Paris (AFP)

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

- The Covid killed more Americans than the Spanish flu -

Covid-19 has now killed more Americans than the Spanish flu in 1918-19, according to data released by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 676,000 people infected with the new coronavirus have so far died in the United States, against 675,000 deaths from the Spanish flu recorded by historians and the Centers for the prevention and fight against diseases.

But, unlike Covid-19, this pandemic which had claimed a total of 50 million victims worldwide had been particularly deadly among children under 5 and people aged 20 to 40.

- Rubber bullets in Melbourne -

Riot police in Melbourne, south-eastern Australia, used pepper spray and rubber bullets on Tuesday to disperse a violent protest by opponents of compulsory Covid vaccination for children. construction workers, while most sites were abruptly closed in the city after the discovery within them of hotbeds of contamination.

It was the second such demonstration in two days, following that on Monday of around 100 construction workers who smashed windows in central Melbourne.

Already in mid-September, more than 200 arrests had been made and police officers injured during violent clashes with protesters opposed to confinement.

Covid-19: AFP global report

- Treatments postponed or canceled in the Paris region -

In France, more than a third of the 12 million inhabitants of the Paris region have canceled or postponed care since the start of the health crisis, according to a study by the Paris Region Institute published on Tuesday.

This mainly concerned dental care, but also gynecological consultations, those of general practitioners or ophthalmologists.

The delays in obtaining an appointment and the fear of catching Covid-19 are the main reasons given.

- The OECD revises its global growth forecast downwards -

The OECD slightly lowered its global growth forecast for 2021 on Tuesday, citing a "very uneven recovery" according to the levels of public support during the crisis and the level of countries' anti-Covid vaccination.

The world economy could grow by 5.7% this year, anticipates the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in its interim outlook, a decline of 0.1 point compared to previous forecasts in May.

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

- The face dyed black to denounce the vaccine obligation -

The employee of an elementary school in Oregon in the United States who intended to protest against the obligation to be vaccinated against Covid-19 came to her work with her face dyed black for, according to her, representing famous civil rights activist Rosa Parks, according to local media.

Her employers condemned her gesture, which they said "would hurt black communities", and placed her on administrative leave.

- More than 4.69 million dead -

The pandemic of the new coronavirus has killed at least 4,696,559 people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources on Tuesday at 10 a.m. GMT.

The United States is the country with the most deaths (676,092), ahead of Brazil (590,955), India (445,385), Mexico (271,765), and Russia (199,808).

Among the countries hardest hit, Peru is the one that deplores the highest number of deaths in relation to its population.

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

© 2021 AFP