Nepal receives 348,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (The Kathmandu Post)
New Caledonia orders a strict lockdown for two weeks beginning at midnight tomorrow following the detection of nine COVID-19 cases among non-quarantined travellers arriving from Wallis and Futuna. (Radio France Internationale)
North Macedonia grants emergency use authorization for Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. (Yahoo! Finance)
Ohio reports its first cases of the Lineage P.1 variant first detected in Brazil. (The Cincinnati Enquirer)
Slovakia reports its first seven cases of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa. (The Slovak Spectator)
Sri Lanka receives its first shipment of 264,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (The New Indian Express)
2021 Bata explosions The death toll from yesterday's explosions in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, rises to 98 people. More than 615 others are wounded. (Al Jazeera)
Austria reports its first case of the Lineage P.2 variant first detected in Brazil in a person from Salzburg state. (The Local Austria)
Cyprus, Greece, and Israel sign an agreement to build the world's largest and deepest submarine power cable that will connect the three Mediterranean countries' power grids at a cost of about $900 million. The project is expected to be completed by 2024. (Kathimerini)
EuroAsia Interconnector Cyprus, Greece, and Israel sign an agreement to build the world's largest and deepest submarine power cable that will connect the three Mediterranean countries' power grids at a cost of about $900 million. The project is expected to be completed by 2024. (Kathimerini)
Greece reports its youngest death from COVID-19. The patient was a 37-day-old infant. (Times of Malta)
Hawaii reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa in a person from Oahu with no known travel history. (AP)
Indonesia receives its first shipment of 1.1 million doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine supplied through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (The Jakarta Post)
Italy surpasses 100,000 deaths from COVID-19, becoming the second country in Europe to reach the milestone after the United Kingdom. (France 24)
Michigan reports their first case of the 501.V2 variant that originated in South Africa in a child from Jackson County. (WOOD-TV)
Mongolia reports a record 108 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3,336. (Xinhua News Agency)
The death toll from yesterday's explosions in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, rises to 98 people. More than 615 others are wounded. (Al Jazeera)
The region of Campania enters a lockdown which is expected to end on March 21. (Euronews)
At least 39 people are dead while 165 others are rescued when two boats sink off the coast of Tunisia while trying to reach Lampedusa, Italy. (Al Jazeera)
Brazil reports a record 1,972 new deaths in the past 24 hours amid slow vaccination rollout and overwhelmed hospitals, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 268,370. (France 24)
British Columbia reports its first three cases of Lineage P.1 variant first detected in Brazil. (Vancouver Sun)
Governor Mike Dunleavy announces that Alaska will drop its eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 vaccine and allow all residents over the age of 16 to receive it, thereby becoming the first state to do so. The state has also led other states in the percentage of its population to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (AP)
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum receives the COVID-19 vaccine. (AP)
Núria Calduch becomes the first female Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission named by Pope Francis. (Catholic Philly)
The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority approves the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. (Bloomberg News)
The Philippines surpasses 600,000 total COVID-19 cases. (ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs)
Tunisia receives its first major shipment of 30,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. (Africanews)
Ukraine grants approval for the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine. (Reuters)
Zimbabwe grants emergency use authorization for four COVID-19 vaccines, including China's CoronaVac and BBIBP-CorV, Russia's Sputnik V, and India's Covaxin. (News24)
A bus carrying dozens of pilgrims plunges into a ravine in Indonesia's Java island, killing at least 27 people. (Arab News)
Brazil reports a record 2,286 new deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours as intensive care units in 25 of 27 regional capitals reach near-full capacity, thereby bringing the nationwide death toll to 270,656. (National Post) (BBC News)
Bulgaria reports 3,502 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total since December 11, and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 266,805. (Novinite)
Jordan approves the emergency use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Gulf News)
Karnataka reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa. (Mint)
Kenya approves the emergency use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Bloomberg News)
Mongolia reports a record 109 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3,481. (Big News Network)
New Jersey reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant first detected in South Africa. (NJ)
Pakistan begins COVID-19 vaccination rollout for those aged 60 years or older as part of the second phase of their vaccination programme. (Al Jazeera)
Poland reports 17,260 new cases in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total since November, and it subsequently brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1,828,313. (Anadolu Agency)
