At least six more patients succumbed to coronavirus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, lifting the death toll to 4,411.
According to health authorities, 136 more cases emerged in the province as the tally jumped to 141,495.
They further said that 101 patients recovered overnight in the province, taking the total to 134,650.
At least 63 more people contracted the novel coronavirus in Balochistan during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 29,041.
According to health officials, one more patient succumbed to the deadly virus as the toll reached 322.
As many as 27,692 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far.
aiwan has become inundated with waste after a surge Covid-19 cases prompted movement curbs that led to a spike in online shopping and food deliveries and that is threatening to set back efforts to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.
Taiwan has been dealing with an outbreak of community Covid-19 transmissions since April after months of few domestic infections and has since mid-May been under curbs that limited personal gatherings and curtailed restaurants to take-out service.
Taiwan is inundated with packaging waste after a surge in COVID-19 cases prompted movement curbs that led to a spike in online shopping and food deliveries. It now threatens to undo years of effort to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic https://t.co/JoV1OkhjmL pic.twitter.com/AN3QBp4Be3
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 23, 2021
New Zealand will pause its quarantine-free travel arrangement with Australia for at least eight weeks starting Friday night, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, as Australia fights an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta virus variant.
"We've always said that our response would evolve as the virus evolved. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is the right decision to keep New Zealanders safe," Ardern told reporters in Auckland.
The "travel bubble" had already been paused for travellers to and from New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Bubble burst: New Zealand suspends quarantine-free travel with Australia https://t.co/1swZPgkYVf pic.twitter.com/SC0o8KzIUh
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 23, 2021
Three quarters of Singapore's COVID-19 infections in the last four weeks were among vaccinated individuals, government data shows, as a rapid ramp-up in the city state's inoculations leaves fewer people unvaccinated.
Singapore has already inoculated nearly 75% of its 5.7 million people, the world's second highest after the United Arab Emirates, a Reuters tracker shows, and half its population is fully vaccinated.
It reported 1,096 locally transmitted cases in the last 28 days, of which 484, or 44%, were fully vaccinated people, while 30% were partially vaccinated and the remaining 25% were unvaccinated.
Vaccinated people in Singapore make up three-quarters of recent COVID-19 cases https://t.co/T9wWy0Vdnc pic.twitter.com/6Qz0w6pYMS
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 23, 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga met with the CEO of Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) on Friday, requesting faster delivery of Covid-19 vaccines, the Nikkei reported, as the Olympic host nation struggles with a slow rollout of vaccine amid a surge in infections, Reuters reported.
Suga asked Albert Bourla to accelerate the delivery of vaccines due to arrive after October, the business daily reported, as some local governments grapple with limited supply.
A government statement said the two exchanged views on ensuring the stable supply of vaccines. Suga's office and Pfizer's local headquarters could not be reached immediately on a Japanese national holiday for comment.
While Japan's vaccine rollout has ramped up rapidly, a slow start compared to other developed nations means only 35% of the population has had at least one shot as the Olympics begins, according to a Reuters tracker.
Pakistan crossed the grim milestone of 1 million Covid-19 cases on Thursday after the country recorded 1,425 cases of coronavirus in a day.
At least 11 more patients lost their lives to the virus in 24 hours, taking the death toll to 22,939.
As many as 543 people also recovered from the deadly infection in a day. A total of 923,472 people have so far recovered from the virus in Pakistan.
At least 55 more people were infected with Covid-19 in Balochistan during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases to 28,978.
One more patient succumbed to the infection overnight as the total fatalities reached 321 in the province.
So far, 27,631 patients have recovered from the contagion in the province.
At least 1,022 cases of Covid-19 were reported in Sindh during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 362,165.
According to health authorities, as many as 152 patients also recovered from the contagion disease overnight, taking the total to 321,929 in the province.
The infection also claimed one more life overnight, bringing the total fatalities to 5,758 in the province.
Indian tax authorities on Thursday raided a prominent newspaper and a TV channel that have been critical of the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, triggering accusations of intimidation.
There was no official comment from authorities on the raids against Hindi-language daily Dainik Bhaskar and the Bharat Samachar channel but local media quoted unnamed tax officials as saying they had "conclusive evidence of fraud".
