Coronavirus: Latest Global Developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - Vaccine hope - US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says it expects to file for emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine in late November, around two weeks after the November 3 US presidential election

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Oct, 2020 ) :Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - Vaccine hope - US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says it expects to file for emergency use authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine in late November, around two weeks after the November 3 US presidential election.

President Donald Trump has previously said that he hopes a vaccine will be ready before the vote.

- France readies for curfew - Millions of French people have a last night of freedom on Friday before a Covid-19 curfew in Paris and other large cities comes into force for a least a month.

French health authorities reported a record 30,621 new cases in the previous 24 hours as well as 88 deaths and over 200 new Covid admissions to intensive care units.

- Berlin court overturns bar curbs - A Berlin court suspends an order for bars and restaurants to close from 11 pm to 6 am, finding that "it was not apparent" such a measure could help fight coronavirus.

The court noted that new infections in Germany currently stem from private gatherings of family and friends, or at community facilities, meat-processing plants, religious gatherings or in connection with travel.

- US presidential campaign - The coronavirus continues to take centre stage in a tense campaign for the White House which has been overshadowed by the pandemic.

"We're rounding the corner," Republican incumbent Trump insists, while his Democrat election challenger Joe Biden -- in a rival televised town hall debate -- accuses him of doing "nothing" to end it.

- Nearly 1.1 million dead - The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,099,509 people since it emerged in China last December, according to an AFP tally based on official sources at 1100 GMT on Friday.

At least 38,965,020 cases have been registered. Of these, at least 26,884,800 are now considered recovered.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 217,717 deaths, followed by Brazil with 152,460 deaths, India with 112,161, Mexico with 85,285 and the United Kingdom with 43,293.

- EU summit hiccups - German Chancellor Angela Merkel cancels a European Union summit set for Berlin on November 16 that was due to discuss relations with China due to the coronavirus.

And Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin leaves the ongoing EU summit in Brussels to self-isolate after attending a meeting with a Finnish MP who has since tested positive for Covid-19.

- sports disrupted again - Rugby World Cup-holders South Africa pull out of the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship in Australia, citing government travel restrictions and safety concerns.

And this season's World Cup alpine skiing events in Switzerland will be held without spectators because of the pandemic, the Swiss ski federation announces.

But Wimbledon will go ahead next year even if the tennis Grand Slam tournament has to be staged behind closed doors, say organisers.