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• France's COVID infections keep rising, hospitalizations up

  The seven-day moving average of new cases, which evens out reporting irregularities, reached 65,882, the highest since Feb. 24.

  

• Over six million people have died from Covid: AFP count

  Average global daily deaths over the past seven days have fallen to 7,170, down 18 percent in a week, continuing a trend seen since the peak of the Omicron wave in mid-February despite many countries relaxing restrictions.

  

• France to drop vaccine pass as Covid situation improves: PM

  After the surge in cases caused by the Omicron variant, the health situation has improved over the last weeks with less pressure on hospitals, Prime Minister Jean Castex said in a statement.

  

• New 2-dose vax shows 100% efficacy against severe Covid

  The companies said final analysis of the booster trial, which included participants previously given shots based on mRNA technology or adenovirus viral vectors, showed it could increase neutralising antibodies by 18 to 30 times.

  

• Thousands protest vaccine mandates in Australian capital

  Protesters, many with children, rallied under bright skies brandishing banners proclaiming "Fight for Your Freedom & Rights", "Free Aus Freedom Now", or "No forced drugs" written above a symbol of a syringe.

  

• Vaccine patents accord possible in 'weeks': WTO

  Developing countries that are lagging behind in vaccinating their populations have been pushing for waivers on the patents, or intellectual property rights, on Covid-19 vaccines as they say this would help spur local production.

  

• World sees lowest Covid-19 death count in a week in almost a year

  The weekly number of coronavirus deaths worldwide has fallen to levels unseen for almost a year, according to an AFP count on Monday based on official national figures.

  

• Paris: Coronavirus toll at 1000 GMT Thursday

  At least 233,239,040 cases of coronavirus have been registered. The vast majority have recovered, though some have continued to experience symptoms weeks or even months later.

  

• Drug-resistant malaria gaining foothold in Africa: study

  Experts have long worried about the emergence of drug resistance across the continent, which accounted for more than 90 percent of malaria deaths worldwide in 2019.

  

• French pharma firm guilty of fraud, manslaughter over weight loss pill: court

  The drug Mediator was on the market for 33 years and used by about five million people before being pulled in 2009 over fears it could cause serious heart problems -- more than a decade after such concerns had first been raised.

  

• Coronavirus deaths in Europe pass 900,000

  As of 0845 GMT, 52 countries and territories of the region -- which includes Russia and Turkey -- had officially registered 900,185 coronavirus deaths since the start of the pandemic in December 2019.