Global Covid-19 Cases Top 78.6 Million, Death Toll Crosses 1.72 Million

Washington: The overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 78.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.72 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 78,623,752 and 1,729,166, respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 18,455,656 and 326,088, respectively, according to the CSSE.

India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,099,066, while the country's death toll soared to 146,444.

The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (7,365,517), Russia (2,905,196), France (2,562,615), the UK (2,155,996), Turkey (2,082,610), Italy (1,991,378), Spain (1,842,289), Germany (1,588,162), Argentina (1,563,865), Colombia (1,530,593), Mexico (1,338,426), Poland (1,226,883), Iran (1,177,004), Ukraine (1,018,199) and Peru (1,000,153), the CSSE figures showed.

Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 189,220.

The countries with a death toll above 20,000 are Mexico (120,311), Italy (70,373), the UK (69,157), France (62,098), Iran (54,156), Russia (51,810), Spain (49,698), Argentina (42,314), Colombia (40,931), Peru (37,218), Germany (28,527), Poland (26,255), South Africa (25,657) and Indonesia (20,408).

180,000 people in Guangdong receive Covid-19 vaccine

Some 180,000 people with higher risks of coronavirus infection in south China's Guangdong Province have been given Covid-19 vaccine candidates as of Tuesday, the provincial government said.

No serious side effects have been reported among the vaccine receivers, said the information office of the local government of Guangdong at a press briefing on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The vaccine candidates, still undergoing clinical trials, were made by the China National Biotec Group and Beijing-based Sinovac, said the office.

Guangdong has started a Covid-19 vaccination campaign among groups of people with higher risks of infection. They include medical workers, customs officers, primary-level epidemic prevention workers, overseas returnees, and people working in cross-border cold-chain logistics and isolation centres.

US CDC urges public to avoid travel during Christmas

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged the public to avoid travel and stay at home during the Christmas holidays in an effort to curb the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Travel may increase your chance of spreading and getting Covid-19. CDC continues to recommend postponing travel and staying home, as this is the best way to protect yourself and others this year," Xinhua news agency quoted the CDC as saying in its latest advisory on Wednesday.

The safest way to celebrate winter holidays is staying at home with the people who live with you, it added.

"Host a virtual holiday meal with friends and family, gather for a virtual gift exchange, decorate your home, or make festive crafts," said the CDC.

The recommendation came as the country has continued to witness and unabated increase in the number of fresh coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalisations.

In its latest update on Thursday morning, the Johns Hopkins University revealed that the country's overall caseload and death toll stood at 18,455,656 and 326,088, respectively.

The two tallies account for the world's highest, making the US the hardest-hit by the pandemic.

(With IANS Inputs)