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 has reported 161 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 additional virus-related deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 124,967 and the death toll to 2,675.

—In a scene at odds with Canadians’ reputation for niceness and rule-following, thousands of protesters, railing against vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions, descended on the capital over the weekend, deliberately blocking traffic around Parliament Hill.

— Athletes and team officials are testing positive for COVID-19 at much higher rates than other people arriving in China for the Beijing Olympics, organisers said Tuesday.

 — Pfizer and BioNTech will soon ask US regulators for emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine for children under age five, US media reported Tuesday.

— The United States has recorded the most COVID deaths with 890,770, followed by Brazil with 628,067 and India with 497,975.

Read the full stories here:

Anti-vaccine protest in Canada spurs outrage

Virus infections for Olympic athletes, coaches rising faster

Pfizer to seek green light to vaccinate kids under 5 — reports