Covid deaths surge in Germany +++ India starts vaccine drills | Coronavirus Update

Germany has seen a surge in COVID-19 deaths over the past month. More than half of all deaths in the entire pandemic were recorded in December. Calls are now growing louder for Germany to extend its current lockdown. Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to hold talks on Tuesday with leaders from Germany’s 16 states to discuss that lockdown, which is set to end on January 10. A leading doctors' union is urging for an extension saying the health system is in desperate need of relief.

India is testing its nationwide COVID-19 vaccine distribution systems as it prepares to roll out an inoculation program. The trial includes the entry of data into an online platform that will monitor vaccine delivery. The dry run comes as regulators consider approving the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University for emergency use. India hopes to inoculate 300 million people in the first six to eight months of the year.

Japan is considering declaring a new COVID-19 emergency after a record surge in cases. The governors of Tokyo and three nearby prefectures urged the national government to call a state of emergency to stem the spread of the virus. The government says it must first consult with health experts.

French police have been recording the details of revelers leaving an illegal New Year's Eve party in the western region of Brittany. Some two and a half thousand people from France and abroad attended the rave. It was held in violation of a nationwide curfew and ban on gatherings, and continued until Saturday morning.

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#Coronavirus #Lockdown #Vaccine