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  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Studies that claim hydroxychloroquine does not work when treating patients with the coronavirus are “fake science,” a doctor at the “White Coat Summit” in Washington, DC, said on Monday. Dr. Stella Immanuel of Rehoboth Medical Center in Houston, Texas, said she had 350 patients she put on hydroxychloroquine and every one of them recovered. She continued: This is what I will say to all those studies — they had high doses, they were given the wrong patients — I would call them fake science. Any study that says hydroxychloroquine doesn’t work is fake science. And I want them to show me how it doesn’t work. How is it going to work for 350 patients for me, and they are all alive, and then somebody says it doesn’t work? Guys, all them studies: fake science. On what appeared to be her Twitter account, Dr. Immanuel wrote Friday that the fear, sickness, and deaths were “senseless and unnecessary”: The fear, the sickness, the deaths is so senseless and unnecessary. Covid19 has a cure. It’s time for politicians to let doctors be doctors and for doctors to stop being afraid. They can silence a few but not a multitude. Join us in the fight doctors! America needs you! — Stella Immanuel MD (@stella_immanuel) July 24, 2020 A recent clinical study conducted in a Detroit-area hospital system suggested that the antimalarial drug was effective in lowering the death rate from the coronavirus, which contradicted other studies, Breitbart News reported July 3. “Several recent studies have suggested the opposite — that hydroxychloroquine provides no benefit to coronavirus patients, and may actually pose a risk of cardiac problems to some,” the article read. “Many doctors prescribed the medication, and many took it themselves as a prophylactic, but clinical evidence for its effectiveness was lacking,” it continued. However, in a banner photo on its Facebook page, Dr. Immanuel’s Rehoboth Medical Center urged patients to get treated early for COVID-19 if they had flu-like symptoms. “FDA has revoked its emergency use authorization restricting the use of hydroxychloroquine in hospital setting only. It was not found to be effective in sick hospital patients,” the banner read. “Doctors however can use it outpatient where early treatment is key to its effectiveness, off label to treat covid19. That will also release the stock pile,” it concluded. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Dr. Mark McDonald, a practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist in West Los Angeles, spoke at Monday’s “White Coat Summit” in the nation’s capital and pointed out that the fears exhibited by many parents over the Chinese coronavirus are “not based on reality.” “The fear is real, but it’s not based on reality,” McDonald said, explaining that he has tried to provide facts, data, statistics, and information to patients and their parents for months. While he said some listen and believe that there is “probably more going on than what they’re being told,” many are not responding to information because they are crippled by fear. McDonald said: I also know that unless we deal with this fear and take it and face it head-on, the information will not be of use. You cannot use information, no matter how accurate it is, unless you’re in a calm state of mind. Anybody who’s worked in the military knows this. When you are in a state of panic, when you are terrorized, when you are traumatized, you cannot think clearly. Most of the adults in my practice with children that come in for treatment are in that state. They are not responsive to information. They are allowing fear to guide their decisions. McDonald said many parents are refusing to bring their children in, “insisting” on Zoom or phone calls instead. He explained that they are “coddling” their children, preventing them from playing outside, going to the store, and participating in sports “because they think that’s what’s best for them.” “In my view, this is child abuse,” McDonald declared, adding that “we are training an entire generation of children to live in fear — to live in fear of people.” “We are training an entire generation of children to live in their parent’s basements until they’re 40-years-old so that they can be safe,” he said. Safe “compared to what?” he continued: Compared to driving? As we heard earlier, driving is far more dangerous. Far, far more dangerous than going to school. Safer than staying at home? Children are getting sick at home. They’re getting fat. They’re wetting their beds. They’re attacking their brothers and sisters with kitchen knives as two children did last week. McDonald said he recently spoke to the single Santa Monica mother of those children, explaining that she went to work and got a call from her neighbor saying, “the police are on the way.” She rushed home, only to find out that her children were fighting with knives. “These children are good kids,” he said. “Is she going to lose her children? I don’t know,” McDonald continued. “She’s a good mother, but what can she do? She has to choose. Stay home, go on unemployment, or go to work.” The child psychiatrist painted a dire picture, stating that the “state of our children is abysmal.” “I have seen a rapid and substantial increase in emotional illness with all of the children in my practice. Every single one. Anxiety. Depression. Suicidal ideation. Bedwetting, Self-harm. Child abuse. Violence. Panic attacks. I could go on and on and on,” he said. McDonald briefly told the story of a parent who tried to take his eight-year-old daughter to the beach. The child reportedly grabbed her father’s leg and told him they could not go because “there are other people there”: “This little girl was completely well and completely healthy until this pandemic began. The pandemic, in my mind, is not so much a medical pandemic. It’s an emotional pandemic,” he said. “And this emotional pandemic is based on and centered around fear.” 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Federal authorities in Portland have arrested 74 demonstrators and charged 60 with federal crimes, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokeswoman Kerri Kupec announced on Monday. The DOJ spokeswoman made the announcement on Monday, providing the number of federal arrests and charged cases “related to violent opportunists & civil unrest.” There have been 74 arrests in Portland alone, with 60 demonstrators facing charges. Nationwide, federal authorities have made 236 arrests, with 238 defendants charged: Current # of federal arrests and charged cases related to violent opportunists & civil unrest ?? Portland — ? 74 arrests ? 60 defendants charged Total Nationally — ? 236 arrests ? 238 defendants charged — Kerri Kupec DOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) July 27, 2020 According to the DHS spokesperson, protesters have been equipped with “Molotov cocktails, Sledgehammers, Pipe bombs, Mortar fireworks, and Metal spikes”: Molotov cocktails Sledgehammers Pipe bombs Mortar fireworks Metal spikes These aren’t the tools of peaceful protesters. They are tools of violent rioters looking to harm and destroy. https://t.co/2R8DK1cbaW — DHS spokesperson (@SpoxDHS) July 27, 2020 The Portland Police Bureau has affirmed many of the tools listed, writing as recently as July 26 that downtown protesters were equipped with “gas masks, carried shields, hockey sticks, leaf blowers, flags, and umbrellas specifically to thwart police in crowd dispersal or attempt to conceal criminal acts.” Violent protests have continued.to ravage Portland, as countless videos show demonstrators vandalizing the federal courthouse, launching mortars toward the building, setting fires in the area, and targeting officers. Rioters reportedly hurled Molotov cocktails toward federal officers over the weekend as they moved to disperse the violent crowds. “As federal officers left the courthouse to respond to attacks on the fence last night, just like on other nights, rioters responded with hard projectiles, mortar style fireworks and lasers that can cause permanent blindness,” the DHS’s July 27 readout detailing the chaos in Portland read. The readout affirmed that a Molotov cocktail “was thrown over the fence” shortly after midnight: BREAKING: rioters throw what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail at federal agents dispersing crowds pic.twitter.com/67hJvnYEB5 — ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) July 27, 2020 Antifa rioters are throwing Molotov cocktails toward federal officers at the courthouse. Earlier in the day, police found a cache of ready-made incendiary devices and fully loaded magazines. Video by @livesmattershow. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/KFPyahZ8Er — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 27, 2020 Rioters have now thrown Molotov Cocktails at the courthouse pic.twitter.com/bM5TfqcdzJ — Drew Hernandez (@livesmattershow) July 27, 2020 Portland Police also announced the discovery of a bag filled with ammunition and Molotov cocktails near Lownsdale Square Park early Monday morning: Tonight Portland Police were near Lownsdale Square Park. A person pointed out a bag to them. Inside the bag Police found loaded rifle magazines and Molotov cocktails pic.twitter.com/ytpu9pZjqG — Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 27, 2020 Portland Police have been relatively hands-off in quelling the unrest following the addition of federal agents and the City Council’s move to bar the department from assisting federal law enforcement. Protesters, however, have continued to assault authorities, hurling various projectiles night after night and shining lasers into the eyes of officers. “You’ve seen the green lasers that are being used out there. We have three officers who currently have eye injuries, and they may not recover sight in those eyes from those laser attacks,” Federal Protective Service (FPS) Deputy Director of Operations Richard announced last week. Meanwhile, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) is joining several Democrat mayors in calling for the removal of federal agents from their respective cities. “At the direction of the President of the United States, unidentified federal agents have been deployed to America’s cities, like Washington, D.C., Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, to interrupt local protests and impose ‘law and order’ for political purposes,” the mayors said in a joint statement to Congress, accusing Trump of “targeting and occupation of progressive cities” and calling it “unacceptable, un-American, and unconstitutional.” 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Virus strain that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)[2][3] is the strain of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Colloquially known as simply the coronavirus, it was previously referred to by its provisional name, 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV),[4][5][6][7] and has also been called human coronavirus 2019 (HCoV-19 or hCoV-19).[8][9][10][11] The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a pandemic on 11 March 2020.[12][13] SARS-CoV-2 is a Baltimore class IV[14] positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus[15] that is contagious in humans.[16] As described by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, it is the successor to SARS-CoV-1,[10][17] the strain that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. Taxonomically, SARS-CoV-2 is a strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV).[2] It is believed to have zoonotic origins and has close genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, suggesting it emerged from a bat-borne virus.[18][19][20][9] There is no evidence yet to link an intermediate animal reservoir, such as a pangolin, to its introduction to humans.[21][22] The virus shows little genetic diversity, indicating that the spillover event introducing SARS-CoV-2 to humans is likely to have occurred in late 2019.[23] Epidemiological studies estimate each infection results in 1.4 to 3.9 new ones when no members of the community are immune and no preventive measures taken. The virus primarily spreads between people through close contact and via respiratory droplets produced from coughs or sneezes.