MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th December, 2020) The death toll from the coronavirus infection in the world is now at over 1.679 million, over 75.8 million cases of infection were detected, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and compiles data from Federal and local authorities, media and other sources.
The latest update in the United States showed an increase of 251,343 cases on Friday, still below the record of over 280,000 seen in early December. A total of 2,805 patients died, bringing the death toll to some 314,000.�
India has confirmed 25,153 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, with the total number of those infected having reached 10,004,599, the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.
Brazil recorded 52,544 new cases and 823 patients died. The total tally is now at 7,162,978 million infected and 185,650 dead.
Russia has confirmed 28,209 new positive tests for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, a slight decrease from the 28,552 new cases registered one day ago, with the country's case total topping 2.8 million.
South Africa has identified a new strain of the coronavirus that may be fueling the second wave in the country although changes in transmission behavior have not yet been substantiated. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said at a briefing that anecdotal evidence suggests a shift in the clinical epidemiological picture whereby more younger patients are presenting with critical illness. Chairman of South Africa's Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Salim Abdool Karim said the strain, dubbed 501.V2 variant, was likely behind the acceleration in transmissions but that it was yet unclear whether the new strain contributed to increased fatalities.
Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty on Saturday called on the nation to remain vigilant as a recently discovered variant of coronavirus was rapidly spreading.
The US government has greenlighted the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for emergency use, a regulator agency said in a statement.
Canada will receive additional 500,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine during the month of January, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Friday.
Colombia has signed agreements with the Pfizer and AstraZeneca companies to buy 10 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine from each of them, as well as will get 20 million more doses via the COVAX mechanism, President Ivan Duque said.
Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine against COVID-19 has no negative impact on fertility, which has been confirmed by animal tests, the head of the Gamaleya research center, which developed the original vaccine, told Sputnik.
The Chinese government will look to expedite the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19, with at-risk groups the first to be inoculated against the disease over winter and spring, Zeng Yixin, the deputy head of the Chinese National Health Commission, said on Saturday.
The Russian government expects to vaccinate roughly 60 percent of the country's population against COVID-19, Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko said on Saturday.
Up to 80 percent of the Russian population may be inoculated against COVID-19 by fall 2021, Gamaleya research center boss Alexander Gintsburg said in a television appearance Saturday.
A new vaccine being developed by Russia's Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology that is expected to provide immunity from both COVID-19 and measles is showing promise during preliminary animal-based trials, Rinat Maksyutov, the center's director, said on Saturday.
Switzerland's medical regulator, Swissmedic, has approved the use of a vaccine against COVID-19 produced by Pfizer and BioNTech that has been deemed to be "safe" following a two-month review.
The negative reaction of certain Western countries to Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease results from a feeling of competition, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.
The US food and Drug Administration (FDA) is probing roughly five instances of individuals having allergic reactions to Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine against COVID-19, Peter Marks, the director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said.
Italy has imposed a lockdown for almost the whole holiday period, with the exception of a few days, and will allow a maximum of two guests for Christmas and New Year celebration, given they should anyways return to their homes before the curfew at 10 p.m. (21:00 GMT), Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced at a press conference late on Friday after the meeting with the Council of Ministers.
The state of emergency and the public health emergency over the coronavirus have been prolonged in Washington, DC until March 31, the Mayor's Office said.
In Mexico, the health ministry upheld the current public threat health levels in all the country's regions, with three states in the highest risk zone, 24 at the second highest level, three at the medium level and two at the lowest level.
UK Prime Minister on Saturday announced new tier 4 COVID-19 restrictions in parts of England, including London, due to a spike in cases of coronavirus, which leads to limited Christmas celebrations.
The US authorities have seized two fake websites pretending to belong to the biotech companies producing coronavirus vaccines, US Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert Hur said. Hur urged Americans to remain vigilant and avoid using websites and links form unsolicited messages as well as send them personal information. The Justice Department said in a statement that both websites were detected last week by private and governmental security entities.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a press release that it has completed a review that clears the way for Egypt to draw $1.67 billion in economic support.
