Coronavirus Whats happening in Canada and around the world on Thursday

The latest:

Seven U.S. states with the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates account for half of the country's new cases and hospitalizations in the last week, the White House said on Thursday.

The states are Florida, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, according to President Joe Biden's COVID-19 co-ordinator, Jeff Zients, who spoke at a news briefing.

Of those, Florida and Texas account for about a third of new coronavirus cases and an even higher share of hospitalizations in the country. 

The Biden administration has been eager to thaw opposition by some Americans, including those who distrust the government, to taking the vaccine as the highly infectious delta variant sweeps the country.

Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters that he credits the administration of Republican former president Donald Trump for helping to develop the vaccine.

"We give credit to the Trump administration for doing this," said Fauci.

Some 864,000 vaccinations have been given in the past 24 hours, the highest since early July, the White House said.

-From Reuters, last updated at 12:15 p.m. ET

What's happening in Canada

WATCH | Public health officials update Canadians on COVID-19: 

What's happening around the world A protester calling for the cancellation of the Olympic Games stands with a sign urging officials to choose the 'shine of our lives' over the shine of medals. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

As of early Thursday afternoon, more than 200.4 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to a case tracking tool maintained by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. The reported global death toll stood at more than 4.2 million.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Tokyo reported 5,042 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, hitting a record since the pandemic began as infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics. The additional cases brought the total for Tokyo to 236,138, about a quarter of the national total. Japan reported more than 14,000 cases on Wednesday for a total of 970,000.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose government has faced criticism over its response to rising COVID-19 case numbers, told reporters, "We need to tackle the situation now that we have a stronger sense of urgency."

"The infections are expanding at a pace we have never experienced before."

The Philippines, meanwhile, announced that it will extend tighter coronavirus restrictions to include three areas, including a province adjoining the capital region, to prevent the spread of the delta variant, the president's office said on Thursday. The tougher restrictions, already due to take effect in metropolitan Manila from Aug. 6, will also be imposed in Laguna province and the cities of Cagayan De Oro and Iloilo, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement

People wait to be vaccinated against COVID-19 a day before stricter lockdown measures are implemented in Manila on Thursday. (Lisa Marie David/Reuters)

In Africa, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says he came down with COVID-19 last week and if he had not been vaccinated earlier, "I would not be here by now." An audibly ill John Nkengasong told reporters that despite his vaccination in April, "the severity of the attack is unbearable." He cited his experience to push back against vaccine hesitancy.

African Union officials said on Thursday that the body had begun shipping COVID-19 vaccine doses acquired through a Johnson & Johnson deal, but they raised alarm at the pace of total deliveries to a region where only 1.5 per cent of people are vaccinated.

In the Americas, the delta variant is "highly worrisome" as the mutation has spread to nearly two dozen countries across the Americas, officials with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) told reporters.

Mexico's health ministry on Wednesday reported 20,685 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 â€" the highest daily jump since late January â€" and 611 fatalities.

In the Middle East, Iran again reported a fresh single-day high on Wednesday, with 39,357 new cases of COVID-19. The country reported 409 additional deaths, bringing the reported COVID-related death toll to 92,194.

In Europe, Britain will scrap quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers returning to England and Scotland from France, rowing back on a rule that had infuriated French politicians and thrown millions of holidays into confusion.

-From Reuters, The Associated Press and CBC News, last updated at 12:20 p.m. ET

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