schema:articleBody
| - Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: The pandemic has killed at least 750,003 people worldwide since surfacing in China late last year, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1210 GMT on Thursday. At least 20.6 million cases have been registered in 196 countries and territories. The United States has recorded the most deaths with 166,038, followed by Brazil with 104,201, Mexico with 54,666 and India with 47,033. Spain's Canary Islands joins the northwestern region of Galicia in banning smoking outdoors when social distancing cannot be guaranteed to curb the coronavirus. The European Union says it has reserved up to 400 million doses of a potential new coronavirus vaccine being developed by US giant Johnson & Johnson. Preliminary talks have concluded for a first purchase of 200 million doses followed by an equal number later, it says. Italy imposes mandatory testing for all travellers arriving from Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain, and bans all visitors from Colombia, in a bid to rein in new infections. Travellers arriving at an airport, port or border crossing can choose from a number of options, including rapid tests on the spot, or the presentation of a certificate obtained within the last 72 hours which shows they are COVID-19 free. They can also choose to undergo a test within two days of entering Italy, but will have to stay in isolation until the results arrive. Greece reports its first infection in its Vial asylum seeker camp, on the island of Chios. Some 3,800 people live inside the camp, over three times nominal capacity. Several non-fatal cases have surfaced in Greek camps on the mainland but this is the first case involving an island camp, which suffer from the worst overcrowding. The World Health Organization (WHO) urges people not to fear catching the novel coronavirus from food, after Chinese testers found traces on food and packaging. The virus was found Tuesday in the Chinese city of Shenzhen during a routine check on samples of frozen chicken wings imported from Brazil, city authorities said. Tennis men's world number one Novak Djokovic confirms he will play at the US Open, ending speculation about his presence at the first Grand Slam tournament since the restart. burs-kd/jmy/jxb
|