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Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Lifetime Founding Member of the Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Breaching Capitol on Jan. 6 to Obstruct Congressional Proceeding US Dept. of Justice 16 Apr 2021 -- Jon Schaffer, 53, of Columbus, Indiana, today admitted that he breached the Capitol on January 6, 2021, wearing a tactical vest and armed with bear repellent, and pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol to obstruct Congress' certification of the U.S. presidential election results.
• High-Level Organizer of Notorious Hacking Group Sentenced to Prison for Scheme that Compromised Tens of Millions of Debit and Credit Cards US Dept. of Justice 16 Apr 2021 -- Overall Damage to Banks, Merchants, Card Companies, and Consumers Estimated at more than $1 Billion

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• COVID-19 infections approaching highest rates ever, WHO warns UN News 16 Apr 2021 -- COVID-19 infections are approaching their highest rates since the pandemic began just over a year ago, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday.
• Vaccine equity the 'challenge of our time', WHO chief declares, as governments call for solidarity, sharing UN News 16 Apr 2021 -- With the number of new COVID-19 cases nearly doubling over the past two months, approaching the highest infection rate the world has seen during the pandemic, the unequal distribution of vaccines is not only a moral outrage, but economically and epidemiologically self-defeating, the head of the UN health agency told a special ministerial meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Friday.
• Global COVID-19 Infection Rate Approaches Record High, WHO Warns VOA 16 Apr 2021 -- The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 cases are increasing globally at a worrying rate, with the number of new cases doubling each week, a pace approaching the highest rate of infection since the pandemic began.
• COVID Vaccine Will Likely Be Annual Shot VOA 16 Apr 2021 -- The COVID-19 vaccine could become an annual injection, like the flu shot, according to the head of a pharmaceutical giant and the chief science officer of the U.S. pandemic response.

United States

• Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine pause sparks scrambles across U.S., media reports People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- The pause of use of the Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has caused scrambles across the United States as vaccination sites rushed to switch to one of the two other authorized vaccines, according to local media.
• California opens up COVID-19 vaccinations to all aged 16 and older People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- California, the most populous state in the United States, opened up COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all aged 16 and older on Thursday.
• Johnson &Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine pauses pending investigation as public trust plummets People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- A pause on the use of Johnson &Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine should continue until more is known about the rare blood clotting cases that emerged in recipients, according to an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials The White House 16 Apr 2021
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces Lowest COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since November 30 New York State 16 Apr 2021

China

• 12.5 mln people in Beijing vaccinated against COVID-19 People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- Beijing has administered more than 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of 12 p.m. Thursday, according to the municipal government.
• Over 183 mln COVID-19 vaccine doses administered across China People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- More than 183.53 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across China as of Thursday, the National Health Commission said Friday.
• China's first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to start Phase III trial in May: media People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- China's first messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine will start its Phase III clinical trial in May, China National Radio (CNR) has reported.
• China's Yunnan reports 1 new COVID-19 case People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- Southwest China's Yunnan Province reported one confirmed COVID-19 case on Thursday, the provincial health commission said Friday.

Europe

• Proactive surge testing needed to "get ahead of infection": UK health director People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- Proactive surge testing is needed to help officials "get ahead of the infection" as Britain is facing the threat of coronavirus variants, a public health director said Thursday.
• Here Comes Another One: Indian Double Mutation COVID-19 Variant Arrives in Britain Sputnik 16 Apr 2021 -- Public Health England (PHE) has recorded 77 cases of the variant officially named B.1.617, which is said to be contributing to a sharp spike of the pandemic in India.
• Italy to Relax COVID Restrictions April 26 VOA 16 Apr 2021 -- Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Friday announced that the country would begin easing some of its stricter COVID-19 restrictions April 26.
• Finland Set to Discuss Sputnik V Purchase After EMA Approval Sputnik 16 Apr 2021 -- The Finnish Health Ministry said on Friday that it is ready to start negotiations with Russia on imports of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and its production in Finland once it receives approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Russia

• Russia reports 8,995 new coronavirus cases, 397 deaths SPA 16 Apr 2021 -- Russia on Friday reported 8,995 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, including 2,476 in Moscow, taking the national tally to 4,684,148.

