Covid-19 deaths now exceed 5.4 million worldwide

More than two million new Covid-19 cases were recorded daily on average between 1 and 7 January, with the global death toll now exceeding 5.4 million.

Covid-19: Global developments

Two million cases a day worldwide

The world recorded more than two million daily coronavirus cases on average between January 1 and 7 with figures doubling in 10 days, an AFP tally shows.

An average of 2,106,118 new daily infections were reported over the seven-day period, shortly after the one million case threshold was passed in the week of December 23-29, 2021.

New global case numbers have soared by 270 percent since the highly contagious Omicron variant was discovered in South Africa in late November.

But Covid-related deaths were at their lowest level since October 2020, with an average of 6,237 per day recorded in the period between January 1 and 7.

Over 5.4m Covid-19 deaths worldwide

The coronavirus has killed at least 5,478,486 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on Saturday.

The US has recorded the most Covid deaths with 836,603, followed by Brazil with 619,822, India 483,463 and Russia 315,400.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the World Health Organization estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.

UK Covid-19 deaths top 150,000

More than 150,000 people have died after catching Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, the government said Saturday, in a milestone for one of the worst affected countries in Europe.

Furthermore, restrictions imposed in the wake of the Omicron Covid-19 variant have “wiped out” much of a recent recovery enjoyed by UK bricks-and-mortar stores.

Djokovic asks to train

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic has asked to be moved from a Melbourne detention centre so he can train for the Australian Open, his lawyers say.

Djokovic has been in the Park Hotel detention facility since his arrival in the country “notwithstanding his requests to be moved”, his lawyers say in a federal court submission seeking to overturn the cancellation of his visa.

Border agents tore up Djokovic’s entry visa for failing to meet the country’s tough Covid-19 vaccine requirements when he landed in Melbourne on Wednesday.

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Burkina Africa Cup of Nations team hit

Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore deplores as “a scandal” coronavirus testing procedures at the Africa Cup of Nations after up to five players and coach Kamou Malo test positive in the run-up to Sunday’s opener against hosts Cameroon.

Another Covid-19 death: Iranian writer dies

Dissident Iranian poet and film-maker Baktash Abtin has died in detention in Tehran after falling ill with Covid-19, rights groups say, blaming the Islamic republic’s leadership for his death.

Hong Kong officials to leave quarantine

Multiple Hong Kong officials and lawmakers will be allowed to leave a quarantine camp after one of two coronavirus cases detected at a party they attended is declared a false positive.

Dozens of senior officials and lawmakers were ordered into Hong Kong’s 21-day quarantine facilities this week as health officials warn of an imminent outbreak due to the Omicron variant.

© Agence France-Presse