(Reuters) – Global cases of the novel coronavirus continued to rise on Monday, as Brazil and India grappled with a surge in infections, and the United States, China and other hard-hit countries reported new outbreaks, according to a Reuters tally.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
* More than 8.99 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 468,134 have died, a Reuters tally showed as of 1600 GMT on Monday.
* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.
* For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.
* Eikon users, see MacroVitals (cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?navid=1592404098) for a case tracker and a summary of developments.
EUROPE
* The UK reported its lowest daily COVID-19 death toll since mid-March, health officials said on Monday.
* A weekly testing regime using a “no-swab” saliva test is being trialled in southern England and could result in a simpler and quicker way to detect outbreaks of the virus, the British government said.
AMERICAS
* Many countries that have been successful in tackling the coronavirus are seeing an increase in cases due to religious or leisure gatherings or in closed quarters like nightclubs and dormitories since relaxing curbs, WHO officials said.
* White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said there is no second wave of the pandemic, even though there are some flare-ups in states such as Florida, and it is unlikely there will be widespread shutdowns across the country.
* After more than 100 days of a coronavirus lockdown, New York City residents celebrated the lifting of more restrictions by getting their first haircuts in months, shopping at reopened stores, and dining at outdoor cafes.
* Toronto will allow businesses to reopen starting on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Health authorities in South Korea said for the first time it is in the midst of a “second wave” of novel coronavirus infections around Seoul.
* India reported a record number of new cases and a death toll of more than 400 people in the past 24 hours as foreign embassies warned their citizens in the country that hospitals might not have beds for them.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Drivers of minibus taxis in South Africa’s financial hub Gauteng went on strike to demand more financial support from the government, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.
* People in Saudi Arabia ventured out on Sunday night for the first time in three months to celebrate the end of a nationwide curfew.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* Gilead Sciences Inc said it expects to be able to supply enough of its antiviral drug remdesivir by year end to treat more than 2 million COVID-19 patients.
* Levels of an antibody found in recovered COVID-19 patients fell sharply in 2-3 months after infection for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, according to a Chinese study, raising questions about the length of any immunity against the novel coronavirus.
ECONOMIC FALLOUT
* Small and mid-sized businesses around the world are being hit hardest and about a fifth say they risk shutting down permanently within three months, a survey by the International Trade Centre showed.
* U.S. home sales dropped to their lowest level in more than 9-1/2 years in May.
* British industrial output recorded its biggest quarterly fall on record during the three months to June, and a further decline is likely in the months to come, a survey showed.
* Italy is preparing a new spending package worth 15-20 billion euros, which will push its budget deficit beyond 11% of national output, a government source told Reuters.
(Compiled by Linda Pasquini and Devika Syamnath; Editing by William Maclean and Maju Samuel)
