The Latest: Arizona hits 50% coronavirus vaccination mark

PHOENIX — Arizona has reached a coronavirus milestone with 50% of its population, or nearly 3.6 million people, having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

That compares with about 55% nationwide who are at least partially vaccinated.

Arizona’s vaccine administration peaked in early April with up to 78,000 a day before dropping by about half in May and even lower more recently.

The state has closed its mass vaccination sites due to the decreased demand and instead promoted availability of vaccines at health clinics, pharmacies and pop-up events.

Arizona reported 725 new confirmed cases Thursday and no additional deaths. Hospitalizations have fluctuated between 500 and 600.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

— Coronavirus vaccines work against delta variant, researchers find

— Japan declares virus emergency lasting through Olympics; local fans banned

— India to spend $3.1B for health care centers

— England fans gear up for Euro 2020 final, more virus cases

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— Follow more of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

ROME — Confirmed new coronavirus infections in Italy have topped 1,000 for the second straight day as health authorities voice growing concern over what they say appears to be a trend toward rising case numbers.

Health Ministry figures show 1,394 cases were registered in the last 24 hours compared with daily caseloads in the hundreds in previous weeks.

Virus experts credit vaccination with keeping the number of new ICU admissions low despite the higher caseloads, however.

Italy is stressing the importance of vaccines as the virus’ delta variant steadily gains traction.

So far 41% of people in Italy older than 12 and thus eligible to receive the shots are fully vaccinated, while an additional 20% or so have received an initial vaccine dose.

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NEW YORK — New research from France adds to evidence that COVID-19 vaccines offer strong protection against the delta variant that is spreading rapidly around the world and now accounts for most U.S. infections.

The delta variant is surging through populations with low vaccination rates. Researchers from France’s Pasteur Institute reported new evidence Thursday in the journal Nature that full vaccination is critical.

In tests, a single dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines “barely inhibited” the delta variant. But after a second dose, almost all experienced a big boost in immunity.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.

A few weeks ago, the delta variant accounted for just over a quarter of new U.S. cases. But it now accounts for just over 50%, and in some places, such as parts of the Midwest, as much as 80%.

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LISBON, Portugal — Portuguese authorities are requiring a negative test or proof of vaccination for people wanting to enter restaurants and hotels at peak periods in areas where the coronavirus is surging.

The government announced Thursday it wants people to use the EU Digital COVID Certificate to patronize such businesses on Friday evenings, weekends and public holidays.

The high-risk areas are mostly around the capital Lisbon and in the southern Algarve vacation region.

The certificates, which can be downloaded to an app, certify EU citizens’ tests and vaccinations. They also allow them to travel between countries without having to quarantine or be tested.

Portugal’s coronavirus 14-day incidence rate has risen to 255 per 100,000 people in recent weeks, pushed higher by the more infectious delta variant.

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LOS ANGELES — California workplace safety officials plan to fine the Los Angeles County Superior Court system more than $25,000 for alleged violations involving the COVID-19 pandemic.

The system shut down all but the most essential services in early 2020 but resumed many in-person proceedings in the final months of the year.

About 16 interpreters were exposed to COVID-19, and one died in January 2021. That was followed by two other court employees the same month and another interpreter in February.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety found three violations, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

Ann E. Donlan, the court’s communications director, disputed the alleged violations and said it would appeal.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lanka national cricket team’s batting coach has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sri Lanka Cricket says Grant Flower, a former Zimbabwe international, tested positive on arrival from England with the team after a series.

He has been isolated from the team and given medical attention for slight symptoms of the illness.

Sri Lanka has reported 268,676 confirmed cases and 3,351 deaths.

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NEW DELHI — India will spend $3.1 billion to create new health care facilities in preparation for another possible wave of coronavirus infections.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya says officials will set up 50 field hospitals, 20,000 intensive care unit beds, 700 pediatric centers and storage facilities for medical oxygen in 700 districts within nine months.

Mandaviya says India has already increased the numbers of oxygen-supported beds to more than 400,000 from 50,000 in March 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government approved the new spending, with the federal government accounting for 65% of it and states 35%.

More than half of India’s reported 400,000 coronavirus deaths, third highest in the world, have occurred in the past two months as the delta variant overwhelmed its health system.

New cases are on the decline after exceeding 400,000 a day in May. Total confirmed cases stand at 30.7 million.

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UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the “grim milestone” of 4 million deaths worldwide from the coronavirus shows that it is outpacing vaccine distribution and the pandemic is far from over.

Guterres says most of the world has not received vaccines and more than half the victims of the coronavirus have died this year.

