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Agencies

Several nations were confronting a worrying spike in new coronavirus infections over the weekend after the number of cases recorded worldwide in a single day hit an all-time high of nearly 300,000.
The grim figure for Saturday, reported as 294,237 by the World Health Organisation, puts the number of people infected globally at almost 21.5 million, while more than 777,000 people with Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, have died.
The previous record daily total was on July 31, when just over 292,000 new cases were reported.
In absolute numbers, the most affected countries are the United States, Brazil and India, which each recording more than 100,000 cases over the past seven days.

According to experts, the number of unreported cases is likely much higher.
British travellers returning home from parts of Europe and beyond began quarantine under new restrictions on Saturday, while Russia said it had produced the first batch of its controversial coronavirus vaccine.
Latin America and the Caribbean, the pandemic’s current epicentre, surpassed 6 million infections, even as Rio de Janeiro in hard-hit Brazil reopened major tourist sites including the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue.
“The reopening of the Christ (monument) symbolises the reopening of Brazil to tourism,” Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said at a ceremony at the base of the statue, where visitors will have to wear masks and socially distance.
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Latin America claims nearly one-third of the 760,000 coronavirus deaths worldwide.
The US is the worst-affected country with more than one-quarter of the world’s 21 million cases, as well as nearly 170,000 deaths. Brazil follows with 3.3 million cases and 107,000 deaths.
Even South Korea – an early success story in containing the coronavirus – warned of another mass infection after reporting on Sunday 445 more cases, the highest since early March, most of which are linked to a flare-up at a church in the capital.
Elsewhere, Britain removed France, the Netherlands, Malta and three other countries from its list of places exempt from self-isolation rules, as a second wave of virus infections threatens more disruption and economic chaos in Europe.

The move, announced late on Thursday, sparked a 36-hour scramble for plane, train and ferry tickets among some Britons desperate to get back home before the 4am rule change.
All arrivals from the blacklisted states after the deadline must self-quarantine for 14 days, with the measure already in place for people coming from several other countries including Spain and Belgium.
Germany added most of Spain – where cases have surged in recent weeks – to its list of regions from where arrivals must show a negative Covid-19 test or quarantine for two weeks. The restrictions include the island of Mallorca, a highly popular resort for German sunseekers
French authorities reported more than 3,000 new cases on Saturday after three days of at least 2,500 new infections – levels not seen since France was in a strict lockdown in the spring.
South Korea’s ‘grave situation’ after biggest virus surge in five months
However several countries announced an easing of lockdown measures.
South Africa said it would resume sales of alcohol and cigarettes – banned on March 27 – on Monday, while DR Congo opened up its airspace on Saturday for the first time in five months.
In the US, museums, art galleries and other cultural institutions in New York will be allowed to reopen later this month following a five-month shutdown.
As cases around the world continue to rise, Moscow said the first consignments of its “Sputnik V” vaccine had been produced, just four days after President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had won the global race to approve a vaccine.


The claim has drawn a sceptical response from Western scientists and the WHO, which have said the vaccine still needs a rigorous review.
Meanwhile, about 5,000 pilgrims attended the annual Assumption mass in the underground basilica in France’s Lourdes Roman Catholic shrine Saturday – with strict health measures in place.
“It’s weird. There aren’t many people this year,” said Michel Clavel, a retired 66-year-old truck driver, who comes every year for the pilgrimage which usually attracts about 250,000 worshippers.
DPA, Agence France-Presse, Reuters



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Coronavirus pandemic

Global coronavirus daily case tally tops record high as countries battle fresh outbreaks

A coronavirus patient is transferred to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Brazil. Photo: AFP

TOPSHOT - Funerary workers bury a coffin in a massive burial ground for low income people and unidentified victims of Covid-19, opened by the regional government of Arequipa in the highland barren lands of Uchumayo, in the Andes of southern Peru, late on August 14, 2020. - Peru is one of the worst hit countries in coronavirus-epicenter Latin America after Brazil and Mexico, with more than 25,000 reported deaths and over half a million cases. (Photo by Diego Ramos / AFP)

A staff member shows the way to coronavirus testing at a Frankfurt Airport terminal. After Germany declared almost all of Spain to be a coronavirus hotspot, Spain's tourism industry is worried that such tests and possible quarantines will drive holidaymakers away.

