Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 205 WHO 12 Aug 2020
• Doctors Warn of Increase in TB, Malaria, HIV Deaths Due to COVID-19 VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- The world could see a sharp increase in people dying from diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and HIV due to the disruption to health services caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to scientists. The infectious diseases kill millions of people every year, with sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia among the worst-affected regions.

United States

• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 12 Aug 2020
• Operation Warp Speed on Track for End-of-Year Vaccine Delivery DoD News 12 Aug 2020 -- Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership whose goal is to deliver 300 hundred million doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year.
• Screen College Students for COVID Every 2 Days, Researchers Advise VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- U.S.-based colleges and universities continue to struggle with how they will receive students while containing the spread of COVID-19.
• U.S. fails to contain COVID-19 pandemic: media People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- The United States "has failed" to contain the COVID-19, said a report by American news website Vox on Tuesday.

China

• Repeated nucleic acid tests on Urumqi residents to single out high-proportion silent carriers Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- Urumqi, capital city of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, re-mains on high alert against COVID-19 and is giving repeated nucleic acid tests to people at high risk of infection, although the number of cases in the city is showing a downward trend.
• Urumqi not letting down guard against COVID-19, despite downward trend in case numbers Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, remains on high alert against COVID-19 and is giving repeated nucleic acid tests to people at high risk of infection, despite the number of cases in the city showing a downward trend.
• 68-year-old woman tests positive 6 months after recovering from COVID-19 Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- A 68-year-old woman in Jingzhou, Central China's Hubei Province, tested positive for COVID-19, after she recovered and was discharged from a local hospital as early as February.
• Xi signs order awarding 4 persons for outstanding contribution in COVID-19 fight People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a presidential order awarding four persons the national medal and honorary title for their outstanding contribution to fighting the COVID-19 epidemic.
• Chinese mainland reports 16 new imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese mainland reported 16 new imported COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 2,216, the National Health Commission said Wednesday.
• 58 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- The National Health Commission said Wednesday that 58 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland Tuesday.
• Chinese mainland reports 25 new confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Wednesday that it received reports of 25 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Tuesday, including 16 imported cases and nine locally-transmitted ones.

Europe

• EU agrees MoU with 8 partners in support for COVID-19 fight Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- The European Union (EU) has agreed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with eight non-EU partners to help their businesses limit the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
• Italians Enjoy Their Summer While Minding the Virus VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- Just a few months ago, Italy was seen as an example of how NOT to handle the coronavirus. Now Italians are enjoying their summer and learning to live with the virus even though a few hundred new cases are still being reported every day and more young people are being infected. The country's recovery is underway even though the virus remains a threat.

Russia

• Explainer: Putin Says Russia Has A COVID-19 Vaccine. Doubts Abound. RFE/RL 12 Aug 2020 -- Russia has become the first country to issue regulatory approval for a vaccine against COVID-19 and plans to launch a mass immunization program in October. Announcing the news in a teleconference with his cabinet on August 11, President Vladimir Putin said one of his daughters was inoculated with no serious side effects. "The main thing now is for us to ensure the safety of this vaccine's use and its effectiveness," he said.
• US Skeptical about Russian Claim of Effective COVID-19 Vaccine VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- Two top U.S. health officials are expressing skepticism about Vladimir Putin's claim that Russian scientists have come up with the world's first safe and effective vaccine.
• Russia first to register vaccine against COVID-19: Putin People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- Russia has registered the world's first vaccine against the novel coronavirus, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
• Russia rejects concerns about COVID-19 vaccine, stresses safety Press TV 12 Aug 2020 -- Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has rejected allegations that the country's pioneering COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe, dismissing them as groundless and leveled by rival competitors.
• WHO Says Looks Forward to Reviewing Details of Trials of Russia's First COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik 12 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking forward to reviewing details of the trials of Russia's newly registered vaccine against COVID-19 named Sputnik V, and maintains contact with the Russian authorities on that, the WHO's Europe Press Office told Sputnik.
• WHO in contact with Russia on new COVID-19 vaccine: spokesman People's Daily 12 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) is in close contact with Russia regarding a possible pre-qualification of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, a WHO spokesman said on Tuesday.

India

• India's COVID-19 tally crosses 2.3 million as deaths surge past 46,000 mark Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in India rose to 2,329,638 on Wednesday as the deaths crossed the 46,000 mark, reaching 46,091, said the data released by the federal health ministry.
• National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 deliberates on strategy to ensure COVID-19 vaccines' availability and its delivery mechanism India PIB 12 Aug 2020 -- National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, met for the first time on 12th August. The meeting was chaired by Dr V K Paul, Member Niti Aayog along with Secretary (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) as co-Chair.
• Record highest single day recoveries of 56,110 registered India PIB 12 Aug 2020 -- The record highest single day recoveries at 56,110 registered in the last 24 hours are the result of the successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive and comprehensive testing coupled with standardized clinical management of the critical patients based on holistic Standard of Care approach.