“Many millions more are at risk if the virus is allowed to spread like wildfire,” Guterres said. “The more it spreads, the more variants we see — variants that are more transmissible, more deadly and more likely to undermine the effectiveness of current vaccines.”

The secretary-general called for “the greatest global public health effort in history” to bridge the vaccine gap.

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LIVONIA, Mich. — One of the largest Catholic health care systems in the U.S. is requiring all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19 to guard against infections and protect patients, staff members and their communities.

Trinity Health is one of the first hospital groups to mandate vaccinations. It says its 117,000 employees across 22 states, plus contractors and others doing business in its health facilities, will have to meet a series of rolling deadlines.

By Sept. 21 they must submit proof of vaccination or face termination, though religious and health exemptions are possible. Trinity Health, based in Livonia, Michigan, estimates that nearly 75% of staffers already have received at least one dose.

CEO Mike Slubowski says in a statement that Trinity Health has had workers and patients die of COVID-19 over the past year, and the mandate will help protect those who can’t be vaccinated such as young children and immunocompromised people.

Trinity Health serves communities that are home to over 30 million people through its 92 hospitals and 113 continuing care locations.

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TOKYO — Fans are banned from the Tokyo Olympics following a state of emergency aimed at containing rising coronavirus infections in the capital.

The measure from the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers excludes local spectators from attending the game, following a ban on fans from overseas that was put in place months earlier.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike says that “many people were looking forward to watching the games at the venues, but I would like everyone to fully enjoy watching the games on TV at home.”

The state of emergency declared by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Sugawas came the same day as IOC President Thomas Bach’s arrival in Japan. Bach will spend three days in quarantine at the five-star hotel that lodges IOC members.

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SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s spy agency has told lawmakers there is no sign that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been inoculated against the coronavirus and his country has not received any foreign vaccines.

Lawmakers who attended the closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service say North Korea’s government is trying to dispel any expectations among ordinary citizens that they will receive vaccines from abroad. It is urging them to boost their anti-virus vigilance.

They added that the agency says Kim does not appear to have any health problem despite recent weight loss, which may have come from dieting to improve his overall condition.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has received 1.13 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan in the second such donation this year.

Taipei has benefited from vaccine diplomacy, receiving near 5 million doses from the United States and Japan following its worst outbreak starting in May.

It has accused China, which claims the self-ruled island as its renegade territory, of intervening to block the delivery of vaccines, something that Beijing denies.

Taiwan had signed commitments to purchase more than 29 million doses, but given global supply constraints and manufacturing delays, it was left with only about 700,000 when the May outbreak hit.

Allies have stepped in to help the island start distributing the shots quickly. About 11% of the population have received at least one dose.

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LONDON — Britain’s transportation secretary says fully vaccinated U.K. residents returning from travel to most countries will no longer have to quarantine starting in July 19.

Travelers still must take a coronavirus test three days before returning to the U.K., and within two days after their arrival. Secretary Grant Shapps also confirms that children under 18 will not need to quarantine after traveling. The changes do not apply to nonresidents.

The government will also scrap guidance advising against travel to countries on the “amber list,” such as the U.S. and Spain.

Currently, people are advised not to fly to those countries unless it is for business or exceptional circumstances and are required to isolate for 10 days afterward.

Shapps says there is no change to the hotel quarantine requirement for arrivals from “red list” countries such as India and South Africa, even among people who are fully vaccinated.

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BERLIN — German authorities say more than 40% of its people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The pace the country’s vaccination campaign has slowed, however. Calls are growing for more creative ways to reach people who have not yet been inoculated, ranging from vaccinations at events to a lottery offering prizes.

Germany’s disease control center says more than 33.9 million people, or 40.8% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and nearly 47.9 million, or 57.6%, have received at least one shot.

The disease control center says there were an average 710,000 vaccinations per day last week, down from 800,500 a week earlier.

Health Minister Jens Spahn tweeted that “With a view to the fall and winter, every vaccination counts now!”

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LONDON — A coronavirus infection survey indicates men gathering to watch England’s progress in soccer’s European Championship may be the reason for more positive tests in recent days.

Interim findings covering June 24 to July 5 from Imperial College London and polling firm Ipsos Mori showed infections quadrupled since the previous so-called React-1 study. According to the survey, one in 170 people in England is infected and there was a recent doubling time of six days.

Paul Elliott, director of the React program at Imperial’s School of Public Health, says the prevalence of the virus was higher in men — 0.7% against 0.5% for women. He speculates that men gathering at homes and pubs to watch the Euros was one reason for the trend.

The study was conducted before tens of thousands of spectators watched England beat Denmark 2-1 in a semifinal match Wednesday evening at London’s Wembley Stadium. England plays again at Wembley on Sunday in the final against Italy.