Margaret Keenan (C), 90, is applauded by staff as she returns to her ward after becoming the first person to receive the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine at University Hospital in Coventry, central England, on December 8, 2020. (Photo: AFP)

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 1,546,422 with the global confirmed cases reaching 67,653,117 as of 6:30 pm BJT on Tuesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Current status (data as of 6:30 pm BJT, Dec 8):

Britain became the first Western country to start a mass coronavirus vaccine campaign with a pensioner receiving the initial jab on Tuesday as across the Atlantic millions of Californians went into lockdown to stop surging US infections.

The governor of Iran's central bank said on Monday the US "inhumane sanctions" have blocked Iran's purchase of vaccines needed to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic, official news agency IRNA reported.

The number of COVID-19 infections in the Philippines rose to 442,785 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,400 new cases on Tuesday. The DOH said 139 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 408,790. The death toll climbed to 8,670 after 98 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH added.

Uganda on Monday registered 701 new COVID-19 cases, the highest-ever daily increase, bringing its national count to 23,200. One new COVID-19 death was registered, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to 207.

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 5,292 within one day to 586,842, with the death toll adding by 133 to 18,000, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.