Daily roundupWednesday's key coronavirus developments from Luxembourg and abroad

Starting with Luxembourg

• The latest figures from the Ministry of Health show that 90 new cases of coronavirus were discovered in the last 24 hours.

• Despite relaxed restrictions for the hospitality sector, the Horesca Federation stated that its relaunch has been rather “weak” so far and presented further demands to the government.

• There were around 210 police controls last week around the Covid pandemic, resulting in 90 fines, mostly for breaking the curfew.

• PM Xavier Bettel has said that Luxembourg will wait for the EMA to decide whether the Moderna vaccine can be administered to children over 12 before proceeding further.

• They seemed unthinkable last year, but it looks like vaccination cards are not far off. Not much is know at this point, but what do we know?

And abroad

• The European Union on Wednesday asked a Belgian court to impose penalties running to millions of euros per day on AstraZeneca for Covid-19 vaccine doses it has failed to deliver to the bloc.

• Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper, an official Tokyo Olympics sponsor, called for the Games to be cancelled on Wednesday, in the latest sign of opposition less than two months before the opening ceremony.

• China on Wednesday accused the US of “spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation” as the theory resurfaced that the coronavirus emerged from a Wuhan laboratory, while urging Washington to open its virology facilities to scrutiny.

• The coronavirus variant first detected in India has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, a World Health Organization report showed Wednesday.

• French media and social networks were abuzz Tuesday with speculation about a mysterious offer to influencers and YouTube personalities asking them to publicly denigrate the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in return for money.

• People arriving in France from Britain will have to self-isolate to prevent the spread of Covid-19, notably its Indian variant, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday.

• Taiwan has reported its highest daily number of Covid-19 fatalities, with 11 deaths recorded on Tuesday, and tightened restrictions on the population. All cases were people aged over 50, with nine connected to the Wanhua cluster in Taipei city.

• According to Polish media, a Covid-19 vaccine lottery will start in July to encourage the undecided to take up the jab. Approximately one out of every 2,000 vaccinated will receive 500 PLN (approximately €100). In addition, other prizes will be drawn: among them 250 000 USD, electric scooters, cars and fuel vouchers.