New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 10 crore cases and more than 2.2 lakh deaths.
Britain’s lockdown hero Captain Tom Moore who raised millions in charity has been hospitalised with Covid while anti-vaxxers in US disrupted vaccine distribution and anti-lockdown protesters have taken to the streets across Europe.
Britain’s lockdown hero hospitalised with Covid
Britain’s Captain Moore won over the country, last year, after he raised 33 million pounds for British healthcare workers who were part of the National Health Services at the beginning of the pandemic, reports Gulf News. He was hospitalised, Sunday, with Covid after several weeks at home with pneumonia.
Moore is a World War II war veteran who served in India. He raised the money by walking 100 times in his garden just before his 100th birthday on 20 April 2020.
He then topped British charts after he recorded ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, a US show tune, popular as the theme song for Liverpool football team.
Captain Tom, as he’s affectionately known, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in July 2020.
UK has reported 38,17,176 coronavirus cased and 306,158 deaths so far.
Anti-Covid lockdown protests across Europe
Protests against the Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions are taking place across European in countries like Denmark, France and Spain, reports Euro News. Protesters say “we’ve had enough” in these countries where a second wave of coronavirus is wreaking havoc.
In France, an authorised protest soon turned into a rave party with mask-less protesters dancing to loud music in an open air disco. In Denmark, ‘men in black’ chanted ‘Freedom for Denmark’ and ‘we’ve had enough’ in Aarhus city. These protests took place a week after a similar agitation had turned violent in Copenhagen.
A thousand people staged a demonstration in Spain’s Balearic Islands, where the tourism industry has been struggling due to Covid-induced lockdowns.
Europe has reported 3,22,18,360 coronavirus cases and 7,01,991 deaths deaths so far.
Israel extends lockdown
And it’s not just Europe that is in lockdown. Even though it has vaccinated more than 3 million people, Israel is struggling with a huge load of critically ill patients in its hospitals, triggering the need for an extension of the lockdown till 7 February, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Experts attribute the high number of infections in the country to the UK variant spreading rapidly in the country. Israeli physician Dr. Nachman Ash informed the cabinet that 70 per cent of people currently testing positive in Israel are infected with the British variant.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the extension of the lockdown, Defence Minister Benny Gantz said he won’t support an extension of more than three days.
Israel has reported 6,46,277 coronavirus cases and 4,796 deaths so far.
Protesters in LA disrupt vaccine distribution
Protesters briefly disrupted vaccine distribution at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, calling the vaccines part of a conspiracy by the elite to control the public, reports Al Jazeera.
Protesters carried signs like, ‘tell Bill Gates to vaccinate himself’, and ‘99.96% survival rate,’ and ‘Covid= Scam’.
A protester reportedly told Al Jazeera that most of the agitators were supporters of former US president Donald Trump but deliberately didn’t wear clothing revealing the same so that their anti-vaxxing message didn’t get lost.
The protests embody the next challenge faced by the country with the highest Covid cases and mortality — distrust in vaccines.
The US has reported 26,767,229 coronavirus cases and 4,52,279 deaths so far.
New cemeteries in Jakarta as it runs out of graves
The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is planning to open 17,900 new graves for Covid-19 victims in six locations after recording a significant increase in the number of burials last week, reports The Jakarta Post.
Authorities have prepared a 3,000-square-kilometre plot of land to extend the Bambu Aps cemetery in Jakarta, a 12,000-sq-km expansion has been planned in the southern part of the city, while 5,000-sq-km additional space will be provided in West Jakarta.
Indonesia has reported 10,78,314 coronavirus cases and 29,998 deaths so far.
What else we are reading:
Pakistan battles tsunami of Covid-19 patients with few vaccines in sight: CNN.
Despite Hong Kong’s bar closures, some drinking more than ever amid coronavirus pandemic, concern group warns: South China Morning Post
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