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HEALTH-VIRUS-WORLD, FACTS
Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, Feb 9, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the
coronavirus crisis:
– Virus source still a mystery… –
The World Health Organization mission wraps up its investigation into the
origins of the virus in China without identifying the animal source of the
disease.
It also says there is “no indication” of the virus being in Wuhan before
December 2019.
– …But no lab link –
The mission also discounts a conspiracy theory that the virus came from a
famous infectious diseases laboratory in Wuhan.
– AstraZeneca jab ‘vital tool’ –
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine remains a vital tool against the virus
despite some doubts over its efficacy for certain age groups, the WHO says,
as it gets ready to ship 337.2 million shots to poorer countries through its
Covax scheme.
– Iran launches campaign –
Iran begins to vaccinate its 80-million-plus population with Russia’s
Sputnik V shot, with the country due to receive 4.2 million additional doses
of the AstraZeneca-Oxford jab via Covax.
– Facebook ban –
Facebook is banning groups that spread misinformation and debunked claims
about the virus and vaccines.
Accounts that share such misinformation may be removed completely, the
social network warns.
– Cuban doctors in Panama –
Panama thanks more than 200 Cuban doctors for helping Central America’s
worst-affected nation, in response to criticism from Washington who consider
Cuban medics to be victims of “forced labour” and a propaganda tool for
Havana.
– Shots for Ukraine –
The European Union calls on member states to donate some of their jabs to
Ukraine as the country of 44 million awaits eight million doses promised
under the Covax programme.
– Congressman dies –
Texas Republican congressman Ron Wright, 67, has died, becoming the first
sitting member of the US Congress to lose his life battling the coronavirus.
– Equatorial Guinea curfew –
Equatorial Guinea imposes a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the first time,
limits flights and reintroduces other restrictions after cases go back up in
the West African country.
– Total loss –
French energy giant Total reports a net loss of $7.2 billion for 2020,
compared with a profit of $11.2 billion the previous year, as the pandemic
slashes demand for oil.
– Easter Island jabs –
Easter Island, which has not reported a single case in more than 300 days,
begins vaccinating residents, distributing 120 doses on the first day.
– Tourism deal –
Israel and Greece agree to allow vaccinated citizens of the two countries
to travel between them.
– Greece third wave –
Greece is facing a third wave with 71 percent of intensive care beds in
the Athens area now filled with Covid-19 patients.
– Matches moved –
UEFA moves Manchester City’s Champions League last-16 match to Budapest
due to strict entry rules imposed by Germany, a day after Liverpool’s match
against Leipzig was also
relocated to the Hungarian capital.
– More than 2.3 million dead –
The virus has killed at least 2,325,744 people since the outbreak emerged
in China in December 2019, according to a tally from official sources
compiled by AFP Tuesday.
The US is the worst-affected country with 465,083 deaths followed by
Brazil with 232,170, Mexico with 166,731, India with 155,158, and the UK with
112,798.
BSS/AFP/IJ/2005 hrs