October 14 coronavirus news

Health authorities around the world have reported the loss of taste and smell as clear symptoms of a Covid-19 infection. Now researchers are investigating after new cases of hearing loss with Covid-19 infections emerged.

Among them is a 45-year-old man in Britain. The case study, published in the British Medical Journal’s BMJ Case Reports on Tuesday, describes how the man, who also has asthma, saw an otolaryngology specialist following a week of hearing loss while he was being treated in hospital for Covid-19.

The patient was treated with steroids for his hearing loss and he completed a seven-day course, which resulted in just partial improvement in his hearing, according to the journal.

"This is the first reported case of sensorineural hearing loss following COVID-19 infection in the UK," the researchers wrote. "Given the widespread presence of the virus in the population and the significant morbidity of hearing loss, it is important to investigate this further."

The researchers -- from the University College London and Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital --  noted that there have been a few other reported cases of hearing loss following Covid-19 infection.

Read more here.

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Small gatherings are becoming a growing source of Covid-19 spread, a leading health expert said, as at least 36 states are now reporting increased cases of the virus and hospitalizations are on the rise nationwide.

"In the public square, we're seeing a higher degree of vigilance and mitigation steps in many jurisdictions," US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield said during a call with the nation's governors on Tuesday. Audio of the call was obtained by CNN.

White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx echoed Redfield's warning last week, urging Americans not to let their guard down during the holidays by gathering with close friends and family who they think may be virus-free.

That's especially important to keep in mind as college students begin returning home. Experts have warned that young students, who often show mild or no symptoms at all, can contribute to a household spread of the virus, by infecting their parents who may then go on to infect other parts of their home and community.

The warnings come as the US sees early signs of what experts say will be another Covid-19 surge, one that could overwhelm the healthcare system and kill thousands more Americans in the coming months.

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With no end to the global pandemic in sight, fashion and sportswear brands have been quickly adapting their lines to include face masks decorated with logos and stylish patterns.

While cloth masks made of traditional materials can help slow the spread of Covid-19, according to the World Health Organization, some labels are going one step further. They're marketing new accessories, and in some cases entire clothing lines, as having antimicrobial properties -- applications that inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, or reduce viral activity. But what does antimicrobial fashion do, and can it provide extra protection during a pandemic?

In recent months, brands including Burberry have introduced masks that, they claim, are protected from microbes and germs. Burberry's forthcoming beige and blue designs come in the label's signature check. Under Armour's multi-layered UA Sportsmask, which is ​marketed as having antimicrobial properties, sold out in under an hour when it was released this summer.

And Diesel is selling denim that it claims is "virus-fighting." The Italian brand announced that it will use a technology called ViralOff -- which it says "physically halts 99% of any viral activity" -- in a number of items in its Spring-Summer 2021 collection. ViralOff works "by interacting with key proteins, inhibiting the virus from attaching to textile fibers," reads Diesel's press release.

In the US, brands cannot claim that products will protect wearers from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, without providing sufficient evidence. ​Therefore, some labels simply allude to extra protection or hygiene, though the small print often reveals that antimicrobial treatments are only intended to inhibit bacterial or viral growth, not protect the user from pathogens. (Washing garments with soap once a day, as recommended by the World Health Organization, or WHO, can also kill bacteria and viruses.)

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At least 90 members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra have been ordered to undergo mandatory quarantine after one of its members tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Hong Kong government said the 35-year-old male patient had been present at two concerts held by the orchestra last Friday and Saturday. 

The musicians did not wear masks during the performance, and are therefore identified as close contacts, the statement said.

The government has also urged audience members to pay close attention to their health conditions and consider taking a Covid-19 test.

On Wednesday, the orchestra issued a statement and said its offices are temporarily closed and will be disinfected in the coming days. Performances in the next two weeks have also been canceled and tickets will be refunded. 

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet the country's 16 federal state premiers on Wednesday to discuss possible nationwide measures to control the coronavirus, ahead of the fall holidays.

The question of overnight stays for German visitors will be at the heart of discussions at the chancellery.

Different regulations apply in different states: Some states, like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northern Germany, require a coronavirus test plus quarantine for visitors from German hotspot areas, and want to maintain those rules. Other states want to abolish those kinds of regulations -- and still others favor nationwide rules. 

Rising cases: On Wednesday, Germany reported its highest weekly infection total since April. Last week, Merkel urged German citizens to adhere to coronavirus restrictions and warned that even tougher measures may be imposed.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated when Germany reported its highest weekly infection total. It was on Wednesday.

Chinese health authorities in the city of Qingdao are batch testing to speed up a citywide mass Covid-19 testing program, the municipal government said on Wednesday.

The testing method combines 10 samples at a time; if any batch turns out positive, all 10 people are then quarantined and tested individually.

Batch testing is efficient; Qingdao, which reported 12 locally transmitted cases over the weekend, has already tested more than 7.5 million people, said Municipal Deputy Director Chen Wansheng. The city has a population of about 9 million.

So far, 4 million of the cases have shown negative results, and no new infections have been identified.

Questions about effectiveness: However, a Hong Kong medical expert has questioned the effectiveness of the mass testing program in identifying cases.

Dr. Jin Dongyan, a virology professor at the University of Hong Kong, told CNN on Wednesday that the test was "a waste of resources" in many situations because Covid-19 patients are usually identified over a range of time, and hidden cases cannot be identified at once.

A spin studio in Canada that public health officials say followed all Covid-19 protocols is now reporting 61 positive cases of the disease, and as many as 100 staff, clients and family members may have been exposed.

SPINCO, in Hamilton, Ontario, just reopened in July and had all of the right protocols in place, including screening of staff and attendees, tracking all those in attendance at each class, masking before and after classes, laundering towels and cleaning the rooms within 30 minutes of a complete class, said Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, in a statement.

But it still wasn't enough.

Public health officials are very concerned about the number of cases and the size of the outbreak, especially because the city is not currently a hotspot and the facility was not ignoring health protocols, they said in a statement to CNN.

There are currently 44 confirmed positive primary cases associated with SPINCO and 17 confirmed secondary cases. Exposure was linked to several classes held from September 28 to October 4.

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The United States reported 52,406 new cases of Covid-19 and 802 virus-related fatalities on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The new figures raise the country's total to at least 7,856,714 cases and 215,887 deaths. 

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

See CNN's live tracker of US cases:

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Schools in India are set to reopen Thursday after being closed for months, albeit with new government regulations in place, according to a news release from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

Fall in cases: This comes as India has seen a decrease in daily new cases reported this week. The Health Ministry reported 63,509 new cases on Wednesday -- the first week since August that the country has reported consistent daily figures below 70,000. The total number of confirmed cases is now more than 7.23 million.

India also reported 730 new virus-related fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's death toll to 110,586.

State-by-state rollout: Schools in the northern state of Punjab will fully reopen on Thursday, though online learning will continue to be the preferred mode of learning.

In northern Uttar Pradesh state, schools will open from October 19.

Schools in the union territory of Delhi and western Maharashtra state will remain closed until October 31, while in eastern West Bengal state, the decision to reopen schools will be made after Diwali on November 14.

Movie theaters and multiplexes will also reopen on Thursday.