Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Mexico Disbands Special Unit That Worked With DEA Sputnik 19 Apr 2022 -- Sensitive Investigative Units (SIU) operate in 15 countries, working directly with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and are considered critical to dismantling smuggling rings and organized crime across the globe.
• Senior Daesh Leader Killed in Chad Basin - Reports Sputnik 19 Apr 2022 -- A senior leader of Daesh* in West Africa (ISWA) was killed in an airstrike launched by African allies at jihadist targets in the Chad Basin, Nigerian news website Leadership said on Tuesday, citing a military source.
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas Opening Remarks at the Ministerial Conference on Migration and Protection Reception US Dept. of State 19 Apr 2022

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Study: During Omicron Surge, Hospitalization Rate of Unvaxxed Children Twice That of Vaxxed VOA 19 Apr 2022 -- A U.S. study released Tuesday shows that during the surge of the COVID-19 omicron variant, hospitalization rates of unvaccinated children ages 5-11 were twice those of children who had received shots.

United States

• DAF COVID-19 Statistics - Apr. 19, 2022 US Air Force 19 Apr 2022
• Biden Administration to Appeal Striking Down of National Mask Mandate on Airplanes VOA 19 Apr 2022 -- A U.S. federal judge has ruled a national mask mandate on airplanes and other public transportation is not lawful, overturning a Biden administration policy.
• COVID-19 cases rise in 32 U.S. states amid new virus strain: Forbes People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- COVID-19 cases are rising in more than half of all U.S. states due to the new coronavirus subvariant, said a report of the U.S. business magazine Forbes.
• New York at highest COVID-19 risk in U.S.: report People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- New York is the sole state in the United States with multiple counties at high risk of COVID-19 impacts, Times Union on Sunday cited the most recent data provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Americans have hard choice to make in current COVID-19 scenario: report People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- As COVID-19 case numbers begin to climb again and more infections go unreported, the onus has fallen on individual Americans to decide how much risk they and their neighbors face from the coronavirus -- and what, if anything, to do about it, reported The New York Times on Sunday.

China

• Shanghai at crucial stage toward zero-COVID goal in communities Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Chinese officials have sought to dispel growing misconceptions and speculations about the country's dynamic zero-COVID strategy and reaffirmed their confidence in what has been widely considered to be the best strategy still to both contain the epidemic and ensure stable economic development, as the battle against the outbreak in Shanghai shows some positive signs and the city is at a crucial stage to bring community transmission down to zero.
• Talks of HK-mainland border reopening regain momentum amid fall in cases in HK Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- As the epidemic situation in Hong Kong begins to ease, elementary schools in the territory began to resume offline classes, while talk of reopening the border between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland is gaining momentum.
• Shanghai improves mechanism to welcome recovered COVID-19 patients back home Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai communities are improving their mechanisms and environments to welcome recovered COVID-19 patients back home amid public concerns over re-infection, virus transmission and discrimination against this group, after more than 23,000 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals or released from medical observation on Monday, with the number surpassing that of newly infected persons in the city.
• 10 deaths in Shanghai spark concern over vaccination rate among elderly group Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Ten deaths of COVID-19 patients in Shanghai in the past two days are sounding alarms in the city, which has a relatively low vaccination rates among provincial-level regions in the Chinese mainland. For the country at large, it is also a strong reminder that the insufficient vaccination rate among the elderly is a towering obstacle to China's move to ease COVID-19 restrictions, said epidemiologists.
• 497,214 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported in Chinese mainland since March Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- China's top health authority announced on Tuesday that a total of 497,214 locally transmitted cases have been reported in the Chinese mainland since March, affecting all provinces except Xizang autonomous region.
• Shanghai reports seven more COVID-19 patient deaths in latest Omicron outbreak; death tally reaches 10 Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai on Tuesday reported seven more COVID-19 patient deaths all involving elderly people who haven't received COVID-19 vaccines, making the total number up to 10 amid this around of Omicron outbreak, according to the Shanghai health authorities.
• 1,912 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- A total of 1,912 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Monday, the National Health Commission said in its Tuesday report.
• Chinese mainland reports 3,297 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland Monday reported 3,297 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 3,084 were in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission's report Tuesday.
• Shanghai: 3,084 local confirmed, 17,332 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- China's economic hub Shanghai reported 3,084 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 17,332 local asymptomatic carriers on Monday, the municipal health commission said Tuesday.
• Shanghai police warn bereaved families of elderly COVID-19 patients not to speak out Radio Free Asia 19 Apr 2022 -- Authorities in Shanghai are warning the families of elderly people who have died of COVID-19 not to talk to the media, as the omicron outbreak rips through at least one hospital in the city, causing an unknown number of deaths.
• Dynamic zero-COVID policy is the best option currently: chief epidemiologist of China's CDC Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Given the recent complex epidemic situation in China and that some people are less confident in the dynamic zero-COVID policy and confuse "dynamic zero" with "zero infection," Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, detailed in his latest article the basic principles of the roles that the policy plays in epidemic prevention to avoid misunderstandings among the public.
• Update: Over 20 regions under static management to fight Omicron flare-ups, affecting about 50 million people Global Times 19 Apr 2022 -- Over 20 cities or regions across China - collectively home to about 50 million residents - are currently under static management to fight sweeping Omicron flare-ups. Chinese health experts said static management policy is necessary for the country to win the fight against the fast-transmitting Omicron within the dynamic zero-COVID strategy.
• Children urged to get timely vaccination for COVID-19: health official People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- Sophia Chan, secretary for Food and Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, Monday urged parents to arrange for their children aged three or above to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in time to reduce the risk of serious illness or death if they got infected with the virus.
• China's Jilin City clears COVID-19 high-risk areas People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- The city of Jilin in northeast China's Jilin Province has cleared all areas classified as high risk for COVID-19 as of 8 p.m. Monday, the city's health commission has said.
• Week of virus tests underway in Shanghai People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai is expected to complete weeklong screening tests by Thursday in its effort to realize zero COVID-19 transmission in communities, the municipal government said on Monday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 186.72 Cr India PIB 19 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 186.72 Cr (1,86,72,15,865) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,27,79,246 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 459 India PIB 19 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 186.88 Crore (1,86,88,85,779) today. More than 15 lakh (15,53,966) 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 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 19 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 19 Apr 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 23 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 19 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 140,877 with 23 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 1,727 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths CNA 19 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Tuesday reported 1,727 new COVID-19 cases as well as one new severe infection and two deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan likely to get Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines soon: health minister CNA 19 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan will likely procure Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines soon after having ironed out the details of a contract during the past few days, according to Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) Tuesday.
• Taiwan's new local COVID-19 cases rise to 1,390 People's Daily 19 Apr 2022 -- The number of new local COVID-19 cases in Taiwan rose to 1,390 on Sunday, the island's disease monitoring agency said on Monday.