Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday
Canada donating more than 1.3 million AstraZeneca doses to 3 African nations
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Canada will donate more than 1.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to three African countries through the COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, GAVI said on Thursday.
Nigeria, Kenya and Niger will receive first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization said.
The COVAX facility, backed by the World Health Organization and GAVI, aims to secure two billion vaccine doses for lower income countries by the end of 2021.
The federal government announced in July that Canada would be donating 17.7 million doses of AstraZeneca to help inoculate people in low- and middle-income countries.
What's happening in Canada
- B.C. officials decry targeting of health-care workers amid vaccine passport protests.
- Alta. premier addresses weeks-long absence amid 4th wave in province.
- ER doctor details politically 'downplayed' crisis facing hospitals in Sask.
- Man. doctors pen letter urging new health minister to do more.
- Vaccination rate must rise above 85% to avoid lockdown, Ontario modelling shows.
- How does Quebec's vaccination passport really work? We tested it out.
- P.E.I. announces 6 new potential exposure sites after visitor tests positive.
- N.B. education minister defends province's back-to-school plan.
- Yukon hospital visitors must now be fully vaccinated.
What's happening around the world
As of Thursday evening, more than 218.8 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracking tool. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.5 million.
In Europe, hundreds of Greek health-care workers, accompanied by ambulances with sirens blaring, marched through central Athens on Thursday to protest regulations mandating coronavirus vaccines for anyone working in their sector.
Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde cancelled their attendance at all public events from Thursday after a family member tested positive for the coronavirus.
In Asia, India will resume exports of COVID-19 vaccines only after its own interests are taken care of, a health ministry official said, as a recent surge in immunizations raised hopes of foreign sales that have been barred since mid-April.
Taiwan has received its first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after a prolonged purchasing process gave rise to a political blame game with China.
In the Americas, runners taking part in this year's Boston Marathon will need to provide proof of vaccination or produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to participate. The legendary race, which is normally run in April, was moved to Oct. 11 after being cancelled in 2020.
COVID-19 vaccines developed by Cuba do not have emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization and cannot be bought for countries in the Americas, the WHO's regional health branch said.
In the Middle East, Abu Dhabi will remove the need to quarantine for all vaccinated travellers arriving from international destinations starting Sunday.
In Africa, the African Union's COVID-19 envoy says vaccine doses produced by a plant in South Africa will no longer be exported to Europe after the intervention of South Africa's government.
With files from The Associated Press and CBC News
