Paris (AFP)

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

- France will double the number of vaccines given to poor countries -

France will give poor countries 120 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, double what it previously planned, President Emmanuel Macron promised on Saturday.

"The injustice is that in other continents, obviously, vaccination is very late. Because of us, collectively. In Africa, barely 3% of the population is vaccinated - we have to go faster, stronger ", launched the French head of state in a video sequence broadcast during the concert in Paris of the charity Global Citizen.

The United States announced on Wednesday its intention to double its donations of Covid-19 vaccines, bringing the total doses promised to poor countries to more than 1.1 billion, Joe Biden clearly showing his intention to lead the global response against the pandemic.

- Ireland: end of compulsory quarantine for tourists -

Ireland on Saturday ended the mandatory two-week quarantine imposed since March on visitors entering the country to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

People seated on the terrace of a pub in Dublin (Ireland), after the reopening of outdoor cafes, bars and restaurants, June 7, 2021 PAUL FAITH AFP / Archives

Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said in a statement "the withdrawal, as of today, of all remaining countries on the official list of states" whose nationals were subject to a 14-day quarantine at hotel upon arrival in Ireland.

- Italy: compulsory return to the office in the administration -

The 3.2 million employees of the Italian public administrations will all have to return to the office from October 15, warned their minister on Saturday.

They will all have to give up teleworking, which will only be an option in very specific cases being negotiated with the unions, said Renato Brunetta, Minister of Public Administration in Italy.

- Incentives for vaccination in Congo -

The authorities of the Congo enacted additional measures on Saturday to strengthen vaccination coverage against the coronavirus in the country, in particular making the vaccination certificate compulsory from November 1 to access administrations and certain establishments such as pension funds or banks, or to transport between the country's major cities.

Launched last April, the vaccination against Covid-19 has not yet reached 6% of the target population, according to official statistics.

The authorities are planning a coverage rate of 30% next December and 60% in July 2022.

- France: mobilization down against the health pass -

More than 60,000 people demonstrated again on Saturday in France against the health pass put in place by the government to counter the Covid-19 epidemic, the eleventh act of a weekly mobilization, which has been declining for several weeks.

About 63,700 demonstrators, including 7,200 in Paris, were identified by the police for 197 actions organized throughout the country.

They were 80,500 participants a week ago, 121,000 the previous Saturday and 237,000 on August 7, at the height of the mobilization.

- More than 4.7 million deaths

The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 4,725,638 worldwide since the WHO office in China reported the onset of the disease at the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP from official sources Friday midday.

The United States is the most affected country in terms of both deaths and cases, with 687,084 deaths, followed by Brazil (594,200), India (446,648), Mexico (274,703) and Russia (203,095).

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

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.

burx-paj-jba / am / ybl

© 2021 AFP