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Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, Jan 26, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– EU gets tough on vaccines –
Tensions mount between the European Union and pharmaceutical firms over delays to vaccine deliveries with leaders moving to track consignments being sent outside the bloc to higher bidders.
– Vaccine nationalism blasted –
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accuses rich countries of bulk-buying vaccines and hoarding them to the detriment of others.
– Dutch riot again –
Dutch police arrest 184 rioters after a third night of protests against a curfew, in the worst unrest in the Netherlands in four decades.
– Second dose delay? –
Amid a global shortage of vaccines, the World Health Organization cautiously backs delaying second injections of the Moderna jab.
– Mexico deaths pass 150k –
Mexico’s death toll has passed 150,000, a day after President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he tested positive.
– Billionaire positive –
Latin America’s richest man, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, 80, is being treated for Covid-19 but has only mild symptoms.
– Million cases in Indonesia –
Indonesia passes more than one million cases as the nation of nearly 270 million launches one of the world’s biggest vaccine drives.
– Brazil variant in US –
A case diagnosed in Minnesota earlier this month is identified as the first US appearance of the Brazil variant.
– AstraZeneca denial –
AstraZeneca says media reports that the German government found only eight percent efficacy of its vaccine in the over 65s are “completely incorrect”.
– UK genomics help –
Britain, which has carried out more than half of all SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences worldwide, will offer genomics expertise to countries lacking resources.
– N. Zealand borders –
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warns New Zealand’s borders are likely to remain closed for much of the year.
– Child ban –
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reimposes a ban on children aged 10 to 14 leaving home, telling them to watch television.
– Greece bans gatherings –
Greek police announce a ban on large gatherings for a week ahead of expected protests on a number of issues.
– UK unemployment up –
Official figures show Britain’s unemployment rate hit 5.0 percent at the end of last year as lockdowns destroyed jobs.
– No virus in Tajikistan –
Authoritarian leader Emomali Rakhmon says the pandemic has ended in his Central Asian country with mosques set to reopen after a nine-month closure.
– Nearly 100 million cases –
At least 2,140,687 people have died of coronavirus since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources.
More than 99,631,812 cases have been registered.
The US has suffered the highest death toll with 421,134 deaths, followed by Brazil with 217,664 and India with 153,587.
– Doctors for Olympics? –
Japan plans to recruit 10,000 medical personnel for the virus-delayed Olympics, despite the heavy strain on the healthcare system caused by a third wave of infections.
– Florida Games? –
A Florida official tells the International Olympic Committee that the US state — where deaths have topped 25,000 — would be happy to host the Olympics Games if Japan backs out.
– Gorilla recovering –
An elderly gorilla at the San Diego Zoo is recovering from Covid-19 after being treated with cutting-edge synthetic antibodies.
– Football losses –
The pandemic could cost Europe’s 20 highest earning football clubs over two billion euros ($2.4 billion, £1.4 billion).
BSS/AFP/IJ/1919 hrs