A municipal employee takes part in a disinfection operation against COVID-19 in San Jose, on July 2, 2020. (File photo by AFP)

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 521,862 with the global confirmed cases reaching 10,896,029 as of 8:45 pm BJT on Friday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Current situation (data as of 8:45 pm BJT, July 3):

Negative nucleic test results are no longer required for those in low-risk areas to depart Beijing starting tomorrow, according to a Friday media conference sharing prevention and control measures on the COVID-19 outbreak.

An analysis of sewage water samples from last November in Florianopolis, the capital and second largest city of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil was found to contain traces of the novel coronavirus, a research group from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) of Brazil announced Thursday.

The genetic variation of the novel coronavirus that dominates the world today infects human cells more readily than the original that emerged in China, according to a new US study published in the journal Cell on Thursday.

Dutch authorities announced Friday that yet another mink farm has been infected with the novel coronavirus, making 18 in total, with thousands of animals to be culled.

Pub managers will have to be resourceful come Saturday when they and other parts of the hospitality industry in England open their doors to customers for the first time since March 20, provided they meet COVID-19 safety requirements.