INDIANAPOLIS — Friday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
WHO announces daily record with 350,000 new cases
The World Health Organization has announced a record in new daily coronavirus cases confirmed worldwide, with more than 350,000 reported to the U.N. health agency on Friday.
The new daily high surpasses a record set earlier this week by nearly 12,000 infections. In a press briefing, WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan acknowledged that even as COVID-19 continues to surge across the world, “there are no new answers.”
He said that although the agency wants countries to avoid the punishing lockdowns that have devastated economies, governments must ensure the most vulnerable people are protected and that numerous measures must be taken.
Woody Myers reacts to record-breaking COVID-19 numbers
Indiana's Democratic candidate for governor is asking Gov. Eric Holcomb to make some changes after Indiana broke a record for most COVID-19 cases reported in a single day Friday.
Myers sent a statement in a press release, saying Indiana's current plan is not taking Hoosiers in the right direction.
"Two weeks after Gov. Holcomb recklessly moved Indiana into Stage 5 and despite public health experts warning the pandemic was rapidly resurging, I am now calling on the Governor to take action to save Hoosier lives. Gov. Holcomb’s current plan is clearly moving us in the wrong direction as many of the 1,832 new cases and 19 deaths today were, sadly, preventable."
Myers had these recommendations moving forward:
- Return to an earlier stage of the reopening plan.
- Give guidance to schools to return to remote learning.
- Institute a "true mask mandate," enforceable by law.
- Declare a public health emergency, allowing Hoosiers to vote absentee by mail without an excuse.
ISDH updates latest COVID numbers in the state
The Indiana State Department of Health reported more than 1,800 new cases of coronavirus in the state and 19 more deaths.
The state's total number of cases has surpassed 131,000 and more than 3,500 deaths.
More than 2.2 million Hoosiers have been tested for the virus.
Broadway theater shutdown extended through May 2021
New York City's Broadway theaters will remain dark until at least Summer 2021, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Broadway League announced Friday morning that Broadway's shutdown has been extended through May 30, 2021.
Broadway performances were initially suspended on March 12, in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, there were 31 shows running, including eight new productions in previews. There were also eight more shows in rehearsals preparing to open before the shutdown hit.
The shutdown was previously extended to June 2020 then to September 2020 and then again to Jan. 3, 2021.
The Broadway League said that dates for returning and new shows will be announced by each individual production.
Doctors expect more COVID-19 patients after record number of cases
The 1,487 COVID-19 cases reported in Indiana Thursday was a new daily record. It follows Wednesday’s case count of 1,267.
Hospital workers say the rise in cases is especially concerning as people return to more normal activity.
“As we pay attention to trends as we have in the past several weeks, this trend of upticks in case counts is concerning to us in the medical field,” said Dr. Graham Carlos. “We know that as case counts go up, hospitalizations may well trail behind.”
At Community Health, doctors said they’ve already started to see an increase, nearly quadruple the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the past week.
Dr. Robin Ledyard said it’s an indication of more community spread.
“This isn’t just from testing going up, we’re actually seeing sicker people end up in our emergency department and end up in the hospital,” said Ledyard.
With Indiana now in Stage 5 of reopening and with things feeling more normal, doctors fear complacency.
“I have seen more people thinking that just because they have masks on, they don’t have to socially distance or that they can be in large, close gatherings," said Carlos. “I need Hoosiers to understand that we need people to follow all of the recommendations.”
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 7.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 212,000 deaths and 3.02 million people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been 36.52 million confirmed cases with more than 1.06 million deaths and 25.46 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
COVID-19: Why the air in a plane may be safer than in a building
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) claims that just 44 people have become infected with COVID-19 while on board an airplane since the pandemic began hitting the industry in early 2020.
In its survey of potential passengers, people are split between thinking the air inside jets is as clean as a hospital or dangerous. The biggest fear is sitting next to someone who’s coughing.
Boeing, Airbus and Brazil’s Embraer all made pitches to international media on what their research was finding that makes flying safer than what many people think. And the results between all three are comparable.
First, air entering the cabin comes from the top, flows down to the floor, and is sucked out through vents at your feet. They say that limits buoyancy of any droplets or aerosols that may contain the virus. Once that air is sucked in, it’s mixed with fresh air from outside the plane passing through a MERV 17 or higher filter, capable of capturing a virus particle the size of COVID. Air is fully replaced in the cabin every two to three minutes with warmed air from outside.
“Some droplets will still go through, and that will be stopped by the mask of the person who is breathing,” said Bruno Fargeon, engineering director for Airbus’ Keep Trust in Air Travel initiative. Fargeon, citing Airbus research, said that 10,000 particles were reduced to just five particles before a passenger could breath it in, even if somebody sitting next to you coughs.
While that is an astounding reduction, from 10,000 particles to just five in tests, it also shows why the manufacturers say masks are still important as a last line of defense, in what is a multi-layered approach to safety, and why the risk is not absolute zero.
Dr. David Powell, IATA’s medical advisor out of New Zealand, said if somebody coughed on you directly, that could be millions of particles.
But because of the top to bottom air flow, even sitting next to someone, you are effectively seven feet away says Airbus, much better off than being inside of a modern building, even with good ventilation.
Reports: Pixar's 'Soul' going straight to Disney Plus
Pixar's highly anticipated "Soul" will skip U.S. theaters and go straight to streaming on Disney+ Dec. 25, according to multiple reports.
Deadline and Variety report "Soul" will not come with an extra $29.99 charge as the live-action "Mulan" did when it hit Disney+. It will be available to the platform's 60 million subscribers for no additional charge.
In recent days, the owner of Regal Cinemas said it would temporarily close all 536 U.S. locations as the nation continues to struggle with containing the new coronavirus. AMC, North America's largest chain, said it will stay open. Even as theaters stay open, many are forced to do so with limited capacity due to local safety measures for social distancing.