DELTA VARIANT CONTINUES TO WREAK HAVOC IN US: The US continued to record the most new COVID-19 infections by far, with 166,367 a day. Nationally, deaths hit a seven-day average of about 1,500 a day on Thursday, after falling to the low 200s in early July — the latest handiwork of a Delta variant — as tens of millions of Americans, many of them unvaccinated, returned to their daily activities. The daily count of new infections is rising in almost every part of the country. But only some places — mostly southern states with lower vaccination rates — are seeing a surge in deaths. The message is clear: Every time that people have underestimated the virus, and let down their guard, deaths surged. The US needs to step up vaccinations and ensure people followed COVID-19 protocols. Amid rising cases in the US and India, there’s good news from South Africa where scientists said the C.1.2 variant detected locally was not a threat. [COMMENT by Stephen N.R., Senior Associate Editor ]
AFP