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 India's coronavirus crisis showed no sign of easing on Tuesday, with
a seven-day average of new cases at a record high and international
heath authorities warning the country's variant of the virus poses a
global concern.
India's daily cases rose by 329,942, while deaths from the disease
rose by 3,876, according to the health ministry. India's total
infections are now at 22.99 million, while total deaths rose to
249,992.
Nations around the globe have sent oxygen cylinders and other
medical gear to support India, but many hospitals are struggling
with a shortage of the life-saving equipment.
Malaysia declares nationwide lockdown
Malaysia on Monday imposed a new nationwide lockdown, as the country
grapples with a surge in infections and highly infectious variants.
The measures came just ahead of this week's Eid al-Fitr festival,
meaning that millions will have to forgo for a second year the
tradition of returning to hometowns at the end of the Muslim fasting
month of Ramadan.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said all inter-state and
inter-district travel will be banned, along with social gatherings.
Japanese prefecture says deaths at home surge
Eighteen people have died from COVID-19 at home in Japan's Osaka
Prefecture, officials said, amid calls for tougher restrictions on
movement to halt a fourth wave of infections ahead of the Olympics.
All but one of the deaths occurred since March 1 as highly
infectious strains of the virus caused a spike in new cases.
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 The rise in coronavirus deaths
at home is a sign of the stress Japan's hospital
system is under as the country struggles to
bring the latest surge in infections under
control, with more than 96% of Osaka
Prefecture's critical care beds occupied.
U.S. children aged 12-15 could begin
vaccinations Thursday
U.S. regulators authorized Pfizer and BioNTech's
COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as
12 and said they could begin receiving shots as
soon as Thursday, widening the inoculation
program as vaccination rates have slowed
significantly.
This is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be
authorized in the United States for ages 12 to
15. Vaccinating younger ages is considered an
important step for getting children back into
schools safely.
EU asks AstraZeneca to deliver 120 million
vaccines
The European Union wants AstraZeneca to deliver
at least 120 million vaccine doses by the end of
June, a lawyer representing the EU said on
Tuesday at the opening of a legal case against
the company over delayed supplies.
AstraZeneca had originally agreed with the EU to
deliver 300 million doses by the end of June,
but has so far delivered only 50 million, and
has said it aims to ship 100 million shots by
the end of June.
(Compiled by Linda Noakes; Editing by Nick
Macfie)
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