Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• WHO chief warns COVID-19 pandemic "nowhere near over" People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently refuted the narrative that the Omicron variant signals the COVID-19 mitigating into a mild disease, warning that the pandemic is far from over.

United States

• Omicron remains focus of U.S. COVID-19 battle People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- The Omicron COVID-19 variant has been forcing more U.S. schools to go virtual with its short span of incubation and ability to evade antivirals, while the country sustains its fight against this tough foe with free masks, tests and an accentuation on vaccine boosters' potency.

China

• Beijing conducts wider mass testing amid flare-up linked to cold-chain facilities Global Times 23 Jan 2022 -- Beijing beefed up anti-epidemic measures through wider mass testing, imposing travel restrictions for people in COVID-19 risk areas and requiring residents to take nucleic acid tests for purchasing medicines to cure fever, cough and others after the city reported nine new local infections on Sunday and registered a total of 43 cases during the past week.
• Hopes for HK-mainland border reopening around Spring Festival dashed amid city's epidemic woes Global Times 23 Jan 2022 -- Hopes for the border reopening of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with the Chinese mainland around the Spring Festival have been dashed, experts said on Sunday, after the city reported 140 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 104 cases related to the Kwai Chung Estate outbreak.
• Beijing releases 1st guideline on dealing with international mail amid COVID-19 epidemic Global Times 23 Jan 2022 -- Beijing's health authority has released the first guideline on international mail amid the COVID-19 epidemic, urging people to strengthen testing and disinfection of mail, health monitoring for postal staff and protective measures for mail-openers.
• Over 2.96 bln COVID-19 vaccine doses administered on Chinese mainland People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- Over 2.96 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland as of Saturday, data from the National Health Commission showed Sunday.
• Hong Kong reports 26 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- Hong Kong reported 26 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours on Saturday, taking the total tally to 13,146, according to data from the Center for Health Protection.
• Chinese mainland records 19 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- The Chinese mainland recorded 19 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the National Health Commission said Sunday.
• Beijing's Fengtai District rolls out mass testing as infections spill over to two provinces Global Times 23 Jan 2022 -- Beijing's Fengtai District is rolling out mass nucleic acid testing on Sunday after an outbreak connected to cold chain facilities in the district has spilled over to at least three cities of two provinces.
• Fully opening Western countries will exert great pressure on China on COVID-19 prevention: top epidemiologist from Chinese CDC Global Times 23 Jan 2022 -- The reason why the new Omicron variant is "more contagious" is because it can infect people even if they're vaccinated. The variant's mortality rate is deemed higher than influenza, said chief expert from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, noting that if the Western world fully opens, it will exert great pressure on China. It remains unknown how China will cope with that change, he said.
• Chinese mainland records 19 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- The Chinese mainland recorded 19 locally transmitted COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the National Health Commission said Sunday.
• Beijing district conducts mass nucleic acid testing People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- Fengtai, one of 16 districts of Beijing Municipality, on Sunday started district-wide nucleic acid testing as local COVID-19 cases have been reported recently, local authorities said.
• Xi'an expected to clear all high, medium-risk areas on Jan. 25 People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- The northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an is expected to clear all areas classified as high and medium-risk for COVID-19 on Jan. 25, provided no special circumstances arise, a government official said on Saturday.
• Over 200 mln Chinese seniors fully vaccinated against COVID-19 People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- As of Friday, over 200 million senior citizens in China have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, a health official said on Saturday.
• No simplistic COVID-19 response for Spring Festival travelers: health authorities People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- China's National Health Commission on Saturday urged targeted COVID-19 response measures for people traveling home, as the country is seeing more cross-regional trips ahead of the Spring Festival.

Europe

• Brussels Police Clash with Anti-Vaccination Protesters VOA 23 Jan 2022 -- Police in Brussels fired water cannon and clouds of tear gas at 50,000 protesters demonstrating Sunday against COVID-19 vaccinations and restrictions European authorities are imposing to try to contain the fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus.
• Germany Records 85,440 COVID-19 Cases SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- Germany recorded 85,440 new novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 54 new deaths in the past 24 hours according to Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for Infectious Diseases Control.

Russia

• Russia Reports Record COVID-19 Cases For Third Day In A Row RFE/RL 23 Jan 2022 -- Russia has reported a new record number of COVID-19 infections confirmed in the past 24 hours as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads across the country, the government coronavirus task force said.

India

• India's COVID-19 tally surpasses 39 mln with 333,533 new cases People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 39,237,264 on Sunday, as 333,533 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 161.92 Cr India PIB 23 Jan 2022 -- With the administration of more than 71 lakh Doses (71,10,445) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 161
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 23 Jan 2022 -- The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country
• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 23 Jan 2022
• India's COVID-19 tally surpasses 39 mln with 333,533 new cases People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 39,237,264 on Sunday, as 333,533 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 28 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 23 Jan 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus disease in Iran increased to 132,230 with 28 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Sunday.

South Korea

• S.Korea Records 7,630 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- South Korea recorded today 7,630 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Saudi Arabia

• Number of Doses given in Saudi Arabia Reaches more than 55 Million Doses, Says Health Ministry Spokesman SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- Official Spokesman of the Ministry of Health Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali said that the world is still witnessing daily cases of the coronavirus, and that there is a race to provide vaccines.
• Ministry of Health Reports 4,535 New COVID-19 Cases, 5,072 Recoveries in Saudi Arabia SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced the registration of 4,535 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,072 recoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the past 24 hours.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 89 new COVID-19 cases, including 52 domestic CNA 23 Jan 2022 -- Taiwan reported on Sunday 89 new COVID-19 cases, consisting of 52 domestic and 37 imported cases, and zero deaths, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• COVID cluster at Taoyuan Farglory Free Trade Zone climbs to 100 cases CNA 23 Jan 2022 -- An additional 30 people who work at the Farglory Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Taoyuan have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the number of cases reported there to 100, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Other Countries

• Qatar Records 2,981 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- Qatar recorded 2,981 confirmed new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19 ), in the past 24 hours.
• Egypt Records 1569 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- Egypt recorded 1569 new cases afflicted with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and 41 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Brazil Records 157,393 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 23 Jan 2022 -- Brazil recorded 157,393 new infections of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), along with 238 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Australian state announces COVID-19 smart settings to ensure students' safe return to school People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) announced on Sunday a COVID-19-smart plan which aims to minimize the risk of infection after returning to school amid an uphill battle against the current wave of the pandemic.
• Canada's COVID-19 cases surpass 2.9 mln People's Daily 23 Jan 2022 -- Canada confirmed 13,555 new COVID-19 cases Saturday afternoon, elevating its national caseload to 2,905,560 with 32,502 deaths, CTV reported.