By Faruk Zorlu
ANKARA (AA) – Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic and other news in Turkey and around the world.
– Coronavirus and other developments in Turkey
Turkey reported over 43,300 more coronavirus cases.
A total of 43,301 cases, including 2,703 symptomatic patients, were confirmed across the country, according to the latest Health Ministry data.
Turkey’s overall COVID-19 tally is now over 4.71 million, while the nationwide death toll increased by 346 over the past day to 39,057.
As many as 45,592 more patients won the battle against the virus, taking the total number of recoveries past 4.16 million.
International tourists will be exempt from lockdown rules in Turkey, the country's tourism minister said.
Meanwhile, two Turkish soldiers were martyred during a cross-border anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said.
Turkish security forces "neutralized" four PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, said the National Defense Ministry.
– COVID-19 updates worldwide
Iran has identified three cases of the South African variant of the coronavirus for the first time, amid a fourth wave of the pandemic in the country.
The number of people infected with the coronavirus in Africa reached over 4.5 million, said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pakistan announced a new set of restrictions, including a blanket ban on tourism and inter-provincial transport, in an attempt to contain a further rise in already mounting coronavirus cases during the coming Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The first emergency medical supplies arrived in India as the country's infection and death rates continue to grow exponentially, overwhelming hospitals.
Drug authorities in Bangladesh approved Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the country following a vaccine co-production deal earlier this week.
For the second time this week, the UK lowered the age limit for people to get vaccinated, with the drive now opening up to those aged 42 and above, the government said.
Brazil registered 3,086 coronavirus deaths and more than 72,000 cases in the past 24 hours, authorities said.
– Other global developments
Four Venezuelan soldiers were killed and eight others wounded during operations along the border against a Colombian criminal group.
At least 753 people have been killed so far in Myanmar's military crackdown against anti-coup protesters, according to the latest figures released by a rights watchdog.
An ethnic rebel group attacked and seized a military post belonging to the Myanmar ruling junta along the border with Thailand.
China launched at least nine satellites into space to provide an eastern province of the country with remote sensing services, as well as to observe small celestial bodies, according to local media reports.
Two Spanish journalists were killed while filming a documentary about poaching in Burkina Faso, Spain’s foreign minister said.
