Current Affairs

Seven months into 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has not particularly abated by much. 

The United States, for example, is still plagued both by poor health and controversial governance; President Donald Trump recently defended his handling of the pandemic as the nation reported more than 60,000 new daily cases for six days.

A full quarter of the world’s 14.5 million cases and close to a quarter of the deaths are in the US, which has just surpassed 140,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University data. 

“His (President Trump’s) policies set a foundation that allowed us to survive the pandemic.” @HeyTammyBruce @SteveHiltonx @FoxNews  True, we built something so strong that we are now setting economic growth records again – Jobs & Growth!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020

Brazil has been hit hard. The nation has the second-highest number of infections – including President Jair Bolsonaro himself – and deaths worldwide after the US.

It had its worst week yet of the coronavirus pandemic in terms of new cases in the week preceding 29 June, registering 259,105 infections in a week according to health ministry figures.

The country also reported its second-highest weekly death toll, with 7,005 people killed, just below the record of 7,285 set the previous week. 

Coronavirus is ravaging Brazil and President Bolsonaro – who has the virus himself – has lost 2 health ministers during the pandemic. Filmmaker @petracostal says “it feels like being trapped in a nightmare… As the deaths continue mounting, [Bolsonaro’s] indifference only grows.” pic.twitter.com/szvYNPbPog

— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) July 17, 2020

Europe is not faring well either. 30 countries or territories reported increases in cumulative cases in June, and about 20,000 cases and 700 deaths each day.

In Asia, India follows Brazil as the third nation to hit the million-milestone, passing a million confirmed cases on 17 July, after its health ministry reported a record 34,956 new infections in just 24 hours.

Southeast Asian cases have also been rising, though on a much smaller scale as its countries have responded much more quickly to the pandemic, with greater compliance across their populations.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asian countries reached 183,764 as of 10 July, including 5,043 fatalities and 100,891 recoveries.

Indonesia reported 1,611 new infections as of that date, bringing the total to 72,347; its death toll rose to 3,469 with 52 more fatalities, while recoveries rose by 878 to reach 33,529.

In the Philippines, the number of cases climbed to 52,914, after the country reported 1,160 new cases over the past 24 hours.

On 20 July, however, Malaysia recorded 21 new cases, bringing the number of active cases per day back to double digits.

Status terkini COVID-19 setakat 20 Julai 2020

Jumlah discaj baru: 2
Jumlah kumulatif discaj: 8555 (97.2%)

Jumlah kes baru; 21
Jumlah kumulatif: 8800
Jumlah kes aktif: 122

Jumlah kematian: 0
Jumlah kumulatif kematian: 123 (1.4%)

Jumlah kes di ICU: 3
Pesakit intubated: 1 pic.twitter.com/M0qfaig5C4

— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) July 20, 2020

Meanwhile, there have been no reports of new infections or fatalities in Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia – which some scientists suspect may be due to lax reporting instead of their countermeasures.