A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament shows Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons in London on July 15, 2020. (JESSICA TAYLOR / AFP)

RIO DE JANEIRO / LONDON / BRUSSELS / BERLIN / SANTIAGO -  Prime Minister Boris Johnson nudged Britons back to their office desks in an effort to revive the U.K.’s coronavirus-battered economy that risks putting him at odds with his own top scientific adviser.

From now on, anyone will be able to use public transport and, from Aug. 1, employers have “more discretion” on whether to bring staff back to the office, Johnson said in a televised press conference on Friday.

Another 66 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 45,119, the British Department of Health and Social Care said Thursday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to pour 3 billion pounds (US$3.77 billion) into England’s National Health Service (NHS) to try to ward off any resurgence of the coronavirus.

The government has faced criticism over several different aspects of its response to the pandemic, including that it was too slow to impose a lockdown and failed to ramp up testing capacity quickly enough.

A guest wearing a protective mask arrives at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World on the first day of reopening, in Orlando, Florida, on July 11, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

US

The United States reported a record high of more than 77,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 3,560,364, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose by 974, taking the country's total to 138,201.

The state of Florida, which has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, reported a record 156 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday with close to 14,000 new cases.

The United States remains the worst-hit nation in the world in absolute terms. Experts have warned that cases could soon top 100,000 a day if the country fails to take steps necessary to stem the spread of the virus.  

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that the federal government's "incompetence" in managing the COVID-19 crisis failed New York, which became the first epicenter of the outbreak in the United States in March.

The governor made the remarks while commenting on a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which pointed out that by the time the travel restrictions on Europe were implemented by the federal government, importation and community transmission of COVID-19 had already occurred in New York.

Noticeably, the coronavirus strain circulating in New York resembles that circulating in Europe, not China, according to the report.

Brazil 

Brazil on Thursday passed the 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases mark, with little sign that the rate of increase is slowing as anger grows over President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the outbreak.

Just 27 days have passed since Brazil, which has the world’s second-largest outbreak after the United States, reached one million cases. In recent weeks, there have been nearly 40,000 confirmed new cases per day, according to government figures.

By contrast, 43 days passed between 1 million and 2 million confirmed cases in the United States, where the spread of COVID-19 eased briefly in May before accelerating again in June, according to a Reuters tally.

On Thursday, confirmed cases in Brazil totaled 2,012,151, while deaths numbered 76,688.

Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, is home to around 210 million people - roughly two-thirds the size of the US population.

In both countries, contagion has exploded as the virus has gained steam in new areas far from the largest cities. A patchwork of state and city responses has held up poorly in Brazil in the absence of a tightly coordinated policy from the federal government.

Despite the rapid spread of the virus, Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, has pressured local governments to lift lockdown restrictions.

Bolsonaro, who tested positive for the virus last week, has played down its health risks and fought against social distancing orders, calling their economic effects worse than the disease itself. Under pressure, many governors and mayors have loosened restrictions in recent weeks, fueling bigger outbreaks.

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WHO

Germany’s health minister urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to speed up its review of how it has handled the coronavirus pandemic, apparently signalling Europe taking a tougher line on the United Nations body.

Berlin, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has so far largely shielded the Geneva-based organisation from the most intense criticism by Washington, which wants to leave the WHO.

But now Germany seems to be taking a more assertive position.

“When it comes to reappraising the work of the WHO during the crisis, I had the opportunity to talk to director general Tedros (Adhanom Ghebreyesus) on Tuesday in Paris as well as two weeks ago in Geneva, and in both conversations I encouraged him very clearly to launch this independent commission of experts and to expedite its launch,” Jens Spahn told a news conference in Berlin.

The WHO said last week it was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.

“The World Health Assembly resolution in May 2020 called for WHO to initiate such a panel and the panel has been set up to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19. This involves the global response, including but not limited to, WHO,” a spokesman for WHO said.

Tedros has said the panel will provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a “substantive report” next May.

The WHO urged robust COVID-19 mitigation measures in humanitarian hotspots across the Sub-Saharan African region to avert mass fatalities.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said that communities displaced by violence and natural calamities in the continent require special attention given their vulnerability to the pandemic.

Spain 

Spain reported the steepest daily jump in coronavirus infections in over two months on Thursday, with 580 new cases registered as of the previous day, up from 390 reported on Wednesday and with the regions of Aragon and Catalonia leading the increase.

Authorities have reimposed restrictions in some areas of Catalonia, including home confinement in the Lleida area affecting some 160,000 people, and health officials there said measures would have to be taken in the capital Barcelona, but gave no further details.

Over 170 localised outbreaks have emerged across Spain since it lifted its nationwide lockdown - one of the strictest in Europe, on June 21, with Catalonia at the epicentre of new outbreaks.

Spain’s health ministry put the number of cases confirmed over the past 24 hours in the region at 142, up from 91 the previous day. In Aragon in the east, the number of infections jumped to 266 from 160, according to the health ministry.

The Catalan health authority, which counts both confirmed and suspected cases, said the number soared to 1,293 overnight, the highest since at least May 18, when the counting methodology changed.

The Catalan capital - home to 1.6 million people and one of Europe’s most visited cities - tripled its number of coronavirus cases from last week.

Authorities have also imposed some restrictions in three neighbourhoods of a Barcelona suburb that houses some 260,000 people.

Chile

The Chilean Ministry of Health reported on Thursday that the number of cases of the novel coronavirus in the country has risen to 323,698, with 7,290 deaths.

According to the ministry, 2,475 new cases and 104 more deaths from the virus were reported in the last 24 hours.

Additionally, the ministry reported that there are currently 467 ventilators available to the country's health network.

Another 17,192 tests for COVID-19 were administered in the last 24 hours, for a total of 1,351,904 tests administered since testing began in March, with a positivity rate of 23.94 percent.

Chile is still under a state of emergency and curfew, the borders remain closed, and non-essential trade has been prohibited in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

Argentina

The government of Argentina on Thursday urged the population to intensify preventive measures against the novel coronavirus after the country registered a record number of new cases and deaths from COVID-19.

"There are outbreaks and cases from internal migrations, social gatherings, and situations where there is little compliance with recommendations or with little perception of risk," said Health Access Secretary Carla Vizzotti.

Vizzotti urged residents to intensify prevention measures, to pay close attention to the onset of symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and the sudden loss of smell and taste, and to self-isolate if these symptoms are manifested.

As of Thursday morning, the country had registered 111,160 cases, with 2,072 deaths.

EU

The Council of the European Union (EU) on Thursday removed Serbia and Montenegro from its updated list of countries from where citizens are allowed to enter the bloc despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The latest list consists of all the other 13 non-EU countries in the original one and has no new recommendations for which the EU member states could lift the temporary travel restrictions.

Both Serbia and Montenegro have witnessed an increasing number of new infections in the last days.

Georgia 

Georgia reported four new COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking its total to 1,010, according to the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC).

One of the four new cases is imported, while the other three were detected among those quarantined, the NCDC said.

Portugal

The Portuguese Council of Ministers approved on Thursday the operation of the "STAYAWAY COVID" system that will track, identify and warn users who had contact with people infected with the novel coronavirus.

According to the approved decree-law, adherence to the application will be entirely voluntary, and the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) will be responsible for data management and information regulation.

Mariana Vieira da Silva, minister of the presidency and administrative modernization, explained in an official statement that each citizen will have "a code" so that they can register for the application anonymously, "respecting European data protection and cybersecurity legislation."

She said that the system "guarantees the privacy" of citizens and only records a "close contact lasting more than 15 minutes in the last 14 days" with someone who is infected with the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

According to the minister, the application "does not replace public health rules" that have been followed in the context of the pandemic.

Portugal recorded three more deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally to 1,679. Meanwhile, 339 new cases were reported, bringing the country's total infections to 47,765, including 32,476 recoveries.

Algeria

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad on Thursday announced the extension of partial lockdown measures in 29 provinces to contain the spread of COVID-19, the official APS news agency reported.

The prime minister said that the government decided to extend the anti-COVID-19 measures in 29 provinces for another 10 days.

Algeria on Thursday reported 585 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases to 21,351 with 1,052 deaths. 

Egypt

Egypt reported on Thursday 928 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 85,771, said Egyptian Health Ministry.

Some 53 patients died, raising the death toll to 4,120, while 556 others were cured and discharged from hospitals, increasing the total recoveries to 26,691, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Libya

The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Thursday reported 73 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 1,652.

