Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– Melbourne curfew –

Australia’s second-biggest city imposes a nighttime curfew until September 2 to stamp out a Delta variant outbreak fuelled by street parties and pub crawls.

– Sri Lanka sacks health minister –

Sri Lanka’s president demotes the health minister who publicly endorsed sorcery and magic potions to battle Covid-19 as infections and deaths hit record highs.

– Top China doctor’s fall –

A doctor dubbed “China’s Fauci” after the top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci is under investigation after a social media post questioning the country’s zero-tolerance virus strategy.

– England loosens up –

Fully vaccinated people in England no longer need to self-isolate if they have had close contact with a virus case as restrictions continue to be eased. 

– Berlin exits Lufthansa –

The German government says it will sell part of the 20 percent stake it took last year in Lufthansa to prop up the airline during the pandemic.

– Lower Thai expectations –

Thailand downgrades its economic growth forecast for 2021 as it battles its worst wave of the virus. 

– Over 4.3 million dead –

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 4,361,805 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 621,635 deaths, followed by Brazil with 569,058, India with 431,642, Mexico with 248,380 and Peru with 197,393.