What you need to know about the coronavirus | world news

Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

China’s local symptomatic cases of Covid-19 have nearly doubled

Mainland China reported 402 locally transmitted Covid-19 infections with confirmed symptoms for March 9, official data showed Thursday, nearly doubling from the daily count a day earlier.

Of those, 165 were in northeastern Jilin province, the National Health Commission said in a statement. That is the highest daily count for the province since China had its first national outbreak in early 2020.

An uncompromising response to a spike in local Covid-19 cases in Shanghai’s financial center is testing residents’ resolve, with a spate of school closures and other draconian measures causing disruption across the city.

Hong Kong leader plans to reopen city only after containment of latest outbreak

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Thursday it was not the time to lift a ban on flights from nine countries, including the United States and Britain, with plans to reopen the city only after government officials say. has a growing outbreak of the coronavirus under control.

The global financial center has some of the most draconian restrictions to stem a wave of coronavirus cases, causing the city to suffer the most deaths per million people worldwide in the week to March 7, according to the publication Our World in Data. .

Germany reports record Covid cases

Germany reported a record number of coronavirus infections on Thursday as the country prepares to lift most of the remaining restrictions.

Germany reported 262,752 new infections, 52,079 more than a week ago, with the seven-day incidence rising to 1,389 infections per 100,000 people, from 1,319 a day earlier. Another 259 people died, bringing the total death toll to 125,023.

Covid prevalence rising among over-55s in England

Covid-19 cases rose among people over 55 in England, a study found Thursday, with increased social contact, dwindling booster protection and a more contagious sub-variant of Omicron possibly causing an increase in hospital admissions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson lifted the latest coronavirus restrictions in England in February and abolished a legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus.

Covid cases, deaths in America

The Pan American Health Organization said on Wednesday that the number of COVID-19 cases across America fell by 26% last week, while deaths from the virus fell by almost 19%, but warned that some effective measures to prevent infections curb should be maintained.

The region registered 1.1 million new infections with 18,000 COVID-related deaths in the period.

Canada’s Ontario Drops Covid Curbs

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said Wednesday it would end masking requirements for most indoor spaces later this month and remove virtually all Covid-19-related public health measures by the end of April, citing the reduced threat of the pandemic. .

Africa CDC has MOU with Pfizer for Covid pill delivery

Africa’s largest public health agency has agreed a memorandum of understanding with Pfizer to bring the pharmaceutical company’s stockpiles of Paxlovid antiviral COVID-19 pills to the continent, its executive said Thursday.

Data from a mid- to late-stage study in November showed that Paxlovid was nearly 90% effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths, compared to placebo, in adults at high risk for serious illness. †