Americas
US
Children currently make up about 2.4 percent of the US’ COVID-19 hospitalisations, data from the country health and human services department said. Children under 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine, leaving them more vulnerable to infection from the new, highly transmissible Delta variant.
Meanwhile, the administration of US President Joe Biden is developing a plan to start offering coronavirus booster shots to some citizens as early as this autumn, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the effort.
Europe
France
Protesters have marched in cities across France for a fifth consecutive weekend against rules compelling them to show a COVID-19 health pass for daily activities, but in lesser numbers than a week ago.
Italy
Thirty-four coronavirus-related deaths were reported on Saturday against 45 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections declined to 7188 from 7409.
UK
Britain recorded 29,520 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday and 93 deaths within 28 days of a positive test for the virus, according to government data.
Russia
Russia’s daily COVID-19 deaths hit a new record of 819 on Saturday, a day after Moscow’s health department reported the highest number of monthly fatalities in the city since the start of the pandemic.
