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Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Alejandro Mayorkas Sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security DHS 02 Feb 2021 -- Today, Alejandro Mayorkas was officially sworn in as the seventh Secretary of Homeland Security. Secretary Mayorkas took the oath this afternoon after the Senate voted to confirm him.
• CISA Takes the Next Step in Advancing Emergency Communications Next Generation Priority Services CISA 02 Feb 2021 -- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced today it will pilot a new technology in support of the Next Generation Network Priority Service (NGN-PS) Phase 2 program, which provides first responders and emergency managers with priority voice, data, and video communications during emergencies and widespread outages. This pilot is part of CISA's ongoing development of priority services for voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based networks.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Weekly Epidemiological Update WHO 02 Feb 2021

United States

• Washington National Guard supports 4 vaccination sites Army News 02 Feb 2021 -- As demand for the COVID-19 vaccine climbs, more than 150 Washington National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are helping the state ensure Washingtonians receive their first dose.
• DHS Statement on Equal Access to COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccine Distribution Sites DHS 02 Feb 2021 -- DHS and its Federal government partners fully support equal access to the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine distribution sites for undocumented immigrants.
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic, Announces Federal Vaccine Supply to Increase to 20 Percent for the Next Three Weeks New York State 02 Feb 2021
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 02 Feb 2021
• Biden Announces Increase in COVID-19 Vaccines VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- The White House announced Tuesday new measures to increase the rate of vaccinations against COVID-19, including distributing vaccines to select pharmacies across the country.
• U.S. mandates masks on public transport a year into COVID-19 pandemic People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- Begining Tuesday, Americans are required to wear face masks while traveling on domestic public transport as part of a national strategy to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• U.S. reports over 470 cases of coronavirus variants People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- Over 470 infection cases of coronavirus variants have been reported in at least 32 U.S. states as of Sunday, according to the latest data of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Memorandum on Maximizing Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency The White House 02 Feb 2021

China

• WHO team to visit Wuhan virology institute Wednesday Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- Intensive field visits by the WHO expert team to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province continued, which will bring them to the Wuhan Institute of Virology on Wednesday after visiting a Wuhan animal facility on Tuesday.
• US should invite WHO experts to investigate virus origins, just as China did: FM Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- While a WHO expert team for virus origins-tracing in Wuhan visited a number of places, including hospitals, that reported early COVID-19 cases in China, the Huanan Seafood market, local CDCs and reportedly an animal health facility, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the Chinese government has provided vigorous help to the WHO team and China has always been open and transparent in terms of its response to COVID-19, urging the US to also open up to the work of tracing coronavirus origins.
• Three places in Northeast China criticized for inept COVID-19 controls Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- Authorities from Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province have recently held seven officials accountable for their "one size fits all" approach to COVID-19 prevention which poses a burden for local people's daily life.
• Many places in China suspend religious gatherings during Spring Festival holidays to curb COVID-19 risk Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- In order to strictly prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic, many places in China plan to suspend religious gatherings during the upcoming Spring Festival holidays.
• China vows more COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- China will continue to provide COVID-19 vaccines to other countries, especially the developing ones, in a timely manner within its capacity and contribute to the building of a community of health for all, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.
• Chinese mainland reports 12 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 30 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 12 locally transmitted ones, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.
• China's Hebei reports no new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- No new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in north China's Hebei Province on Monday, the provincial health commission said Tuesday.
• China-donated COVID-19 vaccines handed over to Pakistan PLA Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- A batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccines has been officially handed over to Pakistan on Monday at Noor Khan Air Base near the country's capital Islamabad, making Pakistan the first country to receive the Chinese government donated COVID-19 vaccine.

Europe

• Britain Battles Mutant Coronavirus Outbreak VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- Britain launched an emergency program of door-to-door testing in several areas Tuesday following the discovery of hundreds of cases of the coronavirus variant, first identified in South Africa, which scientists say could be more resistant to vaccines.
• Britain Seeks Vaccine Changes to Address COVID-19 Variants VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- Britain's health minister said Tuesday the government there is considering modifications to existing COVID-19 vaccines to address variant strains of the coronavirus.
• Italy eases restrictions in most regions as pandemic trend improves People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- Coronavirus restrictions were eased in most of Italy's 20 regions on Monday after the latest epidemiological picture showed an improving pandemic trend in the country.
• COVID-19 vaccinations for all Germans by end of summer: Merkel Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel reaffirmed on Monday the government pledge to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to all German citizens by the end of the summer.

Russia

• Russia's Sputnik Vaccine Safe, Effective Against COVID-19, Study Finds VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- Russian scientists say the country's Sputnik-V vaccine appears safe and effective against COVID-19, according to early results of an advanced study published in a British medical journal.
• British Journal Publishes Russian Research Data Indicating Sputnik-V Vaccine Is Safe And Effective RFE/RL 02 Feb 2021 -- Russian scientists say the country's Sputnik-V vaccine appears safe and effective against COVID-19, according to early results of an advanced study published in a British medical journal.
• Russia Reports 16,643 New COVID-19 Cases, 539 Deaths SPA 02 Feb 2021 -- Russia on Tuesday reported 16,643 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,701 in Moscow, taking the national case tally to 3,884,730 since the pandemic began, according to Reuters.

