Coronavirus digest: India infections at three-month high
March 19, 2021
India reported its highest number of new daily COVID-19 cases in three months on Friday.
The majority of the 39,726 new recorded infections came from the western state of Maharashtra, which accounted for 65% of the cases.
The spike in the state, home to India's commercial capital Mumbai, was the single highest daily number of cases in the state.
The number of coronavirus deaths increased by 154, bringing the overall death toll to 159,370.
India has the world's third-largest tally of overall infections at 11.52 million recorded cases, behind only the US and Brazil.
Since the launch of the country's vaccination drive in mid-January, India has administered over 39 million doses — the majority of which are the AstraZeneca vaccine which is also manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India.
Global
The World Health Organization on Friday recommended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, saying the jab "has tremendous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths." The WHO did not find a clear relationship between the vaccine and blood clots.
Europe
Germany's Robert Koch Institute for disease prevention reported 17,482 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, a similar figure to the day before. The country has been hit by a third wave of infections, driven primarily by the virulent strain first recognized in the UK.
The country is also set to start vaccinating people with the AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday after the European Medicines Agency concluded that there was no link between the vaccine and unusual blood clots found in some recipients.
Researchers at a German university said on Friday that they had identified the cause of the unusual blood clots. This meant that it will now be possible to develop a targeted treatment against them.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned on Friday that the exponential rise of cases in the country means that easing lockdown restrictions in the run-up to Easter may no longer be possible.
His comments came as the northern city of Hamburg returned to a full lockdown after the seven-day incidence of COVID-19 stayed above 100 per 100,000 for three days in a row.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has received the AstraZeneca vaccine and urged the public to do the same, saying "he did not feel a thing."
The 56-year-old leader received his shot at the same hospital where almost a year ago he was put in an intensive care unit after he contracted the virus and fell seriously ill.
Hours earlier, French Prime Minister Jean Castex received his AstraZeneca shot live on television in a bid to restore confidence.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Friday evening that he would take the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The French government imposed a monthlong lockdown in Paris and parts of the north that are being ravaged by new, more contagious COVID-19 variants, while vaccinations are faltering.
President Emmanuel Macron had been insistent since mid-January to keep the economy open but has been forced to shift course.
French health authorities recommended on Friday the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine only for people aged 55 and over after blood clots were found in some younger recipients of the jab.
Finland said on Friday it would temporarily suspend inoculations with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Two people in the country have experienced cerebral venous thrombosis several days after they were given the jab.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that the country's health system was coping with the record wave, but restrictions would have to stay in place.
The first stage of reopening will start once 2.5 million people, out of a total population of 10 million, have been vaccinated, he said. Currently, 1.5 million have been given a jab.
Poland surpassed 2 million recorded coronavirus cases on Friday, with almost 26,000 recorded in the past 24 hours. The country is set to impose certain restrictions from Saturday, stopping shy of a full lockdown.
Asia
The Philippines approved Russia's Sputnik V vaccine on Friday, the vaccine's developer announced. The Pacific archipelago has been fighting a recent spike in cases.
The first batch of the Sputnik V doses is set to arrive in the first half of April.
Indonesia approved resuming use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after reviewing data concerning blood clots among recipients, the country's food and drug agency said on Friday.
Americas
Cuba's drug regulator approved the country's second locally-developed coronavirus vaccine for late-stage clinical trials on Thursday. The Caribbean island has not yet started vaccinating its population with imported doses and is waiting instead on its own vaccine candidates.
Canada's health department concluded on Thursday that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not connected to the cases of unusual blood clots in some vaccine recipients, following in the footsteps of the European Medicines Agency.
Africa
Cameroon's health ministry approved the Russian Sputnik V vaccine for use against COVID-19. The announcement followed a decision earlier on Friday to suspend authorization for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The African country is set to receive a batch of AstraZeneca doses on Saturday as part of the WHO-led COVAX vaccine sharing initiative.
Australasia
Authorities in Papua New Guinea announced new restrictions to come into effect from next week after a spike of recorded cases in the Pacific nation.
The new rules will close schools, ban mass gatherings and tighten internal border controls. Total recorded cases stood at just 2,500, but experts believe the true number to be much higher and are concerned by hundreds of daily new cases in recent weeks.
ab,wd/rt (AFP, Reuters)