[24][25] It mainly enters human cells by binding to the receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).[18][26][27][28] Terminology The name "2019-nCoV" in use in a trilingual sign at a Lisbon health facility in February 2020. During the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, the virus was commonly referred to as the "coronavirus" or "Wuhan coronavirus",[29][30][31] or "Wuhan virus".[32] In January 2020, the World Health Organisation recommended "2019 novel coronavirus" (2019-nCov)[33][5] as the provisional name for the virus. This was in accordance with WHO's 2015 guidance[34] against using geographical locations, animal species, or groups of people in disease and virus names.[35][36] On 11 February 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses adopted the official name "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2" (SARS-CoV-2).[21] To avoid confusion with the disease SARS, the WHO sometimes refers to SARS-CoV-2 as "the COVID-19 virus" in public health communications[37][38] and the name HCoV-19 was included in some research articles.[8][9][10] The general public often call both SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes "coronavirus". U.S. President Donald Trump referred to the virus as the "Chinese virus" in tweets, interviews, and White House press briefings.[39][40][41] Virology Infection and transmission Human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed on 20 January 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][42][43][44] Transmission was initially assumed to occur primarily via respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes within a range of about 1.8 metres (6 ft).[25][45] Laser light scattering experiments suggest speaking as an additional mode of transmission.[46][47] Other studies have suggested that the virus may be airborne as well.[48] Indirect contact via contaminated surfaces is another possible cause of infection.[49] Preliminary research indicates that the virus may remain viable on plastic (polypropylene) and stainless steel (AISI 304) for up to three days, but does not survive on cardboard for more than one day or on copper for more than four hours;[10] the virus is inactivated by soap, which destabilises its lipid bilayer.[50][51] Viral RNA has also been found in stool samples and semen from infected individuals.[52][53] The degree to which the virus is infectious during the incubation period is uncertain, but research has indicated that the pharynx reaches peak viral load approximately four days after infection[54][55] or the first week of symptoms, and declines after.[56] On 1 February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that "transmission from asymptomatic cases is likely not a major driver of transmission".[57] However, an epidemiological model of the beginning of the outbreak in China suggested that "pre-symptomatic shedding may be typical among documented infections" and that subclinical infections may have been the source of a majority of infections.[58] That may explain how out of 217 on board a cruise liner that docked at Montevideo, only 24 of 128 who tested positive for viral RNA showed symptoms.[59] Similarly, a study of ninety-four patients hospitalized in January and February 2020 estimated patients shed the greatest amount of virus two to three days before symptoms appear and that "a substantial proportion of transmission probably occurred before first symptoms in the index case".[60] There is some evidence of human-to-animal transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including examples in felids.[61][62] Some institutions have advised those infected with SARS-CoV-2 to restrict contact with animals.[63][64] On 3 July 2020, a preliminary scientific paper reported that a major genetic risk factor of the Covid-19 virus was inherited from archaic Neanderthals 60,000 years ago. The paper has yet to undergo peer review.[65][66] Reservoir and zoonotic origin Transmission of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 from mammals as biological carriers to humans The first known infections from the SARS-CoV-2 strain were discovered in Wuhan, China.[18] The original source of viral transmission to humans remains unclear, as does whether the strain became pathogenic before or after the spillover event.[23][67][9] Because many of the first individuals found to be infected by the virus were workers at the Huanan Seafood Market,[68][69] it has been suggested that the strain might have originated from the market.[9][70] However, other research indicates that visitors may have introduced the virus to the market, which then facilitated rapid expansion of the infections.[23][71] A phylogenetic network analysis of 160 early coronavirus genomes sampled from December 2019 to February 2020 revealed that the virus type most closely related to the bat coronavirus was most abundant in Guangdong, China, and designated type "A". The predominant type among samples from Wuhan, "B", is more distantly related to the bat coronavirus than the ancestral type "A".[72][73] Research into the natural reservoir of the virus strain that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak has resulted in the discovery of many SARS-like bat coronaviruses, most originating in the Rhinolophus genus of horseshoe bats. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that samples taken from Rhinolophus sinicus show a resemblance of 80% to SARS-CoV-2.[20][74][75] Phylogenetic analysis also indicates that a virus from Rhinolophus affinis, collected in Yunnan province and designated RaTG13, has a 96% resemblance to SARS-CoV-2.[18][76] Rhinolophus sinicus, a species of Samples taken from, a species of horseshoe bats , show a 80% resemblance to SARS-CoV-2. Bats were initially considered to be the most likely natural reservoir of SARS-CoV-2,[77][78] which means that they harbour the virus for long periods of time with no pathogenic effects. Regarding the animal source of infection into humans, the differences between the bat coronavirus sampled at the time and SARS-CoV-2 suggested that humans were infected via an intermediate host. Arinjay Banerjee, a virologist at McMaster University, notes that "the SARS virus shared 99.8% of its genome with a civet coronavirus, which is why civets were considered the source."[70] Although studies had suggested some likely candidates, the number and identities of intermediate hosts remains uncertain.[79] Nearly half of the strain's genome had a phylogenetic lineage distinct from known relatives.[80] [81] The pangolin coronavirus has up to 92% resemblance to SARS-CoV-2. A phylogenetics study published in 2020 indicates that pangolins are a reservoir host of SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses.[82] However, there is no direct evidence to link pangolins as an intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2 at this moment. While there is scientific consensus that bats are the ultimate source of coronaviruses, it is hypothesized that a SARS-CoV-2-like coronavirus originated in pangolins, jumped back to bats, and then jumped to humans, resulting in SARS-CoV-2. Based on whole genome sequence similarity, a pangolin coronavirus candidate strain was found to be less similar than RaTG13, but more similar than other bat coronaviruses to SARS-CoV-2.[81] Therefore, based on maximum parsimony, a specific population of bats is more likely to have directly transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to humans than a pangolin, while an evolutionary ancestor to bats was the source of general coronaviruses.[83] A metagenomics study published in 2019 had previously revealed that SARS-CoV, the strain of the virus that causes SARS, was the most widely distributed coronavirus among a sample of Sunda pangolins.[84] On 7 February 2020, South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou announced that researchers discovered a pangolin sample with a particular coronavirus – a single nucleic acid sequence of the virus was "99% similar" to that of a protein-coding RNA of SARS-CoV-2.[85] The authors state that "the receptor-binding domain of the S protein [that binds to the cell surface receptor during infection] of the newly discovered Pangolin-CoV is virtually identical to that of 2019-nCoV, with one amino acid difference."[86] Microbiologists and geneticists in Texas have independently found evidence of reassortment in coronaviruses suggesting involvement of pangolins in the origin of SARS-CoV-2.[87] The majority of the viral RNA is related to a variation of bat coronaviruses. The spike protein appears to be a notable exception, however, possibly acquired through a more recent recombination event with a pangolin coronavirus.[88] Structural analysis of the receptor binding domain (RBD) and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) complex[89] revealed key mutations on the RBD, such as F486 and N501, which form contacts with ACE2.[90] These residues are found in the pangolin coronavirus.[90] Pangolins are protected under Chinese law, but their poaching and trading for use in traditional Chinese medicine remains common in the black market.[91][92] Deforestation, wildlife farming and trade in unsanitary conditions increases the risk of new zoonotic diseases, biodiversity experts have warned.[93][94][95] It is unlikely that SARS-CoV-2 was genetically engineered. According to computational simulations on protein folding, the RBD of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 should have unremarkable binding affinity. In actuality, however, it has very efficient binding to the human ACE2 receptor. To expose the RBD for fusion, furin proteases must first cleave the S protein. Furin proteases are abundant in the respiratory tract and lung epithelial cells. Additionally, the backbone of the virus does not resemble any previously described in scientific literature used for genetic modification. The possibility that the virus could have gained the necessary adaptations through cell culture in a laboratory setting is challenged by scientists who assert that "the generation of the predicted O-linked glycans... suggest[s] the involvement of an immune system."[96][9] Phylogenetics and taxonomy SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the broad family of viruses known as coronaviruses.[30] It is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus, with a single linear RNA segment. Other coronaviruses are capable of causing illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, fatality rate ~34%). It is the seventh known coronavirus to infect people, after 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, MERS-CoV, and the original SARS-CoV.[97] Like the SARS-related coronavirus strain implicated in the 2003 SARS outbreak, SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the subgenus Sarbecovirus (beta-CoV lineage B).[98][99] Its RNA sequence is approximately 30,000 bases in length.[15] SARS-CoV-2 is unique among known betacoronaviruses in its incorporation of a polybasic cleavage site, a characteristic known to increase pathogenicity and transmissibility in other viruses.[9][100][101] With a sufficient number of sequenced genomes, it is possible to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree of the mutation history of a family of viruses. By 12 January 2020, five genomes of SARS-CoV-2 had been isolated from Wuhan and reported by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) and other institutions;[15][102] the number of genomes increased to 42 by 30 January 2020.[103] A phylogenetic analysis of those samples showed they were "highly related with at most seven mutations relative to a common ancestor", implying that the first human infection occurred in November or December 2019.[103] As of 7 May 2020, 4,690 SARS-CoV-2 genomes sampled on six continents were publicly available.[104] On 11 February 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses announced that according to existing rules that compute hierarchical relationships among coronaviruses on the basis of five conserved sequences of nucleic acids, the differences between what was then called 2019-nCoV and the virus strain from the 2003 SARS outbreak were insufficient to make them separate viral species. Therefore, they identified 2019-nCoV as a strain of Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus.