Covid-19 Daily Bulletin

24 May 2021

A series of daily updates for CHO members regarding relevant updates pertaining to Coronavirus from home and abroad.

Key Announcements:

• The UK has reported five new deaths with 28 days of a positive Covid test, with the seven-day average down to just over seven deaths per day. Hospitalisations are also down, although the rolling seven day average of new cases numbers was up by 1,801, or 11 per cent.
• The UK government is to launch a series of pilot schemes that aim to encourage people to take Covid tests and self-isolate if they test positive. The schemes will offer assistance such as alternative accommodation for people in crowded households, social care support and language help for those whose first language is not English.
• Dogs can be trained to detect up to 94 per cent of Covid-19 infections — even in asymptomatic patients — according to UK research published at the weekend, suggesting they could be used at airports and other entry points to screen passengers.

Devolved

• Northern Ireland has become the latest part of the UK to relax coronavirus restrictions in a boost to the hospitality and leisure industries. Diane Dodds, economy minister, said the changes on Monday were a “huge step forward” for Northern Ireland after months of strict lockdown restrictions.

International

• India has become the third country in the world — after the US and Brazil — to report more than 300,000 official Covid-19 deaths, after more than 4,450 people died on Sunday.
• Japan opened its first mass vaccination centres on Monday in a bid to speed up a cautious Covid-19 inoculation programme with just two months until the virus-postponed Tokyo Olympics, AFP reports.

Stakeholders

• Cineworld said it enjoyed a strong opening weekend in the UK following the easing of lockdown restrictions, with attendance figures expected to rise further as new films come out and more people receive a vaccine.