Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• New Ebola outbreak kills 3 in Guinea: Africa CDC People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- The west African country of Guinea has detected five Ebola virus cases and three Ebola-related deaths over the past one week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Tuesday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• COVID-19: WHO chief outlines five 'vital changes' to address inequities UN News 07 Apr 2021 -- Investing in equitable production and access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments, is among five "vital changes" the world needs to make this year to address the inequalities the pandemic has exacerbated, the UN's top health official said, marking World Health Day on Wednesday.
• Dispelling misinformation, countering vaccine hesitancy vital to beat COVID-19, countries affirm UN News 07 Apr 2021 -- Addressing misinformation and countering vaccine hesitancy features prominently in a political declaration launched at the United Nations General Assembly, as countries pledged to "work together as one" to defeat the pandemic, and help people and the planet to recover better.
• Regulators Establish Link Between Rare Blood Disorder, AstraZeneca Jab VOA 07 Apr 2021 -- The European Union's medical regulator concluded Wednesday that unusual and potentially fatal blood clots should be listed as a very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
• 'Plausible' link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots, WHO committee says UN News 07 Apr 2021 -- The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine could possibly cause rare blood clots in some people but further studies are required to confirm the link, experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
• Oxford-AstraZeneca Researchers Halt Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Children VOA 07 Apr 2021 -- A clinical trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine involving young children and teenagers has been halted by Oxford researchers as British drug regulators conduct a safety review of the two-shot regimen.

United States

• Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials The White House 07 Apr 2021
• CDC: So-Called British COVID-19 Variant Now Most Common in US VOA 07 Apr 2021 -- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant originally identified in Britain is now the most common strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 circulating in the United States.
• Biden says all U.S. adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by April 19 People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that all American adults will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by April 19.

China

• Mainland rolls out COVID-19 vaccination for compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge to people from Hong Kong and Macao who are working or living on the Chinese mainland, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).
• China's Yunnan reports 2 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- Southwest China's Yunnan Province reported two new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the provincial health commission said on Wednesday.

Europe

• From Laggard to Leader? EU Ramps Up Coronavirus Vaccinations VOA 07 Apr 2021 -- After being criticized for its slow rollout, Europe is ramping up its coronavirus vaccinations. The faster pace is being seen in France this week, where the country has launched a mass vaccination campaign and witnessed the first vaccine doses roll out from a French factory.
• Hungary Eases COVID Restrictions Despite Death Spike RFE/RL 07 Apr 2021 -- Hungary has begun reopening shops and services on after more than one quarter of its population was inoculated with at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Russia

• Report: EU Drug Regulator To Probe Russian Clinical Trials Of Sputnik V Vaccine RFE/RL 07 Apr 2021 -- The European Union's drug regulator will investigate the Russia's clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and whether those tests followed "good clinical practices," the Financial Times reported.

India

• Hit with Second Wave, India Becomes COVID-19 Hotspot VOA 07 Apr 2021 -- India has become the global hotspot for the COVID-19 pandemic, counting the world's highest numbers of daily new infections in recent days as it grapples with a second wave of the pandemic weeks after witnessing a dramatic decline.
• Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 8.7 Crores with more than 33 Lakh doses given in the last 24 hours India PIB 07 Apr 2021 -- The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 8.70 Cr today.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 82 India PIB 07 Apr 2021 -- The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 8.83 Crore today.
• Statement by Dr. Harsh Vardhan India PIB 07 Apr 2021 -- "In recent days, I have seen with growing dismay a number of irresponsible statements from some State government functionaries in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. As these statements have the potential to mislead the public and spread panic, it has become necessary to put the record straight."
• India Reports New Record High of over 115,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases SPA 07 Apr 2021 -- India confirmed a new record high number of 115,736 daily COVID-19 cases, bringing the total case tally to 12,801,785, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on its website on Wednesday, according to TASS News Agency.

Pakistan

• Pakistan's confirmed COVID-19 cases cross 700,000 mark People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- As Pakistan is struggling to contain the third wave of COVID-19, the country reported 4,004 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 700,188, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Wednesday.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 193 more people in Iran IRNA 07 Apr 2021 -- Some 193 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 63,699, Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Wednesday.
• US sanctions blocked Iran's access to medical supplies amid COVID-19 crisis IRNA 07 Apr 2021 -- Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Governor Abdol-Nasser Hemmati said here on Tuesday that a times of Iran's dire need for medical supplies and medicine in its campaign against COVID-19 pandemic, the unilateral and illegally imposed US sanctions blocked Iran's access to them.
• Two-week restrictions imposed in Iranian capital to curb new COVID surge Press TV 07 Apr 2021 -- The Iranian capital has been put under a partial lockdown that would last for two weeks amid a fresh surge in cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
• Iran Posts Second Consecutive Daily Record For New COVID-19 Cases Amid Holiday Surge RFE/RL 07 Apr 2021 -- Iran has set a new daily record for new coronavirus infections amid a surge of cases following the Norouz holiday.

South Korea

• South Korea Reports 668 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 07 Apr 2021 -- South Korea reported 668 new COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry Reports 783 New Confirmed Cases and 417 Recoveries SPA 07 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced that 783 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today, bringing the total number to 394,952, including 7,044 active cases.

Taiwan

• Quarantine rules relaxed for U.K., South Africa, Eswatini arrivals CNA 07 Apr 2021 -- Strict quarantine requirements placed on arrivals from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Eswatini will be relaxed from Saturday, as the COVID-19 situations in these countries have eased, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday.
• Taiwan to expand COVID-19 vaccinations for at-risk personnel CNA 07 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan's COVID-19 vaccination program will be expanded with effect from April 12 to include government epidemic prevention workers and those with a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure due to their jobs, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday.

Other Countries

• Governments In Europe, Central Asia Used Pandemic To Clamp Down On Human Rights, Amnesty Says RFE/RL 07 Apr 2021 -- Amnesty International says some measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic have aggravated existing patterns of abuses and inequalities in Europe and Central Asia, where a number of governments used the crisis "as a smokescreen for power grabs, clampdowns on freedoms, and a pretext to ignore human rights obligations."
• WHO expresses concern about surging COVID-19 cases in Philippines People's Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific Region on Wednesday expressed concern about the surging COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, warning that the increasing trend "is moving towards the red line."
• Two batches of Chinese-made vaccines arrive in Lebanon PLA Daily 07 Apr 2021 -- Two batches of vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm arrived here on Tuesday to support the country's fight against COVID-19.
• Cambodia's Lenders Suspend Loan Principle, Interest Collection Amid Pandemic Radio Free Asia 07 Apr 2021 -- Two associations representing Cambodia's microfinance institutions (MFIs) and banks issued a joint statement Wednesday agreeing to grant borrowers a reprieve from repayment of loans and interest amid the country's latest and deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus.