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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Polish Security Service Prevents Anti-Muslim Terrorist Attack, Government Says Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has detained and indicted several people believed to have been plotting a terrorist attack at a Muslim religious facility, the spokesman for Polish Interior Minister and Coordinator of Special Services Mariusz Kaminski said on Monday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Worldwide Coronavirus Cases Cross 84.65 Million, Death Toll at 1,838,746 SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- More than 84.65 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,838,746 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
• Moderna Plans to Ramp Up COVID-19 Vaccine Production by 20% VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- Drug maker Moderna says it plans to ramp up production of its COVID-19 vaccine by 100 million more doses than what it originally forecast.

United States

• Army distributes COVID-19 vaccine to troops in Korea Army News 04 Jan 2021 -- Teams at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center-Korea, working in collaboration with the Defense Logistics Agency, began receiving, storing and distributing the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 25.
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic New York State 04 Jan 2021
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces UK Strain of COVID-19 Has Been Detected in Saratoga Springs New York State 04 Jan 2021

China

• One Year After Li Wenliang's Death, Whistleblower, Relatives Still Feel The Heat Radio Free Asia 04 Jan 2021 -- One year after the death of whistleblowing Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang, authorities in the central province of Hubei are keeping his family under tight surveillance and restrictions, while his colleague and fellow whistleblower Ai Fen is no longer able to work after failing to receive treatment for a detached retina, RFA has learned.
• China vaccinates up to thousands every day as winter spurs COVID-19 spread Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- More Chinese cities have begun mass COVID-19 vaccinations after the New Year holidays as China has approved its domestically produced vaccine for general use and expanded its scope of vaccination during the winter and spring seasons with the country soon embracing its largest holiday travel season by mid-February.
• Health agencies improve public vaccine approval amid nation's second offensive against virus Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- With China's first domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine getting conditional approval for general use, local health systems throughout China have unveiled public vaccination campaigns starting with the high-risk groups, aiming to administer shots to millions of people before the travel rush of Spring Festival holidays.
• Beijing's major inoculation site vaccinates 2,000 in one day, with no serious adverse effect Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- The largest COVID-19 vaccination site in Beijing's Chaoyang district entered the fourth day of its operation on Monday. It vaccinated more than 2,000 people on Monday, who were taken in groups to the site in minibuses.
• Chinese official guarantees safety and efficacy of domestically produced COVID-19 vaccines Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- The Chinese government has always made the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines a priority, and vaccine manufacturers have always adhered to scientific rules and regulations in pushing forward vaccine development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday, as more countries began rolling out Chinese-made vaccines.
• China demands evidence from US following adviser's hype on 'Wuhan lab coronavirus leak' conspiracy theory Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- China's foreign ministry has demanded that the US immediately offer evidence over reports that Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger recently claimed that COVID-19 was likely to be leaked from a Chinese lab, calling such a theory is shoddy lies, and that sought clarity on whether it was Pottinger's own point of view or the stance of the US government.
• New Dalian COVID-19 cases have longer incubation period, with some found to be positive after 11 tests Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, announced that it was extending the COVID-19 quarantine period to 21 days from 14 as the new cases in the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the city show a longer incubation period, faster transmission and more complex pattern.
• Beijing to quarantine intl arrivals in 'closed-loop' if they enter China less than 21 days from other domestic ports Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- Beijing on Monday announced it would quarantine international arrivals in the closed-loop management mode if they enter China in less than 21 days from other domestic ports, a move seen as an upgraded measure from the previous 14 days in closed-loop management, to curb the spread of imported COVID-19 cases.
• N.China city Shijiazhuang enters 'wartime mode' amid sporadic cases Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- Shijiazhuang, capital city of North China's Hebei Province, has entered " wartime mode" as sporadic cases resurged in the province.
• China's Heilongjiang reports 1 new confirmed COVID-19 case People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- China's Heilongjiang Province on Sunday reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case, the provincial health commission said Monday.
• Beijing reports more locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Beijing reported two new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, local authorities said on Monday.
• China's Liaoning reports 6 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- China's Liaoning Province on Sunday reported six locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and one imported case, the provincial health commission said Monday.
• Chinese mainland reports 13 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- China's National Health Commission said Monday that it received reports of 33 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Sunday, including 13 locally transmitted cases and 20 imported ones.
• China's Hebei reports new locally-transmitted COVID-19 case People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- North China's Hebei Province reported one locally-transmitted COVID-19 case on Saturday, the provincial health commission said Sunday.
• China city traces COVID-19 infection source to imported frozen food People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Preliminary investigation has traced the source of the latest local transmissions of COVID-19 in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian to imported cold-chain food, a local health official said Sunday.
• COVID-19 found on multiple auto part packaging samples in China People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Multiple auto part packaging samples have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in various parts of China, after a company engaged in auto part sales reported a confirmed COVID-19 case.
• Beijing reports 1 locally transmitted COVID-19 case, 1 imported case People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Beijing reported one new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 case and one imported case on Saturday, local health authorities said Sunday.
• China Reports 33 New COVID-19 Cases vs 24 A Day Earlier SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- Mainland China reported 33 new COVID-19 cases on Jan. 3, up from 24 cases a day earlier, Reuters cited the country's national health authority as saying today.

