UPDATE: Covid-19 around the world

The Covid-19 situation around the world is seeing some nations attempt to return to a new normal as vaccines are rolled out, but some countries, notably India, are seeing the worst of the virus. As India’s death toll reached over 200,000 yesterday, hospitals are running out of oxygen and basic medical equipment. A Covid virus variant has hit the South Asian nation, which appears to be fuelling the recent wave and spreading across more than 12 other countries. India has now reported 18,376,524 infections since the pandemic began.

The World Health Organisation has stopped short of saying the Indian variant is more transmissible, deadly or resistant to current vaccines. And, the co-founder of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin, which teamed with Pfizer to develop a vaccine, says the jab works against the Indian variant.

“We are still testing the Indian variant, but the Indian variant has mutations that we have already tested for and which our vaccine works against, so I am confident.”

But limited supplies has pushed India to the forefront of the Covid fight, with 360,000 new infections reported yesterday, breaking the global record and more than 3,000 deaths.

In contrast the US, which has a total of 32,983,695 infections, and the UK (4,411,797) are slowly loosening up on restrictions with hopes of life getting back to somewhat normal. The Dutch recently celebrated the end of curfews and the reopening of cafe terraces. Italy, Switzerland, and Portugal have also rolled back regulations, despite their governments rushing to roll out much-needed vaccines. France is hoping to follow the recent trends by easing restrictions this month, but it is still battling those who are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. France has reported a total of 5,565,852 infections since the pandemic began.

The virus has now killed more than 3.1 million people worldwide with Europe being affected the most.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post