Western region of Galicia.
The country has recorded more than a quarter of a million cases and at least 28,385 deaths. The restrictions
come only one week after re-opening its borders to other EU states, including the UK, to attract tourists in
time for summer.
Residents of La Gomera Island have downloaded a new pilot phone app aimed at stopping the spread of
COVID-19 infections. The pilot programme will use a simulated outbreak of the disease in order to test the app
before making it available to the whole of Spain.
United States of America
The US marked a subdued 4th July holiday as cases of COVID-19 surged in Florida and Texas. In a 24-hour
period Florida recorded 11,458 cases and Texas 8,258 cases. Beaches normally packed over the holiday
weekend were shut on both coasts, parades and fireworks events were cancelled. Public health officials have
warned of a spike in COVID-19 cases after this weekend’s celebrations and the George Floyd memorial march.
New York has seen a threefold increase in shootings over the 4th July weekend in comparison to the same
three-day period last year. The city saw 45 shootings which resulted in 64 wounded and 11 killed and has been
attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, animosity towards law enforcement and bail reform. In the same time
period Chicago saw 87 wounded and 17 dead from shootings with Atlanta witnessing 30 wounded and five
dead.
Useful Information Sources
UK wide – Public Health England
Scotland – Scottish Government
Northern Ireland – NISRA
COVID-19 deaths in England & Wales – ONS
COVID-19 Statistics – Worldometer – Johns Hopkins University
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020WORLD NEWS
Australia
On 4th July protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as to raise awareness of the
mistreatment of indigenous people, attracted thousands across several Australian cities.
China
Indian sources have reported Chinese troops pulling back from the contested border in the Galwan valley. The
measure should go some way to appeasing growing tensions between China and India after the recent conflict
in the area.
On 4th July, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a statement that the strain of Swine Flu,
recently reported to have pandemic potential, is not a new virus and does not infect or sicken either humans
or animals easily.
Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have issued a third-level alert (the second lowest in a four-
tier system) after a hospital reported a suspected case of the bubonic plague. The alert bans the hunting and
eating of animals known to carry the plague such as marmots. Warnings have also been given in neighbouring
Russia.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office have released a report which states that the ‘systemic and
brutal attacks’ by the Allied Democratic Forces over the last 18 months may amount to war crimes. Since the
start of 2019, the group has killed more than 1,000 civilians.
Dominican Republic
Early results in the Presidential election in the Dominican Republic give the opposition candidate, Luis
Abinader, an unassailable lead. His two main rivals have conceded defeat and the outgoing president has
congratulated Mr Abinader on his win. Voter turnout was high despite the election being conducted during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Ethiopia
Ethnic unrest in the aftermath of the killing of Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa has left at least 166 people
dead. A top police chief said 145 civilians and 11 security personnel died in Oromia region alone. Ten people
have been killed in the capital Addis Ababa. Hachalu was killed on Monday 6th June after receiving death
threats.
Hong Kong
China has warned the UK not to interfere with Hong Kong after pro-democracy campaigners have begged for
international support. The UK had offered a path to citizenship for up to 3 million Hong Kongers and has
argued that China has reneged on its agreement that took effect in 1997. In the wake of the controversial new
security law, books by pro-democracy figures have been removed from public libraries. Several leading pro-
democracy activists have also stepped down from their roles. Hong Kong police made their first arrests under
the new law on the 1st July as a result of people violating the law. Ten people were arrested including a man
holding a pro-independence flag. On Wednesday 1st July thousands gathered for the annual pro-democracy
rally to mark the handover of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese in defiance of a ban restricting
gatherings of more than fifty people. Police used water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators.
Seven officers were injured including one officer stabbed in the arm. The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab
has called the measures a ‘flagrant assault’ on freedoms of speech and protest. The UK has updated its travel
advice to Hong Kong saying there is an ‘increased risk of detention, and deportation for a non-permanent
resident’. The US has approved new Hong Kong related sanctions that penalise banks which do business with
Chinese officials.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020India
Eight Indian policemen have been killed and seven more injured in an encounter with gang members in the
northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place early on Friday morning in a village in the Kanpur
district.
