U.S. Cases Up 0.7%; Fires Crimp California Testing: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) -- Drugmakers seeking an emergency authorization for a Covid-19 vaccine will have to meet a higher standard of efficacy than normally would be required for such a clearance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. The U.S. is ending virus screening of international travelers at airports.

Western Europe surpassed the U.S. in new daily infections, re-emerging as a global hotspot. France recorded the most cases since its lockdown ended four months ago. AstraZeneca Plc said its vaccine could still be ready by year-end.

Senate Democrats blocked a narrowly tailored pandemic relief plan proposed by Republicans, contending the measure was too meager. China’s vaccine frontrunner said none of the recipients of its two shots has reported an obvious adverse reaction.

Key Developments:

• Global Tracker: Cases surpass 27.9 million; deaths exceed 905,800
• Europe is trying to beat flareups with patchwork of strategies
• U.S. Covid funding shortchanges hospitals in Black areas
• Trump own words on the virus come back to haunt him
• JPMorgan finds some workers improperly pocketed Covid relief funds
• Etiquette on how to attend a wedding (or not) during a pandemic

Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on coronavirus cases and deaths.

FDA Sets Higher Bar for Emergency Vaccine Clearance (5:04 p.m. NY)

Drugmakers seeking an emergency authorization for a Covid-19 vaccine will have to meet a higher standard of efficacy than normally would be required for such a clearance, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s office that handles vaccines said.

Typically, an emergency use authorization, or EUA, would require a company to show their product may be effective. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s biologics office, said Thursday that the agency will require more robust data about how well a coronavirus vaccine works before granting an emergency waiver -- something he called “EUA plus.”

The medical community has raised concerns about allowing a vaccine on the market under emergency authorization, rather than the regular FDA approval process, particularly given President Donald Trump’s push to have a shot available by the Nov. 3 election.

U.S. Cases Rise 0.7% (4 p.m. NY)

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. increased 0.7% as compared with the same time Wednesday to 6.38 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The increase was in line with the average daily gain of 0.6% over the past week. Deaths rose by 0.8% to 191,444.

• Florida reported 654,731 cases, up 0.4% from a day earlier, in line with the average increase in the previous seven days. Deaths reached 12,326, an increase of 1.7%.
• Arizona reported 461 cases, a 0.2% increase to 207,002 that was just below the prior seven-day average increase of 0.3%. The state recorded 22 new deaths, bringing the toll to 5,273.
• Idaho experienced a 4% increase in the number of cases from the same time yesterday, bringing the total to 35,353, according to the Johns Hopkins and Bloomberg News data.

California Cases Ease; Fires Affect Testing (2:51 p.m. NY)

California reported 3,338 new virus cases, less than the 14-day average of 4,238. Deaths rose by 137, bringing total fatalities in the state to 13,978. The average rate of positive tests was stable at 4%, the lowest level since the outbreak began.

While California has been showing ongoing improvement in its outbreak, testing has been hampered by fires that are raging across the state. Los Angeles County, home of the most cases, on Thursday said six testing sites will close for two days because smoky conditions are causing unhealthy air quality.

Finland to Require Negative Test Results From Travelers (2:15 p.m. NY)

Finland’s government decided to open up the country to travelers able to present a recent negative Covid-19 test result upon arrival. Border controls will remain in place until Nov. 22 to allow time for authorities to pass the required legislation and set up infrastructure.

France Hits Most Cases Since Lockdown Ended (1:40 p.m.)

France recorded close to 10,000 new cases Thursday, the most since the country’s lockdown ended four months ago and ahead of a government meeting Friday to discuss measures to curb the rising infections.

Cases rose by 9,843, the most new laboratory-confirmed infections since the lockdown ended in mid-May, according to data from the public health agency. The seven-day rolling average stands at 7,680 and has been steadily climbing for more than three weeks.

The virus is circulating actively in major cities including Marseille and Lyon, and authorities may have to “tighten the bolts a bit, because there is a lot of laxity occurring in France,” Jean-Francois Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council advising the government, said in an interview on RTL radio.

Democrats Block Senate Republicans’ Stimulus Bill (1:25 p.m. NY)

Senate Democrats blocked a narrowly tailored pandemic relief plan proposed by Republicans, contending the measure was too meager a response given the damage that Covid-19 continues to wreak on the U.S. economy.

The Senate’s vote in favor of the bill was short of the 60 needed to advance the legislation for floor debate, leaving Congress at an impasse just weeks before lawmakers return home to campaign in the pivotal fall elections.

Estimated at roughly $500 billion to $700 billion, the package was less than the Republicans’ own $1 trillion plan from July, intended to target the most pressing areas for help -- revived supplemental unemployment insurance benefits and extended aid for small business, in particular. The bill was a fraction of the $2.2 trillion backed by Democrats.