[2] Structural biology Each SARS-CoV-2 virion is 50–200 nanometres in diameter.[69] Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 has four structural proteins, known as the S (spike), E (envelope), M (membrane), and N (nucleocapsid) proteins; the N protein holds the RNA genome, and the S, E, and M proteins together create the viral envelope.[105] The spike protein, which has been imaged at the atomic level using cryogenic electron microscopy,[106][107] is the protein responsible for allowing the virus to attach to and fuse with the membrane of a host cell;[105] specifically, its S1 subunit catalyzes attachment, the S2 subunit fusion.[108] Protein modeling experiments on the spike protein of the virus soon suggested that SARS-CoV-2 has sufficient affinity to the receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on human cells to use them as a mechanism of cell entry.[109] By 22 January 2020, a group in China working with the full virus genome and a group in the United States using reverse genetics methods independently and experimentally demonstrated that ACE2 could act as the receptor for SARS-CoV-2.[18][110][26][111] Studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 has a higher affinity to human ACE2 than the original SARS virus strain.[106][112] SARS-CoV-2 may also use basigin to assist in cell entry.[113] Initial spike protein priming by transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is essential for entry of SARS-CoV-2.[27] After a SARS-CoV-2 virion attaches to a target cell, the cell's protease TMPRSS2 cuts open the spike protein of the virus, exposing a fusion peptide in the S2 subunit, and the host receptor ACE2.[108] After fusion, an endosome forms around the virion, separating it from the rest of the host cell. The virion escapes when the pH of the endosome drops or when cathepsin, a host cysteine protease, cleaves it.[108] The virion then releases RNA into the cell and forces the cell to produce and disseminate copies of the virus, which infect more cells.[114] SARS-CoV-2 produces at least three virulence factors that promote shedding of new virions from host cells and inhibit immune response.[105] Whether they include downregulation of ACE2, as seen in similar coronaviruses, remains under investigation (as of May 2020).[82] Epidemiology Based on the low variability exhibited among known SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences, the strain is thought to have been detected by health authorities within weeks of its emergence among the human population in late 2019.[23][115] The earliest case of infection currently known is dated back to 17 November 2019 or possibly 1 December 2019.[116] The virus subsequently spread to all provinces of China and to more than 150 other countries in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania.[117] Human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed in all these regions.[118] On 30 January 2020, SARS-CoV-2 was designated a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO,[119][12] and on 11 March 2020 the WHO declared it a pandemic.[13][120] The basic reproduction number ( R 0 {\displaystyle R_{0}} ) of the virus has been estimated to be between 1.4 and 3.9.[121][122] This means each infection from the virus is expected to result in 1.4 to 3.9 new infections when no members of the community are immune and no preventive measures are taken. The reproduction number may be higher in densely populated conditions such as those found on cruise ships.[123] Many forms of preventive efforts may be employed in specific circumstances in order to reduce the propagation of the virus. There have been about 82,000 confirmed cases of infection in mainland China.[117] While the proportion of infections that result in confirmed cases or progress to diagnosable disease remains unclear,[124] one mathematical model estimated that 75,815 people were infected on 25 January 2020 in Wuhan alone, at a time when the number of confirmed cases worldwide was only 2,015.[125] Before 24 February 2020, over 95% of all deaths from COVID-19 worldwide had occurred in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located.[126][127] As of 28 July 2020, the percentage had decreased to 0.49%.[117] As of 28 July 2020, there have been 16,482,592 total confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the ongoing pandemic.[117] The total number of deaths attributed to the virus is 654,052.[117] Many recoveries from confirmed infections go unreported, but at least 9,572,619 people have recovered from confirmed infections.[117] See also Decoding COVID-19 – 2020 PBS film documentary about the 2019–2020 COVID-19 pandemic References Further reading 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic by country and territory This article is about the status of the outbreak in different locations by continent and conveyance around the world. For the main article, see COVID-19 pandemic . For further info, see National responses to the COVID-19 pandemic This article provides a general overview and documents the status of locations affected by SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The first human cases of COVID-19 were identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Statistics Total cases and deaths 1,000,000+ 100,000–999,999 10,000–99,999 1,000–9,999 100–999 1 - 99 0 Total confirmed cases per country as of 27 July 2020. As of 06:35 UTC on 28 July 2020, a total of 16,482,592 cases are confirmed in more than 227 countries and territories,[4] and 26 cruise and naval ships.[5] There are 6,255,921 active cases and 654,052 deaths.[4] Deaths per million 100+ deaths per million inhabitants 10–100 deaths per million inhabitants 1–10 deaths per million inhabitants 0.1–1 deaths per million inhabitants 0.01–0.1 deaths per million inhabitants No deaths or no data Total confirmed deaths per million of COVID-19 by country and territory: Pandemic by region Africa According to Michael Yao, WHO's head of emergency operations in Africa, early detection is vital because the continent's health systems "are already overwhelmed by many ongoing disease outbreaks".[318][319] Advisers say that a strategy based on testing could allow African countries to minimise lockdowns that inflict enormous hardship on those who depend on income earned day by day to be able to feed themselves and their families. Even in the best scenario, the United Nations says 74 million test kits and 30,000 ventilators will be needed by the continent's 1.3 billion people in 2020.[320] Most of the reported cases are from six countries: South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt and Algeria, but it is believed that there is widespread under-reporting in other African countries with poorer health care systems.[321] Cases have been confirmed in all African countries, with Lesotho the last country to report its first coronavirus case on 13 May 2020.[322] There have been no reported cases in the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.[323] Antarctica As of 2 July, Antarctica is the only continent not yet reached by the COVID-19 pandemic.[324][325] Asia [326] Disinfection of Tehran Metro trains against coronavirus. Similar measures have also been taken in other countries. A cluster of mysterious pneumonia cases was detected in December 2019 in Wuhan and eventually spread to the rest of China. Afterwards, many other Asian countries started to confirm cases, with some of the most affected countries being South Korea, Turkey and Iran. A number of countries such as India and Malaysia also experienced a surge in cases following religious gatherings. As of 30 April, cases have been reported in all Asian countries except for North Korea and Turkmenistan, both of which have suspected cases. The lack of cases in North Korea is disputed, given its shared border with China, while concerns have been raised about the ability for its health system to cope.[325] There have been no reported cases in the Australian external territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.[327][328] Europe France has been transferring COVID-19 patients from overloaded hospitals to ones in other regions via military helicopters, as seen here at Strasbourg Airport A small number of initial cases in Europe were reported in France, Germany and other countries. On 21 February, a large outbreak was reported in Italy, mostly in the north near Milan. Cases grew rapidly as the outbreak spread across Europe. Cases had been reported in all European countries when Montenegro reported a case on 17 March, and in almost all European territories after the Isle of Man on 19 March, the disputed state of Transnistria on 21 March,[329] and the Åland Islands on 22 March reported cases. No cases have been reported in the Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands.[325] The WHO declared Europe as the new epicenter of the virus after the situation improved in China.[330] On 26 May, the epicenter was declared by the WHO to have moved to the Americas.[331] North America <500 confirmed cases 500 - 1,000 1,000 - 2,000 2,000 - 5,000 5,000 - 10,000 10,000 - 50,000 50,000 - 100,000 100,000 - 200,000 >200,000 confirmed cases The first cases in North America were reported in the United States in January 2020. Cases were reported in all North American countries after Saint Kitts and Nevis confirmed a case on 25 March, and in all North American territories after Bonaire confirmed a case on 16 April.[332] On 26 March 2020, the U.S. became the country with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, with over 82,000 cases.[333] On 11 April 2020, the U.S. became the country with the highest official death toll for COVID-19, with over 20,000 deaths.[334] As of 15 June 2020 the total cases of COVID-19 were 3,483,905 with 138,358 total deaths.[335] [336] while [337] Canada reported 60,616 cases and 3,842 deaths on 4 May,while Mexico reported 23,471 cases and 2,154 deaths. Oceania The first confirmed case was in Melbourne, Victoria on 25 January.[338] Many small Pacific island nations have thus far avoided the outbreak by closing their international borders. As of 28 July 2020,[339] no cases have been reported in the sovereign states of Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.[325] No cases have been reported in the territories of American Samoa (territory of the United States), the Cook Islands (associated state of New Zealand), Niue (associated state of New Zealand), Norfolk Island (external territory of Australia), the Pitcairn Islands (British Overseas Territory), Tokelau (territory of New Zealand), and Wallis and Futuna (French overseas collectivity). As of 19 July, 14,447 cases have been reported in Oceania; the five territories reporting the most cases are: Australia (11,441), Hawaii (1,354), New Zealand (1,203), Guam (314) and French Polynesia (60). 162 deaths have been reported in the region: Australia (118), Hawaii (24), New Zealand (22), Guam (5), and the Northern Mariana Islands (2).[340] South America Workers being trained to disinfect buses in Olinda , Pernambuco, Brazil, 16 March 2020 By 19 March, cases have been confirmed in all South American countries. Cases were confirmed in all South American territories, as cases were confirmed in the Falkland Islands on 3 April. The coronavirus was first reported in South America on 26 February when Brazil confirmed a case in São Paulo. Since then, governments across the region have taken an array of actions to protect their citizens and contain the spread of COVID-19.[341] Brazil reported 100,000 cases of infection and 7,000 deaths on 3 May,[342] becoming the country with the ninth highest number of cases in the world. As of 30 Jun, Brazil is the second country in the global ranking with about 1.4 million cases. As of 1 July, the other South American countries with the high number of cases are Peru (285,213), Chile (279,393), Colombia (95,269), Argentina (64,517), and Ecuador (56,432).[343] Both with no permanent population, Bouvet Island and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have not reported any cases as of 2 May.