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May
14 new community COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 11 linked to Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster
Written by nuke
View of Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Apr 30, 2021. (Photo: Calvin Oh) -
Fourteen community cases were among the 39 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore as of noon on Sunday (May 2), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary daily update.
Among them, 11 cases are linked to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital cluster and were detected from the ministry's proactive testing of patients, visitors and staff members at the hospital.
The remaining 25 cases were imported and were placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore, the ministry said.
Among them, 10 are Singaporeans or permanent residents and three are foreign domestic workers.
No new cases were reported in migrant workers’ dormitories.
Details of the new cases will be released on Sunday night, said MOH.
Starting from Sunday, Singapore has stopped entry or transit for visitor with recent travel history to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the COVID-19 task force also announced on Friday.
The ban covers all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been in the four countries in the last 14 days, including transit//CNA
May
ISS astronauts splash down off Florida on SpaceX craft
Written by nuke
SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, with parachutes open, returns to Earth with four astronauts AFP/Handout -
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts back to Earth splashed down off Panama City early on Sunday (May 2), a NASA livestream showed.
Boats were retrieving the spacecraft and crew after their six-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The capsule splashed down at 2.56am local time in the dark in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast after a six-and-a-half hour flight from the ISS, images relayed by NASA's WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft showed.
Astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japan's Soichi Noguchi went to space last November as the crew on the first fully operational mission to the ISS aboard a vehicle made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, which has become NASA's favored commercial transportation partner.
Seven astronauts remained on the ISS including a new crew of four who arrived on a different SpaceX craft last week.
"Thanks for your hospitality," Hopkins said earlier as the capsule undocked from the space station for its return journey. "We'll see you back on Earth."
Prior to that, two American astronauts made a test mission to the ISS in May and stayed for two months.
That was the first launch to the ISS from US soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. It was also the first crewed mission run by a private company, as opposed to NASA.Until then US astronauts had caught rides to the ISS aboard Russian spacecraft//CNA
May
As US vaccine demand falls, states look to new solutions
Written by nuke
Medical workers with Delta Health Center prepare to vaccinate people at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic in a rural Delta community on Apr 29, 2021 in Leland, Mississippi. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Spencer Platt) -
America's COVID-19 immunisation campaign is stalling.
While vaccination programs are lagging badly in many countries - if they've begun at all - mass vaccine sites across the US are closing due to dwindling demand, leaving the authorities exploring new ways to reach people who haven't yet gotten a shot.
The people most eager to get their shots have, for the most part, already rolled up their sleeves and done so.
The challenge is reaching the rest.
In Texas, as in much of the country, vaccinations are in freefall. A huge federal site in Arlington, between Dallas and Fort Worth, shut its doors in mid-April because of insufficient numbers.
Two other federal sites, the NRG Stadium in Houston and Fair Park in Dallas, have ended their appointments system and now take walk-ups.
The NRG Stadium, seeking to ease the process, is now remaining open until nine o'clock in the evening rather than five, and vaccinating people in their cars.
Authorities are considering more targeted approaches to reach people who are geographically isolated or find it hard to reach vaccine sites.
Five mobile vaccination centres are now crisscrossing those areas of the county with the highest number of positive cases.
"Next week, we'll be increasing to 10 clinics," Ashlei Dawson, the official in charge of one of the sites, told AFP, as she oversaw the training of new recruits.
Dozens of supermarkets and pharmacies around the city are now advertising vaccinations.
Among Republican voters, 29 per cent say they will never take the vaccine, compared to five per cent of Democrats and nine per cent of independents, according to a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Friday promised a new initiative to help people get vaccines through their own doctors who, research shows, are often the most trusted messengers//CNA
May
North Korea says Biden policy shows US intent on being hostile, vows response
Written by nuke
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a closing speech at the Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Apr 8, 2021. (Photo: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) -
Recent comments from US President Joe Biden and members of his administration show he is intent on maintaining a hostile policy toward North Korea that will require a corresponding response from Pyongyang, North Korean officials said on Sunday (May 2).
The officials' comments came in a series of statements carried on state news agency KCNA, after the White House on Friday said US officials had completed a months-long review of North Korean policy.
The human rights criticism is a provocation that shows the United States is "girding itself up for an all-out showdown" with North Korea, and will be answered accordingly, the unnamed spokesman said.
In a separate statement, Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of US Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, cited Biden's first policy speech to Congress on Wednesday, where the new president said nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran posed threats that would be addressed through "diplomacy and stern deterrence."
Kwon said it is illogical and an encroachment upon North Korea's right to self-defense for the United States to call its defensive deterrence a threat.
