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About 225 million people have tested positive for the virus worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 4.6 million infected people have died. More than 5.7 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.
The first of many lawsuits against the Republic of Austria in the Ischgl case begins Friday (Sept. 17). The so-called public liability lawsuit sees a failure on the part of the authorities, who warned about the coronavirus too late and acted too late. It also alleges that Chancellor Sebastian Kurz rashly announced the isolation of several ski resorts, such as the Ischgl hotspot. Fearing the quarantine requirement, tourists would have left the resorts in a hurry and without control. “I estimate that up to 3,000 claims will be made against the Republic,” says Peter Kolba of the Consumer Protection Association (VSV) in Vienna, which looks after the plaintiffs. In the first lawsuit, a widow is demanding 100,000 euros. Her husband had presumably contracted the disease when he tried to leave Ischgl in a crowded bus and got stuck in it for a dangerously long time because of traffic jams. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has also been summoned. “Kurz is a key witness,” Kolba says. He could testify about how the arrangements between the state of Tyrol and the federal government in Vienna about the planned departure went. From VSV’s point of view, Kurz jumped the gun with his press conference before preparations in Ischgl for an orderly departure had been completed. “More than 10,000 people have left the valley, but only in 2600 cases contact tracing took place with the help of guest departure forms,” Kolba said.
Cuba will begin vaccinating children two years of age and older against the coronavirus this week. This makes the island nation the only country to vaccinate children at such a young age, the New York Times reported (9/14). The U.S. and many European countries currently have the vaccine approved for children 12 years of age and older; U.S. authorities are considering additional approval for children between five and 12 years of age later this year.
After about 18 months, the Netherlands is taking a big step back to normalcy in the Corona pandemic. The mandatory safety distance of 1.5 meters will be abolished as of September 25, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced in The Hague on Tuesday evening (Sept. 14). At the same time, however, a so-called corona pass will be introduced for restaurants, sporting events and culture. Visitors will have to prove that they have been vaccinated, tested or have recovered. Many measures also remain in place, including mandatory masks for buses, trains, and at airports. Discotheques and clubs are allowed to reopen, but must close at midnight like all other public houses.
In the UK, people over the age of 50, as well as nursing home residents and caregivers, can receive a booster vaccination against the coronavirus. As the government announced on Tuesday (Sept. 14), the scheme also applies to people who are clinically at extreme risk, as well as at-risk patients between the ages of 16 and 65. In total, this means more than 30 million people are eligible for a third vaccination.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is going into quarantine after several of his associates were found to have Corona infections. The decision to self-isolate was made, he said, after Putin met Syrian strongman Asad on Monday. Putin himself is absolutely healthy, a spokesman said. A trip by Putin to Tajikistan planned for this week to attend a regional security conference was therefore canceled, the Kremlin said Tuesday (Sept. 14). Putin had previously visited participants in the Paralympics as well as attended several military exercises.
A new outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus has caused widespread restrictions for people in southeastern China. A new outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus has caused widespread restrictions for people in southeastern China. Authorities in the coastal metropolis of Xiamen in Fujian province urged residents on Tuesday (Sept. 14) to stop leaving the city. Major events were canceled, and restaurants and shopping malls were ordered to reduce the number of visitors. Schools switched to online classes. The measures came after 32 new Corona cases were discovered in the city on Monday, bringing the number of infections in Fujian province to more than 100 since last week. The current outbreak originated in the city of Putian, which is north of Xiamen. It was suspected that a family man brought in the virus after returning from Singapore. The man had traveled back to China on Aug. 4, spent 21 days in quarantine and had tested negative for the virus nine times. But then last Friday, a test came back positive. Putian has also been in lockdown since the weekend.
Italy will begin administering a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine to certain populations on Sept. 20. The booster vaccination will first go to immunocompromised people, the Health Ministry decided Monday (Sept. 13). On the same day, France began protecting people in nursing homes, with pre-existing conditions and over the age of 65 with a third vaccination. However, a high-ranking group of experts also spoke out against a general Corona booster vaccination for all groups on Monday. The study situation showed so far no necessity, write the researchers in the specialized magazine “The Lancet”. The worldwide still limited number of vaccine doses could save most lives, if it would benefit people who have a significant risk of severe disease and are still unvaccinated. This could accelerate the end of the pandemic by slowing the development of further variants.
- source: nzz.ch/picture: pixabay.com
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