The world recorded more than 82 million cases of nCoV, of which nearly 1.8 million people died, when Southeast Asia, a region that used to be good at fighting epidemics, strengthened its control.

The world records 82,247,137 cases and 1,794,424 deaths from Covid-19, an increase of 661,404 and 14,438 a day, respectively, while 58,262,811 people have recovered, according to the Worldometers update page.

The United States, the world's largest epidemic region, recorded 204,822 more infections and 3,267 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 19,928,721, of which 346,000 died.

Of the hospital admissions, 22,592 patients are being treated in the intensive care unit, increasing capacity from 16% in September to 40%.

Hope is now housed in the Covid-19 vaccine.

India, the world's second-largest epidemic region, reported an additional 20,479 infections and 280 deaths, bringing the total number of people infected and dead from Covid-19 to 10,245,276 and 148,470 respectively.

Indian officials said yesterday the country had recorded six new cases of nCoV infection returning from the UK, adding that it had conducted quarantine and traceability.

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said a ban on flights from the UK may remain in the new year.

Brazil, the third largest epidemic region in the world, recorded an additional 1,040 deaths from Covid-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 192,681.

The Covid-19 situation in this South American country showed no signs of decline, forcing the city of Rio de Janeiro, one of the most affected, to decide to block access to the beaches on 31 /

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.

Russia, the fourth largest epidemic region in the world, recorded an additional 27,002 nCoV infections and 562 deaths, bringing the total number of infections and deaths to 3,105,037 and 55,827 respectively.

However, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said on December 28 that "more than 81%" of the increase in deaths between January and November compared to the same period last year was due to Covid-19, which means

Russian President Vladimir Putin for months has boasted of its low nCoV death rate.

Russia began rolling out the Sputnik V vaccination as part of its national vaccination program in early December, focusing on the high-risk group, while phase three testing continued in parallel in the capital.

France, the world's fifth-largest epidemic region, recorded an additional 11,395 cases and 468 deaths, bringing cases and deaths to 2,574,041 and 64,078 respectively.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran said yesterday that the country would temporarily not impose a new blockade, but could soon extend curfew in the eastern region, where the worst hit from the pandemic

France has gone through two blockades, but the number of new infections daily hasn't dropped below 5,000 as targeted by the government.

UK, the sixth largest epidemic region in the world, recorded 2,382,865 infections and 71,567 deaths, an increase of 53,135 and 414 cases, respectively.

British health officials warn the country is "returning to the heart of the storm" Covid-19, with the same number of patients hospitalized as the peak period in April. Therefore, authorities have tightened restrictions.

Iran, one of the Middle East's largest epidemic regions, reported 54,946 deaths, an increase of 132, out of 1,212,481 cases, an increase of 6,108.

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

Iranian media said that during this first phase, 56 volunteers will be vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine, in two doses two weeks apart.

Iran accused the US sanctions of preventing them from accessing the vaccine.

South Korea recorded 1,045 new infections in 24 hours, bringing the total to 58,725, of which 859 deaths, an increase of 40 cases compared to the previous day.

According to some observers, the rising death toll indicates that infections in nursing homes and long-term care centers, where the elderly suffer from potential health problems, are aggravating.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said more than 500,000 tests have been conducted at temporary testing centers in the Seoul metropolitan area in the past two weeks, of which 1,400 people were identified as nCoV positive.

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

In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is the region's largest outbreak with 727,122 cases, an increase of 7,903, of which 21,703 died, an increase of 251. Indonesia has banned all visitors from the UK and tightened regulations on people coming from Europe.

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

The contract with AstraZeneca will be signed by the end of the year, while the contract with Pfizer will be signed in the first week of January 2021.

The Philippines reported 471,526 cases and 9,162 deaths, an increase of 886 and 38 cases respectively, making it the second largest epidemic area in the region.

Philippine Labor Minister Silvestre Bello yesterday announced that the country would ban entry of passengers from 20 countries where the new nCoV strain is related to Britain, but did not specify when the ban would take effect.

The Philippine government has approved an application for a clinical trial of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the country's Janssen Pharmaceuticals company.

Thailand recorded 155 additional nCoV and one death cases, bringing the total number of Covid-19 infections and deaths to 6,440 and 61, respectively. Although these numbers are lower than many countries, the average

The capital Bangkok yesterday requested the closure of sports and entertainment venues until January 4.

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