KIRKLAND, WA - DECEMBER 28: Pharmacists prepare doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Life Care Center of Kirkland on December 28, 2020 in Kirkland, Washington. The Life Care Center of Kirkland, a nursing home, was an early epicenter for coronavirus outbreaks in the U.S. Karen Ducey/Getty Images/AFP
Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
The United Kingdom registers a record 53,135 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, as the government comes under pressure to introduce tighter restrictions, including delaying the return to school.
Health chiefs warn that England is “back in the eye” of the coronavirus storm, with as many patients in the hospital as during the initial peak in April, and the new strain of the virus appearing to be behind the recent upsurge in cases.
The Stockholm-based European Centre Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says that the risk is “high” that newly discovered virus variants causing Covid-19 could cause more deaths due to “increased transmissibility”.
Chile’s health authorities say they have detected a case of the new coronavirus strain initially found in Britain, the first such confirmed infection in Latin America.
Argentina and Belarus launch their vaccination campaigns, both using the Sputnik V shots developed by Russia.
US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris receives her Covid vaccine live on television and urges public trust in the process.
Just four in 10 people in France want to have a vaccination against Covid-19, a poll by Ipsos Global Advisor in partnership with the World Economic Forum shows.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demands that China release citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, jailed for reports from pandemic Ground Zero Wuhan, accusing Beijing of seeking to cover up the Covid-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus has killed at least 1,775,272 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally on Tuesday based on official sources.
At least 81 million cases have been registered.
The United States is the worst-affected country with 334,967 deaths, followed by Brazil with 191,570.
The tallies are based on daily tolls provided by health authorities in each country and exclude later re-evaluations by statistical organisations, as has happened in Russia, Spain and Britain.
England’s top-flight Premier League says that 18 football players and staff have tested positive for coronavirus, the highest number since weekly testing began, plunging the continuation of the season into doubt.
Indian Wells in California, traditionally the first Masters event of the year on the men’s tennis calendar, will not be held as usual in March because of the coronavirus, the ATP says.
We have to figure out a way to live in a world where it exists,…
The protesters from Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, are asking the leadership of the National Assembly, and…
The pilot project which will commence in Kaduna, will boost access to decent, quality and affordable…
Senegal's Constitutional Court could declare Faye the official winner before the weekend, which would make…
The results also confirmed previous research, which had shown a decrease in positive, joyful lyrics…
The incident happened just hours after electoral officials barred Zuma from standing in the May…