KINGSTON, Jamaica — More than 138.2 million coronavirus infections have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.9 million people across 196 countries and territories having died. Majority of those infected have recovered.

Many countries have rolled out vaccine campaigns and started to inoculate citizens as economies struggle to recover.

— Jamaica recorded 186 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths yesterday bringing the death toll to 697 and the total number of cases to 43,240.

— Jamaica is set to receive a shipment of 55,000 doses of vaccine shortly under the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility.

— Africa is “in a bind” over coronavirus vaccines, as some countries could run out without knowing when more doses will be available, the continent’s disease control body said today.

— A top official from the World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious,” with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week in the region.

— Hundreds of people have tested positive for COVID-19 in India at the site of the world’s biggest religious festival, officials said Wednesday, as huge crowds of mostly maskless Hindu devotees descended on the River Ganges.

— Malawi will destroy over 16,000 expired coronavirus vaccines donated to the impoverished country by the African Union three weeks before their use-by-date, a health official said yesterday.

— The United States has so far recorded 564,405 deaths, making it the hardest-hit country. Meanwhile, Brazil has recorded 361,884 deaths, Mexico 210,812, India 173,123 , and the United Kingdom 127,161.

Read the full stories here

5 more COVID deaths, 186 new infections

Africa ‘in a bind’ over scarce COVID shots: disease control body

Europe has surpassed 1 million COVID-19 deaths – WHO

Jamaica to receive another 55,000 doses of vaccine through COVAX

Over 1,000 test positive for COVID-19 at India religious festival

Malawi to destroy 16,000 expired COVID vaccines