Covid-19 Pandemic
 Here’s the latest news from the global pandemic. White House, Democrats seek virus-aid deal by end of week Japan Prime Minister Abe’s support sinks as virus cases surgeU.K. lawmakers urge Johnson to be more open about travel risks The virus search goes down the drain Many countries now battling a resurgence of the coronavirus are learning that they were too late in discovering the virus was back. That’s in part because the virus had already transmitted widely, and quietly, in the population before it made anyone visibly sick—a stealthy quality that’s challenging containment efforts. Indeed, despite the re-introduction of social-distancing measures and lockdowns, it’s still spreading unfettered in places like Melbourne. It’s becoming more urgent to find a way to catch the virus’s resurgence at an earlier stage, a task scientists around the world are now working on. One method is sewage surveillance—testing for traces of the virus in wastewater flushed down toilets. When people are infected with Sars-CoV-2 but haven’t yet developed symptoms, they not only spread the virus through respiratory droplets, but also shed them in stool.  A laboratory in Paris monitors wastewater to detect the presence of the coronavirus. Photographer: THOMAS SAMSON/AFP Dutch scientists in March found that the detection of the coronavirus in sewage precedes an increase in clinical cases. Since then, similar studies of the pathogen’s presence in wastewater conducted in the U.S. and Europe have backed that up. Countries like Singapore are now prying open the city’s manholes to collect brownish liquid for virus testing. The hope is that such advance surveillance methods can help governments stay on top of resurgences while allowing residents to live mostly normal lives. There are other alternative surveillance methods being investigated. The ultra-sensitive sense of smell that dogs possess could be harnessed, with multiple teams across Europe and Australia now training hounds to sniff out metabolic changes in people infected with the virus. There are also “pandemic drones” being outfitted with sensors and vision systems to spot people with telltale signs of respiratory infections within crowds. To be sure, most of these alternative methods aim to seek out vestiges of the virus in places where it isn’t apparent, making their relevance where the illness is widespread, such as in parts of the U.S. and some developing countries, questionable. They’ll also likely face resistance from populations that prize privacy and individual choice, especially in the absence of detected cases. Still, with lockdowns showing signs of no longer working and a vaccine still at least months away, governments are quickly running out of options and these alternative methods could provide a lifeline.—Dong Lyu Track the virus U.S., India and Brazil Keep Trending Higher Three nations with the largest outbreaks keep moving higher, while new episodes are developing in Japan, Hong Kong and Australia. See the latest data here.  Sponsored Content by Siemens America’s factories, power plants, transportation and hospitals all need technology and our technology is only as powerful as the people deploying and maintaining it. Keeping America moving takes more than technology alone. It takes a human touch. Siemens Ingenuity for life. What you should read Bill Gates Urges U.S. to Assist Poorer Nations The U.S. should help countries procure Covid vaccines, Gates said. Experts Seek to Save City Nightlife Amid Covid Blanket ban would be economically devastating and impossible to police. Here Are Luxuries People Cling To in Pandemic Coffee, bubble tea and burritos among the things helping people cope. New Zealand Faces Inevitable Return of Virus The country eliminated the virus, but needs to brace for a resurgence. How to Shoot a Cult Horror Remake During Covid New incentives and travel exceptions are available for film and TV. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg’s Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 |
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