The Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 3.8 million people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by Agence France-Presse (AFP) from official sources on Thursday, June 17.
After the United States (600,653 deaths), the countries with the highest number of deaths are Brazil (493,693), India (381,903), Mexico (230,624) and Peru (189,522). These figures, which are based on daily reports from national health authorities, are generally underestimated. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially recorded.
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The Covid epidemic is racing in Moscow
The Russian capital, faced with a record outbreak of Covid-19, announced Friday to restrict public events, in particular closing its Euro football fan-zone. Despite everything, the measures were limited, as the authorities tried to preserve the economy.
Moscow has recorded 9,056 new cases of Covid-19 in twenty-four hours, a level not reached since the start of the epidemic and three times the level recorded less than two weeks ago. With 17,262 daily contaminations nationwide, Russia is at its highest since 1er February, according to government statistics released on Friday. The country has also recorded 453 additional deaths, a peak since March 18, and Moscow deplores 78 new deaths.
In question, a vaccination campaign which slips – the Russians are overwhelmingly suspicious of the vaccines developed in the country -, the absence of restrictions for months, the emergence of one or more more virulent variants and the non-compliance with the rules distancing and wearing a mask.
“We are shutting down mass entertainment events for a while, and we must also shut down the dance halls and the fan-zone for a while” at the Luzhniki Olympic complex, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on his website. Russia hosts a total of seven Euro football matches, all in Saint Petersburg (northeast), the country’s second city, where the epidemic has also returned.
The mayor of Moscow has also extended until June 29 the closure, decreed last weekend, of eating places in shopping malls, zoos as well as all public park facilities, such as playgrounds and sports equipment. Restaurants and bars will have to close from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., as was already the case for a week.
Israel to transfer one million doses of vaccine to Palestinians before expiration
Israel will provide the Palestinian Authority with one million doses of vaccines about to expire, according to an agreement between the two parties announced Friday by the Jewish state. “Israel has signed an agreement with the Palestinian Authority and will provide approximately one million doses of Pfizer vaccine that is about to expire and will receive in return the doses that the Pfizer company was to send to the Palestinian Authority.”the prime minister’s office and the Israeli defense and health ministries said in a joint statement.
The Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank did not immediately comment on this information. “Israel will receive the same amount of doses of Pfizer [soit un million] in September-October 2021 on behalf of what was intended for the Palestinian Authority ”, according to the Israeli statement. “This deal was made possible after realizing that the stockpile of vaccines Israel has in its possession meets its current needs”, is it explained.
Thanks to a vast vaccination campaign, launched at the end of December after an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, about 55% of the Israeli population, or more than 5.1 million people, received two doses of the vaccine.
In Spain, the mask will no longer be compulsory outside on June 26
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, announced on Friday the end of the compulsory mask wearing outdoors from June 26 in the country, where the health situation is in marked improvement.
“This weekend will be the last with masks outdoors because on June 26 we will no longer wear the mask in public spaces” in the open air, said Sanchez during a trip to Barcelona, specifying that this measure would be formally adopted Thursday during an extraordinary cabinet meeting.
