Two shoppers walk out of a store that is about to close in central Ronda on January 22, 2021 as new coronavirus measures came into force in the Andalusia region. Soaring coronavirus infection rates are heaping pressure on Spain's hospitals and intensifying a power struggle between regional and central government, in one of Europe's hardest-hit countries. (Photo: AFP)

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 2,108,659 with the global confirmed cases reaching 98,239,198 as of 6 pm BJT on Saturday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Current status (data as of 6 pm BJT, January 23):

The India government on Saturday said over 300,000 people were vaccinated against the COVID-19 in a single day for the first time since the beginning of inoculation drive last week. According to the federal health ministry, so far nearly 1.4 million beneficiaries have received COVID-19 shots.

Australia's state of West Australia (WA) will reopen its border to the state of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland from Jan. 25 as the latter two continued to record zero locally acquired COVID cases.

Mongolia on Saturday started to allow all clothing markets and hair salons in the capital Ulan Bator to reopen, a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the country's State Emergency Commission said. The ban on all kinds of gaming, religious and entertainment services, bars, saunas and mass gatherings such as sports events and cultural activities in the city will stay unchanged, according to the authorities.

The Maldives' Health Protection Agency (HPA) has begun training healthcare workers on the distribution of vaccines against COVID-19, local media reported Saturday. About 290 healthcare workers were taught to raise awareness on the need for vaccinations and to monitor for potential side effects in vaccine recipients in an online training program carried out by the HPA in association with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Japan's COVID-19 death toll topped 5,000 on Saturday as the country struggles to contain the resurgence of infections, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities. The death toll from the virus surpassed 1,000 in July last year, and topped 2,000 after about four months in November. In late December, it passed 3,000 and in less than 20 days, it exceeded the 4,000 mark.