COVID-19 WRAP | SA records just two Covid-19 deaths and 106 cases in 24 hours

November 01 2021 - 22:08

SA records just two Covid-19 deaths and 106 cases in 24 hours

There were just 106 new Covid-19 cases recorded across SA in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said on Monday.

The new cases came at a positivity rate — the number of positive results against the number of tests taken in the same period — of just 0.8%.

The NICD added that there were, according to the latest health department figures, just two Covid-19 related deaths recorded in the past day.

November 01 2021 - 14:30

Novavax Covid-19 vaccine receives emergency use authorization in Indonesia

Novavax Inc and partner Serum Institute of India said On Monday they received the emergency use authorization from Indonesia, making it the first authorization anywhere for Novavax.

The shot will be sold under Serum Institute's brand name for the vaccine, Covovax.

-Reuters

November 01 2021 - 11:53

Indonesia authorises Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6-11

Indonesia has approved the Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6-11, its food and drug agency said on Monday, following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for younger kids.

Until Monday, Indonesia had cleared the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine only for people aged 12 and above, of which it has the most amount in its arsenal with over 200 million doses.

Penny K. Lukito, chief of the agency (BPOM), told a news conference that the approval was "pleasant news. We're sure that children's vaccination is an urgent thing, especially now that...in-person learning has started."

The approval comes as Indonesia is two months into its trial of in-person learning. Health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that COVID-19 cases found in schools during this period "are relatively low."

Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a health ministry official, said that vaccinations for children may start early next year, as it awaits further recommendation from Indonesia's paediatric association and more vaccine shots.

Chile and Cambodia have also approved the Sinovac vaccine for younger children.

Indonesia was Asia's COVID-19 epicentre in July, with the Delta variant driving up infections and deaths though both counts have plummeted.

Infections among children aged 0-18 make up for 13% of total cases, government data shows.

Indonesia has vaccinated about 27% of its population of 270 million.

-Reuters

November 01 2021 - 09:40

Singapore may see 2,000 Covid-19 deaths each year- minister

Singapore could see as many 2,000 COVID-19 deaths annually over time, mainly among the elderly, but it was focused on avoiding excess mortality, a minister said on Monday, as the country battles its biggest surge in infections.

At 0.2% Singapore's COVID-19 case fatality rate is similar to the rate of deaths from pneumonia before the pandemic struck, said Janil Puthucheary, a senior minister of state in parliament.It is also lower than other countries where cases surged before vaccination, he said.

"But it does mean that over time, the absolute number of deaths from COVID-19 will rise despite the best possible medical care," he said. "We could have perhaps 2,000 deaths per year from COVID-19."

The minister did not specify for how many years that estimate might apply. Singapore had 4,000 deaths per year due to influenza and other respiratory diseases pre-pandemic, he said.

More than 80% of Singapore's 5.45 million population has been fully vaccinated and almost all its cases are asymptomatic or mild. About 95% of those who died in the last six months were older than 60 years and 72% of those who died were not fully vaccinated.

Puthucheary said the country was trying to live with COVID-19 as endemic without excess mortality. "Though we will have deaths as a result of COVID-19, we will not see more overall deaths than we would in a normal non-COVID year."

The city-state extended curbs to contain the spread of COVID-19 until late this month, drawing some criticism from the public.

But the prime minister's wife Ho Ching said people should stop complaining.

"We are just spoilt kids if we keep on harping on our disappointment about dining and freedoms...let's do our best to help, instead of wasting our energies on tantrums and bitching," said Ho. 

-Reuters

November 01 2021 - 08:00

FDA not ready to approve Moderna’s Covid-19 shot for adolescents

Moderna said on Sunday it has been told that the US Food and Drug Administration will require additional time to complete its assessment of the company's Covid-19 vaccine for use in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.

November 01 2021 - 07:49

Borders open in Australia, Thailand 

Australia eased its international border restrictions on Monday for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing some of its vaccinated public to travel freely and many families to reunite, sparking emotional embraces at Sydney's airport.

While travel is initially limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families, it sets in motion a plan to reopen the country to international tourists and workers, both much needed to reinvigorate a fatigued nation.

Hundreds of vaccinated foreign tourists are scheduled to arrive in Bangkok on Monday, the first wave of visitors to Thailand in 18 months who will not have to undergo quarantine for the coronavirus.

Seeking to resurrect its pandemic-ravaged tourism economy, Thailand's government has given the green light to vaccinated tourists from more than 60 countries, including the United States and China.

Reuters 

November 01 2021 - 07:43 

South Korea eases curbs, imposes vaccine passports in 'living with COVID-19' campaign

New rules aimed at moving South Koreans toward "living with COVID-19" came into effect on Monday, with the easing of a range of curbs and the introduction of vaccine passports at high-risk venues such as gyms, saunas and bars.

The switch of focus comes as more than 75% of the country's population has been fully vaccinated.

The first phase of the revised rules is due to last for a month, with plans to scrap all restrictions by February.

"The return path to everyday life, to which we're taking the first step today, is a path we've never been on," Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol told an infra-agency COVID-19 meeting.

