Coronavirus live: EU deal on Covid passes to open travel; two doses of AstraZeneca jab 85%-90% effective

Covid certificates designed to open up tourism across bloc; two doses of AstraZeneca jab 85% to 90% effective against symptomatic disease

• Britain in talks to waive vaccine patents to improve global access
• Covid still a threat to Europe - travel should be avoided, says WHO
• Covid wave catches Argentina off-guard
• Stench of death pervades rural India as Ganges swells with Covid victims

11.40pm BST

Our full story on New York's lottery incentive:

New Yorkers could win up to $5m from the New York state lottery if they get vaccinated against Covid-19 at a state-run clinic, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday.

Related: New York governor announces $5m Covid vaccine lottery incentive

9.55pm BST

Brazil has detected its first six cases of the variant first detected in India, in crew members who arrived aboard a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, officials said on Thursday.

Tests identified the B.1.617.2 variant of the Covid-19 virus in samples taken from crew of the MV Shandong Da Zhi," which arrived from South Africa, the health ministry for the northeastern state of Maranhao said in a statement.