November 30 coronavirus news

By Helen Regan, Brett McKeehan, Emma Reynolds, Ed Upright, Jo Shelley, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 0504 GMT (1304 HKT) December 1, 2020
19 Posts
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7:40 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

Hong Kong imposes stricter pandemic measures as city records 76 new cases

From CNN’s Sophie Jeong and Eric Cheung in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during a press conference on Covid-19 measures in Hong Kong on Monday, November 30.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during a press conference on Covid-19 measures in Hong Kong on Monday, November 30. Vernon Yuen/Shutterstock

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced stricter pandemic measures on Monday, as the city struggles to contain its latest coronavirus outbreak.

The new measures will be in effect for two weeks from Wednesday until December 15. 

Hong Kong reported 76 confirmed cases Monday, including nine cases with unknown sources of infection. 

The rules include:

  • Dining services will end at 10 p.m. instead of midnight
  • The number of people per table will be reduced from four to two
  • Playgrounds, entertainment venues, karaoke venues, mahjong parlors and swimming pools will close
  • Government performance venues will open only for rehearsals and online shows
  • Fitness centers can stay open but are limited to groups of two people
  • Beauty and massage parlors can stay open under stricter requirements
  • Amusement parks in Hong Kong, Disneyland and Ocean Park will close

Lam said in the news briefing that the restrictions on gatherings would go back to when it was most stringent, to a maximum of two people. All business premises must display the “Leave Home” app QR codes to help with contact tracing.

On Sunday, Hong Kong suspended face-to-face classes at all kindergartens and schools from Wednesday until after the Christmas holidays. 

7:24 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

America’s Black churches have enlisted the help of mental health professionals during the pandemic

From Aneri Pattani, Kaiser Health News

Keon Gerow, senior pastor at Catalyst Church in West Philadelphia, talks openly about mental health ― from the pulpit and one-on-one with his congregants.
Keon Gerow, senior pastor at Catalyst Church in West Philadelphia, talks openly about mental health ― from the pulpit and one-on-one with his congregants. Courtesy Kass McIntosh/Kaiser Health News

Black churches in the US say the coronavirus pandemic has catapulted mental health efforts to the forefront of their mission. 

Some are preaching about mental health from the pulpit for the first time. Others are inviting mental health professionals to speak to their congregations, undergoing mental health training themselves or adding therapists to the church staff.

"Covid undoubtedly has escalated this conversation in great ways," said Keon Gerow, senior pastor at Catalyst Church in West Philadelphia. "It has forced Black churches -- some of which have been older, traditional and did not want to have this conversation -- to actually now have this conversation in a very real way."

Across the US, mental health needs are soaring. And Black Americans are experiencing significant strain: A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this summer found 15% of non-Hispanic Black adults had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days and 18% had started or increased their use of substances to cope with pandemic-related stress. 

Yet national data shows Blacks are less likely to receive mental health treatment than the overall population. 

Read the full story here:

7:10 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

Moderna to apply today for FDA authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine with "amazing" extra data

From CNN Health’s Elizabeth Cohen

Pharmaceutical company Moderna intends to apply Monday to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine.  

The company will ask the FDA to review an expanded data set showing the vaccine is 94.1% effective at preventing Covid-19 and 100% effective at preventing severe cases of the disease.  

This is striking,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee. “These are amazing data.”  

One other company, Pfizer, has already applied for FDA authorization for a coronavirus vaccine, with efficacy data very similar to Moderna’s results. The FDA is expected to review both companies’ applications in December, and Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he expects the first vaccinations in the US to occur “towards the latter part of December.”   

By the end of 2020, Moderna expects to have approximately 20 million doses of its vaccine available in the United States, and it’s on track to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally next year, according to the company’s news release Monday. 

6:50 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

Italy approves $9.6 billion stimulus package to tackle Covid-19 emergency

 From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in Pisa, Italy

People in a shopping district of Brescia, Italy, on Sunday, November 29.
People in a shopping district of Brescia, Italy, on Sunday, November 29. Stefano Nicoli/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Italy has approved a stimulus package worth €8 billion (about $9.6 billion) to support the sectors most affected by the pandemic, the government said Monday in a news release.

The package delays tax deadlines for businesses in the regions that are under the most severe Covid-19 restrictions, it said.

It also offers a €1,000 euro one-off allowance to workers in tourism, spas, the arts and sport, which have been hit hard by the pandemic.

The government's work continues "to expand and strengthen the support for Italian workers, professionals and businesses, which must not feel alone in the face of the difficulties that this Covid crisis poses, from which, I am sure, we will all come out soon together," Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri said Sunday evening on his Facebook page. 

The package also provides funds for the military and police forces.

Italy reported 20,648 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing its total infections to almost 1.59 million. It also reported 541 new deaths, bringing the total to 54,904 since the start of the pandemic.

The president of the Italian doctors' association (FNOMCeO) Filippo Anelli warned in a Monday news release that households should celebrate Christmas "with prudence."

"Deaths and infections among doctors have started rising again," he said, adding that 221 doctors have died since the start of the pandemic.

"At Christmas, the restrictive measures implemented by the government will certainly have cooled down the contagion curve. But this does not mean a free-for-all: the virus is still circulating, and in a much stronger way than in the summer, when we came out of two months of total lockdown," Anelli said.

"Let's not repeat the mistakes made in August, let's not jeopardize months of sacrifices in a few days. Let's continue to limit movement to what is necessary and to comply with preventive hygiene measures," he cautioned.

5:58 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

Ski season is going ahead for some during the pandemic -- but it looks very different

From CNN's Stacey Lastoe

Avid snowboarder Jenny Leveille doesn't plan to rely on ski resorts' indoor facilities this season. This decision, she believes, will give her a possible advantage when it comes to coronavirus and swirling concerns over indoor exposure.

