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| - Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: The World Health Organization lambasts Europe's "unacceptably slow" vaccine rollout and says the region's surge in infections is "worrying". Italy's coronavirus vaccines plan is missing its targets as it has received 28 percent fewer doses than expected, government data shows. Pfizer and BioNTech say their Covid-19 vaccine is highly effective against the South African variant in the latest phase of ongoing clinical trials. The US government launches a major ad campaign urging people to get vaccinated, as case numbers of Covid-19 are once again on the rise in America. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier receives the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, just two days after authorities recommend the controversial jab only for people aged 60 and over India expands its coronavirus vaccination drive to the 45-60 age group as it tries to tackle a surge in new infections. Egypt receives over 854,000 AstraZeneca vaccines through the Covax facility for lower and middle income countries, the WHO reports. Uzbekistan begins coronavirus vaccinations, offering AstraZeneca and a Chinese-made vaccine that the Central Asian country plans to start producing soon. Bulgarian health authorities controversially ease coronavirus restrictions, three days before a general election, and despite a raging third wave. French cycling classic the Paris-Roubaix, originally scheduled for Sunday, April 11, is postponed due to the pandemic. The Dutch government gives permission for thousands of fans to attend the Eurovision Song Contest as part of a trial to see how to reopen venues in the pandemic. At least 2,816,908 people have died of Covid-19 around the world since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally from official sources. The US is the worst-affected country with 552,073 deaths followed by Brazil with 321,515 fatalities, Mexico with 203,210, India with 162,927 and Britain with 126,713 deaths. burs-eab-jmy/har
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