PARIS: Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:
More than 851,000 dead
The pandemic has killed at least 851,321 people worldwide since surfacing in China late last year, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT Tuesday.
More than 25.5 million cases have been registered.
The United States has recorded the highest number of deaths with 183,602, followed by Brazil with 121,381, India with 65,288, Mexico 64,414, and Britain 41,501 fatalities.
Peru has taken over from Belgium as the country with the highest per capita death rate with 87 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Russia tops one million cases
Russia surpasses the one million mark in cases as health officials report 4,729 new confirmed infections.
The country has the world’s fourth-largest case-load after the United States, Brazil and India.
Back to school, with masks
French, Belgian, Russian and Ukrainian pupils go back to school as across Europe they open their doors to greet returning pupils this month, nearly six months after the coronavirus outbreak forced them to close.
The wearing of masks is in general mandatory for pupils over 11, but Greece has imposed them in primary schools.
Mass testing in Hong Kong
Hong Kong launches a mass testing scheme, but it is undermined by deep distrust of the government following China’s crushing of the autonomous city’s democracy movement.
The free voluntary tests, to which half a million people have however signed up, are part of an attempt to stamp out a third wave of infections that began in late June and saw the densely populated city reimpose economically damaging social distancing measures.
Eurozone in shock
Eurozone consumer prices fell in August, official data says, with inflation in negative territory for the first time since May 2016, a consequence of plummeting demand due to the coronavirus crisis.
The EU’s Eurostat data agency says inflation fell to negative 0.2 percent in August, a steep drop from positive 0.4 percent in July and way off the official target of near two percent.
New treatments
French pharma giant Sanofi says that international phase 3 clinical tests of its Kevzara drug for serious Covid-19 cases have proved inconclusive and it is halting the trial.
Canadian researchers say they are investigating a popular superfood — the acai berry — as a treatment to prevent Covid-19’s most severe symptoms. – AFP
