This photo taken on Jan 22, 2020 shows an exterior view of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. (LIU QU / XINHUA)

BUDAPEST / UNITED NATIONS /  QUITO / ROME / SANTIAGO / LISBON / TUNIS / BOGOTA / HAVANA / SKOPJE / RABAT / BRUSSELS / DUBLIN / LONDON / ADDIS ABABA / ALGIERS / BELGRADE / LUSAKA / PARIS / MOSCOW / JOHANNESBURG / HARARE / TBILISI - The World Health Organization (WHO) does not back requiring vaccination passports for entry or exit, due to uncertainty over whether inoculation prevents transmission of the virus, as well as equity concerns, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

The WHO now expects to review China’s COVID-19 vaccines Sinopharm and Sinovac for possible emergency use listing around the end of April, as more data is required, WHO spokewoman Margaret Harris added at a UN news briefing.

ALSO READ: UK PM faces political fight over COVID-19 passports plan

WHO wins dismissal of lawsuit in New York 

In another development, a US judge has dismissed a lawsuit by residents of a suburban New York City county who accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of gross negligence in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

US District Judge Cathy Seibel on Monday said the WHO was immune under its own 1948 constitution and the International Organization Immunities Act from the proposed class-action lawsuit by the seven Westchester County plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs, including a New Rochelle doctor and six Mount Vernon residents who contracted COVID-19, sought damages for Westchester adults over the WHO’s alleged downplaying of the coronavirus early in the outbreak, and failure to quickly declare a pandemic and coordinate a global response.

But the judge said the WHO’s pandemic response involved policy judgments within its discretion, and rejected arguments that its alleged negligence voided its immunity.

Global tally

Coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 131.89 million while the global death toll topped 2.86 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Africa 

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,270,903 as of Monday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The death toll stood at 113,848, said the Africa CDC, while a total of 3,812,857 people have recovered from the disease across the continent.

COVID-19 related deaths in the African continent account for about four percent of all COVID-19 related deaths recorded globally, according to the Africa CDC.

Algeria

Algeria on Monday reported 117 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total confirmed number in the North African country to 117,622.

The death toll rose to 3,105 after three more fatalities were added, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 98 more patients have recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 81,896, according to the statement.

Belgium

A total of 900,996 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Belgium, official figures published on Monday by the Sciensano public health institute showed.

The country, with a population of more than 11 million, has recorded a total of 23,169 deaths.

As of April 1, more than 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the country, according to Sciensano.

Brazil

Brazil expects to vaccinate 1 million people per day in April, doubling that number in May, Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco said in an interview with CNN. The pandemic scenario for April is bad, Pacheco said.

The country reported 1,319 deaths related to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 28,645 new cases.

In total, Brazil has recorded a total of 13,013,601 confirmed cases and 332,752 deaths.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 deaths in Brazil surpasses 330,000

Chile

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said on Monday that the country's health system was at its capacity limit due to COVID-19, amid a new wave of infections that resulted in more than 7,000 cases a day last week.

The Chilean hospital network is currently overwhelmed by the new wave of COVID-19 infections, and experts have warned about health personnel fatigue and the near collapse of the critical health system.

Starting on Monday, non-resident foreigners are banned from entering the country, with the exception of those duly authorized by the Chilean consulate in the country of origin, under health criteria issued by health authorities.  

Chile's health ministry reported on Monday 5,807 new COVID-19 cases and 33 more deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative tally to 1,032,612 infections and 23,677 deaths. 

Colombia

Colombia will allow the private importation of COVID-19 vaccines, the health ministry said on Monday, but the shots must be free for those being inoculated.

Those giving out privately acquired shots must comply with government standards and cannot use facilities needed by the national program, the health ministry said in a draft decree shared with journalists.

The Andean country plans to immunize about 70 percent of its 35 million people this year under a free national program and has administered some 2.4 million doses since February.

Also on Monday, Colombia's capital Bogota stepped up pandemic restrictions by declaring an orange alert in a bid to rein in an expected third wave of COVID-19.

Stricter measures were necessary as the city's intensive care units (ICUs) are at 64.6 percent capacity and transmission rates are on the rise, Mayor Claudia Lopez said.

The District Secretary of Health ordered healthcare centers to suspend all non-urgent procedures.

