More people had Covid-19 diagnosed in the past seven days than in any other week since the start of the pandemic.
Infections topped 5.2 million globally, with the worst outbreaks accelerating in many countries that are ill-equipped to deal with them.
The worrisome trend comes days after the world passed three million deaths, with countries rushing to distribute vaccinations to get the virus under control.
There was a 12 per cent increase in infections this week, Johns Hopkins University said, casting doubt on the hope that the end of the pandemic is in sight.
The weekly increase passed the previous high set in mid-December.
While infection rates have largely slowed in the US and UK, countries in the developing world, particularly India and Brazil, have surging caseloads.
A leading epidemiologist at the World Health Organisation said on Monday that the latest rise in Covid-19 infections worldwide included increases among all age groups.
"We are seeing a slight age shift in some countries, driven by social mixing," Maria van Kerkhove told a WHO briefing.
The global death toll is also gaining momentum again.
Fatalities have increased for the past month and hit about 82,000 for the week ending April 18, an average of almost 12,000 a day.
That was up from a little more than 60,000 in the week ending March 14, or about 8,600 a day.
The world can bring the global Covid-19 pandemic under control in coming months provided it distributes the necessary resources fairly, the director general of the WHO said on Monday.
"We have the tools to bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months if we apply them consistently and equitably," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
But Dr Tedros also expressed concern over the "alarming rate" at which Covid-19 was spreading in those aged between 25 and 59 worldwide, possibly caused by more contagious variants.
"It took nine months to reach one million deaths; four months to reach two million, and three months to reach three million," he said.
India and Brazil are the two largest contributors in driving up cases globally.
Facing a sudden surge in coronavirus infections, India is again home to the world's second-largest outbreak, overtaking Brazil, which moved ahead in March.
Hospitals from Mumbai to Sao Paulo are under increasing pressure as admissions continue to rise.
New variants of the virus have also sent infections surging further.
Brazil is where one of the most potentially deadly coronavirus mutations, the P1 variant, was identified in December.
Studies suggest these strains, along with variants first seen in South Africa and Britain, are more contagious.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THREE
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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