Paris (AFP)

New assessments, new measures, highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.

- 160,000 contaminations per day -

The number of people infected with the new coronavirus every day worldwide has exceeded 160,000 in the past week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday.

- The EU reopens its borders -

On the threshold of summer, Europeans reopened their borders on Wednesday to travelers from fifteen countries whose epidemiological situation is deemed sufficiently secure for the resumption of travel. The criteria used notably exclude the United States.

This list, which will be revised every two weeks, includes Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea , Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

China is also concerned but on the condition of admitting European nationals to its soil again. She promised to do so, without committing to a date.

- Spain and Portugal too -

Spain and Portugal reopened their land border on Wednesday, closed on March 16 on the initiative of Lisbon. After three and a half months of closing its only land border, Portugal remains one of the European countries most spared by the Covid-19.

- The UN calls for an end to conflicts -

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Wednesday calling for an end to world conflicts to facilitate the fight against the pandemic, after more than three months of painstaking negotiations.

- More than 512,000 dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 512,383 people worldwide, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. GMT.

The United States totals 128,028 deaths for nearly 2.7 million cases. This is followed by Brazil (60,632 dead), the United Kingdom (43,906), Italy (34,788) and France (29,861).

Mexico passed, with 28,510 dead, before Spain (28,363).

- Worrisome situation in Latin America -

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has warned that the death toll in Latin America and the Caribbean, currently around 114,000, could almost quadruple by October 1 in the absence of strengthened health measures.

- Extended restrictions in Canada -

In order to prevent the spread of the pandemic, Canada extended the measures to close its borders to foreigners, except Americans, until July 31.

The compulsory quarantine and isolation measure upon entry into the country is also extended until August 31.

- Tourism: shortfall -

Restrictions on Covid-19 are expected to translate into shortfalls of $ 1.2 trillion to $ 3.3 trillion for tourism and related industries in the coming months, according to a UN estimate released Wednesday.

- West Bank closed for 5 days -

The West Bank will be cordoned off for five days starting Friday due to a sudden increase in the number of cases of people infected with the new coronavirus.

burs-fm-jba / elm / roc

© 2020 AFP