The center said in a statement that it received a total of 952 suspected samples, of which 73 were tested positive.

Among the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Libya, there are 379 recoveries and 46 deaths, the center said.

Libyan authorities have taken a series of precautionary measures against the coronavirus, including closing the country's borders, schools and mosques, and banning public gatherings as well as imposing a curfew. 

Libya reported the first COVID-19 case in March, and the first death in April.

Morocco

Morocco registered 283 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the tally of infections to 16,545, the Ministry of Health said.

The death toll from the infectious respiratory disease stood at 263, said Hind Ezzine, head of the Department of Epidemic Diseases of the Ministry of Health, at a regular press briefing.

The number of people cured increased to 13,965 with 144 new recoveries, she added.

Ghana

Ghana confirmed 695 more infections of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, increasing its total case count to 26, 125, the latest data from the Ghana Health Service said.

The health authorities discharged 759 cases after a period of treatment, bringing the total number of recovered and discharged COVID-19 cases to 22,270.

The death toll from the pandemic in Ghana remained at 139, with 3,716 active cases.

READ MORE: UK's Johnson promises inquiry to learn lessons of pandemic

Hungary

Hungary has canceled all public events scheduled for the August 20 national holiday, including the air show and fireworks display, as part of coronavirus protection measures, Gergely Gulyas, head of the Prime Minister's Office, said here on Thursday.

"Festivals that attract a large number of people pose a threat of spreading COVID-19 infections," Gulyas explained in a press conference, adding that "If possible, these ceremonies will be held later, but will most likely not be held this year."

 Most of the restrictions that were introduced to curb the spread of the virus have already been lifted in Hungary. However, the restriction on mass events with more than 500 people remain in force until August 15 and the Hungarian government will decide on whether to lift this restriction at the end of July.

South Africa

South Africa on Thursday reported a record high of 216 new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 4,669, according to the country's health ministry.

Meanwhile, 13,172 newly confirmed cases were reported, taking its total to 324,221, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in his daily update.

Germany 

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 583 to 200,843, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.

The reported death toll rose by 4 to 9,082, the tally showed.

Cuba

Cuba will repeal its 10-percent tax on US dollars on Monday as part of the government's socioeconomic strategy to help the Caribbean island recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Thursday.

"We will improve the wellbeing of the population, the reason why we receive support from people," Diaz-Canel said at a Council of Ministers' meeting.

"We have to get accustomed to living with fewer imports and more exports, by promoting national production to meet internal demand and enhancing the role of local governments," he said.

The decision will allow citizens to use dollars to buy food, hygiene products and other goods from nearly 70 stores.

Cuba legalized the circulation of dollars in 1993. Since 1994, the country has functioned with two currencies, the Convertible Cuban Peso and the Cuban Peso.

In 2004, Cuba imposed a 10-percent tax on dollars in cash due to US sanctions, which prohibited Cuba from conducting transactions in the greenback, and subsequently damaged Cuban businesses and financial activities.

Cuba has so far registered 2,440 COVID-19 cases, with 87 deaths.

The government has announced that 13 out of the 15 provinces, as well as Isla de la Juventud special municipality, will gradually enter the third phase of the country's post-pandemic recovery plan as of Monday, while capital Havana will move to the second phase. 

Russia 

Russia’s death toll from the novel coronavirus passed 12,000 on Friday, as the country reported 186 new deaths in the past 24 hours.

The country’s coronavirus crisis response centre registered 6,406 new cases, bringing its nationwide tally of infections to 759,203, the world’s fourth highest caseload.

The death toll now stands at 12,123. Russia says 539,373 people have recovered.

Uganda 

Uganda has announced incentives to kick-start tourism recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic that heavily impacted on the sector that earns the country over US$1.6 billion annually in normal times.

The state conservation agency, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), on Thursday announced price cuts to catalyze the resumption of tourism in protected areas like national parks.

The agency said for every 30 gorilla permits bought, the tour operator gets two permits for free, one for the company and the other for the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, an umbrella organization that brings tour operators together.

Mountain gorillas are Uganda's prized tourist attraction, contributing a large share of tourism earnings.

Uganda hosts over 50 percent of the global population of mountain gorillas, according to UWA figures.