The number of new Covid-19 cases continued to fall last week, with 3.6 million new cases reported globally, down from 4m new infections the previous week, AP quotes the World Health Organisation as saying.

In its latest update on the pandemic, WHO said there were major decreases in cases in two regions: a 22 per cent fall in the Middle East and a 16pc drop in Southeast Asia.

The UN health agency said there were just under 60,000 deaths in the past week, a 7pc decline. While in Southeast Asia, it reported a 30pc decrease in Covid-19 deaths.