GEORGE TOWN: Two schools on the island are suspected to have Covid-19 cases, but there has been no confirmation from the state Health Department while concerns grow among parents in the affected schools. The portal The Vibes reported that a Primary One pupil in a school in Tanjung Tokong was reported to be Covid-19 positive on Thursday (April 15). A secondary school in Air Itam is also said to have reported a Covid-19 case four days ago involving a Form Four student. The Vibes reported that the parents of the school in Tanjung Tokong were in the dark over the issue and had been unable to verify the case with teachers there. Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng, when contacted on Friday (April 16), said he was aware of the case in the secondary school but did not have any details. "Since we are not informed by the Health Department on such cases, we find it difficult to update our constituents when they call us," he said. A senior official with the state Education Department said ... » Learn More about Covid-19: Parents’ concerns grow over suspected cases in two Penang schools, with no confirmation from state health dept
Marshmallow update for oppo f1s
2 community cases among 34 new COVID-19 infections in Singapore, including NUS research fellow
SINGAPORE: An Indonesian who came to Singapore to care for his father and a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are the two community COVID-19 cases reported in Singapore as of noon on Friday (Apr 16). The two cases, who are currently unlinked, were among 34 new COVID-19 infections. Both had tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times. The remaining 32 cases were imported infections and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). No new infections were reported in foreign workers' dormitories. INDONESIAN CAREGIVER A 44-year-old short-term visit pass holder who travelled from Indonesia on Feb 28 is one of the community cases. The Indonesian arrived as a caregiver to his father who was already receiving medical care in Singapore. His father had returned to Singapore for further treatment for a condition that is not related to COVID-19, said MOH. The man, known as Case ... » Learn More about 2 community cases among 34 new COVID-19 infections in Singapore, including NUS research fellow
Slovak PM sees Sputnik V jabs by May despite rows with Russia, regulators
PRAGUE: Slovakia may start using Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in early May, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Thursday, more than two months after a batch of 200,000 doses arrived into the country but which have remained locked in storage. The deal to import the vaccine proved controversial because it has not been approved by the EU's drug regulator EMA. Also Slovakia has said domestic emergency authorisation was issued for a different dosage than what arrived, and the country's drug watchdog SUKL said it had not received sufficient data to assess the product. Moscow demanded last week that the vaccines are returned due to what it termed contract violations. But Slovakia instead asked for additional laboratory tests in Hungary, the only EU country to use Sputnik V so far. "The process should go through in the coming weeks, (and) I assume that in early May, the vaccination could come," Heger said in a televised press conference during a visit to Prague. The Russian ... » Learn More about Slovak PM sees Sputnik V jabs by May despite rows with Russia, regulators
Venezuela gets another 50,000 doses of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
CARACAS: Venezuela has received a batch of 50,000 doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said on Thursday, as COVID-19 cases spike in the South American nation. Venezuela had previously acquired 250,000 Sputnik V vaccines and 500,000 doses of the shot developed by China's Sinopharm, which so far have been administered to public officials, health workers, teachers and some senior citizens. The new round of vaccines will also be administered to firefighters, civil protection personnel and workers who take oxygen to hospitals, said Alvarado. "They are not part of the sector health, but they are exposed," he said. The government of President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend said it paid US$64 million to cover vaccines via the COVAX system. Separately, the government is in talks with opposition leader Juan Guaido to make additional vaccine payments with funds frozen in the United States. Venezuela has reported 178,094 cases of ... » Learn More about Venezuela gets another 50,000 doses of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
UN warns COVID-19 is `roaring back’ as Yemen faces famine
UNITED NATIONS: The UN humanitarian chief warned on Thursday (Apr 15) that the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in Yemen is getting even worse with the COVID-19 pandemic “roaring back” in recent weeks as the Arab world’s poorest country faces a large-scale famine. In a grim update to the UN Security Council, Mark Lowcock said tens of thousands of people already are starving to death, with another 5 million just a step behind. Lowcock added that March was also the deadliest so far this year for civilians, with more than 200 killed or injured as a result of hostilities - a quarter of the casualties in the oil-rich central province of Marib where Houthi rebel forces are pressing a military offensive. In March, nearly 350 private homes were also damaged or destroyed, he said. To stop the “unfolding catastrophe", Lowcock called for urgent action on protecting civilians, access for humanitarian aid, funding, support for Yemen’s economic and progress toward peace. Because of ... » Learn More about UN warns COVID-19 is `roaring back’ as Yemen faces famine
