World Coronavirus Dispatch: Oxygen failure kills Covid patients in Egypt

Tunisia's anger simmers over Covid, Holiday bookings surge with vaccine roll-out, UK vaccination roll-out a rare success, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

Oxygen failure kills Covid patients in Egypt

At least four patients infected with coronavirus were killed due to lack of oxygen in an Egyptian hospital, a New York Times investigation has found. It appears that the hospital had run out of oxygen, something the government denied as outrage grew. An official statement issued the following day concluded that the four who died had suffered from “complications” and denied that the deaths had “any connection” to oxygen shortage. However, witnesses, including medical staff and relatives of patients, said in interviews that the oxygen pressure had fallen to precipitously low levels. At least three patients, and possibly a fourth had died of oxygen deprivation, they said. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 95,606,103

Change Over Yesterday: 508,246

Global deaths: 2,041,932

Nations with most cases: US (24,078,773), India (10,581,823), Brazil (8,511,770), Russia (3,574,330), United Kingdom (3,443,350).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center.

Covid response was a global series of failures: WHO-appointed panel

An interim report by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals how governments and public health organisations worldwide responded slowly and ineffectively to the coronavirus, despite years of warnings. The report describes the faulty assumptions, ineffective planning and sluggish responses — including missteps by the WHO, itself — that helped fuel a pandemic that has killed more than two million people. The report gives a stark assessment that, time and again, those who were responsible for protecting and leading failed to do either. Read here

Tunisia’s anger simmers over Covid

Violent protests have engulfed Tunisia, underlining the economic crisis in the country over rising poverty and unemployment. At least 15 cities were hit with riots and police clashed with teenage demonstrators, using tear gas and water cannon to disperse stone-throwing youths. Hundreds have been arrested and the army has been deployed to prevent the looting of shops and banks. The coronavirus pandemic had further scarred an economy that has been ailing for the past decade. Read here

UK vaccination rollout a rare pandemic success

The UK has pulled ahead of other large advanced economies in the race to vaccinate against coronavirus, and had inoculated almost 6 per cent of its population by the end of last week. After performing poorly in controlling the spread of the virus, Britain mounted a stronger effort in vaccinating its citizens, bringing closer to a dream that an end to Covid-19 crisis might be in sight. The success is because of a combination of strong planning, a willingness to spend and the centralised structure of the NHS. Read here

Holiday bookings surge

Holiday companies have reported an increase in bookings as the coronavirus vaccine rollout gives people hope that they will soon be able to travel overseas again. Despite a series of headwinds, including the closure of air corridors and words of caution over foreign holidays, there are signs that those among the first in line for the vaccinations are starting to plan trips, and that consumers are hopeful about taking a break later this year. A travel association said it was hearing from members that the over-50s represented a much higher proportion of early bookers than normastrictions lifted by the autumn. Read here