India

• India's Daily New Cases drop below 9,000 after 8 months; 8,635 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- India's Daily New Cases continue to follow a consistent downward slope.
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccination & National Polio Immunization Drive India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination program was conducted successfully on the eighteenth today. The Prime Minister launched the countrywide COVID 19 Vaccination drive on 16th Jan 2021.
• Purchase of Ventilators for COVID-19 India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- The details of medical equipment procured for the management of COVID 19 since January 2020 till date is as under:
• Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines to States India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- Government of India has started COVID-19 vaccination for Health Care Workers in the country on 16th January 2021. All the States and Union Territories have been provided with the COVID-19 vaccines.
• Centre rushes High Level teams to Kerala and Maharashtra for supporting the States in public health interventions for COVID19 management India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has decided to depute two high-level multi-disciplinary teams to Kerala and Maharashtra to collaborate with the State Health Authorities in instituting public health measures for COVID-19 management.
• High Level Committee for Distribution and Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines India PIB 02 Feb 2021 -- A National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has been establishe, which provides guidance on all aspects of COVID-19 vaccination including prioritization of population groups, procurement and inventory management, vaccine selection, vaccine delivery and tracking mechanism etc.
• India Records 8,635 Covid-19 Cases SPA 02 Feb 2021 -- India reported 8,635 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the positive cases tally in the country to 10,766,245, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India on Tuesday morning.

Pakistan

• Pakistan Starts COVID-19 Inoculation Drive VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- Pakistan began its COVID-19 vaccine drive Tuesday, with front-line health care workers slated to receive the inoculations in the first phase.

Iran

• Iran to import 1st shipment of COVID-19 vaccine in 2 days IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- The first batch of the COVID-19 vaccines will arrive in the country from Russia on February 4, 2021, Civil aviation authority spokesman Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh said on Tuesday.
• Iran among five ventilator producers in world IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- Iran joined five world ventilator producers by the inauguration of Ehya Darman Pishrafte Company production line.
• Some 72 deaths caused by COVID-19 in Iran IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- Some 72 deaths were caused by COVID-19 in Iran over the past 24 hours, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday.
• President: Iran to start COVID-19 vaccination by mid-February IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- President Hassan Rouhani saidon Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccination will start by the end of Iranian month of Bahman (mid February).
• Iranian COVID-19 vaccine to be available by late April, official says IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- The first Iran-made COVID vaccine COV-Iran Barekat – is predicted to be available by late April, Head of the Executive Office of Imam Khomeini Directives Mohammad Mokhber said on Tuesday.
• President reassures Govt commitment to provide people with medicine, basic needs IRNA 02 Feb 2021 -- President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday reassured commitment of the Government to provide the people with medicine and basic needs.
• Iran to roll out vaccination with home-made jab in April: SETAD chief Press TV 02 Feb 2021 -- People in Iran will start to receive shots of a home-made coronavirus vaccine in early April, says the producer of the jab, as the country pushes ahead with plans to roll-out a comprehensive vaccination program.
• Rouhani says hopes COVID-19 vaccination will begin before end of Persian calendar year Press TV 02 Feb 2021 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has expressed hope that vaccinations against the COVID-19 disease will kick off in the coming weeks, before the end of the current Persian calendar year in March.

Japan

• Tokyo Olympics Chief Says Games Will Go On Despite Coronavirus VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- The head of the Tokyo Olympics expressed confidence Tuesday the event will go forward this year despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi Arabia

• 310 New Confirmed Covid-19 Cases, 271 Recoveries Reported, in Saudi Arabia SPA 02 Feb 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced, in a statement, here today that 310 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 368,639, including 2,146 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• 2 patients in Taoyuan COVID-19 cluster on respirators: CECC CNA 02 Feb 2021 -- Two of the 19 patients in a COVID-19 cluster linked to Taoyuan General Hospital are in intensive care units and on respirators, a Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) official said Tuesday.

NATO

• South Africa Sees 2 Good Breaks in Coronavirus Fight VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- South Africa's president delivered a rare shot of good news to people in the continent's coronavirus hotspot: the nation's second wave appears to be abating, and the government will soon launch a vaccination campaign for health workers.
• South Africa to Begin Testing COVID-19 Vaccines Before Launching Program VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said medical regulators will begin testing the integrity of the country's first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 before vaccinating front line healthcare workers.

Other Countries

• Kazakhstan begins mass vaccination against COVID-19 Global Times 02 Feb 2021 -- Kazakhstan began its coronavirus vaccination campaign Monday using Russian-made Sputnik V.
• 10 mln doses of raw materials for Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Indonesia People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- A total of 10 million doses of raw materials for COVID-19 vaccine from the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia's city of Tangerang on Tuesday, an official said.
• Brunei announces guidelines for Chinese New Year celebrations amid COVID-19 People's Daily 02 Feb 2021 -- The Brunei government issues several guidelines as precautionary measures against COVID-19 during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations on Monday.
• Brazil coronavirus deaths rise above 225,000 SPA 02 Feb 2021 -- Brazil registered 24,591 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday and 595 additional deaths attributable to the coronavirus, the nation's Health Ministry said.
• Nigeria to Add More Protections for Health Care Workers Following Surge in COVID-19 Infections VOA 02 Feb 2021 -- Nigerian authorities are pledging to provide more protection for health care workers following an increase in COVID-19 cases among the group.