"Today we are going to work toward three things: enabling between 150 and 160 additional ICUs each week, maximizing the number of tests and strengthening the epidemiological fence" around the virus, said Lopez.

Colombia registered 10,190 new cases and 199 more deaths in the past 24 hours, taking its nationwide tally to 2,456,409 and the toll to 64,293, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection said Monday.

According to the ministry, a total of 2,408,085 citizens have been vaccinated, 402,200 of whom have received the second jab.

Airport personnel unload a batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines sent from the COVAX facility at Adem Jashari airport Pristina, Kosovo, March 28, 2021. (PHOTO / AP)

COVAX

COVAX, a World Health Organization-led initiative aimed at ensuring equal access to COVID-19 vaccines by various countries, has so far shipped more than 36 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 86 countries, a United Nations (UN) spokesman said Monday.

"Algeria received more than 36,000 doses over the weekend from COVAX. These doses will help accelerate the vaccination campaign already underway in the country," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at a regular press briefing.

“The goal is to vaccinate 20 percent of the population - that's around 1.6 million people - this year. The UN team helped procure syringes and other materials, and we are also supporting efforts to ensure that people can continue access to healthcare services," he said.  

Cuba

Cuba reported on Monday 1,066 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, exceeding 1,000 cases for the seventh consecutive day and bringing the total caseload to 80,610, the Ministry of Public Health said.

The death toll remained 436, the ministry said.

The national director of hygiene and epidemiology at the ministry, Francisco Duran, pointed out that there were 173 infections reported in people under 20 years old, including 162 under 18, highlighting the risk to this age group.

Ecuador

Ecuador on Monday said it registered 1,096 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total caseload to 336,777.

According to the health ministry, 28 more deaths were logged in the same period, raising the official pandemic death toll to 12,088.

The actual death toll is likely near 17,000 as another 4,899 deaths are suspected of being COVID-19 related but have not been verified, the ministry said.

The Emergency Operations Committee, which manages the health crisis, said Monday a state of emergency declared in Pichincha, where the capital is located, and seven other provinces helped stop domestic travel and gatherings over the Easter Holiday long weekend that ended on Sunday.

Vaccination "is going smoothly," said President Lenin Moreno on Monday, with 283,106 people immunized so far, 204,902 of whom had received the first dose and 78,204 had gotten both jabs.

Eritrea

Eritrea’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) announced on Monday that the Red Sea nation will resume partial international flights starting from mid-April.

In a press statement, the ministry said there will be resumption of weekly flights from the Eritrean capital Asmara to Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, as well as from Asmara to Dubai starting from mid-April.

"There will be weekly flights from Asmara to Addis Ababa and Asmara-Dubai with implementation of strict preventive measures including prior Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, Rapid Antigen Testing upon arrival at the airport and other preventive measures," reads a statement from MoTC.

Eritrea has so far recorded 3,3340 COVID-19 cases and 10 COVID-19 related deaths.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia registered 37 additional COVID-19-related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 3,000 as of Monday evening, the Ministry of Health said.

Meanwhile, 2,138 new COVID-19 cases were reported across the country, bringing the national caseload to 217,327, said the ministry.

The East African country reported 1,054 new recoveries, taking the total recoveries to 163,022.

According to the ministry, Ethiopia currently has 51,303 active cases, of which 862 are serious cases. 

France

The number of people in intensive care units with COVID-19 in France increased by 92 to 5,433 on Monday, official data showed, exceeding the country's original capacity of 5,100 resuscitation beds.

France, where a third nationwide lockdown was imposed on Saturday, also reported 197 COVID-19 deaths in hospitals in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 70,771. 

The cumulative number of infections went over 4.8 million, as another 10,793 people tested positive for COVID-19 within a day.

Health Minister Olivier Veran warned that "the epidemic situation remains tense" and expected the third coronavirus wave to reach its peak "this week".

Meanwhile, the objective of inoculating 10 million people by mid-April would be met and "even anticipated by few days," the minister said.

Since the start of the vaccination campaign, over 9.35 million people, or 17.8 percent of the adult population, have received at least one shot and more than 3.14 million have got two injections, the health ministry said on Monday.

READ MORE: COVID-19: France sees biggest jump in ICU patients in months

Georgia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday tested positive for COVID-19.

