BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- Total COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 7,935 on Wednesday in New York state, up from 7,892 on Tuesday, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday.

The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations topped 6,000 on Dec. 15 and have remained above the level ever since.

- - - -

SANTIAGO -- The Chilean Ministry of Health reported on Thursday 3,022 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the highest number since July 10, when it registered 3,058.

Authorities said the new cases and deaths could be related to the update of numbers after the long Christmas holiday weekend.

- - - -

SAO PAULO -- Two cases of the new strain of COVID-19 detected in Britain have been identified in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, leading authorities on Thursday to call for stepped up measures to curb the spread.

"It is not a cause for panic. This strain does not come with more serious forms of the disease, but it does come with greater power to cause infection," the Secretary of Health for the state of Sao Paulo, Jean Gorynchtein, said in a televised broadcast.

- - - -

LONDON -- Another 55,892 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, marking the highest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in the country, according to official figures released Thursday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,488,780, the data showed.

- - - -

ADDIS ABABA -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday emphasized the need for COVID-19 precautions to contain the virus amid an ongoing second wave of the pandemic.

"With the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic affecting Africa, now more than ever, it is important that we all adhere to public health and social measures to protect our health and the health of our friends, family, and loved ones this holiday season," the Africa CDC said in a statement issued on Thursday.

- - - -

CAIRO -- China and Egypt signed on Thursday a letter of intent for mutual cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines.

Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang signed the letter, on behalf of the National Health Commission of China, with Mohamed Hassani, Egyptian assistant minister of health for public health initiatives, said the Chinese embassy in Cairo in a statement. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)