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Protesters marched through Paris Saturday against a national mandate for a coronavirus help pass. On Monday, legislation was brought into force that requires people to show a QR code proving they have a special virus pass before they can use restaurants and cafes or travel across the country.
More than 9,000 COVID-related hospitalizations did not deter protesters who opposed the introduction of the pass. Others showed up to vent their overall frustration with the tenure of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Despite what is typically considered a slow summer weekend, in Paris alone, there were three different demonstrations taking place.
The Australian state of New South Wales entered a snap lockdown Saturday after the state's worst day of the coronavirus pandemic, with 466 new cases and four deaths. AP's Karen Chammas reports.
New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the jump in cases is the largest so far in the state.
" ... we are on a par of being extremely concerned about the situation we're in in New South Wales."
The state premier also said fines for breaking pandemic rules, such as breaching quarantine orders, had been increased from 737 U.S. dollars to 3,685 U.S. dollars.
Berejiklian did, however, say there was light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel.
"New South Wales has pretty much reached 50 percent of first doses vaccinated. We know that the lockdown, coupled with a strong, targeted vaccination program, is what is going to get us out of this dire situation."
I'm Karen Chammas.
Iran on Saturday announced new curbs to combat the spread of COVID-19 as deaths and infections surge and the country tries to speed up its vaccination campaign. Iran's national coronavirus task force announced Saturday that government offices, banks and non-essential businesses must close their doors countrywide from Monday until the end of next Saturday.
A ban on car travel between provinces will be in force from noon on Sunday until August 27th, according to a government spokesman.
Hit by the Middle East's deadliest outbreak, Iran has officially recorded more than 97,000 deaths and more than 4.38 million infections.
