ZCZC
BFF-04
HEALTH-VIRUS-WORLD
Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, March 21, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the
coronavirus crisis:
– Tokyo Olympics overseas fan ban –
Overseas fans will be barred from this year’s pandemic-postponed Tokyo
Olympics because of ongoing coronavirus concerns, organisers announce.
The unprecedented decision will make the Tokyo Games the first ever held
without overseas spectators, as organisers scale back their ambitions for the
event.
– EU threatens AstraZeneca export ban –
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen threatens to halt exports of AstraZeneca’s
Covid-19 vaccines if the bloc does not receive its promised deliveries first.
The warning comes as the European Union struggles to speed up its
inoculation campaign, with many member states facing a third coronavirus wave
and renewed curbs on public life.
– Imran Khan positive –
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan tests positive for Covid-19, his
office announces, just two days after having been vaccinated against the
disease.
The 68-year-old received a shot of the Chinese-produced Sinopharm vaccine
on Thursday.
– Partial lockdown in France –
Several parts of France enter a new partial lockdown, hours after an
exodus from the capital, Paris, and a rush to shops to stock up.
The new restrictions apply to around a third of the country’s population
affecting, Paris and several regions in the north and south. Schools are
staying open.
– Poles urged to stay at home –
Poland enters a three-week partial lockdown from Saturday, with people
encouraged to stay at home and most shops shut.
Shopping centres, hotels, pools, gyms and schools will be closed until at
least April 9.
– Schools shut in Ukraine capital … –
Ukraine capital Kiev shuts down all but essential shops and moves schools
to distance-learning to try to stem a surge in infections.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal has urged regional authorities to impose
stronger restrictions to curb the spread of the disease.
– Anti-lockdown protests –
German police clash with protesters at a mass demonstration against
coronavirus restrictions in the city of Kassel on Saturday, using water
cannon, batons and pepper spray to disperse crowds.
The protest attracts between 15,000 and 20,000 demonstrators, local police
say, making it one of the largest such rallies so far this year.
In the Netherlands, police use water cannon to break up a group of around
500 protesters at Amsterdam’s Museum Square.
In Switzerland, an estimated 3,000-5,000 people gather in the small town
of Liestal to demand an end to anti-Covid measures.
Around a thousand protesters rally in Vienna before being dispersed,
including members of the far-right and hooligans, according to Austrian
media.
And in cenral London several thousand people were estimated to have
gathered to demonstrate, with reports of scuffles and the throwing of bottles
and cans at police officers.
– 425 million vaccine doses –
More than 425 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered
worldwide, according to an AFP tally based on official sources at 1800 GMT on
Saturday.
At least 162 countries or territories, accounting for 93 percent of the
global population, have begun rolling out their vaccination programmes. But
so far, 58 percent all doses administered have been in “high-income”
countries, where just 16 percent of the world’s inhabitants live.
– More than 2.7 million dead –
At least 2,702,004 million people have died of coronavirus around the
world since the outbreak began in December 2019, according to an AFP tally
based on official sources at 1300 GMT.
The US is the worst-affected country with 541,143 deaths followed by Brazil
(290,314), Mexico (197,219), India (159,558) and Britain (126,026).
BSS/AFP/FI/0828 hrs