BBC Midlands Today

More surge vaccination centres are to open in Nuneaton after cases of the Indian Covid variant were found in the town.

Testing has been increased in the Wembrook and Abbey wards with hundreds of tests handed out to people on their doorsteps.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said, external nine cases of the variant were discovered in the town earlier this month.

Two temporary test sites have been set up at Bermuda Park and Attleborough Fields Industrial Centre.

Image source, AFP

The Nigerian authorities have declared 90 travellers who recently arrived from Brazil, India and Turkey as "health hazards" after they failed to observe health protocols meant to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

They are wanted after failing to present themselves for Covid-19 tests and evaluation upon arrival, according to the presidential steering committee on Covid-19.

The group includes 63 Nigerians and 27 foreigners who arrived between 8 May and 15 May. They arrived through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

In a statement, the committee said the offenders face possible sanctions, including disabling of their travel passports for one year; cancellation of visas or permits of foreigners and prosecution.

It said they pose considerable danger to public health for evading the mandatory seven-day quarantine for persons arriving from restricted countries.

The travellers have been asked to present themselves to any public health office by Tuesday for immediate evaluation.

Earlier this month, the committee issued an advisory for passengers arriving from the three countries.

Five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Monday morning.

India took less than a month to record its last 100,000 deaths but experts warn the toll is much higher.

One-to-one lessons are allowed but school choirs are not yet permitted to sing together indoors.

People tell BBC News NI what they are looking forward to as Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease.

At least 10% of every country's population should be vaccinated by September, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says.

Nancy Kacungira
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

It’s probably true to say that the one thing the entire world has collectively been thinking about in the last year is Covid and the vaccines that will defeat the infection.

Although some countries in Africa have done well at getting their citizens the jab, Africa remains the least vaccinated continent.

Rhoda Odhiambo is the BBC's African health correspondent. She says so-called vaccine nationalism is to blame and even if countries believe they are taking care of their own populations, “a country cannot declare itself safe if the world is not clear of coronavirus.”

Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion about what difference could be made to the situation if the big pharmaceutical companies waived their intellectual property rights on their vaccines - allowing countries to copy and produce the formula cheaply.

Catherine Kyobutungi is a Ugandan epidemiologist and Executive Director of the African Population and Health Research Centre. She told us many things need to be considered and that “one school of thought is that intellectual property waivers should be accompanied by voluntary technology transfer”.

She says otherwise it would be like getting “the ingredients but not the recipe.”

So, there’s an argument for both intellectual property waivers.

In Africa Daily I look at whether Africa can produce its own Covid vaccines.

Subscribe to the show on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Independent Scientific Advocacy Group recommends ways to ensure lockdown easing is sustainable.

People in overcrowded homes will be offered alternative accommodation in a bid to improve compliance.

What is the effect of one of the longest pandemic indoor-dining bans in the world?

Trials suggest dogs could contribute to efforts to prevent the spread of Covid at mass gatherings.

Health chief urges people to get their second jab, as more than 760,000 doses are given in a day.

The home secretary rejects a claim by ex-aide Dominic Cummings that ministers wanted the virus to spread.

The health secretary says restrictions in the city could ease if intensive care numbers do not go up.

They are effective against symptomatic disease but protection is low after only one dose, a study says.

It comes as health officials report two new deaths and 46 cases as Wales' case rate remains low.

The health secretary says the city could move to level two if the number of patients in intensive care do not increase.

Dr Jenny Harries urged people to get their second jab during an interview on The Andrew Mar show.

Trowbridge Museum in Wiltshire opens for the first time in three years after Covid delays.