The COVID-19 pandemic continued to surge around the world this week, especially in the United States (US) and the Middle East.Here is the global state of play according to a specialised AFP database.Delta Drives 10 Percent Rise The average number of new daily cases globally increased by 10 percent over the week to 575,918, according to an AFP tally to Thursday.The pandemic is continuing to gain ground largely due to the highly contagious Delta variant after slowing between late April

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:'The War Has Changed'The Delta variant of the coronavirus is as contagious as chickenpox, probably causes more severe disease, and breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals may be as transmissible as unvaccinated cases, according to a leaked United States (US) government document.Delta Spread In ChinaHundreds of thousands of people in China are in lockdown as the country battles its worst outbreak in months.Japan 'Do

On 1 February, Myanmar's military seized power from its civilian government, leading to a series of mass protests that show no signs of stopping.Among the protesters were thousands of healthcare workers who walked out, leading to a collapse in the healthcare system and throwing Myanmar's vaccination and testing response into chaos.And now, a surge in coronavirus cases fuelled by the highly infectious Delta variant has dealt the country a fresh blow.People are lining up outside of ox

The Philippines will send more than 13 million people in the national capital region back into lockdown next week, the government said Friday, as it tries to head off a surge in cases of a hyper-contagious coronavirus strain.Experts have warned of an explosion in infections fuelled by the Delta variant that could overwhelm hospitals in the coming weeks if restrictions are not drastically tightened in the crowded capital."We had to make this difficult decision in order to save more lives,

Governments around the world on Thursday raced to head off a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the Delta variant, with US President Joe Biden offering new incentives to vaccine holdouts and Israel authorizing booster shots.The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the highly transmissible strain of the virus, first detected in India, could unleash a "fourth wave" of cases in its Eastern Mediterranean zone – an area stretching from Morocco to Pakistan.Those countries are especial

Thailand's health ministry sounded the alarm over Bangkok's dire lack of hospital beds and isolation facilities on Thursday as COVID-19 cases and deaths soared to a new record.The Southeast Asian country is struggling to contain its latest outbreak fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant, with infections and deaths skyrocketing and the healthcare system stretched thin.Despite the hardest-hit provinces being placed under severe restrictions and a night-time curfew, Thailand on

Malaysia's embattled leader was accused of treason and urged to quit Thursday after the king denounced his crisis-hit government for misleading parliament, a rare public rebuke from the revered monarch.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin leads a scandal-plagued coalition that seized power last year without an election, but his government is on the verge of collapse after allies withdrew support.Parliament convened this week after a months-long suspension under a coronavirus state of emergenc

Cambodia imposed fresh coronavirus restrictions Thursday for eight provinces bordering Thailand, clamping down on the movement of millions of residents to curb the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.In recent weeks, scores of Cambodian migrant workers have returned home from Thailand, which is battling a Delta-fuelled COVID-19 wave.Cambodian health authorities raised the alarm this week, citing 39 new Delta cases – 21 in migrant workers returning from Thailand and the rest in conta

Pfizer lifted its annual revenue and profit projections Wednesday on surging demand for COVID-19 vaccine doses as executives amplified their case for booster shots amid the latest wave of infections.The two-shot inoculation accounted for more than 40 percent of Pfizer's sales in the second quarter, boosting revenues sharply compared with the same three months of 2020. Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said more than a billion doses of the vaccine have been delivered so far.Th

Junta authorities in Myanmar are seeking help from the international community to tackle the coronavirus, state media said Wednesday, as the impoverished country looks beyond ally China in its struggle to beat back a new wave.The nation has been in turmoil since the military took power in February, with many hospitals ill-equipped to cope with a surging caseload after many medical staff walked out in protest at the coup.Stay-at-home orders affecting millions have failed to halt the surge, wit