1 June 2020 – WHO Director-General says during a press conference that the US has not contacted WHO directly about President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agency. In Afghanistan confirmed cases increased by 684% in May. The country has over 15,700 cases. In Brazil the number of cases surpasses 500,000.
2 June 2020 — The first death is recorded in the Rohingya
refugee camps in Bangladesh.
3 June 2020 — After pausing their trial of
hydroxychloroquine on 25 May after observational studies found patients taking
the drug had increased rates of death and heart arrhythmias, WHO have decided
to restart the trial. India experienced a record increase of 8,909 cases in one
day.
No new cases
reported in New Zealand for the 12th day in a row.
4 June 2020 – 6.5 million cases
globally. The Lancet retracts its study on COVID-19 patients using
hydroxychloroquine that found the drug increased death rates and increased
heartbeat irregularities. The retraction was made, at the request of its
authors, because the medical journal could “no longer vouch for the veracity of
the primary data sources”.
South Australia one more has no active cases. Queensland
5 June 2020 – WHO updates its guidance on the use of masks. It advises that
medical masks be worn by all people working in clinical areas of a health
facility, not just those caring for patients with COVID-19; it advises that
people over 60, or those with underlying conditions, in areas with community
transmission should wear a mask in situations where social distancing is not
possible; and it advises governments to encourage its citizens to wear masks in
paces of widespread transmission where physical distancing is difficult, such
as public transport or in shops.
6 June 2020 – A project from The Guardian and Kaiser Health News finds that
nearly 600 frontline health workers have died from the virus in the US.
Brazil’s ministry of health removes months of COVID-19 data from its website
that document the rapid escalation in cases. Brazil has the second largest
outbreak in the world, after the US.
Victoria and New South Wales both transported no new
cases with only Queensland and Western Australia reporting one case each the
lowest national total since February. The Queensland case turned out to be
connected to a known cluster in Victoria.
7 June 2020 – The death toll globally passes 400,000. The highest number of
cases in a single day – 136,000, 75% of cases come from 10 countries
predominantly in the Americas and South Asia.
The first new
case in the ACT was reported in a returning international traveller.
8 June 2020 – The number of cases globally surpasses 7,000,000.
There are no
active case in New Zealand for the first time since 28 February. The country
moved to Level 1at 11.59pm, removing all restrictions except border controls.
9 June 2020 – Dr
Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert calls the COVID-19 pandemic
his “worst nightmare.” South Africa releases the first set of data examining
the risk of death for people living with tuberculosis or HIV who contract
COVID-19. The data base on patients in the Western Cape province, finds that
those living with HIV have a risk of death that is 2.75 times higher and those
living with TB have a risk that is 2.5 times higher. Still the South African
research suggests that TB and HIV pose less of a risk than several other health
factors such as diabetes.
Director-General
of Health Ashley Bloomfield announced that people quarantined at the border
would no longer be able to apply for an exemption to attend funerals or
tangihanga. Previously 142 people had been granted exemptions.
10 June 2020 – The number of cases on the African continent surpasses 200,000.
It took 98 days to reach 100,000 but just eighteen days to double that amount.
11 June 2020 – The number of cases in the US surpasses 2,000,000.
12 June 2020 – A paper from the Institute of Labor Economics in Bonn, Germany
suggests that masks can reduce the daily spread of new infections by 40%.
There are no
active cases in Tasmania.
13 June 2020 – Beijing closes its largest fruit and vegetable market following
positive tests of 45 people at the market. This occurs more than 50 days without
a case in the Chinese capital. Globally cases surpass 7,500,000.
14 June 2020 – China reports 57 new cases the highest daily toll in two months
15 June 2020 – It took over two months for the world to reach the initial
100,000 confirmed cases, but more the 100,000 new case have been reported
almost every day of the past two weeks. Nearly 75% of these new cases come from
10 countries predominantly in the Americas and South Asia. WHO confirm that the
US are still a member of the organisation despite President Trump saying at a
press conference on 29 May that the country was “terminating” its relationship.
The US Food and Drug Administration revokes authorisation for the emergency use
of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment of COVID-19 following several clinical
trials suggesting that the drug is ineffective.
16 June 2020 – Following 24 days without any new cases, New Zealand reports that
two women returning from the UK have tested positive. The number of cases
globally exceeds 8,000,000. Initial clinical trial results show the steroid
called dexamethasone can reduce mortality by about one third for COVID-19
patients on ventilators. This is the first drug shown to save the lives of
people requiring oxygen or ventilator support. It has been in use since the
1960s, is off-patent and affordable in most countries.
After 24 days with
no new cases, two new cases are revealed as NZ citizens returning form
overseas. Concern is heightened since they were permitted to leave quarantine
on compassionate grounds and tested positive once in the community. Health Minister
David Clark suspends compassionate exemptions for travellers until the Government
is satisfied with Ministry procedures.
17 June 2020 – WHO drops hydroxychloroquine from its Solidarity Trial, a global
effort to identify treatments for COVID-19.
