Outbreak

North Korea said on Sunday a total of 42 people had died as the country began its fourth day under a nationwide lockdown aimed at stopping the country's first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak. North Korea's admission on Thursday that it is battling an "explosive" COVID-19 outbreak has raised concerns that the virus could devastate a country with an under-resourced health system, limited testing capabilities and no vaccine programme. State news agency KCNA said the country was taking "swift state emergency measures" to control the epidemic, but there is no sign that Pyongyang was moving to accept international offers of vaccines. "All provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12 and strict and intensive examination of all the people is being conducted," KCNA reported on Sunday. A day earlier North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the spread of … [Read more...] about North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against COVID outbreak

North Korea's admission on Thursday that it is battling an "explosive" Covid-19 outbreak has raised concerns that the virus could devastate a country with an under-resourced health system, limited testing capabilities and no vaccine programme. State news agency KCNA said the country was taking "swift state emergency measures" to control the epidemic, but there is no sign that Pyongyang was moving to accept international offers of vaccines. "All provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12 and strict and intensive examination of all the people is being conducted," KCNA reported on Sunday. A day earlier North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the spread of Covid-19 had thrust his country into "great turmoil" and called for an all-out battle to overcome the outbreak. Despite the lockdowns, Kim and other senior officials on Saturday attended … [Read more...] about North Korea reports more deaths, says taking ‘swift measures’ against Covid outbreak

Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the military commission to act "on immediately stabilizing the supply of medicines in Pyongyang City by involving the powerful forces of the military medical field of the People’s Army," state media KCNA reported. North Korea has no Covid vaccines, antiviral treatment drugs or mass-testing capacity. KCNA , Kim reported that "orders have not yet been carried out properly and medicines have not been properly supplied to pharmacies," during an emergency meeting of the country’s politburo convened Sunday. KCNA said Kim had told officials. While North Korea has maintained a rigid coronavirus blockade since the pandemic’s start, experts have said that Omicron outbreaks in the region meant it was only a matter of time before Covid spread to the country. … [Read more...] about N.Korea reports 8 more dead, medicine supply issues amid Covid outbreak

The isolated country, a WHO member, is grappling with its first acknowledged Covid-19 outbreak, fuelling concerns over a major crisis due to a lack of vaccines and medical infrastructure. "Certainly it's worrying if countries ... are not using the tools that are now available," said WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan in response to a question about the outbreak in North Korea. "WHO has repeatedly said that where you have unchecked transmission, there is always a higher risk of new variants emerging," he said. At the same press briefing, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said he was "deeply concerned" about the spreading virus among an unvaccinated population with many underlying conditions. The UN health agency has previously said Pyongyang has yet to inform it officially of the outbreak in an apparent violation of the country's legal obligations under the WHO's International Health Regulations. Asked about how the WHO would respond, Ryan said that the body was ready … [Read more...] about North Korea COVID outbreak is ‘worrying’ for new variants -WHO

GENEVA -- A senior World Health Organization official said on Tuesday that high levels of transmission of the coronavirus among unvaccinated people, such as in North Korea, creates a higher risk of new variants. The isolated country, a WHO member, is grappling with its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak, fuelling concerns over a major crisis due to a lack of vaccines and medical infrastructure. "Certainly it's worrying if countries ... are not using the tools that are now available," said WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan in response to a question about the outbreak in North Korea. "WHO has repeatedly said that where you have unchecked transmission, there is always a higher risk of new variants emerging," he said. At the same press briefing, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said he was "deeply concerned" about the spreading virus among an unvaccinated population with many underlying conditions. The UN health agency has previously said Pyongyang has yet to inform … [Read more...] about North Korea COVID outbreak is ‘worrying’ for new variants: WHO

