KINGSTON, Jamaica — The novel coronavirus has infected more than 261.4 million people, leaving more than 5.6 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 500 new cases of COVID-19 and two virus-related deaths on Wednesday, pushing the total number of cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic to 122,463 and the death toll to 2,617.

— Pan American Health Organization Director Dr Carissa Etienne has warned that as the COVID-19 outbreak reaches its third year in the Americas, millions of children are missing out on routine vaccinations, putting countries at risk of losing two decades of immunisation progress.

— In the United Kingdom, commuters trooped back to the office on Thursday, with public transport visibly busier, after the government scrapped restrictions imposed to combat the Omicron coronavirus variant.

— The United States is shipping nearly 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Uganda, a White House official said Thursday, in the latest wave of jabs donated to stem the global pandemic.

— In China, strict pandemic measures are creating a surreal and somewhat frustrating experience for journalists covering the Beijing Winter Olympics.

— The US has recorded the most COVID deaths with 876,066, followed by Brazil with 624,413, India with 491,700 and Russia with 328,770.

Read more:

Jamaica reports 500 new COVID cases, two deaths

COVID-19 pandemic threatens growth and development of children – PAHO

Beijing’s Olympic bubble makes a slightly surreal experience

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.