Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
Cuba Jabs Toddlers
Cuba becomes the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against the virus, using home-grown jabs not recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO). The communist island of 11.2 million people aims to inoculate all its children before reopening schools that have been closed for the most part since March 2020. The new school year started on Monday, but from home via television programs, as most Cuban homes do not have internet access.
Having completed clinical trials on minors with its Abdala and Soberana vaccines, Cuba kicked off its inoculation campaign for children last Friday, starting with those 12 and older.
Japan's Big Novavax Order
Japan agrees to buy 150 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, with Japanese firm Takeda expecting to manufacture it for distribution early next year. The cost of the deal was not announced, and it is contingent on the vaccine being approved in Japan. Takeda will be in charge of carrying out local clinical trials. So far, Japan has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca jabs, though the latter is being administered in a limited fashion.
Unlike the mRNA products from BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna and Curevac, Novavax's two-jab vaccine relies on a more traditional technique, using proteins to carry fragments of the coronavirus rendered harmless to produce an immune reaction.
Football Clash Chaos
FIFA says it regrets the chaotic scenes that preceded the suspension of the World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina after controversy over COVID protocols. A decision on possible disciplinary action will be taken "in due course". The match at Sao Paulo's Neo Quimica Arena on Sunday was halted when Brazilian health officials ran onto the pitch seven minutes after kick-off, triggering a melee involving team officials and players from both sides.
The officials intervened just hours after health authorities in Brazil said four England-based players in Argentina's squad should be placed in "immediate quarantine" for breaching COVID-19 protocols.
Africa COVID Death Toll Tops 200,000
More than 200,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Africa since the start of the pandemic, according to an AFP tally compiled from official records as of 1700 GMT.
A total of 200,254 fatalities have been registered in Africa, home to more than 1.3 billion people, since the virus emerged in China in December 2019.
After several deadly months, including some 27,000 deaths in July and 26,000 in August, the pandemic appears to be easing in the continent, with current daily figures of 617 compared to up to 990 in late July, a record for the region.
New Caledonia Lockdown
New Caledonia imposes a fresh lockdown after three new cases are confirmed in the South Pacific French territory that had been declared "COVID free". Local authorities ordered strict travel restrictions at the start of the pandemic to avoid an outbreak that would overwhelm hospitals on the islands. Previously just 139 positive COVID-19 cases had been recorded among the population of around 290,000, and no deaths.
But vaccine hesitancy among the indigenous Kanak population means many people remain vulnerable. Just 30 percent of residents are currently vaccinated, compared with 73 percent having at least one dose for France overall.
Rally Of Japan Called Off
The organisers of the World Rally championship event in Japan, which was due to take place in mid-November, cancel the race because of the pandemic. It is the second successive year that organisers have had to cancel the Rally Japan which was due to appear last year for the first time since 2010.
Rally Japan was inked in as the 12th and final event of the championship calendar and the WRC said it would announce a replacement event shortly to conclude the season.
Spreader Jailed
A Vietnamese man is sentenced to five years in jail for spreading the virus after he breached a 21-day home quarantine rule, travelling from COVID hotspot Ho Chi Minh City to his home province. Le Van Tri was convicted of "spreading dangerous infectious diseases to other people" after he travelled to his home province Ca Mau from coronavirus hotspot Ho Chi Minh City in July, according to a report on the website of the provincial People's Court.
The 28-year-old was accused of breaching a 21-day home quarantine regulation in the southern province, which had a lower case rate than Ho Chi Minh City, and he tested positive for COVID-19 on 7 July.
More Than 4.5 Million Dead
The coronavirus has killed at least 4,574,225 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.
The United States is the worst-affected country with 649,426 deaths, followed by Brazil with 583,810, India with 441,042, Mexico 263,470 and Peru 198,523.
Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were the US with 959, followed by Russia with 795 and Iran with 635. – AFP