Covid 19

GEORGE TOWN (Bernama): Factories and construction sites in Penang have contributed a major portion of Covid-19 cases in the state, says state Housing, Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman, Jagdeep Singh Deo. He said the local enforcement authorities have been constantly monitoring the premises throughout the state and taking firm action to curb the Covid-19 transmission. Jagdeep said that as of this month, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has issued stop-work orders on five construction sites due to the Covid-19 cases detected. "Three of the construction sites are located in the Northeast district and the other two in the Southwest district,” he told reporters at Dewan Sri Pinang, here. He said other premises such as factories and markets would be shut down if there is at least one Covid-19 case found. "Looking at the record-high number of Covid-19 cases in Penang on Wednesday (Sept 8), the state government has to up the ante and implement ... » Learn More about Penang exco: State’s Covid-19 cases mostly from factories, construction sites

SINGAPORE - Singapore reported 450 new locally transmitted cases on Thursday (Sept 9) - the highest number of local cases since August last year. It is also more than double the number of cases one week ago, on Sept 2, when it stood at 191. Of the locally transmitted cases, 108 were seniors above the age of 60, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update on Thursday (Sept 9). There were also seven imported cases, making a total of 457 cases. The previous daily record was 908 cases, on August 5, 2020. The total number of infections in Singapore stands at 70,039. An unvaccinated 62-year-old man died from complications due to Covid-19 infection on Monday (Sept 6), bringing Singapore's Covid-19 death toll to 57. The Singaporean man tested positive for the coronavirus on July 21. He was originally taken to Singapore General Hospital for an unrelated medical condition on July 20. He had a history of cancer and bronchiectasis. There were two new large clusters ... » Learn More about 450 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Sept 9; highest since August 2020

MUMBAI - As India's financial capital, Mumbai, gets ready for its biggest festival of the year, daily coronavirus cases have surged, rising more than twofold in less than a month, even as the authorities imposed curbs to prevent a further spike. Markets were bustling and streets were crowded as people prepared for the 11-day festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrating the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha, which begins on Friday (Sept 10). Covid-19 cases in the city, which were at a low of 190 on Aug 16, rose to 530 daily infections on Wednesday, according to government data. Mumbai recorded a peak of 11,000 cases during India's devastating second wave this year, but won accolades for the way it recovered and curbed infections. Most coronavirus-related restrictions have been lifted in the city, including on its famed local trains, which are now open to fully vaccinated travellers. But as the Ganesh festival approaches, the authorities have imposed fresh curbs on public ... » Learn More about Mumbai gets ready to celebrate its biggest festival amid surging Covid-19 cases

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - Moderna said on Thursday (Sept 9) it is developing a single vaccine that combines a booster dose against Covid-19 with its experimental flu shot. The company hopes to eventually add vaccines it is working on for respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory diseases as an annual shot. “We believe this is a very large opportunity that is ahead of us, if we could bring to market a high efficacy pan-respiratory annual booster,” Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel said during a presentation to update investors on its drugs in development. “We believe Moderna could be first to market in this important new opportunity,” he said. Moderna and Pfizer  and German vaccine partner for BioNTech SE are already expected to reap billions of dollars from Covid-19 booster shots, analysts and healthcare investors said. Adding influenza and other diseases could further boost those profits. Moderna shares were up 6 per cent on Thursday. The drugmaker ... » Learn More about Moderna working on booster to combine Covid-19 vaccine with a flu shot

SINGAPORE - It makes less sense to differentiate between linked and unlinked Covid-19 cases as Singapore moves to treating the disease as endemic, public health and infectious disease experts said. They added that shifting the focus from this means resources can be better used elsewhere. This comes after the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that it would stop publicising the number of cases with no known connections. Linking cases helps the authorities know which disease clusters are likely to become "explosive", said Professor Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia-Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, on Thursday (Sept 9). But if Singapore accepts that the coronavirus is "well and truly endemic" - just like diseases such as dengue or tuberculosis - this number becomes less relevant. He pointed out that the country does not distinguish between linked and unlinked cases for other endemic diseases, although it does track clusters - especially among vulnerable ... » Learn More about No need to distinguish between linked and unlinked Covid-19 cases when disease is treated as endemic: Experts

