COVID-19: Latest Global Developments

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) gather outside the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) offices in Pretoria, on 25 June, 2021 calling for the country's medicines regulatory body to give the greenlight to China's Sinovac and Russia's Sputnik vaccines, amid a third coronavirus wave. (AFP Photo)

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

Record In Saint Petersburg

Russia's Saint Petersburg, like the capital Moscow, posts record COVID-19 deaths as it prepares to host a Euro 2020 quarter-final on Friday despite the spread of the Delta variant.

Twenty20 Moved To UAE

The Twenty20 cricket World Cup in October and November will be moved to the United Arab Emirates from India due to the pandemic, an Indian cricket board official says.

US Infections Plateau

After declining fast for two months, the rate of COVID infections in the United States (US) has levelled off since mid-June thanks to localised spikes in under-vaccinated regions of the country, data from covSpectrum tracker shows.

Australia Battles Flare-Ups

Infections appear in cities across Australia, with Brisbane, Darwin, Perth and Sydney all reporting new cases of the highly infectious Delta variant, prompting local authorities to impose restrictions.

Italy Drops Its Masks

All of Italy becomes a mask-free, "low-risk" zone for the virus, marking a dramatic milestone for the first European country to be hit by the global pandemic in February 2020.

S Africa's Third Wave

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announces fresh restrictions in a televised address and says the country "is facing a massive resurgence of infection".

Hong Kong UK Flight Ban

Hong Kong bans all incoming flights from the United Kingdom from 1 July to curb the Delta strain.

End Of England Curbs

The British government is intent on lifting all of England's coronavirus restrictions on 19 July, Sajid Javid says in his maiden speech to parliament as health secretary.

Pakistan Rush

Hundreds of desperate Pakistani overseas workers overrun a government-run coronavirus vaccination centre in the capital as the nation grapples with a shortage of doses.

Bangladesh Panic

Thousands of people are stranded in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka as authorities halt almost all public transport ahead of a sweeping lockdown on Thursday imposed to combat a deadly resurgence of infections. 

AstraZeneca Delay Boosts Immunity

Delayed second and third doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine boost immunity against COVID-19, a study by Oxford University, which developed the jab with the British-Swedish firm, says.

3.9 Million Dead 

The pandemic has killed at least 3,925,816 people since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data at 1000 GMT Monday.

The US is the worst-affected country with 603,967 deaths, followed by Brazil with 513,474, India with 396,730, Mexico 232,564 and Peru with 191,899.

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. – AFP