Portugal's COVID-19 deaths top 10,000

COVID-19 deaths in Portugal passed the 10,000 mark Saturday after a record 274 fatalities were counted in the past 24 hours, according to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).

Saturday also saw the country's daily infections hitting a new high at 15,333. To date, Portugal has recorded 10,194 deaths and 624,469 cases, DGS said.

The surge in infections and deaths in the past week -- mainly attributed to the coronavirus variant first detected in Britain -- has prompted the government to close schools for 15 days.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in Portugal and other countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 237 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 64 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Orgzation on Jan. 15. (/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )