Global COVID digest: Bangladesh vaccinates Rohingya refugees

Bangladesh kicked off an inoculation drive for nearly one millionRohingya refugees living in congested camps in the border district of Cox's Bazar on Tuesday.

The camps have seen 2,600 COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths so far, according to official data. Experts say the figures are an underestimate and are likely much higher.

The first phase of the vaccination will cover 48,000 refugees aged over 55 years old. They will receive the Chinese-made Sinopharm shots, according to news agency AFP. 

Volunteers have gone door-to-door to raise awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Bangladesh's Deputy Refugee Commissioner, Shams ud Douza, told AFP news agency that vaccination would also begin this week for 18,000 Rohingyas controversially relocated to an island in the Bay of Bengal.

Most of Bangladesh is currentlyunder lockdown as the country battles a surge in cases from the Delta variant. The country had relaxed some of the restrictions last month to celebrate Eid-al-Adha before reimposing a national lockdown on July 23.

Coronavirus has killed nearly 23,000 people and infected another 1.4 million in the country, with most of them in recent months.

Here are the latest developments on coronavirus from around the world.

Asia-Pacific 

Australia's New South Wales state reported the largest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, recording as many as 356 locally acquired infections. At least 57 people spent time in the community while being infectious, health officials said. Four people died, bringing the death toll from the latest outbreak to 32 in the state. 

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga thanked the people of the country and said he believed "we were able to fulfill our responsibility as the host nation." The Olympics games were held mostly without spectators and under tight restrictions.

US President Joe Biden spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and commended him on the country's successful hosting of the Olympic Games. Biden noted the public health measures undertaken so "Olympic athletes could compete in the best traditions of the Olympic spirit." He affirmed US support for the Paralympics, which begins in Japan on August 24. 

South Korea gave vaccine developer SK Bioscience the greenlight for a Phase III  study of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate on Tuesday. South Korea is faced with a shortage of vaccines because Moderna Inc said it could only deliver half this month's planned shipment because of production issues. Korea has fully vaccinated 15.4% of its population of 52 million, largely using doses from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna Inc.

The Southeast nation of East Timor recorded its first case of community transmission of the Delta variant of the coronavirus on Tuesday. The health ministry has sounded the alarm over the variant and said that the country would likely see more severe cases and deaths in the coming days. The country has recorded just 11,579 cases and 28 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Americas

The US State Department has advised Americans to avoid traveling to France over rising coronavirus infections in the country. The advisory asked US citizens to be fully vaccinated if they really had to visit the country. Cases have rapidly climbed in France, with the country posting as many as 20,000 cases a day.

Arkansas saw 103 new hospitalizations, its biggest one-day increase in hospitalizations on Monday. The state's previous record during the pandemic for COVID-19 hospitalizations was in January, when it reported 1,371 virus patients in the hospital.

Georgia's hospitals are on the brink of being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, with nearly 3,500 patients hospitalized across the state. The figure is eight times the lowest level earlier this summer.

US Defense Secretary Llyod Austin said he was eyeing a target by mid-September, or sooner, to make sure the US military personnel are all vaccinated to maintain military readiness. The Pentagon laid out a plan on Monday that was endorsed by President Biden.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spoke to US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday to discuss the reopening of the borders between the countries and cooperation to tackle COVID-19 cases in Mexico. Before the phone call, Obrador had said Mexico would ask the US for 3.5 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Mexico has vaccinated 56% of its adult population with at least one dose.

Europe

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country's 16 state governors are set to meet Tuesday to decide on measures to handle the pandemic going forward. The leaders will discuss whether those who've been vaccinated will have greater freedoms than those who haven't received a shot.

Coronavirus cases in Germany rose by 2,480 and the death toll increased by 19 on Tuesday. The total number of cases stands at 3,794,429 and deaths at 91,803.

Fans attending the UK's Premier League games will be randomly tested for COVID-19 at some stadiums in the opening weeks of the new season, the soccer league said in a statement. Ticket holders are going to have to provide proof offull vaccination or a negative lateral flow test within 48 hours before the games via the NHS COVID pass.

rm/aw (Reuters, AP)