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A health official draws a dose of the AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, at Infectious Diseases Hospital in Colombo - Sputnik International

COVID Live Updates: WHO to Decide on Emergency Use Listing of AstraZeneca Vaccine in Coming Days

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According to Johns Hopkins University, the global death toll from the coronavirus has topped 2.316 million, while over 106.1 million cases have been detected.

Currently, the US (27 million infected, 463,000 deaths), India (10.8 million cases, 154,000 fatalities), and Brazil (9.5 million cases, and a death toll of over 231,000) are among the most affected nations.

The number of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom is approaching four million and the fatalities have reached 112,465. The country introduced its third national lockdown from 4 January following the discovery of a mutated coronavirus strain.

Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more. 

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18:35 GMT 08.02.2021
People wait in line to receive the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 29, 2021.  - Sputnik International, 1920
US Has Nearly 700 Coronavirus Cases of UK Variant in 34 States, Health Agency Says
18:01 GMT 08.02.2021
17:50 GMT 08.02.2021

The World Health Organization will decide whether or not to list the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, produced in India and South Korea, for emergency use listing in coming days, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday.

"In the next few days, WHO expects to make a decision on the emergency use listing of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for the two sites in India and the Republic of Korea, which will produce it for COVAX. We're committed to using all available data to make these assessments," Tedros said at a WHO press briefing.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has already been cleared for use in the European Union, India, Brazil and other countries.

17:44 GMT 08.02.2021

The head of the World Health Organization said on Monday he was concerned by AstraZeneca’s recent study that showed its coronavirus vaccine to offer only limited protection against mild cases of infection with the South African strain.

The research was conducted at the South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand. The trials involved a small group of some 2,000 volunteers who had an average age of 31.

"This is clearly concerning news. However, there are some important caveats. Given the limited sample size of the trial and the younger, healthier profile of the participants, it is important to determine whether or not the vaccine remains effective in preventing more severe illness," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Tedros stressed that these early results were a reminder that more had to be done to reduce the circulation of the virus with proven public health measures. The more contagious South African strain has become the dominant variant in the country and has spread to dozens of other nations.

17:37 GMT 08.02.2021

 Japanese medical equipment manufacturer Shimadzu Corporation on Monday announced the sale of testing kits for detecting the coronavirus on surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, monitors and other devices.

"The two main transmission paths for the novel coronavirus are considered to be via droplets or contact. Until now, however, it has been very difficult to determine its presence [on a surface] via PCR by taking a sample with a cotton swab due to its small concentration on surfaces. The new kit consists of a special concentrate and reactive agent, which you use by simply wiping an object's surface with a cotton swab, available everywhere, and putting it into a liquid," the company said in a statement.

The developers claim that the creative agents allow determining the virus' presence with the PCR test in 100 minutes.

A kit for 100 tests is expected to cost approximately $2,600, not counting taxes.

According to various studies, the coronavirus remains on plastic surfaces for up to 72 hours, up to 48 hours on steel surfaces and up to 24 hours on cardboard ones.

16:15 GMT 08.02.2021

US Congressman Ron Wright, a Republican representing Texas’ 6th congressional district, has died following a battle with COVID-19, his office said on Monday.

“Congressman Ron Wright passed away peacefully at the age of 67 on Feb. 7, 2021," the statement said.

Wright and his wife had been admitted to Baylor Hospital in Dallas two weeks ago after contracting COVID-19, it added. 

15:20 GMT 08.02.2021
Healthcare workers chat at a temporary ward set up during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, January 19, 2021 - Sputnik International, 1920
Johnson & Johnson Files for Emergency Use Approval of COVID Vaccine in S. Africa, Reports Suggest
15:01 GMT 08.02.2021

More than 8.62 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have already been produced in Russia, and 5.3 million doses have been delivered across the country, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Monday.

"As of yesterday evening, more than 8.62 million doses of complete vaccines have been produced, mainly the Sputnik V vaccine and small amounts of the EpiVacCorona vaccine. 5.5 million doses are available for use by the population, 5.3 million doses of vaccines have been delivered or distributed to the regions," Golikova said at a briefing.

She also noted that the difference between the vaccine production volumes and the volumes of vaccine doses distributed across the country is related to such factors as the quality control of the manufactured vaccines and logistics specifics.

