October 10 coronavirus news

By Ben Westcott, Brett McKeehan, Tara John, Fernando Alfonso III and Amir Vera, CNN

Updated 8:07 a.m. ET, October 11, 2020

19 Posts

Sort by

8:24 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

US records its third consecutive day of more than 50,000 coronavirus cases

From CNN's Chuck Johnston

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) reported 57,420 new positive cases in the United States on Friday.

The tally is the third consecutive day the US has seen more than 50,000 reported daily cases. Here are the figures:

Oct. 9: 57,420
Oct. 8: 56,191
Oct. 7: 50,341

The last time the US reported more than 50,000 cases for three consecutive days was in mid-August, according to data from the university.

Aug. 14: 64,601
Aug. 13: 51,977
Aug. 12: 57,004

Worrying trends are being recorded across the US. At least 22 states reported more than 1,000 new cases on Thursday. And the country's daily case count average — now more than 46,000 — has surged by 12% since the previous week.

Florida, which over the summer became the country's hotspot, is now "ripe for another large outbreak," an infectious disease expert told CNN. Late last month, the state cleared the way for bars and restaurants to fully reopen and this week reported more than 6,000 cases over a two day-period.

Read more here:

Several regions sound alarm as US reports most Covid-19 daily cases in nearly 2 months

7:45 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

Kim Jong Un insists North Korea has no Covid-19 victims

From CNN's Yoonjung Seo and Sol Han

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the 75th Worker's Party celebration in Pyongyang. This image comes from Korean Central TV footage, which aired on October 10. Korean Central TV

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un spoke to a large, mask-less crowd in Pyongyang saying he was thankful for the country not having a single coronavirus victim.

Speaking at the 75th anniversary of the Worker's Party, Kim appeared to choke up while mentioning the hardships North Korea had gone through such as natural disasters -- the country suffered damage during typhoon season -- and disease prevention.
Some in the crowd were crying as well.

He hoped South Korea will overcome the coronavirus situation and that the two sides can "hold hands together," Kim said.

The North Korean leader entered the parade without a mask, kissing children who gave him flowers. There appeared to be no social distancing among the crowd, who were not wearing masks either.

Few experts believe that North Korea, a country of nearly 25 million people which shares a border with China, could have escaped the effects of a pandemic that has infected more than 36 million people worldwide, and killed more than 1 million people.
It's possible North Korea has simply not identified existing cases due to a lack of testing, or has successfully managed to isolate small clusters of cases and is not reporting them, CNN's Joshua Berlinger wrote in July.

Read more:

Coronavirus outbreak in North Korea poses threat to Kim Jong Un

7:17 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

British cyclist Simon Yates withdraws from race after testing positive

From CNN's Paul Gittings in London

One of the Giro d’Italia’s pre-race favorites, Britain’s Simon Yates, has withdrawn from the famous cycle race after testing positive for coronavirus.

The 28-year-old, who rides for the Mitchelton-Scott team, began to show mild symptoms after Friday’s seventh stage and was subsequently tested.

Yates, who won the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) in 2018, was taken by ambulance to begin a period of quarantine.

The three-week Giro was moved from its traditional slot in May due to the pandemic and it follows the delayed Tour de France in a reshuffled cycling calendar.

Yates is the first rider to test positive in the Giro which is due to finish in Milan on October 25.

The news comes hard on the heels of the cancellation of the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic next month due to coronavirus spikes in northern France.

6:47 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

British doctors say government's Covid measures are not working

From Sharon Braithwaite in London

People wear face coverings as they walk through the city center in Manchester, England on October 8. Photo by Oli Scrarff/AFP via Getty Images

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the UK government’s measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 "are not working," adding that "the public is in danger of losing faith in existing measures -- demonstrated by infection rates spiralling out of control because at times the messaging has been inconsistent."

The BMA believes more robust, decisive and clear to follow rules alongside the introduction of a new three-tiered approach, could boost public confidence and lead to the rates reducing once again," a statement read.

The BMA recommends wearing mandatory face masks in all offices and work environments as well as in all outdoor settings where two-meter distancing isn’t possible.

It also suggests modifying the current "rule of six," with the rule that only two (exclusive) households can meet (and those should not exceed 6 people) – ideally outdoors, rather than indoors."

The UK recorded 13,864 new coronavirus cases on Friday and 87 deaths.

6:03 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

Russia sees second day of record-high increase in cases

From CNN’s Mary Ilyushina in Moscow

A health care worker treats a coronavirus patient at the City Clinical Hospital Number 52 in Moscow on October 8. Iliya Pitalev/Sputnik/AP

Russia reported 12,846 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, a new record-high daily increase in cases since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the country’s coronavirus response center.

The previous record was set on Friday, when 12,126 cases were reported that day.

The total number of officially reported coronavirus cases in Russia as of October 10 is 1,285,084.

If the number of infected will continue to grow, of course, this will be a topic for consideration by the government’s [coronavirus] headquarters and at the regional level… this will require some action, some decisions," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Russia has had the fourth greatest number of coronavirus cases across the world, behind the US, India and Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University. It ranks 13th for overall deaths, the JHU data shows.

