Moscow has recorded the highest number of daily Covid-19 deaths of any Russian city to date, as the highly contagious Delta variant forced tougher restrictions on countries across the Asia-Pacific region and sparked growing concern about holiday travel. in Europe.
Vaccinations have reduced the number of infections in many rich countries, and restrictions on daily life continue to ease in much of the EU and the US, but experts warn that the rapidly spreading strain means that the pandemic – while slowing globally, does not is never over.
Sipas Guardian, The World Health Organization this weekend recorded the lowest number of cases worldwide since February, but warned that the Delta variant, now present in 92 countries, is leading a deadly new wave in countries from Indonesia to Russia.
Moscow on Sunday recorded a record 144 Covid-19 deaths in the 24 hours following an outbreak of new cases across the country. The mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, warned that the “only solution” was “rapid, large-scale vaccination.”
In most countries in Europe, meanwhile, infections, hospitalizations and deaths continued to fall to levels not seen since last summer, with some governments this weekend easing further restrictions as they advance mass vaccination campaigns.
Spain was forced to end outdoor camouflage, just like the Netherlands, where indoor dining restrictions were relaxed and nightclubs reopened to guests with a negative PCR test. Belgium further eased its measures, allowing tables with eight inside and as guests at home, while the remaining restrictions were lifted in Switzerland.
Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset echoed some of his European counterparts, saying he believed the country’s largest use of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines should provide adequate protection against the Delta variant.
However, Germany, which has fully vaccinated more than 35% of its total population and given 53% a first blow – declared Portugal a “virus variant area” this weekend, banning most arrivals. from the country except German citizens and residents and mandatory two-week quarantine for all.
The move, which came just days before the official launch of the EU’s “digital green certificate” aimed at allowing easier travel for those vaccinated, recovering or having a negative test, raised new fears for summer tourism within the bloc. .
The Delta variant now accounts for more than 70% of new cases in the Lisbon area, according to Portuguese authorities and 51% of cases nationwide, with the southern Algarve region known to tourists, registering a reproduction or number “R ”Of 1.34.
Portugal imposed stricter rules late last week, including ordering restaurants to close earlier in the weekend in Lisbon and Albufeira. About 30% of the Portuguese population has been fully vaccinated so far.
In other popular European holiday destinations, health experts have said the Delta variant will probably be the dominant type in Greece by mid-August and warned that severe local blockages may be needed during the summer in areas covered by low vaccination experiencing an increase in cases.
Several Spanish regions, including Catalonia, are already recording an incidence of 20% of Delta cases, and regional health officials are predicting the more contagious type could be dominant within two to four weeks.
Across Europe, Indonesia, the worst-hit country in Southeast Asia, recorded a new high of more than 21,000 daily cases, with hospitals in Jakarta and other cities overcrowded as millions traveled to the end of Ramadan.
Similar points are happening across the region: Thailand said on Sunday it would re-impose strict controls on Bangkok restaurants, construction sites and rallies from Monday to contain a new wave that began at market clubs in the capital.
In neighboring Malaysia, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that a nationwide blockade for a month would continue indefinitely, while Bangladesh also said it would impose a new national blockade by Monday.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, urged the country’s 940 million adults to overcome any hesitation and get vaccinated as soon as possible amid growing concerns about the spread of the Delta variant in several states.
“Get vaccinated – this is a good safety shield,” Modi told his monthly radio address. India needs to administer 10 million doses a day to achieve its goal of inoculating all adults by December, experts say, but so far has fully vaccinated less than 6% of its population.
In Australia, restaurants, bars and cafes closed in Sydney after more than 5 million people started a two-week blockade to contain an explosion of more than 110 cases detected since an airport driver tested positive for the Delta variant in the middle of June.
The northern city of Darwin also launched a special 48-hour blockade on Sunday after an explosion at a remote gold mine that the chief minister described as “the biggest threat since the crisis began.”
Citing “multiple outbreaks” in its larger neighbor, meanwhile, New Zealand – where, similarly, life had returned to normal – announced an emergency three-day suspension of its un quarantined travel corridor with Australia.
Even countries with highly successful vaccinations have encountered difficulties: Israel has again imposed a requirement to keep masks in closed public places after seeing an increase in new cases related to the variant since it dropped it 10 days ago. first.
In regions where vaccination has so far been minimal, the progression of the species is alarming: cases have risen by 25% over the past week across Africa as a whole, with South Africa being the continent hit hardest, warning on Saturday that the country was in the “exponential phase” of the pandemic.