The official stressed that until collective immunity to the coronavirus disease was reached, that is to say up to 68.6 million people in Russia were vaccinated, the necessity to comply with the related restrictions remains in effect.

14:49 GMT 08.02.2021

German Health Minister Jens Spahn on Monday described the coronavirus vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca as effective against new strains of COVID-19, as they at least prevent acute forms of the disease.

Previously, several vaccinated German nationals were reported to have gotten infected with novel strains.

"There are various scientific data on the issue, but there is one important thing in all that data, specifically that, per the information at hand, all three vaccines are effective in a sense that they prevent acute progression of the disease," Spahn said at a press conference.

When responding to citizens' complaints about the inability to pick a vaccine for immunization, the minister said that such a choice was impossible at the moment.

"I would like to provide such a choice but due to to a small number of vaccines we cannot do that, not yet at least," Spahn stated.

According to the minster, the share of the UK strain of the coronavirus in Germany is about six percent among all confirmed cases.

In December, the UK announced that a new coronavirus strain was detected in the country, adding that the new variant can be up to 70 percent more transmissible than other SARS-CoV-2 variants. After the news, many countries suspended travel to and from the UK. There is no evidence that the new strain is more pathogenic.

Another mutated strain was discovered in South Africa back in October and is now the most widespread variant in the country. Just as with the UK strain, it is more transmissible, but not yet confirmed to be more pathogenic.

14:39 GMT 08.02.2021

The UK government is "very confident" about the effectiveness of all the COVID-19 vaccines that the country has approved for use so far, despite South Africa's decision to pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine over fears that it offers less protection against a new coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday.

"We're very confident in all the vaccines that we're using and I think it's important for people to bear in mind that all of them, we think, are effective in delivering a high degree of protection against serious illness and death, which is the most important thing," Johnson said during a visit to a coronavirus test kit manufacturing facility in the English county of Derbyshire.

The prime minister also noted that there was "good evidence" that the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine was effective in reducing COVID-19 transmission.

Public health officials in South Africa said Sunday that they would pause the rollout of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine over fears that it offers less protection against a new highly infectious COVID-19 variant identified there.

The decision was taken after a fresh study showed that the vaccine offered "minimal protection" against mild and moderate COVID-19 from the strain first identified in South Africa.

More than 12 million people in the United Kingdom have received their first vaccine dose since the rollout of the government's mass immunization program. Public health officials in the UK are currently using the Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccines to inoculate residents.

14:38 GMT 08.02.2021

The French commune of Eaubonne located in a suburb north of Paris is set to begin a screening campaign after detecting several traces of the mutated South African coronavirus variant, resulting in the closure of a local educational facility.

A school in the commune on Monday was subjected to closure after two people on its premises tested positive for the South African strain.

"Following the cases of South African variant of COVID-19 detected in #Eaubonne, a screening campaign is organized over 3 days by the city and the Regional Health Agency," the city administration wrote on Facebook.

According to the authorities, the campaign will prioritize students and their families, but will also be available for the rest of the commune's population.

13:15 GMT 08.02.2021

"In the Pakistani subset, efficacy at preventing symptomatic cases is 74.8% and 100% at preventing severe disease," Pakistan's Health Minister Faisal Sultan said.

12:53 GMT 08.02.2021

Over 31,000 citizens of Bangladesh received a coronavirus vaccine on the first day of the national inoculation campaign that started on Sunday, media reported.

According to Dhaka Tribune, medical workers were supposed to be the first to receive the vaccine, but a priority was given to local and government officials. This was done to attract the population to vaccination points. Bangladeshi Health Minister Zahid Maleque also received the vaccine.

The news outlet said, citing the Directorate General of Health Services that 31,727 nationals were vaccinated, with only 21 people experiencing mild common side effects.

In January, India delivered to Bangladesh 2 million doses of the domestically-manufactured Covishield vaccine. The authorities of Bangladesh have additionally ordered 30 million doses from India and received 5 million doses.

Bangladesh has so far recorded over 538,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 8,200 fatalities.

