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  24 Aug 2021, 10:29

Coronavirus: Latest global developments

 PARIS, Aug 24, 2021 (AFP) - Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

- Pfizer gets full approval -

The US Food and Drug Administration fully approves Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, a move expected to trigger a new wave of vaccine mandates as the Delta variant batters the country.

- Starting with the Pentagon... -

The Pentagon says it will order all active and reserve troops to be vaccinated for Covid-19 after the full approval of the Pfizer vaccine.

And New York announces a vaccine mandate for all public school staff, including teachers and principals.

- China: zero local cases -

China reports no new domestic cases, and Beijing appears poised to bring to heel the pandemic's most serious resurgence in months with mass testing and targeted lockdowns.

- Catalonia curfew -

A Spanish court rejects a request by the regional government of Catalonia to reimpose a virus curfew in Barcelona and dozens of other cities, arguing the measure was "disproportionate" as infections have fallen.

- Jabbing in the future -

Britain announces it will take delivery of a further 35 million doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine in the second half of next year to "future-proof" its jabs rollout.

- Lebanon to reopen classrooms -

Students in Lebanon will return to the classroom starting in September, the education minister says.

- School jabs in Israel -

Israel says it will offer vaccinations to students on school grounds as it announces the school year will open on time next week, despite surging cases.

- Changing of the Guard back -

Soldiers in bearskin hats and red tunics march outside Buckingham Palace in London for the first Changing of the Guard ceremony since the pandemic began.

- But not the Prague Marathon -

Prague Marathon organisers say they have cancelled this year's edition on October 9 of the race because of local Covid rules.

- More than 4.4 million dead -

The coronavirus has killed at least 4,430,846 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data.

The US is the worst-affected country with 628,503 deaths, followed by Brazil with 574,527, India with 434,756, Mexico 253,155 and Peru 197,879.