More than 200 million people in the world infected with Covid-19, China blocks all roads to Beijing

According to the global statistics site Worldometers, as of 6 a.m. on August 4, 220 countries and territories continued to suffer.Covid-19 pandemic, a total of about 200.2 million people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and more than 4.25 million deaths.

The US again leads the world in new infections, recording 90,000 more cases to a total of more than 36 million positive cases. With 468 more deaths, the US has lost 630,447 people to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Brazil had the highest number of deaths globally in the past day, recording 1,073 more cases to the total of 558,432 victims killed by Covid-19. The country now has nearly 20 million infected people, an increase of more than 32,300 people.

China blocks access to Beijing

In order to protect Beijing "at all costs" from the new wave of Covid-19, Chinese authorities decided to cancel a series of flights and stop bus and train routes to the capital.

Along with the above measures, China also implemented many strict epidemic control measures in this city.

This is the biggest challenge China has faced since successfully containing Covid-19.

Beijing, with 17.9 million people fully vaccinated (82%), remains on alert as new cases are reported in other cities linked to the Nanjing outbreak. As a top summer holiday destination, the Chinese capital is also at high risk of the virus spreading from elsewhere.

At a meeting on August 1, Beijing Party Secretary Cai Qi asked officials to protect the city "at all costs" through the "fastest, strictest and most decisive" measures.

Meanwhile, Wuhan – the capital of Hubei province – also recorded Covid-19 cases for the first time since more than a year ago. The city government announced that it would conduct Covid-19 tests on all 11 million local residents.

Japan decides to inject the third dose

The Japanese government plans to start administering the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine to its population from 2022.

Administrative Reform Minister Taro Kono, who is in charge of the Japanese government's Covid-19 vaccination program, said the country will use Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for this additional injection.

The official warned that it would be difficult to stop the spread of the Delta variant by simply vaccinating, and people must also strictly implement anti-epidemic measures such as wearing masks and regularly washing their hands with soap or alcohol-based sanitizers.

The Delta variant is spreading rapidly in Japan, straining the country's health system and threatening to run out of beds. In response, the Japanese government has advised people in Tokyo and other areas with mild or no symptoms to stay home.

Uzbekistan suspends staff for not getting vaccinated

Uzbekistan passed a law on August 3 allowing employers to suspend employees who fail to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Only those with underlying health conditions that prevent vaccination are exempt from the law.

Faced with new outbreaks, Uzbekistan is stepping up its Covid-19 vaccination campaign, requiring all citizens over 18 to get vaccinated.

As of August 3, Uzbekistan recorded about 130,000 infections and more than 890 deaths from Covid-19.