Coronavirus: Latest on COVID-19 from around the world - Monday, February 8

The global COVID-19 death toll is approaching 2.4 million, with 106 million confirmed cases of the virus worldwide.

In the UK, health officials say it's "very much probable" Britons will receive a booster shot against the virus in the autumn, followed by annual vaccinations, to ensure the public's continued protection.

Meanwhile, Brazil has received its first shipment of ingredients to make the AstraZeneca vaccine, a critical step to speed up the country's troubled vaccination programme. 

And India is seeking to rival China with its broad shipments of vaccines to nearby nations. It intends to supply doses to Cambodia, Mongolia and Pacific Island states. 

Here's the latest from around the world.

Europe 

A COVID-19 booster in the autumn followed by annual vaccinations is very probable, Britain's vaccine deployment minister said on Sunday.

Britain has already injected more than 12 million first doses of vaccines against the virus and is on track to meet its target to vaccinate everyone in the most vulnerable groups by mid-February.

"We see very much probably an annual or a booster in the autumn and then an annual [vaccination], in the way we do with flu vaccinations, where you look at what variant of virus is spreading around the world," Nadhim Zahawi told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

AstraZeneca said on Saturday its vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, appeared to offer only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of COVID-19, based on early data from a trial.

Britain reported on Sunday a further 15,845 cases and 373 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official figures.

Americas

US President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress forged ahead with their US$1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Friday (local time) as lawmakers approved a budget outline that will allow them to muscle Biden's plan through in the coming weeks, without Republican support.

Biden said he was open to compromise with Republicans, as long as the party did not hinder progress.

"If I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting so badly and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation - it's an easy choice," Biden tweeted on Sunday.

"I'm going to help the American people who are hurting."

In Brazil, a first shipment containing 88 litres of active ingredients to make AstraZeneca's vaccine arrived from China on Saturday (local time) - a critical step to speed up the country's troubled vaccination programme. 

To start inoculating its 210 million people, Brazil relied initially on the Chinese vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd and 2 million ready-to-use AstraZeneca shots imported from India last month.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who says he will not take any COVID-19 shot, is under pressure after a slow and patchy vaccine roll-out in Brazil - which now faces a second wave of infections in an outbreak that has killed more than 231,000 Brazilians.

The federally-funded Fiocruz biomedical center expects to receive more ingredients this month to make a total of 15 million shots of the vaccine developed with Oxford University.

Brazil's President, Jair Bolsonaro, is under pressure to speed up the country's troubled vaccination campaign.
Brazil's President, Jair Bolsonaro, is under pressure to speed up the country's troubled vaccination campaign. Photo credit: Getty

Asia-Pacific

India has approved a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia and plans to supply Mongolia and Pacific Island states, officials said on Sunday.

On Sunday, it sent 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Afghanistan as part of the country's widening vaccine diplomacy.

Seeking to steal a march over rival Asian giant China, which has also promised to deliver shots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been giving nearby countries millions of doses of the locally made AstraZeneca PLC vaccine, even as its domestic immunisation programme has just begun.

New Delhi has approved 100,000 doses for Cambodia on an urgent basis.

Cambodia is an important ally of China, which is expected to provide a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, mainly developed by state firm Sinopharm.

India has provided doses to Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to help them get started with frontline workers as part of its Vaccine Friendship initiative.

As part of its widening vaccine diplomacy, India is rivalling China with its supply to nearby nations, including sending 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca to Afghanistan.
As part of its widening vaccine diplomacy, India is rivalling China with its supply to nearby nations, including sending 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca to Afghanistan. Photo credit: Getty

Australasia

Australia reported no new local COVID-19 cases for a third day on Sunday, as tennis players geared up for the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne on Monday.

The Australian Open will have a reduced attendance of 30,000 fans a day, about 50 percent lower than usual due to COVID-19 protocols.

More than 500 staff and players tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday after a worker at their quarantine hotel contracted the virus.

Nearly 1,200 close contacts of the infected worker have now tested negative, Victoria health officials confirmed.

There were also no new local COVID-19 cases reported in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

The country plans to start rolling out its vaccination campaign at the end of February, with the government saying on Sunday that every Australian taking the vaccination will get a certificate.

"Australians need to have that record, especially for state public health orders, but also when travelling and borders open up again," Services Minister Stuart Robert said at a press conference.

Reuters / Newshub.