Iran
A spokesperson for Iran’s nuclear energy body has confirmed that a fire which broke out on the 2nd July, has
caused ‘significant damage’. Additionally, it was confirmed that the cause of the fire had been determined,
but no details were given. The fire hit a centrifuge assembly workshop, and some Iranian officials have blamed
possible cyber sabotage. The spokesman said that the damaged machinery would eventually be replaced with
more advanced equipment.
Italy
Italy has given permission for 180 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean to disembark from a charity-run
shift, after one week of debate. ‘The Ocean King’ which is operated by the rescue group SOS Méditerranée
declared a state of emergency on Friday 4th July due to fears for the migrants, and crew’s safety. Medics have
already tested the migrants for COVID-19 and are awaiting results as they were transferred to a government
vessel in Sicily to quarantine for 14 days.
Japan
Japan is bracing for more heavy rain after a weekend of flooding left at least 37 people dead. More than
40,000 rescue workers were still searching for survivors on Monday 6th July. At least 16 people have died, and
another dozen are missing on the Island of Kyushu as heavy rains cause excessive flooding. Fourteen of the
victims were found in a nursing home after a nearby river burst its banks. Local authorities have given the
order to evacuate more than 200,000 people in the area.
Portugal
Vogue Portugal has come under fire in regard to the front cover of its July edition, which features an image
portraying mental health. The ‘madness issue’ shows a woman in a bathtub in a hospital scene with a nurse
pouring water over her head. Mental health experts have responded by saying this is a ‘dystopian’ and
outdated depiction on mental health treatment. Vogue Portugal has responded by saying that the image was
intended to ‘start a discussion’.
New Zealand
The American company ‘Rocket Lab’, the company which launches rockets out of New Zealand, has lost its
latest rocket. The company has said that the rocket failed late in its accent from Mahia Peninsula on North
Island. All satellite payloads are assumed to have been destroyed.
Nigeria
Armed bandits have been ransacking communities in Nigeria’s north-west, riding on motorcycles. Over one
hundred people have been killed between April and June as part of a lucrative kidnap for ransom industry. On
two separate occasions villages were chosen as they had just received government food handouts due to the
COVID-19 lockdown.
Somalia
Six people have been killed in a bomb explosion at a restaurant in the southern Somali town of Baidoa. The
militant group al-Shabaab has said it was behind both incidents. The al-Qaeda linked group said they were
targeting tax collectors meeting at a restaurant. They claim to have killed two soldiers in the incident, but
officials say the victims were all civilians.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020Turkey
Twenty Saudi nationals have gone on trial in absentia in Turkey for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. He
had been a prominent critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and was killed by a team of Saudi agents
inside the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.
Uganda
Uganda has opened part of its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo to allow in thousands of people
who fled their homes in May after clashes. Borders were previously closed to halt the spread of COVID-19.
United Kingdom
The UK have announced new sanctions against human rights abusers in Saudi Arabia, Russia, Myanmar, and
North Korea. It is though that the first sanctions will target 25 Russian nationals who have been connected
with the death of the lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, and 20 Saudi nationals who have been connected to the killing
of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
United States of America
Rumours that anti-fascist protesters planned to burn American flags on the Gettysburg Civil War battleground
site led to armed far-right groups turning up in numbers on US Independence Day. Posts on social media by
supposed Antifa leaders urged members to meet at the Pennsylvania site on 4th July. In response, far-right
groups assembled on the historic grounds on Saturday - but no adversaries showed up. It is now thought that
the posts where indeed a hoax.
Florida
The Florida Department of Health has confirmed that one person in Hillsborough County has contracted
Naegleria Fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba. The single cell amoeba, usually found in freshwater, enters the
body through the nose and can cause an infection of the brain which is usually fatal. The Department of Health
has not confirmed where the infection was contracted, or the patient’s condition. The amoeba is rare in
Florida with only 37 cases reported since 1962. The infection cannot be passed from person to person.
Georgia
Heavily armed, predominately Black, protestors marched through Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta on 4th July
calling for the removal of a giant Confederate rock carving, which they claim to be a monument to racism.
