WHO urges vaccination in Eastern Europe

The European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for an increased vaccination effort in Eastern Europe, warning that the "tidal wave" linked to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was advancing towards Europe. is.

In the past two weeks, Covid-19 cases have more than doubled in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, noted WHO regional director Hans Kluge, lamenting low vaccination rates.

Reopening of borders

The Philippines is now at "low risk" in terms of the Covid-19 epidemic due to a rise in vaccination rates and a drop in the number of hospitalizations, according to the president's spokesman Rodrigo Duterte.

The archipelago reopened its borders to foreign tourists last week, after two years of closure.

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

Papua New Guinea will also reopen its borders to vaccinated travelers from Wednesday, authorities said on Tuesday, ending the Melanesian nation's two-year isolation from its neighbours.

France: reopening of nightclubs

From Wednesday, dancing in a disco, having a drink at the bar or attending a standing concert will again be allowed in France.

While Belgium will wait Friday and Germany until March 4 to reopen clubs and nightclubs, France, which hopes to approach the end of the fifth wave after the surge linked to the Omicron variant, will allow these establishments closed since the 10 December to host the party again.

Novak Djokovic, at the Roland Garros tennis tournament, on June 7, 2021 in Paris MARTIN BUREAU AFP / Archives

Djokovic ready to miss Roland-Garros and Wimbledon

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic said he was ready to miss Roland-Garros and Wimbledon for the price of his refusal to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, in an interview with the BBC broadcast on Tuesday.

The Serbian player does not want to be associated with the anti-vax movement, but says he defends "the freedom to choose what you put in your own body".

Failing to be vaccinated, the Serbian player was expelled from Australia in January, without being able to defend his title at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

More than 5.8 million dead

The pandemic has officially killed more than 5,823,938 people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP on Tuesday at 11 a.m. GMT.

In absolute value, the United States is the country with the most deaths (922,473), ahead of Brazil (638,835) and India (509,358).

Reported to the population, the countries where the epidemic has caused the most damage are Peru, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Hungary, and North Macedonia.

Trucks continue blocking protesting anti-virus restrictions in Ottawa, February 14, 2022 Ed JONES AFP

The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that officially established.

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