Coronavirus: Latest Global Developments

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Oct, 2020 ) :Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - Vaccine trial suspended - Johnson & Johnson temporarily halts trials of its Covid-19 vaccine after a patient becomes sick.

The US pharmaceutical company says serious adverse events are "an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies." An independent safety committee will decide whether to continue the Phase 3 trial on up to 60,000 volunteers in the US, Latin America and South Africa.

Pre-clinical testing of the vaccine showed it provided complete or near-complete protection against virus in the lungs and nose.

- Britain 'ignored advice' - The British government is criticised after it emerged that it ignored scientific advice three weeks ago for tougher restrictions.

The opposition Labour party says the failure to act was alarming and raised questions about the credibility of a new three-tier plan to curb the virus' spread.

England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty said he was "not confident" the latest measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson could reverse the upward trend.

- China tests millions in two days - China says four million people have been tested in two days in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.

Beijing has ordered that all the port's nine million inhabitants be tested within five days after three new coronavirus cases were discovered at the weekend.

The country where the virus first emerged has largely controlled the pandemic.

- Italy bans parties - Italy bans parties, amateur football matches and snacking at bars at night as infections there rise again to levels not seen since April.

The government is forbidding bars and restaurants from serving non-seated customers after 9:00 pm to avoid crowds.

While the party ban does not cover homes, authorities are asking people not to invite more than six visitors.

Italy -- which was badly hit in the first wave of the pandemic with some 36,000 deaths -- saw 4,619 new cases Monday.

- New EU travel map - EU countries agree to coordinate coronavirus travel restrictions to clear up the confusing patchwork of national rules travellers face.

A new weekly map will be published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control using a traffic light-style system to indicate the level of risk.

Travellers coming from a red, orange or grey zone could be required to quarantine or take a test for Covid-19, while those coming from a green zone could move freely.

- Global death toll - At least 1,081,902 have died of the coronavirus since it emerged in China late in 2019, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT.

More than 37,860,720 cases have been officially registered worldwide, with 26,184,600 now considered recovered.

Some 4,126 new deaths were recorded Monday, with India topping the mortality list with 706 deaths followed by the US (320) and Argentina (318).

The US has the highest death toll in the world at 215,089 followed by Brazil 150,689, India (109,856), Mexico (83,945) and Britain (42,875).

- Record Russian deaths - Russia records its highest-ever daily death and infection toll for the virus with 244 new fatalities and 13,868 infections.

Despite having the fourth-highest infection tally in the world, Russia has recorded just under 23,000 fatalities overall -- a much lower figure than other badly-hit countries.

This has prompted critics to accuse it of under-reporting deaths.