New Delhi: The Covid-19 pandemic continues across the world. Currently, the total number of cases stands at 18,18,66,726 and 39,38,868 deaths.
Australia Covid-19 response team considers holding an emergency meeting to control the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant in the country. Saudi Arabia will begin inoculating young people between the ages of 12 to 18 years with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. Moscow Sunday recorded the highest numbers of daily fatalities since the onset of the pandemic — 144 people have died from the virus in the last 24 hours.
We bring you some of the top stories on the pandemic from across the world.
Australia sees fresh Covid outbreaks
Australia’s Covid-19 task force has organised an emergency meeting Monday as outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant across the country prompted a lockdown in Sydney and renewed restrictions elsewhere, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
New South Wales reported 18 new “locally acquired cases of Covid-19” Monday, as Greater Sydney and nearby states remain in a fortnight-long lockdown. Ten of these new Covid-19 cases are linked to the Bondi outbreak, while the last one acquired the virus at the Granites gold mine in the Northern Territory.
During the latest outbreak, Sydney’s Covid tally stands at 130, Avalon’s at 137, while Victoria reported no new local cases on Monday.
The first case of the Bondi cluster was reported on 16 June when a driver, who transported international flight crew, tested positive for Covid-19. As of now, 124 cases are linked to the Bondi cluster.
Australia has reported 30,504 Covid-19 cases and 910 deaths.
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Saudi Arabia to give Pfizer vaccines to people aged 12-18
Saudi Arabia will start inoculating young people aged 12 to 18 against Covid-19 with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine after it was approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority on Sunday, reports Arab News.
The Ministry of Health said this is a continuation of its efforts to expand the inoculation process, after vaccinating 70 per cent of the adult population in the kingdom, according to progress in community coverage, priority categories, and availability of vaccine supplies.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs reopened 12 mosques in three regions after temporarily evacuating and sanitizing them following a few people testing positive for Covid-19.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Health reported 1,218 new confirmed cases in the kingdom. With 369, Makkah recorded the highest number of cases, followed by the capital Riyadh with 255, the Eastern Province with 206, and Asir recorded 140 cases.
Saudi Arabia has registered 4,83,221 Covid-19 infections and 7,775 deaths as of now.
Luxembourg PM tests positive for Covid-19
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has tested positive for Covid-19 and will spend 10 days in isolation while continuing to work from home remotely, reports The Guardian.
Bettel immediately isolated himself after a follow-up PCR test confirmed the positive infection. He is currently experiencing light symptoms, including fever and headaches, and has announced that he will continue to work from home.
Bettel received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on 6 May and was due to receive the second dose next Thursday.
He tested positive shortly after attending a European Union summit. None of the other 26 EU leaders who attended the Brussels summit “on the list of the prime minister’s close contacts”.
A spokeswoman for Bettel said, “He had respected the rules during the summit. No head of state or government figures on the list of the prime minister’s close contacts.”
Luxembourg has recorded 70,600 Covid cases and 818 deaths.
Also read: AstraZeneca vaccine could be less effective against Delta variant: Scotland study in Lancet
Moscow reports the highest daily death toll
Moscow Sunday recorded the highest numbers of daily fatalities since the onset of the pandemic — 144 people have died from the virus in the last 24 hours, reports Deutsche welle.
Russia’s slow vaccination drive with just 14 per cent of the adult population having received only the first dose has further made its citizens more vulnerable to the highly contagious Delta variant.
The reports from Moscow come a day after Russia’s second city, Saint Petersburg, reported a spike in Covid-19 fatalities last week.
Saint Petersburg has hosted six Euro 2020 matches and is set to host a quarterfinal game Friday. Spectator numbers have been capped, but the authorities still expect over 26,000 people at the city’s main stadium.
Russia has reported 54,51,291 Covid cases and 1,33,282 deaths.
What else we are reading:
South Africa tightens Covid rules as ‘devastating wave’ gathers pace: The Guardian
Thousands of Prisoners Were Sent Home Because of Covid. They Don’t Want to Go Back: The New York Times
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