MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th May, 2021) The COVID-19 death toll has topped 3.2 million globally as of Monday, with over 153 million cumulative cases now confirmed, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University, which tracks and compiles data from various national authorities, media and other sources.
The United States still has the highest case count in the world � over 32 million infections, including some 577,000 fatalities.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that the country's COVID-19 vaccination campaign was proceeding much faster than planned with its program to vaccinate 13 million of its 52-million-strong population by June.
Pfizer expects to develop an alternative "ready-to-use" version of its coronavirus vaccine that can be used without dilution and stored at -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of this year, the Axios news portal reported on Monday, citing Pfizer's vice president for global supply chain, Tanya Alcorn.
The Gavi vaccine alliance signed an advance purchase agreement with US pharmaceutical company Moderna to deliver 500 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility by 2022.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday thanked Sweden for its commitment to donate 1 million AstraZeneca shots to the vaccine-sharing mechanism COVAX.
Tedros also estimated that the COVID-19 vaccination of the world's adult population would cost around $45 billion in 2022.
A Spanish serviceman has died from thrombosis after receiving the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, Defense Minister Margarita Robles Fernandez said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday got vaccinated with China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.
Mariangela Simao, WHO assistant director-general for access to medicines, said that the health organization expects to complete its safety assessment of Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V in late June or in July.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the European Union was very slow to supply coronavirus vaccines to his country.
The first batch of shots of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has arrived in South Africa, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.
The Indian Health Ministry confirmed 368,147 fresh coronavirus infections and 3,417 fatalities, a downward trend for the second consecutive day after Saturday's peak of over 400,000 daily cases.
A fourth case of the Indian coronavirus mutation has been confirmed in Spain, the government of the western Extremadura region said. The patient arrived in the region bordering Portugal last month after coming into contact with an Indian national.
Russia registered 8,489 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, down from 8,697 the day before, taking the overall tally to 4,831,744, according to the coronavirus response center.
A cross-party group of UK lawmakers urged the government on Monday to discourage people from holidaying abroad once the current international travel restrictions are lifted, to prevent returning travelers from bringing new COVID-19 variants that might lead to a third wave of the disease.
The Indian government announced on Monday that it would enlist senior students of the country's medical faculties to act against COVID-19 amid a record spike in new infections and overflowing of hospitals.
Vatican museums opened their doors to visitors on Monday for the third time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The European Commission on Monday proposed softening the current restrictions on non-essential travel into the bloc in light of the strides made by COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in other countries. The deemed easing particularly targets people who have completed the vaccination course at least 14 days before arrival, given the drug they were inoculated with is approved in the bloc.
Estonia began on Monday to ease coronavirus-related restrictions gradually, reopening non-essential shops, cafe, and restaurant terraces, as well as resuming in-person schooling.
Bavaria will cancel Oktoberfest and other major folk festivals this year due to persisting coronavirus concerns, the German state's premier announced.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed a decree extending the state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic for another month.
The government of the Western Asian nation of Kuwait announced that it would ban citizens who have not received the coronavirus vaccine from traveling outside the country from May 22.
French nationals who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus are eligible to receive a digital health pass starting Monday, France's Health Insurance service said.
Uzbekistan sent a special flight carrying a million medical protective masks to virus-hit Turkey.
The Russian Embassy in Nepal urged Russians to leave the country as its government is set to suspend international flights starting Thursday amid the sharp deterioration in the COVID-19 situation.
