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Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• ICE to Close Two Detention Centers DHS 20 May 2021 -- Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to discontinue use of the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts by transferring the remaining detained noncitizens out of the facility and terminating the Intergovernmental Services Agreement with the Bristol County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) and the 287(g) agreement with the BCSO that is no longer operationally needed.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Department of Defense Leaders Update Reporters on DOD COVID-19 Efforts DoD 20 May 2021 -- Acting Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Health Affairs Dr. Terry Adirim; Army Lieutenant General Ronald J. Place, Director, Defense Health Agency
• US Drug Regulator Relaxes Cold Storage Requirements for Pfizer Vaccine VOA 20 May 2021 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the he COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and German-based BioNTech can be stored much longer at temperatures higher than previously recommended.

China

• Chinese FM Wang Yi calls for COVID-19 vaccines to be made accessible and affordable in Africa Global Times 20 May 2021 -- The international community needs to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are made accessible and affordable in Africa through free aid, preferential procurement, technology transfer and cooperative production, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday.
• Chinese vaccines can protect against mutated variants in India: China CDC Global Times 20 May 2021 -- Current Chinese COVID-19 vaccines can offer protection against the mutated variants found in India, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.
• Variant causing fresh cluster infections in China from overseas: CDC epidemiologist Global Times 20 May 2021 -- The virus that caused the fresh cluster of COVID-19 infections in East China's Anhui and Northeast China's Liaoning provinces was either from infected overseas travelers or contaminated imported products, and authorities are tracing its source, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.
• Over 449 mln doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in China People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- More than 449.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in China as of Wednesday, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.
• China CDC says recent COVID-19 cases caused by overseas source People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- The recent COVID-19 cases in Anhui and Liaoning provinces have contracted the virus via individuals or articles from abroad, said the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 1 new locally transmitted COVID-19 case People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported one new locally transmitted COVID-19 case in Liaoning Province, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Thursday.
• China's Shenyang expands nucleic acid testing to stem new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, has expanded the scope of nucleic acid testing following new cases of COVID-19, said local health authorities.

Europe

• WHO Europe Director Cautions COVID-19 Progress 'Fragile' VOA 20 May 2021 -- The World Health Organization's (WHO) regional director for Europe said Thursday that COVID-19 cases in the region have dropped by 60% in the past month but cautions that progress is fragile and European countries are still struggling with the pandemic. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.
• EU States to Independently Decide on Certificates With Unauthorized Vaccines Sputnik 20 May 2021 -- The countries of the European Union will independently decide on the recognition or non-recognition of coronavirus certificates issued in other EU states with vaccines not authorized by the European Medicines Agency, according to a statement issued by the European Parliament following negotiations with the Council of the EU.
• EU Signs Contract with Pfizer for 1.8 Billion Additional Vaccine Doses VOA 20 May 2021 -- The European Union Thursday announced it has signed a third contract with Pfizer-BioNTech for an additional 1.8 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, running from the end of this year through 2022.
• UK reports nearly 3,000 cases of India-related variant People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- Almost 3,000 cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India have been reported in Britain, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Wednesday.
• EU Says Hungary Opts Out Of New Vaccine Deal With Pfizer RFE/RL 20 May 2021 -- Hungary has become the only European Union member state to opt out of a new agreement the bloc has signed with Pfizer and BioNTech for the supply of up to 1.8 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine.

Russia

India

• Daily Recoveries Outnumber Daily New Cases for 7th Consecutive Day India PIB 20 May 2021 -- India's Daily Recoveries continue to outnumber the Daily New Cases for the seventh consecutive day
• COVID-19 Vaccination Update- Day 125 India PIB 20 May 2021 -- India achieves a new landmark in its vaccination drive as the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 19 Cr (19,18,10,604) as per the 8 pm provisional report today.

  7,36,514 beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years received their first dose of COVID vaccine today and cumulatively 85,84,054across 36 States/UTs since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive

• UPDATE on COVID19 VACCINES India PIB 20 May 2021 -- Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan chairs the opening session of the 33rd Conference of Health Ministers of Commonwealth Countries India PIB 20 May 2021 -- Dr
• PM interacts with state and district officials on the COVID-19 situation India PIB 20 May 2021 -- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with the state and district officials on the COVID-19 situation through video conference.

  During the interaction, the officials thanked the Prime Minister for his leadership in the battle against Covid-19

• On Mission Mode, Around 200 Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey so far India PIB 20 May 2021 -- Overcoming all hurdles and finding new solutions, Indian Railways is continuing its journey of bringing relief by delivering Liquid Medical Oxygen(LMO) to various states across the country

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 229 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 20 May 2021 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran exceeded 77,994 with 229 more Iranians who died from the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Thursday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 286 new domestic COVID-19 cases, one death CNA 20 May 2021 -- Taiwan on Thursday confirmed 295 new cases of COVID-19, of which 286 were classified as domestic infections, as well as one death from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• No heat-up of COVID-19 in Greater Taipei: CECC CNA 20 May 2021 -- The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday that based on the decline in test positivity rate for COVID-19 cases in Greater Taipei, there is no indication the outbreak is worsening.
• Two hospitals close fully or partly after staff test COVID-positive CNA 20 May 2021 -- One hospital in Taipei's Zhongzheng District and another in New Taipei's Xizhi District on Thursday announced full closure and partial closure, respectively, after they found employees infected with COVID-19.

Other Countries

• Delays in Vaccine Rollout Put African Lives on Hold VOA 20 May 2021 -- The World Health Organization warns delays in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine to countries in Africa are putting lives at risk and threatening the continued spread of the coronavirus on the continent and across borders. To date, the WHO reports 4.7 million COVID-19 cases across Africa, including 127,000 deaths.
• Chinese FM calls for urgently providing COVID-19 vaccines to Africa People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday called on all capable countries to urgently provide COVID-19 vaccines to Africa while chairing a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate via video link.
• UN chief calls for including women, youth, COVID-19 vaccine supply in Africa's recovery plans People's Daily 20 May 2021 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for including both women and young people, and supply of more COVID-19 vaccines in Africa's plans to recover from the pandemic.
• Ukraine Appoints New Health Minister To Speed Up COVID Vaccinations RFE/RL 20 May 2021 -- Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has named a new health minister, who immediately pledged to speed up the country's sluggish vaccination campaign.