COVID-19 surge hits Asia

The surge in Delta variant cases is rattling parts of Asia previously relatively successful in containing Covid-19, such as Vietnam, which will from Monday impose strict curbs on movement in several cities and provinces.

Cases also surged in Sydney, where police cordoned off the central business district to prevent a protest against a strict lockdown that will last until the end of August.

Police in Sydney closed train stations, banned taxis from dropping passengers off downtown and deployed 1,000 officers to set up checkpoints and to disperse groups.The Government of New South Wales reported 210 new infections in Sydney and surrounding areas from the Delta variant outbreak.Tokyo’s metropolitan government announced a record number of 4,058 infections in the past 24 hours. Olympics organisers reported 21 new COVID-19 cases related to the Games, bringing the total to 241 since July 1.

Japan extended its state of emergency for Tokyo to the end of August and expanded it to three prefectures near the capital and to the western prefecture of Osaka.Malaysia, one of the hotspots of the disease, reported 17,786 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a record high.Thailand also reported a daily record high of 18,912 new coronavirus infections, bringing its total cases to 597,287. The country also reported 178 new deaths, also a daily record.The Government said the Delta variant accounted for more than 60% of the cases in the country and 80% of the cases in Bangkok.Vietnam, grappling with its worst COVID-19 outbreak, announced that from Monday it will impose strict curbs on movement in its business hub Ho Chi Minh City and another 18 cities and provinces throughout its south for another two weeks.

– INDIA TODAY