The latest: COVID-19 outbreak worldwide (Updated May 21)

People in the age bracket of 18-44 years wait to get themselves inoculated with the jab of the Covishield' COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination camp held in a residential area in Chennai, India, on May 20, 2021. (Photo: AFP)

The total number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has increased to 3,422,941 with the global confirmed cases reaching 165,167,379 as of 9:30 am BJT on Friday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Current status (data as of 9:30 am BJT, May 21):

The World Health Organization's regional director for Europe on Thursday said COVID-19 vaccines currently being employed in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic across the continent appear able to protect against all variants that are circulating and causing concern.

African countries have acquired over 39 million COVID-19 vaccines so far, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) disclosed on Thursday.

A Japanese government panel of experts on Thursday approved two COVID-19 vaccines developed by US drug maker Moderna Inc. and British-based AstraZeneca Plc, with the health ministry expected to formalize the approval of the use of the two vaccines on Friday.

Months into the United States' inoculation campaign, Black Americans' COVID-19 vaccination rates are still lagging behind, while Hispanics are closing the gap and Native Americans show the highest rates overall, latest federal data has shown.

Morocco announced on Thursday a gradual easing of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, as the epidemiological situation is improving, the government said in a statement.