Biden's speech was "intolerable" and "a big blunder," Kwon said. "His statement clearly reflects his intent to keep enforcing the hostile policy toward the DPRK as it had been done by the US for over half a century," he said, using the initials for North Korea's official name.
Under the policy announced on Friday, Biden has settled on a new approach to pressuring North Korea to give up nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that will explore diplomacy but not seek a grand bargain with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House said.
In Sunday's statement, Kwon Jong Gun said US talk of diplomacy is aimed at covering up its hostile acts, and its deterrence is just a means for posing nuclear threats to North Korea.
Now that Biden's policy has become clear, North Korea "will be compelled to press for corresponding measures, and with time the US will find itself in a very grave situation," he concluded.
In a third statement, Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in the government and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, sharply criticised South Korea for failing to stop defector activists from launching anti-North Korea leaflets.
An activist group in South Korea said on Friday it had released balloons into North Korea carrying dollar bills and leaflets denouncing the government in Pyongyang, defying a recently imposed law banning such releases after complaints by the North.
"We regard the maneuvers committed by the human wastes in the south as a serious provocation against our state and will look into corresponding action," Kim Yo Jong said.
Last year, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, North Korea, after Kim Yo Jong led a campaign of criticism over the leaflet launches//CNA
May
Eurozone suffers double-dip recession as pandemic impact continues
Written by nuke
Eurozone suffers double-dip recession as pandemic impact continues -
The eurozone's economy has fallen back into recession as the impact of the pandemic continues to hit activity. Europe's economies have been set back by a renewed surge in infections this year and Covid-related restrictions.
The eurozone shrank by 0.6% in the January-to-March period - the second consecutive contraction, which is a widely-used definition of a recession.
It is the second such episode, a so-called double-dip recession, since the onset of the pandemic.
However, among the national economies that have reported data so far, that pattern was repeated only by Italy.
Other countries reported some growth in one or other of the last two quarters.
The French economy did grow in the first three months of this year, by 0.4%, after a decline at the end of 2020, although the rebound was described by the national statistical agency as "limited".
In Germany it was the other way around, with some growth in the fourth quarter of last year and a sharp decline - of 1.7% - revealed by the latest figures.
Claus Vistesen of Pantheon Macroeconomics says the economy was stung by a value added tax (VAT) hike which led to a fall in spending and construction.
A temporary VAT cut in Germany - intended to support the economy during the pandemic - came to an end at the turn of the year.
Andrew Kenningham of Capital Economics also pointed to supply disruptions hitting Germany's large manufacturing sector, especially the motor industry.
Looking ahead, this weak performance is expected to improve as vaccination programmes allow further easing of restrictions and support consumer confidence. That will be especially important in southern Europe where many businesses need to see a recovery in tourism//BBC
May
Australia bans arrivals from India, citizens and residents who fly home face jail and fines
Written by nuke
The international arrivals area at Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney, Australia. (File photo: Reuters) -
Australian citizens and residents who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday (May 3) and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said.
The temporary emergency determination, issued late on Friday, is the first time Australia has made it a criminal offence for its citizens to return home.
The restrictions come into effect from May 3 and breaching the ban risks civil penalties and up to five years imprisonment, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement.
"The government does not make these decisions lightly," Hunt said." However, it is critical the integrity of the Australian public health and quarantine systems is protected and the number of COVID-19 cases in quarantine facilities is reduced to a manageable level."
The government will reconsider the restrictions on May 15.India's coronavirus death toll passed 200,000 this week, and cases are nearing 19 million - nearly 8 million since February - as virulent new strains have combined with "super-spreader" events such as political rallies and religious festivals.
Australia, which has no community transmissions, on Tuesday introduced a temporary suspension of direct flights from India to prevent more virulent COVID-19 variants entering the country.Australia has all but stamped out the coronavirus after closing its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents in March 2020, recording just 29,800 cases and 910 deaths//CNA
May
Vehicles pass through the streets in the city of Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Mar 6, 2021, nearly 10 years after the Mar 11, 2011 tsunami. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) -
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's northeastern coast on Saturday (May 1) but no tsunami warning was issued, said Japanese and US authorities, with no immediate reports of damage.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the mid-morning quake hit at a depth of 47km in the Pacific, off Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture - near the epicentre of a huge 2011 quake that triggered a towering tsunami and killed more than 18,000 people.
USGS and Japan's meteorological agency said there was no tsunami risk following the jolt, which produced strong shaking along parts of the eastern coast and was also felt in Tokyo.
"We are still collecting information but have not received any reports of injuries or damage," local government spokesman Tomoki Sawata told AFP, calling the quake "fairly strong".
Local railway firms suspended services, including of shinkansen bullet trains, public broadcaster NHK said, while elevators stopped in some buildings in Miyagi.