Reuters 

November 01 2021 - 07:20

Singapore may see 2,000 Covid-19 deaths annually 

Singapore could see as many as 2,000 Covid-19 deaths annually, Janil Puthucheary, a senior minister of state said in parliament on Monday.

The minister did not specify how many years that estimate might apply for.

Reuters

November 01 2021 - 07:06

New Zealand keeps pandemic curbs for another week in Auckland

New Zealand will extend coronavirus curbs for another week in its largest city of Auckland, but ease some after that, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, another day of record new infections.

As New Zealand battles the spread of the infectious Delta variant of Covid-19, it has agreed on a November 10 re-opening date for retail stores and institutions such as libraries and museums, Ardern told a news conference.

"Because of the high vaccination rates in Auckland we can move with greater confidence," Ardern said."

These decisions are carefully balanced and allows us to release some of the pressure and fatigue that we know exists in Auckland."

The city's limit on the size of outdoor gatherings was lifted to 25 people.

New Zealand won global praise last year for a response that stamped out the coronavirus, but has proved unable to quash the current outbreak, forcing it to adopt a strategy of living with the virus instead of the earlier aim of elimination.

Still, it has fared far better than many other countries, with tough curbs that have held Covid-19 infections to about 6,000 and a toll of just 28 deaths.

Daily cases have been rising to record highs in the last few days, with 162 on Monday. Of these, 53 sufferers were in hospital, with four in intensive care.

Cases are expected to keep rising in a model of the outbreak released to the media.

But Ardern said high vaccination rates gave protection to keep down hospital admissions."

Previously we worked hard to eliminate every case. While Delta has forced us to change our approach, vaccines ensure we have the same goal," she added.

More than 75% of New Zealand, or about 3.1 million people, have now been fully vaccinated, while 88% have got one dose.

However, the government said an increasing number of new cases are among the indigenous Maori community, where the vaccination rate is lower.

Reuters

November 01 2021 - 06:58

UAE approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for ages 5-11

The United Arab Emirates has approved for emergency use the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, the health ministry said in a statement carried by state media on Monday.

Before this decision the only vaccine that had been approved for use in very young children was the Sinopharm vaccine which was approved for ages 3-17, with Pfizer shots being available to children above 12."

The results of clinical studies indicated that the vaccine is safe and has given a strong immune response to children between the age of 5 and 11 years," the statement said of the Pfizer shots.

It also said people with chronic diseases who previously received Pfizer-BioNtech or the Russia-developed Sputnik vaccinations can now get a third booster shot.

Previously the government had been giving booster shots to people fully vaccinated with Sinopharm vaccines

Reuters

November 01 2021 - 06:15

The message is clear: Moderna is trying to outdo Pfizer

Pfizer has been first across the finish line in nearly every leg of the Covid-19 vaccine race, but Moderna executives say their company’s long experience with messenger RNA (mRNA) technology gives it a more enduring advantage.

“We’re not dabbling” in mRNA, the technology that is the backbone of both the leading US vaccines, Moderna president Stephen Hoge said. “We’ve been doing this for a few years; we’re the creators of this space.”

Hoge said Pfizer’s experience with fast clinical trials and mass production allowed it to excel in the short run. The pharmaceutical giant, founded in 1849, has developed countless household-name therapies. Additionally, its partner, BioNTech, has been working on mRNA for years.

November 01 2021 - 06:00

China's leisure, tourism feel chill of Covid curbs

China's leisure and tourism businesses are feeling the bite of the country's zero tolerance for Covid-19, as cities with infections or concerned about the virus risk close entertainment venues, restrict tourism or delay cultural events.

Shanghai Disneyland stopped admitting visitors on Monday and Tuesday, and required patrons and staffers present in the theme park on October 30-31 to undergo Covid tests immediately, according to state media.

The measures are part of the city's cooperation with a Covid-19 investigation requested by authorities from outside Shanghai, according to state television, without providing further details.

A total of 484 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms were reported on Oct. 17-31, mostly in the north of China, Reuters calculations based on official data showed on Monday.

Many of the infections have been tourists who travelled across multiple regions, complicating and prolonging contact-tracing efforts.

While the caseload remains miniscule compared with clusters outside China, and the rise in local infections in some regions have started to slow or even stopped in recent days, China is sparing no effort in minimising transmission risks, even at the cost of disrupting businesses and local economies.

Tourism hit China's three biggest airlines on Friday posted deeper losses for July-September than in the previous quarter as a resurgence of local Covid-19 cases over summer drove a sharp decline in domestic travel.

Last month, the national tourism authority announced the suspension of travel agencies from organising inter-province trips that involve provincial regions with areas deemed to be at higher risk of the virus, and halted dedicated train services linking tourist attractions.

Many cities with local infections, including the capital Beijing, have halted some indoor leisure venues such as internet cafes, chess and card parlours, as well as cinemas, while a number of marathon races, concerts and theatrical performances have been delayed or cancelled.

Cultural and leisure businesses in some cities that have not detected local cases for a few months are also affected.

In Dongguan, an international exhibition centre has suspended the hosting of various events, even though no cases have been reported in the southern city from the latest outbreak.

Shares of China's consumption- and tourism-related companies were down in early trade on Monday. The consumer staples sub-index slipped 1.5%, while the tourism sub-index retreated by more than 4%

Reuters