COVID-19 Outbreak: Weekly Global Report for Friday, June 5, 2020
AdvaMed recognizes that its members, particularly those with global government affairs responsibilities, are tracking COVID-19 related developments around the world to assess the public health and economic impacts on their businesses. Knowing that companies are consuming information from a variety of sources, AdvaMed's global team would like to provide members with a weekly snapshot of the key statistics, policy developments and advocacy initiatives underway in our priority markets. If you have any suggestions as we ramp up this work stream, we welcome your feedback.
Global
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics- Global cases topped 6.5 million – a one million increase over the previous week, and deaths reached 387,568 (an increase of over 25,000) in 185 nations.
- U.S. cases exceeded 1.86 million, with deaths increasing to 107,450 – an increase of 6,450 over the previous week.
- Staff Contact: Ralph Ives (rives@advamed.org).
China
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – China continues to report only a few cases each day and, on some days, no new cases at all. Total cases stand at 84,166 and deaths at about 4,638.
- Starting Mon. June 8, China will ease flight restrictions on foreign airlines. Foreign airlines will be allowed to conduct one commercial passenger flight per week to the Chinese mainland, with the possibility of increasing to two per week if no passengers test positive for COVID-19. This policy change comes after the U.S. threatened to ban Chinese airlines from operating a once weekly flight to the U.S., should China did not afford reciprocity to U.S. carriers.
- Overall, manufacturing remains at 80-85% of the level before the outbreak. Consumer spending still remains below pre-pandemic levels, although the government is taking policy steps to boost consumer spending and sentiment.
- Elective/regular surgeries and other medical services are almost back to normal, except for Beijing.
- The Phase One trade agreement is proceeding with implementation. However, both governments are ramping up rhetoric over blame for the coronavirus and Hong Kong, which could lead to retaliatory measures. In apparent retaliation against the Trump administration’s condemnation of the Hong Kong security law, China has halted some U.S. farm imports.
- Staff Contact: Ralph Ives (rives@advamed.org).
India
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics –106,737 active cases with 6,975 deaths as compared to 86,110 active cases with 4,531 deaths reported last week.
- Over the weekend, India announced plans to further loosen the government's lockdown restrictions. Starting June 8, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and places of worship located in containment zones will be allowed to re-open in the first stage of a three-phase plan. The government's lockdown measures, which are now scheduled to expire on June 30, have only been extended for the country's containment zone areas.
- The government relaxed visa and travel restrictions to permit certain categories of Foreign Nationals to come to India.
- Prime Minister Modi expressed optimism on Tuesday about the country’s ability to bounce back from the lockdown and get the economy back on track. This comes a week after Moody downgraded India’s credit rating.
- As lockdown restrictions are eased, the country is beginning to experience spikes in rural areas as migrant workers return home. This raises new concerns about the ability of rual communities with weak health infrastructure to handle an influx of cases.
- India approved Gilead Sciences's antiviral drug Remdesivir for emergency use. Gilead recently concluded phase 3 trials and noted that patients who received a 5-day dose of Remdesivir fared better than patients who received the drug over a 10-day period.
- Staff Contact: Abby Pratt (apratt@advamed.org).
Japan
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – 17,790 reported cases and 923 reported deaths compared to 17,471 reported cases and 895 reported deaths the previous week.
- Japanese prefectures and cities have begun slowly resuming regular activity, but clusters centered on hospitals in Tokyo and Kitakyushu last week have raised concerns around the potential for a second wave.
- Tokyo entered “phase two” of its three-part reopening plan on June 1 reopening movie theaters, gyms, and cram schools. However, the governor issued a “Tokyo alert” about a sudden uptick in cases on June 2 and warned residents against excursions to nightlife hotspots, the center of several recent domestic transmission clusters. Tokyo may reimpose restrictions on nonessential excursions and business operations if new cases bounce back to higher than an average of 20 per day over one week.
- The national government is reportedly considering easing restrictions on business travel from Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand as a first step toward opening Japan wider to international visitors.
- Japan experienced a 40% decline in patient hospital visits in April compared to a year earlier. This follows guidance from the Ministry of Health to the prefectures requesting them to encourage the postponement of procedures and surgeries that are deemed by physicians, in consultation with their patients, to be non-essential at present.
- Japan's Ministry of Health announced that it will adopt priority regulatory review procedures for new COVID-related medical devices.