Garibashvili is in self-isolation at home and continues to work remotely, the prime minister's office said, adding he feels well.

Georgia reported 897 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing its tally to 284,958. 

Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze said on Monday the Chinese vaccine that arrived in Georgia earlier last week is safe and effective.

"Sinopharm vaccine is recognized by the strict regulator of Hungary, on the basis of which we decided that Sinopharm could be allowed on the Georgian market," Tikaradze said at a press conference in Tbilisi.

Georgia on Saturday received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines it purchased from China.

Germany

The leader of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party reinforced his call for strict, short-term curbs to contain Germany’s resurgent outbreak, as he tries to gain backing for the plan.

A hard two- to three-week shutdown is needed to get Germany’s incidence rate under control, Armin Laschet, the chairman of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said Tuesday. After the so-called bridge lockdown, the restrictions could be cautiously lifted as vaccinations gather pace and increased testing allows more businesses to reopen, he told public broadcaster ZDF.

“The incidence rate is still too high,” said Laschet, who is also the premier of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and hoping to run as the conservative candidate to replace Merkel. “My proposal is for another big effort.”

Bringing the number of infections below 100 per 100,000 people over seven days would allow the more long-term easing which is “what we’re all hoping for so much,” said Laschet, who has previously backed a looser pandemic policy.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 6,885 to 2,900,768, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Tuesday. The reported death toll rose by 90 to 77,103, the tally showed.

Hungary

Hungary will begin gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions within days, the government said on Monday, as it expects to have 25 percent of its population of 10 million inoculated by Tuesday or early Wednesday at the latest.

The announcement came on the same day the government reported there were nearly 12,000 coronavirus patients in hospital on Sunday, 1,451 of them on ventilators.

The government said in a statement that once the 25 percent mark is cleared, it would shorten a night-time curfew to begin at 10 pm instead of 8, and allow all shops to be open until 9:30 pm as long as they have at most one customer per 10 square metres of floor space.

Hotels will stay closed, as will restaurants, except for takeout and delivery.

Schools will reopen in mid-April once teachers are inoculated, the government said.

Ireland

More than 900,000 people in Ireland, or 18.5 percent of the country's total population, have been partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the statistics released by the Irish Department of Health on Monday.

The department said in a statement that as of April 2, a total of 923,878 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in Ireland.

A total of 655,292 people had received their first dose, while 268,586 people had also received their second dose, it said.

Ireland has so far reported 238,466 confirmed cases and 4,718 deaths, according to the Irish Department of Health.

Italy

Italy registered 10,680 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, while the number of recoveries neared 3 million, official data showed.

Of the 570,096 active infections, 28,785 were hospitalized, 3,737 of whom were in intensive care units.

The health ministry  registered 9,323 fresh recoveries on Monday, pushing the total recoveries to 2,997,522.

Meanwhile, a lockdown imposed during the Easter holidays ended on Monday.

Some 11 regions will be moved into the "orange zone" by Tuesday, which means medium risk and medium restrictions, while the other 9 will remain red until the end of April.

From Tuesday to April 30, passengers flying from Austria, the United Kingdom, and Israel will be allowed to undergo a shorter period of quarantine, five days instead of the previous 14, after entering Italy, according to a health ministry regulation.

So far, over 11.2 million people have been vaccinated, including 3.4 million who have received both doses, official figures showed.

Morocco

Morocco reported on Monday 132 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 498,329.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 increased by 241 to 485,162, while there were 452 people in intensive care units.

The death toll rose by seven to 8,857.

Meanwhile, 4,352,033 people have received one COVID-19 shot while 3,951,023 people have received both jabs.

North Macedonia

The government of North Macedonia has decided on Monday to impose additional restrictive measures starting from April 7 to April 20 to curb COVID-19 infections.

The decision was taken due to increasing new cases and deaths as the country is facing another wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

All bars and restaurants will be closed for the next two weeks, except delivery services, according to the decision.

As of Tuesday, nationwide nighttime curfew will begin two hours earlier than the current curfew time, from 8 pm until 5 am local time the next day.

Other additional restrictions include closure of all sports and training centers such as gyms, sports halls, training centers, as well as ban of seminars, conferences and other events.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in the country has put the health care system under the hardest pressure since the onset of the pandemic.

