Paris (AFP)
New measures, new reports and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
- WHO begs that the question on the origin of the Covid be depoliticized
The WHO, urged by the United States and the European Union to launch a new investigation into the origins of Covid-19, complained on Friday of the numerous political interference and asked that scientists be left to work.
- End of "confinement" in the Netherlands on June 5
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday the end of "containment" from June 5 with a new round of easing of restrictions against the coronavirus, in particular allowing restaurants to welcome customers inside.
- Italy simplifies the procedures of its recovery plan
The Italian government adopted a decree on Friday simplifying administrative procedures, in particular for public tenders, and organizing the management of funds for the important post-Covid recovery plan financed by the European Union.
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- Cuba denounces the effect of the embargo on its vaccination campaign
Cuba, which has developed five candidate vaccines against the coronavirus, accused Friday the strengthening of the American embargo of having delayed its vaccination campaign.
- 70% of the population vaccinated to end the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic will not be over until at least 70% of the world's population has been vaccinated, warned the European director of the World Health Organization on Friday, who is worried about the highest contagiousness observed for new variants of the virus, including the Indian variant.
- Reopening of terraces in Quebec
Eight months after the restaurants were closed due to the pandemic, Quebeckers were able to enjoy the joy of being on the terrace on Friday with the lifting of many anti-Covid restrictions.
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- Gabon is easing its restrictions, especially for people who have been vaccinated
After more than a year of very restrictive measures against Covid-19, Gabon is easing some of them, including the curfew, and exempting vaccinated people, but imposing a 24-hour quarantine for international travelers, announced on Friday. President Ali Bongo Ondimba.
- Pfizer / BioNTech approved for 12-15 year olds
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday approved the use of the anti-Covid Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine for 12-15 year olds, which becomes the first vaccine to be authorized for adolescents in the 27 countries of the Union European.
- UK approves fourth vaccine
The United Kingdom has approved the vaccine from the American pharmaceutical group Johnson & Johnson, which adds to those of Pfizer / BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna, already used in the country in the fight against the pandemic.
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- Patents "should not be a barrier"
Patents on anti-Covid vaccines "should in no way be a brake" on the immunization of populations, the South African and French presidents said in unison, during a visit by Emmanuel Macron to Pretoria.
- Japan: prolonged state of emergency
The Japanese government has extended the state of emergency in force in part of the archipelago in the face of Covid-19, until June 20 now, almost a month before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics (July 23 - August 8).
- More than 3.51 million deaths
The pandemic has killed at least 3.51 million people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to an assessment established by AFP from official sources Friday in the middle of the day.
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After the United States (593,930), the countries with the highest number of deaths are Brazil (459,045), India (318,895), Mexico (222,657) and the United Kingdom (127,758).
These figures, which are based on daily reports from national health authorities, are generally underestimated.
They exclude the upward revisions carried out a posteriori by certain statistical organizations.
By taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, the WHO estimates that the real toll is "two to three times higher".
According to an AFP count on Friday at 2 p.m. GMT, the seven countries currently deploring the highest number of deaths from Covid-19 compared to their population are located in Central and Eastern Europe.
burx-cn / roc
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