The number of Covid-19 infections recorded worldwide passed 200 million on Thursday, an AFP count showed, as China pledged to provide two billion vaccine doses this year to combat surging infections caused by the Delta variant.
The more infectious strain is driving a resurgence in the pandemic, especially in the Asia-Pacific region where Thailand, Indonesia and Japan continued to see new records and the city of Melbourne entered yet another lockdown.
The number of daily new cases globally has jumped 68 percent since mid-June, AFP's tally shows.
But as more of the world gets vaccinated -- particularly in wealthy countries -- deaths have risen at a slower rate, up 20 percent since July, the data show.
China "will strive to deliver two billion doses of vaccines to the world" this year and pledges $100 million (85 million euros) to the Covax system for distributing jabs to the poorest countries, President Xi Jinping said in remarks reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
More at https://tinyurI.com/3uej6mnv
The more infectious strain is driving a resurgence in the pandemic, especially in the Asia-Pacific region where Thailand, Indonesia and Japan continued to see new records and the city of Melbourne entered yet another lockdown.
The number of daily new cases globally has jumped 68 percent since mid-June, AFP's tally shows.
But as more of the world gets vaccinated -- particularly in wealthy countries -- deaths have risen at a slower rate, up 20 percent since July, the data show.
China "will strive to deliver two billion doses of vaccines to the world" this year and pledges $100 million (85 million euros) to the Covax system for distributing jabs to the poorest countries, President Xi Jinping said in remarks reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
More at https://tinyurI.com/3uej6mnv