India

• India's Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 11.72 Crores with over 27 Lakh doses given in the last 24 hours India PIB 16 Apr 2021 -- The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 11.72 Cr today as part of the world's largest vaccination drive.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 91 India PIB 16 Apr 2021 -- The total vaccinations across the country have approached nearly 12 crore mark today with more than 26.14 lakh vaccine doses administered till 8 pm. Today, 66,689 COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) were operational, marking a rise of an average of 21,689 operational Vaccination Centres (45,000 CVCs on an average are functional on any given day). Workplace vaccinations have also enabled such a high turnout of beneficiaries.
• Union Home Secretary reviews COVID-19 Status and Public Health Measures for its Containment & Management taken by Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh India PIB 16 Apr 2021 -- Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla along with Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary chaired high-level meetings today to review status of COVID19 in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh and the public health measures taken for containment and management of COVID19 by the State health authorities. Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr. Balram Bhargava, DG ICMR, Dr (Prof) Sunil Kumar, DGHS were also present along with Chief Secretaries, DG (police), and Health Secretaries of both States.
• Union Health Ministry advises the Central Ministries and their PSUs to dedicate their Hospital beds for COVID19 Management in States/UTs India PIB 16 Apr 2021 -- Many State and UTs across the country have been reporting a surge since the past few weeks in the cases and deaths caused by COVID-19. The Union Government has been leading the fight against COVID-19 with a 'Whole of Government" approach through a collaborative strategy of proactively supporting the States in COVID management and public health response measures.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan reviews preparedness of AIIMS New Delhi in light of recent surge of COVID19 cases in the Capital India PIB 16 Apr 2021 -- Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare today visited All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi to review their COVID-19 preparedness in light of recent surge of COVID cases in the Capital. He also interacted with the patients under care at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Iran

• COVID-19 claims 328 lives in Iran over past 24 hours: Official IRNA 16 Apr 2021 -- Some 328 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 66,008, Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari announced on Friday.
• Corona vaccination to reach 1.3 million doses next week: Minister IRNA 16 Apr 2021 -- Saeed Namaki, Iranian Health Minister, said on Friday that some 500,000 doses of corona vaccines have been administered in Iran and the number of vaccination will reach 1.3 million until the end of next week (next Thursday).

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 964 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, 918 Recoveries Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 16 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced today in a statement that 964 new confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 403,106, including 9,285 active cases.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 2 new imported COVID-19 cases CNA 16 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan on Friday confirmed two imported cases of COVID-19 infection, from the Philippines and Croatia, bringing the total number of cases in the nation to 1,070 since the pandemic emerged in late 2019, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Other Countries

• WHO pledges support for boosting safety of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday it had joined forces with African governments to boost the safety of COVID-19 vaccines as their rollout in the continent gathered steam.
• US Halt on J&J Jab Throws Africa's COVID-19 Vaccine Programme Into Chaos Sputnik 16 Apr 2021 -- The African Union had only last week placed an order for up to 400 million doses of US firm Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine — most of which were to be made at a South African plant — for distribution to its 55 member states.
• Nigeria Steps Up Vaccination Efforts After Slow Rollout Blamed on Misinformation VOA 16 Apr 2021 -- Nigerian authorities are stepping up efforts to vaccinate more people against COVID-19 after a slow rollout blamed on misinformation. Authorities aim to vaccinate over 80 million Nigerians by year's end but are running far behind schedule.
• Namibia receives first batch vaccines from COVAX facility People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- Namibia received the first batch of 24,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on Friday morning, Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula said.
• Argentina reports 24,999 new COVID-19 cases in one day People's Daily 16 Apr 2021 -- Argentina on Thursday reported 24,999 new COVID-19 infections and 383 more deaths in the past 24 hours, for a cumulative total of 2,629,156 cases and 58,925 deaths, the Ministry of Health said.
• Cambodia's Hun Sen Isolates Phnom Penh and Takhmao After Citizens Ignore Lockdown Order Radio Free Asia 16 Apr 2021 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Friday sealed off the capital Phnom Penh and nearby Takhmao city in Kandal province after residents mostly ignored his recent lockdown order in the two cities.
• Kyrgyz Officials Draw Criticism For Promoting Toxic Root To Fight COVID RFE/RL 16 Apr 2021 -- An effort by Kyrgyz authorities to promote a toxic root for treatment of COVID-19 has been met with criticism in the Central Asian nation.
• Lebanon Reports 2,008 New Coronavirus cases SPA 16 Apr 2021 -- Lebanon reported, in the last 25 hours, 2,008 new Novel Coronavirus infections and 45 deaths, raising the total infections to 508,808 cases.
• UAE Announces 1,843 New COVID-19 Cases, 1,506 Recoveries, 2 Deaths in Last 24 hours SPA 16 Apr 2021 -- The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 198,135 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.
• Egypt Reports 837 New Covid-19 Cases SPA 16 Apr 2021 -- Egypt reported 837 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and 41 deaths during the past 24 hours.