COVID-19: global news in brief
The coronavirus infection continues to spread around the world, just when people had hoped for vaccination to stabilize the situation, something went differently. Global cases now exceed 200 million, only six months after the figure was 100 million, reports Strategy2050.kz.
In the past week, more than 4.2 million cases and 65,000 new deaths were confirmed.
“The largest proportionate increases in new cases were reported by the region of the Americas (14 percent) and Western Pacific Region (19 percent), with 1.3 million and over 375,000 new cases reported, respectively. Additionally, a substantial increase (46%) in the number of new deaths was reported this week in the Western Pacific Region,” said the World Health Organization in its weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19.
The highest numbers of confirmed cases are reported in the United States, India, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
As of August 17, New York City requires a vaccination document to visit public places. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is enough to confirm vaccination. New York has become the first U.S. city to require such proof.
Over 67 percent of adults in New York are vaccinated, according to the city data, and the new requirement, according to the mayor, is meant to curb the spread of the delta variant.
On August 17, New Zealand announced it will impose a lockdown after an Auckland resident tested positive. The officials said it has been a locally transmitted case, first since February. because a 58-year-old man traveled only within the country. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the country's toughest lockdown on a four-level scale, meaning citizens are required to stay home and businesses are required to close, except for essential services - supermarkets and pharmacies.
From August as well, France mandated its citizens to present a health pass to visit leisure and culture venues and events of more than 50 people. The same rule applies when visiting bars, restaurants, malls, hospitals, retirement homes, residential care homes, and is also required for long-distance travel by plane, or train. The health pass is a document that confirmes either full vaccination, recent negative PCR test, or a recent recovery from COVID-19, at least 15 days and no more than 6 months old.
Epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan is stabilizing: Kazakh Healthcare Minister
Speaking at a government meeting today, Health Minister Alexei Tsoy said that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Kazakhstan as a whole is stabilizing. The reproductive index of the virus is 0.97, while the occupancy rate of infectious beds - 53 percent, intensive care - 47 percent.
More than 6.1 million people have been vaccinated with the first component and more than 4.8 million with the second one. The highest rates of vaccination are reported in the cities of Almaty, Shymkent, and Turkestan region.
Kazakh Prime Minister Askar Mamin told the government to accelerate vaccine rollout in Mangistau, Atyrau, Kostanai, and West Kazakhstan regions.
He said that as the new academic year begins on September 1, vaccination of teachers should be completed by August 25.
Mamin also instructed the government to continue monitoring of compliance with the restrictive measures and improve the effectiveness of monitoring groups and expand awareness-raising efforts on the need for vaccination.
Currently, all regions of Kazakhstan, except for the Turkistan region, are in the red zone. Lockdowns are observed on weekends in regions in the red zone, including suspension of public transportation, cafes and restaurants, trade malls, and other leisure and culture facilities.