[325] International conveyances Over 700 people were infected aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship The outbreak spread to several cruise ships including the Diamond Princess, the Grand Princess, the World Dream, the MS Westerdam and the MS Braemar.[344][345][346][347] Cruise operators have either cancelled or changed their itineraries as countries across the world implement travel restrictions to curb the disease. Ports are[when?] refusing to accept cruise ships that have either been to Chinese ports or are carrying Chinese passengers.[citation needed] The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which represents 90% of cruise operators, announced various precautionary measures being implemented by its members. All passengers who have traveled to or visited/transited through China (including Hong Kong and Macau) within 14 days before embarkation will be denied entry into cruise ships. Anyone in close contact with either suspected or diagnosed cases of coronavirus infection will also be denied entry.[348] Timeline of first confirmed case by country Countries and dependent territories that have no confirmed cases Below is a list of countries and territories that have not confirmed any cases of COVID-19, in order of greatest population. UN member states As of June 2020, 12 sovereign states (10 in Oceania and 2 in Asia) have not confirmed any cases of COVID-19. Below is a list of these countries, ordered by population. a b [349][352] Cases are suspected, but none have been officially reported. States with limited recognition Partially recognized states with no confirmed cases # Country Population Status De jure Continent Ref. 1 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic[a] 100,000 Recognised by at least one UN member state Disputed Africa Dependent territories See also 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Date Name Age Notability Place of death Ref. 26 January Wang Xianliang 62 Director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Wuhan (2012–2017) China (Wuhan) [2] 6 February Qiu Jun 72 Bodybuilder China (Wuhan) [4] 10 February Lin Zhengbin 62 Doctor of organ transplantation China (Wuhan) [7] 14 February Liu Fan 59 Deputy chief nurse of Wuchang Hospital China (Wuhan) [9] 15 February Duan Zhengcheng 85 Professor of industrial engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Academian of the Chinese Academy of Engineering China (Wuhan) [10] 19 February Ke Huibing 41 Professor of management science at Huazhong University of Science and Technology China (Wuhan) [11] 27 February Hadi Khosroshahi 81 Iranian ambassador to the Vatican (1981–1986) Iran (Tehran) [12] 5 March Hossein Sheikholeslam 67 Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2004–2008) and Iranian Ambassador to Syria (1998–2003) Iran (Tehran) [15] 7 March Fatemeh Rahbar 55 Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (2004–2016 & since 2020) Iran (Tehran) [16] 10 March Marcelo Peralta 59 Argentine-born saxophonist Spain (Madrid) [21] 11 March Roberto Stella 67 Physician Italy (Como) [22] 13 March Nasser Shabani 62 General and senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Iran [24] 14 March Piero Schlesinger 89 President of the Banca Popolare di Milano (1971–1993) Italy (Milan) [25] 15 March Vittorio Gregotti 92 Architect Italy (Milan) [26] 16 March Nicolas Alfonsi 83 Member of Senate (2001–2014) and deputy of the National Assembly (1973–1978 & 1981–1988) France (Ajaccio) [28] 16 March Sergio Bassi 69 Folk singer-songwriter Italy (Crema) [29] 16 March Fariborz Raisdana 75 Economist Iran (Tehran) [32] 18 March Luciano Federici 81 Footballer Italy (Carrara) [35] 18 March Henri Richelet 75 Painter France (Paris) [36] 19 March Innocenzo Donina 69 Footballer Italy (Bergamo) [37] 19 March Aurlus Mabélé 66 Musician and composer originally from the Republic of the Congo France (Paris) [39] 20 March Tarcisio Stramare 91 Roman Catholic priest Italy (Imperia) [43] 21 March Marguerite Aucouturier 87 Psychoanalyst France (Paris) [44] 21 March Jacques Oudin 81 Member of the Senate (1986–2004) France (Paris) [47] 21 March Jean-Jacques Razafindranazy 68 Doctor of pediatrics France (Lille) [48] 21 March Lorenzo Sanz 76 President of Real Madrid (1995–2000) Spain (Madrid) [49] 21 March William Stern 84 Hungarian-born businessman and survivor of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp United Kingdom [50] 22 March Benito Joanet 84 Footballer and coach Spain (Alicante) [52] 23 March Lucia Bosè 89 Italian actress and Miss Italia 1947 Spain (Segovia) [56] 23 March José Folgado 75 Member of the Congress of Deputies (2004–2008) and Secretary of State for Budgets, Expenses and Energy (1996–2004) Spain (Madrid) [59] 23 March Paul Karslake 65 Artist United Kingdom (Leigh-on-Sea) [60] 23 March Zororo Makamba 30 Journalist Zimbabwe (Harare) [61] 23 March Usama Riaz 26 Doctor Pakistan (Gilgit) [62] 23 March Calogero Rizzuto 65 Architect and historic preservationist Italy (Syracuse) [63] 23 March Walter Robb 91 Engineer United States (Schenectady) [64] 23 March Lucien Sève 93 Philosopher France (Paris) [65] 23 March Júlia Sigmond 90 Romanian-Hungarian puppet actor and Esperantist Italy (Piacenza) [66] 23 March Nashom Wooden 50 Drag queen United States (New York City) [67] 24 March Romi Cohn 91 Czechoslovakian-born American rabbi and real estate developer United States (Brooklyn) [69] 24 March Manu Dibango 86 Saxophonist and songwriter, originally from Cameroon France (Paris) [70] 24 March Steven Dick 37 British Deputy Ambassador to Hungary (since 2019) Hungary (Budapest) [71] 24 March Mohamed Farah 59 Somali international footballer United Kingdom (London) [72] 24 March Alan Finder 72 Journalist United States (Ridgewood) [73] 24 March Terrence McNally 81 Playwright and screenwriter United States (Sarasota) [74] 24 March Jenny Polanco 62 Fashion designer Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) [76] 25 March Mark Blum 69 Actor United States (New York City) [79] 25 March Floyd Cardoz 59 Chef and television personality United States (Montclair) [80] 25 March Paul Goma 84 Political dissident and writer, originally Romanian France (Paris) [82] 25 March Detto Mariano 82 Musician and composer Italy (Milan) [83] 26 March Menggie Cobarrubias 66 Actor Philippines (Manila) [85] 26 March Ito Curata 60 Fashion designer Philippines (Muntinlupa) [86] 26 March Olle Holmquist 83 Trombonist Sweden [87] 26 March Princess María Teresa of Bourbon-Parma 86 Princess, activist and political sociologist France (Paris) [88] 26 March Naomi Munakata 64 Conductor Brazil (São Paulo) [89] 26 March Luigi Roni 78 Singer Italy (Lucca) [90] 26 March Michael Sorkin 71 Architect and critic United States (New York City) [91] 26 March Hamish Wilson 77 Actor United Kingdom (Rutherglen) [92] 26 March Daniel Yuste 75 Olympic cyclist Spain [93] 27 March Thandika Mkandawire 79 Malawian economist Sweden (Stockholm) [95] 27 March Michael McKinnell 84 Architect United States (Beverly) [99] 28 March Fevzi Aksoy 89 Academic, neurologist and sports writer Turkey [100] 28 March Kerstin Behrendtz 69 Radio broadcaster Sweden (Stockholm) [101] 28 March Chato Galante 71 Activist and former political prisoner Spain [102] 28 March Rodolfo González Rissotto 70 Minister of National Defense (1995–1996) Uruguay (Montevideo) [103] 28 March Denise Millet 86 Illustrator France (Paris) [105] 28 March Pearson Jordan 69 Sprinter, represented Barbados at the 1976 Summer Olympics United States [106] 28 March Azam Khan 93 Pakistani squash player United Kingdom (London) [107] 28 March Michel Tibon-Cornillot 97 Philosopher and anthropologist France (Paris) [108] 28 March William Wolf 94 Film and theater critic United States (New York City) [109] 29 March Beryl Bernay 94 Journalist and children's television creator United States (New York City) [110] 29 March José Luis Capón 72 Footballer Spain (Madrid) [111] 29 March Joe Diffie 61 Country singer United States (Nashville) [113] 29 March Maria Mercader 54 Television news producer and journalist United States (New York City) [115] 29 March Alan Merrill 69 Lead singer of Arrows and songwriter United States (New York City) [116] 29 March Tomas Oneborg 62 Photographer Sweden (Stockholm) [117] 29 March Francis Rapp 93 Medievalist historian France (Angers) [118] 29 March Ken Shimura 70 Comedian Japan (Tokyo) [120] 29 March Henri Tincq 74 Journalist France (Paris) [121] 30 March Lorena Borjas 59 Mexican American transgender and immigrant rights activist United States (New York City) [122] 30 March Hilary Dwyer 74 Actress United Kingdom [123] 30 March Ted Monette 74 FEMA Director of the Office of Federal Coordinating Officer Operations United States (Holyoke) [127] 30 March Manuel Adolfo Varas 76 Broadcaster and sports journalist Ecuador (Guayaquil) [128] 30 March Wilhelm Burmann 80 German-born ballet master and teacher United States (New York City) [130] 31 March Julie Bennett 88 Voice actor United States (Los Angeles) [131] 31 March Viktar Dashkevich 75 Stage actor Belarus (Vitebsk) [132] 31 March Andrew Jack 76 Dialect coach and actor United Kingdom (London) [136] 31 March Cristina Monet-Palaci 64 Musician United States (New York City) [137] 31 March Gita Ramjee 63 HIV prevention researcher South Africa (Umhlanga) [138] 31 March Wallace Roney 59 Jazz trumpeter United States (Paterson) [139] 31 March Turhan Kaya 68 Actor Turkey (Istanbul) [141] 1 April David Driskell 88 Visual artist and academic United States (Hyattsville) [143] 1 April Bernard Epin 83 Writer and literary critic France (Paris) [145] 1 April Richard Passman 94 Aeronautical engineer and space scientist United States (Silver Spring) [148] 1 April Bucky Pizzarelli 94 Jazz guitarist United States (Saddle River) [149] 1 April Dora Werzberg 99 Nurse and social worker France (Paris) [151] 2 April Goyo Benito 73 Footballer Spain (Madrid) [152] 2 April Patricia Bosworth 86 Actress and author United States (New York City) [153] 2 April Bernardita Catalla 62 Philippine ambassador to Lebanon (since 2017) Lebanon (Beirut) [154] 2 April François de Gaulle 98 Catholic priest and missionary France (Paris) [156] 2 April William Frankland 108 Allergist and immunologist United Kingdom (London) [157] 2 April Juan Giménez 76 Comic book artist and illustrator Argentina (Mendoza) [158] 2 April Anick Jesdanun 51 Technology reporter and editor, first internet writer for the Associated Press United States (New York City) [159] 2 April Eddie Large 78 Comedian United Kingdom (Bristol) [160] 2 April Feriha Öz 86–87 Pathologist, academic and medical doctor Turkey [161] 2 April Rodrigo Pesántez Rodas 82 Writer and poet Ecuador (Guayaquil) [162] 2 April Sergio Rossi 84 Shoe designer Italy (Cesena) [163] 2 April Aaron Rubashkin 92 Businessman United States (New York City) [164] 2 April Arnold Sowinski 89 Footballer France (Lens) [166] 3 April Henri Ecochard 96 Military officer France (Paris) [170] 3 April Francisco Hernando Contreras 74 Housing developer Spain (Madrid) [172] 3 April Marguerite Lescop 104 Writer Canada (Longueuil) [173] 3 April Hans Prade 81 Surinamese ambassador to the Netherlands (1981–1982) Netherlands (Rotterdam) [174] 3 April Tim Robinson 85 Writer and cartographer United Kingdom (London) [176] 4 April Jay Benedict 68 American actor United Kingdom (London) [179] 4 April Philippe Bodson 75 Member of the Senate (1999–2003) Belgium (Brussels) [180] 4 April Forrest Compton 94 Actor United States (Shelter Island) [181] 4 April Tom Dempsey 73 American football player United States (New Orleans) [182] 4 April Xavier Dor 91 Embryologist and anti-abortion activist France (Paris) [183] 4 April Kenneth Farnum 89 Barbadian-born Jamaican Olympic cyclist United States (New York City) [184] 4 April Patrick Francfort 63 Member of the Gibson Brothers and drummer France (Paris) [186] 4 April Carlos González-Artigas 72 Businessman Ecuador (Guayaquil) [187] 4 April Muhammad Sirajul Islam 77 Member of the Jatiya Sangsad (1973–1982) United States (New York City) [188] 4 April Olan Montgomery 56 Actor and artist United States (New York City) [189] 4 April Marcel Moreau 86 Belgian writer France (Paris) [190] 4 April Anton Sebastianpillai 75 Doctor and author (writing as Anton Sebastian) United Kingdom (London) [191] 4 April Frida Wattenberg 95 Member of the French resistance France (Paris) [194] 4 April Leïla Menchari 93 Tunisian decorator and designer France (Paris) [195] 5 April Lee Fierro 91 Actress United States (Akron) [196] 