The country also recorded another 86 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 130,086.
Britain has reported another 30,215 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 5,982,581, according to official figures released Thursday.
The country also recorded another 86 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 130,086. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.
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Latest data from Public Health England (PHE) showed that most coronavirus-related intensive care admissions are among 55- to 64-year-olds, despite hospitalizations being highest among those aged 85 and over.
According to the data, hospital admissions related to COVID-19 are highest in North East England.
The data also showed around 66,900 hospital admissions have been prevented in those aged 65 and over as a direct result of the vaccine rollout.
Most COVID-19 restrictions in England have been lifted last month as part of the final step of the British government’s roadmap out of the lockdown.
More than 88 percent of adults in Britain have received the first COVID-19 vaccine jab and more than 73 percent have received two doses, according to the latest figures.
Passengers walk at St. Pancras International Station in London, Britain, July 29, 2021.
Passengers walk at St. Pancras International Station in London, Britain, July 29, 2021.
The United States, India and Brazil remain the top three in confirmed cases, having reported 35,125,227 cases, 31,812,114 cases and 19,985,817 cases respectively.
The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 200 million, according to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Globally, as of 18:08 CEST (1608 GMT) on Thursday, there have been 200,174,883 confirmed cases, including 4,255,892 deaths, reported to WHO, it said.
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The United States, India and Brazil remain the top three in confirmed cases, having reported 35,125,227 cases, 31,812,114 cases and 19,985,817 cases respectively.
Following the top three are Russia with 6,379,904 cases, France with 6,068,252 cases, the UK with 5,952,760 cases, Turkey with 5,822,487 cases, Argentina with 4,961,880 cases, Colombia with 4,807,979 cases and Spain with 4,545,184 cases.
The United States, Brazil and India have also recorded the highest death tolls, with 609,613 deaths, 558,432 deaths, and 426,290 deaths respectively.
According to the WHO data, Americas remains the most impacted region by COVID-19, with a total of 77,904,346 confirmed cases and 2,020,001 deaths, followed by Europe where 60,771,066 cases and 1,226,634 deaths have been reported.
A man wearing a mask walks past a boutique at the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, France, May 12, 2021.
A man wearing a mask walks past a boutique at the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, France, May 12, 2021.
A man wearing a mask rides an electric scooter near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, the United States, Aug. 4, 2021.
A man wearing a mask rides an electric scooter near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, the United States, Aug. 4, 2021.
Britain eases quarantine rules, opening up travel with France
Fully vaccinated visitors arriving in England from France will no longer have to isolate for 10 days, a loosening of restrictions that puts them in the same category as travelers from most other European countries.
The U.K. also eased rules for arrivals from India, Bahrain, and travel hubs the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Those countries will move from the U.K.’s highest-risk “red” list to its medium-risk “amber” list, meaning arrivals will no longer need to quarantine in a government-approved hotel.
Six other European nations, including Germany, were added to the lowest-risk “green” list, meaning all visitors can avoid quarantine whether or not they are fully vaccinated. All changes will come into effect from 4 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8.
Spain and all its islands — key summer holiday destinations for British tourists — will remain on the amber list, but travelers are advised to get take a lab-processed PCR test before departing to the U.K.
The rule changes will be a boon for airlines and tourism companies that have been hit hard by the pandemic and objected loudly to U.K. travel curbs. The British government was under growing pressure from French ministers, as well as industry bodies, to overturn its decision last month to put France in a newly created “amber-plus” category.
“We welcome more low-risk countries being added to the green list but urge the government to go further,” British Airways Chief Executive Officer Sean Doyle said in a statement. “We’re lagging behind Europe, with our more stringent testing requirements and a red list significantly broader than our European peers.”
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After Spain, France was the second most-visited country by Britons before the pandemic, with low-cost carriers including EasyJet Plc offering dozens of flights per week. The surprise amber-plus restriction in July came just as school holidays began in the U.K.
While airline travel has rapidly rebounded in Europe, the U.K.’s evolving restrictions deterred many in Britain from booking overseas trips. Seat capacity in the U.K. this week was 42% of 2019 levels, compared with 68% for the wider European region, according to data from OAG.