Europe

• Over 5,000 armed forces deployed in support of the COVID-19 response in the biggest homeland operation in peacetime UK MOD 04 Jan 2021 -- Over 5,000 UK Armed Forces personnel are currently deployed to support the response to the Coronavirus across the UK, working on 70 different tasks ranging from schools testing to the rollout of vaccines.
• New COVID-19 Lockdowns in Britain; New Variant Found in New York VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- Britain's prime minister announced a fresh round of lockdowns Monday, closing schools and nonessential shops, as the country begins vaccinating health care workers and the elderly.
• Scotland to Impose Full Lockdown as COVID-19 Cases Surge VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Monday the country will impose a total lockdown for the rest of January as a surging number of COVID-19 cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals.
• UK needs tougher restrictions to tackle coronavirus: Health minister Press TV 04 Jan 2021 -- British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has called for tighter restrictions in some areas of the country to contain the rapid spread of a new variant of the coronavirus.
• UK PM Johnson Announces Third National Lockdown as New Strain Runs Riot Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- More than 50,000 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the UK on Sunday, despite almost the entire country being under the two most-severe levels of restrictions and almost a million people already immunised against the virus.
• Nicola Sturgeon orders national lockdown in Scotland Press TV 04 Jan 2021 -- Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced a nationwide lockdown beginning at midnight Tuesday (January 05).
• UK records another 54,990 coronavirus cases, 454 deaths People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Another 54,990 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 2,654,779, according to official figures released Sunday.
• UK PM warns of tougher restrictions to curb rising coronavirus infections People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday that regional restrictions in England are "probably about to get tougher" in the coming weeks to curb rising coronavirus infections.
• Top London hospital preparing for "COVID-only care" as intensive care patients soar People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- University College hospital, one of London's biggest hospitals, is battling to accommodate the fast-rising number of COVID-19 patients across the capital, warning that it is "on track to be almost COVID-only" as intensive care patients soar, local media reported.
• Sweden's Chief Epidemiologist Warns of Third COVID-19 Wave in Europe After Christmas Holidays Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- Swedes have been rapidly losing trust in their country's pandemic response. Much of the blame has been directed toward Anders Tegnell, who is seen as the mastermind behind the nation's standalone no-lockdown mask-free strategy. According to a recent poll, support for Tegnell is in a "downward spiral".
• France Health Minister Promises to Accelerate COVID-19 Vaccinations VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- France's health minister said Monday the government has accelerated its COVID-19 vaccination campaign after the effort came under growing criticism for its slow start.
• France's COVID-19 death toll tops 65,000 People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- France has registered 12,489 coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 2,665,728, while the death toll went up by 116 to 65,037, according to data released on Sunday by the Health Ministry.
• Delivery problems with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine slow Spain's vaccination People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Vaccination against COVID-19 for care home residents in the northeastern autonomous community of Catalonia is slower than expected due to delivery problems with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the region's health department said Sunday.

