Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• New Omicron subvariant accounts for over 40 pct of new COVID-19 cases in U.S. People's Daily 31 Dec 2022 -- New Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is estimated to account for 40.5 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United States in the week ending Dec. 31, nearly doubling from the previous week, according to data updated Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

China

• China's 2022: A year of lockdowns, protests and mass COVID-19 infections Radio Free Asia 31 Dec 2022 -- A momentous year of lockdowns, calls for Xi Jinping's resignation, economic stagnation, street protests and the lifting of the zero-COVID policy has left China's future looking much less predictable.
• UK Introducing COVID-19 Testing for Travelers Flying In From China - Government Sputnik 31 Dec 2022 -- People arriving to England from China by plane will need to present negative coronavirus test results before boarding their flight, the UK Department of Health and Social Care informs.
• WHO Asks for More Anti-Coronavirus Measures, Transparency From China Sputnik 31 Dec 2022 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has held a high-level meeting with Chinese representatives amid a spike in coronavirus cases in China.
• Chinese health officials, WHO hold meeting on COVID situation People's Daily 31 Dec 2022 -- China's health officials on Friday held a video meeting with the World Health Organization and exchanged views on the current COVID-19 situation, treatment and vaccinations, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement.
• COVID response unit calls for adequate medical supplies, smooth transfer of critical cases in rural areas amid holidays Global Times 31 Dec 2022 -- The State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism and the central leading group for rural affairs jointly published a work plan on Saturday, specifying to-dos to strengthen the grassroot-level epidemic control system, ensuring supplies of medicines and enhancing protection of vulnerable groups so that rural areas can cope with contagion risks linked to the holiday travel peak.
• Perseverance, solidarity mean victory as China enters new phase of COVID response: Xi Global Times 31 Dec 2022 -- Noting that China has entered a new phase of COVID response, Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his 2023 New Year address delivered on Saturday night, called for an extra effort from the people to pull through as perseverance and solidarity mean victory.
• China's public health authority, WHO hold technical exchange meeting on COVID controls Global Times 31 Dec 2022 -- China's National Health Commission (NHC) held a virtual meeting themed around technical exchange for COVID-19 prevention and control on Friday with the World Health Organization (WHO). Senior officials from the NHC and Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) attended the meeting.
• China grants conditional approval for Merck's COVID-19 drug People's Daily 31 Dec 2022 -- China has activated special approval procedures and granted conditional approval for the import registration of Merck's COVID-19 treatment Molnupiravir, the National Medical Products Administration said Friday.
• Chinese experts answer public's questions about COVID-19 prevention People's Daily 31 Dec 2022 -- The National Health Commission has organized a panel of authoritative experts to answer the COVID-19 prevention questions that the public is most concerned about, as China optimizes its COVID-19 response.

India

• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 31 Dec 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 3 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 31 Dec 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 144,685 with three more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Saturday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 25,755 new COVID-19 cases, 38 deaths CNA 31 Dec 2022 -- Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command (CECC) reported 25,755 new COVID-19 infections and 38 deaths from the disease Saturday.

North Korea

• Public Anti-epidemic Consciousness Raised KCNA 31 Dec 2022 -- A nationwide information service is more actively conducted in the DPRK to ensure that all the members of society observe the anti-epidemic rules and order more thoroughly as required by the intensified normal anti-epidemic system.