Brazil’s COVID-19 response cost thousands of lives, says humanitarian group
RIO DE JANEIRO: The Brazilian government's "failed response" to the pandemic led to thousands of otherwise avoidable deaths and created a humanitarian catastrophe that is still playing out, aid group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Thursday (Apr 15). Brazil's COVID-19 outbreak is the deadliest in the world after the United States and is currently leading in average daily mortalities. Last week more than a quarter of all global deaths were in Brazil. A brutal second wave has hospitals saying they are running short of crucial drugs for intubating patients and most Brazilian states report that intensive care units are at or near capacity. Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has opposed lockdowns, and has held large events in which he often does not wear a mask. He has only recently embraced vaccines as a possible solution. "More than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the failed response in Brazil has caused a humanitarian catastrophe," said Christos Christou, a medical ... » Learn More about Brazil’s COVID-19 response cost thousands of lives, says humanitarian group
Malaysian Health Ministry proposes that interstate travel be postponed for Hari Raya
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Health Ministry has proposed that interstate travel be postponed for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri, as daily COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Speaking after a ministry event on Thursday (Apr 15), Health Minister Adham Baba said the proposal to put off approval for interstate travel was due to two reasons. “One, there are new variants of COVID-19 in the community. Two, the vaccination programme is still ongoing, so we need to control the situation,” he said. He noted that many parties have appealed to the government to permit interstate travel for this major festival. On whether exceptions could be made for those who have completed their vaccination, Dr Adham said the ministry was still waiting for findings from the World Health Organisation and the US' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If the ministry’s proposal to halt cross-state travel for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations is accepted, this will be the second year ... » Learn More about Malaysian Health Ministry proposes that interstate travel be postponed for Hari Raya
France’s COVID-19 death toll breaches 100,000; eighth-highest in world
PARIS: France's COVID-19 death toll rose on Thursday (Apr 15) to more than 100,000, according to the latest hospital figures from the health ministry, a bleak statistic for President Emmanuel Macron's government. Data from the health ministry's GEODES website said French hospitals registered 300 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, which, pushing the overall tally to more than 100,000. "As all our energy is now focused on exiting this ordeal, we will not forget any face or any name," Macron said on Twitter. France has the world's eighth-highest COVID-19 death toll. The United States is the worst-hit country in terms of COVID deaths, at 564,759, followed by Brazil, Russia and Mexico, according to a Reuters tally. Worldwide, the death toll stands at over three million. Coronavirus deaths in France have now nearly doubled from just over 52,000 at the end of its second lockdown at the end of November. In the past 30 days, France has registered on average just over 300 new ... » Learn More about France’s COVID-19 death toll breaches 100,000; eighth-highest in world
India shifts from mass COVID-19 vaccine exporter to importer
NEW DELHI: After gifting and selling tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses abroad, India suddenly finds itself short of shots as new infections surge in the world's second-most populous country. India breached 200,000 daily infections for the first time on Thursday (Apr 15), and is trying to inoculate more of its population using domestically produced shots. Facing soaring cases and overflowing hospitals after lockdown restrictions were eased, it also abruptly changed the rules to allow it to fast-track vaccine imports, having earlier rebuffed foreign drugmakers like Pfizer. It will import Russia's Sputnik V vaccine starting this month to cover as many as 125 million people. The reversal in fortunes could hamper not only India's battle to contain the pandemic, but also vaccination campaigns in more than 60 poorer countries, mainly in Africa, for months. The COVAX programme, backed by the World Health Organization and Gavi vaccine alliance, aims at equitable vaccine ... » Learn More about India shifts from mass COVID-19 vaccine exporter to importer
Britain has no plans to halt rapid COVID-19 testing: Health ministry
LONDON: Britain's health ministry said on Thursday (Apr 17) there were no plans to halt rapid coronavirus testing, after the Guardian newspaper reported the programme may be scaled back in England because of concerns about false positives. "With around one in three people not showing symptoms of COVID-19, regular, rapid testing is an essential tool to control the spread of the virus as restrictions ease by picking up cases that would not otherwise have been detected," a ministry spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately, and figures show that for every 1,000 lateral flow tests carried out, there is fewer than one false positive result." READ: UK trial on switching COVID-19 vaccines adds Moderna and Novavax shots READ: Britain says it has offered COVID-19 vaccine to all over-50s Citing leaked emails, the Guardian reported on Thursday that senior officials were considering scaling back ... » Learn More about Britain has no plans to halt rapid COVID-19 testing: Health ministry