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HEALTH-VIRUS-WORLD FACTS
Coronavirus: latest global developments
PARIS, Sept 15, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the
coronavirus crisis:
– Nearly 930,000 dead –
The pandemic has killed more than 929,391 people worldwide since surfacing
in China late last year, according to an AFP count at 1100 GMT on Tuesday
based on official sources.
More than 29.3 million cases have been confirmed.
The United States has the most deaths with 194,545, followed by Brazil with
132,006, India with 80,776, Mexico 71,049 and Britain 41,637.
– Vaccine in November? –
A China-developed vaccine could be ready for the public as early as
November, the chief biosafety expert at the Chinese Centre for Disease
Control tells state broadcaster CCTV.
– No deaths in Australia –
Australia records zero new virus deaths for the first time in two months,
as a slowdown in new cases allows a crippling lockdown in its second-biggest
city Melbourne to be eased.
– UK unemployment rises –
Britain’s unemployment rate jumped to 4.1 percent in July on economic
fallout from the pandemic, up from 3.9 percent in the previous quarter, the
Office for National Statistics says.
– China city lockdown –
China has locked down one city of more than 210,000 people and will launch
a mass testing programme there, officials say, after three cases were found
in Ruili in western Yunnan province, a major land border crossing point with
neighbouring Myanmar.
– Testing times –
Hospital bosses in England warn that healthcare services are being
jeopardised by lack of access to testing.
NHS Providers, which represents the heads of hospital trusts in the state-
run National Health Service, says there are “current capacity problems with
the testing regime”.
– Myanmar mulls election delay –
Opposition parties in Myanmar are calling for November’s election to be
postponed as the country scrambles to control a virus surge with new
infections doubling every week and hospitals in the biggest city, Yangon,
overwhelmed.
– H&M bounces back –
Swedish clothing giant Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) bounces back into profit
last quarter despite many of its stores remaining closed due to restrictions,
sending its share price surging.
– Tour all clear –
Tour de France organisers are in exultant mood when announcing that all of
their cyclists have tested negative for Covid-19 in the final round of tests,
with six days left in the world famous cycling race, scheduled to end on
Sunday with its parade up the Champs Elysees in Paris.
The news marks a success with organiser ASO who will claim the race has
provided a blueprint in how to stage a major sports event in the middle of a
pandemic.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1932 hrs