- Japan will ban foreign companies from purchasing advanced medical device companies that are deemed essential to the national security in the fight against Covid-19. This measure is based on concerns about China but applies to companies from all countries. The government aims to ensure stable supply of essential devices that are vulnerable to contamination by infection, such as implants and dialyzers.
- Staff Contact: Phil Agress (PAgress@AdvaMed.org).
Korea
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics - South Korea continues its pattern of recovery from COVID-19, but the new cases continue to be above the levels from two weeks ago. Last week, the daily cases spiked to 79 per day. This week it is down to 39. There are 11,629 cases, 857 active with 273 deaths. Current daily death totals are just 1.
- Korea continues to exhibit one of the lowest global death rates from COVID at just 2.4%.
- Officials in Seoul have rescinded some easing measures, imposing a two week phase of stringent physical distancing, until at least June 14. Thousands of bars and entertainment venues have been re-closed in and around Seoul. Overall, the country continues to re-open and over 1.7 million students have returned to classes this week.
- The Korean economy contracted by 1.4% in Q1. The Korean government is projecting negative growth, as is the IMF.
- South Korea has launched a $33 Billion bailout for large companies, starting with airlines and shippers. This is expected to be followed by a second release of funds to aid smaller companies. South Korea has also set aside 500B Won to provide guaranteed loans auto parts manufacturers.
- The South Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC) has been elevated to agency status. This highlights the importance being given to pandemic prevention and policy.
- South Korea maintains its 2-week quarantine for all other incoming international travelers and a requirement for all inbound flights to check passengers' temperatures. Anyone with a temperature over 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 Fahrenheit) is denied entry. Korea has still not issued any guidance on an exemption that is supposedly available. Korea has indicated all US inbound travelers will be tested for symptoms prior to being moved to quarantine.
- Korea is considering a proposal that would potentially reduce the price of certain cardiac stents. AdvaMed continues to be in touch with members and the medtech association in Korea and is prepared to engage at the appropriate time if necessary.
- Resources: http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/en/.
- Staff Contact: Joseph Gatewood (jgatewood@advamed.org).
ASEAN
- Weekly COVID-19 statistics – 96,286 reported cases and 2,877reported deaths, compared to 82,706 reported cases and 2,579 reported deaths the previous week.
- The bulk of infections are in Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Indonesia and the Philippines account for 92% of reported deaths in the region.
- Most key ASEAN countries have put a hold on non-emergency surgery. At least one major hospital in Vietnam has resumed elective surgeries. Starting June 2, Singapore will allow certain procedures, including cancer screening, surgical operations for advanced cataracts, flu vaccinations and dental procedures. Malaysia and the Philippines are beginning to plan for the resumption of elective surgery once recovery milestones are met.
- Indonesia is preparing to implement a “new normal” whereby most non-essential businesses, malls, and places of worship can operate with strict health protocols.
- Singapore reopened schools and other businesses following the expiration of the county's "circuit breaker" lockdown measures. The government has permitted 75 percent of the economy to reopen but retail establishments, gyms, and bars remain closed. Virus transmission rates have stabilized in the past few weeks following outbreaks in dormitories housing foreign workers. Infections among the general population remain low.
- While Malaysia’s COVID-19 transmission rate remains under control, experts fear a virus surge in the coming weeks following travelers breaking quarantine to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
- Thailand has set July 1 as the date for the lifting of all business and activity lockdowns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include lifting the ban on international travel, as well as the end of emergency decree and curfew.
- Vietnam has been one of the best performers globally in terms of health and economic outcomes, having reported zero deaths and the highest GDP growth expectancy amid the pandemic. Major Vietnamese airlines have resumed all domestic flight services, and the Vietnamese government is discussing resuming international flights with Japan and Korea.
- Myanmar has gradually eased COVID-19 restrictions after no new local transmissions of the disease were reported for two weeks.
- Staff Contact: Phil Agress (PAgress@AdvaMed.org)
Europe
Europe looks much improved from last week. Total cases are down in France. France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the UK are showing fewer new cases per day. Spain is slightly ahead in the number of cases, but the UK remains the country that has had the most deaths from COVID. Mortality rates and deaths per day in most EU countries still appear to remain on a downward trend. Although not in the EU, Russia's reported numbers on COVID are continuing to get dramatically worse each week, and they may end up being the worst in Europe. (Russia is purportedly at over 432,277 cases, with interestingly just over 5,215 reported deaths). This remains a concern for EU countries who are looking to reopen borders.
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