Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

China

• China gives up reporting COVID-19 figures as virus rips through population Radio Free Asia 26 Dec 2022 -- China's National Health Commission has announced it will no longer be publishing daily COVID-19 infection figures, as the virus rips through the population with the abandonment of rolling lockdowns, mass tracking of citizens and compulsory testing.
• China-developed new anti-COVID-19 drug approved for clinical application Global Times 26 Dec 2022 -- A new antiviral drug used for the treatment of COVID-19 was approved for clinical application in China recently. The new drug has dual antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects, and has a wide coverage including Delta and Omicron strains, according to one of its developers Air Force Medical University of PLA.
• China to cancel inbound quarantine for international arrivals from January 8: NHC Global Times 26 Dec 2022 -- China will cancel inbound quarantine for international arrivals, and vows to orderly resume Chinese citizens' outbound travel as part of an overall plan to downgrade the country's COVID-19 management from January 8 of 2023.
• Beijing to distribute COVID-19 drug Paxlovid to community health centers to help key population amid approaching peak caseload Global Times 26 Dec 2022 -- Beijing plans to distribute Pfizer's COVID-19 treatment drug Paxlovid to community health centers in a bid to help treatment of key populations as the city's peak caseload approaches, the Global Times learned from an online training session for doctors and nursing staff about how to direct patients to use the drug on Monday.
• China has 13 COVID vaccines available for second booster People's Daily 26 Dec 2022 -- A total of 13 types of COVID-19 vaccines, approved for conditional marketing or emergency use, are now available as a second booster dose in China, according to experts with the State Council inter-agency task force for COVID-19 response.
• Change of testing booths demonstrates flexibility in COVID-19 fight People's Daily 26 Dec 2022 -- Nucleic acid testing booths were a hallmark of China's regular COVID-19 prevention and control work over the past three years. Yet across the nation, many nucleic acid testing booths have been converted into temporary "fever clinics" in an orderly manner.
• Efforts made to build a barrier against COVID-19 People's Daily 26 Dec 2022 -- As multiple regions in China have seen surging COVID-19 infections, local governments are taking swift and precise measures to prevent severe cases, protect people's health, and build a barrier against the epidemic.
• China's National Health Commission stops publishing daily COVID information People's Daily 26 Dec 2022 -- China's National Health Commission (NHC) has stopped publishing daily epidemic information starting from Sunday, and relevant epidemic information will be released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for reference and research, according to a notice on the NHC website.
• Pres. Xi says China needs 'patriotic health campaign' for epidemic prevention and control Press TV 26 Dec 2022 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country's officials to take steps to protect people's lives as the country has been facing an upsurge in COVID-19 cases since Beijing dramatically loosened its hardline containment measures earlier this month.
• Grassroots fever clinics open across China as COVID-19 cases surge Global Times 26 Dec 2022 -- Grassroots clinics for fever patients are being opened in many places across China, especially in small towns and cities, to enhance the capacity of the local medical system to deal with the epidemic. These changes are among the latest efforts by Chinese cities to cope with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 1 more Iranian over past 24 hours IRNA 26 Dec 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 144,675 with one more Iranian killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Monday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 14,234 new COVID-19 cases, 14 deaths CNA 26 Dec 2022 -- Taiwan on Monday reported 14,234 new COVID-19 infections and 14 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).