TOP HEADLINES 

• Germany's vaccine committee has recommended mixing AstraZeneca with another jab, such and Pfizer or Moderna, for better protection against the Delta variant. It added that the immune response is "clearly superior" when the first dose of AstraZeneca is mixed with an mRNA vaccine. 

• The European Medicines Agency claims two doses of its four approved vaccines are effective against the more aggressive Delta variant. This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the variant could fuel another wave of cases in Europe.  

• An estimated 1.36 million foreign tourists visited Spain in May of this year, a stark contrast to the same period last year when no tourists were allowed in because of lockdown. The travelers boosted the economy by spending $1.64 billion but that was 83 percent less than the amount parted with in May 2019.

• Portugal is imposing a night-time curfew in 45 municipalities, including Lisbon and the city of Porto, to curb a spike in cases. The curfew will be in place between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. every day.

• COVAX, the vaccine-sharing initiative, has urged the EU not to prioritize some WHO-approved vaccines over others when imposing travel restrictions. The EU-wide vaccine certificate that recently came into effect does not recognize Covishield, the version of AstraZeneca's jab produced in India and widely used in Africa.

• The pandemic has killed at least 3.9 million people worldwide, according to reports by health authorities across the globe. The U.S. is the worst-hit country, with 604,714 deaths. It's followed by Brazil, India, Mexico and Peru.

• India's official death toll is now over 400,000, placing it behind only the U.S. and Brazil. However, experts believe that number is more likely to be over 1 million because of the previous spike that overwhelmed hospitals, meaning many people died without ever receiving treatment. 

• China administered 19.47 million doses yesterday, with 1.26 billion doses administered overall, according to Reuters.

ACROSS EUROPE 

Ryan Thompson in Frankfurt 

Despite an increase in cases of the more transmissible Delta variant, the number of new infections continues to decline across Germany. As of Friday, the national incidence rate was 5.0 – meaning the average number of new daily cases over seven days per 100,000 people was only five. 

Some parts of the country are tapering their payments for free rapid testing, which has guided Germany's cautious reopening. This includes Thuringia in southeastern Germany, where the number of pharmacies that offer free tests on behalf of the health authorities has recently fallen to 57 from 70.

Penelope Liersch in Budapest 

Yesterday Hungary recorded no daily deaths for the first time since September 2020. Today the achievement was repeated. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has promised during his weekly radio interview that the next vaccine target of administering 5.5 million first doses will be reached on Friday. 

Once the milestone is reached, restrictions will be eased further, with mask requirements removed except for inside hospitals and social institutions. Immunity certificates and proof of vaccination will no longer be required for restaurants, hotels, leisure facilities, cinemas and theaters. Vaccination cards will still be required for mass events such as festivals and sporting matches. 

Orban also spoke about concerns over a fourth wave, saying it is being discussed by the government. There are concerns about the Delta variant and the impact on those who are not vaccinated. 

He is confident the damage will be less severe than the third wave. Almost 30,000 people have died in Hungary, according to government data. In a population of 10 million it has one of the worst death rates per capita in the world.  

Nawied Jabarkhyl in London

COVID-19 will be high on the agenda when Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel meets UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday. The trip is her final one to the country as leader of the EU's wealthiest nation.

Travel between the two sides is set to be discussed as concerns are growing in the bloc about letting in tourists from the UK, after a rise in Delta variant cases in the country.

Meanwhile, doctors and nurses in England could go on strike if the government doesn't increase its planned 1 percent pay rise. Unions representing health workers say the figures should be much higher, given the ongoing pandemic.

FROM OUR GLOBAL COLLEAGUES

CGTN Europe: EU launches Digital COVID-19 certificate but only for approved vaccines

CGTN China: Chinese mainland reports 18 new COVID-19 cases, all from overseas

CGTN America: Colombia begins lifting COVID-19 restrictions

CGTN Africa: World Bank financing vaccine rollout for developing countries

Sign up here to get the COVID-19 Europe bulletin sent directly to your inbox.

CGTN Europe has been providing in-depth coverage of the novel coronavirus story as it has unfolded.