After months of being case-free, some countries are seeing new clusters of Covid-19

The U.S. is still leading the world in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths — 5.2 million cases and more than 167,000 deaths as of this morning. But some other countries that went months without seeing a new case have recently reported new clusters. Much like Taiwan, New Zealand marked 100 days without reporting a new case. But like Vietnam, which went 99 days before identifying a new patient, New Zealand has seen a resurgence and has now recorded 29 new cases as part of a cluster with a still-unidentified source. Spain, after seemingly beating back the virus two months ago, is also seeing a spike in hospitalizations — the majority of new cases are among young and otherwise asymptomatic individuals.

Here's what else is going on with the pandemic:

Infusing plasma from those who recovered from Covid-19 seemed to improve the condition of those who were currently infected, according to a large national study, though it did not have a control group. Among more than 35,000 patients, those who got plasma within three days of being diagnosed had a seven-day mortality rate of 8.7%, while those who received the transfusion four or more days after diagnosis had a mortality rate of 11.9%.
Some 40% of adults reported dealing with a mental health or substance use issue in late June, according to new CDC data that add to the growing body of evidence of the toll the pandemic has taken on mental health. Those aged 18- 24, who were Hispanic, or who were essential workers were most likely to report mental health challenges.
Former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called for a nationwide mask mandate yesterday, even as local law enforcement, cities, and states continue to push back against compulsory mask-wearing. “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months at a minimum — every governor should mandate mandatory mask wearing,” said Biden, who estimated that a three-month mandate could save 40,000 lives.