Latest On Coronavirus

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2020) The death toll from the coronavirus infection in the world topped 1.368 million, over 57,3 million cases of infection were detected, and almost 36.7 million of those patients were cured, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and compiles data from Federal and local authorities, media and other sources.

As of 20:00 GMT Friday, the number of cases globally is 57,309,785, including 1,368,117 fatalities.

The United States still has the highest case count in the world, with 11,808,698, including 253,458 fatalities and 4,410,709 recoveries.

Phase 3 of the clinical trial of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has shown that it is highly effective, the head of the Health Ministry's department for medical help to children, Elena Baibarina, said.

Russian research center Vector plans to release 50,000 doses of its EpiVacCorona vaccine against COVID-19 by the end of the year, the national consumer rights watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, told Sputnik.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Argentine Health Ministry maintain close contact in connection with the upcoming deliveries of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, but talks are also underway with the country's southernmost archipelago province of Tierra del Fuego, Russian Ambassador in Buenos Aires Dmitry Feoktistov said.

Leaders of the EU member states have not discussed deliveries of the Russian coronavirus vaccine to Hungary during the video conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

Belarus is exploring the possibility of vaccinating up to 2 million people against the COVID-19 coronavirus in 2021, Acting Health Minister Dmitry Pinevich said.

Spain plans to conduct a large-scale vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in the first half of the coming year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said that the National Health Service was getting ready to deliver a COVID-19 vaccination program in parallel with the flu inoculation within weeks, after the encouraging news from the developers of the Oxford and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine candidates.

The Saudi Arabian government has committed more than $500 million to funding efforts to develop and produce a safe and effective vaccine against the coronavirus disease, the country's health minister, Tawfig Al Rabiah, said ahead of the G20 Summit.

The rapid development of vaccines in the United States for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not created any safety concerns, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said.

If the United States joins the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX Facility), it will send a "strong message" in the world fight against the pandemic, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

Antiviral drug Remdesivir is included in the guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 in Russia, as several studies have proved its efficacy, Vladimir Chulanov, the chief infectious disease extraordinary specialist in the Russian Health Ministry, said following the World Health Organization's (WHO) advisement against using the drug for COVID-19 patients.

There is no need for Japan to reconsider the approval of antiviral drug Remdesivir as a treatment of COVID-19 at the moment, national media reported, citing Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu, in light of new recommendations by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Russia has registered 24,318 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, up from 23,610 yesterday, breaking the record for the second consecutive day and bringing the total to 2,039,926, the federal response center said.

Japan's capital of Tokyo registered 522 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, after the number of cases exceeded the 500 mark for the first time a day prior, local media reported.

The second coronavirus outbreak in France has already passed its peak, but the epidemiological situation remains tense, the country's national health agency announced.

The European Union's member states lifted their respective coronavirus-related lockdown measures too early and failed to build up their test and trace systems at the end of summer ahead of the pandemic's second wave, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The Trump administration does not support another national lockdown because it is not necessary to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak, Vice President Mike Pence said during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said he is not in favor of ordering a nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown despite a surge in cases.

The Community of Madrid will close its region for 10 days in the first half of December due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Madrid authorities said.

South Korea has called on residents to refrain from public gatherings and outdoor activities, as the country has been registering a record high daily increment of COVID-19 cases � over 300 infections � for the third day in a row, with the greater Seoul area being the worst hit, the Yonhap news agency reported.

The US state of California will go under another lockdown starting Saturday following a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Australia's state of South Australia will lift the coronavirus-related lockdown three days earlier than scheduled after a worker of a local pizzeria was caught deliberately lying to the authorities about his contacts and exposure to the virus, South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said.

Mass voluntary testings for COVID-19 have begun in Italy's northern autonomous province of Bolzano (South Tyrol), local media reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will prioritize the coronavirus fight and the effort to minimize the consequences of the pandemic for the economy at the upcoming summit of G20 leaders, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia has accumulated solid clinical and scientific experience in the fight against coronavirus and is ready to share it with all Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) partners, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.