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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• NATO's flagship cyber defence exercise kicks off in Estonia NATO 29 Nov 2021 -- Cyber Coalition 21, one of the world's largest annual exercises in cyber defence, starts on Monday (29 November 2021), and will run through Friday. Cyber defenders from all NATO Allies, as well as partners Finland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland, are taking part, alongside participants from industry and academia.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Omicron COVID variant underlines need for global 'pandemic treaty' UN News 29 Nov 2021 -- The emergence of the threatening new Omicron variant shows how important it is for the world to end the current "cycle of panic and neglect" over the COVID-19 pandemic, said the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday.
• Coronavirus pandemic could cost global tourism $2 trillion this year UN News 29 Nov 2021 -- The coronavirus pandemic will likely cost the global tourism sector $2 trillion in lost revenue in 2021, the UN's tourism body said Monday, calling the sector's recovery "fragile" and "slow."
• New COVID Variant Detected in Multiple Countries VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- The new omicron variant of the coronavirus, first identified in South Africa, is spreading to other countries, with the World Health Organization warning of perils ahead.
• Omicron detected in various countries, WHO says unclear whether it's more dangerous People's Daily 29 Nov 2021 -- Omicron, a new COVID-19 variant, has been detected in a growing number of countries and regions worldwide, prompting governments to tighten their restrictions and impose new travel bans.
• WHO says not clear weather Omicron more transmissible, causes more severe disease People's Daily 29 Nov 2021 -- It is not yet clear whether the Omicron COVID-19 variant is more transmissible, or causes more severe disease compared to other variants including Delta, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday.

United States

• Remarks by President Biden Providing an Update on the Omicron Variant The White House 29 Nov 2021
• Biden Urges More Vaccinations, Not New Restrictions VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden made a new plea Monday to Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus¸ or get booster shots if they have already been inoculated, in the face of what his top medical adviser says is the inevitability that the new omicron variant will enter the country.
• CDC 'Strengthening Recommendation' on COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses for Adults Sputnik 29 Nov 2021 -- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is strengthening its recommendation on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for adults, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.
• Over 30 Hospitals in New York to Cease Elective Procedures Amid COVID-19 Surge Sputnik 29 Nov 2021 -- More than 30 hospitals in New York State will cease elective procedures as a result of the insufficient bad capacity amid the COVID-19 surge, Governor Kathy Hochul said.

China

• HKSAR to launch health code interconnected with Guangdong's, accelerating border reopening with mainland Global Times 29 Nov 2021 -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will launch a local health code for the interface with the health code in South China's Guangdong Province, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Saturday, one day before her visit to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province.
• N China's land port city suspends flights and public transportation after finding 60 positive samples in mass testing Global Times 29 Nov 2021 -- Manzhouli, the land port city in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, announced that it has suspended all flights and public transportations, after finding 60 positive samples in the city's mass nucleic acid testing.
• Omicron causes 3 infections in HK, but may not affect border resumption as city prevents local community spread Global Times 29 Nov 2021 -- Although Omicron - a new and more contagious COVID-19 variant - has arrived in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and caused three infections, local officials and experts are confident that the Chinese mainland-Hong Kong border re-opening plan is unlikely to be affected, as the city has prevented the local community spread of Omicron.
• China's current strategy effective in fending off Omicron; variant doesn't affect nucleic acid sensitivity: NHC Global Times 29 Nov 2021 -- China's current COVID-19 policy is still effective in fending off the new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus, known as Omicron, said the National Health Commission (NHC), noting that the country has established a special nucleic acid method targeting the new variant, and it is monitoring the genetic sequencing of possible imported virus cases.
• China to further help Africa's vaccination drive, shielding continent from Omicron Global Times 29 Nov 2021 -- China has vowed to further help African countries boost their vaccination drive, which Chinese observers said could significantly strengthen the continent's immunological barrier against the COVID-19 pandemic and tackle serious global vaccine inequality.
• Quick response in Shanghai minimizes spread of COVID-19 People's Daily 29 Nov 2021 -- Shanghai has brought the latest COVID-19 resurgence under control within merely three days following a series of swift prevention and control measures.
• Chinese mainland reports 21 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 29 Nov 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 21 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Monday.
• China Records 41 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- China reported 41 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Europe

• Britain calls urgent meeting of G7 health ministers over Omicron as Omicron spreads around globe Press TV 29 Nov 2021 -- Britain, currently chair of the Group of Seven (G7), has called for an emergency meeting of the grouping to address concerns about the new Omicron COVID-19 variant spreading across the world.