About 300 people died of COVID-19 over the past week in North Macedonia.

On Monday, the health ministry reported 301 new infections and 37 COVID-19-related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 135,167 with 110,388 recoveries and 3,977 fatalities.

Novavax

Novavax Inc said on Monday participants in its ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa and the UK can now receive additional shots, ensuring those who received a placebo can also get the active vaccine.

Allowing volunteers to crossover to the active vaccine offers them an incentive to continue in the trials even when other authorized vaccines are available.

The company said it planned to cross over participants in its ongoing large, late-stage study in the United States and Mexico, for which the company plans to read out initial clinical data during the second quarter.

Portugal

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Monday called for "a national effort by all to avoid setbacks" at the beginning of the second phase of the easing of the country's anti-virus measures.

The head of state visited a school in Lisbon to celebrate the return of classes for all students in Portugal, saying that it was a "historic day”. 

Besides schools, shops with up to 200 square meters, restaurants with open-air service, fairs and markets without food, museums, monuments, palaces, art galleries, and the like will be allowed to reopen to the public as of Monday.

Russia

Russia reported 8,328 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 1,747 in Moscow, taking the official national tally to 4,597,868.

The government coronavirus task force said 389 people had died in the past 24 hours, pushing its death toll to 101,106. The federal statistics agency has kept a separate count and reported a much higher toll of more than 225,000 from April 2020 to February. 

Indian biotech firm Panacea Biotec Ltd has agreed to produce 100 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine annually, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which markets the shot internationally, said on Monday. RDIF did not say when production would begin.

Serbia

Another shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from China was welcomed on Monday by Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabic.

Brnabic was accompanied by the Chinese ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo at the Nikola Tesla airport to receive the vaccines.

Brnabic said that Serbia aimed to vaccinate roughly 40 percent of adults with the first dose by the end of April.

As of Monday, Serbia had reported 617,669 COVID-19 cases and 5,458 deaths. 

A total of 7,794 people were hospitalized across the country, of whom 292 were on ventilators.

South Africa

South Africa has signed an agreement with Pfizer Inc for 20 million dual shot COVID-19 vaccine doses, a government official told Reuters on Tuesday, boosting plans to start mass vaccinations from April.

The deal is another fillip for the country worst hit by COVID-19 infections in Africa as it adds to the 31 million single-shot doses from Johnson & Johnson which the government approved on Thursday.

The first batch from Pfizer is expected to arrive later in April, Anban Pillay, Deputy Director-general at the Department of Health, told Reuters, but he did not comment on the price.

After the Pfizer deal, the government will have enough to vaccinate roughly 41 million people out of its total population of 60 million.

Sweden

Sweden’s government will spend a further 6.9 billion kronor (US$792 million) on measures to fight the pandemic, Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson said. 

The money will be used to prevent the spread of the disease and carry out vaccinations, and to extend support measures for individuals who need to work from home until June 30.

Tanzania

Tanzania’s new President Samia Suluhu Hassan marked a difference with her predecessor on Tuesday by saying her government would form a committee for scientific research into COVID-19.

Recently-deceased former President John Magufuli had dismissed the threat from the coronavirus pandemic, saying God and steam remedies would protect Tanzanians.

Tunisia

Tunisia’s health ministry on Monday reported 1,133 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 261,177.

The death toll rose by 28 to 8,993, the ministry said in a statement.

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients reached 1,527, including 356 in intensive care units, while the total number of recoveries reached 219,912, it added.

The Tunisian scientific committee for the fight against the coronavirus described the epidemiological situation in Tunisia as "dangerous" due to the speedy increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, Tunis Afrique Presse reported on Monday.

UK

The government told Britons to hold off on planning foreign holidays this summer, deflating the hopes of an airline industry desperate to get flying again before another high season slips by.

While confirming that restaurants, pubs and shops in England will reopen next week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it’s not yet clear that non-essential international travel can resume safely as planned on May 17.

The chief executive of British Airways said he is optimistic that international travel can resume from May 17 despite Johnson's remarks.

With the vaccine program rolling out rapidly across the UK and infection numbers falling, Johnson said England would proceed to Stage 2 of his roadmap out of lockdown from April 12. 

People should continue to work from home when they could and minimize domestic travel, the government said. It also confirmed that the government was looking at a COVID-status certification system, or vaccine passport, to help reopen larger events.