Large network airlines in particular have been clamoring for restrictions to be dropped on long-distance routes in order to generate vital cash. Classifying India and the UAE as medium-risk will offer some relief to carriers including IAG SA-owned British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., Emirates and Qatar Airways.
But the U.S., a key long-haul market, remains only partially open. Americans are allowed to holiday in Europe, but Britons and people from most other European countries still can’t go to the U.S.
President Joe Biden is preparing to require foreign arrivals to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, Reuters reported, as part of a plan to eventually move away from country bans.
“It seems that a path is opening,” French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said on France Info radio Thursday.
The U.K. Department for Transport said Wednesday that the declining proportion of French Covid cases from the beta variant, which may be more vaccine-resistant, meant it would now be moved back to the amber list.
The U.K. decision “puts an end to an incomprehensible situation,” France’s Djebbari said.
Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway were added to the lowest-risk list, allowing quarantine-free travel. People returning to England from a green or amber country must take a Covid-19 test before departure and book a test for day two after arrival.
Initially, the changes will apply only to England, although other regions of the U.K. are expected to follow the same regime.
Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said more work was needed.
“We remain a long way off a full and meaningful restart of international travel and the government must recognize this and provide the support that will protect our world class aviation industry and the thousands of jobs that remain at risk,” Dee said in a statement.
Under rules introduced Aug. 2, all fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. and European Union can avoid isolation on arrival into the U.K. France was not initially included in this due to concerns over the beta variant.
Visitors from other amber-list countries, as well as those who are not fully vaccinated, need to self-isolate for 10 days. That period can be shortened if they pay for an extra test on day five.
“In this new world we’re living with coronavirus, and as we have done domestically with the unlocking, learning to live with it with international travel as well,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told BBC radio. “Double vaccination and full vaccination is going to be a feature for ever more, and probably all countries will require full vaccination in order for you to enter.”
Georgia, Mexico, and the French islands of La Reunion and Mayotte were added to the U.K.’s red list from Aug. 8, the government said, because of the risk from variants or high prevalence of the coronavirus. Only people with U.K. residency rights can enter from red-list nations, and everyone must quarantine for 10 days in a hotel.
The cost of staying in a government-approved quarantine hotel for travelers from “red” countries will rise to $3,174 (£2,285) for a single adult from Aug. 12, up from $2,072 (£1,750), the government said.
Published : August 06, 2021
By : Syndication Washington Post, Bloomberg · Emily Ashton, Siddharth Philip
23 people were killed in the floods in Indias eastern state of West Bengal, and nearly 250,000 people were displaced from their homes following the discharge of water from dams that inundated six districts.
The floods in India’s eastern state of West Bengal have killed 23 lives, local media reports said Wednesday.
The floods were triggered after heavy rains hit several parts of the state, pushing water levels up in the rivers and dams.
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Nearly 250,000 people were displaced from their homes following the discharge of water from dams that inundated six districts.
“The flood situation in West Bengal worsened on Wednesday claiming eight more lives taking the toll to 23 as fresh areas went under water,” a local media report said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of 2,695 U.S. dollars to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to flooding in West Bengal and 673 U.S. dollars to each injured in floods.
Meanwhile, officials said relief and rescue operations were going on in the affected areas.
At present India is in the grip of southwest monsoon and most parts are experiencing heavy to very heavy rainfall, besides extremely heavy spells at isolated spots.
A captive giant panda gave birth to a pigeon pair of cubs in northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province, provincial forestry bureau said Wednesday.
The giant panda, named “Ya Ya,” gave birth to a male cub weighing 110 grams and a female cub weighing 137 grams at Qinling Giant Panda Research Center on Saturday afternoon.
Ya Ya, born in 2009, has been involved in breeding and mating since 2017 but has suffered miscarriages for three consecutive years.
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This year, in order to ensure successful reproduction, the research center staff carried out a series of obstetric checks and treatments for Ya Ya, which laid a good foundation for smooth birth of the cubs, the bureau said.
In 2021, the research center has witnessed the birth of four cubs, which raised the number of captive Qinling giant pandas to 36.
