MOSCOW: Russia’s Saint Petersburg posted record Covid-19 deaths Monday as it prepares to host a Euro 2020 quarter-final despite the spread of the Delta variant, which is fueling infection surges around the world and causing a headache for major sporting events.
While wealthy countries have started bringing down infections through rapid vaccination drives, outbreaks are still raging from Bangladesh to South America with the spread of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India.
The strain, now in 85 countries, is the most contagious of any Covid-19 variant so far identified, the World Health Organization says.
The surge has caused alarm for the Euro 2020 football tournament taking place in numerous locations throughout Europe.