Covid-19 has infected more than 259M people and killed over 5.1M worldwide. Here are the latest developments in the global coronavirus crisis:
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Europe could see another 700,000 deaths from Covid-19 by spring: WHO
The World Health Organizations Europe director, Dr. Hans Kluge, has warned that without urgent measures taken soon, Europe could see another 700,000 deaths from Covid-19 by the spring.
WHO said that cases jumped by 11 percent in Europe in the last week, the only region in the world where the virus has continued to increase since mid-October.
In its weekly assessment of the pandemic, the UN health agency said cases and deaths globally have risen by about 6 percent , with about 3.6 million new infections and 51,00 new deaths reported in the previous week.
Slovakia's cases rise by record, government preps lockdown
Slovakia has reported its highest daily rise in new cases, just ahead of a government meeting likely to agree a short-term lockdown to quell the world's fastest surge in infections.
Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million, has the highest per-capita infection rise in the world, according to figures from Our World in Data, as Europe becomes an epicentre of the pandemic again.
Neighbouring Austria has already locked down its population this week, for at least 10 days, to become the first to re-impose such restrictions, and Slovakia was looking at taking a similar step on Wednesday when the government meets.
Singapore, Malaysia to open land border for vaccinated
Singapore and Malaysia will next week launch a quarantine-free travel lane at their land border crossing, one of the world's busiest, for vaccinated people, the two countries said.
The plan, effective November 29, expands an already announced move to start a travel lane for flights between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport from next week.
South Africa delays vaccine deliveries as inoculations slow
South Africa has asked Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to delay delivery of vaccines because it now has too much stock, Health Ministry officials said, as vaccine hesitancy slows an inoculation campaign.
About 35 percent of South Africans are fully vaccinated, higher than in most other African nations, but half the government's year-end target.
Germany’s daily infections hit all-time high
Daily cases in Germany have hit a new record of 66,884, the highest single-day increase since the beginning of the pandemic.
Virus-related fatalities are also on the rise, with 335 further deaths over the last 24 hours, according to official data.
The Robert Koch Institute has confirmed 685,100 active cases, marking a new high in the current fourth wave of the pandemic.
Sweden says it will extend boosters to all adults
Sweden will begin gradually rolling out vaccine booster shots to all adult Swedes following the surge in cases elsewhere in Europe, government and health officials said.
Sweden's health agency said booster shots should be offered six months after the second shot, with a further rollout to risk groups and people aged 50 or above the priority before a gradual extension to all Swedes aged 18 or older.
South Korea records more than 4,000 new infections
South Korea has reported a new daily record of 4,116 new cases, as the country battles to contain a spike in serious cases requiring hospitalisation, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
South Korea this month switched to a "living with Covid-19" plan aimed at lifting rigid distancing rules and ultimately reopening after reaching vaccination goals last month.
Looking at the metropolitan Seoul area alone, the situation is critical enough to impose an emergency plan at any time, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a coronavirus response meeting.
New Zealand to reopen to foreign travellers from April 30
New Zealand will keep its borders closed to most international travellers for a further five months, the government has said, outlining a cautious easing of border curbs that have been in place since Covid-19 hit in March 2020.
Fully vaccinated international travellers will be allowed to enter the country from April 30, 2022 onwards, with the re-opening staged over time, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a news conference.
Hundreds die in Mexico, Brazil
Mexico has confirmed 326 new coronavirus deaths, according to health ministry data, bringing the overall death toll to 292,850.
Brazil registered 284 new deaths and 10,312 additional confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to data released by the Health Ministry.
In total, Brazil has reported 613,066 deaths due to Covid-19.
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(With input from news agency language)
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