Paris (AFP)

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

- "Exponential" dynamics in Germany -

Angela Merkel said Thursday she was worried about the "exponential" dynamics of new Covid-19 infections in Germany, in particular due to the progression of the Delta variant, urging the population to be vaccinated.

"We have to assume that we will have a doubling in less than two weeks" in the number of new infections, predicted the Chancellor.

- "Long-term" impact on mental health -

The pandemic will have a "long-term" impact on the mental health of populations, warned the World Health Organization (WHO).

"From anxiety linked to the transmission of the virus, to the psychological impact of confinements and self-isolation, to the consequences linked to unemployment, financial difficulties and social exclusion, (...), everything the world is affected in one way or another, "the organization said.

The pandemic will have a "long-term and far-reaching impact".

- China denounces the "arrogance" of the WHO -

China has rejected WHO's proposal to continue investigating the origin of the pandemic in the country.

It is a "disrespect for common sense and arrogance towards science," said Chinese Vice Minister of Health Zeng Yixin.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, last week requested an audit of laboratories in regions where the first cases of coronavirus have been identified.

- Concerned distributors in the UK -

The federation of British distributors has urged the government to relax the rules requiring contact cases of coronavirus patients to isolate themselves, which threaten the supply of supermarkets.

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As positive cases have skyrocketed for several weeks in the country, hundreds of thousands of contact cases are forced into self-isolation.

Supermarket chains, meat producers and transporters have reported a lack of manpower, and on the front page of the British press were displayed on Thursday photos of empty shelves.

- 3rd dose of vaccine for the Dominican president -

Dominican President Luis Abinader received a third dose of the anti-Covid vaccine on Wednesday, calling on the population of the Caribbean country to follow his example.

The 54-year-old president, who had received two injections of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine from Sinopharm, this time received a dose of the vaccine from Pfizer.

The Dominican Republic launched a campaign for the third dose in early July, with less than 250,000 vaccinated so far.

- JO: 5th case among the Czechs -

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A fifth case of Covid-19 was detected in the Czech delegation to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, beach volleyball player Marketa Nausch Slukova who had to withdraw from the tournament.

The Czech Olympic Committee has decided to investigate the possible contamination during the charter flight that took the athletes from Prague to Tokyo.

- More than 4.1 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 4,128,543 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 most affected country with 609,862 deaths, followed by Brazil (545,604 deaths), India (418,987), Mexico (237,207) and Peru (195,429).

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The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher than that which is officially established.

burs-paj / ber / cac

© 2021 AFP