Coronavirus

Donations included anti-epidemic materials such as ventilators, testing reagents, masks and protective clothing.

About 6.5% of coronavirus vaccine doses in India are going to waste, health officials said on Wednesday, urging states to manage their immunisation drives better to optimise use of what one called “this elixir-like precious commodity”.

The European Union threatened on Wednesday to ban exports of COVID-19 vaccines to Britain to safeguard scarce doses for its own citizens facing a third wave of the pandemic that would jeopardise plans to restart travel this summer.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has died, the country’s vice president announced, after weeks of uncertainty over his health and whereabouts.

India’s main opposition Congress party on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for exporting nearly twice the number of coronavirus vaccine doses than immunisations conducted at home, despite a surge in infections.

Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said there was no proven link and people should not panic.

The much-anticipated report from the international mission to Wuhan to investigate Covid-19's origins is set to be published this week, following intense US and Chinese pressure over its contents.

India reported the year’s biggest daily increase in COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with 25,320 new infections, a day ahead of a lockdown in the western state of Maharashtra, the epicentre of the renewed surge.

AstraZeneca Plc said on Sunday a review of safety data of people vaccinated with its COVID-19 vaccine has shown no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.

Health authorities are likely to take a favorable decision to reduce the number of quarantine days for Sri Lankan citizens and foreigners residing here who are returning back to the country from overseas, following a request made by Army Commander and Head of National Operations Centers for Prevention of COVID-19, General Shavendra Silva.