FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

Group of Seven leaders demanded a full and thorough investigation of the origins of the coronavirus in China and agreed to step up their production and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines around the world. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news EUROPE

* A G7 plan to donate a billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries will have limited impact because it includes some previous pledges, but it still offers a small lifeline to a global vaccine buying system, according to some experts. * British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce on Monday that the end of COVID-19 restrictions will be delayed following concern about the rapid rise of infections of the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

* Germany's health ministry said Johnson & Johnson must deliver 6.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Germany in July to make up for a shortfall expected in June. * Moscow will give away cars in a prize draw for residents who get the COVID-19 shot to speed up the slow rate of vaccinations.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Thailand is not blocking exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine, a government representative said, after Taiwan said Thailand was keeping for itself doses of the vaccine that it is producing.

* A series of coronavirus outbreaks in Thai factories are raising concerns that the export sector could be hit hard, threatening to further undermine an economy struggling with the pandemic's crippling blow to the crucial tourism industry. * South Korea will exempt some travelers who have received their COVID-19 vaccine shots overseas from its mandatory two-week quarantine starting July 1.

* The Group of Seven wealthy nations said they supported the holding of the Tokyo Olympics this year. AMERICA

* The U.S. Food & Drug Administration said Johnson & Johnson must throw away millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine that were manufactured at a problem-plagued Baltimore factory but also cleared millions for use. * U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the need for cooperation and transparency over the origins of COVID-19 in a call with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Kenya has received a $750 million loan from the World Bank to support its budget and help the East African economy recover from the effects of the pandemic, the multilateral lender said.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * South Korean drugmaker Celltrion Inc announced positive results for its experimental antibody COVID-19 treatment that it said was safe and reduced the treatment period by nearly five days in Phase 3 global clinical trials.

* The head of the EU drug regulator's COVID-19 task force said AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine had a favorable risk-benefit profile for all age groups and particularly for those aged over 60. ECONOMIC IMPACT

* Global shares held firm near record highs on Monday while U.S. bond yields flirted with three-month lows as investors expect the Federal Reserve to stick to its dovish mantra later this week. * The International Monetary Fund welcomed the Group of Seven's support for expanding the global lender's emergency reserves by $650 billion and said it would work with members on ways to provide $100 billion to the poorest countries.

 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)