Coronavirus: Latest Global Developments

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Feb, 2021 ) :These are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - J & J jab 'highly effective' - The US food and Drug Administration finds the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe cases including newer variants.

- Shots, masks for Americans - The White House virus response coordinator anticipates distributing at least three million Johnson & Johnson vaccines next week pending the jab's emergency use authorisation and also plans to distribute 25 million masks starting in March.

- First Covax shipment - Ghana receives the first shipment of vaccines from Covax, a global scheme led by the World Health Organization and the Gavi vaccine alliance among others to procure and distribute jabs for free to poorer countries.

- France local lockdown - Greater Dunkirk in France's north joins the French Riviera in locking down on weekends with residents' outings severely restricted from Friday evenings through Monday mornings.

- Unvaccinated singled out - Israel's parliament passes a law allowing the government to share with other authorities the identities of people not vaccinated, raising privacy concerns for those opting out of the jabs.

- Political jabs? - Israel says it is sending a "limited quantity" of unused vaccines to several countries, including two -- Honduras and the Czech Republic -- that have announced plans to boost their diplomatic presence in Jerusalem. It is also sending excess stock to the Palestinians, following up on a previous, limited distribution.

- No Kenyans at Kilimanjaro - Kenya's athletes are banned from competing in Tanzania's top marathon race this Saturday over concerns about the rampant spread of the virus in Tanzania, where the government has been criticised for downplaying the pandemic.

- 'My health has improved' - A distressing video of Tanzania's finance minister showed Philip Mpango coughing and gasping as he gave a press conference outside a hospital in the capital Dodoma after rumours that he had died of the virus.

"I came to the hospital with my oxygen cylinder," Mpango said, his voice trembling, "but in the last three days I did not use it because my health has improved".

- Switzerland reopens shops, museums - Switzerland's shops, museums and zoos can reopen from March 1 -- the first steps out of restrictions and into what the government calls the "gradual normalisation of social and economic life".

- Ireland, Italy, Sweden extend restrictions - Ireland's third lockdown will be extended by a month and Italy's health minister says its citizens should also brace for another month of restrictions due to new strains.

Sweden announces restaurants will close by 8:30 pm and the number of people allowed in shops and gyms will be restricted.

- 2.4 million deaths -The virus has caused at least 2,486,116 deaths around the world since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.

The US is the worst-affected country with 502,681 deaths, followed by Brazil with 248,529, Mexico with 181,809, India with 156,567 and Britain with 121,305.