COVID-19: Here’s what you need to know today
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The novel coronavirus has infected more than 259.4 million people, leaving more than 5.1 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.
— The Ministry of Health and Wellness reported 65 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths on Thursday, November 25, bringing the infection total to 91,026, and total deaths to 2,376.
— Advisers to the World Health Organization are holding a special session Friday to flesh out information about a worrying new variant of the coronavirus that has been detected in South Africa, though a top expert says its impact on COVID-19 vaccines may not be known for weeks.
— Germany’s BioNTech said Friday it was urgently studying how well the coronavirus vaccine it developed with Pfizer protects against the new B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa.
— Bermuda’s active cases from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have dropped to 21, while there are no patients in hospital with the virus for the first time in almost four months, health officials have said.
— Several regions in China have extended maternity leave by at least 30 days, in the latest attempt to encourage child-rearing as the country faces a demographic crisis fuelled by a record-low birth rate.
— The WHO on Friday cautioned against imposing travel restrictions due to the B.1.1.529 COVID-19 variant, saying it would take weeks to understand the implications of the newly discovered strain.
— A slew of nations moved to stop air travel from southern Africa on Friday, and stocks plunged in Asia and Europe in reaction to news of a new, potentially more transmissible COVID-19 variant.
— Federal health regulators say an experimental COVID-19 pill from Merck is effective against the virus, but they will seek input from outside experts on risks of birth defects and other potential problems during pregnancy.
— The United States is the worst-affected country with 775,797 deaths from 48,126,574 cases followed by Brazil with 613,642 deaths from 22,055,238 cases, India with 467,468 deaths from 34,555,431 cases, Mexico with 293,449 deaths from 3,876,391 cases, and Russia with 270,292 deaths from 9,502,879 cases.
Read full stories:
65 new COVID cases in Jamaica, nine more deaths reported
WHO hosts special meeting on worrying new COVID-19 variant
BioNTech/Pfizer expect new variant impact data ‘within 2 weeks’
Bermuda’s hospital clear of COVID-19 patients for the first time in almost four months
China extends maternity leave to boost births
WHO cautions against travel curbs over new COVID variant
World takes action as new variant emerges in southern Africa