Boasting a readership of millions, Bhaskar has carried a series of reports on the devastation caused by the pandemic in April and May and criticised the government's management of the crisis.
At least three more patients succumbed to the novel coronavirus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,405.
According to health officials, 71 more cases emerged in the province as the tally jumped to 141,359.
As many as 50 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 134,549.
The number of active coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia almost topped the one million mark.
On Wednesday night, the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reported a cumulative tally of 997,778.
Indonesia, the hardest-hit country in the region, has recorded almost 550,000 active cases, followed by Malaysia with 137,000 cases.
Thailand ranks third with 131,411 cases and Myanmar stands forth with 67,832 cases.
Brunei Darussalam is the ASEAN country with the least active cases as it has reported only 41 cases.
Meanwhile, more than 130 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered in the region.
Indonesia leads the count with nearly 60 million jabs and 6% of the population are fully vaccinated.
The list continued with the Philippines which has administered 15 million shots to fully vaccinate 4.6% of its population.
Britain's supermarkets, wholesalers and hauliers were struggling to ensure stable food and fuel supplies after an official health app told hundreds of thousands of workers to isolate after contact with someone with COVID-19.
British newspapers carried front page pictures of empty shelves in supermarkets. Reuters reporters said food items were widely available in London shops although there were some shortages of bottled water, soft drinks, and some salad and meat products.
"We're very concerned about the situation," Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky when asked about reports of empty supermarket shelves in some areas. "We're monitoring the situation."
Australia's prime minister apologised for a sluggish COVID-19 vaccination programme, while the country's most populous state reported its biggest one-day spike in infections in 16 months and warned cases would likely rise further.
Australia was widely lauded for containing the pandemic in 2020, but it has struggled this year to slow the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant even with more than half its 25 million population under a weeks-long lockdown.
At least 247 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 351,592.
According to Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Department, at least 6 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total death count reached 10,906.
The department added that at least 330,288 patients had recovered from the deadly virus as of yet, with 284 people recovered in the past 24 hours.
Pakistan reported 2,158 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, taking the country's Covid-19 tally to 998,609.
The country's death toll climbed to 22,928 after 40 more people succumbed to the deadly disease.
Meanwhile, 895 patients recovered from the deadly disease in a day taking total recoveries to 922,929.
According to NCOC, total active Covid-19 cases across the country were reported to be 52,752.
China rejected a World Health Organization (WHO) plan for a second phase of an investigation into the origin of the coronavirus, which includes the hypothesis it could have escaped from a Chinese laboratory, a top health official said.
The WHO this month proposed a second phase of studies into the origins of the coronavirus in China, including audits of laboratories and markets in the city of Wuhan, calling for transparency from authorities.
India’s excess deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic could be as high as 4.9 million, according to a new study that provides further evidence that millions more may have died from coronavirus than the official tally.
The report by the Washington-based Center for Global Development, co-authored by India’s former chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, included deaths from all causes since the pandemic’s start through June 2021.
India has officially reported more than 414,000 deaths due to Covid-19, the third highest tally in the world after the United States and Brazil, but the study adds to growing calls from experts for a rigorous nationwide fatality audit.
A devastating rise in infections in April and May, driven largely by the more infectious and dangerous Delta variant,overwhelmed India’s healthcare system and killed at least170,000 people in May alone, according to official data.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has reported at least 150 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 141,288.
The health department said in a statement that Covid-19 death toll reached 4,402 after five more patients succumbed to the virus overnight.
As many as 134,499 patients have recovered from the disease so far, it added.
Sindh has reported at least 1,336 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, taking the total to 361,143.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said in a statement that 28 more patients succumbed to Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 5,784.
As many as 321,777 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far, he added.
Another 40 people died of Covid-19 and 2,579 more contracted the virus across the country during the last 24 hours.
According to the National Command and Operation Centre, 41,186 tests were conducted on Wednesday and positivity ratio remained over 6 per cent.
The death toll due to disease in the country reached 22,888 while 922,034 patients stood recovered from the disease.
NCOC further said more than 450,000 people were vaccinated against Covid-19 in a single day.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday declared compliance with guidelines issued on the occasion of Eidul Azha, particularly the standard of operating procedures (SOPs) for the Eid prayer congregations as critical to contain disease spread.
