The number of coronavirus infections continued to fall this week, according to Agence France-Presse, while Russia announced 15,089 new cases and 507 deaths.
In addition, Kazakhstan became the 27th country to approve the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine for emergency use, Catalonia is urging the EU to speed up the evaluation of vaccines, looking to Russia's Sputnik V, and France's Supreme Health Authority recommends a single dose of vaccine to Covid patients.
The British mutation is also found in one-fifth of coronavirus cases in Italy, and Spanish companies are offering to help speed up the vaccination campaign against the new coronavirus.
The number of new coronavirus infections continued this week, down from a month ago, to its lowest level since October. The following are the most important weekly developments in the world, according to a database of the French Agency.
Although an important indicator, the number of positive diagnoses reflects only a fraction of the true number of infections and comparisons between countries should be made with caution, as test policy varies from country to country.
With 412,700 infections recorded every day this week, the index continues its decline that began a month ago, according to an AFP report until yesterday, Thursday. The number of new infections continues to fall (-16% this week) after a record 743,000 new infections reached in the week of January 5-11. The number of infections is the lowest since the week of October 17-23.
Within a month, new infections worldwide were reduced by almost half (-44.5%). Never before, since the pandemic began, has the index fallen so strongly and prolonged.
All regions of the world recorded a slowdown in coronavirus spread this week: -24% in the United States and Canada, -20% in Africa, -18% in Asia, -15% in Europe, -10% in Latin America and the Caribbean and -2% in the Middle East.
The virus is almost non-existent in Oceania (12 positive diagnoses per day, -14%).
This week, the two strongest reductions were observed in lockdown countries, Portugal (-54%, 4,200 new infections per day) and Israel (-39%, 4,400). The Jewish state, which began easing lockdown restrictions gradually on Sunday, is also the country where the vaccination campaign is most advanced in the world, with 44% of its population already receiving at least one dose (28% have take both doses).
They are followed by Spain (-39%, 18,300 new infections per day), South Africa (-37%, 2,600), Colombia (-35%, 6,300) and Japan (-35%, 1,900).
Iraq is the country where the epidemic is accelerating the most (+ 81%, 1,800 new infections per day). They are followed by Jordan (+ 34%, 1,500), Greece (+ 29%, 1,100), Ecuador (+ 21%, 1,300) and Hungary (+ 16%, 1,400).
The United States is by far the country with the highest number of new infections this week, with 101,800 new infections reported daily (-24%), ahead of Brazil (45,400, -6%) and France (18,900, – 8%), Spain (18,300, -39%) and Britain (15,200, -29%). But all of these countries have seen a decline in the number of infections.
In terms of population, apart from the very small states, Montenegro is the country with the highest number of infections this week (606 per 100,000 inhabitants), followed by the Czech Republic (482) and Israel (356).
The United States recorded the highest number of deaths during this week (2,784 on average per day), followed by Mexico (1,187), Brazil (1,058), Britain (754) and Germany (555).
Russia said today that 15,089 new cases of Covid-19 had been reported in the past 24 hours, including 2,139 in Moscow, bringing the total to 4,042,837 since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Russian pandemic authorities also announced that 507 deaths had been recorded in the last 24 hours, while a total of 79,194 deaths had been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic.
Kazakhstan has approved for immediate use the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine against the new coronavirus, it was announced through the official Twitter account of the Sputnik V vaccine.
According to the announcement, 27 countries have so far approved the Russian coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The regional government of Catalonia today urged European authorities to speed up the process of approving new vaccines against Covid-19, such as Russia's Sputnik V.
Spain, along with most European Union countries, has faced delays in obtaining the three vaccines already approved by the European Medicines Agency, those of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
Meanwhile, Spanish supermarkets, department stores and other food and distribution companies today offered to help the health authorities, which are under pressure, with the vaccinations against the new coronavirus.
Five major retailers point out in a letter to health authorities that their members, many of whom are already undergoing annual staff vaccinations, could give Covid-19 vaccines to their employees to relieve stress. in the national health system.
The companies, including El Corte Ingles, Carrefour and IKEA, stressed that they could operate in full compliance with the national vaccination strategy.
The French health authorities recommend that a single dose of the vaccine be given to people who have been infected and recovered from Covid-19.
France thus becomes the first country to make such a recommendation.
Covid-19 patients have developed immune memory due to the infection. The unique dose of the vaccine plays a reminder role “, explains the Supreme Health Authority in its opinion, which must then receive the approval of the Government.
According to a study by the Italian Higher Institute of Health, the British mutation was found in about 20% of coronavirus cases recorded in Italy on February 3 and 4.
The investigation was based on a sample of 3,600 cases from all regions of the country. According to the Italian press, the British mutation was found mainly in the regions of central Italy.
No outbreaks have been reported so far, but experts are concerned that infections due to the mutation could increase in the coming weeks.
Source: KYPE
