(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) A total of more than 490 million cases have been diagnosed in the UK, and the UK continues to monitor the XE recombinant strain

　　China News Agency, Beijing, April 3. Comprehensive news: The latest data from the official website of the World Health Organization shows that as of 16:59 CET on the 1st (WHO did not update the data on the 2nd), the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the new crown worldwide reached 486,761,597. The cumulative number of deaths was 6,142,735.

　　According to statistics from the Worldometer website, as of 19:56 on the 3rd, Beijing time, there were 49,115,3782 confirmed cases of the new crown worldwide, and 6,175,016 deaths.

Americas: Coronavirus levels double in U.S. wastewater

　　According to statistics from the Worldometer website, as of 19:56 on the 3rd, Beijing time, the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the new crown in the United States was 81,826,371, and the cumulative number of deaths was 1,008,159.

　　The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a doubling in the number of coronaviruses in wastewater samples across the U.S.

　　Since the outbreak began, wastewater monitoring has been an important tool in the U.S. to understand the extent and future trends of the novel coronavirus.

Because asymptomatic patients still carry the virus, and many people are tested at home for COVID-19 without reporting it to local health authorities, wastewater surveillance can capture infections that go undetected in official tally.

Europe: UK will continue to monitor XE recombinant strains

　　The British government website recently released news that a total of 637 cases of infection with the XE strain (recombinant strains of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2) have been found in the UK.

Early data shows that XE is spreading 9.8% faster than the current fastest-spreading BA.2.

There are reports that XE infections have also been detected in countries such as Israel.

　　When a person is infected with two or more strains of the new coronavirus at the same time, the genetic material of these strains mixes in the patient's body, potentially creating a recombinant strain, according to the UK's Health Security Agency.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several recombinant strains have been identified, most of which will die out quickly, and the situation will be continuously monitored.

　　According to data released by the French public health department on the 2nd local time, as of the afternoon of the same day, the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the new crown in France was close to 25.896 million, and the cumulative number of deaths exceeded 142,000.

　　Russia's new crown virus epidemic prevention and control headquarters said on the 2nd local time that there were 17,949 new confirmed cases of new crown in Russia within 24 hours, and 340 new deaths.

Asia: The Malaysian Prime Minister and his wife are infected

　　According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea’s Central Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters reported on the 3rd local time that as of 0:00 that day, there were more than 234,000 new confirmed cases of new crown in South Korea within 24 hours, and the number of confirmed cases in a single day was less than 300,000 for three consecutive days. There were 306 deaths, the cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 13.874 million, and the cumulative number of deaths exceeded 17,000.

　　According to reports, the South Korean government believes that the current round of the Omicron epidemic has reached its peak and will slowly decline since the end of March.

Therefore, it was decided to relax the epidemic prevention measures for two weeks from the 4th local time. The number of people in private gatherings was relaxed from 8 to 10, and the business hours of restaurants and coffee shops were extended from 23:00 to 24:00.

If the epidemic situation in South Korea shows a significant downward trend in the next two weeks and the medical system stabilizes, it will discuss the full lifting of social distancing restrictions.

　　According to Japan's NHK TV station, Japan reported 48,825 new confirmed cases of the new crown on the 2nd local time, and 55 new deaths. The cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 6.664 million, and the cumulative number of deaths exceeded 28,000.

　　According to a report by Kyodo News on the 2nd, the Japanese government announced to relax the epidemic prevention measures at border ports in response to the epidemic. From April 10, the maximum number of people allowed to enter the country per day will be increased from the current 7,000 to 10,000.

However, the number of new infections in Japan in the latest week increased from last week, showing signs of a rebound in the epidemic.

Regarding the possibility of a rebound in the epidemic caused by the relaxation of epidemic prevention measures at border ports, the Japanese government emphasized that it will properly respond to the influx of infection risks.

　　The Royal Palace of Malaysia issued a statement on the 2nd local time, saying that Abdullah and his wife were diagnosed with the new crown and will self-isolate at the palace until April 8.

The statement said that the current symptoms of the head of state and his wife are mild and in good health. They will self-isolate in accordance with the epidemic prevention policies and procedures of the Malaysian Ministry of Health.

The statement emphasized that as Ramadan is approaching and Malaysia will open its borders from April 1, it appeals to the Malaysian people to continue to maintain an unrelenting state of protection against the new crown epidemic.

Africa: South African government welcomes Moody's upgrade outlook

　　In response to the international rating agency Moody's raising South Africa's rating outlook to the "stable" level on the 1st of this month, the South African government responded on the 3rd local time that it welcomed the above-mentioned adjustment by Moody's.

　　Affected by factors such as the new crown epidemic, continuous large-scale power outages, and worrying security situation, Moody's downgraded South Africa's credit rating to "junk" on March 30, 2020, and its investment rating outlook was lowered to "negative".

The South African government introduced a number of measures in the following two years to deal with the new crown epidemic and safeguard the economic recovery process.

South African President Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation address that as the new crown epidemic improves, South Africa is accelerating the pace of economic recovery in order to restore the public's sense of trust and pride in the country.

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