The delta mutant, which was first detected in India in April, has spread to at least 85 countries, according to the World Health Organization, which raises fears of new waves of the epidemic that has killed four million people so far, despite vaccination campaigns.
The mutation of the most contagious strains of “Covid-19” threatens to reimpose restrictions on a large scale, despite successful vaccination campaigns in rich countries.
In Sydney, lockdown measures entered It came into effect, Sunday, in an effort to contain a new wave of infections with the Corona virus caused by the most contagious mutated delta version, which raises concern around the world, especially in Russia, where Moscow announced a record daily death toll from Covid.
Portugal was the first country in the European Union to announce that the mutant has become widespread among its population. Delta is also spread in Britain and South Africa, to which it is currently attributed between 9 and 10 percent of Covid injuries recorded in France.
And on Sunday, Moscow announced a record number of deaths due to Covid in the last 24 hours, as it recorded 144 deaths in 24 hours. Saint Petersburg, the second Russian city that hosts matches in the European Championship 2020, recorded 106 deaths on Sunday, a day after it recorded a record daily death toll.
Russia, which was severely affected by Delta, announced 20,538 new injuries on Sunday, A day after it recorded a record number of injuries since January.
) Vaccines against Corona The transmission rate of infection has increased by 25 percent this week compared to the previous week, While the officially registered death toll rose by 33 percent.
In Australia, after orders were issued Friday to close four neighborhoods in central Sydney, the authorities decided to expand the closure on Saturday to include parts of the largest Australian cities, which number five million people.
More than 110 people were confirmed infected with the virus this week in the country that has controlled the outbreak relatively well so far.
The New South Wales Prime Minister said Gladys Berejiklian, “Given how infectious this mutated virus is, we expect that the number of infections is likely to increase The next few days are beyond what we saw today.”
While Australia was among the countries that managed to contain the epidemic well with only 910 deaths among its 25 million residents, the government is currently facing criticism for The background to the slow pace of the vaccination campaign, as only about 7.2 million doses of vaccines were administered, while only a small percentage of those received both doses.
Demonstrations in London against Corona measures As a result, New Zealand announced on Saturday the suspension of the “air bubble” that allows air travel without stone with Australia, for a period of three days. 19 In New Zealand, Chris Hepkins said suspending the “air bubble” would give officials time to consider measures to “make it safer, such as pre-departure checks” between the two countries. (“Accelerating phase” in South Africa
In light of the “serious and alarming” increase in transmission of mutant transmissible infections, Bangladesh will impose a new strict lockdown from Monday.
Thailand also announced new restrictions that will be implemented from Monday and for a month in Bangkok and its suburbs to confront a new wave of infections, including the closure of restaurants and construction sites. More than 51 percent of new cases and more than 70 percent of those registered are in the Lisbon region.
The European country decided to tighten restrictions in the hardest-hit areas such as the capital, where opening hours and the capacity of restaurants and shops were reduced.
In South Africa, the mutated Delta is also behind the high number of injuries, according to scientists, at a time when the government plans to take additional measures.
The African country recorded 18,762 injuries. “We are entering an accelerating epidemic phase,” warned one of South Africa’s leading virologists, Tulio de Oliveira, on Saturday, the highest number since January.
In France, two patients infected with the delta mutant died in the southwest of the country, while the government announced an “immediate action plan.. to avoid a recurrence of the epidemic.”
(However, several European countries are moving forward with easing restrictions.
For example, the wearing of masks is no longer mandatory outdoors in Spain since Saturday. However, the greater part of Madrid’s population preferred her condition.
Switzerland also decided to cancel a large part of the restrictions still in place since Saturday, including the wearing of masks outdoors.
In Italy also, residents will be able to give up masks abroad from Monday.
As for the United Kingdom, the situation seemed different, as thousands demonstrated Saturday in central London to denounce Covid restrictions after the postponement of lifting the rest In this context, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who played a pivotal role in the government’s plan to deal with the epidemic, announced his resignation Saturday after a newspaper revealed that he had violated the rules of the epidemic. containment of the virus.
