Global Covid-19 Cases Cross 80 Million Mark

Washington: In yet another grim milestone, the overall number of global Covid-19 cases has surpassed the 80 million mark, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.75 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Sunday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 80,282,523 and 1,756,584, respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 18,943,541 and 331,754, respectively, according to the CSSE.

India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,169,118, while the country's death toll soared to 147,343.

The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (7,448,560), Russia (2,992,123), France (2,607,688), the UK (2,262,735), Turkey (2,133,373), Italy (2,038,759), Spain (1,854,951), Germany (1,646,240), Colombia (1,584,903), Argentina (1,578,267), Mexico (1,372,243), Poland (1,253,957), Iran (1,194,963), Ukraine (1,049,717) and Peru (1,005,546), the CSSE figures showed.

Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 190,795.

The countries with a death toll above 20,000 are Mexico (121,837), Italy (71,620), the UK (70,513), France (62,694), Iran (54,574), Russia (53,539), Spain (49,824), Argentina (42,501), Colombia (41,943), Peru (37,368), Germany (29,666), Poland (27,061), South Africa (26,521) and Indonesia (20,994).

Sweden confirms first case of mutated coronavirus strain

A person who travelled from London to Sweden to celebrate Christmas has been confirmed sick with the new and more infectious variant of the coronavirus that has been rapidly spreading in the UK recently.

Sara Byfors of Sweden's Public Health Agency told a news conference on Saturday that the person has been self-isolating since arriving in the southwestern province of Sormland and that no one else in the household has tested positive for Covid-19. However, Byfors added that there are likely more cases in Sweden that have yet to be detected, Xinhua news agency reported.

The person started feeling ill after arriving in Sweden, testing positive for Covid-19 on December 21 after experiencing extreme fatigue and body ache. On Saturday, it was confirmed that the person was infected with the mutated strain of the coronavirus.

Byfors said that the Public Health Agency has increased its efforts to monitor the new coronavirus strain and is now aiming to collect tests from everyone who has arrived in Sweden from the UK since October.

"On Monday, we issued a new recommendation urging everyone who has been in the UK to get tested so that we can conduct contact tracing and ensure this virus strain does not spread in Sweden. Those who do not show any symptoms should also get tested," said Byfors.

The Public Health Agency has also urged anyone who has travelled to Sweden from the UK and those in their households to self-isolate.

France reports 146 Covid-19 deaths in past 24 hours

France reported 146 deaths caused by Covid-19 infection in the past 24 hours, according to data released by the health authorities.

In the past 24 hours, 3,093 new cases were recorded, a sharp drop from 20,262 reported the day before, due to the close of many screening places for Christmas, it is explained, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

In total, 2,550,864 cases have been reported since the start of the pandemic and the total human loss stood at 62,573.

France is to start its vaccination campaign on Sunday. The first 19,500 vaccine doses arrived early Saturday morning, under gendarmerie escort, at the central pharmacy of Public Assistance-Paris Hospitals (AP-HP) in the Paris suburbs, and doses for other sites were also delivered during the day, reported local media.

UK records another 34,693 coronavirus cases, 210 deaths

Another 34,693 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 2,256,005, according to official figures.

Another 210 have died within 28 days of a positive test, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain to 70,405, the data on released Saturday showed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The reporting of cases and deaths has been affected by the Christmas holidays in some devolved regions and will be reported later on, which means the true total number of cases and deaths in Britain is likely to be higher.

From Saturday, another six million people in England have been placed in the highest Tier Four restrictions, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have also imposed tougher measures on their citizens on Boxing Day.

London and many other parts of England have already been under Tier Four restrictions, which require residents in the areas to stay at home, with limited exemptions. People are also urged to work from home when they can, and should not enter or leave those areas.

For those in Tiers One, Two and Three, up to three households were allowed to meet only on the Christmas Day, while in Tier Four, people should not mix with anyone outside their own household, apart from support bubbles.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States are racing against time to develop coronavirus vaccines.

(With IANS Inputs)