COVID-19: Here’s what you need to know today
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The novel coronavirus has infected more than 251.8 million people, leaving more than five million dead across 196 countries and territories.
The majority of those infected have recovered and many countries have rolled out vaccine campaigns as economies start to recover from the pandemic.
— Jamaica reported 79 new cases of COVID-19 and nine additional virus-related deaths on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 90,005 and the death toll to 2,311.
— The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it is looking into the potential use of COVID-19 self-test kits locally for personal and firm-level surveillance of the virus.
— Chairman of Caricom, Prime Minister Gaston Browne says he has instructed the Caricom Secretariat to seek vaccines and pills from the United States government as the region continues to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 9,164 people and infected 386,158 since March last year.
— Covaxin, the first COVID-19 vaccine developed in India, is “highly efficacious” and presents no safety concerns, according to a study published in the Lancet on Thursday.
— The EU’s drug watchdog on Thursday approved two COVID-19 antibody treatments, in its first approvals of the groundbreaking therapies that help stop infected people developing symptoms of the disease.
— The United States is the worst-affected country with 759,677 deaths followed by Brazil with 610,224, India with 462,690, Mexico with 290,630, and Russia with 252,926.
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Health Ministry investigating potential use of COVID-19 self-test kits
CARICOM looking to US for COVID-19 pills and vaccines
