Bilawal in self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19
Mexico City seeks to ‘break the chain’ of coronavirus with rapid tests, QR codes
Mexico City has launched a test-and-trace approach to containing the coronavirus, after a rise in hospitalisations that has raised fears of a new economic lockdown in one of the world’s largest urban centres.
Mexico City is proposing to double the number of daily coronavirus tests to 10,000 by adding rapid testing at pop-up sites in highly populated areas, health centres and at sports stadiums including the legendary Azteca Stadium.
The local government has established a new contract tracing program using QR codes, which registers the phone numbers of customers at stores and restaurants so they can be contacted in the event that they have contact with an infected person.
“The goal … is to break the chain of contagion by identifying and isolating positive cases early,” the Mexico City Health Department said in a statement to Reuters, adding that the testing would continue until the infection curve was flattened.
US reports more than 2,400 deaths in 24 hours, a six-month high
The United States has registered more than 2,400 deaths from Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally — the highest daily toll in six months as the Thanksgiving holiday began.
The country has recorded a total of 262,080 Covid deaths, up by 2,439 in 24 hours. It also registered nearly 200,000 new cases.
South Korea reports 583 new coronavirus cases, highest since March
South Korea has reported 583 new coronavirus cases, the highest since March, as the country grapples with a third wave of infections that has forced it to reimpose tough social distancing measures.
The daily tally exceeded 500 for the first time since March 6, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), when South Korea battled the first major Covid-19 epidemic outside China.
According to a Reuters report, the first wave emerged from meetings of a religious sect but most of the latest cases are occurring in offices, schools, gyms and small gatherings in the wider community around Seoul, making them harder to trace and contain.
Egyptian inventor trials robot that can test for Covid-19
Mahmoud el-Komy, who designed the robot, called Cira-03, says it can help limit exposure to infection and prevent the transmission of the virus.
His creation, which has a human-like face and head and robotic arms, can take blood tests, perform echocardiograms and X-rays, and display the results to patients on a screen attached to its chest.
