Tag: Virus

Vaccine-poor Germans shunning AstraZeneca jab

  by Deborah COLE Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Doctors and public health officials pleaded with Germans Thursday to take up AstraZeneca vaccines against the coronavirus after muddled communication about the efficacy of the British-made jabs hit demand. Despite a raging debate about a sluggish EU rollout of vaccines, German healthcare facilities have reported several hundred thousand AstraZeneca vials sitting unused and rampant no-shows at scheduled appointments. Officials in Italy, Austria and Bulgaria […]

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One in two S.Africans infected by Covid: study and estimates

  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — Around half of South Africa’s population may have already been infected by coronavirus, a figure far higher than the documented tally, a study and analysis of death figures suggest. Samples taken from almost 5,000 blood donors across four South African provinces in January showed that between 32 and 63 percent had antibodies to the coronavirus. The figure compares with clinically confirmed case rates of just two to three percent, […]

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DOH finds two new COVID-19 virus mutations in Cebu; increased transmissibility noted

Investigation underway as “containment measures” put in place   (Eagle News) – Health authorities found two new mutations of the COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2, amid an alarming rise in cases in Cebu. The Department of Health regional office in Central Visayas referred to the two mutations as “variants of concern.” Dr, Mary Jean Loreche, the spokesperson of DOG region 7 said the two new mutations were what could be called “variants under investigation.” The DOH regional […]

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Filipino medical frontliners among over 40 million people given Sinovac, Sinopharm vaccines in China

No severe adverse effects reported so far among those given Chinese-made jabs, says PHL ambassador to China   (Eagle News) — China’s COVID-19 vaccines developed by Sinovac and state-owned Sinopharm had been given to more than 40 million people in China, including some Filipinos working in the health sector, and there were hardly any reports of severe adverse reaction to the vaccines or deaths after the vaccination. This was according to Philippine Ambassador to China […]

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UN urges global Covid vaccine plan, warns of dangerous inequity

  by Philippe Rater with Shaun Tandon in Washington Agence France Presse UNITED Nations (AFP) — The United Nations on Wednesday led calls for a coordinated global effort to vaccinate against Covid-19, warning that gaping inequities in initial efforts put the whole planet at risk. Foreign ministers met virtually for a first-ever UN Security Council session on vaccinations called by current chair Britain, which said the world had a “moral duty” to act together against […]

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Deep-freeze case could help transport vaccines in Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — A South African company is seeking to help solve the logistical nightmare of keeping Covid-19 vaccinations at the ultra-cold temperatures necessary as they are shipped across the continent. Johannesburg-based natural gas producer Renergen is developing an ultra-cold biologic transport freezer for the task as countries throughout Africa plan for rollouts of comprehensive vaccination programmes. The vaccines developed jointly by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech must be stored at […]

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Indonesia kicks off second wave of Covid-19 vaccinations

by Agnes ANYA Agence France Presse JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Market traders were among the first to benefit from Indonesia’s second phase of mass vaccinations against the coronavirus on Wednesday, as the government looks to right the country’s pandemic-battered economy. Medical teams are now focusing on workers in close contact with the public and people over 60, authorities announced, after a first phase prioritising health workers, 1.1 million of whom have been vaccinated according to […]

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New Zealand ends snap virus lockdown in largest city

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand lifted a snap Covid-19 lockdown in its largest city Auckland on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressing confidence the outbreak was contained. The stay-at-home order for the city of almost two million was issued on Sunday after three community cases emerged, the first lockdown in Auckland for almost six months. Ardern said close contacts of the three cases, all members of the same family, had all since […]

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Japan starts vaccine rollout with healthcare workers

by Natsuko FUKUE TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan began vaccinating healthcare workers against the coronavirus on Wednesday, as it rolled out a cautious inoculation programme with just over five months until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Japan has so far approved only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and started administering the first shots at a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday morning. Tokyo Medical Centre director Kazuhiro Araki volunteered to be the first at the facility to receive the shot. […]

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New Covid-19 cases down 16 percent last week: WHO

by Robin MILLARD GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The number of new cases of Covid-19 reported worldwide fell by 16 percent last week to 2.7 million, the World Health Organization said. The number of new deaths reported also fell 10 percent week-on-week, to 81,000, the WHO said late Tuesday in its weekly epidemiological update, using figures up to Sunday. Five of the six WHO regions of the world reported a double-digit percentage decline in new cases, […]

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US warns of Ebola threat after Africa outbreaks

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday warned that, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the world “cannot afford to turn the other way” after cases of Ebola were confirmed in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Five people have died of Ebola virus in Guinea — the first outbreak in West Africa since a 2013-2016 epidemic that left more than 11,300 people dead in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Democratic Republic […]

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Singapore rolls out new budget boost for virus-hit businesses

SINGAPORE (AFP) — Singapore on Tuesday unveiled a fresh multi-billion-dollar package to help pandemic-battered businesses and fund a vaccination drive, as part of the city-state’s annual budget. The coronavirus has plunged the financial hub into its worst-ever recession, with the crucial aviation and tourism sectors hit particularly hard as global travel ground to a halt. Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the new package totalling Sg$11 billion (US$8.3 billion) as he unveiled the budget in […]

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