5 April Michel Parisse 83 French historian [199] 6 April Helène Aylon 89 Ecofeminist artist United States (New York City) [200] 6 April Brahm Kanchibhotla 66 Journalist United States (Nassau County) [203] 6 April Jacques Le Brun 88 French historian France (Paris) [204] 7 April Roger Chappot 79 Olympic ice hockey player Switzerland [208] 7 April Robert Chaudenson 82 Linguist France (Aix-en-Provence) [209] 7 April Jean-Laurent Cochet 85 Actor and director France (Paris) [210] 7 April Jacques Frémontier 89 Journalist and television producer France (Paris) [211] 7 April Allen Garfield 80 Actor United States (Los Angeles) [212] 7 April Henry Graff 98 Historian United States (Greenwich) [213] 7 April Leib Groner 88 Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi United States (New York City) [214] 7 April Hudeidi 89 Traditional Somali Musician United Kingdom (London) [215] 7 April Mishik Kazaryan 72 Armenian-born physicist Russia (Moscow) [216] 7 April Jan K?en 89 Historian, academic and dissident Czech Republic (Prague) [217] 7 April Roger Matthews 71 British professor of Criminology at the University of Kent [219] 7 April Yaakov Perlow 89 Hasidic rabbi United States (New York City) [220] 7 April John Prine 73 Singer and songwriter United States (Nashville) [221] 7 April Nipper Read 95 British police officer and boxing administrator [222] 7 April Donato Sabia 56 Olympic middle-distance runner Italy (Potenza) [223] 7 April Tom Scully 89 Priest and football manager Ireland (Dublin) [224] 7 April Miguel Ángel Tábet 78 Venezuelan theologian and exegete Italy (Rome) [225] 7 April Ghyslain Tremblay 68 Actor and comedian Canada (Montreal) [226] 7 April Hal Willner 64 Music producer United States (New York City) [227] 8 April Leila Benitez-McCollum 89 Filipino-American television and radio host United States (New York City) [228] 8 April Robert L. Carroll 81 American-Canadian vertebrate paleontologist and director of the Redpath Museum (1985–1991) Canada (Montreal) [229] 8 April Martin S. Fox 95 American publisher [230] 8 April Miguel Jones 81 Footballer Spain (Madrid) [231] 8 April Francesco La Rosa 93 Footballer Italy (Milan) [233] 8 April Henri Madelin 83 Jesuit priest and theologian France (Lille) [234] 8 April Rick May 79 Canadian-American voice actor and theatrical performer, director and teacher United States (Seattle) [235] 9 April Marc Engels 54 Belgian sound engineer [237] 9 April Harvey Goldstein 80 British statistician [238] 9 April Ho Kam Ming 95 Macanese-born Canadian martial artist Canada (Toronto) [239] 9 April Liliane Marchais 84 Activist France (Paris) [240] 9 April David Méresse 89 French footballer and coach [241] 9 April Lee Nurse 43 Cricketer United Kingdom (Basingstoke) [242] 9 April Dmitri Smirnov 71 Russian-born British composer United Kingdom (London) [244] 10 April Rifat Chadirji 93 Iraqi architect, photographer and activist United Kingdom (London) [245] 10 April Frits Flinkevleugel 80 Footballer Netherlands (Amsterdam) [246] 10 April Ceybil Jefferies 57–58 House and R&B vocalist United States (New York City) [247] 10 April Marianne Lundquist 88 Olympic swimmer Sweden (Stockholm) [248] 10 April Bas Mulder 88 Dutch-Surinamese priest Netherlands (Boxmeer) [250] 10 April Iris M. Zavala 83 Puerto Rican author, independence activist and intellectual Spain (Madrid) [252] 11 April Hélène Châtelain 84 French actress and director France (Paris) [254] 11 April Stanley Chera 77 Real estate executive United States (New York City) [255] 11 April Wynn Handman 97 Artistic director United States (New York City) [257] 11 April Gillian Wise 84 English abstract artist France (Paris) [258] 12 April Francisco Aritmendi 81 Olympic long-distance runner Spain (Guadalajara) [259] 12 April Brian Arrowsmith 79 British footballer and manager [260] 12 April Maurice Barrier 87 Actor and singer France (Montbard) [262] 12 April Claude Beauchamp 80 Editor and journalist Canada (Montreal) [263] 12 April Tim Brooke-Taylor 79 Comedian United Kingdom [264] 12 April Victor Batista Falla 87 Editor and publisher Cuba (Havana) [265] 12 April André Manaranche 93 Jesuit priest and theologian France (Lille) [266] 12 April Joel M. Reed 86 Filmmaker and screenwriter United States (New York City) [267] 12 April Carlos Seco Serrano 96 Historian Spain (Madrid) [269] 12 April Kishen Bholasing 35 Surinamese singer and percussionist Netherlands (Amsterdam) [272] 13 April Baldiri Alavedra 76 Spanish footballer [273] 13 April Gil Bailey 84 Jamaican radio broadcaster United States (New York City) [274] 13 April Jerry Givens 67 Executioner and anti-death penalty advocate United States (Richmond) [276] 13 April Philippe Lécrivain 78 Jesuit priest and historian France (Paris) [277] 13 April Thomas Kunz 81 American biologist [278] 13 April Benjamin Levin 93 Lithuanian-born Israeli partisan and Holocaust survivor United States (New York City) [279] 13 April Sarah Maldoror 90 Filmmaker France (Paris) [280] 13 April Avrohom Pinter 71 Rabbi and politician United Kingdom (London) [282] 13 April Zafar Sarfraz 50 Cricketer Pakistan (Peshawar) [283] 13 April Ann Sullivan 91 Animator United States (Los Angeles) [285] 14 April Helen Damico 89 Scholar of Old English literature United States [287] 14 April Danny Delaney 77 Footballer and hurler Ireland (Portlaoise) [288] 14 April William H. Gerdts 91 American art historian [291] 14 April Michael Gilkes 87 Guyanese writer United Kingdom (London) [292] 14 April Cyril Lawrence 99 Footballer United Kingdom (Farnworth) [293] 14 April Peter Whiteside 67 Olympic modern pentathlete United Kingdom (Peterborough) [296] 15 April Adam Alsing 51 Radio and television host Sweden (Stockholm) [297] 15 April Henry Grimes 84 Jazz bassist United States (New York City) [299] 15 April Bruce Myers 78 Actor and comedian France (Paris) [300] 15 April Sir John Houghton 88 Atmospheric physicist United Kingdom (Dolgellau) [301] 15 April Milena Jelinek 84 Czech-American screenwriter United States (New York City) [302] 15 April Lee Konitz 92 Jazz composer and alto saxophonist United States (New York City) [303] 15 April John Pfahl 81 Photographer United States (Buffalo) [304] 15 April Shahin Shahablou 56 Iranian photographer United Kingdom (London) [305] 15 April Gérard Mulumba Kalemba 82 Bishop of Mweka (1989–2016) Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) [306] 15 April Ülkü Azrak 86–87 Academic, lawyer and a founder of the Istanbul University School of Political Sciences Turkey (Istanbul) [307] 16 April Henry Miller 89 Lawyer and jurist United States (New York City) [310] 16 April Luis Sepúlveda 70 Chilean writer Spain (Oviedo) [311] 17 April Norman Hunter 76 Footballer United Kingdom [314] 17 April Giuseppi Logan 84 Jazz musician United States (New York City) [316] 17 April Iris Love 86 Archaeologist and dog breeder United States (New York City) [317] 17 April Lukman Niode 56 Olympic swimmer Indonesia (Jakarta) [318] 17 April Arlene Saunders 89 Operatic soprano United States (New York City) [319] 17 April Matthew Seligman 64 Bass guitarist, member of The Soft Boys United Kingdom (London) [320] 17 April Gene Shay 85 Disc jockey United States (Wynnewood) [321] 18 April Erik Belfrage 74 Diplomat and businessman Sweden (Stockholm) [323] 18 April Gulshan Ewing 92 Indian journalist United Kingdom (London) [324] 18 April Martine Crefcoeur 84 Dutch actress Netherlands (Rotterdam) [325] 18 April Bob Lazier 81 Race car driver United States (Denver) [328] 18 April Jack Lotz 86 Wrestling referee United States (New York City) [329] 18 April Urano Navarrini 74 Football player and manager Italy (Milan) [330] 18 April Jacques Rosny 81 Actor France (Paris) [331] 19 April Steve Dalkowski 80 Baseball player United States (New Britain) [332] 19 April Terry Doran 80 Pop music manager and music publishing executive, known for his association with the Beatles United Kingdom (London) [334] 19 April Claude Lafortune 83 Paper sculptor, set designer and television personality Canada (Longueuil) [335] 19 April Philippe Nahon 81 Actor France (Paris) [336] 19 April Alexander Vustin 76 Composer Russia (Moscow) [338] 20 April Heherson Alvarez 80 Commissioner on the Climate Change Commission (2009–2016) and Member of the Senate (1987–1998) Philippines (Manila) [339] 20 April H. G. Carrillo 59 Novelist United States (Washington, D.C.) [340] 20 April Manjeet Singh Riyat 52 Doctor United Kingdom (Derby) [342] 21 April Dave Bacuzzi 79 British footballer Ireland (Dublin) [344] 21 April José María Calleja 64 Journalist, political prisoner and anti-ETA activist Spain (Madrid) [346] 21 April Philip Foglia 69 Lawyer, civic activist and advocate for Italian American rights issues United States (New York City) [347] 21 April Donald Kennedy 88 Scientist, public administrator, and academic United States (Redwood City) [349] 21 April Teruyuki Okazaki 88 Japanese karate master United States (Philadelphia) [350] 21 April Jacques Pellen 63 Jazz guitarist France (Brest) [352] 22 April El Príncipe Gitano 88 Flamenco singer and dancer Spain (Mandayona) [356] 22 April Julian Perry Robinson 78 British chemist [357] 22 April Bootsie Barnes 82 Jazz saxophonist United States (Philadelphia) [358] 23 April Peter Gill 89 Golfer United Kingdom (Maidstone) [359] 23 April Fred the Godson 35 DJ and rapper United States (New York City) [360] 23 April Kumiko Okae 63 Actress, voice actress and television presenter Japan (Tokyo) [361] 23 April Henk Overgoor 75 Footballer Netherlands (Amsterdam) [362] 24 April Burton Rose 77 Nephrologist United States (Newton) [364] 24 April Mike Huckaby 54 Deep house DJ United States (Detroit) [365] 24 April Yukio Okamoto 74 Diplomat and diplomatic analyst Japan (Tokyo) [366] 25 April Alan Abel 91 Percussionist and music educator United States (Wynnewood) [367] 25 April Ricardo Brennand 92 Businessman, engineer and art collector Brazil (Recife) [368] 25 April Henri Kichka 94 Holocaust survivor Belgium (Brussels) [369] 25 April Madeline Kripke 76 Book collector United States (New York) [370] 25 April Robert Mandell 90 American conductor United Kingdom (Leicester) [371] 25 April Gunnar Seijbold 65 Photographer Sweden (Stockholm) [372] 26 April Emilio S. Allué 85 Spanish-born auxiliary bishop emeritus of Boston United States (Boston) [373] 26 April Laura Bernal 64 Argentine ambassador to Ireland (since 2016) Ireland (Dublin) [374] 26 April John Rowlands 73 English footballer [376] 27 April James Mahoney 62 Pulmonologist and internist United States (New York City) [380] 27 April Asdrubal Bentes 80 Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1987–1991; 1997–1999 and 2001–2014) Brazil (Belém) [382] 27 April Francesco Perrone 89 Olympic long-distance runner Italy (Bari) [383] 27 April Troy Sneed 52 Gospel musician United States (Jacksonville) [384] 27 April Chavalit Soemprungsuk 80 Thai-born painter, sculptor, and printmaker Netherlands (Amsterdam) [385] 28 April David Boe 84 Organist United States (Chicago) [386] 28 April Silas Silvius Njiru 91 Kenyan Roman Catholic prelate, former bishop of Meru Italy (Turin) [387] 29 April Germano Celant 80 Art historian, critic and curator Italy (Milan) [389] 29 April Martin Lovett 93 Member of the Amadeus Quartet and cellist United Kingdom (London) [390] 29 April Dick Lucas 86 American football player United States (Philadelphia) [391] 29 April Noel Walsh 84 Military Officer, footballer, manager and administrator Ireland (Ennis) [392] 30 April Jean-Marc Manducher 71 Businessman and sports executive France (Bourg-en-Bresse) [394] 30 April Sylvie Vincent 79 Anthropologist and ethnologist Canada (Montreal) [395] 1 May Yu Lihua 88 Chinese-American writer United States (Washington, D.C.) [397] 1 May Fernando Sandoval 77 Olympic water polo player Brazil (São Paulo) [399] 2 May Justa Barrios 63 American home care worker and labor organizer [402] 2 May Jim Cross 87 Ice hockey player and coach United States (Savannah) [403] 2 May Daniel S. Kemp 83 American organic chemist United States (Concord) [405] 2 May Ralph McGehee 92 Intelligence officer United States (Falmouth) [406] 2 May John Ogilvie 91 Footballer United Kingdom (Leicester) [408] 2 May Meyer Rubin 96 Geologist United States (Manassas) [409] 3 May Dave Greenfield 71 Member of The Stranglers and keyboardist United Kingdom [411] 3 May Ömer Döngelo?lu 52 Theologian Turkey (Istanbul) [412] 3 May Tendol Gyalzur 69 