Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• All in-person meetings suspended at UN New York headquarters due to COVID-19 infections People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- All in-person meetings at the UN headquarters in New York were suspended on Tuesday after five diplomats of a country's UN mission tested positive for COVID-19, a UN spokesman said.
• WHO Reports Record 3 Million New COVID-19 Cases in a Week VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- The World Health Organization says a record 2.8 million new COVID-19 cases have been reported globally over the past seven days ending Tuesday, including 40,000 new deaths.

United States

• Trump Administration Announces Agreement to Purchase Eli Lilly COVID-19 Investigational Therapeutic DoD 28 Oct 2020 -- As part of the Trump Administration's goal of delivering life-saving vaccines and therapeutics in record time through Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) today announced an agreement with Eli Lilly and Company to purchase the first doses of the company's COVID-19 investigational antibody therapeutic bamlanivimab, also known as LY-CoV555.
• In Warp Speed Effort, Knowing Where Vaccines Are Is Key to Distribution Strategy DoD News 28 Oct 2020 -- Right now, six vaccines for COVID-19 are in development as part of Operation Warp Speed, said the program's chief operating officer. Once one or more of those vaccines proves both effective and safe, their fast and efficient distribution will require knowing where every dose is at all times.
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic New York State 28 Oct 2020
• Senior U.S. official tests positive for COVID-19 after Europe trip: media People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- A senior U.S. State Department official tested positive for COVID-19 after a recent trip to Europe, U.S. media reported on Tuesday.
• Nearly 800,000 children in U.S. test positive for COVID-19 People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Nearly 800,000 children in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, according to a new report of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 28 Oct 2020

China

• Infection through cold-chain industry prompts speculation over sources of Wuhan outbreak Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- Suspicions about the real source of COVID-19 are rising in China, with more cases being reported in which the live virus has been found on the packaging of imported frozen food. Such cases are believed to be the primary suspects in infecting cold-chain industry workers in Beijing and Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, later leading to local outbreaks. It is unclear if this was the case in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, earlier this year.
• Cases of 3rd time COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh unlikely to happen in China: medical experts Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- Chinese medical experts said on Wednesday that the recent case that some people in Bangladesh was reinfected with the coronavirus for the second time or even the third time may be caused by patients' weak immune system or virus mutation and the situation is unlikely to repeat in China.
• Live coronavirus can be imported through long-distance transportation and infect cold-chain workers Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- China has detected novel coronavirus on the packaging of frozen food, indicating that live coronavirus can be imported through long-distance transportation and infect cold-chain food industry workers who do not have effective protection, according to guidelines on COVID-19 prevention in the production and operation of cold-chain food issued by the National Health Commission.
• Xinjiang's capital expands coronavirus testing after Kashi outbreak Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in Kashi, residents of Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are being encouraged to get tested for the virus, in an expansion to the city's regular nucleic acid testing of city residents which began in mid-September.
• China suspends imports declaration of 3 Russian fishing boats and one Netherlands cold storage on COVID-19 concern Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- China's General Administration of Customs has announced on Wednesday to suspend customs declaration from three Russian fishing boats and one Netherlands cold storage on COVID-19 prevention concerns.
• Chinese mainland reports 42 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 22 in Xinjiang People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Wednesday that it received reports of 42 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Tuesday, including 22 that were domestically transmitted and 20 imported.
• Xinjiang reports 22 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 19 asymptomatic ones People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported 22 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 asymptomatic ones on Tuesday, the regional health commission said Wednesday.
• Hong Kong residents in mainland can return without 14-day quarantine from Nov. People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that Hong Kong residents returning from the Chinese mainland can be exempted from the 14-day quarantine requirement from November.
• Xinjiang reports 5 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 19 asymptomatic ones People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region identified five new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 asymptomatic ones between 12 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday, a local health official said at a press conference on Tuesday.
• Beijing launches tracing platform for imported cold-chain foods People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Beijing has launched an online tracing platform to strengthen the supervision of imported cold-chain foods amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local authorities have said.
• China to fix drawbacks COVID-19 exposed in new five-year plan Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, health institutes in China are committed to refining their health systems, such as enhancing surveillance and warning systems of contagious disease, and improving the quality of medical staff, which will prepare China's health system for future pandemics.

Europe

• EU Commission to Buy Rapid COVID-19 Tests as Virus Surges in Europe VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU's administrative arm will spend $117 million on rapid COVID-19 tests as the virus surges across Europe.
• France's Macron Imposes Second Lockdown to Curb COVID-19 Spread Sputnik 28 Oct 2020 -- French President Emmanuel Macron will reimpose a nationwide lockdown starting Friday to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• French Hospital Federation Calls on Gov't to Impose National Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Surge Sputnik 28 Oct 2020 -- The Hospital Federation of France (FHF) on Wednesday has urged the country's government to reintroduce a nationwide lockdown in order to ease the pressure on health care services amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases.
• UK records highest daily coronavirus-related death toll since May People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 367 to 45,365, the highest daily increase since May, according to official figures released Tuesday.
• Spain registers highest daily COVID-19 deaths in second wave People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- The Spanish Health Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that the country registered 18,418 new infections and 267 deaths over the past 24 hours. It is the highest daily COVID-19 deaths in the second wave.

