As healthcare systems brace for damage inflicted by the quick-spreading Delta variant, G20 finance ministers warned Saturday that it could also slow global economic recovery."The recovery is characterised by great divergences across and within countries," and "remains exposed to downside risks, in particular the spread of new variants of the COVID-19 virus", they said in a final statement.The ministers also warned of the dangers of the "different paces of vaccination&

Nations across the globe hit new pandemic highs and reimposed COVID-19 restrictions on Saturday as G20 finance ministers meeting in Venice warned the economic recovery was threatened by variants and uneven vaccination campaigns.The highly transmissible Delta variant, first detected in India, is sweeping the world as countries race to inoculate their populations to ward off fresh outbreaks and allow for economies and daily life to resume."The recovery is characterised by great divergences

The COVID pandemic continued to pick up speed this week in all regions of the world except in Latin America, with the Delta variant dominant in many countries.Here is the global state of play according to a specialised AFP database.On The Move AgainThe average number of new daily COVID-19 cases globally increased by 11 percent to 416,600 over the week, according to an AFP tally to Thursday.The pandemic is gaining ground again after slowing down between late April and mid-June.The number of co

A growing number of countries and territories around the world are forcing people, often in specific sectors, to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Here is a roundup:Mandatory In Tajikistan, VaticanTajikistan and the Vatican are among the rare countries imposing vaccinations on all adults.In ex-Soviet Tajikistan the official news agency has published a government decree obliging all over 18s to be vaccinated, without giving further details.In the Vatican, the world's smallest state

President Joe Biden celebrated United States (US) Independence Day on Sunday with an upbeat assessment of a country he said is roaring back to post-pandemic life, even if COVID-19 has yet to be fully "vanquished."Speaking before a festive crowd of 1,000 guests on the White House South Lawn, Biden drew a comparison between the declaration of independence from the British Empire in 1776 and today's rapid recovery from the coronavirus."Two hundred and forty-five years ago, we

India may now be past the peak of its latest coronavirus surge, but some other countries in Asia are experiencing rising infections.Meanwhile, vaccination rates across the region remain (with some exceptions) generally low, amidst concerns that the Delta variant is spreading.Where Has Happened To Case Numbers?The World Health Organization (WHO) recently deemed the Delta variant, which originated in India, the "most transmissible of the variants identified so far".

Australia. New Zealand. Singapore. Vietnam. Japan. Hong Kong. South Korea. Taiwan.These places in the Asia Pacific region have all been praised for their pandemic response; with several ranked among the best in the world.All were able to get on top of COVID-19 in 2020 through aggressive actions like strict lockdowns and contact tracing, which were later often replicated by the rest of the world.Yet in the second year of the pandemic, they are being challenged by new issues.

Thailand reported its largest ever spike in coronavirus infections Thursday, with more than half coming from two Bangkok prisons where prominent democracy activists have been detained.The kingdom is battling a third wave of the virus that has forced the government to impose restrictions on movement, rules on mask-wearing and close public spaces.Alarm bells sounded this week when an activist at the forefront of Thailand's democracy movement announced she had tested positive for COVID-19 f

Younger people aren't as scared of the virus, so they're often more hesitant about getting vaccinated than their elders.As the days grow longer, there’s a palpable feeling of hope in the air – at least in the more fortunate western countries. Thanks in part to vaccines, COVID-19 deaths are dropping in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), enabling parts of normal life to resume. But, as we’re well aware, it’s not over yet.

Cambodia's strongman premier Hun Sen threatened quarantine-breakers with jail time Saturday and warned civil servants they could lose their jobs if they go unvaccinated, as the country grapples with a growing coronavirus caseload.In the past two days Cambodia has registered more than 1,000 infections – many among garment workers and market vendors – bringing the country's tally to 4,081 cases and 26 deaths.Authorities this week banned travel between provinces, imposed a night-time c