KINGSTON, Jamaica — More than 116.4 million coronavirus infections have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.5 million people across 196 countries and territories having died and over 70 million having recovered from the virus.

Many countries have re-imposed restrictions on movement and social gatherings. Meanwhile, some countries are moving to inoculate citizens with recently developed vaccines.

— Jamaica recorded 723 new cases of the virus and seven new COVID-related deaths yesterday, pushing the total number of cases to 26,026 and the death toll to 453.

— Global players will gather online from Monday to brainstorm ways to rapidly boost vaccine production and fight a still-virulent coronavirus that has hobbled the world for 14 months.

— German pharma giant Merck and a US partner report promising results in trials of a drug administered orally to fight COVID-19, saying it helps reduce patients’ viral load.

— Ethiopia received 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via the Covax scheme today as officials say inoculations will get under way in the coming days.

— The United States has so far recorded 524,362 deaths, making it the hardest-hit country. Meanwhile, Brazil has recorded 264,325 deaths, Mexico 190,357, India 157,756, and the United Kingdom 124,419.

Read the full stories:

UPDATE: 265 of 723 new cases reported in Kingston and St Andrew

Global players brainstorm to boost COVID vaccine output

ARE WE FLATTENING THE CURVE?here for interactive chart* with details on Jamaica’s numbers.here for a look at the numbers globally.

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*Data mined from various sources around the world.