Is COVID still a threat? Here is a worldwide update on the coronavirus pandemic

The UK medicines regulator (MHRA) has given the first approval of a variant-adapted vaccine by U.S. drug company Moderna that targets both the original and Omicron version of the virus.

Death and Infections

* Eikon users, click on COVID-19: MacroVitals for a case tracker and summary of news.

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Asia-Pacific

* About 2.3 million people in the Philippines were pushed into poverty between 2018 and 2021, rising to a total of almost 20 million, or 18.1% of the population, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

* China's financial hub Shanghai said on Sunday it would reopen all schools including kindergartens, primary and middle schools on Sept. 1 after months of closures.

* More than 60,000 people thronged Sydney's streets on Sunday for an annual road running event and mass party that returned for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

* North Korea has dropped a face mask mandate and other social distancing rules as leader Kim Jong Un declared victory over COVID-19 this week, state media said on Saturday, three months after its first acknowledgement of the virus outbreak in the isolated country.

* Mainland China reported 2,478 new COVID cases for Aug. 14, of which 770 were symptomatic and 1,708 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

* Shanghai reported five new domestically transmitted asymptomatic cases for Aug. 14, the same as a day earlier, while one local symptomatic case was reported, up from zero the day before, the city government said on Monday.

DEATH RATES SOAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AS COVID-19 WAVE SPREADS

America

* U.S. CDC says Omicron subvariant BA.5 represents 88.8% of total cases in the country, as of week ended Aug. 13.

Economic Impact

* China's central bank cut key lending rates in a surprise move to revive demand as data showed the economy unexpectedly slowing in July, with factory and retail activity squeezed by Beijing's zero-COVID policy and a property crisis.

* Asian shares turned mixed on Monday after China's central bank trimmed key lending rates after economic data missed forecasts, underlining the need for more stimulus to support the world's second largest economy. [MKTS/GLOB]

* China's economy unexpectedly slowed in July, with activity indicators from industrial output to retail sales missing forecasts by large margins, pointing to a shaky recovery as Beijing shows no sign of easing its zero-COVID policy.

* New bank lending in China fell more than expected in July while broad credit growth slowed, as fresh COVID flare-ups, worries about jobs and a deepening property crisis made companies and consumers wary of taking on more debt.

* Japan's economy rebounded at a slower-than-expected pace in the second quarter from a COVID-induced slump, data showed on Monday, highlighting uncertainty on whether consumption will grow enough to bolster a much-delayed, fragile recovery.

* Thailand's economy expanded at the fastest pace in a year in the second quarter as eased restrictions boosted activity and tourism.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC TRIGGERED 'ECONOMIC CONTAGION,' COSTING WORLD'S ECONOMY $3.8T AND LEAVING 147M UNEMPLOYED

Medical Impact

* Around 25 million children around the world missed out on routine vaccinations that protect against life-threatening diseases in 2021, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) found. The two organizations said the shortfall was the result of disruption to health care globally during the pandemic.

* Novavax said it had submitted an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking authorization for booster doses of its vaccine.

* India's Bharat Biotech has completed clinical development for Phase III trials and booster doses for intranasal vaccine.

NOVAVAX COVID-19 VACCINE FOR ADULTS ENDORSED BY CDC

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CDC investigating 'fast-moving' E. coli outbreak in Michigan and Ohio that has infected nearly 30 people

A "fast-moving" E. coli breakout has infected dozens of people and hospitalized nine others in Ohio and Michigan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The CDC announced via a press release on Wednesday that 29 individuals are ill due to the outbreak from an unknown source. No deaths have been reported at this time, as the first infection was recorded in July. The number of infected could increase over time due to the uncertainty behind the source of the outbreak. 

The people infected with the bacteria have age ranges from 6 to 91 years old. The CDC says it will use its PulseNet system to track down the cause of the outbreak during its investigation. The agency stated the true number of infected may be higher and present in other states.

"Some of the illnesses reported in Michigan and Ohio have not yet been reported to the PulseNet system, but investigators are working quickly to add them to PulseNet to determine if they may be part of this outbreak.," the CDC said in a statement on Wednesday.