The Qinling giant panda is a subspecies of giant panda first recognized in 2005. It has a smaller and rounder skull, shorter snout and less fur than the more familiar Sichuan subspecies.
Tens of thousands of people feared trapped by fighting in southern Afghanistan: UN
Since the start of the year, nearly 360,000 people have been forcibly displaced by conflict in southern Afghanistan. About 5 million people have been displaced since 2012.
The United Nations is deeply concerned about the safety of civilians in Lashkar Gah, the capital city of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, fearing tens of thousands were trapped by fighting, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday.
Conflict in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar displaced civilians to adjacent, calmer areas within the provincial capital cities (Lashkar Gah and Kandahar) and neighboring districts, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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“There are reports of increased civilian casualties, destruction or damage to civilian houses and to critical infrastructure, including hospitals,” the office said. “Hospitals and health workers are becoming overwhelmed by the number of wounded people.”
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are assessing needs and responding as access allows. They said they reached over 2,000 people on Sunday with food, water, sanitation and cash assistance in Kandahar.
Since the start of the year, nearly 360,000 people have been forcibly displaced by conflict. About 5 million people have been displaced since 2012.
In the first half of the year, attacks on health facilities deprived 200,000 people in Afghanistan of access to primary care, OCHA said.
Children pose for photos at a camp for displaced people in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2020.
The humanitarian office urged parties to the conflict to protect civilians, aid workers and civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, in compliance with international humanitarian law. It also called on parties to grant aid workers access to assistance without interference, honoring humanitarian principles.
Humanitarians are committed to stay and deliver in Afghanistan and expect to have reached almost half of the nearly 16 million people targeted for assistance, so far in 2021, despite worsening conditions, said OCHA.
The United Nations seeks urgent funding for Afghanistan’s humanitarian response plan, which requires 1.3 billion U.S. dollars but has received only 485 million dollars, or 38 percent of the request.
Germany to waive insolvency filing requirement for flood-affected firms
The repeal of the insolvency filing requirement would apply retroactively from July 10 until the end of October 2021. It still needs final approval by the federal parliament, according to the BMJV.
German companies affected by last month’s catastrophic floods would not have to file for insolvency until the end of October, the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV) announced on Wednesday.
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In July, flash floods caused by intense rainfall swept away roads, highways and even entire houses, with at least 180 people killed in the hardest hit federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate alone.
Even companies with “viable and successful business models have found themselves in financial distress,” said Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht. Removing the filing requirement would buy companies time to take advantage of economic aid
The repeal of the insolvency filing requirement would apply retroactively from July 10 until the end of October 2021. It still needs final approval by the federal parliament, according to the BMJV.
The waiver should apply only “as long as the requesting parties are engaged in serious financing or reorganization negotiations and there is a reasonable prospect of reorganization as a result,” the ministry noted.
On July 21, Germany decided to provide at least 400 million euros (around 473 million U.S. dollars) in emergency aid for private individuals affected by the flood. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars) .
Photo taken on July 16, 2021 shows roads and houses damaged in flood in Schuld, a town in Ahrweiler, Germany.
Photo taken on July 16, 2021 shows roads and houses damaged in flood in Schuld, a town in Ahrweiler, Germany.
Lebanon needs plan for longer-term recovery: UN deputy chief
A strong, inclusive, and comprehensive social protection system is needed to ensure the most vulnerable are able to survive the crisis. This is crucial to positioning Lebanon on a path of inclusive growth, decent employment, and social stability, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Wednesday called for arrangements for longer-term recovery in Lebanon as the country is struggling from the aftermath of the Beirut Port blast exactly a year ago.
A 12-month emergency response plan articulates collective priority responses to the critical humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable people in Lebanon. But emergency efforts alone will not solve the crisis, she told an international conference in support of the Lebanese people, co-hosted by France and the United Nations.
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Mohammed spoke on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres via a video link at the international conference, which took place on the first anniversary of the tragic Beirut Port blast.
“We must help lay the foundations for longer-term recovery, anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” she said.
