More than 182.8 million people have tested positive for the virus worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 3.9 million infected people have died. About 3.2 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
The latest developments
The zoo in Oakland, California, has begun vaccinating animals such as tigers, bears, cougars and ferrets against Covid-19. According to the zoo’s announcement Friday (2/7), the experimental vaccine from U.S. manufacturer Zoetis will next be administered to monkeys, fruit bats and pigs. Until now, they said, they have relied on protective measures such as spacing, barriers and protective clothing for employees. They are “relieved” to now be able to better protect their animals with a vaccine, said veterinarian Alex Herman. Animal health company Zoetis plans to donate more than 11,000 doses of the vaccine to nearly 70 zoos and other facilities in the U.S., according to the release.
France is ramping up its vaccination efforts. With the Delta variant spreading rapidly, France’s Health Minister Olivier Véran warned Friday (2/7) of a new wave of Corona. Currently, delta accounts for almost one third of new infections in France, which means a significant increase in the proportion in a weekly comparison. In the future, therefore, there should be more flexibility in vaccination. For example, Véran said, it should be possible to receive the second vaccination dose anywhere, including at a vacation destination. The interval between the first and second vaccination should be between three and seven weeks, he said.
South Korea has recorded its highest level of new daily Sars-CoV-2 infections in nearly six months. On Thursday, 826 cases were added, health authorities said Friday (2/7). It was the highest daily level since Jan. 7, according to the report. It was particularly worrying that there was an increasing number of infections among younger people, Prime Minister Kim Boo Kyum said. In recent weeks, four out of 10 cases have occurred among people in their twenties and thirties, he said. Seoul and the surrounding region accounted for more than 80 percent of the new daily infections in the past three days.
Concerned about the delta variant of Sars-CoV-2, the Czech Republic is tightening its entry requirements. Under government plans, all travelers will have to fill out an online registration form from July 9, a spokesman confirmed Friday (July 2). Those who are not fully vaccinated will also have to submit a negative PCR test, regardless of which country they come from, he said. The details of the new regulation were not yet known. So far, it is still the case that entry from so-called green countries with a low risk of corona, such as Germany, is possible without conditions. There is also an important change from July 9 in another point: one is considered fully vaccinated only 14 days after administration of all necessary Corona vaccine doses. Previously, this was already the case three weeks after the first vaccination.
- sources: nzz.ch and news aencies/picture: pixabay.com
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