COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 15 January

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 15 January

This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news and updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.

Top stories: President-elect Biden unveils $1.9 trillion stimulus package; Chinese cities wary of New Year travel; UK study suggests five months of immunity.





1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 93.1 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 1.99 million.

The Brazilian state of Amazonas is running out of oxygen, its government warned yesterday.

Tourism officials in the Caribbean are working to increase COVID-19 testing capacity, after the United States became the latest country to require nearly all arriving passengers to present a negative test.

Germany has logged a record daily number of deaths from the pandemic, with Chancellor Angela Merkel telling top officials she wants 'very fast action' to counter the spread of COVID-19 mutations.

France has increased border restrictions, with non-EU arrivals required to show a negative test and self-isolate for 10 days from Monday, and lengthened an existing night-time curfew by two hours.

Microsoft, health insurer