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Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, June 11, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
– G7’s one billion –
The leaders of G7 countries meet for their first in-person talks in nearly two years, with the rich democracies expected pledge one billion vaccine doses to the world’s poorest countries.
– Euro 2020 finally kicks off –
In-form Italy face Turkey in Rome as Euro 2020 football tournament finally gets underway a year behind schedule but with the pandemic continuing to cast a shadow.
– Delta for danger –
The British government says the new Delta variant — first spotted in India — is 60 percent more transmissible in homes than the variant that forced the country to lock down in January.
– Phone blocking –
The Pakistan province of Punjab — the country’s most populous, which includes the megacity of Lahore — says it will block the mobile phones of people refusing to get vaccinated.
– Games jabs push –
Around 18,000 Tokyo Olympics workers, including referees and volunteers, will be vaccinated from next week, organisers say, as they try to reassure the public that the Games will be safe.
– South Africa’s third wave –
South Africa has officially entered its third wave with rising caseloads and a sluggish vaccine rollout fuelling fears of fresh strain on the country’s healthcare system.
– UK economy on the up –
Britain’s economy grew 2.3 percent in April as lockdown eased, official data shows, but finance minister Rishi Sunak is still cautious as the Delta variant spreads.
– Cruise cases –
Two guests on one of the first cruise ships to sail from North America since the pandemic test positive, despite all passengers and crew having been tested and vaccinated.
– 3.7 million dead –
The pandemic has killed at least 3,775,362 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.
The US is the worst-affected country with 598,748 deaths, followed by Brazil with 482,019, India 363,079, Mexico 229,578, Peru 187,847 and Britain with 127,867.
The figures are based on reports by health authorities in each country, but do not take into account upward revisions carried out later by statistical bodies.
The WHO says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1740 hrs