A strong, inclusive, and comprehensive social protection system is needed to ensure the most vulnerable are able to survive the crisis. This is crucial to positioning Lebanon on a path of inclusive growth, decent employment, and social stability, she said.
“We need an enabling environment to move the needle. Ultimately, Lebanon needs an empowered government poised to rapidly implement the necessary reforms. This includes macroeconomic-fiscal reform, the promotion of accountability and transparency, legislation to ensure the independence of the judiciary and to root out corruption and regulate public procurement.”
She pledged that the United Nations will continue to stand with Lebanon and support the country’s recovery toward sustainable development.
Lebanon is in the throes of one of the worst crises in its recent history. The economy is in freefall, institutions are struggling, basic services are collapsing, society is fracturing, and the population is in dire need, said Mohammed.
The people of Lebanon have endured nearly a year without a government. They deserve strong institutions that can deliver relief, justice and redress, and a government of national interests that can pursue an ambitious course for reforms and restore stability, growth and the prospects for a democratic future that provides opportunities and taps into the full potential of Lebanon’s young women and men.
Over half of Lebanese people now live in poverty. One in three Lebanese suffers from food insecurity. Nearly 4 million people are at risk of not accessing safe water. Hundreds of thousands of children are at risk of dropping out of school. Unemployment is on the rise. People are struggling every day with inflation and acute shortages of fuel, electricity, medicines, and water, she noted.
Increasingly, Lebanese families and migrants, alongside Syrian and Palestine refugees, find themselves in need of direct emergency assistance just to meet basic needs. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain Lebanon’s health sector and heavily impact the economy, she said.
Family members of a firefighter martyr are offered his portrait at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
Family members of a firefighter martyr are offered his portrait at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
Portraits are displayed at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
Portraits are displayed at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
Delta variant accounts for over 93 pct of new COVID-19 cases in U.S.
This number is even higher in certain parts of the United States. In the Midwest including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, Delta variant accounts for more than 98 percent of all new cases.
The Delta variant accounts for an estimated 93.4 percent of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States during the last two weeks of July, according to figures published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.
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This number is even higher in certain parts of the country, showed the updated figures for the week ending July 31. In the Midwest including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, Delta variant accounts for more than 98 percent of all new cases.
These figures have shown a rapid increase over the past two months. In the two weeks ending May 22, Delta’s prevalence was estimated around 3 percent.
The daily average of new cases over the past week rose to 66,606 per day, from 40,597 the previous week, an increase of more than 64 percent, CDC said.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia crossed 7.65 million, with 95,870 new cases reported on Wednesday, higher than Tuesday’s tally of 90,856. There were 2,877 more deaths, increasing from Tuesday’s 2,706 and taking total coronavirus deaths in Asean to 158,783 so far.
Manila mayor Isko Moreno announced a plan to provide Covid-19 jabs to people in the city 24 hours a day for a whole week to cope with the spreading Delta variant.
The Philippine city is recruiting medical volunteers to work night shifts while aiming to relax night curfew from August 6-20 for people travelling to get vaccinated.
As of July 31, 4.6 million people in Manila, or one third of the city’s population, had received at least one jab of Covid-19 vaccine.
Malaysia meanwhile reported 19,819 new cases and 257 deaths on Wednesday, bringing cumulative cases in the neighbouring country to 1,183,110 patients and a total 9,855 deaths so far.
Wednesday’s infections were a new high since the outbreak started, which has sparked public outrage and calls for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign.
However, he announced that Parliament would hold a no-confidence debate in September to prove that the majority of people still believe in the government.
Passengers walk at St. Pancras International Station in London, Britain, July 29, 2021.
A man wearing a mask walks past a boutique at the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, France, May 12, 2021.
A man wearing a mask rides an electric scooter near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, the United States, Aug. 4, 2021.
Children pose for photos at a camp for displaced people in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2020.
Photo taken on July 16, 2021 shows roads and houses damaged in flood in Schuld, a town in Ahrweiler, Germany.
Family members of a firefighter martyr are offered his portrait at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
Portraits are displayed at an art exhibition commemorating the martyrdom of 10 firefighters upon the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 3, 2021.
