Reuters Health News Summary

Sydney, the New South Wales state capital and home to a fifth of Australia's 25 million population, has been hit hardest in a flurry of outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant around the country over the past two weeks. Portugal to vaccinate 1.7 million in two weeks as COVID infections rise Portugal said on Saturday it hoped to vaccinate a further 1.7 million people against COVID-19 over the next two weeks as authorities scramble to contain a surge in infections caused by the more contagious Delta variant.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Iran at risk of fifth COVID-19 wave as Delta variant spreads - Rouhani

Iran may face a fifth wave of COVID-19 infections as the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus spreads through the Middle East's worst-hit country, President Hassan Rouhani warned on Saturday. "There are concerns that the whole country may enter a fifth wave if enough care is not taken in following health protocols. Today, reports are that just 69% of the people are observing the precautions," Rouhani said in remarks broadcast on state TV.

Australian officials report biggest daily COVID-19 caseload for 2021

Australia's New South Wales state recorded its biggest daily rise in COVID-19 infections this year, even as residents in several major cities across the country were released from snap lockdowns on Saturday. Sydney, the New South Wales state capital and home to a fifth of Australia's 25 million population, has been hit hardest in a flurry of outbreaks of the highly contagious Delta variant around the country over the past two weeks.

Portugal to vaccinate 1.7 million in two weeks as COVID infections rise

Portugal said on Saturday it hoped to vaccinate a further 1.7 million people against COVID-19 over the next two weeks as authorities scramble to contain a surge in infections caused by the more contagious Delta variant. Cases in Portugal, a nation of just over 10 million, jumped by 2,605 on Saturday, the biggest increase since Feb. 13., taking the total cases since the pandemic began to 887,047.

Tokyo's new COVID-19 infections hit highest in 5 weeks

Tokyo reported 716 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, its highest in more than five weeks, as the nation considers extending pandemic restrictions in the capital just weeks before it is to host the Olympics. Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures are among areas under a "quasi" state of emergency set to run through July 11, but Japan may extend the measures by two weeks or more due to a recent uptick in infections.

China urges nations to build 'Great Wall of Immunity' against coronavirus

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community on Saturday to build a "Great Wall of Immunity" to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. "We should face the imminent challenges together," Wang, who is also a member of the State Council, or cabinet, told the 9th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in the Chinese capital.

Italy breaks up fake EU COVID pass schemes

Italian police said on Saturday they had broken up a number of online schemes offering to sell fake European Union digital COVID-19 status certificates or purported coronavirus vaccines. The investigation, coordinated by the cybercrime prosecutor’s office in Milan, showed that thousands of people were ready to pay for false certificates, a police statement said.

One million U.S. vaccine doses due in Malaysia on Monday

One million donated doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc's and BioNTech will arrive in Malaysia on Monday, White House officials said, with plans for more shipments to Southeast Asia soon. The doses are from an initial batch of 80 million U.S.-made vaccines the Biden administration pledged last month to share globally amid concern about the disparity in vaccination rates between advanced and developing countries.

South Africa hits a new record with 26,000 daily COVID-19 cases

South Africa hit a record of 26,000 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, its second record-breaking tally in as many days, as a rampant third wave of infections coursed through a largely unvaccinated population. The rampant rise in infections in Africa's most industrialised nation has stretched health services to breaking point, with hospitals out of beds and medics to man them, and forced the government to impose partial lockdown restrictions.

U.S. administers nearly 330 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines - CDC

The United States has administered 329,970,551 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Saturday morning and distributed 383,067,560 doses, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday. Those figures are up from the 328,809,470 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by July 2 out of 382,636,520 doses delivered.

UK doctors want some COVID-19 measures retained after July 19

England should retain some coronavirus measures beyond July 19, when most remaining restrictions are due to be lifted, to help limit the spread of the disease, a doctors' union warned on Saturday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed last Monday that most restrictions in England will end on July 19, on what has been dubbed "Freedom Day".