Poland Reports Reinfection (1:10 p.m. NY)

Polish health officials confirmed the country’s first case of reinfection. A patient in Bytom in the Silesia mining region tested positive seven weeks after she was considered recovered after two negative readouts, PAP newswire reported.

While the number of new positive cases remained lower at around 500 in recent days, the Polish government started to distribute antigen tests to hospitals for the fast-testing of patients. It is also expanding drive-through testing points to prepare for preparation for any elevation in cases during the upcoming flu season.

Dublin Center of Irish Outbreak (12:50 a.m. NY)

More than half of Ireland’s newly confirmed coronavirus cases are in Dublin, the nation’s health ministry said, as the government weigh’s new restrictions on the capital. There were 196 more cases on Thursday, with Dublin accounting for 107 of them. The government may issue further restrictions on gatherings at family homes in the city, while pubs scheduled to reopen on Sept. 21, may not be allowed to do so, state broadcaster RTE reported.

Italy’s Pace Increases Slightly (12:43 p.m. NY)

Italy added 1,597 cases, an increase of 0.6% over the previous 24-hour period compared with a 0.5% rise over the preceding week. Cases in Italy have been accelerating since mid-August and now stand at 283,180.

The Health Ministry reported another 10 virus-related deaths after 14 a day earlier, raising the toll to 35,587.

N.Y. Transit Riders Face Fine for Going Maskless (12:38 p.m. NY)

New Yorkers using public transportation will be required to wear masks starting Monday or face a fine of $50, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

Cuomo, on a conference call with reporters, announced plans to issue the executive order to increase ridership. Subway and commuter rail use in New York City has drastically decreased since the coronavirus pandemic began hammering the city in March.

“We have to be able to say that to give riders comfort to re-engage the system,” Cuomo said.

Greece Hits Record (12:26 p.m. NY)

Greece reported 372 cases on Thursday, a record daily increase that brings the total to 12,452. The government ordered mandatory mask-wearing in all indoor and outdoor spaces in four regions of northern Greece - Pella, Kilkis, Imathia and Pieria - due to the spike in cases in those areas.

It also suspended all events, like parties and flea markets. Bars and restaurants will close at midnight until 7 a.m. and there will be a ban on gatherings of more than nine people in both public and private places. New measures for those regions will be in place from Sept. 11-25.

Cycling Surged in U.S. Cities (12:22 p.m. NY)

As many as 90 cities across the U.S. saw bicycle use rise year-on-year in May, according to StreetLight Data. Most of these cities have average commutes of under 30 minutes and low public transit ridership. Only large cities with long average commutes and strict stay-at-home policies like New York City, San Francisco and Washington D.C. saw bicycle use fall.

Most of this increase likely came at the expense of public transit, which has yet to recover to pre-Covid levels. National bike-sharing operators like Lime and local players like BlueBikeSC in South Carolina both stand to benefit if demand holds up.

WHO Says Astra Trial Halt Is Good Wakeup Call (11:53 a.m. NY)

AstraZeneca Plc’s halt of its vaccine trial after a patient became ill is a good wakeup call for everyone to recognize that there are ups and down in research and clinical development, the World Health Organization’s Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said at a briefing. Every clinical trial protocol has an operating procedure for how to manage side effects.

“This is normal procedure, this is good clinical practice, because safety is the highest priority in any clinical trial,” she said. “It’s not always a fast or a straight road.”

Separately, the WHO said there’s currently no way of predicting which vaccine candidates are going to be effective, but that the data from Phase 1 and 2 studies has been quite promising for most.

Arizona Cases Tick Downward (11:41 a.m. NY)

Arizona reported 461 new virus cases, a 0.2% increase to 207,002 that was just below the prior seven-day average increase of 0.3%. The state Department of Health Services recorded 22 new deaths, bringing the toll to 5,273.

Macron Vows to Avoid ‘Panic’ in France (11:34 a.m. NY)

President Emmanuel Macron signaled French government measures are likely to be adjusted to counter a resurgence of the virus.

“We have to continue to be rigorous and realistic, without giving in to any kind of panic,” Macron said during an official trip to Corsica.

France’s government is meeting on Friday to discuss possible measures to curb the rising pace of infections. “What we have to do is adapt to the evolution of the virus,” Macron said.

Florida Cases Maintain Moderate Pace (11:09 a.m. NY)

Florida reported 654,731 Covid-19 cases Thursday, up 0.4% from a day earlier, in line with the average increase in the previous seven days. That’s a daily change of 2,583 new cases, according to the health department report, which includes data through Wednesday.

The seven-day rolling new cases totaled 17,718, the fewest in a similar period since mid-June.

Deaths among Florida residents reached 12,326, an increase of 1.7%. The jump of 211 from a day earlier was the most in three weeks. But deaths often trail infections by weeks, and generally take even longer to be reflected in the data.

Michigan Launches College Fund for Frontline Workers (10:57 a.m. NY)

Michigan auto workers, grocery stockers and retail clerks are among the thousands of frontline workers that will be eligible for a novel scholarship program unveiled by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Thursday.