The NCOC – the nerve centre of the government’s anti-Covid strategy – met here with its chairman, Planning Minister Asad Umar in the chair, to review the implementation of the SOPs for Eidul Azha and the spread of the pandemic in Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The forum was briefed that instructions had been issued to the provincial administrations of all the federating units to ensure implementation of the SOPs.
The forum was informed that some 500 oxygen cylinders and 30 ventilators were added in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The US State Department has lowered its Covid-19 related travel advisory for India to "Level 3 – Reconsider Travel," the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
The advisory for Pakistan was similarly eased, it said. The Covid-19 advisories were previously the highest Level 4, "Do not travel."
India's daily coronavirus cases have fallen to four-month lows after a second wave that crippled the healthcare system. But experts have warned the authorities against swiftly reopening cities and voiced concerns about overcrowding at tourist sites.
The decision does not impact travel restrictions imposed in May that bar nearly all non-US citizens from entering the United States who have been in India within the last 14 days.
Iran sought to contain a new record surge in Covid cases, with government offices, banks and many businesses shut in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.
Already hit by the deadliest outbreak in the Middle East, the Islamic republic has been gripped by what authorities warned would be a "fifth wave" driven by the aggressive Delta variant.
To contain it, the national virus taskforce ordered government offices and banks in the Tehran and neighbouring Alborz province to close for six days from Monday evening, the first time such a step has been taken.
Most non-essential shops as well as malls and cinemas were also shut.
The sprawling capital city's streets had limited traffic with almost empty sidewalks on Tuesday morning, an AFP journalist reported.
At least 34 more people contracted coronavirus in Balochistan during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 28,864.
According to health officials, one more patient succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll reached 320.
As many as 27,412 patients recovered from the disease in the province so far.
At least six more patients succumbed to coronavirus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,397.
According to health officials, 176 more cases emerged in the province as the tally jumped to 141,138.
As many as 148 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 134,433.
Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eidul Azha on Tuesday in the shadow of the pandemic and amid growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant of novel coronavirus.
Eidul Azha or the “Feast of Sacrifice” commemorates the Quranic tale of the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah, before the Almighty replaced the son with a ram to be sacrificed instead.
It marks the end of an annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, and should be undertaken by every Muslim who can afford to do so.
But only a limited number of mask-clad pilgrims hurled pebbles at a wall in a symbolic renunciation of the devil on Tuesday.
In pictures: Muslims across the world celebrate #EidulAzha amid pandemic#etribune https://t.co/92TgQ8BbCp pic.twitter.com/AZ63HuzrZ0
— The Express Tribune (@etribune) July 20, 2021
Sindh has reported at least 1,648 new coronavirus over the last 24 hours, taking the taotal to 35,9807.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said in a statement that 19 more patients succumbed to Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 5,756.
As many as 321,431 patients have recovered from the disease so far, he added.
The spread of the coronavirus Delta variant is reaching alarming levels in Karachi on the eve of the Eidul Azha holiday as public and some private sector hospitals are reaching capacity and have started refusing patients, medical officials said on Tuesday.
The Sindh government said on Monday that the Covid-19 situation in the city is becoming serious, and warned people that ignoring precautionary measures during the holiday could make matters worse.
During the past 24 hours, the coronavirus positivity rate in the Sindh capital increased to 25.7%, nearly five times the national rate of 5.25%.
Government hospitals have reached saturation point, something not witnessed during previous waves, and even some private hospitals are refusing patients, said Dr Qaiser Sajjad, secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association.
“God have mercy on us, people are not taking this pandemic seriously. Such irresponsible behaviour on the Eid festival will make matters worse,” Sajjad told Reuters.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not prepared to impose lockdown restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 to save the elderly and denied the National Health Service would be overwhelmed, his former top adviser said in an interview aired on Monday.
In his first TV interview since leaving his job last year, excerpts of which were released on Monday, Dominic Cummings said Johnson did not want to impose a second lockdown in the autumn last year because "the people who are dying are essentially all over 80".
Cummings also claimed that Johnson wanted to meet Queen Elizabeth, 95, despite signs that the virus was spreading in his office at the start of the pandemic and when the public had been told to avoid all unnecessary contact, particularly with the elderly.
