September 21 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Brad Lendon, Amy Woodyatt, Meg Wagner and Melissa Macaya, CNN

Updated 12:03 a.m. ET, September 22, 2020
15 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
6:39 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

French coronavirus cases rise, with 1,045 clusters investigated

From CNN's Stephanie Halasz and Pierre Bairin

Coronavirus cases are rising starkly in France, according to Sante Publique France, the French public health authority, with a total of 453,763 cases so far, and 10,569 new cases in the 24 hours to Sunday evening.

Twelve new deaths were recorded in the 24 hours to Sunday night, bringing the total number of Covid-19 fatalities in France up to 31,285.

Test positivity stands at 5.7%, according to the health authority, which said 3,894 people with the virus had been admitted to hospital in the last seven days; 593 of those are in ICU.

As many as 1,045 clusters -- in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lille, among other locations -- are currently being investigated, the health authority said.

6:35 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

We've turned a corner -- in a bad way, warns UK Chief Medical Officer

Patrick Vallance, UK Chief Scientific Advisor, speaks during a coronavirus data briefing on September 21.
Patrick Vallance, UK Chief Scientific Advisor, speaks during a coronavirus data briefing on September 21. 10 Downing Street

The UK has "in a bad sense, recently turned a corner" in the coronavirus pandemic, UK chief medical adviser Chris Whitty said Monday, at a special briefing alongside chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance.

Coronavirus cases are on the increase across the UK, and Vallance and Whitty -- the country's leading medical experts -- warn that, as the weather turns colder, the situation is likely to worsen.

Vallance said infections were increasing across all age groups, with the highest rise among 20- to 29-year-olds.

"There is the potential for this to move very fast," Vallance told reporters at the news conference in Downing Street.

Whitty said the virus was likely to be a serious concern for the next six months, during the annual winter flu season.

"The seasons are against us," Whitty said. "We should see this as a six-month problem that we have to deal with ... we have to realize that we have to take this collectively very seriously.”

Coronavirus is more virulent than the flu, he said.

"This is not someone else's problem; this is all of our problem," Whitty said.

"If this carries on unabated ... the number of deaths directly from Covid will continue to rise, potentially on an exponential curve," he added.

Evidence suggests that fewer than 8% of people overall have developed antibodies to the virus -- though that number may be higher in cities, and up to 17% in London, Vallance said.

"The vast majority of us are not protected in any way and are susceptible to this disease," he said, repeating for emphasis: "The vast majority of the population remains susceptible."

5:42 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

Germany to introduce "temperature ambulances" for quick Covid-19 tests

From CNN's Stephanie Halasz

Jens Spahn, Germany's Minister of Health, leaves a session of the Bundestag in Berlin on September 18.
Jens Spahn, Germany's Minister of Health, leaves a session of the Bundestag in Berlin on September 18. Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance/Getty Images

Germany is aiming to introduce additional measures to fight Covid-19 this fall.

In an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper, Health Minister Jens Spahn highlighted the introduction of so-called "temperature ambulances," locations where those with coronavirus symptoms can get on-the-spot tests.

Spahn also spoke about the need to get more fast testing underway.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, a demonstration against coronavirus measures and restrictions took place in the western German city of Dusseldorf.

According to a statement from police in North-Rhine Westphalia, several thousand people demonstrated peacefully, carrying signs saying “Corona Rebels Duesseldorf” and “Enough with panic. Corona-Pandemic is a lie. Freedom, peace, love now.”

So far, 272,337 people in Germany have been infected with the virus -- 922 new cases were reported on Sunday, according to the Robert-Koch institute (RKI), Germany's federal agency for disease control and prevention. According to the RKI, a total of 9,386 people have died of the disease; there have been no new fatalities in the last 24 hours.

Three districts in Germany have been marked as "red" zones, meaning they have more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants: Cloppenburg in Lower Saxony, and two Bavarian districts, Munich and Wuerzburg, according to the RKI. 

5:40 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

Czech Health Minister resigns amid rise in coronavirus cases

From CNN's Stephanie Halasz

Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtěch tells journalists in Prague that he has decided to resign from his post, on Monday, September 21.
Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtěch tells journalists in Prague that he has decided to resign from his post, on Monday, September 21. Vit Simanek/CTK/AP Images

The Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtěch has resigned, a spokeswoman for the ministry has confirmed.

"Minister Vojtěch resigned. He wants to create space for a new solution to the coronavirus epidemic," Gabriela Štěpanyová told CNN by text. "He came to the ministry to push for systemic conceptual changes, but the coronavirus epidemic does not allow him to complete the task," Štěpanyová added.

Coronavirus case numbers have risen starkly in the Czech Republic in recent weeks, to levels several times higher than during the Spring peak.

As a result of the increase, rules on the use of masks were tightened last week. Starting Friday, face coverings are mandatory for all students and staff everywhere in schools, with only the youngest children exempt from the rules. Previously, masks were compulsory in corridors and common areas, but not in classrooms.

Face masks are also mandatory in all indoor public spaces, such as on public transport and in shops.

