Paris (AFP)

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

- Merck requests authorization for its pill against Covid -

The American laboratory Merck has submitted an authorization request to the American authorities for its pill against Covid-19, which could constitute a major advance by preventing serious forms of the disease upstream.

This application relates to the drug molnupiravir intended for the treatment of adult patients suffering from mild to moderate forms and at risk of progressing to severe forms and / or hospitalization.

Employees walk past a Merck laboratory sign outside a company building in Summit, New Jersey, USA, October 2, 2013 Kena Betancur GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / Archives

- AstraZeneca: positive tests for an antibody cocktail -

A cocktail of AstraZeneca antibodies tested on infected patients and considered to be at high risk of contracting severe forms of Covid-19 gave results deemed positive by the pharmaceutical company in phase 3 clinical trials, according to a statement on Monday .

A cocktail of AstraZeneca antibodies gave results deemed positive by the pharmaceutical company during phase 3 clinical trials against Covid-19 Paul ELLIS AFP / Archives

- New Zealand: compulsory vaccination to treat or teach -

New Zealand announced on Monday that most unvaccinated caregivers and teachers would no longer be able to operate.

Caregivers directly in contact with patients should be vaccinated before December 1 and education staff in contact with students before January 1.

- Sydney is breathing after four months of confinement -

Sydney's five million residents emerged from nearly four months of strict containment on Monday.

Sydney residents bathe in Bondi Beach, Sydney, after four months of strict confinement, October 11, 2021 in Australia Saeed KHAN AFP

Restrictions will last for a few weeks in Australia's largest city on gatherings and travel abroad.

We will also have to wait for the complete reopening of schools.

- Thailand: reopening to vaccinated tourists -

Thailand will reopen its borders to foreign visitors vaccinated from November 1, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said on Monday, as the kingdom seeks to save the tourism industry.

Thailand will first accept tourists from ten "low-risk countries", including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Singapore.

The list will be expanded in the following months.

- An additional dose recommended for immunocompromised -

A WHO expert committee on Monday recommended giving an additional dose of anti-Covid vaccine to people "moderately or severely immunocompromised", for all vaccines approved by the organization.

The same committee said a third dose, for those 60 years of age or older, was needed for patients who have been immunized with vaccines from Chinese companies Sinovac and Sinopharm.

- Vaccines 90% effective against severe forms (French study) -

Vaccination against Covid-19 reduces the risk of hospitalization and death by 90% in people over 50 and also seems effective against the Delta variant, on which we still lack perspective, according to a large French study alive actual released on Monday.

"This means that vaccinated people are nine times less likely to be hospitalized or die from Covid-19 than unvaccinated people," epidemiologist Mahmoud Zureik told AFP.

- More than 4.84 million dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 4,847,904 people around the world since the end of December 2019, according to a report established Monday at 10:00 a.m. GMT by AFP from official sources.

More than 237.4 million cases of infection have been officially diagnosed since the start of the epidemic.

The vast majority of patients recover, but a still poorly evaluated part retains symptoms for weeks or even months.

Covid-19: AFP global report

The United States is the country most bereaved by this epidemic with 713,350 dead, followed by Brazil (601,011), India (450,782), Mexico (282,086) and Russia (217,372).

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