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If an individual believes they are infected with E. coli, the CDC recommends they make a record of what they ate in the week before they were infected, report the illness to a local or state health department, and answer any further questions about the illness from public health officials. 

Symptoms of E. Coli infection often vary depending on the person but usually include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. The CDC states that most patients recover after five to seven days some infections are mild, while other severe cases may cause death. 

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The illness can occur from one to ten days after exposure by either eating or drinking something containing the bacteria. 

So far, the CDC has recorded that 15 people in Michigan and 14 in Ohio have been infected. 

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Oyster food safety tips you should know following 2 reported deaths linked to the shellfish

Two people have reportedly died after eating raw oysters that were caught in Louisiana waters.

Rodney Jackson of Dallas, a 55-year-old Air Force veteran purchased oysters from a seafood market in Florida during a recent trip he made to the Sunshine State in early August, the Pensacola News Journal reported.

The local news outlet wrote that Jackson consumed some of the oysters he purchased and fell ill with mild symptoms shortly after.

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His symptoms reportedly worsened when he experienced breathing difficulties, and he was transported to the Ascension Sacred Heart’s Intensive Care Unit in Pensacola where he was diagnosed with vibriosis – a bacterial infection that’s usually connected to raw or undercooked shellfish or seawater exposure.

Vibrio is the bacteria that causes vibriosis and each year it causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The bacteria reportedly thrives in warm water – which includes salt water and brackish water – and it can remain on shellfish long after the creatures have been removed from their watery environment.

Vibriosis infections typically occur after a person has consumed vibrio-covered shellfish or exposed an open wound to the contaminated seafood or seawater, the CDC notes on its "Food Safety: Oysters and Vibriosis" webpage.

"An oyster that contains Vibrio doesn’t look, smell, or even taste different from any other oyster," the CDC wrote. "You can kill Vibrio in oysters and other shellfish by cooking them properly."

OYSTER HEALTH FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOUR NEXT CLAMBAKE OR RAW BAR VISIT

Jackson, who was a business director, reportedly died on Tuesday, Aug. 9, and experts determined raw oysters were the cause of his fatal infection, according to the Pensacola News Journal. 

The New York Post reported that Jackson’s oyster-related death is the second to happen in Florida, but the first man to die from the similar cause has not been identified to the public.

Both of the recorded cases are reportedly tied to oysters that were sourced from Louisiana, the news outlet claims.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the belief that "just a few oysters can't hurt you" is a myth, which it noted in its online "Raw Oysters Myths" guide. 

"Roberta Hammond, Ph.D, the Food and Waterborne Disease Coordinator for Florida, cites a case where a fatality caused by Vibrio vulnificus occurred after eating only three oysters," the FDA wrote. "The seriousness of any case depends on many factors, including how much bacteria is ingested and the person's underlying health conditions."

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The FDA and CDC reiterate that only heat can fully kill off vibrio bacteria, which is why the two agencies recommend people cook shellfish and avoid raw offerings.

Alcohol, hot sauce and lemon juice do not and cannot remove harmful bacteria from shellfish and other seafood, according to the FDA and CDC.

Food safety tips the CDC suggests include keeping cooked seafood away from raw seafood to avoid cross-contamination, washing hands with soap and water after touching raw seafood and disposing of any shellfish that’s already open before cooking or resists opening fully after cooking.

The CDC recommends boiling shellfish like oysters until their shells open and continuing to cook them for another three to five minutes for good measure. 

Alternatively, the agency says the following cooking methods have been proven to be safe: steaming whole oysters for four to nine minutes, boiling shucked oysters for at last three minutes, frying shucked oysters in oil for at least minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, broiling shucked oysters three inches from a heat source for three minutes and baking shucked oysters for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

In terms of water exposure, the CDC says people should stay out of salt water and brackish water if they have an open wound or have recently undergone surgery, piercing or tattoos.

"Cover any wounds if they could touch raw seafood or raw seafood juices, or if you might come into contact with brackish or salt water," the CDC wrote in its oyster safety guide. "Wash open wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water if they contacted salt water, brackish water, raw seafood, or raw seafood juices or drippings."

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