Live Updates: Saudi Arabia Bans This Year's Hajj for Foreign Muslims Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Vietnamese Health Ministry has green-lighted the emergency use of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, making it the fourth approved medicine against COVID-19 in the national vaccine portfolio, the government's online news portal reported on Saturday.

The approval of the vaccine was made on the recommendation of Pfizer Vietnam company, an exclusive distributor of the drug in the country. The vaccine doses will be imported from Pfizer's plant located in Belgium and the BioNTech's site in Germany, according to the portal.

The government of Vietnam plans to vaccinate 70% of the country's population against coronavirus by the end of 2021, a goal requiring at least 150 million shots.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Some 30 million French citizens received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine across the country, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Saturday.

"Goal achieved! Thank you to all those who are mobilizing for vaccination: it is thanks to you that we will win the battle against the virus," Castex tweeted, urging those who have not yet been inoculated to receive shots against the virus.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of COVID-19 patients on lung ventilators in Moscow hospitals has increased by nearly 30% since last week, to almost 500 people, Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova told reporters on Saturday.

"In Moscow hospitals working with coronavirus patients, 498 people are now on ventilators, which is almost 30% more than a week ago", Rakova said.

According to the official, the coronavirus infections have grown by 70%, while the number of hospitalizations rose by 30% over the past week, marking the first such increase since the beginning of 2021.

Rakova also noted that over the past two months the share of COVID-19 infections in the age group of 18-35 years has risen by 35%.

"[The number of cases among the young] now accounts for almost a third of the total number of [coronavirus] cases. That is why public places, which are most often visited by young people, will suspend their work", she explained.

Earlier in the day, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a fresh set of restrictions to combat the resurging virus in the Russian capital. In particular, the authorities introduced a curfew for the food and entertainment facilities from 11 p.m. – 6 a.m., restricted sport and recreation activities in city parks, and pledged to strengthen control over compliance with the health rules.

Besides, the mayor extended the national holidays from June 12-14 until June 19 and recommended that enterprises reduce the physical presence of their workers by 30%.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The adverse reactions after the COVID-19 vaccines in Russia were recorded in no more than 0.1% of cases, Alla Samoylova, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare, Roszdravnadzor, told Sputnik.

"The adverse reactions after the use of vaccines against the coronavirus have been so far recorded in no more than 0.1% of vaccinated [people] in the Russian Federation", Samoylova said.

Russia conducts the free vaccination against COVID-19 in all regions, having registered four homemade vaccines – Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona, CoviVac and Sputnik Light.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced new restrictions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the Russian capital, temporarily closing food and entertainment facilities from 11 p.m. – 6 a.m.

"The services to visitors in catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, bars) as well as nightclubs, karaoke bars, bowling, disco [clubs] and other entertainment facilities are forbidden at nighttime – from 11 p.m. – 6 a.m.", the statement said.

In addition, the mayor said that recreation and entertainment facilities, including those for children and sports activities, in city parks will also be closed.

"Attractions, sports facilities, attractions, rental centers, summer houses and other recreation and entertainment facilities will be closed in large city parks and recreational areas. Effectively, walking is the only thing permitted in parks", the statement added.

Sobyanin added that Moscow will repeatedly face problems with the number of COVID-19 cases until people are vaccinated en masse.

The city authorities will strengthen its control over the compliance with the COVID-19 restrictions, the mayor’s press office told Sputnik.

"Earlier we strengthened the control over wearing masks and gloves in public places and on transport as well as following the sanitary requirements by enterprises and organisations. Today we speak about extra restrictions starting from 13 June; the control over them will be also set", the press office said.

Currently, the Moscow authorities do not discuss bringing back the permit regime.

Since Monday, Moscow has been witnessing the increase in daily number of COVID-19 cases. The city has so far registered over 1.2 million cases and more 20,838 deaths caused by the disease.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - There is a possibility that domestic mutations of COVID-19 may emerge in the future, Denis Logunov, the Russian Gamaleya National Centre deputy head, said on Saturday.

"The main thing is that in Moscow there could be its own 'Moscow' [COVID-19] strains", Logunov said, during his talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It's clear that the Indian variant is more transmissible and it's also true that the cases are going up, and that the levels of hospitalisation are going up," he told Sky News. "Now, we don't know exactly to what extent that is going to feed through into extra mortality, but clearly it's a matter of serious, serious concern".

DOHA (Sputnik) - The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah decided that only the kingdom's citizens and residents would be allowed to carry out the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi state media reported on Saturday.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, no more than 60,000 Muslims can make the pilgrimage this year.

This is the second year in a row that foreign Muslims are banned from visiting their holy cities. Last year, due to the COVID-19, the kingdom selected only 10,000 Muslims living in Saudi Arabia for making the Hajj.

"Now, based on the data on the current epidemiological situation and on the efforts that we have made as a society, today we can take a small step forward ... That is why some activities will be restricted from 11.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. ... From June 12, bars and restaurants will be open until 11.00 p.m, but only with outdoor tables", Mayor Horacio Larreta told reporters.