Germany Suffers Biggest Jump In COVID-19 Case Since May; Philippines Passes Indonesia As Region’s Biggest Outbreak: Live Updates

Summary:

• Global cases near 19 million
• Deaths top 700k
• Germany reports more than 1,000 new cases for first time since May
• Philippines now worst outbreak in Southeast Asia
• Victoria reports another 471 new cases

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The number of new coronavirus cases slowed on Thursday, but the global tally of cases neared 19 million, with the outbreak on track to surpass that number by the end of the week.

The biggest news overnight comes out of Europe, where Germany just suffered its largest jump in new cases since May, with more than 1000 new cases reported in a day.

The Robert Koch Institute reported 1,045 new cases on Thursday, bringing Germany’s total to 213,067. Its death toll is 9,175. This comes as the RKI warns that any figure above 1,000 a day would make it much more difficult for local health authorities to carry out effective tracking and tracing, and to keep the virus under control, Reuters reports.

German schools have begun to reopen in some parts of the country, which has been widely blamed for the uptick in new cases.

Surging case numbers are reviving fears of a return to economically damaging lockdown in Germany.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Thursday free compulsory testing would be offered beginning Saturday, although a big factor in the increase on Thursday was a surge in tests being run.

In neighboring Poland, officials will introduce new containment measures against the virus in some of the most badly affected counties after fresh infections set new records in the past weeks. The country will impose limits on restaurants, sport events, mass transportation and weddings in 19 of its 380 counties starting Saturday, said Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski.

Typically quiet Southeast Asia is also seeing some alarming new developments as the Philippines surpasses Indonesia for the biggest outbreak in the region, despite imposing the longest, and most strict, lockdown in the entire region earlier this year.The country reported 3,381 new cases on Thursday (these numbers are reported with a 24 hour delay).

coronavirus cases in the Philippines have now surged to almost 120,000 (119,460 according to Worldometer), eclipsing Indonesia to become the region’s biggest outbreak. The country re-imposed this week a second lockdown on its capital and nearby areas to curb infection spread, even as the economy suffered its deepest contraction on record, shrinking 16.5% in the second quarter from a year ago.

This comes as Q2 GDP data shows Philippines economy shrank 16.5% in the quarter, descending into a deep recession.

FInally, Australia’s Victoria state reported 471 new cases as Premier Daniel Andrews dismissed a report by the Australian newspaper that government modeling showed average daily infections would peak at 1,100 by the end of next week. The state reported a record 725 new cases on Wednesday. Additionally, Aussie PM Scott Morrison warned Thursday that the lockdowns in Victoria (including especially restrictive measures in Melbourne) would shave 2.5% off quarterly growth.