Fukushima nuclear plant operator TEPCO said the facility, which melted down in the wake of the 2011 tsunami, did not show any abnormalities after the latest jolt.
"Operations are under way as usual," TEPCO spokesman Koichiro Shiraki told AFP.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
The country is regularly hit by quakes, and has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong tremors.
In March, a strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast. Japan's authorities issued a tsunami advisory but there was no damage on the coastline.
The region was also shaken by another strong quake in February that injured dozens. Meteorologists said it was an aftershock of the 2011 quake//CNA
May
Biden bans most travel to US from India to limit COVID-19 spread
Written by nuke
A US Air Force aircraft carrying relief supplies from the United States in the wake of India's COVID-19 prepares to land at the Indira Gandhi International Airport cargo terminal in New Delhi, India, Friday, Apr 30, 2021. (Photo: Prakash Singh/Pool via AP) -
US President Joe Biden on Friday (Apr 30) imposed new travel restrictions on India in light of the COVID-19 epidemic, barring most non-US citizens from entering the United States.
The new restrictions, which take effect at 12:01am ET (0401 GMT) on May 4 , are on the advice of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and were imposed because "the magnitude and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic" in India was "surging", the White House said.
The proclamation said India "accounts for over one-third of new global cases" and added that "proactive measures are required to protect the nation's public health from travelers entering the United States" from India.
In January, Biden issued a similar ban on most non-US citizens entering the country who have recently been in South Africa. He also reimposed an entry ban on nearly all non-US travellers who have been in Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland and 26 countries in Europe that allow travel across open borders. China and Iran are also both covered by the policy.
The policy means most non-US citizens who have been in one of the stated countries within the last 14 days are not eligible to travel to the United States. Permanent US residents and family members and some other non-US citizens, such as students, are exempted.
The decision to impose the latest travel restrictions came about quickly and was only reached in the last 24 hours, sources said.
The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.
Second only to the United States in total infections, India has reported more than 300,000 new cases daily for nine days in a row, hitting another global record of 386,452 on Friday.
Total deaths have surpassed 200,000 and cases are nearing 19 million - nearly 8 million since February alone - as virulent new strains have combined with "super-spreader" events such as political rallies and religious festivals.
Medical experts say real numbers may be five to 10 times higher than the official tally.
Other countries have imposed similar travel restrictions on India, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Singapore, while Canada, Hong Kong and New Zealand have suspended all commercial travel with India.
On Wednesday, the White House said the United States was sending supplies worth more than US$100 million to India to help it fight the COVID-19 surge.
The supplies include oxygen cylinders, N95 masks and rapid diagnostic tests. The United States also has redirected its own order of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India, which will allow it to make over 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the White House.
US international air travel remains down 60 per cent from pre-COVID-19 levels, while US domestic air travel is down 40 per cent, according to industry trade group Airlines for America.
US airlines and travel groups have urged the White House to set benchmarks for the eventual loosening of restrictions//CNA
April
Russia produces first batch of COVID-19 vaccine for animals -regulator
Written by Nur Yasmin
Russia has produced the world's first batch - 17,000 doses - of COVID-19 vaccines for animals, its agricultural regulator said on Friday.
Russia registered Carnivac-Cov in March after tests showed it generated antibodies against COVID-19 in dogs, cats, foxes and mink. read more
The first batch will be supplied to several regions of Russia, the regulator Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement.
It said companies from Germany, Greece, Poland, Austria, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Lebanon, Iran and Argentina had expressed interest in purchasing the vaccine.
The World Health Organization has voiced concern over the risk of transmission of the virus between humans and animals. The Russian regulator has said the vaccine would be able to protect vulnerable species and thwart viral mutations.
"About 20 organisations are ready to negotiate registration and supply of the vaccine to their countries. The file for registration abroad, in particular in the European Union, is under preparation and will be promptly used for the registration process," the Russian watchdog said. (Reuters)
April
AstraZeneca says U.S. data load for U.S. COVID-19 vaccine approval very big
Written by Nur Yasmin
AstraZeneca (AZN.L) is working as fast as possible to compile data on its COVID-19 vaccine to apply for U.S. approval but the dataset is very big, executives said on Friday as the drugmaker faces delays to its submission.
"There's a lot more data than just a Phase III study and so we're working as fast as we can to pull it all together and submit," said Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca.
Chief executive Pascal Soriot said in a briefing following the release of first-quarter results there was nothing wrong with the data, but the dataset was very big.
On Friday, the company said it planned to apply for U.S. approval in the coming weeks. That is a delay from late March when the company also said it would submit the data in the coming weeks. read more
Soriot said the company still expected to hit output of 200 million doses of the vaccine this month. (Reuters)