FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS * The death of a 16-year-old who had a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was due to a prior blood clot condition unrelated to the shot, Brazil's health regulator Anvisa said.


Reuters | Updated: 23-09-2021 11:01 IST | Created: 23-09-2021 10:35 IST
FACTBOX-Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus
Representative image Image Credit: ANI

The United States, Japan, and Italy have pledged more shots to the rest of the world after leaders from developing nations warned that vaccine hoarding could lead to the emergence of more coronavirus variants. DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals for a case tracker and summary of news EUROPE

* Russian travel agencies are selling package tours for Russians to receive foreign vaccines abroad amid frustration among some that domestically produced shots have not been approved internationally. * England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said COVID-19 transmission was currently highest in 12- to 15-year-olds, and that almost all unvaccinated children would get infected at some point.

* Ukraine is planning compulsory vaccinations for some jobs including teachers and employees of state institutions and local governments. AMERICAS

* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech vaccine for those 65 and older, all people at high risk of severe disease, and others regularly exposed to the virus. * President Jair Bolsonaro, just back from the United Nations, isolated himself at home and canceled a trip after his health minister tested positive for COVID-19 and had to stay in quarantine in New York.

* Alaska, which led most U.S. states in vaccinations months ago, took the drastic step on Wednesday of imposing crisis-care standards for its entire hospital system. * The Pan American Health Organization has warned that countries in the region could continue to face localized COVID-19 outbreaks well into 2022, even while deaths have fallen from their peak in January.

ASIA-PACIFIC * New Zealand's prime minister said the country should aim for a 90%-plus rate of inoculation, and could drop strict lockdown measures once enough people were vaccinated.

* Police in Australia's Melbourne prepared for the fourth day of anti-lockdown protests on Thursday, and a vaccination hub in the city closed after protesters allegedly abused staff. * South Korean authorities warned people returning from a holiday to get tested even for the mildest COVID-19 type symptoms, especially before clocking in for work.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Syria is facing a new surge in infections in both government-held areas and territory outside state control that could overwhelm the war-ravaged country's fragile health system.

* Uganda's president has eased restrictions, allowing the resumption of education for universities and other post-secondary institutions, citing a decline in infections. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* The death of a 16-year-old who had a first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was due to a prior blood clot condition unrelated to the shot, Brazil's health regulator Anvisa said. * Chinese vaccine developer Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise plans to start a large trial for its nasal spray-based vaccine candidate next month, a clinical trial registration record showed.

ECONOMIC IMPACT * Asian shares moved higher on Thursday, supported by some positive news from struggling developer China Evergrande Group, while the dollar held near a one-month top after the U.S. Federal Reserve took a hawkish tilt overnight.

* The Federal Reserve said it will likely begin reducing its monthly bond purchases as soon as November and signaled interest rate increases may follow more quickly than expected. * U.S. home sales fell in August as supply remained tight, but there are signs the surge in house prices and the pandemic-fueled demand have probably run their course.

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

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