Coronavirus Global Updates, September 6: Cases near 27 million globally; South Korea reports smallest rise in infections

Here are the top global developments:

Catholic Priest Omar, center, leads a prayer as soldiers pause from disinfecting the Christ the Redeemer area, currently closed during the new coronavirus pandemic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Mexico records 122,765 additional deaths during pandemic

Mexico has recorded 122,765 deaths more than would be expected during the pandemic up to August, the health ministry said on Saturday in a report on excess mortality rates, suggesting Mexico’s true coronavirus toll could be much higher.

Mexico has recorded 67,326 confirmed coronavirus deaths and 629,409 cases, the world’s fourth-highest death toll from the virus that has infected more than 26 million people around the globe. Mexico’s government has often said the real number of infected people is likely to be significantly higher than the confirmed cases due to the low levels of testing.

A police officer wearing a mask as a precaution against the spread of the new coronavirus stands guard near the Capitol during curfew in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Brazil reports 30,168 coronavirus cases, 682 deaths

Brazil recorded 30,168 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, as well as 682 deaths from the disease, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. Brazil has registered 4.1 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 126,203, according to ministry data.

Brazil has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases and related deaths in the world. India, which has now registered more than 4 million cases, could soon overtake Brazil.

People disinfect as a precaution against the coronavirus at a local market in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

France reports 8,550 new daily infections

French health authorities reported 8,550 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, down from Friday’s 8,975. Friday’s figure had set a new all-time high of daily additional infections since the disease started to spread in the country at the end of the winter. The number of people in France who have died from COVID-19 increased by 12 to 30,698, and the cumulative number of cases now totals 317,706.

Venezuela health workers get first payment from funds frozen in US

Venezuelan health workers have started receiving $100 monthly payments financed by funds that the United States seized from the government of President Nicolas Maduro, opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Saturday. The U.S. Treasury Department in August approved the use of the funds to help Venezuela’s health personnel on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 amid a hyperinflationary economic crisis.

A child gets hand gel from her mother, wearing a face mask to fight against the spread of the coronavirus, before entering the Heembeek primary school during the first school day of the new season in Brussels, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

“Men and women who earned between $6 and $8 per month now have an account,” Guaido said in a social media broadcast, adding that some 3,000 workers doctors and nurses have received the money.

China’s CNBG, Sinovac find more countries to test vaccines

China National Biotec Group (CNBG) and Sinovac Biotech Ltd said on Saturday they have each found two more countries to run late-stage clinical tests of their coronavirus vaccine candidates, as China steps up its efforts in the global race. Serbia and Pakistan have agreed to participate in the Phase 3 trials of CNBG’s vaccine candidates while Sinovac has received approval from Turkey and Bangladesh.

Medical professionals collect samples from a man at a makeshift Covid-19 testing site at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong Tuesday, Sept.1, 2020. (Anthony Kwan /Pool Photo via AP)

The two companies are seeking more data from overseas as new cases in China are dwindling. Serbia will test two vaccines developed by CNBG’s Wuhan and Beijing units, and Pakistan will test the Beijing unit’s candidate, the company told Reuters. Trials have already begun in United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Peru, Morocco, Argentina and Jordan. Zhang said foreign countries have expressed interest in ordering a combined 500 million doses of its vaccines.

Germany’s confirmed cases rise by 988

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 988 to 249,985, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by one to 9,325, the tally showed.

Virus deaths surpass 1,000 as Israel mulls new restrictions

Virus deaths surpass 1,000 as Israel mulls new restrictionsThe death toll from the coronavirus in Israel has surpassed 1,000, as the government on Sunday mulled steps for imposing new restrictions to quell a resurgence in infections. Israel had earned praise for its early handling of the virus crisis and imposing tight movement restrictions.

Since reopening the economy in May, however, new cases have spiked to record levels and the government has been blamed for mismanaging the resurgence.

Weekly protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his corruption trial have expanded to include demonstrations against his handling of the health crisis and the resulting economic pain. More than 3,000 new cases a day have been confirmed in the most recent spike, raising the specter of a renewed nationwide lockdown.