Highest number of new Covid-19 cases reported to WHO in the last 24 hours
From CNN Health’s Ben Tinker
There were 259,848 new Covid-19 cases reported to the World Health Organization in the last 24 hours, according to a WHO situation report published Saturday. The total number of cases worldwide reported to WHO is now 13.8 million.
The rise in newly reported cases sets another record for cases reported to WHO within a 24-hour period.
The previous record was set on Friday, with 237,743 new cases of Covid-19.
Saturday’s report noted there were 7,360 additional Covid-19 deaths reported to WHO in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths worldwide to 593,087.
Keep track of Covid-19 cases across the world with John Hopkins University’s interactive map.
Brazil reports more than 900 new Covid-19 deaths
From CNN’s Taylor Barnes in Atlanta and journalist Rodrigo Pedroso in São Paulo.
Brazil’s health ministry reported 912 new Covid-19 deaths on Saturday, raising the country’s death toll to 78,772.
The ministry reported 28,532 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to 2.07 million.
The ongoing outbreak is partly driven by a rise in cases in Brazil’s south and interior. That includes states like Santa Catarina, where the Gov. Carlos Moises announced new lockdown measures in several regions on Friday due to what he called “very grave” public health risk. In Mato Grosso, about 90 percent of ICU beds are occupied, according to the state government.
CDC updates its guidance for people with Covid-19 who are isolating at home
From CNN’s Gisela Crespo
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance for people who are isolating at home with Covid-19 to prevent transmission of the virus.
They offer one strategy based on time and symptoms, and another approach based on testing.
Someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and has symptoms may discontinue isolation 10 days after the symptoms first appeared so long as 24 hours have passed since the last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, and if symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath have improved.
People with Covid-19 symptoms isolating at home and with access to tests can leave isolation if a fever has passed without the use of medication, if there is an improvement in symptoms, and if tests taken more than 24 hours apart come back negative, according to the guidelines.
The revised guidelines were posed online Friday. The CDC also updated guidance for people who are in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 but who don’t have symptoms. The agency recommended two options: a time-based strategy and a test-based strategy.
A person without symptoms can discontinue isolation 10 days after the first positive test and if they have not subsequently developed symptoms.
“Because symptoms cannot be used to gauge where these individuals are in the course of their illness, it is possible that the duration of viral shedding could be longer or shorter than 10 days after their first positive test,” the CDC warned.
Viral shedding means a person can pass the virus to someone else.
If a person develops symptoms, then the symptom-based or test-based strategy should be used, according to the guidelines.
People who have tested positive for Covid-19 and are asymptomatic can also discontinue isolation if the results of two tests taken more than 24 hours apart come back negative.
The decision of ending isolation “should be made in the context of local circumstances,” the CDC advised. Health care workers who are in close contact with vulnerable populations and people who are immunocompromised — which could prolong viral shedding after recovery — are recommended to isolate for longer.
The CDC noted the updated guidance may “appear in conflict” with the recommendations for people known to have been exposed to the virus. The agency recommends a 14-day quarantine after exposure, based on the time it takes to develop illness from the virus.
It is possible that a person known to be infected could leave isolation earlier than a person who is quarantined because of the possibility they are infected,” the agency explained.
Previous guidance from May 3 had extended the home isolation period from seven to 10 days since symptoms first appeared or after the first positive test. The CDC said this update was made “based on evidence suggesting a longer duration of viral shedding.”
The agency warned these recommendations “will prevent most, but cannot prevent all, instances of secondary spread.”
“The risk of transmission after recovery is likely substantially less than that during illness; recovered persons will not be shedding large amounts of virus by this point, if they are shedding at all,” the agency said.
Texas reports more than 10,000 cases for fifth straight day
From CNN’s Kay Jones
For a fifth day in a row, Texas has reported more than 10,000 new Covid-19 cases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Saturday’s 10,158 new cases bring the state’s total to 317,730 cases.
The DSHS reported an additional 130 deaths, just a day after reporting highest daily total of 174 new deaths. Texas has reported 673 deaths over the past six days, bringing the total to 3,865 statewide.
The number of hospitalizations rose slightly on Saturday to 10,658 Covid-19 patients.
Keep track of Covid-19 cases across the US with CNN’s interactive map.