Leveille, who'll be heading to the mountains out West after Thanksgiving in Michigan, plans to return to her van -- which includes a bathroom -- when she needs a break for fuel or relief. 

"I'm hoping to have at least 50 days this year at as many resorts in the western US as possible," the 30-year-old said.

Ski season is underway, and changes are afoot. In Europe, Germany, hard hit by Covid-19, is aiming for a coordinated European Union approach to keeping ski resorts shut in Alpine countries for the holiday season in order to limit the spread of coronavirus. However, reaching an agreement with neighboring Austria is proving challenging, German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated last Thursday.

Meanwhile, some slopes have opened in Switzerland, which is not an EU member. The "future for the upcoming winter season looks bright," Mayor of Zermatt Romy Biner-Hauser told CNN on Thursday.

With its wide-open spaces, stashes of powder and even covering up to brave the elements, skiing might seem like the perfect pandemic sport -- if the proper precautions are taken. 

A face mask, a standard part of the skier's uniform, is a requirement this year. Resorts are implementing mask mandates except while guests are actively eating and drinking. Ski destinations are also limiting indoor capacity, adding outdoor capacity, adding hand-sanitizing stations on chair lift lines and reconfiguring how chair lifts are filled.

Read the full story here:

5:16 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

South Korea reports more than 400 new cases as tighter restrictions loom 

From CNN’s Jake Kwon in Seoul

A medical worker takes samples from a visitor at a coronavirus testing station in Seoul, South Korea, on November 27.
A medical worker takes samples from a visitor at a coronavirus testing station in Seoul, South Korea, on November 27. Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images

South Korea reported 438 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, and authorities will impose new restrictions in the capital Seoul, health officials said.

Of the new cases, 414 are local and 24 are imported, Jeong Eun-kyeong, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said in a press release.

Jeong said that the virus was spreading predominantly among young people. During a wave of the pandemic in September, 58.9% of those infected were under 50. By comparison, in November, 74.6% of those infected are under 50.

The KDCA commissioner added that saunas and group exercise gyms in the Seoul Metropolitan Area would be closed from Tuesday until December 7.

She said that authorities would ban hotels from hosting year-end parties to curb the virus spreading among young people.

Authorities are further reviewing the social distancing level if the current trend of rising cases continues.

4:50 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

India says it can roll out "hundreds of millions of doses" of AstraZeneca vaccine by July

From CNN's Esha Mitra in New Delhi

In this undated photo issued by the University of Oxford, an Oxford Vaccine Group researcher in a laboratory in Oxford, England, works on the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.
In this undated photo issued by the University of Oxford, an Oxford Vaccine Group researcher in a laboratory in Oxford, England, works on the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. John Cairns/University of Oxford/AP

India is preparing to distribute "hundreds of millions of doses" of coronavirus vaccines in the first and second quarters of 2021, according to Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala.

Poonawala said at a press conference Saturday that the SII will produce and distribute Covishield, the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. The world's largest vaccine producer will apply for an emergency use license from India's drug authority in the next two weeks.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured SII's vaccine manufacturing facilities in three Indian cities to get a "first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges, and roadmap in India's endeavour to vaccinate its citizens," according to a government press release. 

Poonawalla said that India had adequate cold storage facilities to store Covishield at the required temperature. 

While India's government hasn't placed an official purchase order for the vaccine, SII estimates that it could buy between 300 million and 400 million doses by next July. "We are trying to get to that target," Poonawalla added. 

4:08 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

Covid-19 infections have dropped about 30% in England during lockdown, research shows 

From CNN's Sharon Braithwaite in Pisa, Italy

A deserted side road leading to the Covent Garden market is seen during the second lockdown in London, on November 28.
A deserted side road leading to the Covent Garden market is seen during the second lockdown in London, on November 28. David Mbiyu/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Covid-19 infections have dropped by "roughly" 30% in England during the second national lockdown, new research suggested on Monday.

The study was conducted by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI from the Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission program.

Swab tests on more than 105,000 people have shown coronavirus infections are declining, Imperial College London said on its website.

The report includes results from home coronavirus tests taken between November 13 and 24, and shows "an estimated 0.96% of England’s population has the virus, or around 1 in 100 people."

"This is roughly a 30% drop in the number of infections compared with previous findings, where more than 1 in 80, or 1.3% of people, had the virus as of November 2," the report found.

"We’re seeing a fall in infections at the national level and in particular across regions that were previously worst affected. These trends suggest that the tiered approach helped to curb infections in these areas and that lockdown has added to this effect," said Paul Elliot, director of the program at Imperial.

According to the research, the R-number has fallen to below 1, estimated at 0.88, "meaning that the country’s epidemic is currently shrinking rather than growing."

3:34 a.m. ET, November 30, 2020

The US reported almost 138,000 more Covid-19 cases on Sunday

From CNN's Alta Spells

Cars line up during a Covid-19 testing and flu shot event at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, on November 28.
Cars line up during a Covid-19 testing and flu shot event at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, on November 28. David Ryder/Getty Images

The United States reported 138,903 new Covid-19 cases and 826 virus-related deaths on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The latest numbers bring the nationwide total to at least 13,383,320 infections. At least 266,873 people have died in the US from the virus, according to JHU.

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

Some background: On Sunday, cases in the US topped more than 100,000 for the 27th consecutive day -- as millions of Americans headed home after Thanksgiving.

A surge in new travel-related infections could overwhelm hospitals already stretched to capacity.

Hospitalizations of US Covid-19 patients also reached a record high of 93,238 on Sunday, trumping Saturday's 91,635 figure, according to the Covid Tracking Project. 

CNN is tracking the US cases: