Here are the latest developments in coronavirus around the world

World

Published: 2021-07-28 16:53

Last Updated: 2024-03-26 13:20


Here are the latest developments in coronavirus around the world
Here are the latest developments in coronavirus around the world

 

- No progress on patenting the vaccine -

A World Trade Organization spokesman said after a meeting of member states at the organization's headquarters in Geneva that no progress was made Tuesday in the organization on temporarily lifting patents related to anti-Covid vaccines to increase their production.

A new formal meeting is scheduled for October.

-Half of Germany's population vaccinated -

The German Minister of Health announced Wednesday that more than half of the country's population, or 41.8 million people, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but there is concern over the high number of infections.

There is still a long way to go to vaccinate 80 percent of the population, which is the threshold the country is seeking to achieve in order to achieve herd immunity.

Several voices, including Helge Braun, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, recently proposed restrictions on those who do not want to get vaccinated.

A health permit has entered into force in Denmark, Hungary, France and soon in Italy.

- Health certificate in transport in France -

The French Minister of Transport indicated that the requirement to have a health certificate that includes a vaccination certificate or a negative test for long-distance transportation will come into force "between the seventh and the tenth of August."

Oversight will be "intense" but "unsystematic."

Half of France's population is fully vaccinated, according to authorities.

- London donates the vaccine to several countries -

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced Wednesday that the United Kingdom will ship on Friday nine million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine to several countries in Asia, in addition to Kenya and Jamaica.

Raab explained to British television that these doses will be allocated to "at-risk" countries such as Laos and Cambodia, and to partners such as Indonesia and Malaysia and a group of Commonwealth countries from Kenya to Jamaica.

- Pfizer expects sales of the vaccine to rise -

Pfizer Inc. significantly raised its revenue forecasts for its anti-Covid vaccines Wednesday, as it expects to deliver an additional 500 million doses compared to previous expectations.

The American company, which jointly produced the German Biontech vaccine against Covid, expects to deliver 2.1 billion doses, generating sales of $33.5 billion. In May, the company expected sales of $26 billion. Pfizer also raised its full-year earnings forecast.

- CDC recommends masks in high-risk areas-

The health authorities in the United States announced Tuesday that vaccinated Americans should again wear a mask in high-risk closed places.

The new recommendations come at a time of increasing infections due to outbreaks of the Delta mutation, especially in areas not well covered by the vaccine.

- 'Olympic prison' for isolated athletes -

Dutch athletes, isolated in their rooms due to infection with the coronavirus, which prevented them from competing in the Tokyo Olympics, feel as if they are in an "Olympic prison," prompting them to protest to demand fresh air.

The skateboard player said, "We need outside air, anything... Nothing opens. The windows are closed, the doors never open."

The Taekwondo player pointed out that the Dutch can only go out of their rooms to eat their meal, which is "the same every day."

- More than 4.17 million deaths -

The coronavirus has killed 4,179,675 people in the world since the end of December 2019, according to a census conducted by Agence France-Presse based on official sources on Wednesday at 10:00 GMT.

The United States is the most affected country in terms of raw numbers of deaths (611,288), followed by Brazil (551,835) and India (422,022).

The World Health Organization, taking into account the excess mortality rate directly or indirectly related to Covid-19, considers that the outcome of the epidemic may be two or three times greater than the officially announced outcome.