in-cyprus 14 September 2020 - by Annie Charalambous
More than 28.93 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 921,437 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
Here is the latest information on the spread of the novel virus:
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
ASIA-PACIFIC
* India said it was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces, as the country’s number of reported infections passed 4.75 million.
* Indonesia on Sunday reported its sixth consecutive day of over 3,000 new cases, just as its capital city prepares to re-impose social distancing restrictions.
* Singapore is battling new clusters of infections in migrant dormitories that had won the all-clear from authorities.
* New Zealand will lift restrictions across the country on Sept. 21, except in its biggest city, Auckland, which is the epicentre of a second wave of infections.
* Australia’s second-most populous state, the epicentre of the country’s coronavirus second wave, on Monday reported its lowest single-day rise in new infections in nearly three months.
EUROPE
* The Czech Republic reported its biggest one-day increase in new infections for a third straight day on Sunday, recording 1,541 cases.
* Ireland plans to replace its current system of travel quarantines with the European Union’s proposed coordinated system as soon as it is ready, Prime Minister Micheal Martin told RTE television on Saturday.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Israel will enter a three-week nationwide lockdown starting on Friday after a second- wave surge of new cases, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
* Saudi Arabia will partially lift its suspension of international flights as of Sept. 15 to allow “exceptional categories” of citizens and residents to travel, the state news agency SPA said.
AMERICAS
* The World Health Organization reported a record one-day increase in global coronavirus cases on Sunday, with the total rising by 307,930 in 24 hours.
* President Donald Trump held a Nevada campaign rally at an indoor venue on Sunday despite public health professionals’ warnings against large indoor gatherings during the pandemic.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* AstraZeneca has resumed British clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, one of the most advanced in development, after receiving the green light from safety watchdogs, the company said on Saturday.
* Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE proposed to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand their Phase 3 pivotal COVID-19 vaccine trial to about 44,000 participants while increasing the diversity of the trial population.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* Japan’s manufacturers remained pessimistic for the 14th straight month in September.
* South Africa’s economy will likely contract this year by more than the 7% previously forecast by the Treasury, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said in an opinion piece published on Sunday.