Tibetan-Swiss humanitarian Switzerland (Chur) [413] 3 May Roy Lester 96 American football player and coach United States (Rockville) [414] 3 May Mohamed Ben Omar 55 Minister of Employment, Labor and Social Protection (since 2017) Niger (Niamey) [415] 4 May Dragan Vu?i? 64 Composer and singer North Macedonia (Skopje) [418] 5 May Brian Axsmith 57 Paleobotanist and ecology professor United States [419] 5 May Ciro Pessoa 62 Singer-songwriter Brazil (São Paulo) [420] 6 May Jacques Reymond 69 Swiss ski trainer [421] 7 May Princess Diana of Bourbon-Parma 87 Princess of the House of Bourbon-Parma Germany (Hamburg) [422] 7 May Daniel Cauchy 90 French actor and film producer France [423] 7 May Ty 47 Rapper United Kingdom [425] 7 May Joyce Davidson 89 Television presenter Canada (Toronto) [426] 8 May Jesus Chediak 78 Actor, film director, producer and writer Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [431] 8 May Carl Tighe 70 Author, scholar of Eastern European literature United Kingdom [435] 9 May Johannes Beck 97 Jesuit priest and social ethicist Germany (Munich) [436] 9 May Carlos José 85 Singer-songwriter Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [437] 9 May Abraham Palatnik 92 Artist and inventor Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [438] 10 May David Corrêa 82 Singer-songwriter Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [439] 10 May Sérgio Sant'Anna 78 Writer Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [441] 10 May Hari Vasudevan 68 Historian India (Kolkata) [442] 11 May Alberto Carpani 64 Singer Italy (Portofino) [444] 11 May Ann Katharine Mitchell 97 Cryptanalyst and psychologist United Kingdom (Edinburgh) [445] 12 May Renée Claude 80 Singer and actress Canada (Montreal) [446] 13 May Afwerki Abraha 71 Eritrean diplomat United Kingdom (London) [450] 13 May Anthony Bailey 87 Writer and art historian United Kingdom (Harwich) [451] 13 May Shobushi 28 Sumo wrestler Japan (Tokyo) [453] 13 May Yoshio 70 Singer Mexico (Mexico City) [454] 14 May Anisuzzaman 83 Bangladeshi writer, activist and National Professor Bangladesh (Dhaka) [455] 15 May Claes Borgström 75 Lawyer Sweden (Stockholm) [456] 15 May Olga Savary 86 Writer and literary critic Brazil (Teresópolis) [457][458] 16 May Pilar Pellicer 82 Actress Mexico (Mexico City) [461] 17 May Ratnakar Matkari 81 Writer and film producer India (Mumbai) [462] 18 May Vincent Malone 88 Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool (1989–2006) United Kingdom (Liverpool) [464] 19 May Annie Glenn 100 Disability rights advocate and widow of John Glenn United States (Saint Paul) [465] 19 May Ken Nightingall 92 Sound engineer United Kingdom [466][467] 20 May Denis Farkasfalvy 83 Hungarian-born Cistercian abbot and theologian United States (Irving) [471] 21 May Hugo Ryckeboer 84 Dialectologist Belgium (Oudenaarde) [473] 24 May Makbul Hossain 70 Member of the Jatiya Sangsad (1996–2001) Bangladesh (Dhaka) [476] 25 May Ismail Gamadiid Minister of Agriculture, the Environment, and Climate Change of Puntland (since 2019) Somalia (Mogadishu) [479] 25 May Marv Luster 82 American CFL player United States (Charlotte) [480] 26 May Samvel Gasparov 81 Film director Russia (Moscow) [481] 27 May Nicholas Rinaldi 86 American poet and novelist United States (Bridgeport) [483] 28 May Claude Goasguen 75 Member of the National Assembly (since 1997) France (Paris) [485] 28 May Celine Fariala Mangaza 52 Disabilities activist Democratic Republic of Congo (Bukavu) [487] 29 May Evaldo Gouveia 91 Singer-songwriter Brazil (Fortaleza) [488] 29 May Célio Taveira 79 Footballer Brazil (João Pessoa) [489] 31 May Dan van Husen 75 German actor United Kingdom (Ilminster) [490] 2 June Chris Trousdale 34 Actor and singer United States (Los Angeles) [492] 4 June Fabiana Anastácio 45 Singer Brazil (São Paulo) [497] 4 June Dulce Nunes 90 Actress and singer-songwriter Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [498] 5 June Carlos Lessa 83 President of the Brazilian Development Bank (2003–2004) Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) [499] 6 June Dietmar Seyferth 91 German-born American chemist United States (Lexington) [501][502] 7 June Manuel Felguérez 91 Abstract artist Mexico (Mexico City) [503] 7 June Lynika Strozier 35 Biologist United States (Chicago) [504] 13 June Sheikh Md Abdullah 74 Minister of State of Religious Affairs of Bangladesh (since 2019) Bangladesh (Dhaka) [510] 14 June Elsa Joubert 97 Writer South Africa (Cape Town) [511] 14 June Pierre Lumbi 70 Minister of Foreign Affairs (1992–1994) and Minister of State for Infrastructure, Public Works and Reconstruction (2007–2010) Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) [512] 14 June Raj Mohan Vohra 88 Lieutenant General India (New Delhi) [515] 14 June Tawfiq al-Yasiri Politician Iraq [516] 15 June Giulio Giorello 75 Philosopher, mathematician, and epistemologist Italy (Milan) [520] 15 June Adebayo Osinowo 64 Senator (since 2019) Nigeria (Lagos) [521] 16 June Haribhau Jawale 67 Member of the Lok Sabha (2009–2019) India (Mumbai) [523] 16 June Paulinho Paiakan 66 Leader of the indigenous Kayapo people Brazil (Redenção) [524] 17 June Tr?n Ng?c Châu 96 Vietnamese soldier and politician United States (Los Angeles) [526] 17 June Dan Foster 61 American radio personality Nigeria (Lagos) [527] 20 June Kamal Lohani 85 Director general of Shilpakala Academy (2009–2011) Bangladesh (Dhaka) [529] 21 June György Bálint 100 Member of the National Assembly (1994–1998) and horticulturist Hungary (Kistarcsa) [533] 21 June Talib Jauhari 80 Islamic scholar Pakistan (Karachi) [530] 21 June Bernardino Piñera 104 Roman Catholic Bishop of Temuco (1960–1977) and Archbishop of La Serena (1983–1990) Chile (Santiago) [534] 21 June Ahmed Radhi 56 Footballer Iraq (Baghdad) [535] 21 June Ken Snow 50 Soccer player United States (Port Huron) [536] 24 June Mohammed Yaseen Mohammed 57 Iraqi Olympic weightlifter Sweden [537] 23 June Arthur Keaveney 68 Historian (classicist) United Kingdom [539][540] 25 June Papaléo Paes 67 Senator (2003–2011) and Vice Governor of Amapá (2015–2018) Brazil (Macapá) [543] 26 June Munawar Hasan 78 Member of the National Assembly (1977) and Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami (2009–2014) Pakistan (Karachi) [530] 26 June Faqir Nabi 67 Afghan cinema and Bollywood actor Afghanistan (Kabul) [545] 27 June Ilija Petkovi? 74 Football player and coach Serbia (Belgrade) [547] 1 July Santiago Manuin Valera 63 Leader of the indigenous Awajún people Peru (Chiclayo) [551] 3 July Scott Erskine 57 American serial killer United States (California) [554] 4 July Brandis Kemp 76 Actress United States (Los Angeles) [556] 5 July Antônio Bivar 81 Author and playwright Brazil (São Paulo) [558] 5 July Nick Cordero 41 Canadian actor United States (Los Angeles) [559] 6 July Suresh Amonkar 68 Member of the Goa Legislative Assembly (1999–2007 and 2012-2017) and Minister of Health for Goa (2000-2002) India (Goa) [562] 6 July Gordon Kegakilwe 53 Member of the North West Provincial Legislature (2009–2013, 2014-2016 and since 2019) and North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (since 2019) South Africa (Klerksdorp) [564] 8 July Ricardo Mthembu 50 Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature (since 2019) and Mayor of KwaDukuza (2011–2019) South Africa (KwaDukuza) [566] 8 July Howard Schoenfield 62 Tennis player United States (South Beach) [568] 9 July Agustín Alezzo 84 Theater director Argentina (Buenos Aires) [569] 9 July Mohamed Kouradji 68 Football referee Algeria (Constantine) [571] 10 July Corra Dirksen 82 Rugby player South Africa (Vereeniging) [572] 10 July Cosmas Magaya 66 Mbira musician Zimbabwe (Harare) [574] 12 July Raymundo Capetillo 76 Actor Mexico (Mexico City) [575] 14 July Caesar Korolenko 86 Psychiatrist Russia (Novosibirsk) [584] 14 July Stephen Susman 79 Attorney United States (Houston) [585] 16 July Patrick Ellis 77 Radio personality United States (Annapolis) [587] 16 July Cornelius Mwalwanda Economist Malawi (Lilongwe) [588] 16 July Neela Satyanarayanan 72 Author and civil servant India (Mumbai) [589] 16 July Víctor Víctor 71 Singer-songwriter Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) [590] 17 July José Paulo de Andrade 78 Journalist Brazil (São Paulo) [591] 18 July Charles Bukeko 58 Actor and comedian Kenya (Nairobi) [594] 20 July Jorge Villavicencio 62 Minister of Public Health and Social Assistance (2012–2014) Guatemala (Guatemala City) [602] 21 July Dobby Dobson 78 Jamaican reggae singer and record producer United States (Florida) [603] 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Bright comet of July 2020 C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) or Comet NEOWISE is a long period comet with a near-parabolic orbit discovered on March 27, 2020, by astronomers during the NEOWISE mission of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) space telescope. At that time, it was an 18th-magnitude object, located 2 AU (300 million km; 190 million mi) away from the Sun and 1.7 AU (250 million km; 160 million mi) away from Earth.[3] By July 2020, it was bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. It is one of the brightest comets in the northern hemisphere since Comet Hale–Bopp in 1997. Under dark skies, it can be seen with the naked eye[4] and might remain visible to the naked eye throughout most of July 2020.[5] As of July 24, the comet was about magnitude 4,[6] but binoculars are required near urban areas to locate the comet. The comet is getting further from the Sun and Earth, and a brightening waxing crescent moon is beginning to interfere with dark skies. For observers in the northern hemisphere, the comet can be seen on the northwestern horizon, below the Big Dipper. North of the 45th parallel north, the comet was visible all night from July 13–22 because it was circumpolar. On July 17, Comet NEOWISE entered the constellation of Ursa Major, below the asterism of the Big Dipper (the Plough).[7] History and observations [ edit ] Discovery image. The comet appears as three fuzzy red dots in this composite of three infrared images taken by NEOWISE on March 27, 2020. The object was discovered by a team using the WISE space telescope under the NEOWISE program on March 27, 2020. It was classified as a comet on March 31 and named after NEOWISE on April 1.[3] It has the systematic designation C/2020 F3, indicating a non-periodic comet which was the third discovered in the second half of March 2020. Comet NEOWISE made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on July 3, 2020, at a distance of 0.29 AU (43 million km; 27 million mi). This passage increases the comet's orbital period from about 4400 years to about 6700 years.[2] Its closest approach to Earth occurred on July 23, 2020, 01:09 UT, at a distance of 0.69 AU (103 million km; 64 million mi) while located in the constellation of Ursa Major.[8] In early July, the comet could be seen in the morning sky above the north-eastern horizon and below Capella. Seen from Earth, the comet was less than 20 degrees from the Sun between June 11 and July 9, 2020. By June 10, 2020, as the comet was being lost to the glare of the Sun, it was apparent magnitude 7,[6] when it was 0.7 AU (100 million km; 65 million mi) away from Sun and 1.6 AU (240 million km; 150 million mi) away from Earth. When the comet entered the field of view of the SOHO spacecraft's LASCO C3 instrument on June 22, 2020, the comet had brightened to about magnitude 3, when it was 0.4 AU (60 million km; 37 million mi) away from the Sun and 1.4 AU (210 million km; 130 million mi) away from Earth.[6] By early July, Comet NEOWISE had brightened to magnitude 1,[9][10] far exceeding the brightness attained by previous comets, C/2020 F8 (SWAN), and C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS). By July, it also had developed a second tail. The first tail is blue and made of gas and ions. There is also a red separation in the tail caused by high amounts of sodium. The second twin tail is a golden color and is made of dust, like the tail of Comet Hale–Bopp. This combination resembles comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS). The comet is brighter than C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS), but not as bright as Hale–Bopp was in 1997. According to the British Astronomical Association, the comet brightened from a magnitude of about 8 at the beginning of June to ?2 in early July.