Nigeria has not recorded polio virus in two years – Health Minister

Luiz Henrique Mandetta, a doctor by training, was President Jair Bolsonaro's health minister at the start of the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil. Amid a dispute with the president over social distancing measures, he was fired in April. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Dr Mandetta strongly criticised the Brazilian leader: "His management of the situation... has shocked people. The underplaying of the crisis from the beginning has shocked the world, because other countries put the crisis ahead of the economic consequences. He's out on a limb saying that he does not want to stop the economy."

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.⁣

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣

Cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga is set to become Brazil's fourth new health minister in a year. The country saw its worst week since the beginning of the pandemic.

Brazil's new health minister, Marcelo Queiroga, says he is committed to accelerating Brazil's vaccination campaign to achieve at least one million vaccines per day, after the country surpassed 300,000 deaths from Covid-19.

Berlin has pledged €50 million to boost vaccine production in South Africa. German Health Minister Jens Spahn told DW that BioNTech and other vaccine makers were willing to help speed up the process.

Germany will return to normal pre-pandemic life next year, according to Health Minister Jens Spahn. The WHO has recorded a decline in infections and deaths globally. All the latest with DW.

Health Minister Jens Spahn has stressed there's an alternative to Germany's homegrown BioNTech-Pfizer jab. He had come under fire from medical groups for limiting supplies in order to use up the country's Moderna stock.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said his announcement of scrapping obligatory isolation for people infected with COVID was a mistake and sent the wrong signal.

While the official threshold for a COVID wave has not yet been reached, South Africa is facing a surge of infections driven by omicron sub-variants.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has recommended the voluntary wearing of masks in indoor public spaces amid a summer wave of infections. He also indicated that stricter rules are likely on their way.

Lauterbach is self-isolating at home while continuing to conduct official duties. Germany is likely to reintroduce measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in winter.