First responders move a patient with Covid-19 symptoms onto a stretcher before transporting him to a hospital in Houston, Texas. Photo: AFP

How is India fighting the coronavirus pandemic?

A woman sits on a hospital bed in Bhagalpur while her husband, a Covid-19 patient, waits to be transferred to ICU. Medical experts say India will reach 3 million cases in the next 10 days. Photo: Reuters

People wait for a screening of COVID-19 symptoms in Dharavi, one of Asia's biggest slums, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. India has the third-highest coronavirus caseload in the world after the United States and Brazil. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

epa08596871 A migrant Hindu refugee from Pakistan gives swab samples for coronavirus COVID-19 Rapid Antigen detection testing in a mobile testing clinic in New Delhi, India, 11 August 2020. According to the news reports India is listed as the third country worldwide in regards to total covid-19 cases after the United States and Brazil. EPA-EFE/STR

People walk wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus in Kolkata, India, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

A COVID-19 patient lies on a hospital bed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Bhagalpur, Bihar, India, July 26, 2020. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui SEARCH "BHAGALPUR HOSPITAL COVID-19" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.

Nations brace for new coronavirus outbreaks as global death toll nears 750,000

A woman shouts against the government's measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections, like wearing a face mask, during a rally in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: AP

A little girl wearing a face mask amid the new coronavirus pandemic gets her temperature taken at a police checkpoint, at the entrance to the province of Havana, Cuba, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. Cuban authorities on Monday re-imposed measures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, restricting inter-provincial travel, closing beaches, bars, restaurants, and keeping the main airport closed to international travel. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

TOPSHOT - A health worker wearing Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) urges a resident to get her temeprature and oxygen level checked during a COVID-19 coronavirus screening in the Dharavi slum, in Mumbai on August 11, 2020. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP)

TOPSHOT - Moroccan soldiers patrol the city of Tangiers on August 11, 2020 amid a new outbreak of the novel coronavirus. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

Coronavirus: WHO urges world not to despair as global cases pass 20 million

A man and child wearing face masks ride a roller coaster in Vancouver, Canada. Photo: AP

FILE PHOTO: A woman wears a protective face mask at the Trocadero square near the Eiffel Tower in Paris as France reinforces mask-wearing as part of efforts to curb a resurgence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) across the country, August 9, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Crosses, red balloons and Brazilian nation flags are placed in the sand on Copacabana beach in a demonstration organized by Rio de Paz to honor the victims of COVID-19, as the country heads to a milestone of 100,000 new coronavirus related deaths, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

A health worker collects a swab from a resident at a makeshift coronavirus testing booth in Hyderabad on Monday. Photo: AFP

Brazil coronavirus deaths pass 100,000 as country struggles to contain pandemic

An installation of red balloons and crosses honouring victims of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil was set up at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Soccer Football - Brasileiro Championship - Coritiba v Internacional - Couto Pereira Stadium, Curitiba, Brazil - August 8, 2020 Cut-out images of Coritiba fans are seen in the stands before the match, following the resumption of play behind closed doors after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Rodolfo Buhrer

News

World


Latin America and the Caribbean, the pandemic’s current epicentre, have surpassed 6 million infections. At least 777,000 have died globally
In absolute numbers, the most affected countries are the US, Brazil and India, each recording 100,000-plus cases over the past seven days



Latin America and the Caribbean, the pandemic’s current epicentre, have surpassed 6 million infections. Worldwide, more than 777,000 have died.


Global coronavirus daily case tally tops record high as countries battle fresh outbreaks

Latin America and the Caribbean, the pandemic’s current epicentre, have surpassed 6 million infections. At least 777,000 have died globally In absolute numbers, the most affected countries are the US, Brazil and India, each recording 100,000-plus cases over the past seven days

Latin America and the Caribbean, the pandemic’s current epicentre, have surpassed 6 million infections. At least 777,000 have died globally

In absolute numbers, the most affected countries are the US, Brazil and India, each recording 100,000-plus cases over the past seven days