This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for October 30th, 2020.

The number of new cases around the world in the last 24 hours surpasses a half a million and sets a new record. More stats in a moment.

Research which has not yet been peer reviewed shows a variant of the coronavirus believed to have originated in Spain has spread across Europe and is accounting for most of the new cases in that region. The variant has increased from “very low” values prior to July 15 to 40 to 70% in Switzerland, Ireland, and the U.K. in September. It’s also prevalent in Norway, Latvia, the Netherlands, and France.

Speaking of France, doctors there are relieved and business owners in despair as that country prepares to lock down for a month. COVID patients now fill 60% of French intensive care units, and France is reporting tens of thousands of new cases daily.

India’s cumulative coronavirus caseload surpassed 8 million yesterday, even though daily infections dipped to the lowest level this week. India’s overall trajectory is moving toward the worst-hit country, the United States, which has over 8.8 million cases.

In Michigan restaurants it’ll be “can I take your order and get your phone number?” Starting Monday, a new policy requires restaurants to get the names and numbers of customers for tracking in case of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Take your pick, making it easy for citizens to vote or COVID safety. Hundreds of polling places in Iowa have been closed, reportedly due to the pandemic. Overall, this affects some 670,000 Iowans, 30% of the state's registered voters.

The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bon Homme, SD. Elliott, KY. Carter, MT. Buffalo, SD. Okfuskee, OK. Kusilvak Census Area, AK. Norton, KS. Wallace, KS. Oglala Lakota, SD. And Ellsworth, KS.

There are 2,995,245 active cases in the United States. The current Top 10 states by number of active cases: California, Florida, Arizona, Virginia overtakes Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Maryland, Illinois, and Alabama.

The five states with the most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho.

The retransmission rate is currently highest in Wyoming, Vermont, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and New Mexico. There are two states with a retransmission rate below 1 and they are Mississippi and Oklahoma.

There’ve been a total 228,647 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 2.59%.

The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 113. Florida 82. Illinois 56. Wisconsin 51. Georgia and Michigan 47. Missouri 46. North Carolina and Pennsylvania 38. And Indiana 33.

Globally, there are now 11,142,220 active cases.

There are 505,367 new cases around the world in the last 24 hours, and that sets a new all-time high.

The five countries with the most new cases: United States 91,530. India 49,281. France 47,637. Italy 26,831. And Brazil 26,647.

There have now been 1,180,277 deaths worldwide. Up 17% over 14 days.

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