Mexico passes 50,000 deaths

The world is putting its hope that an effective vaccine will be available sooner rather than later.

Up to 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses could be made available for poorer countries by 2021, announced Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The vaccines, priced at a maximum $3 per dose, would be produced at the Serum Institute of India.

In Latin America, which is already the region with the largest number of cases at 5.3 million, deaths continue to soar.

Over the last week, 44 percent of global deaths from COVID-19 — 18,300 out of 41,500 — happened in the region.

More than half, some 2.9 million, are in Brazil, which has also recorded 98,500 deaths among its 212 million people.

Only the United States has been worse hit.

The second worst-affected country in Latin America, Mexico, passed 50,000 deaths on Thursday.

In the United States, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said schools could reopen this fall if they meet certain criteria.

Schools in several US states have reopened for in-person classes — but some have already been hit by large quarantines of students and staff following fresh outbreaks.

The US economy regained 1.8 million jobs in July, according to government data, and the unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent.

But with COVID-19 cases spiking in several states economists raised concerns that the labor market could ake a turn for the worse.

Cycling worlds at risk

International sport continues to be affected by the virus despite many professional events restarting.

Organizers of the world cycling championships, set for Switzerland next month, warned the event may be called off because of local health rules.

And two more top 10 women players — Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens — withdrew from the US Open tennis tournament over coronavirus concerns, joining women’s world number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia and Spain’s reigning men’s champion Rafael Nadal. (Barnaby Chesterman | AFP)