Paris (AFP)

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

- Johnson calls on the G7 to "vaccinate the world" by the end of 2022 -

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will call on leaders of G7 countries to unite to "vaccinate the world by the end of the year" next to end the Covid-19 pandemic, his services announced on Saturday .

The head of the Conservative government, who will host the G7 summit from Friday to Sunday in Cornwall (south-west of England), will urge his counterparts from the most industrialized countries (United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, United States) to take "concrete measures" to achieve this goal, according to a statement released Saturday evening by Downing Street.

The summit represents the first face-to-face meeting of G7 leaders since the pandemic erupted a year and a half ago and the first attendance of new US President Joe Biden, which marks the return of the United States to multilateralism after the Trump years.

- Belgium will open vaccination to 16-17 year olds -

Belgium will open up vaccination against the coronavirus to young people aged 16-17 from July, politicians announced on Saturday at the end of an interministerial conference.

"The vaccination of this age group will be carried out in the wake of that of 18-year-olds. From July, they will begin to receive an invitation for the first dose," said the ministers of health of this Federal state.

- + 20% of tourists this summer in Italy -

Italy, which is gradually lifting its anti-Covid restrictions in the face of a constantly improving situation, expects 20% more tourists this summer, the Italian Tourism Federation announced on Saturday.

"The summer season 2021 gives the first signs of recovery in the sector: between June and August are expected 33 million arrivals and 140 million overnight stays in official reception facilities, an increase of + 20.8% compared to 2020 and an overall turnover of 12.8 billion euros ".

The curfew, so far in effect from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., will be pushed back to midnight from Monday.

Bars and restaurants are also once again authorized to serve indoors, with tables limited to 4 people.

After 17 months of interruption due to a pandemic, a first cruise ship set sail on Saturday in Venice, arousing the controversy between supporters and opponents of the presence of these sea monsters in the famous Italian lagoon.

- Gradual deconfinement in New Delhi and Bombay -

In India, markets and shopping malls in New Delhi will be able to reopen every other day from Monday, authorities said, amid a drop in contamination in major cities.

The Delhi metro will also resume at 50%.

Offices can also reopen at 50% of their capacity, but the mayor has urged his fellow citizens to work from home instead.

On Saturday, New Delhi recorded 400 new infections, against 25,000 daily cases seven weeks ago, when containment was decided.

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The state government of Maharashtra - which includes Bombay, India's economic powerhouse - has announced a five-step plan to ease restrictions, depending on infection rates and hospital capacity.

- More than 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed more than 3,714,923 people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to an assessment established by AFP from official sources on Saturday midday.

After the United States (597,365 dead), the countries with the highest number of deaths are Brazil (472,531), India (344,082), Mexico (228,568) and Peru (185,813).

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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".

burs-ang-acm / cds / ial / uh / ybl

© 2021 AFP