3:31 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

How the Emmy Awards hosted a socially distanced show during the pandemic

From CNN's Brian Lowry

Reese Witherspoon, and Kerry Washington held a "New Year's Eve" viewing party during the Emmys.
Reese Witherspoon, and Kerry Washington held a "New Year's Eve" viewing party during the Emmys. The Television Academy and ABC Entertainment via AP

The Emmy Awards went on as scheduled Sunday, with Jimmy Kimmel noting at the outset that while an awards show might "seem frivolous and unnecessary" in the middle of a pandemic, "Right now, we need fun."

The 72nd annual Emmys mark the most significant award show to go on since the coronavirus pandemic ruled out the traditional everyone-together/black-tie events. Most of the other upcoming major awards, following the lead of the Oscars, have postponed their dates further into 2021.

The producers of this year's Emmy telecast came into the ceremony with a plan to go "live, live, live," recognizing that there would be potential logistical problems -- although there were few serious hiccups -- and hoping for the best. That included dispatching 130 cameras to catch the reactions of nominees and winners scattered across the globe.

The ceremony also sought to recognize frontline workers -- with several invited to introduce categories -- and announced that a donation would be made to the charity Nokidhungry.org for every Emmy victory.

Take a look through CNN's gallery of this year's Emmy winners:

3:56 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

Australia's coronavirus lockdown strategy worked. Could this be a model for the US?

Analysis from CNN's James Griffiths

People exercise in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on September 9 as the city remains under stage 4 lockdown restrictions.
People exercise in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on September 9 as the city remains under stage 4 lockdown restrictions. Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

When Daniel Andrews, premier of the Australian state of Victoria, declared a lockdown over the coronavirus, some detractors on the right labeled him a "dictator" and said he was trying to build "a gulag."

But Andrews has remained popular with Victorians throughout the lockdown, local polls show -- and this week, his hardline approach was thoroughly vindicated.

On Sunday, Victoria recorded just 11 new coronavirus cases, down from over 670 at the height of the most recent outbreak last month. Next week, Melbourne will begin lifting some restrictions, including a nighttime curfew, if new cases remain below a fortnightly average of 50 per day.

"We can do this," Andrews tweeted Sunday, echoing his words at the beginning of the lockdown: "We are Victorians -- and we will get through this as Victorians. With grit, with guts, and together."

And while it may have provoked outrage from some elements of the Australian media, and criticism from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Victoria's experience shows once again that targeted lockdowns are effective in containing the coronavirus: driving down infections, relieving pressure on hospitals and medical staff, and creating space for contact tracing and mass testing.

Read the full analysis here:

2:43 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

Schools in Seoul, South Korea, resume in-person classes as cases decline

From CNN’s Gawon Bae in Seoul

Health officials spray anti-septic solution in markets and shopping districts on September 17 in Incheon, South Korea.
Health officials spray anti-septic solution in markets and shopping districts on September 17 in Incheon, South Korea. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

All schools in the Seoul metropolitan area resumed in-person classes on Monday, though with certain new rules, as the region's coronavirus cases continue to decline.

South Korean Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae first announced the return to school on September 15, along with the easing of other social distancing measures.

Kindergartens, elementary and middle schools are now allowed to have up to one third of the school capacity filled; this cap goes up to two thirds for high schools. Some schools can adjust the attending capacity after discussing with the Ministry of Education.

Schools in Seoul have been doing remote learning since August 26, when the capital experienced a surge in coronavirus cases.

The number of daily cases has fallen slightly the past month; the country reported 70 new cases on Sunday, 55 of which were locally transmitted, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Yoo said the Health Ministry will closely monitor infection development and the regional situation to decide whether school reopenings will be expanded further next month.

2:02 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

The US had nearly 40,000 cases on Sunday

The United States reported 39,844 new cases of Covid-19 and 250 virus-related deaths on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

That raises the national total to at least 6,804,814 cases and 199,509 deaths.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases. 

See CNN's live tracker of US cases and deaths:

1:37 a.m. ET, September 21, 2020

New US forecast predicts fewer coronavirus deaths than before

From CNN Health’s Maggie Fox

An influential United States coronavirus model has updated its forecast for January, predicting a “most likely” scenario of 378,321 deaths in the country by January 1 -- a big drop in the forecast from just a week ago.

The new Covid-19 forecast was released Saturday from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. Just last week, it had forecast 415,090 virus-related deaths.

“This decline is driven by steeper than expected declines seen in deaths in several states. In our model, these declines push out further into January and February the expected seasonal surge, reducing the number of deaths expected by January 1,” the IHME explained.
“We expect over 3,000 deaths per day by the end of December. Between now and January 1 we expect approximately 180,000 deaths.”

If a universal mask mandate was put in place, the number of projected deaths could drop dramatically to an estimated 263,483, IMHE said -- but if current restrictions are eased, the projected number soars to 445,605.

“Even if herd immunity were to occur at a low level, such as 40% (the level seen in Mexico City now) with cumulative infections, by January 1, the US epidemic would only be less than half over,” the IHME said.