COVID-19: huge pre-order for a future vaccine by Washington, 15 million cases in the world

The number of cases of COVID-19 reported has exceeded 15 million in the world.

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July 22, 2020 8h42

Updated at 20h59

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COVID-19: huge pre-order for a future vaccine by Washington, 15 million cases in the world

Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON — The United States has pre-ordered Wednesday, 100 million doses of a potential vaccine against the COVID-19, which is making progress in particular on the american continent, India and Australia, at a time when the number of reported cases has exceeded 15 million in the world.

If the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for more than half of the reported cases, other regions of the world are also concerned such as Australia, which announced on Wednesday a record number of contamination in 24 hours, the japanese capital Tokyo, on high alert, and several European countries, including Belgium, which is preparing to announce new health measures.

Waiting for a vaccine, the u.s. government has placed an initial order of “100 million doses for 1.95 billion dollars and could acquire up to 500 million additional doses” of the product developed by the biotech German Biontech and the american laboratory Pfizer, announced on Wednesday that the two companies.

After encouraging first results, the proposed vaccine is entering a decisive phase of large-scale clinical trials.

Long accused of denial in the face of the pandemic, the president, Donald Trump has dramatically changed his tone after the number of cases registered in 24 hours in the United States exceeded 60,000 for the eighth consecutive day.

He admitted on Tuesday that a recent “alarming rise of cases” in the south of his country.

“We are asking everyone to wear a mask when the remote person is not possible,” he launched after you have until now defended the “freedom” of individual in the matter.

The pandemic has caused nearly 620, 000 deaths on the planet since the end of December, according to a report drawn up by the AFP on Wednesday. Of the 15 million officially reported cases have been exceeded, a figure that does not reflect, however, that a part of the real number of infections.

Four million cases in South America

If the United States remains by far the country with both the most affected and the most mournful, with more than 142 000 people to almost four million reported cases, the Latin America and the Caribbean are not left out, with four million people infected by the new coronavirus, and more than 167 000 people dead.

Alone, the Brazil, the second country the most affected, with nearly 81 500 dead for some 2,160 million cases, while Mexico has identified more than 40 000 deaths.

A street in Sao Paulo, Brazil

AFP, NELSON ALMEIDA

In India, where nearly 1.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been registered, which makes it the third country most affected, the authorities of the region of Kashmir have imposed on Wednesday, containment is strict for a week, in the face of the resurgence of the sars coronavirus. And this after you have canceled the important hindu pilgrimage of the annual Amarnath for the first time in more than a century.

Until now praised for his handling of the crisis, Australia has, for its part, announced on the same day 502 new cases in 24 hours, a record, bringing the total to nearly 13 000 for 128 people dead on the island-continent of 25 million inhabitants.

Since Wednesday midnight, local time, the inhabitants of Melbourne are required to wear a protective mask them outside the home.

Tokyo is currently on its side with its alert level to maximum, experts have warned that the case of COVID-19 seemed to spread quickly and widely.

Its governor, Yuriko Koike, has called Wednesday on the population to stay at home.

Japan has identified that a little over 26 300 cases, of which less than a thousand deaths, since the COVID-19 has been identified for the first time in mid-January, but the number of patients in a serious condition increases.

This push comes at a time when the archipelago is poised to begin Thursday, the countdown of one year before the opening ceremony of the Tokyo olympic Games, deferred to 2021 due to the pandemic.

With 113 new cases on Wednesday, Hong Kong is also experiencing a record increase in the number of cases, despite increased measures of social distancing.

A volunteer is sprayed with disinfectant in an ambulance used for transportation of persons to be tested for the COVID-19, Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday.

AFP SAM PANTHAKY

“Act quickly”

In Belgium, where the rate of deaths relative to the population is among the highest in the world, the authorities announced Wednesday an increase of 89 % of the infections between the 12 and the 18 July and called to” act quickly ” to avoid further containment measures.

Sweden, which also displays one of the balance sheets of the heaviest per capita on the planet, considered it unlikely a scenario with more than 3000 additional deaths due to the virus.

But the hour was also to the satisfaction Wednesday in the european Union, in the aftermath of the adoption of an agreement “historic” on a stimulus package in the amount of 750 billion euros, after four days of a summit under high voltage in Brussels.

The plan provides for the issuance of common debt, a first, will mainly benefit the countries of the south, above all to Italy and Spain, severely affected by the pandemic.

The crisis has already forced 13 % of cafes, bars, restaurants, and hotels in Spanish, is about 40 000 establishments, to permanently put the key under the door, said the employers ‘ organisation in the sector.

The pandemic has also been because of the tennis tournament in Washington, which was to mark the resumption of the season of ATP, and could threaten the running of the US Open.

On the other hand, Burkina Faso has plans to re-open on the 1st of August, its air borders, closed three months ago.

Le Soleil