NANNING: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is vital in keeping the markets open as the region strives towards economic revival, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. The ninth Malaysian Prime Minister called on all partners of the free trade agreement to strengthen multilateral cooperation to help the region weather the Covid-19 crisis. RCEP is a free trade agreement, signed in November last year, by the 10 Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. “RCEP provides immense opportunities to bolster regional supply chains and for businesses to diversify production networks. “As we transform adversity into opportunity, this agreement will serve as an integral tool that helps us navigate our region towards recovery and future growth,” he added in his pre-recorded speech broadcast at the opening of the 18th China-Asean Expo (CAExpo) and China-Asean Business and Investment Summit here Friday (Sept 10) ... » Learn More about RCEP partners must strengthen cooperation to weather Covid-19 crisis, says Ismail Sabri

JOHANNESBURG – China's Sinovac Biotech will trial its Covid-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in South Africa as part of a global Phase III study, Sinovac and local partner Numolux Group said on Thursday. The study will evaluate the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine on children and adolescents aged six months to 17 years, the firms said in a statement. The global trial will enrol 14,000 participants across Chile, the Philippines, Malaysia and Kenya, including 2,000 in South Africa, they said. The trial has been approved by South African drugs regulator SAHPRA, and the first child will be vaccinated at the MeCRU Clinical Research Unit based at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on Friday. "The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of two doses of CoronaVac against confirmed symptomatic Covid-19 cases in children and adolescents ... efficacy will also be evaluated against hospitalisation and severe Covid-19," ... » Learn More about Sinovac to trial COVID-19 vaccine in South African children in global study

Highlights: 802 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today 1,403 people recovered and were released from medical care 11 new deaths T he Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 802 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 11 new deaths, September 10th. Additionally, 1,403 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 57,499 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began. This makes a total of 71,565 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 13,579 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 487 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April. The details on yesterday’s 11 new deaths were not given, which is standard for the health department. The district-level new cases were as follows today: Mueang Chonburi 175, Si Racha 187, Banglamung ... » Learn More about Chonburi new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 drop to 802 with 11 deaths

Agencies PREMIUM Melbourne, Australia   ● Fri, September 10, 2021 Australia's New South Wales state, the epicenter of the country's worst outbreak, reported on Friday 1,542 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, its biggest one-day rise in the pandemic, topping the previous high of 1,533 hit last week. Nine new deaths were recorded in the state, taking the total deaths in the latest outbreak to 162. Meanwhile, Victoria state reported its biggest single-day rise in COVID-19 cases this year, the majority in Melbourne, as most other regions in the state exited lockdown on Friday. Officials have announced plans to bring Melbourne and Sydney out of extended lockdowns in coming weeks, despite infections continuing to rise in both of the country's two biggest cities, Reuters reported. The shift to a strategy of living with, rather than suppressing, the virus after hitting national vaccine coverage ... to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR ... » Learn More about Australia records biggest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases

SINGAPORE - The sharp rate of increase in local Covid-19 cases is worrying and the next two to four weeks will be crucial in terms of whether higher infection numbers will lead to more serious cases and deaths, said Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday (Sept 10). The average daily number of Covid-19 cases has risen from 76 two weeks ago to 288 in the past week. The Health Ministry (MOH) expects this figure to exceed 1,000 soon, with more cases picked up through intensified testing. Addressing reporters at a press conference, Mr Gan noted that many people have asked if the Government is going back on its plans to reopen the economy despite Singapore's high vaccination rates. About 81 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. These concerns arose after Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday urged Singaporeans to reduce non-essential social activities for the next two weeks as Covid-19 cases spiked. "While we understand that many prefer a straighter ... » Learn More about Daily number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore rising, likely to exceed 1,000 soon