Paris (AFP)

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

- The more transmissible Delta variant -

The Delta variant, which threatens the lifting of the latest restrictions in the UK, is transmitted 40% more than the previously dominant Alpha variant in the UK, UK Health Minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday.

Despite an increase in the number of new cases of Covid-19 in recent days, exceeding 5,000 or even 6,000 cases recorded daily, the number of hospitalizations remains stable, said Matt Hancock.

The majority of hospitalizations concern patients who have not been vaccinated, he assured.

But the arrival of the Delta variant, first identified in April in India and now dominant in the United Kingdom, according to estimates, after a long winter confinement threatens the lifting of the last restrictions hoped for on June 21.

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- Taiwan: American donation of vaccines -

A delegation of three US senators landed in Taiwan on Sunday, announcing that Washington would give 750,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to its ally.

Taiwan accuses China of hampering efforts to obtain vaccines as the island of 23.5 million faces a sudden coronavirus outbreak.

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- Golf: defending champion, Rahm, positive, withdraws from Memorial -

The Spaniard and defending champion Jon Rahm dominated the Memorial, counting for the North American Tour (PGA), after the third round on Saturday in Dublin (Ohio), but he immediately had to retire after having tested positive for Covid-19.

- More than 3.7 million dead -

The pandemic has killed more than 3,723,381 people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Sunday at 10:00 GMT.

After the United States (597,377 dead), the countries with the highest number of deaths are Brazil (472,531), India (346,759), Mexico (228,754) and Peru (186,073).

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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 / cds / mr

© 2021 AFP