Russia Covid Deaths Hit New Record As EU Eyes Tourism Reboot
Muhammad Irfan Published June 30, 2021 | 06:30 PM
Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jun, 2021 ) :Russia's Covid-19 death toll hit a new record Wednesday as the country battles the highly infectious Delta variant, while Europe geared up for the launch of an EU-wide Covid certificate to boost its devastated tourism industry.
Delta, the most contagious coronavirus variant identified to date, is fuelling concerns that the pandemic may be far from over after claiming nearly four million lives around the world.
Russia has reported 669 Covid deaths in the past 24 hours -- a pandemic high for the second day in a row, according to government figures.
The new record comes two days before Saint Petersburg hosts a Euro 2020 quarter-final Friday in front of 26,000 spectators, many of them foreigners who have flown in for the match.
President Vladimir Putin pleaded with vaccine-sceptic Russians to get the shot, with only 15 percent of the population inoculated so far even though free jabs have been available in the country since December.
"It is necessary to listen, not to people who understand little about this and spread rumours, but to specialists," Putin said.
He nonetheless said he did not support mandatory vaccinations, a policy brought in by Moscow and more than a dozen other regions for some workers in a bid to bring the infection rate down.
- Australian anger grows - The Delta variant is fuelling multiple outbreaks in Australia -- a country that had largely escaped the mass infections seen elsewhere -- with the outback town of Alice Springs on Wednesday following Sydney, Brisbane and other cities into lockdown.
Anger is mounting among Australians over the country's slow vaccine rollout, with only about five percent jabbed so far after heavy reliance previously on border closures and strict hotel quarantines for overseas arrivals to curb the spread of the virus.
"It is disgraceful that the situation in Australia has essentially not changed in the last year," locked-down Perth resident Robert Binczyk told AFP.
"The slow vaccine rollout from the Federal government is to blame." Cases of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India, have been reported in at least 96 territories, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Delta is expected to become the dominant variant in Europe in the coming months, but European Union authorities are banking on mass vaccinations to protect their populations from the high death tolls seen in earlier waves of the pandemic.
An EU-wide Covid travel certificate, showing passengers' immunity status, comes into force on Thursday, fuelling hopes that Europe's crucial tourism industry can slowly emerge from its worst period in living memory.
France, the world's top tourist destination, on Wednesday ended most of its capacity limits on restaurants, cinemas, stores and other public venues, despite warnings of a likely fourth wave of cases in the autumn.
Francophile American tourists armed with vaccination certificates are now starting to return to Paris, to the relief of the hospitality sector.
"It's amazing!" said Padmini Pyapali, an engineer on a tour of Greece and France with five friends.
"It's just a rush of culture and we really missed it," she said, enjoying a drink outside a cafe.
In Asia, tourism giant Thailand is also preparing to reopen the holiday hotspot of Phuket to vaccinated travellers to revive the battered tourism industry, even as the country registered 53 Covid deaths Wednesday -- its highest single-day death toll.
Globally, the economic impact from the plunge in tourism during the pandemic could top $4 trillion, according to a new UN report.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Bugti assures transporters for addressing their problems
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar meets foreign min ..
3 drug peddlers arrested, hashish recovered
1496,990 children given polio drops in five days: DC
Six terrorists killed, hideout busted in N Waziristan IBO: ISPR
Pakistan, Qatar agree to further expand trade, investment ties
Sindh cabinet approves Rs177.5m to strengthen, mobilize various wings of police
Faisal Karim Kundi takes oath as new KP Governor
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Chaudhry seeks more vibrant ..
Tahaffuz Manzil Foster Home providing care & support to homeless children
PCB proposes April 7 -May 20 window; tweaks in rules for HBL PSL 2025
Field hospitals now operational across Punjab: Azma Bukhari
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
12 hours ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
2 days ago -
Experts for ending child labour
4 days ago -
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
4 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
6 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
7 days ago
-
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
7 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
7 days ago -
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
9 days ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
9 days ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
11 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
13 days ago