Russia

• Russia Records 33,860 New Cases of COVID-19, 1,209 Deaths SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- Russia recorded 33,860 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 1,209 deaths in the last 24 hours.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 122.41 Cr India PIB 29 Nov 2021 -- With the administration of 42,04,171vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 122.41 Cr (1,22,41,68,929) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 1,26,81,072sessions.
• COVID-19 Vaccination Update - Day 318 India PIB 29 Nov 2021 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 123 Crore landmark milestone (123,15,68,149) today. More than 70 lakh (70,85,126) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight.
• Update on COVID-19 India PIB 29 Nov 2021 -- In continuation of the proactive and risk based approach for management of COVID-19 pandemic,Union Ministry of Health issuedrevised 'Guidelines for International arrivals' on 28th November, 2021. The updated guidelines require all travelers (irrespective of COVID-19 vaccination status) coming to India from countries identified as 'countries at-risk' to mandatorily undergo post-arrival COVID-19 testing at airporton arrival in addition to pre-departure COVID-19 testing undertaken 72 hours before the departure. For passengers found positive in these test, they will be isolated and treated as per the clinical management protocol besides their samples also taken for Whole Genome Sequencing. The passengers found negative can depart the airport but have to undergo home isolation for 7 days, followed by repeat testing on 8th day of arrival in India, followed by 7 days of self-monitoring.
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 29 Nov 2021 -- The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on 16th January 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 29 Nov 2021

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 82 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 29 Nov 2021 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 129,711 with 82 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Monday.

South Korea

• S.Korea Records 3,309 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- South Korea recorded 3,309 new cases of the novel coronavirus along with 32 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health Reports 25 New COVID-19 Cases, 29 Recoveries in Saudi Arabia SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced the registration of 25 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 29 recoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the past 24 hours.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 8 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths CNA 29 Nov 2021 -- Taiwan reported eight new imported cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths from the disease on Monday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Committee advises 2nd vaccine dose for 12-17 age group, booster shots CNA 29 Nov 2021 -- A government committee has recommended that those in the 12-17 age group receive a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and that certain at-risk groups get a third COVID-19 booster shot, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Monday.
• Arrivals from 4 more African nations to face stricter quarantine rules CNA 29 Nov 2021 -- Taiwan has added Malawi, Mozambique, Egypt, and Nigeria to its list of high-risk COVID-19 countries amid fears over a highly mutated COVID-19 variant, with arrivals required to spend their 14-day mandatory quarantine at centralized government facilities.

North Korea

• Emergency Epidemic Prevention Work Is Further Intensified KCNA 29 Nov 2021 -- A new COVID-19 variant virus which is five times stronger than delta virus appeared in the world, arousing serious concerns.

Other Countries

• Logistics of COVID Vaccine Donations to Africa Must Improve, Say Distribution Coordinators VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- The organizations coordinating the distribution of donated COVID-19 vaccines in Africa said Monday that the quality of the donations "needs to improve."
• 'Scientifically unjustified': S. African president calls for reversal of Omicron travel bans Press TV 29 Nov 2021 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has lambasted Western countries for new travel bans enacted against his country and its neighbors over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron.
• Qatar Records 158 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- Qatar recorded 158 confirmed new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 ) in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 243,290.
• Iraq Records 826 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- Iraq recorded 826 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 2,080,448.
• Mexico Records 38 COVID-19 Deaths SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- Mexico's Health Ministry has reported 1,050 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths, bringing the overall number of infections since the pandemic began to 3,883,842, and the death toll to 293,897.
• Brazil Records 4,043 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 29 Nov 2021 -- Brazil recorded 4,043 new infections of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), along with 92 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Israel Bans All Tourists for Two Weeks VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- Israel has tightened restrictions after at least two cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus were discovered in travelers returning to the country.
• South Africa Evades Lockdown as President Pushes Vaccinations VOA 29 Nov 2021 -- Despite the rise of coronavirus cases in South Africa where the new omicron variant was detected, stricter lockdown measures are not being imposed. The country's President Cyril Ramaphosa instead told those who remain unvaccinated that it's time to roll up a sleeve.