COVID-19 Live Updates:Malawi cancels Independence Day celebrations over virus spike.

Photo Credit:AFP.

Summary of Latest Developments.

Iran recorded its highest number of deaths from COVID-19 within a 24-hour period, official health ministry figures showed. The 163 deaths reported on Sunday exceed the previous record from last Monday, when the health ministry reported 162 deaths in a day.

Coronavirus infections in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia rise after curfews were fully lifted last month.

WHO said it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 after the medications failed to reduce mortality.

Over 212,000 new coronavirus cases were reported globally by the World Health Organization – the highest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic.

Worldwide cases have reached 11.23 million while 6.04 million patients have recovered, according to the latest Johns Hopkins University tally. The number of deaths worldwide hit more than 530,000.

 

Here are the latest updates.

 

Malawi cancels Independence Day celebrations over virus spike.

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has called off planned Independence Day celebrations and drastically scaled back on his inauguration ceremony following a spike in coronavirus infections. 

His formal inauguration had been slated for Monday at a giant stadium in the capital to coincide with the country’s 56th independence day celebrations.

But in an address on Sunday, the president called off the stadium festivities and shifted his inauguration event to a military barracks to be witnessed by only 100 specially-invited guests. 

Malawi, which has not been placed under a lockdown, has registered 1,613 cases so far with seven percent of those infections detected in the last 24-hour reporting cycle.

At least 64 percent of the new infections were from community transmission.

“In view of this acceleration rate of local transmission and its wide geographical spread I have decided to cancel the celebration,” said Chakwera in a brief address to the nation. 

 

 

UK coronavirus confirmed death toll rises by 22 to 44,220.

The United Kingdom’s death toll from confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen by 22 to 44,220, the department of health said on Sunday.

The number of deaths registered at the weekend is often lower than during the week. Including deaths from suspected cases, the toll is over 54,000, according to a Reuters tally.

 

Fresh Spanish virus outbreak sees 70,000 locked down.

Spain’s northwestern Galicia region has ordered the lockdown of 70,000 people amid fears of a fresh coronavirus outbreak, following a larger one in the northeast.

All residents of the town of La Marina, 140 kilometres (90 miles) east of La Coruna, will be unable to leave the vicinity and gatherings of more than ten people will be banned to limit the possibility of contagion.

The move came only a day after regional officials put 200,000 people back in confinement following a “sharp rise” in infections near the northeastern town of Lerida some 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of Catalan regional capital Barcelona.

 

Morocco reports record number of novel coronavirus cases.

Morocco has reported 698 additional novel coronavirus infections, the highest one-day increase since the outbreak began in early March, with numerous cases discovered in a port city factory.

The new figures bring the official total in the North African kingdom to 14,132 infections and 234 deaths, according to the health ministry.

The majority of the new infections were detected in a fish canning factory in the southern port city of Safi.

Morocco, with a population of around 35 million, eased virus-related restrictions on June 25, reopening cafes, restaurants, hotels and sports halls. It also allowed domestic tourism and inter-city travel [Fadel Senna/AFP].

 

Madagascar re-imposes lockdown amid surge in virus cases

Madagascar has placed its capital Antananarivo under a fresh lockdown following a new surge in coronavirus infections, two months after the restrictions were eased, the presidency announced.

“The Analamanga region (under which the capital is situated) is returning to full lockdown,” the presidency said in a statement.

No traffic will be allowed in or out of the region starting Monday until July 20.

Source:News Agencies.

 

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