Paris (AFP)

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

- Nearly four million doses for Nigeria -

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa with 200 million inhabitants, will receive on Tuesday nearly four million doses of vaccine against Covid-19, financed by the Covax device intended in particular for disadvantaged countries.

- Semi-containment in Norway -

Oslo will resume on Tuesday several semi-containment measures, including the closure of restaurants and non-essential shops, in the face of the surge in cases linked to the English variant.

- Novavax hopes to file an authorization request -

The US biotech company Novavax said on Monday it hoped to file an application for authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine in the UK at the start of the second quarter of 2021, and to be able to do the same soon after in the United States.

- First Covax injections in Africa -

Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire were the first countries on Monday to launch a vaccination campaign thanks to the Covax device, intended for the less wealthy countries.

The Covax system aims to provide anti-Covid vaccines to 20% of the population of nearly 200 participating countries and territories this year.

It includes a funding mechanism that enables 92 low- and middle-income countries to access valuable doses.

- Colombia, first Covax delivery in America -

Colombia received Monday the first batch of covid-19 vaccines distributed in America through the Covax mechanism, created by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the benefit of the poorest countries in the unequal race for immunization .

- Vaccine uptake on the rise -

The population's support for the Covid-19 vaccine is on the rise in several countries, according to a study by the Kekst CNC firm.

In France, 59% of people questioned say they are ready to receive a vaccine or have already done so, against 40% in December.

The UK membership rate is highest, 89%.

- EU: "green passport" project -

The European Commission will present in March a project for a "digital green passport" attesting to vaccination against Covid or negative tests to allow travel more freely.

- France: "hold" 4 to 6 weeks -

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Monday to "hold" another "4 to 6 weeks" before being able to loosen certain constraints in the face of the epidemic.

While the indicators are on the rise in France, new restrictive measures could be imposed in about twenty departments.

- A "biological weapon" for two thirds of Russians -

Nearly two-thirds of Russians believe that Covid-19 is a man-made "biological weapon", according to a poll released Monday by the independent Levada center.

According to the study, only 23% of Russians believe that the appearance of the coronavirus is a natural phenomenon "without human intervention".

64% think it is "artificial and constitutes a new biological weapon".

- Israel: tracing considered anti-democratic -

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the government should reduce the tracing of Covid-19 cases by the security services, ruling that this "draconian" surveillance was an attack on democracy.

- Easing in Turkey -

Turkey will ease the restrictions in force since early December, including authorizing the reopening of restaurants and shortening the curfew imposed on weekends, announced President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

- In Bali, the vaccine while driving -

The Indonesian island of Bali has launched a drive-through vaccination campaign, without leaving the wheel of its car, for employees of the tourism sector in order to revive this sector which has suffered greatly.

Indonesia is the country in Southeast Asia most affected by the pandemic, with more than 1.3 million confirmed cases and 36,000 deaths.

- The Covid-19 will not be defeated in 2021 (WHO) -

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday deemed unrealistic to think that humanity will be rid of Covid-19 by the end of the year, but that it would nevertheless be possible to lower the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.

- More than 2.5 million deaths

The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 2.53 million people worldwide, according to a report established by AFP from official sources Monday at 11:00 GMT.

The United States is the most affected country with 514,320 deaths, followed by Brazil (255,720), Mexico (185,715), India (157,157) and the United Kingdom (122,849).

burx-uh / roc

© 2021 AFP