What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

A health worker prepares a dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Central Vaccination Center in Bang Sue Grand Station, Thailand on June 21, 2021. REUTERS / Athit Perawongmetha

June 22 (Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus:

Mask requirement in Sydney expanded

Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), reported the largest increase in new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in nearly a week on Tuesday, prompting authorities to extend a mask mandate in Sydney for a week.

Ten new locally acquired cases were reported in NSW on Tuesday as officials battled to contain a newest cluster of the highly contagious Delta virus variant. Eight of the 10 are isolated household contacts from previous cases.

“There is no doubt that there is an increased level of concern given the additional number of cases, but … given the absolute contagiousness of the virus, we expected that already isolated household contacts were likely to get the virus,” NSW Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian told reporters . Continue reading

Central Asia is preparing for the third wave

Kazakhstan warned on Tuesday that the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus had reached its capital as other Central Asian countries saw rises again in cases.

The number of new cases in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan increased by 40% last week compared to the previous week, Health Minister Alexei Tsoi said at a government meeting on Tuesday.

Tsoi said tests had shown the Delta variant, first discovered in India, was present in the city and urged provincial governments to prepare for a surge in cases that require hospitalization and lung ventilation. Continue reading

India’s vaccination rate is slowing

India’s vaccinations over the next few weeks could lag behind the breakneck pace set on the first day of a federal campaign unless they penetrate a vast hinterland and bridge a dose shortage, experts said Tuesday.

The 8.6 million doses injected on Monday was a two-time high jump when India introduced free vaccination for all adults and lifted a state and hospitals policy to buy vaccines for 18-44 year olds.

“This is clearly not sustainable,” Chandrakant Lahariya, an expert on public policy and health systems, told Reuters. Continue reading

Vaccinated Brits could soon be back on Europe’s beaches

Britain is working to ease travel restrictions on fully vaccinated people so people can enjoy summer vacations on Europe’s beaches, but plans are still ongoing, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Tuesday.

Currently, UK citizens are essentially banned from traveling to most countries – including the European Union – because the quarantine and testing rules are so cumbersome and expensive.

The travel industry has called for the UK to lift its COVID testing and isolation requirements for fully vaccinated travelers, similar to a European Union system. Continue reading

Italy does not require a mask to be worn outdoors

Italy will lift the obligation to wear face masks outdoors from June 28, the government said late Monday, as cases and hospital stays decline.

Mask requirements were introduced in October last year as the country entered a second wave of the epidemic and authorities struggled to contain the rising infections.

Mario Draghi’s government has been steadily lifting restrictions since April, opening activities such as restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms, and allowing freedom of movement across the country.

Compiled by Tom Hogue; Adaptation by Stephen Coates

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-coronavirus-right-now/