Russia

• St. Petersburg Records More New COVID Cases Than Moscow RFE/RL 04 Jan 2021 -- The number of new COVID-19 cases in Russia's second-largest city of St. Petersburg has surpassed that of Moscow for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

India

• Indian domestic COVID-19 vaccine sparks safety fears for lack of efficacy data Global Times 04 Jan 2021 -- India, the world's second most populous country and one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus, has approved its first domestic COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use only one month after the candidate was delivered into Phase III clinical trials, triggering concerns over safety and efficacy.
• India continues its streak of low daily new cases with 16,504 positives recorded in the last 24 hours India PIB 04 Jan 2021 -- With a sustained, pro-active and calibrated approach, the daily new cases in India are on a sustained decline. 16,504 new cases were added to the national tally in the last 24 hours.
• Update on New Strain of novel Coronavirus from U.K. India PIB 04 Jan 2021 -- A total of 38 samples have been found to be positive with the new U.K variant genome.
• India's COVID-19 tally rises to 10,340,469 People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,340,469 on Monday as 16,504 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry.

Iran

• Production of corona vaccine in Iran proof of US maximum pressure failure: Raeisi IRNA 04 Jan 2021 -- Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Ebrahim Raeisi on Monday described production of coronavirus vaccine in Iran as a valuable step and realization of "we can", saying that it is also a proof for the failure of the US' policy of maximum pressure.
• Iran injects COVID-19 vaccine to second group of volunteers IRNA 04 Jan 2021 -- The head of the public relations office of Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order said on Monday that the COV Iran Barkat vaccine was injected to the first of the quartet volunteered for the test.
• COVID-19 kills 110 more people in Iran IRNA 04 Jan 2021 -- Some 110 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 55,650, Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Monday.
• Iran starts second phase of injecting homegrown Coviran vaccine to volunteers Press TV 04 Jan 2021 -- Iran has started the second phase of the injection of its domestically-developed coronavirus vaccine to volunteers, further consolidating its steps towards a better containment of the flu-like pathogen.

South Korea

• S. Korea reports 1,020 more COVID-19 cases, 64,264 in total People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- South Korea reported 1,020 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Monday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 64,264.
• South Korea Reports 1,020 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- South Korea's daily new Coronavirus cases bounced back to over 1,000 on Monday, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Japan

• Japan Might Declare Tokyo State of Emergency Amid COVID-19 Surge VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the government is considering declaring a state of emergency for Tokyo and three surrounding areas after an alarming uptick of new coronavirus infections.
• Tokyo Reports over 1,300 Daily COVID Cases, Topping 1,000 for 1st Time SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- The daily number of coronavirus infections totaled 1,337 in Tokyo on Thursday, Kyodo citing metropolitan government officials as saying.
• Japan eyes declaring another state of emergency for Tokyo, vicinity: PM People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Monday that the government is planning to declare another state of emergency for Tokyo and three surrounding prefectures as COVID-19 cases surge in these areas.

Saudi Arabia

• MoH: 82 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia, as Lowest Virus-Infection in Many Months SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced yesterday that 82 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing its total to 363,061 cases, including 2,372 active cases receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 358 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.
• 94 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Detected, 166 Recoveries Reported, in Saudi Arabia SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 94 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 363,155, including 2,290 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 3 new imported cases of COVID-19 CNA 04 Jan 2021 -- Taiwan confirmed three new imported cases of COVID-19 on Monday, one each from the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and France, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• CECC traces contacts after Vietnam confirms COVID-19 case from Taiwan CNA 04 Jan 2021 -- The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Monday said it has so far traced seven people who had come into contact with a Vietnamese migrant worker who recently returned to her home country and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
• E-monitoring of quarantined persons no breach of human rights: Premier Su CNA 04 Jan 2021 -- The "electronic fence" system introduced recently by Taiwan health authorities to monitor the movements of people in quarantine does not violate their human rights, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said Monday.

