MOSCOW, Oct 6: Russia on Wednesday reported more than 900 daily coronavirus deaths for the first time, as the country struggles with stubbornly high infection rates driven by the Delta variant and low vaccination take-up.
A government tally recorded 929 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, Russia's highest daily virus death toll since the outbreak of the pandemic. The new figures bring Russia's total deaths from coronavirus to 212,625 -- the highest toll in Europe.
The world's fifth worst-hit country with more than 7.5 million infections, Russia has seen cases climb since August as vaccinations stalled. While several Russia-made jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population.
Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot. As of Wednesday, just under 30 percent of the population had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions.
The surging infections have come without any real pandemic restrictions to limit the spread, but several regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places. But Moscow -- the epicentre of Russia's outbreak -- has so far withheld from bringing back restrictions.
Authorities say that the highly contagious Delta variant now accounts for all of the cases in the Russian capital. Independent experts have accused authorities of downplaying the severity of the outbreak. Under a broader definition for deaths linked to the coronavirus, statistics agency Rosstat reported in August that Russia had seen more than 350,000 fatalities.
MOSCOW, Oct 6: Russia on Wednesday reported more than 900 daily coronavirus deaths for the first time, as the country struggles with stubbornly high infection rates driven by the Delta variant and low vaccination take-up.
A government tally recorded 929 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, Russia's highest daily virus death toll since the outbreak of the pandemic. The new figures bring Russia's total deaths from coronavirus to 212,625 -- the highest toll in Europe.
The world's fifth worst-hit country with more than 7.5 million infections, Russia has seen cases climb since August as vaccinations stalled. While several Russia-made jabs have been available for months, authorities have struggled to inoculate a vaccine-sceptic population.
Independent polls show that more than half of Russians do not plan to get a shot. As of Wednesday, just under 30 percent of the population had been fully vaccinated, according to the Gogov website, which tallies Covid-19 data from the regions.
The surging infections have come without any real pandemic restrictions to limit the spread, but several regions have re-introduced QR codes for access to public places. But Moscow -- the epicentre of Russia's outbreak -- has so far withheld from bringing back restrictions.
Authorities say that the highly contagious Delta variant now accounts for all of the cases in the Russian capital. Independent experts have accused authorities of downplaying the severity of the outbreak. Under a broader definition for deaths linked to the coronavirus, statistics agency Rosstat reported in August that Russia had seen more than 350,000 fatalities.
PAPEETE, August 24 : Covid infections are soaring in the sparsely populated Pacific territory of French Polynesia, with health authorities reporting 54 deaths from the virus over the weekend as the Delta variant spreads among a largely unvaccinated population.
More than 300 people have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the remote archipelago -- home to 280,000 inhabitants. Over half of those deaths have come in the last three weeks.
The territory has so far recorded 7,591 infections, though the true figure is likely higher as most asymptomatic people are not being tested. High rates of diabetes and obesity have made the population more vulnerable.
The territory's limited health care system has struggled to cope, with one major hospital setting up beds in hallways to handle the rising number of patients. Bodies have been loaded onto refrigerator trucks to relieve pressure on the overwhelmed morgue.
The Polynesian archipelago is now under a curfew and the Society Islands -- which include the largest island of Tahiti and other more densely populated areas -- are under lockdown.
But the rules, which allow for a modicum of economic activity, have been difficult to enforce.
The territory's president Edouard Fritch was forced to apologise after being spotted playing guitar at a wedding party attended by hundreds of maskless people in defiance of the regulations.
Schools have been closed for at least two weeks and efforts are being made to teach online but many underprivileged students do not have access to the internet. The French government has voiced alarm about Covid-19 infection rates in its overseas.RSS
HONG KONG, August 17 : Asian markets were broadly down Tuesday as investors weighed record gains on Wall Street against fears the resurgent Delta coronavirus variant may put the brakes on the global economic recovery.
Major US indices rebounded overnight from a slow start as bargain hunters stepped up purchases -- leaving both the Dow and S&P 500 finishing narrowly positive to extend a streak of record-high closes to a fifth straight day.
Buoyed by Wall Street, Tokyo opened up, before erasing early gains and closing down for a fourth consecutive session as fears over a surge in virus cases dampened hopes for the recovery.
"As long as the number of new cases continues to rise to record highs, investors won't feel encouraged," Yoshihiro Ito, senior strategist at Okasan Online Securities, said in a note.
Markets in China have also dragged since a regulatory crackdown on private business by Beijing that has left investors on edge, with Hong Kong tumbling throughout the day and Shanghai closing well down.
The outlook for the global recovery was also hit by Chinese data this week showing retail sales and industrial production slowing in July, with a rapid recovery threatened by renewed localised virus lockdowns and extensive travel restrictions.
Raymond Yeung, chief economist for Greater China at ANZ Banking Group, said the figures "suggest the economy is losing steam very fast".
Surging infections linked to the Delta variant of the coronavirus "also adds extra risk to August's activities", he added.
Markets in Seoul were down, as were Taipei and Sydney, where millions remain under coronavirus restrictions with little end in sight as cases tied to the Delta variant soar.
Wellington also ended the day on losses, hit by news that New Zealand would move into a snap three-day lockdown after recording its first case of locally transmitted Covid-19 in six months.
London, Paris and Frankfurt all opened down. The virus gloom has also hit oil prices, which fell for a fourth straight day in losses prompted by the weak economic data from Beijing.
"As data begins to reflect the full impact of the shutdown in China, investors are worried this negative trend we're seeing won't just be a localised issue," Bart Melek of TD Securities told Bloomberg TV.
"We are moving from expectations of a robust deficit to a potential surplus as the variant continues to halt the growth rate of demand." But some cause for optimism may come later in the day stateside, where investors will be closely watching the US retail sales data for signs that the country's consumer spending remains healthy.
- Key figures around 0720 GMT Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 27,424.47 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.7 percent at 25,725.76
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 2 percent at 3446.97 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,122.42
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1764 from $1.1773
Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3793 from 1.3830
Euro/pound: UP at 85.293 pence from 85.13 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 109.16 yen from 109.27 yen
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN at 66.78 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN at 69.00 per barrel
New York - Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 35,625.40 (close)
Bloomberg News contributed to this story.
The Ministry of Health and Population has confirmed the detection of a new mutation of Delta variant (B.1.617.2), the dominant variant of Covid-19 most active in Nepal.