New York
A statue of the 19th century US black activist Frederick Douglas has been damaged in New York State. The
statue is thought to have been vandalised on the 5th July, which was the anniversary of a famous speech given
by the former slave in 1852. In this speech he said that Independence Day celebrations where a sham in a
nation that still enslaved black citizens.
South Carolina
On 5th July, ten people were shot in Greenville, South Carolina seeing two killed and two critically injured. It is
thought that the shooting was gang related.
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020INSIGHTS
Our Risk Advisory Service regularly publish articles and advisories covering a myriad of subjects. These
publications can be found within our Insights section on our Risk Advisory Service website.
POST-VIRAL FATIGUE SYNDROME
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said some patients that have suffered from COVID-19 may also be
suffering from ‘post-viral fatigue syndrome’. The NHS has had reports of previously healthy individuals who have
had, or probably had, COVID-19 and have not been able to return to their normal level of health and energy levels
in the weeks following the onset of symptoms. NHS staff have themselves been some of the patients reporting
the cases as well as people, already suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis,
reporting worsening symptoms. Fortunately, in most cases the symptoms are short lived but in some cases a full
return to health may take months rather than weeks. During this time people do not remain infective. Good
management of COVID-19 in the early stages can help ensure a quicker recovery period. NHS England has just
launched a new service for people with ongoing health problems after having COVID-19 via an online portal.
IS IRAN UNDER ATTACK?
Over the past couple of weeks, Iran has experienced six incidents which have sparked curiosity from the world’s
media. The incidents appear unrelated and simply an unfortunate but innocent string of events, however
conspiracy theories have begun to circulate as to whether Iran is in fact under attack. Additionally, during a
conference on the 5th July, Israel’s Foreign Minister fuelled speculation when he said: ‘We have a long-term
policy... not to allow Iran to have nuclear abilities. This regime with those abilities is an existential threat to
Israel... we take actions that are better left unsaid’. This statement follows Israel neither confirming nor denying
any involvement in attacks which frequently take place in Syria and Iran. Israel is becoming increasingly
concerned about Iran’s growing nuclear capabilities and its attempt to supply Hezbollah and Lebanon with
precision-guided missiles.
TECHNOLOGY VS COVID-19
As we take steps towards the ‘new normal’, maintaining control of the COVID-19 virus using the track and trace
method seems to be paramount. However, with many industries already at breaking point due to imposed lock-
downs, we can expect to see an urge to get the world moving again, but in ‘the age of information’ what role can
technology play, and how reliable is it?
Thermal imaging technology has been at the epicentre of discussion surrounding the aviation industry post-
lockdown, and most research and reports regarding thermal imaging shed positive insights into its effective use.
However, it is important to recognise the limitations of the technology when being used to detect people carrying
a COVID-19. The most prevalent concern is the incubation period of the virus, which according to the World
Health Organisation (WHO) can be up to 14 days. Read more
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED ON EDUCATION?
On 20th March, schools in the UK shut their gates to all pupils except for those of key workers to help prevent the
spread of COVID-19. On the whole, the closure of educational establishments has affected 82% of learners
worldwide. There is specific concern for the impact that the closure of schools will have on children from
disadvantaged backgrounds, who previously were already underperforming compared to students from more
fortunate backgrounds. In a survey completed online by over 4,000 parents of children aged 4–15 between
Wednesday 29th April and Tuesday 12th May 2020, key trends of how children are performing at home were
identified.
The report found that primary and secondary school children in the UK are spending, on average, 5 hours a day
on home learning. However, children from ‘better-off’ families are spending 30% more time on home learning
than children from less fortunate families. Children in the top fifth of high-income families are spending on
average, 5.8 hours a day on their studies. This is compared to the poorest fifth of household who are spending
4.5 hours on average. If schools do not return until September, and the current rates of home learning
continue, by the start of the new school year, students from more fortunate families would have completed an
additional 15 days of schooling compared to less fortunate students. Read more
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WORLD NEWS -19/RAS/7th July 2020COVID19@wilsonjames.co.uk / riskadvisory@wilsonjames.co.uk @WJltd @WJ_Ltd www.linkedin.com/company/wilson-james
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