The political adviser, who has accused the government of being responsible for thousands of avoidable Covid-19 deaths, shared a series of messages from October that are allegedly from Johnson to aides.
India's coronavirus death toll is up to 10 times higher than the nearly 415,000 fatalities reported by authorities, likely making it the country's worst humanitarian disaster since independence, a US research group said Tuesday.
The Center for Global Development study's estimate is the highest yet for the carnage in the South Asian nation of 1.3 billion people, which is emerging from a devastating surge partly fuelled by the Delta variant in April and May.
The study -- which analysed data from the start of the pandemic to June this year -- suggested that between 3.4 million and 4.7 million people had died from the virus.
"True deaths are likely to be in the several millions, not hundreds of thousands, making this arguably India's worst human tragedy since partition and independence," the researchers said.
India's official death toll of just over 414,000 is the world's third-highest after the United States' 609,000 fatalities and Brazil's 542,000.
Scientists are working on a benchmark for Covid-19 vaccine efficacy that would allow drugmakers to conduct smaller, speedier human trials to get them to market and address a huge global vaccine shortage.
Researchers are trying to determine just what level of Covid-19 antibodies a vaccine must produce to provide protection against the illness. Regulators already use such benchmarks - known as correlates of protection - to evaluate flu vaccines without requiring large, lengthy clinical trials.
"You could use it to predict efficacy from a vaccine, which will be more important as we are less able to conduct placebo-controlled trials," said Stanley Plotkin, inventor of the Rubella vaccine and an expert on correlates of protection.
"The information is flowing in," he said. "By the end of this year, I think there will be enough data to convince everyone."An established benchmark for Covid-19 would allow drugmakers to conduct vaccine trials in just a few thousand people, about one-tenth the size of the studies conducted to gain authorisation for currently widely-used coronavirus shots, researchers and drugmakers told Reuters.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) expressed satisfaction on Tuesday over the measures adopted by the Sindh government to control the spread of Covid in wake of a resurgence in cases in the province.
The NCOC made the observations at a meeting led by its chairman Asad Umar in Islamabad today.
"The NCOC expressed satisfaction at the additional steps taken by Sindh government in view of the Covid spread," the meeting's observers noted.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of Covid SOPs planned for Eidul Azha, while taking note of the pandemic's spread in Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The participants were informed that an additional 500 oxygen cylinders and 30 ventilators have been provided to Gilgit in view of the rise in cases there.
Another batch of 700,000 doses of Sinopharm's anti-Covid vaccine reached Pakistan on Tuesday, with the second consignment of 600,000 doses scheduled to arrive later in the day.
According to health ministry officials, two million doses of Sinopharm will arrive in Pakistan in three batches.
Earlier, 2.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, donated to Pakistan by the US government, arrived earlier in July.
Statistics from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) show that 4.5 million people have been vaccinated all over Pakistan, with 22.7 million doses of various vaccines administered.
The positivity rate on Tuesday remained 5.25% with 37 deaths in the country.
The French government adjusted its new plan to fight Covid-19 on Monday, slashing planned fines and postponing them to an unspecified date, spokesman Gabriel Attal said.
The measures, which include requiring a health pass in a wide array of venues from the start of August and making vaccination mandatory for health workers, will still account for some of the toughest in Europe.
The health pass provides proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has recently had a negative coronavirus test or has newly recovered from the virus.
Canada said it would allow fully vaccinated U.S. tourists into the country starting from Aug. 9 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented 16-month ban that many businesses complained was crippling them.
Inoculated visitors from countries other than the United States will be permitted to enter beginning on Sept. 7. The relaxation depends on Canada's COVID-19 rates remaining favorable, officials said.
"Thanks to the rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, we are able to move forward with adjusted border measures," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Brampton, Ontario.
At least 382 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 351,000.
According to Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Department, at least 11 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total death count reached 10,892.
The department added that at least 329,875 patients had recovered from the deadly virus as of yet, with 119 people recovered in the past 24 hours.
Pakistan reported 2,145 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, taking the country's Covid-19 tally to 993,872.
The country's death toll climbed to 22,848 after 37 more people succumbed to the deadly disease.
Meanwhile, 1029 patients recovered from the deadly disease in a day taking total recoveries to 921,095.
According to NCOC, total active Covid-19 cases across the country were reported to be 49,929.
