(Reuters) – The World Health Organisation said a flow of medical gear and equipment is reaching Ukraine to prop up a health care system grappling with a shortage of supplies during Russia’s invasion.
DEATHS AND INFECTIONS
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EUROPE
* Russia plans to increase the state-sponsored allowance for hospitals to buy healthcare equipment, as its prime minister stressed the importance of keeping drugs affordable even if Western sanctions make them more expensive.
* Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin cancelled a requirement for people to wear masks in public, citing an improving COVID-19 situation and the need to support businesses facing sanctions.
* French health authorities reported 18,853 new infections on Monday, a figure showing a week-on-week increase for the 10th consecutive time on the day France lifted most of the restrictions.
* Britain plans to ditch its last remaining travel restrictions from Friday.
* Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has tested positive for COVID-19, he said in a video message on Instagram.
* Demand for the vaccine produced by U.S. firm Novavax has been underwhelming in the European Union’s main countries in the early rollout.
AMERICAS
* Mexico plans to uphold existing agreements with Russia for its Sputnik V vaccine, as well as those with other countries.
* The Biden administration wants to expand a federal COVID-19 tracking system to provide more detail on how respiratory and other infectious diseases affect patients and hospital resources, according to a draft proposal.
* The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has recorded more than 900 civil penalty fines and 2,700 warning notices against maskless passengers since February last year, a report said.
* Former U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday he had tested positive and was feeling fine other than a scratchy throat.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* A northeastern Chinese province imposed a rare travel ban as the region’s Omicron outbreak helped drive China’s tally of new local cases so far this year higher than any recorded in 2021.
* China’s efforts to curb its largest COVID-19 outbreak in two years has forced Apple suppliers such as Foxconn to automakers Toyota and Volkswagen to suspend some operations.
* Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said there were no plans to tighten strict social distancing measures as it fights to contain surging hospitalisations and deaths.
* Hong Kong international airport said its transfer ferry services from China’s Shenzhen Shekou Port to the Hong Kong airport terminal would be suspended from March 15 until further notice.
* India will start administering COVID-19 shots to 12- to 14-year-olds from March 16, as schools reopen with standard restrictions amid significantly lower cases.
AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST
* Nigerian banks have suspended individual withdrawals with local debit cards abroad, as its central bank battles to protect reserves that have dwindled since the pandemic triggered a sharp fall in prices of the country’s main export, oil.
* Kenya lifted its remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday.
* Africa’s top public health agency has agreed on a memorandum of understanding to bring Pfizer’s antiviral COVID-19 pills to the continent.
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS
* One in four children with COVID-19 symptoms develop “long COVID,” according to data pooled from 21 studies conducted in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
* U.S. Treasury yields hit two-and-a-half year highs on Monday, while oil prices fell as investors weighed positive comments from ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine alongside expectations of the first rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve. [MKTS/GLOB]
(Reporting by Sarah Morland, Dina Kartit and Juliette Potala; Editing by Grant McCool)
