COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 23 June

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 179.1 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 3.88 million. More than 2.7 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is the biggest threat to U.S. attempts to eradicate the disease within its borders, U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a Tuesday press call.

US officials have also said that the country is likely to miss its target of delivering at least one COVID-19 vaccine to 70% of adults by 4 July.

The University of Oxford is testing an anti-parasitic drug - ivermectin - as a possible treatment for COVID-19. The research is part of a UK government-backed study to aid recoveries in non-hospital settings.

AstraZeneca said yesterday its COVID-19 vaccine is effective against Delta and Kappa variants, citing an Oxford University study.

The European Union has taken up an option to buy an additional 150 million doses of the Moderna vaccine from the US drugmaker.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, will offer free COVID-19 vaccines to tourists.

Sweden will offer COVID-19 vaccines to all people aged 16 and over, the Health Agency announced yesterday. This expands the rollout, which was previously limited to those 18 and older.

India has declared a new COVID-19 variant to be of concern, saying nearly two dozen cases have been detected in three states.

The variant, identified locally as 'Delta plus', was found in 16 cases in Maharashtra state Federal Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told a news conference.

The ministry said Delta plus showed increased transmissibility.

On Monday, India vaccinated a record 8.6 million people, as it begins to offer free shots to all adults.

The COVID-19 alert level in New Zealand capital Wellington has been raised over concerns the city might have been exposed to the Delta variant.

The city will move to the country's 'Alert Level 2' - one level short of lockdown - until midnight Sunday. The precautionary move comes after an Australian tourist tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to Sydney from a visit to Wellington.

"This is not a lockdown ... these are precautionary measures, which will remain in place while we contact trace and test all of those we need to," New Zealand's COVID-response minister, Chris Hipkins, said at a news conference in Wellington.

Under the alert level, offices, schools and businesses can remain open but will have to maintain social distancing rules. Sport and recreation activities are allowed, subject to conditions, but gatherings of more than 100 people are not allowed, including weddings, funeral and other events.