Pubs and restaurants won’t require vaccine certificates when they reopen under the current plans for an exit from lockdown in England, Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Johnson launches mass testing program as economy reopens

The government reported 2,762 new cases and 26 more deaths, bringing the tally to 4,362,150 and the death toll to 126,862, according to official figures released Monday.

Nearly 31.6 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the official figures.

Britain’s health regulator is considering a proposal to restrict the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in younger people over concerns about very rare blood clots, Channel 4 News reported on Monday.

Ukraine

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree to vaccinate the majority of its adult population by the end of the year, the president's press service recently reported.

According to the decree, a COVID-19 vaccination plan should be developed by the Ukrainian government within seven days to form collective immunity.

As of Monday, 10,179 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded over the past 24 hours in the country.

A total of 1,755,888 COVID-19 cases and 34,587 deaths have been registered in Ukraine, while 1,352,139 patients have recovered, according to health authorities.

UN

The COVID-19 crisis "has revealed how unequal our societies are," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message released on Monday for the World Health Day.

Highlighting the inequalities and injustices that have been apparent throughout the pandemic, the UN chief said in his message for the day, which is to be marked on Wednesday, that the vast majority of vaccine doses administered so far have been confined to "a few wealthy countries" or those producing the shots cleared for distribution.

"Within countries, illness and death from COVID-19 has been higher among people and communities that contend with poverty, unfavorable living and working conditions, discrimination and social exclusion," said Guterres.

Thanks to the COVAX initiative, the UN backed international effort to provide equitable vaccines across the world, more countries are receiving doses, "but most people in low and middle income countries still must watch and wait," the top UN official added.

"Such inequities are immoral, and they are dangerous for our health, our economies and our societies."

US

Washington, D.C. residents aged 16 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting April 19, Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Twitter. She urged those eligible to pre-register.

Separately in Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan said all residents 16 and older will be able to get a shot beginning Tuesday at any of the state’s mass vaccination sites.

By April 12, everyone 16 and over will be eligible for a vaccine from all providers, the governor’s spokeswoman Kata Hall said on Twitter.

In addition, New Jersey will open vaccinations to people 16 and older starting April 19, Governor Phil Murphy announced Monday.

Almost eight in 10 parents in a Harris Poll taken April 2 through April 4 said they’re willing to have their kids vaccinated for COVID-19.

The United States has administered 167,187,795 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Monday morning and distributed 207,891,395 doses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Also Monday, the Biden administration named named Gayle Smith, a former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) coordinator under the Obama administration, as the coordinator for the Global COVID Response & Health Security at the State Department.

Valneva

Valneva SE plans to start final-phase clinical trials on its vaccine candidate this month, a step forward for a French drugmaker’s low-tech shot that’s being backed by the UK government. A phase 1/2 test gave positive results for a high dose.

The vaccine uses a sample of the virus that has been killed to stimulate an immune response without causing the disease. 

The UK has signed a deal worth as much as 1.4 billion pounds (US$1.9 billion) to receive as many as 190 million doses of the shot between 2021 and 2025. The British government is also investing in the biotech’s Scottish manufacturing plant.

Venezuela

Juan Guaido, president of the opposition-led National Assembly in Venezuela, said he has recovered from COVID-19. 

Zambia

Health authorities in Zambia are closely monitoring the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca in neighboring countries before commencing the program, a senior government official said on Monday.

Meanwhile on Monday, the country recorded 79 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative tally to 89,009.

Another 110 patients were discharged during the same period, bringing the total recoveries to 85,178.

The death toll rose by two to 1,222.  

Zimbabwe

More than 120,000 Zimbabweans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, taking heed of the call by the government to accept them as part of efforts to control the pandemic.

Vaccination - which started in the first week of March - has also been decentralized to residential suburbs to ease congestion at the main vaccination centers.

As of Monday, 123,454 people had received their first jab while 22,056 had received their second shot, the government-controlled Herald newspaper reported Tuesday.

Zimbabwe intends to vaccinate 60 percent of the population (about 10 million people) in a bid to achieve herd immunity.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabwe will be receiving about one million vaccines every month.

As of Monday, the country had recorded 1,525 deaths from 36,934 COVID-19 cases.