COVID cases in US hit six-month high

New York: Daily new coronavirus infections in the United States have jumped to the highest number in six months.

More than 100,000 new cases have been reported across the country. The rise comes amid surges caused largely by the highly contagious delta variant, particularly in Florida and other states with lower vaccination rates than the rest of the US.

The country's top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci announced that efforts were underway to give citizens with weakened immune systems booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. This means the US will join Chile, Germany, France and Israel in offering booster shots, a move opposed by the WHO until more people across the world can receive at least a first dose.

Europe

Germany's public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, on Friday reported 3,448 coronavirus cases for the past day, bringing the total number of cases in Germany to 3,784,433 since the pandemic began. The death toll rose by 24 to 91,754.

The seven-day incidence rate per 100,000 people climbed above 20 for the first time since spring.

In Italy, starting Friday, a "green pass" will be required to access indoor dining, sporting venues, swimming pools, gyms, museums, movie theaters and other shared public indoor spaces.

The green pass, an extension of the EU's digital COVID certificate, will grant access to those who have had at least one dose of the vaccine in the last nine months, those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months, or those who have tested negative in the previous 48 hours.

Americas

Despite the surge in infections in the United States, thousands of bikers are converging in the Black Hills in the Midwestern state of South Dakota for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which starts Friday.

Some 700,000 people are expected to attend — 240,000 more than last year — raising fears that the event could unleash a further wave of infections.

Asia and Oceania

In Australia, the southeastern state of Victoria with its population of 7 million entered its sixth lockdown since the pandemic began, weeks after exiting its last one.

Approximately 2,000 turned out in the state capital of Melbourne to protest. Almost two-thirds of Australia's population of 25 million is currently in lockdown, with Sydney also reporting a record number of new infections — 291 — for a second straight day on Friday.

The Philippine capital region is entering a two-week "hard lockdown" after being hit by a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled largely by the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

The lockdown will be in effect in the capital region of metropolitan Manila until August 20, but could be extended if the situation does not improve, authorities said.

In China, President Xi Jinping has pledged to supply the world with 2 billion doses of Chinese vaccines this year. The country is already the largest global exporter of COVID-19 vaccines.

The figure quoted by Xi likely includes the 770 million doses China has already donated or exported already since September last year, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But it is unclear whether it also includes the 550 million doses provided by China under the United Nations-backed COVAX scheme, which aims to distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income

countries.