COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 2 November
The US has begun its rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5-11. Image: VIA REUTERS
- This daily news round-up brings you a selection of the latest news and updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.
- Top stories: Global COVID-19 deaths pass 5 million; Donations of emergency medical equipment reach Latvia; New restrictions in the Netherlands, Ukraine.
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 247.1 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths has now passed 5 million. More than 7.07 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.
The United States has begun its rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.
Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in Indonesia, with its chief executive telling Reuters it expects decisions in India, the Philippines and elsewhere within weeks.
Bahrain has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children aged 5-11.
Zimbabwe has approved the Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine for 16 and 17-year-olds.
The Netherlands will impose new COVID-19 restrictions this week, in a bid to curb a recent surge in infections.
Japan has confirmed plans to gradually ease COVID-19 border restrictions, with the first changes potentially from next Monday.
Sydney will lift more COVID-19 restrictions for vaccinated residents ahead of schedule next week - but will delay easing restrictions for unvaccinated residents.
Greece has reported a record high single-day rise in new confirmed COVID-19 cases - 5,449.
Ukraine's capital Kiev has introduced tough new COVID-19 restrictions in an effort to tackle a surge in new cases.
2. Latvia gets emergency medical equipment amid surge in COVID-19 cases
Latvia has received shipments of medical supplies from the Netherlands, Finland, Hungary and Sweden as it fights a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The Baltic country of 1.9 million people filed a request last week to the European Union for more than 130 ventilators and hundreds of vital signs monitors, BNS news agency reported.
Over 1,500 people were being treated in Latvian hospitals on Sunday, the highest number ever, the public broadcaster reported. The country reported 1,641 new cases per 100,000 people in the week ending 24 October, the worst rate in the 27-member EU, European Commission data show.
"In peacetime no country has the capacity to deal with such a crisis," Latvian Health Minister Daniels Pavluts wrote on Twitter, thanking the countries for their donations.
3. Global confirmed deaths pass 5 million
Confirmed global COVID-19 deaths have passed 5 million, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.
It comes as nearly 400,000 deaths were reported in the last 28 days. The United States has reported the most COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, at 747,033.
Brazil has reported 607,922, while India has reported 458,437.
India’s leading COVID-19 last-mile responders
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