A new US study could change the prevailing narrative that young kids are not drivers of the virus. Catch up with that story and everything else you need to know from around the world with DW’s overview.
Children under the age of five carried major amounts of coronavirus in their upper respiratory tract, a study published on Thursday showed. Early research did not find strong evidence of children as major contributors to the spread of COVID-19.
But now, a study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics suggests young children had a viral load 10-fold to 100-fold greater than adults in their upper respiratory tracts. This could mean children are key drivers of transmission within their communities.
Here’s a round-up now of the other major stories regarding coronavirus around the world:
North America
The top US infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, is set to testify before Congress on Friday. According to his prepared statement, he will tell lawmakers that it was still “unclear how long the pandemic will last.”
Europe
The pandemic prompted an unprecedented slump in the eurozone, the group of 19 EU states that use the euro currency. The area’s GDP dropped by over 12 percent during the second quarter of 2020. Read our full story here.
Poland is mulling new anti-pandemic steps after reporting record high numbers of new cases for two consecutive days.
Middle East
Muslim pilgrims in Mecca started the ritual stoning of the devil, one of the final rites of the hajj pilgrimage, throwing sterilized pebbles at a pillar due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Just 10,000 people, all of them Saudi-based, have been allowed to attend the religious event rather than the 2.5 million people from around the world who normally make the pilgrimage. All pilgrims had been tested for the virus, and were required to wear masks and observe social distancing.
Asia
Hong Kong authorities postponed elections for the local legislature by one year, initially scheduled for September, citing coronavirus concerns. Pro-democracy activists accuse the government of using the pandemic as an excuse to stop the opposition from taking over the chamber. Read our full story here.
Media in Vietnam reported the country’s first ever coronavirus death. The country has been held up as a global role model over its successful anti-pandemic strategy, and enjoyed a period of nearly 100 days without any new cases.
China rejected the charges of backing hackers who targeted US vaccine developer Moderna Inc. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the accusations were baseless and without evidence, and that Beijing had no need to engage in technology theft.