BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
- - - -
TOKYO -- Japan on Wednesday confirmed 612 new COVID-19 cases, up from 483 infections logged a day earlier, bringing the nation's cumulative total to 94,626, not including those related to a cruise ship quarantined near Tokyo earlier in the year.
Of the latest infections, the Tokyo Metropolitan government reported 150 new cases with the figure topping the 100-mark for the second successive day.
- - - -
PRAGUE -- Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Jan Hamacek has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now under home quarantine, according to local media reports on Wednesday.
The Czech News Agency quoted spokeswoman of the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), of which Hamacek is a member, as saying that Hamacek had himself tested after a meeting with COVID-positive Agriculture Minister Miroslav Toman, also a CSSD member.
- - - -
BEIJING -- China's joining of COVAX is an important measure to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and fulfill its commitment on turning COVID-19 vaccines into a global public good, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"China is the largest economy supporting COVAX," Zhao Lijian said at a daily press briefing, expressing the hope that China's joining will motivate enterprises to increase their production capacity, ensure the output of vaccines, and promote the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.
- - - -
TEHRAN -- Iran's Health Ministry reported 5,616 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total confirmed number in the country to 545,286.
The pandemic has so far claimed 31,346 lives in Iran, up by 312 in the past 24 hours, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, during her daily briefing.
- - - -
KABUL -- Afghanistan Public Health Ministry confirmed 141 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of patients to 40,510 in the country.
According to the statement, two patients died over the period, totaling the number of COVID-19 related deaths to 1,501 in Afghanistan.
- - - -
HANOI -- Vietnam reported three new cases of COVID-19 infection on Wednesday, raising its total confirmed cases to 1,144 with 35 deaths, according to its Ministry of Health.
The new cases who are all Vietnamese include a 46-year-old woman, a 33-year-old woman and her eight-month-old child, said the ministry, noting that all of them have recently entered the country from abroad and were quarantined upon arrival, said the ministry.
- - - -
NEW DELHI -- The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients has risen to 88.81 percent in India, the federal health ministry said Wednesday.
"Till now, 6,795,103 patients have been cured and 740,090 patients are under active medical supervision," the ministry said. "The recovery rate is now 88.81 percent."`
- - - -
WINDHOEK -- The Namibian government on Wednesday received 10,000 face masks from the Chinese embassy to help the country's customs and border officials ward off the spread of COVID-19.
"This is one of the many donations the Chinese people and different Chinese companies have contributed to Namibia," said Yang Jun, political counselor at the Chinese mission.
- - - -
DHAKA -- Bangladesh reported 1,545 new COVID-19 cases and 24 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total cases in the country to 393,131 and the total deaths to 5,723, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.
The official data showed the total number of recovered patients in the country stood at 308,845, including 1,704 new recoveries on Wednesday.
- - - -
VILNIUS -- Lithuania reported 311 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the biggest daily spike since Lithuania confirmed its first case on Feb. 28, the country's Health Ministry said Wednesday.
The latest confirmed cases bring the national total to 8,239, including 120 deaths and 3,599 recoveries so far.
- - - -
KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia reported 732 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total to 22,957.
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press briefing that eight of the new cases are imported and 724 are local transmissions, of which 535 are reported from the eastern state of Sabah. Enditem