12:38 GMT 08.02.2021
The AstraZeneca office building in Brussels - Sputnik International, 1920
Portugal Does Not Advise Giving AstraZeneca Vaccine to People Over 65, Health Authority Says
12:33 GMT 08.02.2021
12:16 GMT 08.02.2021
In this Aug. 14, 2020, file photo, laboratory technicians work at the mAbxience biopharmaceutical company on an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and the laboratory AstraZeneca in Garin, Argentina. - Sputnik International, 1920
South African Opposition Slams Gov't Vaccination Drive Amid Halted AstraZeneca Vaccine Rollout
12:09 GMT 08.02.2021
12:07 GMT 08.02.2021

The French government is preparing to allow the resumption of museums and monuments across the country, which have remained closed for months due to coronavirus restrictions, Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot told the BFMTV broadcaster on Monday.

Museums, exhibitions, theaters, cinemas and other public cultural venues were forced to remain mostly shut for several months as part of two nationwide lockdowns and a general curfew across France amid the coronavirus crisis. The first stay-at-home order lasted from March-May and the second was introduced in late October and remained in force until it was replaced with a night curfew, which has been in effect since 15 December.

"We are preparing for the quickest possible reopening of museums and monuments. This is why I met this morning with the different managers of these very diverse structures – there are public institutions, municipal museums, private museums, which have different characteristics for reopening," Bachelot said.

However, the minister did not specify a precise date for the reopening of cultural venues, referring to yet unstable epidemiological situation. She also added that while museums and monuments were in priority for the resumption of operations, the situation with facilities like theaters and cinemas was still uncertain.

The announcement comes several days after some 100 directors of France’s major art institutions and museums wrote an open petition to Bachelot demanding that the closure orders on the country’s art venues be lifted and a partial resumption of services be allowed.

12:04 GMT 08.02.2021

The EU authorities discussed several coronavirus-related items, including an expansion of vaccine manufacturing and the detection of new strains, during Monday's response meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"Today's #COVID19 response meeting focused on: Further boosting research with EU funds, Ramping up sequencing to detect new variants, Working with companies to expand vaccine manufacturing at scale, Bio-defence preparedness, Supporting our partners via COVAX & donations," von der Leyen tweeted.

Previously, Brussels was involved in a row with UK-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over delays in deliveries due to issues at the firm's production site in Belgium.

11:20 GMT 08.02.2021

Health experts from the World Health Organization have reached several agreements with China during their trip to Wuhan in search of the COVID-19 origin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday.

"They were able to reach multiple agreements. I hope these will be thoroughly covered in their report," Wang Wenbin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters in Beijing.

The spokesman said China stood for openness and transparency and would bolster scientific cooperation with other countries to reduce health risks.

The experts arrived in Wuhan, the ground zero of the outbreak, on 14 January and self-isolated until 29 January. They have since visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which houses a laboratory known for its experiments on viruses, and the seafood market where the first coronavirus cases emerged.

11:14 GMT 08.02.2021

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that the South Korean government would likely to consider buying the Russia’s Sputnik V and other coronavirus vaccines  to curb the spread of new virus variants and forestall delays in deliveries of already contracted vaccines.

"Regarding the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, given the uncertainty surrounding supply problems and modified virus strains, we plan to continue to consider the need for additional vaccine procurement… This means that we are considering all available vaccines as candidates," KDCA head Jeong Eun-Kyeong said at a briefing.

The official also noted that Seoul was negotiating an additional purchase of some 20 million doses of US-made Novavax vaccine.

The issue arose after data emerged showing the AstraZeneca vaccine, which had been advised for deployment in South Korea by the national pharmaceutical panel, provided only minimal protection against the South African coronavirus strain.

The vaccine rollout in South Korea is due to begin in February. According to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, AstraZeneca shipments for 2.19 million people will arrive in the first half of 2021.

This year, the country hopes to receive a total of 106 million doses from various manufacturers enough to vaccinate it's 51.3 million people.

11:13 GMT 08.02.2021

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Monday that the government was going to make sure that each citizen is guaranteed to receive a shot of the coronavirus vaccine, national media reported.

According to the NHK public news service, Suga told the parliament that he was aware of the fact that Japan was lagging behind other countries in authorizing the use of the vaccines.

At the same time, the prime minister noted that Japan had fewer COVID-19 cases than the western countries, so the clinical trials of the vaccines took a longer time.

Meanwhile, according to Taro Kono, the cabinet minister in charge of the country's vaccination efforts, the government is likely to secure the required number of doses for the priority group in mid-February.