Saskatchewan surpasses 30,000 cases of COVID-19, and 400 related deaths. (Global News)
2021 Cairo clothing factory fire At least 20 people are killed and 24 others injured in a fire at a clothing factory in Cairo, Egypt. (Al Jazeera)
At least 20 people are killed and 24 others injured in a fire at a clothing factory in Cairo, Egypt. (Al Jazeera)
Belarus reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which originated in the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
Benin receives a shipment of 144,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (Ecofin Agency)
Cambodia reports its first death from COVID-19. The patient is a 50-year-old man from Phnom Penh. (Khmer Times)
Eswatini receives a shipment of 20,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (Anadolu Agency)
Governor of São Paulo João Doria announces the suspension of all professional sports from March 15 until March 30 amid a rise of the number of COVID-19 cases. (AP)
Hungary reports a record 8,312 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 489,172. (Hungary Today)
Iran receives a shipment of 150,000 doses of the Indian Covaxin vaccine. (The Times of India)
Minnesota reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which originated in South Africa. The patient is a person from the Twin Cities area who became ill on January 24 and tested positive on January 29. (KSTP-TV)
Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Leo Boccardi, until now apostolic nuncio in Iran, as apostolic nuncio in Japan. (Holy See Press Office)
South Dakota reports its first case of the Lineage B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which originated in the United Kingdom. (Rapid City Journal)
The Gaza Strip receives 40,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from the United Arab Emirates. (Ynet)
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announces a uniform curfew in Metro Manila for two weeks beginning on March 15 in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. (Rappler)
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, test positive for COVID-19. (The Local Sweden)
A lockdown will start on March 15 and last until April 6 for the Italian regions of Lombardy, Apulia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Lazio, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, and Marche, thereby bringing the total number of regions under lockdown in the country to 11. The Autonomous Province of Trento is also placed under a lockdown, while strict measures are imposed for eight more regions. Between April 3–5, the entire country will be placed under a lockdown. (Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata)
Arizona reports its first three case of the Lineage P.1 variant, which originated in Brazil. (The Arizona Republic)
Auckland returns to alert level 1 and lifts all COVID-19-related restrictions aside from their face mask requirement on public transport after no community cases were found. (The New Zealand Herald)
Azerbaijan approves general use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. (Yahoo! Finance)
Belarus reports 1,186 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 300,146 cases. (Belarusian Telegraph Agency)
Brazil reports 85,663 new confirmed cases and 2,216 more deaths from COVID-19, surpassing India as the country with the second-highest number of cases in the world, and also bringing Brazil's total cases to 11,363,380. (Bloomberg News)
Sri Lanka reports its first case of the 501.V2 variant, which originated in South Africa, in a person who travelled from Tanzania and is currently staying at a quarantine centre. (Ada Derana)
The French Haute Autorité de Santé approves the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (U.S. News & World Report)
The Italian Medicines Agency approves the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (Reuters)
Turkey reports 14,941 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total this year, and brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 2,850,930. (CNA)
Australia reports its first local COVID-19 cases in two weeks, when a doctor in Brisbane tests positive. (The Independent)
France reaches a milestone of five million people having received their first vaccination shot. (Reuters)
Georgia receives 43,200 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine distributed through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (Agenda)
Hungary reports a record 9,444 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 507,627. (Hungary Today)
Jordan receives 144,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine distributed through the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative. (Roya News)
Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso member Silvio Favero, known for introducing a bill against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, dies from COVID-19 in Cuiabá, Brazil. (Euro Weekly News)
Mongolia reports a record 169 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, thereby bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 3,833. (Xinhua News Agency)
The Philippines reports its first case of the Lineage P.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in a person who travelled from Brazil. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
The United Kingdom formally declares China to be in breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, saying that China is now in "a state of ongoing non-compliance" of the treaty. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says that the UK will "continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong". (Financial Times)
Wales begins to ease their first step of lockdown restrictions, with "stay-at-home" replaced by "stay local". According to new rules, four people from two households can meet outside and outdoor sports can be resumed. (The Daily Telegraph)