[11] This would make it brighter than Hale–Bopp. However, as it was very near to the Sun, it was reported as 0 or +1 magnitude and remained that bright for only a few days. After perihelion, the comet began to fade, dropping to magnitude 2. Its nucleus activity subdued after mid-July, and its green coma was clearly visible after that. On July 13, 2020, a sodium tail was confirmed by the Planetary Science Institute's Input/Output facility.[12] Sodium tails have only been observed in very bright comets such as Hale–Bopp and C/2012 S1 (ISON). From the infrared signature, the diameter of the comet nucleus is estimated to be approximately 5 km (3 mi). The nucleus is similar in size to Comet Hyakutake and many short-period comets such as 2P/Encke, 7P/Pons-Winnecke, 8P/Tuttle, 14P/Wolf, and 19P/Borrelly.[13] By July 5, NASA's Parker Solar Probe had captured an image of the comet, from which astronomers also estimated the diameter of the comet nucleus at approximately 5 km (3 mi).[14] Later in July 2020, other observations were also reported, including those related to coma morphology[15] and spectrographic emissions.[16][17] A number of authors have suggested that the comet could become a great comet.[18][19][20][21] Others have argued that it lacked the brightness and visible tail to qualify.[22] Trajectory [ edit ] Comet NEOWISE retrograde orbit crossed to the north of the plane of the ecliptic, to which it is inclined at approximately 129 degrees, on June 29, 2020, 01:47 UT.[9][23] It made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on July 3, 2020, at a distance of 0.29 AU (43 million km; 27 million mi). This passage increases the comet's orbital period from about 4400 years to about 6700 years.[2] On July 18 the comet peaked at a northern declination of +48 and was circumpolar down to latitude 42N.[8] Its closest approach to Earth occurred on July 23, 2020, 01:09 UT, at a distance of 0.69 AU (103 million km; 64 million mi) while located in the constellation of Ursa Major.[8] Diagram of the comet's nearly parabolic orbit Comet's position in the sky. The retrograde loops are caused by parallax from Earth's annual motion around the Sun; the most apparent movement occurs when the comet is closest to Earth Animation of C/2020 F3's orbit around Sun C/2020 F3 · Sun · Mercury · Venus · Earth · Mars Gallery [ edit ] In chronological order: 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Floods in China 2020 China floods Date Early June 2020[1] – present Location Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei, Chongqing, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Yunnan [2][3][4][1] Deaths >142 dead or missing (as of 13 July 2020)[5][3] Property damage $16.58 billion USD (as of 23 July 2020)[6][7] Since early June 2020, floods have severely impacted large tracts of southern China due to heavy rains caused by the regional rainy season, primarily around the Yangtze basin and its tributaries, with rains expected to hit central and eastern China during July,[1] described as the worst since at least 1998.[8] According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, by the end of June flooding had displaced 744,000 people across 26 provinces with 81 people missing or dead.[2] In early July, the South China Morning Post reported that about 20 million residents had been affected and at least 121 people were dead or missing.[9] As of 13 July, floods have affected 37.89 million people in 27 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, 141 people are dead or missing, and 28,000 houses have collapsed.[5] The Ministry of Water Resources said that a total of 443 rivers nationwide have been flooded, with 33 of them swelling to the highest levels ever recorded.[10] According to statistics from the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), 76 key national cultural relics and 187 provincial cultural heritage sites have suffered damage of varying degrees.[11] Affected regions included Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei, as well as Chongqing.[2][4][12] The regions include the upper and middle river basin of the Yangtze and its tributaries. With more rain floods started to extend to lower regions of the Yangtze basin such as Anhui, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang.[1] In addition, Hunan, Fujian, and Yunnan were affected. Causes of floods [ edit ] Natural causes [ edit ] El Niño has resulted in the abnormal weather in many parts of China. Hu Xiao from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) indicated that the rains were caused by increased vapors arising from the Indian and Pacific oceans.[13] There is discussion but no determination as to how much climate change is responsible for the rains and floods. Artificial causes [ edit ] With the rapid increase of population in China, in order to increase grain production and housing area, a large number of lake beaches had been transformed into farmland and homestead. The serious shrinkage and disappearance of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is an important reason for the aggravation of flood disasters.[15][16][17] In 1915, Dongting Lake was 5,000-square-kilometre (1,900 sq mi). In 2000, it was only 2,625-square-kilometre (1,014 sq mi). In the 1950s, Poyang Lake was 4,350-square-kilometre (1,680 sq mi). In 2000, it was only 3,750-square-kilometre (1,450 sq mi). Hubei was once known as "The Province of Thousands of Lakes" (????). In the late 1950s, there were 1,066 lakes in Hubei. By the early 1980s, only 309 were left.[15] Three Gorges Dam [ edit ] Multiple dams in the Yangtze river basin control floodwaters; the biggest and most important of these is the Three Gorges Dam with its catchment area of about 1,000,000-square-kilometre (390,000 sq mi). It was constructed not only for power generation but also for flood control. By the end of June, the dam had started to release floodwaters.[18] While the CMA indicated flood discharge started on 29 June, satellite images suggest that floodgates were opened already five days earlier.[19] Yichang, a city below the dam, experienced extensive flooding, raising questions about the effectiveness of the flood control by the dam.[20] There were fears that Wuhan could be flooded.[4] According to the company that manages the dam, the dam had been "effectively reducing the speed and extent of water level rises on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze".[21] Critics, however, suggest that the dam is "not doing what it is designed for" and unable to deal with severe events.[21] According to a member of the expert committee of the state-sanctioned National Disaster Reduction Centre, the restrictions in human flow during the COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China halted regular dam maintenance, dam inspection, training of officials and the construction of hydraulic projects, which were scheduled in the winter and spring of 2020. [22] In response to concerns about the stability of the dam, the state-run Global Times tabloid claimed that the Three Gorges Dam was "safe for heavy rainfall" and "not at risk of collapse",[23] and that some media organizations outside of mainland China made a disproportionate issue out of a distortion of the dam.[24] Flooding by province [ edit ] Anhui [ edit ] On 7 July, Waterlogging in the She County On 27 June, a 3-hour heavy rainfall of 118-millimetre (4.6 in) was recorded in Hefei Economic and Technological Development Zone, of which 94-millimetre (3.7 in) was recorded during 1.5 h from 17:30 p.m. to 19:00 p.m., which was rare for many years.[25] Some road sections and communities were submerged.[25] On 6 July, Lecheng Bridge, a Qing dynasty stone arch bridge and provincial cultural relics protection unit in Sanxi Town of Jingde County, was destroyed.[26] On 7 July, some houses along the Shuiyang River in Xuanzhou District of Xuancheng were submerged.[27] On 7 July, several reservoirs in She County filled over capacity and reached record levels, requiring large releases of water to alleviate the dangerously high storage of water.[28] Homes in She County were inundated. The first day of the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) was postponed due to hard rain.[29] On 7 July 2020, Zhenhai Bridge, a large stone arch bridge in Tunxi District of Huangshan City and a "Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in Anhui", was destroyed by mountain torrents.[11][30][31] On 9 July, Yaodu River (???) and Longquan River (???) in Dongzhi County exceeded the highest water level in history.[32] All residents in Laozhou Township and Xuba Township of Tongling along the Yangtze River were ordered to evacuate on 11 July.[33][34] On 14 July, an emergency was issued by the Office of Anhui Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief, which ordered all residents living in the central island of the Yangtze River or along the Yangtze River in Anqing, Chizhou, Tongling, Wuhu and Maanshan to evacuate.[35] On 18 July, the Huai River Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources raised the flood-control response from Level III to Level II.[11][36] On 19 July, the Government of Quanjiao County blasted several gaps in Chu River Levee to release floods.[37] At 8:32 a.m. on 20 July, the Government of Nan County opened sluice gates at Wangjia Dam on the Huai River because water there was building up to too high a level.[38] The last flood discharge was 13 years ago.[11][38] At 10:24 a.m. on 21 July, the water level at Zhongmiao Station of Chaohu reached 13.36-metre (43.8 ft), which is the once-in-a-century water level of Chaohu.[39] On 22 July, five excavators were washed away by the flood in Shida Levee, Lujiang County.[40] That same day, a firefighter named Chen Lu (??) was swept away by the burst flood while searching for trapped people in Lujiang County.[41] On 23 July, in Chaohu, affected by the continuous heavy rainfall, the water level of the Zhegao River rose and streets of Zhegao Town were submerged.[42] Chongqing [ edit ] At 20:00 p.m. on 22 June, the "Qijiang Wucha Hydrological Station" (???????) in Jiasi Town [zh] recorded a water level of 205.85 metres (675.4 ft), which was 5.34 metres (17.5 ft) higher than the guaranteed water level (200.51 metres (657.8 ft)). The Qijiang Wucha Hydrological Station reached 205.85 metres (675.4 ft), topping the previous record of 205.55 metres (674.4 ft) in 1998 China floods.[43] On 22 June, parts of Qijiang District's Wenlong Subdistrict [zh] were submerged, with some roads underwater.[44] 13,874 residents in Qijiang District along the Qi River were ordered to evacuate on 22 June.[44] On 15 July, hundreds of homes in Miaoba Town [zh] of Chengkou County were evacuated due to catastrophic rain and floods.[45] At 15:00 p.m. on 17 July, floods burst a bridge in Baojia Town [zh] of Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, a man fell into the river and disappeared.[46] On 27 July, affected by persistent heavy rainfall, the first floor of the shops in the town of Ciqikou alongside the Yangtze River were inundated.[47] Parts of Yuzhong District and entire Caiyuanba Building Materials Market and Fruit Market (????????????) near swollen river were inundated.[48] Fujian [ edit ] On 9th July, a rainstorm occurred in Nanping, causing floods, landslides and other disasters, many roads were destroyed and crops were flooded.[49] Wuyishan City had serious waterlogging, and the local government issued a rainstorm red warning signal, and Wuyishan Scenic Spot had been closed.[50] From 11 to 14 June, a torrential rainfall hit Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County and Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County. On June 14, Huaxia Minzu School (??????) was inundated.[51] On 22 June, homes in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County were also inundated.[52] Guangdong [ edit ] On 22 May, the largest one hour rainfall in 2020 in China is Huangpu Bridge of Guangzhou, 168-millimetre (6.6 in).[53] Line 13 of Guangzhou Metro was shut down due to the water flowed back into the tunnel.[54] At 11:00 a.m. on 8 June, roads and farmland in Lianxin Village of Linjiang Town [zh] in Heyuan were engulfed by floods.