Coronavirus: Latest global developments

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

– US ‘additional commitments’ –

The United States will announce “additional commitments” on fighting Covid-19 when the White House hosts a summit on the pandemic on Wednesday, President Joe Biden says.

He says they will address three key challenges — “saving lives now, vaccinating the world, and building back better.”

– Bolsonaro against health passports –

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tells the United Nations General Assembly that his government is against health passports, but backs drives to vaccinate against Covid-19, while saying he will be the “last Brazilian” to get jabbed.

– Anti-mask murder –

Germans react with shock and outrage after a 20-year-old petrol station worker in Germany was shot dead at the weekend by a customer angry about being asked to put on a mask while buying beer.

– Finnish vaccine passports –

Finland’s lawmakers approve plans for a national “corona pass” despite falling infection rates which could mean the scheme is never brought into use.

– Two shot J&J more effective –

The Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine, so far administered in a single shot, is more effective when given as a two-dose regime, according to new data released by the company.

– Iran mulls Pfizer buy –

Iran is considering the purchase of two million doses of the US-German Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, an official says, as the country continues to battle the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak.

– Empire strikes back –

India warns Britain that its citizens would face reciprocal measures over London’s new “discriminatory” rules requiring travellers from India to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated with the local version of Britain’s AstraZeneca jab.

– Nearly 4.7 million dead – 

The coronavirus has killed at least 4,698,462 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 676,092 deaths, followed by Brazil with 590,955, India with 445,385 deaths, Mexico with 271,765 deaths and Russia with 199,808.