Paris (AFP)

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

- India: $ 6.7 billion for health -

The Central Bank of India stepped up on Wednesday to help counter the second wave of Covid-19 ravaging the country by announcing $ 6.7 billion in cheap loans to the health sector.

- G7: more united distribution of vaccines -

Urged by the World Health Organization (WHO) to show solidarity in the face of the pandemic, the rich countries of the G7 on Wednesday discussed in London ways to increase their financial assistance or share their excess doses to help poor states.

While India, which is not part of the G7, has been invited by Britain to participate in these discussions, its Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, announced on the spot that he had been exposed to potential cases of Covid -19 and therefore decided to assume its commitments "in virtual mode".

- Canada: Pfizer-BioNTech authorized from 12 years old -

The Canadian Department of Health has announced that it is authorizing the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech anti-Covid vaccine for adolescents as young as 12, with Canada becoming the first country to approve it from that age.

- Egypt strengthens its measures for the end of Ramadan -

Egypt has announced a strengthening of its measures to fight against the coronavirus as the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr approaches, which will mark next week the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

The most populous Arab country, with some 101 million inhabitants, has decided to close its cafes, malls and restaurants at 9 p.m. from Thursday until May 21.

- Partial confinement in Kuala Lumpur -

Malaysia, facing a further rise in coronavirus cases, will tighten restrictions in its capital where only essential businesses will be allowed to open and restaurants will be closed.

The partial confinement in Kuala Lumpur, which is in principle to last from May 7 to 20, was announced the day after the authorities' decision to tighten restrictions in several regions surrounding the capital.

- Incentives for vaccination -

Serbia will pay 25 euros to each of its nationals already vaccinated and to those who will be vaccinated by the end of May, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Wednesday.

In the United States, initiatives are also increasing to convince the undecided to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

- French casinos will partially reopen on May 19 -

French casinos will reopen their doors on May 19, initially only for slot machines and electronic games and with a gauge of 35% of visitors, announced the two main players in the sector.

- More than 3.2 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 3,230,058 people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to an assessment established by AFP from official sources on Wednesday in the middle of the day.

The United States is the country with the most deaths (578,500), ahead of Brazil (411,588), India (226,188), Mexico (217,740) and the United Kingdom (127,543).

These figures are globally underestimated.

They are based on daily reports from national health authorities, without including reassessments based on statistical bases.

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© 2021 AFP