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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• COVID-19 continues to disrupt essential health services: WHO People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- Over one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, about 90 percent of the world's 105 countries surveyed still report disruptions to their essential health services, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
• UN advisory board urges solidarity to prevent COVID-19 from pushing countries apart People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- The multilateral system has to fundamentally change in the spirit of international solidarity to confront the severe impacts of COVID-19, according to members of the United Nations High-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs, convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which comprises 20 renowned thought leaders in economic and social fields.
• WHO Links COVID Pandemic, Disruption of Health Services VOA 24 Apr 2021 -- A World Health Organization study finds 90% of 135 countries and territories surveyed report COVID-19 has disrupted access to essential health services.
• Global Tally of COVID Cases Climbs to More Than 145 Million VOA 24 Apr 2021 -- The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported early Saturday that there are 145.2 million global COVID-19 infections. The U.S. remains at the top of the list as the country with the most infections at almost 32 million. India is second on the list with more than 16 million cases, followed by Brazil with 14.2 million.

United States

• New York State to Resume Use of Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine VOA 24 Apr 2021 -- The governor of the U.S. state of New York announced Saturday the state would immediately resume vaccinating residents with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, despite evidence that it is linked to rare cases of blood clots.
• NYS COVID-19 hospitalizations down to 3,387, positivity rate 2.03 pct: governor People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state dropped to 3,387 on Thursday, compared with 3,567 one day earlier, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday.
• U.S. advisory panel recommends resuming use of Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted Friday to recommend resuming the use of Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for adults.

China

• Top Chinese expert urges enhanced vaccine research to tackle variants Global Times 24 Apr 2021 -- China's top medical advisor Zhong Nanshan urged speeding up research on COVID-19 vaccines to fight the mutating coronavirus strains, as COVID-19 variants have been reported in the UK, Brazil, South Africa and India.
• China administers over 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- China has administered over 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far, a health official told a press conference on April 21.
• China administers over 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported nine additional cases of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the total tally to 11,727.
• China's Yunnan reports 1 imported COVID-19 case People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- China's border province of Yunnan reported one imported COVID-19 case on Friday, the provincial health commission said Saturday.

Europe

Russia

• Russia Reports 8,828 New COVID-19 Cases, 399 Deaths SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Russia reported 8,828 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, including 2,541 in Moscow, which took the national tally to 4,753,789 since the start of the pandemic, Reuters reported.

India

• India's Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 13.83 Crores India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 13.83 Cr today as part of the world's largest vaccination drive.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 99 India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- India becomes the fastest country to administer 14 Crore Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine in just 99 days. Also, the country has administered more than 24 lakh vaccine doses administered till 8 pm today.
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan oversees addition of 500 Oxygenated Beds in Delhi India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- In a swift move that could provide a much-needed shot in the arm for Delhi in its war against COVID-19, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, today visited the Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (SPCCC) at Chhatarpur, New Delhi and oversaw the restarting of the COVID Care Centre and addition of 500 oxygenated beds.
• Centre guides States/UTs for Effective Implementation of New Vaccination Strategy from 1st May onwards India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Union Health Secretary Shri Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, Chairman, Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management to combat COVID-19 chaired a high-level meeting to guide the States/UTs on effective implementation of the New Vaccination Strategy (Phase-3) and to review their augmentation plans so as to strengthen the existing hospital and clinical treatment infrastructure for COVID patients.
• COVID 19 relief efforts by Indian Air Force India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- One C-17 of Indian Air Force got airborne at 2 am on 24th Apr 21 from Hindan Air Base for Changi International Airport, Singapore. The aircraft arrived at Singapore at 0745 am. After loading 4 empty cryogenic oxygen containers, it has departed Singapore and is enroute to Panagarh air base for offloading of these containers.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh holds second meeting to review efforts of MoD & Armed Forces to fight current COVID-19 crisis; India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the efforts of Ministry of Defence and the three Services to fight the current COVID-19 crisis through video conferencing on April 24, 2021.
• AFMS deploys additional health professionals at SVP COVID hospital in Delhi to fight current spike in COVID-19 cases India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) has deployed additional doctors, including specialists, super specialists and paramedics, at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) COVID hospital in Delhi to cater to the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
• Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated a 280 PSA Oxygen Plant at the Covid Designated Hospital at Kolavada in Gandhinagar district, Gujarat India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- The Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated a 280 PSA Oxygen Plant at the Covid Designated Hospital at Kolavada in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat today.
• Oxygen Express delivers Oxygen in Maharashtra India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Railways took the movement of oxygen express as a challenge and successfully ran the first oxygen express from Kalamboli to Vizag and back upto Nasik. The moment railways got the request for, made ramps at various places immediately for the movement of liquid medical oxygen tankers. It must be appreciated the work done by the team in Mumbai as the ramp was made in only 24 hrs time at Kalamboli.
• Oxygen Expresses deliver nearly 150 tonnes of Oxygen in last 24 hours India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Indian Railway is running Oxygen Express in response to its fight against Covid-19.
• Indian Railways gears up to provide Covid Care Coaches to State Authorities India PIB 24 Apr 2021 -- Indian Railways is making an all out effort to supplement the health care efforts of Government of India.

