NEW REPORTS OF EARLY FEBRUARY DEATHS IN CALIFORNIA PUTS US OUTBREAK 'WEEKS EARLIER'

A MULTITUDE of studies and frenetic research on coronavirus is coming out of America as the US death toll passes 50,000 in its 886,000 confirmed cases.

One heartening one among the doomsayers found sunlight could kill Covid-19 within minutes, the US Department of Homeland Security revealed.

New research from the DHS Science and Technology directorate claimed high humidity, temperatures, and sunlight kills the virus in saliva droplets on non-porous surfaces and in the air.

The virus dies quickest in the presence of direct sunlight, and it survives best in indoor conditions.

Another suggests the virus can stay in a patient's eyes for weeks.

US doctors are also reporting a mysterious blood-clotting complication is killing their coronavirus patients. Despite being treated with blood-thinners, which help break down the clots, patients are still developing them in various parts of the body as clinical staff are finding that Covid-19 is much more than just a respiratory illness. Meanwhile, hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug President Donald Trump hoped would be a "game changer" in the pandemic, showed no benefit and was linked to higher rates of death in a group of Veterans Affairs patients, according to a study that has not yet been peer reviewed. Researchers are scrambling to measure the effects of the anti-malaria drug. The Infectious Diseases Society of America strongly advised the medical profession that the drugs should be prescribed only in clinical trials. Now it seems at least two people who died in early and mid-February in the US had Covid-19, California health officials said. The victims died on February and February 17 – the first recorded fatality had previously been dated at February 29. The newly found fatalities push back the earliest death by weeks, potentially altering the timeline of the entire U.S. outbreak. Key workers across the world appear to be "going the extra mile" to battle this dreadful pandemic. Dozens in Pennsylvania did not leave their factory for a whole month – living and sleeping in one place in order to stay healthy and make millions of pounds of the raw materials that will end up in face masks and surgical gowns. More "at odds" messages from Goverment as US Vice President Mike Pence says the coronavirus pandemic could end as early as June – despite the nation's top health experts warning of a second wave in the autumn. People who have already contracted the disease will likely be immune to it in the future, which means the US will be in a "better place" by fall, according to Mr Pence. But as more US states reopen, the sudden relaxation in restrictions will mean that more people will be exposed to the virus, according to experts – and the basic rules that govern how viruses spread – which will result in an uptick in cases and deaths. "The maths is unfortunately pretty simple. It's not a matter of whether infections will increase but by how much," said Jeffrey Shaman, a leading epidemiologist at Columbia University. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates likens pandemic to World War II. Coronavirus will define the current generation in the same way the 1939-45 conflagration shaped an earlier cohort, says Mr Gates. He acknowledged the pain caused by the outbreak which will be felt "for years to come." The world case tally stands at 2.73 million this morning as the death toll closes in on the 200,000 mark – at 191,087. Meanwhile in the UK, confirmed new cases in the West and East Midlands continue to outnumber those in London and the North West. The positive tests went up by 580 to 16,663 in the Midlands out of a UK total of 138,078 – an increase of 4,583 on the previous day. London's case total is 21,654 and the North West 15,682. Kent retains the 'hot spot' for coronavirus in the upper tier local authority table with 2,826 people testing positive for the virus – Birmingham saw 122 new cases and remains in second spot with 2,483. Warwickshire has 955 confirmed cases (49 up on yesterday), Coventry is on 567 (up 28) – Atherstone's neighbouring county Staffordshire lies 10th in the table with 1,405 cases and Leicestershire 776 The Midlands and the North West will also be hit hardest by the coronavirus economic fallout, according to a new study. City giant KPMG forecasts the West Midlands will now contract by just over 10 per cent in 2020 as it is home to many carmakers who are facing a "severe downturn". Slumps will be almost as big in the East Midlands and North West. London will drop seven per cent due to the "resilience" offered by financial and professional services.