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 The highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus is surging
through Asia, with record numbers of infections in Australia and
South Korea, prompting some countries to tighten curbs and others to
step up vaccinations.
The variant, first detected in India in December last year, has
spread to about 100 countries and the World Health Organisation
warned recently that it could soon become the dominant form of the
virus. It is also driving a spike in cases in Japan, casting a pall
over this month's Olympic Games.
On Friday, Australia's New South Wales state, its most populous,
reported its biggest daily rise in new cases this year. Total cases
in the state in the latest outbreak have topped 200, a majority
caused by the Delta variant.
India's official death toll from the coronavirus topped 400,000 on
Friday, though experts say the actual number of dead could have
reached one million or even higher, with a possible third wave of
infections looming.
J&J's vaccine shows promise against Delta variant
Johnson & Johnson said that its single-shot vaccine showed strong
promise against the Delta variant and other emerging strains and
also provided durable protection against the infection more broadly.
Data showed that the durability of immune response for recipients of
its vaccine lasted at least eight months, the healthcare company
said, adding that its vaccine was 85% effective and could also help
prevent hospitalization and death.
Russia's daily death toll climbs to new pandemic high
Russia registered a record number of daily COVID-19-related deaths
on Friday amid a surge in cases across the world's largest country
that the authorities blame on the Delta variant.
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 The government's coronavirus taskforce said 679 people had died in
the past 24 hours, the highest figure confirmed in a single day
since the pandemic began. It also reported 23,218 new
infections in the last 24 hours, including 6,893
in Moscow.
U.S. prepares for COVID-19 outbreaks
The White House on Thursday said it would send
out special teams to hot spots around the United
States to combat the Delta variant amid rising
case counts in parts of the country where
vaccination rates remain low.
The speedy U.S. vaccination campaign has
dramatically reduced COVID-19 cases among
residents. The peak seven-day-average of more
than 250,000 cases per day in January fell to
around 11,000 in mid-June.
But daily cases have since levelled out and in
the past week rose about 10% to about 12,500,
driven by case increases in the Midwest and
Southeast where vaccination rates are low and
where the Delta variant is spreading.
Ireland to speed up vaccinating younger people
Ireland will give 18- to 34-year-olds the option
of receiving a vaccine one to two months earlier
than scheduled in a bid to slow the spread of
the Delta variant and resume a delayed reopening
of the economy.
Ireland had planned to resume indoor drinking
and eating in bars and restaurants from Monday
but announced a slowdown of the easing of
restrictions this week due to concerns about the
variant, which now accounts for about 70% of new
cases.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Robert
Birsel)
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