Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
10 Million Jabs A Day
India has given more than 10 million COVID-19 jabs in a single day for the first time as the South Asian giant bolsters its defences for a predicted new surge.
The health ministry said the 10 million landmark was passed on Friday, beating the country's previous daily record of 9.2 million.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the milestone as a "momentous feat" for the nation of 1.3 billion people.
Japan Probes Moderna After Two Die
An investigation is under way into the deaths of two men who received jabs from batches of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine suspended from use due to contamination, the health ministry in Tokyo said.
The men aged 30 and 38 died earlier this month after a second Moderna dose.
Delta Doubles Hospital Risk
The Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 doubles the risk of hospitalisation compared to the Alpha variant it has supplanted as the dominant strain worldwide, researchers report in The Lancet.
Only 1.8 percent of the more than 43,000 COVID cases assessed in comparing the two variants were in patients who had been fully vaccinated.
Three-quarters were completely unvaccinated, and 24 percent had only received one jab of a two-dose vaccine.
Denmark To Lift Curbs
Denmark will lift all of its COVID-19 restrictions by 10 September, health officials say, as the virus no longer poses "a threat to society" due to the country's broad vaccination coverage.
NZ Extends Lockdown
New Zealand extends into next week a national lockdown sparked by a Delta virus outbreak, but warns restrictions will last longer in the infection epicentre of Auckland.
Year-Long Symptoms
Fatigue and shortness of breath still afflict many patients a year after their hospitalisation for COVID-19, according to a Chinese study calling for a better understanding of the pandemic's long-term health effects.
More Than 4.4 Million Dead
The coronavirus has killed at least 4,472,486 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.
The United States (US) is the worst-affected country with 633,564 deaths, followed by Brazil with 577,565, India with 436,861, Mexico 256,287 and Peru 198,064.
Based on the latest reports, the countries with the most new daily deaths were the US with 1,238, followed by Brazil with 920 and Mexico with 835.- AFP