Coronavirus: Latest global developments

By: 3 years ago

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Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

Peak in China

China reports its highest number of coronavirus cases — more than 500 — in two years as clusters emerge in more than a dozen cities, posing a fresh challenge to Beijing’s zero-Covid policy.

Hong Kong exodus

A record 71,000 people — including 63,000 residents — fled Hong Kong in February, amid fears infected children could be separated from their parents as the city follows China’s orders to curb a severe Covid-19 outbreak.

Queen Elizabeth II meets in person

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II meets visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, her first in-person engagement since falling ill with Covid-19.

Bali reopens

Bali scraps quarantine for vaccinated tourists from more than 20 countries and reintroduces visas on arrival as the Indonesian holiday island pushes ahead with reopening after two years of Covid curbs.

Moderna’s first African facility

Moderna announces that it will build its first mRNA jab-manufacturing facility in Africa after signing an agreement with Kenya to produce up to 500 million doses a year.

The deal is expected to facilitate access to vaccines in Africa, where under 13 percent of the population is fully immunised, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly six million dead

Coronavirus has killed at least 5,997,529 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally based on official sources on Monday.

The United States has recorded the most Covid deaths with 958,621, followed by Brazil on 652,143 and India with 515,102.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid, the WHO estimates the true death toll could be two to three times higher.