In sign of hope, global Covid-19 cases slowing

NEW YORK: Encouraging signs in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic are emerging, with new global infections slowing sharply, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Almost a year after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, global infections show signs of slowing. There were 2.7 million new Covid-19 cases in the week ended February. 14, the lowest since October, according to Johns Hopkins University.

That resulted in a 2.5% increase in total infections from the previous week, the weakest gain since the start of the pandemic and less than half the rate seen a month earlier.

The death toll is also beginning to ease, but at a less dramatic pace. Daily fatalities have averaged less than 10,000 over the past five days, down from a peak of more than 18,000 in midjanuary.

A laboratory study suggests that the South African variant, known as B.1.351, of the coronavirus may reduce antibody protection from the Pfizer Inc/biontech SE vaccine by two-thirds, and it is not clear if the shot will be effective against the mutation, the companies said on Wednesday.

The study found the vaccine was still able to neutralise the virus and there is not yet evidence from trials in people that the variant reduces vaccine protection, the companies said.

The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Covid vaccine developers are set to begin trials for pregnant women, looking to provide reassurance the shots are safe.

Pfizer and Biontech are starting trials for their messenger RNA vaccine in 4,000 women in the latter stages of pregnancy, according to the US online clinical trial registry. Astrazeneca Plc and Johnson & Johnson are planning to run trials in the coming months.