5:16 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

It is past 10 a.m. in London. Here's what is happening in Europe

From CNN's Tara John, Tomas Etzler, Sharon Braithwaite and Pierre Bairin

The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 350,000 new cases in a single day on Friday -- the highest daily total since the pandemic began.

Europe is now reporting more daily infections than the United States, Brazil, and India -- the countries that have been driving the global case count for months. Here's the latest:

Germany: Germany reported another bump in numbers on Saturday, with 4,721 more coronavirus cases, bringing the country's total to 319,381.

There were also 15 more deaths, bringing the total to 9,604, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute, Germany's public health institute.

UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce new coronavirus restrictions on Monday as the government tries to curb a surge in new cases. The UK recorded 13,864 new cases on Friday, which is lower than the previous 24 hours. But there has been a sharp upward trend in recent weeks.

Czech Republic: The country recorded another big jump in coronavirus cases Friday with 8,618 new cases, according to the ministry of health. That's 3,224 more than Thursday's figure.

A total of 31,321 new cases were recorded in the country in the past week. Although the largest increase was recorded in the capital, Prague, almost all Czech regions are reporting record numbers. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Czech Republic remains the worst-stricken country per capita in Europe.

France: Health officials in Lille, northern France, are urging local hospitals to start cancelling surgeries, fearing a bottleneck in intensive care affecting the elderly after a rise in new Covid cases. France recorded 20,339 new cases of the virus on Friday, the highest daily total since the outbreak began.

4:59 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

Hospitals in northern France cancel non-coronavirus procedures due to rise in cases

From Pierre Bairin in Paris

Health officials in Lille, northern France, are urging local hospitals to start cancelling surgeries, fearing a bottleneck in intensive care affecting the elderly after a rise in new Covid cases.

The city is showing high rates of the virus, with an incidence rate of 308 for every 100,000 inhabitants, data shows.

Among people over 65 years of age, the incidence rate is 273 for every 100,000 people. The positivity rate for coronavirus tests is 15% among that age group, while the regional average of the general population is 10.40%, according to the region’s health authority.

Bars in Lille will be closed from Saturday for at least two weeks. France recorded 20,339 new cases of the virus on Friday, the highest daily total since the outbreak began.

The positivity rate for the country stands at 10.4%. It was only 5.4% just three weeks ago.

4:14 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

Fear sets in that Boris Johnson's Brexit government is ill equipped to handle a pandemic

Analysis by CNN's Luke McGee in London

Boris Johnson wears a face mask as he visits Tollgate Medical Centre in Beckton on July 24, 2020 in London.

It's been another week of difficult headlines for Boris Johnson. Once again, serious questions are being asked of Britain's Prime Minister and his administration's approach to handling the Covid-19 pandemic and, more broadly, the style of government.

Things kicked off with Johnson being criticized for sending mixed messages in a BBC interview on Sunday, in which he warned that coronavirus restrictions could last until 2021, but also that he needed to get the economy moving. Arguably sending a vague message for a public unsure of what to do as the virus spreads exponentially, he said, "What we want people to do is behave fearlessly but with common sense."

Things got worse, as the government was forced to admit that 16,000 confirmed cases went unreported due to a technical glitch.

Cases are rising in universities just weeks after students returned to campuses: more than 1,000 students at Newcastle University tested positive for Covid-19 over an eight-day period, along with another 770 cases at the University of Northumbria, while three universities in north England have stopped face-to-face teaching.

Concerns about the rise in cases and the testing system were not helped by a cabinet minister having to admit on Wednesday that the country is experiencing supply chain issues with a pharmaceutical company that supplies tests to the UK.

And Johnson is under fire from all sides for his approach to introducing further restrictions across the country. Criticism ranges from decisions on local restrictions being taken in central government by the PM and his close team -- without consulting local leaders -- to curfews not being backed by scientific evidence.

Read the full story:

Analysis: Fear sets in that Boris Johnson's Brexit government is ill equipped to handle a pandemic

3:11 a.m. ET, October 10, 2020

Several regions sound alarm as US reports most daily Covid-19 cases in almost 2 months

From CNN's Christina Maxouris

Just as the US reported its highest number of daily Covid-19 infections in nearly two months, several experts offered grim outlooks if Americans don't take the right precautions.

Florida, which over the summer became the country's coronavirus hotspot, is "ripe for another large outbreak," an infectious disease expert told CNN.

Late last month, the state cleared the way for bars and restaurants to fully reopen -- and this week reported more than 6,000 cases over a two day-period.

"What they've done is opened up everything as if nothing had ever happened there and you and I could be talking probably in eight to 10 weeks, and I will likely bet that Florida will be a house on fire," Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN Friday.

White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx also cautioned Friday of "early suggestions" of alarming trends in the Northeast, urging residents to take action and help prevent the spread before the virus takes off again.

"The actions this time have to happen at the personal level, in our private homes, rather than just the public spaces," she said.

Read more here: