India has confirmed 697,413 cases, including 19,693 deaths, overtaking Russia to become the third worst-hit country.
Saudi Arabia has announced health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus in the haj season. Touching the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, will be banned and social distancing of a metre and a half between each pilgrim during the rituals will be imposed.
Face masks are being recommended for supporters attending Donald Trump’s next election rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Saturday after many skipped wearing them at an indoor event in Tulsa, Oklahoma last month.
Interest among Americans in moving to New Zealand has soared during the pandemic, with a 65 per cent rise in the number of those seeking information. New Zealand has recorded 1,184 infections and has only a handful of active cases while the US has reported nearly three million positive tests.
South Africa has reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases in a single day for the first time. Total confirmed cases now stand at nearly 188,000, by far the most of any country in Africa.