Russia

• Russia applies for accelerated registration for its coronavirus vaccine People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Russia has made applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) for an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and prequalification of its COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik V," a Russian sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday.

India

• India's Coronavirus Cases Set To Cross 8 Million SPA 28 Oct 2020 -- India's tally of coronavirus cases stood less than 10,000 away from the grim milestone of 8 million, as 43,893 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, data from the federal health ministry showed, according to Reuters.
• India continues to be among the countries with lowest per million cases & per million deaths, and very high testing India PIB 28 Oct 2020 -- With focussed strategy and proactive as well as calibrated measures of the Union Government along with the States and UTs, India has sustained its global position of being the country with one of the lowest cases per million population and deaths per million population.
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan reviews COVID19 preparedness and measures for ensuring COVID Appropriate Behaviour in Tamil Nadu India PIB 28 Oct 2020 -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare held a meeting through video conferencing to review COVID-19 preparedness and measures for ensuring COVID Appropriate Behaviour with Dr C. Vijayabaskar, Health and Medical Education Minister, Tamil Nadu and other senior officials of the State Government, here today.
• India's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 120,000 People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Total deaths in India due to COVID-19 pandemic surpassed the 120,000-mark on Wednesday, according to the latest data released by the federal health ministry.

Iran

• Religious Gathering In Mashhad Was a Crime Radio Farda 28 Oct 2020 -- The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Health, Sima Sadat Lari, criticized the holding of a religious celebration in Iran's second-largest city, Mashhad, saying that having such a ceremony was "indeed a crime."
• COVID-19 kills 415 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 28 Oct 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Wednesday that some 415 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours.
• Iranian Parliament Speaker tests positive for coronavirus ISNA 28 Oct 2020 -- Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has tested positive for coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health: 416 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 28 Oct 2020 -- The Ministry of Health said in a statement today that 416 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 346,047 cases, including 8,149 active cases receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 769 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.

Taiwan

• CECC reports 1 new COVID-19 case; 3 test positive after leaving CNA 28 Oct 2020 -- The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Wednesday reported one new imported case of COVID-19 and said it had received notifications from Japan and Thailand of three people who were diagnosed with the disease after arriving from Taiwan.

Australia

• Australian City Reopens After Lengthy Coronavirus Lockdown VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- Australia's second largest city, Melbourne, ended a nearly four-month coronavirus lockdown Wednesday, with restaurants, cafes and bars reopening and outdoor contact sports resuming. Melbourne is the capital of the state of Victoria.
• Australia makes encouraging steps forward as worst-hit state ease from "stay home" to "stay safe" Global Times 28 Oct 2020 -- Australia has made another encouraging step forward in its fight against COVID-19, as the worst-hit state of Victoria sees further ease of a wide range of restrictions and more states' borders are on track to reopen.

Other Countries

• COVID-19: Russia Reports Single-Day Record For Fatalities; Iran's Parliament Speaker Tests Positive RFE/RL 28 Oct 2020 -- The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 1.1 million, with more than 44 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness.
• Latest on pandemic: Countries move to impose new restrictions as cases surge Press TV 28 Oct 2020 -- The number of people who have been afflicted with COVID-19 has now passed 44 million around the world, and the number of related fatalities is almost 1.16 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
• S.African president begins self-quarantine People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa began self-quarantine after one of the 35 guests who attended an event here with him over the weekend tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency said in a statement Wednesday.
• Canada's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 10,000 level People's Daily 28 Oct 2020 -- Canada hit another grim milestone on Tuesday as the country's death toll of COVID-19 reached 10,001, according to CTV.
• Laos to Reopen Border to Travelers From China Under Streamlined COVID-19 Rules Radio Free Asia 28 Oct 2020 -- Laos is set to fast-track entry for travelers from China beginning Sunday, relaxing controls on a northern border crossing previously tightly shut to prevent the spread of COVID-19, under relaxed quarantine policies that worry some ordinary Laos, sources in the country told RFA.
• Indonesia Coronavirus Case Tally Tops 400,000 SPA 28 Oct 2020 -- Indonesia's coronavirus infections have passed the 400,000 mark, with 4,029 new cases confirmed on Wednesday, according to health ministry data, Reuters reported.
• Algerian President in Hospital After Reportedly Contracting COVID-19 VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is in the Ain Naadja Military Hospital in Algiers after reportedly contracting COVID-19.
• Indonesia's Pandemic Response: A Law to Create Millions of Jobs VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- A landmark law passed this month in Indonesia will open the populous, impoverished country to labor-intensive industry like many of its Southeast Asian neighbors despite a hit to worker rights, people on the ground say.
• Saving and Loan Groups Give Lifeline to Kenyans During Pandemic VOA 28 Oct 2020 -- The coronavirus pandemic has wiped out an estimated 2 million jobs in Kenya, forcing many into the informal economy. Kenyans, however, also have a secret that is keeping many of them financially afloat - the largest cooperative savings and loan movement in Africa. With more than 14 million members making monthly contributions, Kenya's cooperatives offer loans during tough times, helping many to ride out the pandemic or even start their own businesses.