World Coronavirus Dispatch: France picks unique places to boost vaccination

Qantas offers unlimited flights for the vaccinated, US experts seek urgent tracing of virus origins, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

Qantas offers unlimited flights in biggest vaccine incentive

In a bid to accelerate Australia's sluggish vaccine rollout, Qantas Airways is offering a host of incentives, including unlimited flights for a year for people who are inoculated. After successfully containing the virus, Australia is now struggling to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Only about 4.2 million people in the nation of 26 million have received their first shot. Add to that is a growing cluster of cases in the state of Victoria and authorities imposed a week-long lockdown to rein in the outbreak. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 170,354,142

Global deaths: 3,541,800

Nations with most cases: US (33,259,430), India (28,047,534), Brazil (16,515,120), France (5,728,418), Turkey (5,242,911).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center
 

Find Covid origin or face another pandemic, US experts warn

If origins of the coronavirus are not found, then the world needs to brace for future pandemics, top US experts warned and urged leaders to seek the Chinese government's cooperation in this regard. Information to support the theory that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may have escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China, has increased lately. Experts said not knowing how the pandemic started puts the world at risk of future outbreaks. Almost a year and half after the new virus was first detected spreading in a seafood market in Wuhan, the precise origins of the virus remain obscure. Scientists have hypothesised that it most likely spread from wild animals to humans. Read here

A World War II hub is now a French vaccination centre

Like many European countries, France had a slow start to its vaccination drive. But as it has gotten better at getting shots in arms, it is administering inoculations in unexpected places. Disneyland Paris. The national stadium. And a decommissioned World War II submarine base in the western city of Lorient, where almost 60,000 shots have been given. The structure was built in 1941 after France surrendered to Germany and was one of five Atlantic Coast bases used to launch German U-boats. Lorient was nearly destroyed under Allied bombardment in 1943, but the base was almost unscathed. Read here

Tokyo Olympics: Local fans may need to show vaccination proof

Sports fans in Japan could be allowed to attend Olympic events in Tokyo this summer if they have proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test. While many athletes are expected to have been fully vaccinated by late July, poor planning and staff shortages mean most Japanese citizens will still be waiting for a jab when the Olympics begin in less than two months’ time. Having decided to ban foreign spectators, local organisers are pinning their hopes on a limited number of Japanese sports fans creating a semblance of atmosphere at venues that would otherwise be empty. Read here