New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries around the world, the latest count being more than 12 crore cases and 28 lakh deaths.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is facing immense pressure over his administration’s management of Covid-19 cases, while China has finally decided to vaccinate its elderly.
Here are some global headlines and news to keep you updated about the pandemic.
Under pressure over Covid crisis, Bolsonaro reshuffles cabinet
Coronavirus skeptic Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has brought sweeping changes into his cabinet and has replaced six ministers, as he faces increasing pressure about his administration’s management of the pandemic, reports Al Jazeera.
Carlos Alberto Franco França was named as new foreign minister and Walter Souza Braga Netto the new defence minister, the report added.
Far-right leader Bolsonaro has been facing criticism amid the second wave of coronavirus in the country which has pushed hospitals to the brink. Monday reported 1,660 coronavirus-related deaths and 38,927 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Bolsonaro has also placed current and former military officials throughout all levels of his government.
Brazil has reported 1,25,77,344 coronavirus cases and 3,14,268 deaths so far.
Also read: Covid possibly came from bats to humans via another animal, WHO-China joint study says
Europe’s first cross border mobile hospital
A hospital on wheels is providing healthcare to most remotely located villages in Europe, reports Euro News.
The project is called EGALURG, which provides healthcare to isolated places in times of emergency. It is being used as a Covid-19 vaccination centre.
The project has a total budget of more than 2.3 million Euros, 1.5 million of which comes from the European Cohesion policy.
Europe has reported 3,91,75,849 coronavirus cases and 9,05,282 deaths so far.
Palestine receives 1 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China
Palestinians received 1 lakh doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine Monday to broaden initial campaign to vaccinate medical staff, the elderly and the chronically ill, reports Arab News.
Palestinian authorities have been carrying out a limited vaccination drive among the 5.2 million of its people living in Israel-occupied West Bank and Gaza.
Israeli authorities have faced international criticism for not pushing the vaccine drive among Palestinians while its national drive has been among the fastest and the most efficient in the world.
Palestine has reported 2,38,248 coronavirus cases and 2,599 deaths so far.
Also read: Vaccines become race against time in as US CDC warns of Covid surge
China is finally vaccinating its elderly
Unlike most other countries where the elderly were the first in line to receive the coronavirus inoculation, this hasn’t been the case with China which has only now decided to give the vaccine to those above 60, reports South China Morning Post.
However, health officials are proceeding with caution as China’s vaccine makers included very few elderly people in large scale vaccine trials, as opposed to western countries.
Experts have speculated that Chinese regulators must be waiting for data to come in from the use of Chinese vaccines overseas.
China has reported 90,190 coronavirus cases and 4,636 deaths so far.
What else we’re reading:
US official warns of ‘impending doom’ amid rise in COVID cases: Al Jazeera
26 Pakistan cities record over 8pc positivity rate: Dawn
Also read: Canada suspends use of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine for those under 55 amid blood clot concerns