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Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, Jan 23, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– Year since Wuhan lockdown –
The Chinese city of Wuhan marks one year since the start of its traumatic 76-day coronavirus lockdown.
On January 23, 2020, Wuhan shocked the globe by confining its 11 million anxious citizens to their homes, starting a cycle that would spread across the world.
But China largely brought its outbreak under control and Wuhan is nothing like the ghost town of a year ago, with traffic humming, sidewalks bustling, and citizens packing public transport and parks.
– Hong Kong, Oslo tighten measures –
Thousands of people in one of Hong Kong’s poorest and most densely packed districts are ordered to stay in their homes.
Norway’s government meanwhile imposes the strictest restrictions seen in the region of the capital Oslo since March after the discovery of the British variant in a retirement home.
– French lockdown ‘likely’ –
A French government source tells AFP that “the hypothesis of confinement is more and more likely,” citing projections of a surge in cases due to the more transmissible British strain.
France’s HAS national health authority says that it would be “reasonable” to extend the time between the two required vaccination doses to up to six weeks, from the current recommendation of three to four.
– Fabric masks still work: WHO –
The World Health Organization says it has no plans to change its guidance recommending fabric facemasks as new coronavirus variants spread, because the mutated strains are transmitted in the same way.
The statement comes after Germany and Austria made medical masks mandatory on public transport and in shops, allowing only surgical or FFP2 masks rather than fabric.
– Oxygen race in Mexico –
With Mexico City’s hospitals overwhelmed, relatives are queueing for hours to buy oxygen for the growing number of people fighting the virus at home. The country has recorded 146,174 Covid-19 deaths so far.
– Brazil vaccine shortages –
Brazil has just started its vaccination campaign but scientists are already warning the hard-hit country will quickly run out of doses and even syringes, some blaming the government for the shortages.
– Sorcery fails –
Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, who publicly endorsed sorcery and a magic potion containing honey and nutmeg to stop surging coronavirus infections, tests positive.
– More than 2.1 million dead –
More than 2.1 million people have died of the virus since it first emerged in China in late 2019, according to a tally compiled by AFP on Saturday based on official figures.
The US has suffered the highest death toll with 414,107 fatalities, followed by Brazil with 215,243 and India with 153,184.
But more than 60 million vaccination doses have been administered in some 64 countries or territories, with 90 percent of those jabs taking place in 13 nations.
The number of deaths globally is broadly under-estimated. The toll is calculated from daily figures published by national health authorities and does not include later revisions by statistics agencies.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1919 hrs