US labs buckle amid testing surge; world coronavirus cases top 15 million

Research centers over the U.S. are clasping under a flood of coronavirus tests, making long preparing defers that specialists state are undermining the pandemic reaction.
With the U.S. count of affirmed diseases at almost 4 million Wednesday and new cases flooding, the bottlenecks are making issues for laborers kept off the activity while anticipating results, nursing homes battling to keep the infection out and for the labs themselves as they manage a devastating outstanding task at hand.
A few labs are taking a long time to return COVID-19 outcomes, intensifying feelings of trepidation that individuals without manifestations could be spreading the infection in the event that they don't disconnect while they pause.
There's been this fixation on, 'What number of tests are we doing every day?' said Dr. Tom Frieden, previous executive of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The inquiry is what number of tests are being finished with results returning inside a day, where the individual tried is quickly confined and their contacts are instantly cautioned.

Frieden and other general wellbeing specialists have approached states to freely report testing turnaround times, considering it a fundamental measurement to gauge progress against the infection.

British insurer Aviva overhauls UK biz, plans to cut 1,800 jobs globally

Company News

British insurer Aviva will change the structure of its UK business and cut costs across the firm, with the loss of 1,800 jobs, it said on Thursday.
Aviva said it would make cost cuts of 300 million pounds ($380.22 million) over three years, in a statement ahead of its first investor day under new Chief Executive Maurice Tulloch.
The cost base in 2018 was four billion pounds, an Aviva spokeswoman said.
Following the departure of Andy Briggs, head of the life and general insurer's UK business and a contender for the top job, Aviva said it would review its UK life and general insurance businesses.
Its UK digital business, housed in a former garage in the City's tech district, will be incorporated into the general insurance business, Aviva said.
Angela Darlington has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of UK life and Colm Holmes CEO of general insurance across the group, including Britain.
"Today is the first step in our plan to make Aviva simpler, more competitive and more commercial," Tulloch said in the statement. "Reducing Aviva's costs is essential."
Aviva employs 30,000 people and its international markets include Canada, France, Ireland and Asia.

 Aviva said trading to date had been in line with 2018 and reiterated its commitment to a progressive dividend policy.