Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Sanctions on Darknet Market and Ransomware-Enabling Virtual Currency Exchange US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2022 -- Following a coordinated German law enforcement action, the United States today took further action to combat Russian-related illicit finance and cybercrime by sanctioning the world's largest darknet market for Russian speakers, Hydra, and the virtual currency exchange Garantex.
• Treasury Sanctions Russia-Based Hydra, World's Largest Darknet Market, and Ransomware-Enabling Virtual Currency Exchange Garantex US Treasury 05 Apr 2022 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the world's largest and most prominent darknet market, Hydra Market (Hydra), in a coordinated international effort to disrupt proliferation of malicious cybercrime services, dangerous drugs, and other illegal offerings available through the Russia-based site.
• Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace US Dept. of Justice 05 Apr 2022 -- The Justice Department announced today the seizure of Hydra Market (Hydra), the world's largest and longest-running darknet market. In 2021, Hydra accounted for an estimated 80% of all darknet market-related cryptocurrency transactions, and since 2015, the marketplace has received approximately $5.2 billion in cryptocurrency.
• U.S., Germany Shut Down, Sanction Russia-Based Dark Net Marketplace RFE/RL 05 Apr 2022 -- The United States and Germany on April 5 took steps to cut access to an illegal dark-net market site with millions of mostly Russian-speaking customers and a cryptocurrency exchange that the United States and Germany said operate out of Russia dealing mostly in illicit drugs.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 05 April 2022
• Global TB Fight Set Back Years by COVID, Health Experts Say VOA 05 Apr 2022 -- As the world impatiently looks for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, another tenacious pandemic, tuberculosis, has gained new strength and threatens millions of people around the world, health experts say.

United States

• Biden Announces New Research Plan on Long COVID Illness VOA 05 Apr 2022 -- The Biden administration on Tuesday ordered the development of a new national action plan to halt long COVID — the long-term effects of COVID-19 — which can involve lingering symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, pain and shortness of breath.
• Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and HHS Public Health Officials | April 5, 2022 The White House 05 Apr 2022
• Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on COVID-19 Funding Proposal The White House 05 Apr 2022
• Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 The White House 05 Apr 2022
• FACT SHEET: The Biden Administration Accelerates Whole-of-Government Effort to Prevent, Detect, and Treat Long COVID The White House 05 Apr 2022
• DAF COVID-19 Statistics - Apr. 5, 2022 US Air Force 05 Apr 2022 -- Below are current coronavirus disease 2019 statistics for Department of Air Force personnel:

China

• 'Effective' mRNA vaccines approved for clinical trials, key to building immune barrier Global Times 05 Apr 2022 -- The research and development (R&D) of more COVID-19 vaccines with good protection rates is key for China to further build up an effective immune barrier, which is also seen as a must for future adjustment of anti-epidemic measures, Chinese immunologists said on Tuesday, after two home-grown vaccines based on mRNA technology were approved for clinical trials.
• Shanghai registers largest-ever daily increase of COVID-19 cases, bringing total number of infections to 73,000 Global Times 05 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai saw the largest-ever daily increase of positive infections after organizing all its 25 million residents take nucleic acid testing on Monday, bringing the accumulated number of COVID-19 infections to 73,000 since March.
• Shanghai's temporary hospitals expected to accommodate over 70,000 patients People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- Approximately 47,700 beds have been set up in a number of newly built temporary hospitals in Shanghai, with another 30,000 being readied, as the city is sparing no effort to contain its latest resurgence of COVID-19.
• Shanghai's COVID-19 testing capacity reaches 4 mln tubes daily People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- The maximum daily nucleic acid testing capacity in Shanghai has reached 4 million tubes, with the strong support of the central government and medical teams from other parts of China, the municipal government said Tuesday.
• 'Extremely grim': Shanghai extends COVID-19 lockdown as new infections surge Press TV 05 Apr 2022 -- China on Tuesday extended restrictions on transportation in Shanghai after a day of intensive testing in the country's financial hub saw new cases surge to more than 13,000.
• Shanghai builds on experience from Wuhan in toughest COVID-19 fight since 2020 Global Times 05 Apr 2022 -- With 38,000-plus-member medical support teams from 15 Chinese regions rushing into the city, Shanghai has stepped up efforts in the most arduous battle against one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks since Wuhan, where the virus was first detected in late 2019, with lessons and improvements over past two years.
• Beijing recommends caution in receiving goods from epidemic-rampant countries after 8 cases were linked to a S.Korean store Global Times 05 Apr 2022 -- Beijing Municipal Health Commission suggested residents being cautious in receiving goods from counties and regions where COVID-19 epidemic is rampant, as the capital reported eight local cases linked to a South Korean imported clothes store.
• Shanghai reports more than 13,000 new positive COVID-19 cases Monday, exceeding 10,000 for the first time Global Times 05 Apr 2022 -- The number of new daily positive COVID-19 cases in Shanghai exceeded 10,000 for the first time on Monday, reaching 13,354. More than 73,000 positive cases are reported during the latest flare-up in the city: Shanghai health authorities.
• Chinese mainland reports 1,173 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland reported 1,173 new locally-transmitted COVID-19 infections on Monday, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.
• Shanghai screens over 24 mln residents for COVID-19 in one day People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai on Monday finished the basic collection of samples for nucleic acid testing from its over 24 million residents in the city's latest effort to cut off transmission in communities and contain the latest COVID-19 resurgence, local authorities said on Monday night.

Europe

• Portugal to spend 32.7 mln euros on COVID-19 medicines People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- The Portuguese government authorized an expenditure of 32.7 million euros (35.9 million U.S. dollars) for the purchase of medicines against COVID-19 in 2022, according to a government decree published on Monday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 184.87 Cr India PIB 05 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 184.87 Cr (1,84,87,33,081) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,22,15,213 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 445 India PIB 05 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 185 Crore (1,85,02,12,645) today. More than 13 lakh (13,52,233) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. More than 1.97 Crore (1,97,65,419) vaccine doses have been administered to 12-14 years age group so far. More than 2.37 Crore (2,37,62,364) Precaution Doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries (HCWs, FLWs and Over 60 years) for COVID vaccination have been administered so far. 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 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 05 Apr 2022 -- 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 05 Apr 2022
• India reports 795 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 43,029,839 on Tuesday, as 795 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 39 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 05 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 140,407 with 39 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 281 new COVID-19 cases, including 216 domestic CNA 05 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan reported 281 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday -- 216 domestically transmitted and 65 that originated abroad -- and no new deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Domestic COVID-19 cases have not yet peaked: health minister CNA 05 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said Tuesday that the recent surge in domestic COVID-19 infections has not yet peaked, despite the daily high of 216 cases reported earlier in the day.

Other Countries

• New Zealand reports 14,120 new community cases of COVID-19 People's Daily 05 Apr 2022 -- New Zealand recorded 14,120 new community cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
• South Africa Ends COVID-19 State of Disaster after 750 Days VOA 05 Apr 2022 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Monday the end of the country's state of disaster brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.