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai speaks at the conference (PHoto: SGGP) Speaking at the conference, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that the disbursement progress has so far achieved 11 percent, which is lower than last year with 17 percent. He added that many units have had low disbursement rates; therefore, all units and investors must clearly define their responsibilities, review each project, and solve any problems to ensure progress, not accumulate at the end of the year. In order to speed up the progress of projects, Chairman Phan Van Mai asked the units to report in detail and analyze each project for solutions. Reporting at the conference, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment Le Thi Huynh Mai said that most of the units with too low disbursement rates do have not much capital and are currently in the process of implementing procedures, so they have not completed the … [Read more...] about HCMC People’s Committee asks to remove difficulties, accelerate disbursement

Easing weeks of punishing restrictions in the commercial hub would bring relief to China's battered economy, although there is growing concern that Beijing may yet take a similar course of action if it fails to get a nascent outbreak under control. Shanghai's deputy mayor, Wu Qing, said the city of 25 million aims to eliminate Covid outside of quarantined zones within the next week or so. After that, the city's lockdown will be "lifted in batches", with shops opened and traffic restictions eased, he said in the announcement which confirmed a Reuters story from Sunday. The vast majority of Shanghai's more than 2,000 new cases are in areas already under the tightest controls, while those found in the relatively freer communities are the ones most closely watched for clues as to where Shanghai's outbreak is heading. The number of such cases rose to four on May 12, up from two the previous day. Last week, some of Shanghai's residents were allowed outside their housing compounds … [Read more...] about Shanghai aims to defeat Covid over next week as Beijing hunkers down

Many streets home to Japanese and South Korean restaurants and shops in HCM City are still quiet although the city has fully reopened after successfully containing the Covid-19 pandemic. A Japanese restaurant in District 1 While the Bui Vien Street in HCM City's District 1 which is a popular nightlife place for foreign tourists has quickly revived after local restaurants, bars and clubs were allowed to resume operation two months ago, some areas home to Japanese and South Korean communities in District 1 and District 7 remain quiet with many closed shops and restaurants. The Japanese area runs some 300 metres on Le Thanh Tong Street in District 1. Formed in the early 2000s with the openings of just a few Japanese restaurants, the street soon became busy with hundreds of restaurants, bars and massage venues serving Japanese foods and products until it was suspended for Covid-19 pandemic prevention activities in 2021. Since then, many shops have been closed … [Read more...] about South Korean and Japanese streets still quiet in HCM City

SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Saturday that the spread of COVID-19 had put the country in "great turmoil" and called for an all-out battle to overcome the epidemic, while 21 new deaths were reported for a day earlier among people with fevers. North Korea made an unprecedented admission of its first COVID outbreak this week, after claiming no infections for more than two years since the start of the pandemic, but there was no sign a rigorous testing or treatment campaign was under way. Given North Korea's limited testing capabilities, the numbers released probably represent a small fraction of total infections, which could lead to thousands of deaths in one of only two countries without a COVID vaccination campaign, according to experts. The country's ruling Workers' Party met for an emergency meeting and heard reports of about 280,810 people being treated and 27 overall deaths since a fever of unidentified origins was reported starting in late April, KCNA … [Read more...] about North Korea’s Kim says COVID ‘great turmoil’ as 21 new deaths reported

The project will include NZ$1 million for medical equipment, provided through UNICEF Vietnam, and NZ$1 million for community level economic recovery support through CARE International and Oxfam in Vietnam. “There is a well-known Māori proverb “Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi”, which means “With your food basket, and my food basket, the people will thrive”. In Vietnam you have a similar expression “Lá lành đùm lá rách”. In this spirit, humanitarian support remains an important part of the strategic partnership between New Zealand and Vietnam,” said Ambassador Tredene Dobson. “This project acknowledges that there is a two-fold approach to COVID recovery. On the one hand there is an on-going health response and this is why Aoteara New Zealand is working with UNICEF to deliver medical equipment to areas where it is needed for the ongoing safe and effective response to COVID-19. However, there is also a significant economic impact from the pandemic so following … [Read more...] about New Zealand supports Vietnam’s recovery from the pandemic with NZ$2 million