Coronavirus: UK records another 3,398 cases and seven deaths – as it happened | World news

Hundreds of anti-vaccine passport protesters invaded the Westfield shopping centre in London on Saturday evening at the culmination of a mass march that drew many thousands and snaked miles through central and west London.

There were tussles with police who tried to block access through one entrance to the shopping centre at about 6pm, before protesters quickly realised that another door just yards away was unguarded.

Hundreds made it into the shopping centre where they stayed for about half an hour chanting “no more lockdowns” and “take your freedom back” before they were cleared by police with batons drawn, although without scenes of violence.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, thousands of mask-wearing people blocked one the largest city’s avenues. One large balloon depicted President Bolsonaro as a vampire.

Some protests, like the one in Rio, included images of former leftist president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva wearing the presidential sash.

Authorities in Vietnam have detected a new coronavirus variant that is a combination of the Indian and UK Covid-19 variants and spreads quickly by air, Reuters reports.

After successfully containing the virus for most of last year, Vietnam is grappling with a rise in infections since late April that accounts for more than half of the total 6,856 registered cases. So far, there have been 47 deaths.

“At the present time, we have not yet made an assessment of the virus variant reported in Vietnam,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Technical Lead for Covid-19, said.

“Our country office is working with the Ministry of Health in Vietnam and we expect more information soon.”

From the WHO’s current understanding, the variant detected in Vietnam was the B.1.617.2 variant, more commonly known as the Indian variant, possibly with an additional mutation, she said.

“However we will provide more information as soon as we receive it,” Van Kerkhove added.

Mexico reported 2,725 coronavirus cases and a further 383 deaths on Saturday, according to health ministry data.

It brings the overall number of cases to 2,411,503 and the death toll to 223,455, Reuters reports.

Holidaymakers affected by Covid lockdowns and state border closures might not be eligible for refunds from bookings company Airbnb, which no longer considers pandemic cancellations to be “unforeseen”.

The change to Airbnb’s cancellations and refunds policy, introduced in October last year, means Covid is no longer considered an extenuating circumstance.

Guests affected by pandemic-related transportation disruptions and border closures will be at the mercy of individual hosts’ cancellation policies.

“After the declaration of Covid-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, the extenuating circumstances policy no longer applies because Covid-19 and its consequences are no longer unforeseen or unexpected,” Airbnb says on its website.

A hat shop in Nashville, Tennessee that reportedly sold “Not Vaccinated” badges resembling the yellow Star of David which Jewish people were forced to wear by the Nazis has removed a post promoting the item, following extensive criticism online.

Anti-vaccine protest in London descends into clashes between protesters and police.

Boris Johnson and the UK government are too busy “covering their own backs” to properly counter the threat posed by the Indian coronavirus variant, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer claimed.

Following Dominic Cummings’ explosive evidence about the prime minister’s handling of the pandemic, Sir Keir said “mistakes are being repeated” as the government considers whether to further ease restrictions.

Writing in the Observer, Sir Keir said Johnson’s reluctance to impose a second lockdown in autumn last year meant “avoidable and unforgivable” deaths in the second wave of the virus.

“The first wave we faced an unprecedented crisis. Decision making was undoubtedly difficult. Mistakes were inevitable. And the British public understand that.

“But by the summer, we knew much more about the virus.

“The prime minister was warned to prepare for a second wave. He did not do so. And over twice as many people died in the second wave than in the first.”

Lebanon vaccinated more than 10,000 people on Saturday as part of a day-long vaccine “marathon” organised by the health ministry to ramp up inoculation rates in the crisis-hit country.

The ministry said that by 6.30pm (15.30 GMT), 10,452 people over the age of 30 received jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine at different facilities across the country.

They were allowed to enter vaccination centres on a walk-in basis from early Saturday morning in what health authorities have dubbed a vaccine “marathon”.

The capital Beirut and some other parts of the country were excluded from the initiative, but outgoing health minister Hamad Hassan said there were plans for a second such event that would cover more areas, AFP reports.

Hundreds of maskless protesters demonstrated against coronavirus restrictions in front of EU buildings in Brussels on Saturday, with many yelling “Freedom” and claiming Covid-19 was no worse than the flu.

The protest started in a major city park and marched towards a square where EU offices, including the European Commission building, are located, AFP reports.

Belgian police blocked access to the square with barbed wire and a line of 40 officers in riot gear prevented demonstrators moving closer.

A water cannon idled nearby, but was not used, and the protest dispersed after around four hours.