Sunday 27 / October / 2024
New York: More than 250 million worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
The milestone comes as countries in eastern Europe are seeing record outbreaks, while many countries ease trade and travel restrictions.
So far, more than 5 million people have died due to COVID-19.
Europe is the most affected region in the world, registering more than 76 million COVID-19 infections.
This is followed by Asia, with over 56 million cases, followed by the US and Canada with more than 48 million cases, and lastly, Latin America and the Caribbean with more than 46 million cases.
Over the past seven days, nearly 449,000 new daily infections have been registered on average.
Here's the latest coronavirus-related news from across the world:
Europe
Germany, for the second day in a row, reported record coronavirus incidence rates on Tuesday.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported the incidence rate — the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants over the previous seven days — at 213.7.
This is higher than Monday's figure of 201.1, which was the first time the rate passed 200 since the pandemic began.
Germany reported 21,832 new cases and 169 new deaths, according to data from RKI.
Denmark will re-introduce a health pass amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said.
The prime minister acknowledged that the return of the pass would make life difficult for those who have not been vaccinated but added: "That's how I think it should be."
Russia reported a record daily COVID-19 death toll of 1,211, on Tuesday, a day after a nationwide workplace shutdown aimed at curbing a surge in cases was lifted across most regions.
Asia Pacific
Australia's medical regulatory body granted AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail against COVID-19 a provisional determination — the first step in the process for registration in the country.
EVUSHELD is the first protective shot other than vaccines against COVID-19.
Thousands of demonstrators marched in New Zealand's capital Wellington toward the parliament to protest COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday.
Authorities responded with major police deployment at the Wellington building known as the Beehive.
Some carried "Trump 2020" flags, while others targeted Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with slogans such as "Pro-Choice, Anti Jacinda", with "Media Lies" and "Media Treason" also prominent.