Prime Minister
Ardern announced that New Zealand Defence Force Assistant Chief of Defence would oversee the country’s border and
quarantine isolation facilities in response to the recent outbreak reported on 16
June.
Once more no
active cases in ACT.
18 June 2020 – Over 150,000 new cases are reported, the highest number in one
day since the start of the pandemic. Almost half are from the Americas.
Another new case,
a traveller returning from overseas is revealed to be another positive case.
Director -General of Health announces that all travellers on trans-Tasman flights
will be required to wear face masks in response to the three recent cases
returning from overseas.
19 June 2020 – COVID-19 cases in Brazil reach over 1 million. The country
reports 54,000 new cases in one day. WHO warn that the pandemic is in a “new
and dangerous phase,” as many people are tired of staying home and governments
are eager to reopen their economies, but the virus is spreading fast and most
people globally are still susceptible to contracting it.
Housing Minster
Megan Woods along with Air Commodore Darryn Webb are given joint responsibility
to oversee isolation and quarantine facilities for travellers returning to New
Zealand.
20 June 2020 –
Prime Minister
Ardern announced that the health order would be amended to require people to
test negative for COVID-19 before leaving quarantine. They also extended the
ban on cruise ships arriving at New Zealand ports beyond 30 June.
Victorian
Government announced a re-tightening of restrictions on household gatherings
following a spike in community transmitted cases over the previous week.
Western Australia announced a move to Phase 4 on June 27 permitting some of the
most relaxed restrictions in the country.
21 June 2020 – COVID-19 deaths in Brazil surpass 50,000.
22 June 2020 – Thailand reports three imported cases after it has had 28 days
without local transmission. Preliminary data from a UK trial shows that the steroid
dexamethasone has the potential to save the lives of critically ill patients.ONE
week after reaching 8,000,000 case the global total has now passed 9,000,000.
There are now 9
new active cases – all returning international travellers,
23 June 2020 – A report from the UN shows that 40% of low-and lower-middle
income countries have not supported disadvantaged students during school shutdowns.
New Zealand Government
are considering getting returnees to pay part of the costs associated with their
managed isolation and quarantine process. The Health Minister announced that
border staff, flight crew and quarantine workers would receive priority testing.
24 June 2020 – Many countries are facing challenges in obtaining oxygen
concentrators with 80% of the market owned by a few companies. The epidemic in
the Americas is “still intense” with many countries experiencing a 25%-50% rise
in the number of cases over the last week. In many countries of the region the pandemic
has not yet peaked.
Health Minister
David Clark and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield admitted that 51
of 55 people who had left managed isolation early on compassionate leave had
not been tested. Of those 51, 39 tested negative, 4 are awaiting results, 7
were ineligible due to age or medical reasons and 4 are yet to be tested, and 1
was wrongly counted.
25 June 2020 – Africa is no longer the least affected region with more than 300,
000 cases and over 8,000 deaths.
26 June 2020 – WHO publishes a consolidated investment case which discovers that
the international community still must raise $27.9billion of the #31.3 billion needed
over the next 12-18 months to ensue development and delivery of critical tools
in the fight against COVID-19.
27 June 2020 – Brazil signs an agreement to locally produce AstraZeneca’s
experimental vaccine which is considered the most advanced in terms of development.
The Health Ministry
acknowledged that 2,159 people had left managed isolation between 9 June and 16
June. 1,288 had tested negative, 367 were awaiting testing and 427 were yet to
be contacted. 137 were ineligible and 79 had refused testing.
28 June 2020 – Globally the number of cases has passed 10 million just SIX days
since the total reached 9,000,000. The number of deaths over 500, 000.
29 June 2020 – WHO says that countries which are saying contact tracing is too
difficult given the level of cases are using lame excuses. WHO also plans to
send a team to China to investigate the origin of the pandemic. Another new
virus has been detected in China, this one related to the H1N1 Swine Flu but
also with pandemic potential.
More cases have
been caught at the border over the last week and are I managed isolation and
quarantine, bringing the total number of active cases to 22. Health Minister
Clark announced a $150million investment in PPE from the $50billion COVID-19
Response and Recovery Fund unveiled in the Budget. In addition all returnees in
isolation facilities are required to wear face masks.
30 June 2020 – Six months have passed since WHO received the first reports from
China of a cluster of cases which was then only known as cases of pneumonia
with unknown cause.
As the spike in
cases spirals in Victoria other states announce measures to begin relaxing
their border restrictions. Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales lock
out Victoria and implementing severe monetary penalties to those who choose to
endanger others by returning or visiting. In the last 7 days there have been
265 new cases in Australia, with 192 from community transmission and mostly in
Victoria. Residents in ten postcode areas in Melbourne have been placed in an
enforced lockdown.
Total cases
globally as of June 30, 2020: 10,302,052 and 505, 505 deaths
Total cases in Australia: 7920,
104 deaths, 7063 recovered
Total cases in New Zealand: 1178,
deaths 22, 1156 recovered
(figures from WHO)
Sources:
