The world records more than 86.7 million CoV cases with more than 1.87 million deaths, UK reports a record of more than 60,000 cases a day.

The world records 86,756,013 cases and 1,873,560 deaths from Covid-19, an increase of 761,676 and 14,469 cases a day, respectively, while 61,483,542 people have recovered, according to the Worldometers real-time update page.

UK, the fifth largest epidemic region in the world, recorded 2,774,479 cases and 76,305 deaths, increasing 60,916 and 830 cases, respectively.

In a statement dated Jan. 5, UK Public Health Director Yvonne Doyle said "the rapid rate of increase in the number of cases is a worrying sign" and would put considerable pressure on the system.

The disease situation in the UK is complicated with the emergence of a new strain of nCoV, believed to be 70% more infectious than the original strain.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the evening of January 4 announced a national blockade, urging people to stay home and close schools to control the super-infectious nCoV strain.

Under the new blockade, all non-essential stores and reception facilities will continue to close.

Prime Minister Johnson said the blockade orders could be eased from mid-February, if the vaccination program goes on as planned and the number of new deaths gradually declines.

The United States, the world's largest epidemic region, recorded 195,747 more infections and 2,984 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 21,548,798, of which 365,107 died.

Public health officials on January 3 warned that disaster days are still ahead when the number of new infections each day can continue to increase related to gathering activities, holiday gatherings.

"It is a terrible, unfortunate but predictable prospect," said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading US epidemiologist.

The United States began reporting the first cases of Covid-19 infection from the UK.

India, the second largest epidemic region in the world, reported an additional 17,908 cases and 265 deaths, bringing the total number of people infected and dead from Covid-19 to 10,375,477 and 150,151 respectively.

On January 3, India's Drug Administration approved two Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use, one developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in collaboration with the University of Oxford, UK, and the other.

The world's second most populous country is expected to begin a large-scale Covid-19 vaccination program in a few weeks, with the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine being mainstream, while the COVAXIN vaccine will be managed under more stringent conditions.

According to the leader of the Indian pharmaceutical management agency V.G.

Somani explained that the Bharat Biotech vaccine was approved "for the public good, as a preventive measure ... for more options for vaccination, especially in cases of mutant virus infections"

India suspended all flights from the UK from December 23 to January 7 due to concerns about the spread of the new CoV strain, but about 33,000 passengers had flown since late November, before the ban was

Brazil, the third largest epidemic region in the world, recorded an additional 1,141 deaths from Covid-19, nearly doubling from a day ago, bringing the total number of deaths to 197,732.

With pressure on President Jair Bolsonaro to start vaccinating people, the Brazilian government on December 29 urged vaccine manufacturers Covid-19 to speed up registration of vaccine approvals in the country.

The Brazilian health regulator Anvisa said it had approved the import of two million doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, although the vaccine has not yet been approved for use in mass vaccination.

Russia, the fourth largest epidemic region in the world, recorded an additional 24,246 nCoV infections and 518 deaths, bringing the total number of infections and deaths to 3,284,384 and 59,506 respectively.

In his New Year's speech 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that a second wave of Covid-19 was devastating the country.

Russia began rolling out the Sputnik V vaccination as part of its national vaccination program in early December, focusing on high-risk groups.

France, the sixth-largest epidemic region in the world, recorded 20,489 more cases, up nearly five times from the previous day, and 378 deaths, bringing infections and deaths to 2,680,239 and 66,282, respectively.

On December 31st, France first recorded a new case of nCoV infection from South Africa, who was a person in the Haut-Rhin region, near the Swiss border, who had just returned from this African country.

Since January 2, France has imposed an earlier night curfew in 15 northeast and southeast administrative zones, starting at 6 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

Health Minister Olivier Veran announced on January 1 a plan to expand the immunization campaign, which only targets nursing home residents and medical staff over 65 years old.

Iran, one of the Middle East's largest epidemic zones, reported 55,748 deaths, an increase of 98, out of 1,255,620 cases, up 6,113.

Iran on December 29 kicked off the first phase of a clinical trial of a self-developed Covid-19 vaccine by injecting three people on television.

In addition, Iran is continuing to develop another vaccine, at the same time placing about 16.8 million doses through Covax, the vaccine delivery mechanism established by the World Health Organization.

South Korea recorded 715 new infections in 24 hours, bringing the total to 64,979, of which 1,007 deaths, an increase of 26 from the previous day.

The Korean government last week added new restrictions such as banning gathering of 4 people, and suspending ski resorts and tourist sports, to prevent the virus from spreading during Christmas and the year.

Contrary to the scene of people jostling for the New Year as in previous years, the streets of the Korean capital Seoul last night were empty due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the region's largest outbreak with 779,548 cases, an increase of 7,445, of which 23,109 deaths, an increase of 198. Indonesia has banned all visitors from the UK and tightened regulations on people from Europe.

Indonesia's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on December 29 that the country was finalizing agreements to buy 50 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

On December 31, Indonesia received 1.8 million doses of Chinese vaccine Sinovac.

The Philippines reported 479,693 cases and 9,321 deaths, up 937 and 58 respectively, making it the second largest epidemic area in the region.

Filipino officials said last week that some ministers and soldiers had been vaccinated with Covid-19, but in small numbers.

As of January 2, the Philippines banned people from the US after it discovered a new case of nCoV infection from the UK.

Thailand recorded 527 more cases of nCoV infection, bringing the total number to 8,966, of which 65 died, unchanged from the previous day.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on January 4 announced that 28 provinces, including the capital Bangkok, are high-risk areas and asked people to work from home, avoid gathering or leaving their provinces when infected.

Bangkok authorities have ordered restaurants and street food vendors to suspend food services from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. the next day, starting January 5, to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

The sale of alcohol in banned restaurants and bars and entertainment venues in high-risk provinces has been closed.

The new wave of Covid-19 in Thailand originated in a seafood market in Samut Sakhon province, near the capital Bangkok.

Singapore recorded 58,749 cases, an increase of 28 cases in the past 24 hours.

On December 30th, the island nation started Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccination, with priority given to health workers and the elderly.