Iran

• Efforts to produce COVID-19 drugs, vaccine to continue strongly until final result achieved: Iran President ISNA 12 Aug 2020 -- Iran's President thanked all those who work in the field of production of drugs and vaccines for diseases, especially in the field of combatting COVID-19, and said, "In recent months, with the efforts made, good steps have been taken to produce drugs and vaccines for coronavirus, and this path must continue with strength and speed until the final and definitive result is reached".
• COVID-19 kills 188 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 12 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Wednesday that some 188 more Iranians have died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 18,988.
• Iran to begin Phase III clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine: Minister Press TV 12 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Health Minister Saeid Namaki says a home-grown vaccine meant to confront COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus pandemic, is set to begin its third and final trial in the near future.
• Iran Health Officials Say Coronavirus Contaminating At Much Greater Rate Than Before Radio Farda 12 Aug 2020 -- Coronavirus' contamination power has increased by three to nine times in Iran, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi said on Tuesday, August 11.

Japan

• Tokyo Reports 222 More Coronavirus Cases SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- Tokyo reported today, on Wednesday 222 new coronavirus cases, Kyodo cited the metropolitan government as saying.

Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia is participating in all global efforts to support research and provide successful vaccines or treatments to combat COVID-19, Health Ministry Spokesperson reports SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- Assistant Minister of Health and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali confirmed today that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is participating in all global efforts to support world-wide research as well as the provision of successful vaccines or treatments to combat the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), indicating that work is being carried out continuously by Saudi competent authorities to ensure and follow up the developments on vaccines, citing the recent announcements of clinical application trials or advanced research for some of these vaccines.
• MOH: ICU Beds Increased by 103% at Hafr Al-Batin Hospitals SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health (MOH) has increased the ICU bed capacity at Hafr Al-Batin hospitals by 103%. This step comes as part of MOH's efforts to upgrade the standards of health services in the region to meet the needs of citizens and residents.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports new COVID-19 case, reclassifies Vietnam disease risk CNA 12 Aug 2020 -- Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday reported a new imported case of COVID-19 from the Philippines, and reclassified Vietnam as a country that is at low-to-moderate risk for the disease.
• New quarantine rule on arrivals from Philippines takes effect CNA 12 Aug 2020 -- Three passengers arriving from the Philippines were sent to an official quarantine area Wednesday, the first day Taiwan carried out a new rule requiring all arrivals from the country to be put in government quarantine facilities.
• Trump praises Taiwan's COVID-19 response, but has no plans to visit CNA 12 Aug 2020 -- United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised Taiwan's handling of COVID-19 but responded in the negative when asked if he was considering a presidential visit to country before the end of the year.
• COVID-19 testing should be stepped up at Taiwan's borders: expert CNA 12 Aug 2020 -- A Taiwan public health expert on Wednesday said the country will see a rise in the number of imported COVID-19 cases as countries around the world struggle to contain the disease, and he suggested changing how arrivals from overseas are handled.

New Zealand

• New Zealand's largest city resumes strict lockdown after detection of COVID-19 cases Global Times 12 Aug 2020 -- New Zealand's largest city Auckland resumed COVID-19 Alert Level 3 on Wednesday for three days, with the rest of the country going to Level 2 after four cases of community transmission were confirmed on Tuesday.
• New Zealand Back Into Lockdown As New COVID-19 Cases Detected VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- New Zealand is again under lockdown restrictions Wednesday after four COVID-19 infections were detected in Auckland, the South Pacific's country's biggest city. They are the first confirmed cases of community transmission of coronavirus in more than 100 days.

Vietnam

• Vietnam COVID Cases Continue to Climb, PM Says Next 10 Days 'Critical' Radio Free Asia 12 Aug 2020 -- Cases of COVID-19 infection linked to a recent outbreak in Vietnam's coastal city of Danang are continuing to surge, with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc calling the next 10 days "critical" to efforts to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
• With New COVID-19 Battle, Vietnam's Middle-Class Dreams are Deferred VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- Before July, Vietnam's entrepreneurs thought that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic was behind them and that the economy was well on its way to a recovery. With a fresh wave of virus cases, however, many businesses find themselves on the back foot again, putting the fast-growing nation's dreams of achieving middle-income status at risk.

Other Countries

• Armenia To Extend State Of Emergency Over Coronavirus RFE/RL 12 Aug 2020 -- The Armenian government has proposed the extension of the state of emergency related to the coronavirus pandemic by another month, citing the need to maintain the current positive trend in its fight against the outbreak.
• WHO Seeking $76 mln for Lebanon After Beirut Blast, Concerned on Coronavirus SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said today, on Wednesday it had appealed for $76 million in aid for Lebanon after last week's massive explosion in Beirut destroyed or damaged hospitals, clinics and medical supplies, Reuters reported.
• Indonesia reports 1,942 new coronavirus cases, 79 deaths SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- Indonesia reported 1,942 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 130,718, data from the government's health ministry website showed.
• Egypt reports 168 new COVID-19 cases, 95,834 in total SPA 12 Aug 2020 -- Egypt's Health Ministry reported on Tuesday 168 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in the country to 95,834.
• Australia Reports New Single-Day Coronavirus Death Toll VOA 12 Aug 2020 -- Australia is reporting a new single-day record 21 COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, along with 428 new infections.