Iran

• Rouhani warns Iran could see worst of COVID if Indian variant hits Press TV 24 Apr 2021 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for increased restrictions on travel and movement as he warns the country could be hit by the worst of the coronavirus crisis with the arrival of the Indian variant of the virus.
• COVID-19 claims 374 lives in Iran over past 24 hours IRNA 24 Apr 2021 -- Some 374 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 69,120, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Saturday.
• President calls for precautionary measures against Indian virus variant IRNA 24 Apr 2021 -- President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday ordered the eastern provincial officials to take precautionary measures against Indian variant of the coronavirus.
• Iran bans flights from/to India, Pakistan ISNA 24 Apr 2021 -- Iran will ban flights from and to India and Pakistan as of Sunday due to the outbreak of the mutated coronavirus in the two countries, Civil Aviation authority spokesman Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh announced on Saturday.

South Korea

• S. Korea Records New COVID-19 Infections Nearing 800 SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- South Korea's daily new virus cases neared 800 on Friday as growing untraceable cases, coupled with cluster infections, continued to hamper the country's virus fight against the pandemic, Yonhap reported.

Japan

• Japanese Premier to Declare COVID-19 State of Emergency in Tokyo, Osaka Region SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to declare a state of emergency Friday in Tokyo and the western Japan prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo in an effort to curb a surge in COVID-19 during the upcoming Golden Week holidays, Kyodo reported.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 1,072 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, 858 Recoveries Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced today in a statement that 1,072 new confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 411,263, including 9,847 active cases.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 7 COVID-19 cases -- 1 death, 1 source unknown CNA 24 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan reported seven COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including one death, one airline company employee, whose source of infection remains unclear, and five imported cases, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan to provide financing for Paraguay to buy COVID-19 vaccines CNA 24 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan will provide financing for its South American ally Paraguay to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Saturday.
• Taiwan reports two local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan reported two local COVID-19 cases on Friday, the local epidemic monitoring agency said.

Other Countries

• Ukraine receives second batch of COVID-19 vaccine from COVAX People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- The second batch of COVID-19 vaccines, namely 367,200 doses from AstraZeneca, arrived in Ukraine on Friday as part of the global COVAX initiative, the press service of Ukrainian Health Ministry said on Friday.
• Togo receives China-donated Sinovac vaccines People's Daily 24 Apr 2021 -- The government of Togo received a batch of Sinovac vaccine donnated by China on Friday in support to its fight against COVID-19 as part of the cooperation between the two countries.
• UAE announces 2,080 new COVID-19 cases, 1,793 recoveries, 2 deaths in last 24 hours SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health and Prevention announced 2,080 new coronavirus cases in the United Arab Emirates in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 508,925, WAM reported.
• Mexico Records 409 deaths and 3,911 New Corona Infections SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Mexico recorded 3,911 confirmed cases of the emerging coronavirus, along with 409 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Egypt Records 884 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Egypt recorded 884 confirmed cases of the new Corona virus, along with 45 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Kuwait Records 9 Deaths and 1,432 New Coronavirus Infections SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- The State of Kuwait recorded, in the last 24 hours, 1432 confirmed cases of the new Coronavirus, 9 deaths and 1312 recoveries.
• Brazil Records 2,914 deaths and 69,105 New Infections from Covid-19 SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Brazil recorded 69,105 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), along with 2,914 deaths.
• Algeria Reports 199 New Coronavirus Infections SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Algeria reported 199 new confirmed Coronavirus infections and 9 deaths, in the last 24 hours, raising the tally of infections to as many 110,049 cases.
• Tunisia Reports 2,205 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 24 Apr 2021 -- Tunisia reported as many as 2,205 new confirmed Coronavirus infections and 107 deaths, in the last 24-hour.
• Malawi Rejects WHO Call to Use Expired COVID Vaccine VOA 24 Apr 2021 -- Malawi's government says it will go ahead with plans to destroy thousands of expired COVID-19 vaccine doses, despite calls from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centre for Disease Control not to destroy them.