Coronavirus: Latest Global Developments

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jun, 2021 ) :Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - Russia's record deaths - Work-from-home restrictions are reimposed in Moscow, which with Saint Petersburg posts record deaths for the second consecutive day as the country battles a deadly third wave.

- Australia battles flare-ups - Infections appear in cities across Australia, with Brisbane, Darwin, Perth and Sydney all reporting new cases of the highly infectious Delta variant, prompting local authorities to impose restrictions.

- Italy drops its masks - All of Italy becomes a mask-free, "low-risk" zone for the virus, marking a dramatic milestone for the first European country to be hit by the global pandemic in February 2020.

- S. Africa's third wave - South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announces fresh restrictions in a televised address and says the country "is facing a massive resurgence of infection".

- Brits abroad restrictions - British holidaymakers heading to the Balearic Islands will need to show a negative PCR test or proof of vaccination due to a rise in cases in the UK, Spain says, reversing its free-entry policy.

- Bangladesh panic - Thousands of people are stranded in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka as authorities halt almost all public transport ahead of a sweeping lockdown on Thursday imposed to combat a deadly resurgence of infections.

- Saint Petersburg match still on - The Euro 2020 quarter-final in Saint Petersburg on Friday will go ahead as planned, Russia's tournament organisers say.

- Impact lasting till 2060 - The Australian government warns the country faces stalled population growth and budget deficits until at least 2060 as a result of its emergency virus measures.

- Mega mobile fair - A scaled-back version of the world's biggest mobile fair MWC gets underway in Spain under tight virus controls, with top firms avoiding an in-person presence after the pandemic derailed last year's edition.

- UK military self-isolate - Britain's senior military commanders and the defence secretary are self isolating after the head of the armed forces tests positive.

- Games realism - Japan's Olympic chief says there is "no way" to ensure zero virus cases among teams arriving for the Tokyo Games, as officials prepare to tighten screening procedures.

- Wimbledon stays calm - Wimbledon chiefs say it is "not unexpected" that two players have been forced to withdraw from the Grand Slam tournament after being identified as close contacts of positive virus cases.

- Vacation-and-vax - In a programme dubbed "Air A&V", the US Pacific territory of Guam will offer visitors a Covid-19 vaccination with their tropical holiday, in a bid to restart its struggling tourism industry.

- 3.9 million dead - The pandemic has killed at least 3,925,816 people since the virus first emerged in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data at 1000 GMT Monday.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 603,967 deaths, followed by Brazil with 513,474, India with 396,730, Mexico 232,564 and Peru with 191,899.

The figures are based on reports by health authorities in each country, but do not take into account upward revisions carried out later by statistical bodies.

The WHO says up to three times more people have died directly or indirectly due to the pandemic than official figures suggest.