South Africa

• South African COVID-19 Variant 'More of a Problem' Than UK One, Health Secretary Matt Hancock Says Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- A new variant of COVID-19 has been identified in South Africa. Known as 501.V2, the new variant of the virus carries mutations in its spike protein, which it uses to penetrate host cells and cause infection.
• South African Unions, Professors Slam Government Inaction on COVID-19 Vaccines Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- Virologist Shabir Madhi pointed out that the COVAX organisation, which the South African government relied on exclusively until recently, would only provide enough vaccines for a tenth of the population. Governing ANC-allied unions called on Health Minister Zweli Mkhize to look to Russia and China for supplies instead.

Venezuela

• US, European allies refuse to unfreeze Venezuela funds for vaccine purchase Press TV 04 Jan 2021 -- The United States, Britain and some European Union states have rejected Venezuela's appeal to unfreeze its sanctioned assets in order to purchase the much-needed coronavirus vaccine, the nation's President Nicolas Maduro has unveiled.
• Maduro Says He Asked West to Unfreeze Venezuelan Funds to Purchase Vaccines, Was Refused Sputnik 04 Jan 2021 -- The EU nations and the United States have reportedly refused Venezuela's request to unfreeze its assets, so that the sanctions-hit country could purchase a coronavirus vaccine, President Nicolas Maduro has claimed.

Other Countries

• Canada's COVID-19 cases surpass 600,000 People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Canada's COVID-19 cases surpassed 600,000 as of Sunday afternoon, with the total hitting 601,653, including 15,865 deaths, according to CTV.
• Argentina's president expresses concern over spike in COVID-19 cases People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Argentinean President Alberto Fernandez on Sunday expressed concern over the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases in the country and urged citizens, especially young people, to observe prevention measures.
• Egypt licenses China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use; Israel reports 7 more cases of new coronavirus strain People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Egypt said on Saturday that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm has been officially licensed for emergency use in the country. Meanwhile, Israel on Sunday detected seven more cases of the new coronavirus variant.
• Thailand to order 2 mln doses of China's COVID-19 vaccine: WHO People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Thailand is expected to buy two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Thailand said Sunday.
• Sydney records zero local COVID-19 cases despite fears over new cluster People's Daily 04 Jan 2021 -- Australia's biggest city of Sydney officially recorded zero locally acquired cases of COVID-19 on Monday, for the first time since Dec. 15, 2020.
• Health mini. raises alarm over coronavirus outbreak among Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons Press TV 04 Jan 2021 -- Amid grave concerns about the health condition of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in light of the coronavirus pandemic across the occupied territories, Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila has warned about an imminent outbreak of the highly contagious virus in Israel's densely crowded detention centers.
• Morocco Reports 656 New Cases of Covid-19 SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- Morocco reported, during the past 24 hours, 656 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), bringing the total number of infections to 443,802.
• UAE announces 1,501 new COVID-19 cases, 1,746 recoveries, 3 deaths in last 24 hours SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, announced that it conducted 116,687 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM).
• Mexico Reports 5,211 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 04 Jan 2021 -- Mexico's health ministry reported 5,211 new coronavirus cases and 362 additional fatalities on Sunday, Reuters reported.
• Kenyan Schools Reopen Despite Coronavirus Concerns VOA 04 Jan 2021 -- Schools in Kenya reopened Monday after being closed since March due to the coronavirus. But Kenya has yet to contain the pandemic and there are concerns among teachers and parents about being exposed to the infection.