The state is investing $24 million of federal CARES Act dollars into a community college scholarship program for “essential business” workers that stayed in-person and on the job for at least 11 of the 13 weeks between April and June. The Democratic governor said the program was the first of its type in the country, and cash could go to part-time and full-time higher-ed programs, as well as high school diploma attainment.

U.S. Ends Airport Screening of International Arrivals (10:40 a.m. NY)

The U.S. is ending its Covid-19 screening of international travelers arriving at airports as airlines seek new ways to more aggressively test for the virus to boost anemic traffic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is ending its program that directed all flights from high-risk areas to 15 U.S. airports. The system was deemed ineffective because so many people who transmit the disease don’t show symptoms, the CDC said.

The government will now focus more on voluntary measures, such as educating passengers and requesting contact information electronically. The health screening will end on Sept. 14.

Houston’s Data Lag Continues to Bloat Case Count (10:22 am ET)

More than 80% of the “new” virus cases reported for the Houston area late Wednesday occurred prior to this month, a Bloomberg analysis found.

Of the 723 new cases disclosed by Harris County, which includes the fourth-largest US city, 98 dated to August, 217 were from July and another 277 were from June and May.

County and city officials blamed reporting glitches at labs and the state health department, and said they were working on ways to provide a clearer picture of the real-time caseload.

Londoners Venture Back to Work Despite Rise in Virus Infections (10:06 a.m. NY)

Londoners are steadily increasing their use of public transport again after schools reopened, freeing parents to go back to the workplace. Passenger numbers on the subway rose 16% and bus users surged 28% by 10 a.m. on Thursday compared with the same time a week earlier, data compiled by transit manager Transport for London show.

Western Europe Passes U.S. in New Infections (9:48 a.m. NY)

Western Europe has surpassed the U.S. in new daily infections, re-emerging as a global hotspot after bringing the pandemic under control earlier in the summer.

The 27 countries in the European Union plus the U.K., Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein recorded 27,233 new cases on Wednesday, compared with 26,015 for the U.S. That follows several weeks of resurgent infections in Spain, France and other countries across the continent. The comparison is based on data from the World Health Organization for the U.S. and Bloomberg calculations using numbers from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Norway Government Proposes Extending Wage Support (9:27 a.m. NY)

Norway’s government proposed a new round of economic support for businesses that take back employees who were laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday. Applications can be submitted for the months of October, November and December.

Corvus Covid-19 Immunotherapy Cohort Yields Antibodies (8:48 a.m. NY)

Corvus Pharmaceuticals’ ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial investigating the potential for CPI-006 to provide immunotherapy for patients with Covid-19 demonstrated that all evaluable patients treated in the first two cohorts produced significant titers of antibody to the coronavirus within seven days of receiving the treatment. Levels of antibody, including neutralizing antibodies, continually increased out to 28 days.

Scotland Tightens Virus Restrictions Amid Surge (8:18 a.m. NY)

Scotland’s semi-autonomous government has tightened rules on social gatherings and delayed a planned easing of other restrictions amid a surge in outbreaks across the country. From Sept. 14, six people from two households will be allowed to meet indoors, a reduction from eight from three separate homes previously, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told lawmakers in Edinburgh on Thursday. The Scottish government, which oversees health and education among other powers, has also paused a planned easing that was supposed to include the reopening of music venues and sports stadiums for spectators for at least three week, she said.

India Vaccine Maker Stops Testing Astra Shots (6:50 a.m. NY)

The Indian company enlisted to manufacture a billion doses of AstraZeneca Plc’s experimental Covid-19 vaccine is pausing its own clinical trial, after earlier declaring it would push ahead despite safety concerns that forced the British drugmaker to halt its tests. The Serum Institute of India halted its local trials after receiving a notice from the Drug Controller General of India seeking information on the illness of a person participating in Astra’s trials in Britain, the company said in an emailed statement. The regulator asked Serum to demonstrate why its clinical trial license should not be suspended until the safety of the vaccine is established, according to a report from the Press Trust of India.

Houston’s Daily Covid-19 Tallies Inflated (6:30 a.m. NY)

Houston-area health authorities are overstating the number of new Covid-19 cases as data teams struggle to work through a backlog of old test results in the third-largest U.S. county. On an almost daily basis, Harris County Public Health releases a tally of what it calls “new cases” that a Bloomberg analysis found includes hundreds of diagnoses that are weeks or months old. On Tuesday, for example, more than 70% of the new cases disclosed actually were detected prior to this month and some dated as far back as June.

Myanmar Bans Domestic Travel to Curb Spread (6:14 a.m. NY)

Myanmar banned all forms of travel in the country, except for emergencies, in an effort to contain local transmission of the Covid-19 virus. The order is effective from Friday until further notice, according to a statement from the Central Committee for Covid-19 Control, which is led by de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

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