[55] The Yonghan Levee (???) on the Dong River collapsed, releasing an 3-metre (9.8 ft) to 5-metre (16 ft) wall of water.[56] Flood surrounded Hekou Village of Yonghan Town [zh] in Longmen County, making it an island.[56] Roads and highways were severely damaged or destroyed in Longmen County.[57] Guangxi [ edit ] Flood in Yangshuo County on 7 June. On 7 June, the daily rainfall in Yangshuo County of Guilin was 327.7-millimetre (12.90 in), breaking the local record of daily precipitation.[58] Waterlogging occurred in several towns and townships, including Putao, Baisha and Jinbao [zh].[59] The county seat was underwater when the torrential rainfall hit.[60] The dam of Shazixi Reservoir in Gaotian Town [zh] collapsed, 510 residents were forced to evacuate.[61] Luojin Town [zh] and Baoli Township [zh] of Yongfu County were waterlogged.[61] Maling Town [zh] and Hualong Town [zh] of Lipu alongside Maling River, Lipu River and Hualong River were besieged by flooding.[61] On 8 June, the Pingle Hydrological Station of Gui River rose to an all-time high of 105.87-metre (347.3 ft) and crossed the danger mark 6.37-metre (20.9 ft), surpassing the previous record set in 1936.[61] National Highway G321 and G323, G65 Baotou–Maoming Expressway, and G59 Hohhot–Beihai Expressway were closed due to landslides.[61] In Luorong Town [zh] of Yufeng District, Liuzhou, homes, streets and businesses was underwater when the torrential rainfall hit.[61] Guizhou [ edit ] From 07:00 a.m. on 11 June to 07:00 a.m. on 12 June, a torrential rain of 264.6 millimetres (10.42 in) fell in Bifeng Town [zh] of Zhen'an County, with the maximum hourly rainfall of 163.3 millimetres (6.43 in), breaking the historical record of Guizhou in one hour.[62] It is also China's largest one hour rainfall, after Guangzhou of 168 millimetres (6.6 in) on May 22.[62] Throughout the county, 8 people were killed and 5 were missing.[62] At 7:00 a.m. on 14 June, a total of 438,000 people in 51 counties of 8 cities in Guizhou were affected, 10 people died, 14 people were missing, 21,000 people were forced to evacuate; nearly 100 houses collapsed and more than 8,000 houses were badly damaged; 175,000 hectares (1,750 km2) of crops were affected, including 28,000 hectares (280 km2) will have no harvest; and the direct economic loss was 880 million yuan.[62] From 23 to 24 June, the torrential rainfall hit Rongjiang County, resulting in a direct economic loss of 92.1025 million yuan due to rural roads in the county sustained major damage.[63] At 7:05 a.m. on 8th July, at least six people were killed when a landslide occurred in Shiban village (???) of Songtao Miao Autonomous County.[64] On 12th July, portions of National Highway G212 in Meijiuhe Town [zh] of Renhuai was closed due to mountain flood.[65] Loushanguan Scenic Spot (?????) was also closed.[65] Hubei [ edit ] As of 13 July in Hubei province, at least 14 people were dead, and five others were missing.[5] Over nine million people were affected.[5] At 7:00 p.m. on 5th July, the water level of Baiyanghe Reservoir rose to 84.62-metre (277.6 ft).[66] At 12:00 p.m. on 6th July, the dam slipped and deformed, and 29,000 people were evacuated.[66] At 4 a.m. on 8th July, a landslide caused by heavy rainfall in Yuanshan village of Dahe Town [zh] in Huangmei County, killing 8 people.[67] At 13:00 p.m. on 11 July, the water level of Chang Lake at Jingzhou reached 33.49-metre (109.9 ft), topping the previous record of 33.46-metre (109.8 ft) in 2016.[68] On 17 July, in Enshi City, the streets and cars were covered in water.[69] All roads were closed in and out of the city.[69] Hunan [ edit ] On 29 June, a rainstorm hit in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.[70] The landscape and roads on both sides of Tuo River were inundated. On 3 July, the Government of Hunan launched a Level IV emergency response, the lowest in China's four-tier emergency response system, for flood control.[71] On 8 July, Madian Reservoir (????) of Yueyang County received 303-millimetre (11.9 in) of rainfall in total, representing the highest accumulated rainfall since 1952.[72] On 8 July, in northwestern Hunan's Zhangjiajie, a man netting fish was swept away by the flood.[73] Hunan Hydrological and Water Resources Survey Center issued an orange flood warning at 12:20 p.m. on 11 July.[74] At 2:00 p.m. on 11 July, Orange Isle was closed.[75] On 20 July, the Government of Hunan announced that as of 20 July, persistent heavy rainfall has affected more than 6.01 million people in 117 counties of 14 prefectures in Hunan, and more than 347,000 people have been transferred and resettled urgently.[76] Jiangxi [ edit ] Jiangxi experienced major floods in July 2020, primarily along the Poyang Lake and its tributaries in Jiujiang, Shangrao, and Pingxiang. At 0:00 a.m. on 12 July, the water level at Xingzi station of Poyang Lake reached 22.53 metres (73.9 ft), exceeding the record of 22.52 metres (73.9 ft) in 1998 China floods.[77] Residents were forced to evacuate Jiangzhou Town [zh] and Sanjiao Township [zh] of Jiujiang on 12 July as the flooded river began to overtake homes.[78][79] Jiangzhou is an island in the middle of Yangtze River at the end of the Poyang lake, local government issued a call on social media for everyone from the town aged 18 to 60 to return and help fight the flood, citing a severe lack of hands to reinforce dams.[80] On 11 July, the Government of Jiangxi raised its flood-control response from level II to level I, the top level of China's four-tier emergency response for floods.[81] Rao River rose to an all-time high of 22.65-metre (74.3 ft), crossing the danger mark and surpassing the previous record of 22.43-metre (73.6 ft) set in 1998.[82][83] Parks, homes, and businesses in Poyang County were overtaken by the Rao River, leaving parts of the county accessible only by boat.[84] The 73123 Army of the Eastern Theater Command Ground Force [zh] rushed to Poyang County to fight flood.[85] In Dongzhi County, floods had affected more than 260,000 people, or about half of the county's population.[81] On the afternoon of 8 July, Qinghua Rainbow Bridge was devastated by flood.[86] In the early morning of 9 July, the highest water level of Sandu Hydrological Station in Wuyuan County reached 62.74-metre (205.8 ft), exceeding the warning water level by 4.74-metre (15.6 ft).[86] Sichuan [ edit ] On 17 June, heavy rain triggered mudslides and flooding that leaves 2 people missing in Danba County. [87] From 18 pm 26 June to 1 am on 27 June, a sudden rainstorm occurred in northern Mianning County.[88] National Highway 248 collapsed in the county seat Gaoyang Subdistrict [zh], causing two passing vehicles to fall into river. Only five of the ten passengers were rescued, two died and three were missing.[89] As of 23:00 on 30 June, 14 people were killed and 8 people were missing in Gaoyang Subdistrict and Yihai Town [zh]. As of 1st July, 500 hectares (5.0 km2) of crops were affected, 280 hectares (2.8 km2) were damaged and 70 hectares (0.70 km2) will have no harvest, more than 280 houses collapsed or badly damaged and 2,300 houses partially damaged.[88][89] On 6th July, 4 people were missing from the debris flow caused by floods in Zhailong Town [zh] of Xiaojin County.[90] On 16 July, in Tongchuan District of Dazhou, 7 people went swimming in the river and 2 people were washed away by floods.[91] Yunnan [ edit ] From the evening of 29 to 30 June, a heavy rainstorm occurred in Zhenxiong County, Yiliang County, Weixin County and Yanjin County. The level of Baishui River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, had risen 8 metres (26 ft), causing serious floods in towns and townships along the river.[92] As of 21:00 on 30 June, 3,871.54 hectares (38.7154 km2) of crops such as corn, potatoes and tobacco were affected, 3,745.09 hectares (37.4509 km2) were damaged and 84.68 hectares (0.8468 km2) will have no harvest, and more than 90 houses collapsed, 59 houses badly damaged and 90 houses partially damaged.[93] Zhejiang [ edit ] On 29 May, Chunan County suffered the strongest plum rain in history. On 8th July, the level of Qiandao Lake reached its highest level in history.[94] At 9:00 a.m. on 8 July, Xin'an River Hydropower Station began to discharge flood.[95] This is the first time since the completion of the hydropower station that all 9 gates have been fully opened for flood discharge.[95] Government actions [ edit ] The Chinese government allocated about 309 million yuan (44.2 million U.S. dollars) for disaster relief in flood-hit regions.[5] On 8 July and 12 July, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and paramount leader Xi Jinping as well as Premier Li Keqiang called successively for all-out efforts in rescue and relief operations in flooded areas across China and stressed that ensuring people's lives and safety is a top priority.[96][5][97] On the evening of 12 July, more than 7,000 officers and soldiers of the 71st Group Army and the 72nd Group Army went to Jiujiang and Tongling to participate in flood fighting and emergency rescue tasks.[98][99][100] On the morning of 14 July, more than 3,700 officers and soldiers from the 73rd Group Army rushed to Yugan County to fight against floods and deal with emergencies.[98][99][100] On 14 July, according to the order of the Central Military Commission, more than 16,000 officers and soldiers were sent to Jiujiang, Shangrao and other areas of Jiangxi to fight floods.[98][99][100] At 23:00 on 19 July, the officials of the Central Theater Command arrived in Wuhan, Hubei to command flood fighting and disaster relief.[101] On 22 July, the Chinese government channeled 830 million yuan (119.05 million U.S. dollars) from its central budget to restore water conservancy and agricultural production facilities in 12 provincial flood-hit regions.[102] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam on Monday reported 11 new locally transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus, all linked to a hospital in the central province of Danang and including four healthcare workers, the country’s health ministry said. Vietnam has registered a total of 431 cases, with no deaths, the health ministry said in a statement. The country has carried out more than 430,000 tests and nearly 12,000 people are under quarantine. 

  Published Date: 2020-07-28 

 Vietnam closes Danang airport after virus outbreak Tourists wear protective masks as they wait to check-in for departure at Da Nang Airport, Vietnam on Sunday. (Photo: VNA/Reuters) HANOI: Vietnam has suspended all flights to and from Danang for 15 days after at least 14 cases of the novel coronavirus were detected in the city, the government said on Tuesday. The Southeast Asian country is back on high alert after authorities on Saturday confirmed the first community infections since April, and another three cases on Sunday, all in or around Danang. A further 11 cases linked to a Danang hospital were reported late on Monday. All bus and train services to and from Danang have also been suspended from Tuesday, the statement said. The city, a tourism hot spot, had reintroduced social distancing measures over the weekend after the government confirmed the first domestically-transmitted cases of coronavirus in more than three months. With over 95 million people, Vietnam is the most populous country in the world to have recorded no Covid-19 fatalities. Thanks to strict quarantine measures and an aggressive and widespread testing programme, Vietnam has kept its virus total to an impressively low 431 cases. Two of the Danang cases were in critical condition, Vietnam's health ministry said. Vietnam is still closed to foreign tourism, but there had been a surge in domestic travellers looking to take advantage of discounted flights and holiday packages to local resorts. On Monday, the government said it had requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to allow domestic airlines to significantly increase the number of flights from Danang to 11 Vietnamese cities in order to help evacuate 80,000 people, mostly tourists. "All evacuation flights now are cancelled," CAAV deputy director Vo Huy Cuong told Reuters by phone on Tuesday. "We operated 90 flights to evacuate tourists stranded in Danang yesterday but most tourists had already left Danang on Sunday, mostly by coach or train to nearby provinces," Cuong said.