Overview: India's virus caseload drops to lowest level in 6 weeks and other developments

Coronavirus digest: India posts lowest caseload in six weeks | DW | 25.05.2021 India's second wave appears to be easing as reports suggest an economic stimulus package is being prepared for the worst-hit areas. Melbourne has introduced restrictions after an outbreak. Follow DW for the latest. Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com) DW.COM

For the first time in six weeks, India has registered fewer than 200,000 coronavirus infections over a 24-hour period, according to a Health Ministry update on Tuesday.

The ministry recorded 196,427 new cases — its lowest daily rise in infections since April 14. At the same time, India logged 3,511 daily deaths from COVID-19.

High caseloads in states such as Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are witnessing a downward trend, resulting in the latest drop in numbers across the whole country.

India's overall caseload now stands at 26.95 million, while 307,231 have died from COVID-19 since the country of 1.3 billion people registered its first case at the end of January 2020.

Meanwhile, India is preparing an economic stimulus package for the sectors worst affected by the pandemic, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The Finance Ministry is working on proposals to bolster the tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors, as well as small- and medium-sized companies. ...

Other  developments

The Australian city of Melbourne reinstated restrictions on Tuesday as authorities scrambled to find the missing link in a new outbreak that has grown to five cases.

Gatherings inside will be limited to five guests, while only 30 people are allowed at public meetings. Face masks will be mandatory in restaurants, pubs and other indoor venues starting from 6 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Tuesday until June 4.

All five cases are from an extended family across different households and could be traced back to the variant found in an overseas traveler who returned to Melbourne earlier this month after completing quarantine in the city of Adelaide.

New Zealand was quick to react to the fresh outbreak in Melbourne, suspending quarantine-free travel with the state of Victoria — the fourth time the trans-Tasman travel bubble has been disrupted since it opened last month.

EU leaders welcomed the introduction of a bloc-wide COVID-19 digital certificate, which will show the user's vaccination status, immunity from COVID-19, or the result of a COVID-19 test.

EU countries and the European Parliament agreed on the legislation to come into force in mid-June for the digital certificate. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said all the technological aspects would be ready by June 1.

"Progressively, we should return to the ability to move freely throughout the European Union," said European Council President Charles Michel.

China has offered to send vaccines to Taiwan to help it battle a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, drawing an angry response from Taipei.

Previously, Taipei has accused Beijing of spreading fake news and stymying its efforts to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO), while China has suggested Taiwan is trying to politicize the pandemic.

After months of relative safety from the pandemic, Taiwan is dealing with a spike in infections and is rapidly running out of vaccines, having received around 700,000 doses, despite being home to more than 23 million people.

Hong Kong has a surplus of doses due to reluctance among citizens to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Millions of doses may soon have to be discarded because they are approaching their expiration date.

Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world fortunate enough to have secured more than enough doses to inoculate its entire population of 7.5 million people. ...

Puerto Rico has brought to an end a nightly curfew, more than a year after it was introduced. The island will also allow vaccinated tourists to visit without a negative coronavirus test result.

Additionally, the Puerto Rican government has announced that, as of Friday, it will offer the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine to anyone who arrives at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan.

Haiti has imposed a nightly curfew and other restrictions under an eight-day "health emergency" meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All outdoor activity will be banned from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. local time (0200 GMT to 0900 GMT). ...