New reports, new measures and highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic around the world.
200,000 dead in the United States
The United States recorded its 200,000th death attributed to Covid-19 on Tuesday, according to Johns-Hopkins University, the coronavirus continuing to kill hundreds of Americans every day.
The benchmark toll from the Baltimore-based university showed 200,005 deaths on Tuesday, out of 6.9 million cases in the country.
Read also: Coronavirus: the death toll reaches 200,000 in the United States
Two million cases in one week
A record two million cases of coronavirus (+ 6%) was recorded from September 14 to 20, while the number of deaths fell by 10% to 37,700, announced the World Health Organization (WHO).
More than 31.3 million cases of infection have been officially diagnosed.
With the exception of Africa, all continents reported an increase in cases over this period, with Europe also having the largest increase in deaths (+ 27% in one week).
More than 965,000 dead worldwide
The pandemic has killed at least 965,760 people worldwide since the onset of the disease at the end of December, according to an assessment established by AFP from official sources Tuesday at 11 a.m. GMT.
After the United States come Brazil with 137,272 dead, India (88,935), Mexico (73,697) and the United Kingdom (41,788).
Resumption of the small pilgrimage to Mecca
Suspended since March due to Covid-19, the small Muslim pilgrimage, Omra, will gradually resume from October 4, the Saudi Minister of the Interior announced on Tuesday.
England tightens restrictions
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced a series of new restrictions concerning England: pubs, bars and restaurants closed at 10 p.m., teleworking encouraged, weddings limited to 15 participants, postponement of the public's return to sporting events.
The wearing of the compulsory mask is extended to employees of shops, bars and restaurants, and the penalties tightened.
Read also: Covid-19: Boris Johnson hardens his device, pubs will close earlier
These measures will be in place for "
maybe six months,
" said Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister He called for "
team spirit
" and "
discipline
" of the British to respect the new measures on pain of "
having to go further
" in the restrictions.
Quarantine reduced in Spain
The Spanish Ministry of Health on Tuesday reduced the quarantine to 10 days instead of 14 for people in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus.
UN Assembly in virtual mode
The pandemic struck all the way to the United Nations General Assembly, which opened without any head of state or government present in New York.
All deliver their speech by pre-recorded messages, broadcast on the UN site for a week, with the coronavirus and its consequences as the common denominator.
Read also: United States and China clash at the UN in a climate of "new cold war"
Price negotiated with the EU: laboratories try to explain
Price of future anti-Covid vaccines, rejection of all liability in the event of side effects, accusations of opacity: pharmaceutical companies on Tuesday defended the conditions of agreements, at colossal amounts, of advance purchases of vaccines concluded by the EU .
At the same time, the President of the European Commission called on Wednesday for an “
EU of health
” and warned of the dangers of “
vaccine nationalism
”, as Europeans faced the Covid-19 pandemic in dispersed order and that the search for a vaccine sharpens fierce global competition.
Read also: Covid-19: suspicion of fraud for the Russian vaccine
Cancel the debt?
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi called on Tuesday before the UN's Annual General Assembly for “
total cancellation
” of debt for developing countries to help them overcome the pandemic.
Argentina: fall in GDP
Argentina's economy plunged 19.1% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, due to health restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Institute of Statistics (Indec) announced on Tuesday.
Pre-flight screening
Each air passenger should be systematically screened for the coronavirus by an antigen test before their departure, capable of giving results in a few minutes, asks the International Air Transport Association (Iata), which represents 290 airlines.
Iata sees it as an “
alternative
” to the quarantine measures put in place in many countries, while international air transport has fallen by 92% compared to 2019.
Read also: Covid-19: airlines request rapid screening for each traveler