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HEALTH-VIRUS-WORLD,FACTS
Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, April 29, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– India reels but still votes –
India’s disaster deepens as it records a fresh spike in daily deaths to 3,645 and hits another global record of more than 379,000 new cases in the past 24 hours.
Millions of people still turn out to vote in the final phase of a marathon election in West Bengal, with long queues of voters stretching outside polling booths as temperatures soar.
– More aid flown in –
Many nations rush to help India, including the United States, which announces it will send more than $100 million in medical supplies and test kits.
– Moscow cases rocket –
Russian health officials say cases surged 75 percent in one day, with authorities in the city hesitating about reimposing restrictions with life there almost back to normal.
– Turkey full lockdown –
With the highest infection rate in Europe, Turkey enters a full lockdown until May 17, with all non-essential businesses to close and travel between regions restricted.
– Europe travel –
The European Parliament agrees on how a Covid certificate should work, bringing the EU closer to launching a document to open up travel within the bloc.
– Jabs for teens –
German pharmaceutical firm BioNTech says it expects its vaccine, jointly developed with Pfizer, to be available to 12- to 15-year-olds in Europe from June.
– More Moderna –
US rival Moderna says it expects to make up to three billion doses of its vaccine in 2022 through new funding commitments to boost supply at manufacturing sites in Europe and the US.
– Sputnik stutters –
Scientists back Brazil’s drug regulator’s decision to stop the import of Russia’s Sputnik V jab on the basis that batches they tested carried a live version of a common cold-causing virus.
– Tech boom –
South Korean giant Samsung says its net profits rose nearly 50 percent in the first quarter, largely driven by robust sales of its smartphones and home appliances due to continued stay-at-home demand.
Apple says its profits more than doubled in the past quarter amid a surge in iPhone sales to pandemic-hit consumers.
– More than three million deaths –
At least 3,152,646 people have died of Covid-19 around the world since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources.
The US is the worst-affected country with 574,329 deaths, followed by Brazil with 398,185, Mexico 215,918, India 204,832 and Britain 127,480.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1715 hrs