New Delhi: The Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the world, the latest count being more than 15,34,98,053 cases and 32,16,383 deaths.
We highlight some of the important stories from around the world. Nine Customs workers were fired on 2 May for refusing to get a jab of the Covid-19 vaccine in New Zealand. The number of people in South Africa saving their money has increased even in the middle of low interest rates, trend analysts have revealed.
Israel records fewest Covid cases in a year
Israel’s health ministry revealed Sunday that the country reported 13 new coronavirus cases Saturday. Israel hasn’t registered this low a number of cases since last May, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Out of all the tests conducted on Saturday, only 0.1 per cent of them gave a positive result, which is the lowest ever since the beginning of the pandemic.
“On April 3 (Saturday), some 124 cases were identified, and a month before that there were 1,878. At the peak of the pandemic, in January and February, even on Saturdays, the number of daily cases exceeded 2,500,” said the report.
Israel has recorded 8,38,554 cases of Covid-19 and 6,366 deaths.
Also read: Pharma industry warns of Covid drug shortages as raw materials prices surge 200%
How Covid-19 pass is helping Denmark open up
Outdoor places such as bars, cafes, restaurants, museums, sport stadiums have been opened to Denmark residents who can show a negative test result less than 72 hours old or a vaccination certificate. This is made easier using a coronapas digital certificate, reports The Guardian.
Test centres have also opened up in every district across the country which allowed 1 million people to be tested last week.
“Currently, people have to provide evidence via the MinSundhed (My Health) app, or on a paper printout. At the end of May, the digital coronapas will be released in its final form,” said the report.
Denmark has recorded 2,52,912 cases of Covid-19 and 2,490 deaths.
9 Customs border workers in NZ fired after refusing vaccine
Nine Customs workers were fired on 2 May for refusing to get a jab of the Covid-19 vaccine in New Zealand, reports Stuff.
The contracts of these workers were terminated after Customs couldn’t find alternative roles for them.
“Auckland employment lawyer Catherine Stewart said employers of workers required to be vaccinated were likely to be able to substantively justify dismissing an unvaccinated employee,” said the report.
New Zealand has reported 2,622 cases of Covid-19 and 26 deaths.
Also read: 17 ‘triggering’ images, each tells story of Delhi’s Covid disaster that a thousand words can’t
Savings increase amid Covid-19 crisis in South Africa
The number of people in South Africa saving their money has increased even in the middle of low interest rates, trend analysts have revealed, reports Mail and Guardian.
According to data from the South African Reserve Bank, savings increased by 3.36 percentage points from February 2020 to February 2021.
Khumbelo Nevhoraw, equity analyst at Sentio Capital, explained this trend, “Individuals are thinking, ‘what if I lose my job because of the recession? What if I get less income or one of my family members get retrenched and I am the only one who is supposed to support my family?'”
South Africa has recorded 15,84,064 cases of Covid-19 and 54,417 deaths.
What else we are reading:
Malaysia to impose new Covid-19 movement curbs, with bazaars and schools to close: The Straits Times
‘We’re Suffering’: How Remote Work Is Killing Manhattan’s Storefronts: The New York Times
Also read: Why India is seeing higher deaths despite coronavirus variant not being more fatal