More lockdowns loom as global cases top 44 million

China, Germany see spike in cases as Melbourne emerges from lockdown

The World Health Organization reported that 2 million Covid-19 cases were reported globally in the past week, a new record, as Europe moved towards new restrictions to curb an unabated second wave.

Global cases have passed 44 million, according to a Johns Hopkins university tally.

France may enter a monthlong national lockdown as President Emmanuel Macron prepares to address the nation on

Wednesday, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought a ‘light lockdown’, with curbs on restaurants and bars.

Records were broken in daily infections and deaths in several countries: Germany reported a high of 14,964 new infections; Russia hit a high in daily deaths at 346 and Iran registered 415 fatalities, its worse ever.

China saw the highest cases in two months from a cluster in the remote Xinjiang region, while the US added nearly 500,000 cases in a week.

The situation is so bad in Belgium that even Covid-positive doctors and nurses have been asked to work as long as they don’t have any symptoms. Belgian hospital admissions soared to a record 689, surpassing the peak reached on March 28.

UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure for a new lockdown amid 367 more deaths recorded on Tuesday, and warnings that hospital patient numbers could double in weeks to more than 25,000.

European Union leaders will discuss adopting a common approach to the deployment and use of rapid tests, potentially considering common performance thresholds, according to memo circulated ahead of a crunch video call on Thursday.

China has reported 42 new cases of Covid-19 including 22 local transmissions, recording the sharpest increase in several weeks, national health authorities said on Wednesday.

Tuesday’s tally was sharply up from 16 on Monday, with all the 22 new local cases reported in the past 24 hours from the remote Xinjiang region’s Kashgar prefecture.

Canada’s death toll has crossed 10,000, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the situation “really sucks”, warning that if the current trajectory continues, it may impact family gatherings during the Christmas season.

On the vaccine and treatment front, the US agreed to pay Eli Lilly & Co $375 million for 300,000 vials of its experimental Covid-19 antibody.

Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline Plc agreed to make 200mn doses of their experimental vaccine available to Covax, a global effort to provide shots for developing nations.

The drugmakers signed the supply arrangement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, according to a statement. Gavi is among the groups working with the World Health Organization to ensure access to immunization for people around the world.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has submitted applications to the World Health Organization for an Emergency Use Listing and prequalification of its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has gone into quarantine after a guest at a charity dinner he attended tested positive. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has tested positive and is currently in self-isolation.

The only good news came from Melbourne. There was exhilaration and relief as the five million people of Australia’s second largest city were able to return to shops and restaurants after months at home. The pandemic lockdown in the city had lasted 111 days.