Here are the latest developments in coronavirus around the world

World

Published: 2021-08-20 18:21

Last Updated: 2024-03-18 04:21


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

 

Here are the latest developments related to the spread of the coronavirus in the world in light of the latest numbers, new measures and facts:

-Encouraging results of a drug developed by AstraZeneca against Covid symptoms -

The pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca announced on Friday encouraging results for a treatment that can significantly reduce the risk of developing severe forms of Covid-19 and its symptoms.

Initially, a drug made from a combination of two antibodies was developed as a treatment for people who had the disease.

AstraZeneca said in a statement that a new trial, which included 5,197 participants who did not contract the disease, showed a 77 percent decrease in the incidence associated with symptoms, with no serious cases recorded.

A previous trial of AZD7442 showed that it only reduced the risk of developing symptoms by 33 percent, a result considered in June to be statistically insignificant.

- Israeli Occupation Prime Minister receives a booster dose of the Covid vaccine -

Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett received a booster dose of a vaccine against the coronavirus, as the country began giving it to people over the age of 40, with a rise in the number of infections.

And last week, the authorities began giving booster doses to those aged fifty and over, after a previous campaign targeting those over sixty late last month.

- New Zealand and Sydney extend closures to contain the spread of Covid -

New Zealand on Friday extended lockdown measures throughout the archipelago in an effort to contain the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic caused by the Delta mutant that has spread from Auckland to the capital, Wellington.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the national lockdown, which was imposed for three days and was supposed to end Friday night, will be extended for an additional four days.

In turn, on Friday, Sydney extended the closure measures imposed two months ago, for an additional month, at a time when the largest city in Australia is trying to contain a new rise in the number of Covid-19 infections caused by the mutant Delta.

- Sri Lanka shutdown -

Sri Lanka's president is expected to announce a nationwide lockdown after intense pressure from medical experts as the virus spreads and hospitals, mortuaries and crematoriums struggled.

- Record tally in the Philippines -

The Philippines on Friday reported a record daily toll from the COVID-19 epidemic as authorities eased lockdown measures in the capital to allow more businesses to operate and reduce the suffering of poor families.

- More than 4.4 million deaths -

The coronavirus has caused the death of 4,401,486 people in the world since the outbreak of the disease at the end of December 2019, according to a census conducted by Agence France-Presse based on official sources Friday at 10:00 GMT.

The United States is the most affected country in terms of deaths (625,166), followed by Brazil (572,641 deaths), India (433,589 deaths), Mexico (251,319) and Peru (197,716), according to official figures.

The World Health Organization considers that the outcome of the epidemic may be two or three times greater than the officially announced outcome, taking into account the excess mortality rate directly or indirectly related to Covid-1.