Kono added, as cited by the media outlet, that senior citizens will start receiving a two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in April.

Japan has confirmed over 406,000 coronavirus cases so far, with more than 6,400 fatalities.

08:59 GMT 08.02.2021
A medical worker holds a tube with Russian Gam-COVID-VAK (trademark Sputnik V) coronavirus vaccine at a Donetsk clinic, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Eastern Ukraine.  - Sputnik International, 1920
Russia, Turkey in Talks on Joint Production of Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine, Ambassador Says
08:35 GMT 08.02.2021

Peru has received the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm, Peru's President Francisco Sagasti said.

The batch of 300,000 doses was delivered by Air France plane from China with a stop in Paris (France). The plane landed at Jorge Chavez international airport in Lima at 7:54 p.m. local time (00:54 GMT on Monday).

"The vaccines are already in Peru. I appreciate the efforts of the public and private sectors as well as the civil society that made it possible," Sagasti said on Twitter.

In total, Peru signed a contract with Sinopharm  for delivery of 38 million doses of the Chinese vaccine in 2021,  which should cover most of the country's 33.3 million people.

The vaccination campaign will start on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the president. Health workers will be first in line to receive a shot of vaccine.

According to the health ministry of Peru, to date, the Latin American nation has confirmed over 1.1 million positive COVID-19 cases, including more than 1.09 million patients who have recovered. The death toll has risen to 42,308 people.

07:43 GMT 08.02.2021

Russia's single-day increase in COVID-19 cases fell below 16,000 for the first time since October 22, as 15,916 new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours (down from 16,048 the day before), the response centre said on Monday.

"Over the past day, 15,916 coronavirus cases were confirmed across 85 regions, including 1,590 cases (10 percent) that were detected actively, with people showing no clinical symptoms," the centre said, adding that the cumulative case count has now reached 3,983,197 with the rate of increase at 0.4 percent.

Moscow confirmed 1,728 new coronavirus cases over the given period, down from 2,028 the day before. The Russian capital was followed by St. Petersburg with 1,551 new cases, up from 1,175 the day before, and the Moscow Region with 912 new cases, down from 923 on Sunday.

The response centre reported 407 coronavirus fatalities, down from 432 the day before, raising the country's death toll to 77,068.

Total recoveries count 3,472,091 after 15,881 people were discharged from hospitals over the past day, down from 19,884 the day before.

07:14 GMT 08.02.2021
06:37 GMT 08.02.2021
05:42 GMT 08.02.2021

The mutated coronavirus variant, which was originally discovered in the United Kingdom and is found to be more contagious, is rapidly spreading across the United States and may become the dominant strain in many states as soon as by March, a new study suggests.

A not yet peer-reviewed preprint report, posted on the MedRxiv server on Sunday, comes from a collaboration of over 50 scientists from leading US universities and research centers and provides data to support a forecast made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January that showed the variant becoming dominant in the US by late March.

"Because of the sudden and rapid rise of the B.1.1.7 [UK] variant across the world, we sought to understand the prevalence and growth dynamics of this variant in the U.S., from early emergence to rapid onward transmission. ... These findings show that B.1.1.7 will likely become the dominant variant in many U.S. states by March, 2021, leading to further surges of COVID-19 in the country, unless urgent mitigation efforts are immediately implemented," the study read.

The report further suggested that the UK variant was imported into the United States multiple times in November 2020.

"We found that the earliest timing of introductions into the U.S. ...the likely start of sustained local transmission in California of 27 November 2020. ... We found that the other U.S. clades had median [the most recent common ancestor] TMRCAs in December, 2020 and January, 2021, suggesting repeated introductions of B.1.1.7 into the U.S. from international locations from November, 2020 through present time," the report read.

UK public health officials in December announced the emergence of the new coronavirus strain that is believed to be up to 70 percent more transmissible. The new strain was first discovered in southeast England in September and subsequently spread rapidly throughout the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

04:27 GMT 08.02.2021
04:25 GMT 08.02.2021

On Sunday, health authorities in Toronto announced that a resident had been diagnosed with the Brazilian variant of COVID-19.

"Scientists and medical professionals are concerned that these variants are more transmissible than the original coronavirus", Toronto Public Health said in a statement.

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