Paris (AFP)

Highlights, new measures, new reports: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.

- Slowing down of the epidemic (WHO) -

The pandemic continues to rage around the world but the latest weekly data released by the World Health Organization shows a slowing of the epidemic in most regions, particularly on the American continent.

This slowdown was recorded in all regions except Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.

- Africa could have passed the peak -

The WHO has said Africa may have passed the peak of the pandemic, while warning of a loosening that would facilitate a second wave.

- Spain: recourse to the army -

The head of the Spanish government Pedro Sanchez announced the provision of "the strength of the armed forces to the regions to carry out the tracing" of cases, specifying that two thousand soldiers would be deployed for this purpose.

- Tests for a drug -

The British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which is already developing a vaccine, has announced that it has launched phase 1 trials on a drug to prevent and treat Covid-19. The trial is funded by the US government.

- More than 813,000 dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 813,733 people around the world since the end of December, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Tuesday.

More than 23 million cases have been diagnosed in 196 countries and territories. The United States is the country most affected with 177,284 deaths. Brazil follows with 115,309 deaths, Mexico (60,800), India (58,390) and the United Kingdom (41,433).

- France: more than 3,000 cases in 24 hours -

More than 3,000 new cases have been recorded in France in the past 24 hours, according to figures published by Public Health France.

- A faulty test kit in Sweden -

A faulty Covid-19 test kit resulted in 3,700 false positive results, the Swedish public health agency announced, an error discovered by two laboratories during systematic quality checks. The PCR test kits were manufactured in China by the company BGI Genomics and distributed around the world.

- Economic impact -

The German state recorded a public deficit in the first half of 2020, the first for eight years against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis. This deficit of 51.6 billion euros represents 3.2% of German GDP, beyond European criteria, which set a limit at 3%. In the second quarter of 2020, German GDP fell by 9.7%.

American Airlines has said it will lay off 19,000 workers in October if it does not receive new aid.

- Lebanon: the tourist sector rebels -

The owners of tourist establishments in Lebanon, brought to their knees by a long economic crisis aggravated by the recent deadly explosion in Beirut, announced the resumption, from Wednesday, of their activities despite the restoration of containment.

- Online courses in Seoul -

South Korea, faced with a resurgence of the epidemic, has ordered schools in Seoul and its region to resume distance education until September 11.

- Costa Cruises will test every passenger -

The Costa Cruises group, a subsidiary of the American Carnival, will perform tests on all passengers on its ships before boarding, when its activities gradually resume from Italian ports on September 6.

- Antonio Banderas cured -

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, who announced two weeks ago to have been diagnosed positive, announced that he was cured.

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© 2020 AFP