Covid-19: No. of Americans taking 1st jab drops to record low

People walk down a Manhattan street, in New York City. Pic/AFP

The daily count of people receiving their first shots of a Covid-19 vaccine in the US has dropped to a record low since inoculation began in the country in December 2020, according to the latest data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC data on Wednesday revealed that the daily count of people getting the first dose has been decreasing since mid-August, reaching a record low of 25,336 on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency. The average number initiating vaccination each day is down 15 per cent from last week.

The slowdown comes as the ongoing wave of the pandemic is showing no signs of easing. New daily Covid-19 cases in the US have fallen by nearly 60 per cent nationwide since a peak in mid-September triggered by the highly transmissible Delta variant. But some north-eastern states are starting to see new outbreaks, and the nation is still averaging nearly 70,000 daily cases and more than 1,000 deaths per day, according to the CDC data.

Moscow enters non-working period

The Russian capital on Thursday started a non-working period intended to stem contagion as daily infections and deaths from Covid-19 surged to all-time highs. The government task force reported 1,159 deaths in 24 hours, the largest daily tally since the pandemic began.

Israel to cancel curbs on outdoor gatherings

Israeli ministers have decided to lift the Covid-related restriction on the size of outdoor gatherings starting from Friday onwards, officials said. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz agreed to cancel the restriction on gatherings that has limited events in open places to 5,000 people.

Taiwan to relax curbs from Nov 2

Taiwan's executive authority said restriction measures imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 will be relaxed starting from November 2 onwards as the outbreak has been brought under control. According to the authority, face masks will not be required at karaoke bars, and eating and drinking at cinemas or on trains will be allowed, reports Xinhua news agency.

B'desh to get $200 mn from World Bank

Bangladesh has signed an agreement with the World Bank's International Development Association to receive $200 million to create jobs for the country's Covid-stricken low-income people. Fatima Yasmin, secretary of Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division, and Mercy Miyang Tembon, country director of World Bank, signed the loan agreement on behalf of their sides here, reports Xinhua news agency.

Oz travel rules eased, booster shots to start

>> Australians who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to travel overseas from November, the government said.
>> Australia's Covid-19 vaccine booster programme will start for the adult population on Nov 8 as the country continues to battle the third wave.

4,95,123
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

24,52,27,885
Total no. of cases worldwide

49,76,325
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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