Swiftly rising coronavirus cases across the United States and abroad fueled fears of a pandemic resurgence on Monday and sent shockwaves through stock markets as the highly contagious Delta variant appeared to be taking hold.
Many of the new outbreaks were in parts of the country where COVID-19 vaccinations have lagged, prompting political leaders to ramp up pressure on reluctant Americans to get the inoculations.
President Joe Biden, citing higher rates of COVID-19 in states with low vaccination rates, said during a speech that the nation's economic recovery hinged on getting better at controlling the pandemic.
A sharp spike in coronavirus infections has overwhelmed major hospitals in the metropolis. The positivity ratio soared past 20 per cent in less than a week and the city’s hospitals are struggling to accommodate patients.
According to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the positivity ratio hit 25 per cent on Monday.
Covid-19 wards at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre (SIDHRC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, the Indus Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and other health facilities, including the isolation ward at Expo Centre, have reached their capacity. Some have initiated efforts to make extra arrangements for new patients.
“All 140 beds are occupied. There isn’t space for even a single [new] patient, said SIDHRC Medical Superintendent Dr Wahid Rajput, speaking to The Express Tribune. All new patients are being referred to other government hospitals but the situation is dire there as well.
At least 76 new coronavirus cases emerged in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 22,192.
According to health authorities, one more patient died from the deadly virus as the death toll reached 602.
They further said that 63 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 20,058.
Thousands of face-masked pilgrims performing the annual Hajj pilgrimage gathered on Mount Arafat on Monday to atone for their sins, expressing hopes for peace and an end to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Makkah and Madina, has barred worshippers from abroad for a second year running and has restricted entry from within the kingdom under special conditions to guard against the coronavirus and its new variants.
Only 60,000 Saudi citizens and residents, aged 18 to 65, who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from the virus and do not suffer from chronic diseases, were selected for the annual pilgrimage, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
At least 67 people contracted coronavirus in Balochistan during the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 28,830.
According to health officials, no deaths were reported in the province. So far 319 patients have succumbed to the deadly virus.
As many as 27,340 patients have recovered from the disease in the province so far.
At least five more patients succumbed to Covid-19 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the last 24 hours, lifting the tally to 4,391.
According to health officials, 144 cases emerged in the province as the tally jumped to 140,962.
As many as 141 patients recovered overnight, taking the total 134,285.
Sindh reported at least 1,247 new coronavirus cases during the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 358,159.
According to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, 17 more patient succumbed to the deadly virus as the death toll jumped to 5,737.
He further said that 493 patients recovered overnight, taking the total to 321,093.
Four Arab countries have banned the Eidul Azha (feast of sacrifice) prayers amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities in Mauritania, Morocco, Oman and Tunisia said the Eid prayers will not be held as a precautionary measure to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan will hold the Eid prayers under precautionary measures, including limiting the prayer time and holding the sermon in open courtyards.
Prayers will also be held in Algeria, Palestine, Libya and Djibouti, while Bahrain said it will allow the prayers inside one mosque with a limited number of worshippers.
Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen and the Comoros have yet to announce their decision on holding the Eid prayers.
The re-imposition of curfew measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 cannot be excluded in France if infections continue to climb, junior European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune told BFM TV on Monday.
France reported more than 12,500 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the third day that the tally has held above 10,000, as the rapid spread of the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 has led to a jump in new infections.
London clubbers on Monday flocked to one of the first rule-free live music events since the pandemic began last year, dancing through the night and rejoicing in human interaction as England lifted most Covid restrictions at midnight.
Britain, which has one of the world's highest death tolls from Covid, is facing a new wave of cases, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is lifting most restrictions in England in what some have dubbed "Freedom Day".
Australian authorities said Victoria state will extend a COVID-19 lockdown beyond Tuesday despite a slight drop in new infections as the country's two biggest cities fight to stop the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant.
Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said lockdown rules would not be lifted as cases were still being detected in the community, promising more details would be provided on Tuesday.
At least 359 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Punjab during the past 24 hours, taking the provincial tally to 350,618.
According to Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Department, at least 10 more patients succumbed to the pandemic as the total death count reached 10,881.
The department added that at least 329,756 patients had recovered from the deadly virus as of yet, with 129 people recovered in the past 24 hours.