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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40003023

452 suicides reported in Singapore in 2020 amid Covid-19, highest since 2012

SINGAPORE – A total of 452 suicides were reported in Singapore last year, the highest figure since 2012.

In a statement on Thursday (July 8), non-profit suicide prevention centre Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said this was a 13 per cent increase from 2019’s 400 cases.

It added that the increase in suicide deaths was observed across all age groups. In particular, the number of suicide deaths among the elderly – aged 60 and above – hit 154, the highest recorded figure among this age group since 1991 and a 26 per cent increase from 2019.

SOS chief executive Gasper Tan said: “Covid-19 has severely affected the nation’s economy, lifestyle and mental health. We are extremely worried about how our elderly are coping during this public health crisis.

“During the pandemic period, the elderly were more likely to face social isolation and financial worries. Difficulty in constantly adapting to changes as well as prolonged feelings of loneliness may be devastating.”

While there was an increase in suicide deaths among the elderly in 2020 compared with 2019, SOS said its 24-hour hotline received fewer calls from them.

In its 2020 financial year from April 2020 to March 2021, 4,455 calls were made by the elderly, compared with 4,816 in the 2019 financial year.

SOS added that elderly callers expressed difficulty coping with loneliness and inactivity due to isolation, psychological distress, and impaired social and family relationships – which were compounded by the pandemic.

The Institute of Mental Health’s clinical director in the Office of Population Health, Adjunct Associate Professor Lee Cheng, said that the elderly who are living alone may lack support to deal with the pandemic.

“Those who are used to attending social activities outside on a regular basis will also likely feel socially isolated during this period,” he added.

Said SOS’ Mr Tan: “Since the pandemic, many in-person activities and initiatives for the elderly have moved digitally. Those with limited proficiency with technology may find themselves lost and helpless.

He added that given the uncertainty of how long more the pandemic will last, it is important to build on existing efforts and find new ways to support the mental health of the elderly.

Singapore University of Social Sciences’ Associate Professor Helen Ko said it was important to find as many ways as possible to connect with the elderly who are lonely and socially isolated.

“Very often, most elderly persons want to hear a human voice and they long to hear the familiar voice of a loved one,” she said.

“For those who are not digitally savvy, please be very patient as they may need more time to pick up digital skills.”

From July 26, those who need emotional support may call SOS at its new four-digit hotline at 1-767. SOS said the shortened hotline will help make seeking help more convenient.

The old hotline number, 1800-221-4444, will remain operational even after the four-digit hotline is launched, and both numbers will be toll-free.

Published : July 09, 2021

By : Ng Keng Gene/The Straits Times/ANN

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Shenzhen issues China’s first local data law

The Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress on Tuesday issued the country’s first basic and comprehensive local legislation on personal data management.

The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Data Regulations, which will take effect on Jan 1, signal the nation’s determination to boost personal information protection and build up a robust public data system.

The move comes on the heels of cybersecurity investigations this week of several internet firms — including DidiChuxing Technology Co, a popular ride-hailing company – by the country’s top internet authority.

Mainland cybersecurity authorities announced on Sunday they had ordered DidiChuxing’s app removed from app stores amid a probe into the company’s alleged illegal collection and use of personal information.

China has been making cybersecurity a greater priority. A national Data Security Law was passed last month and will take effect in September.

The new regulations of the southern China city focus on comprehensive data management and local integration with digital city development.

It stipulates that mobile applications shall not refuse to provide core functions or services to people on the grounds that they do not accept a package of personal data-usage access agreements.

In addition, users will have the right to refuse to be portrayed or receive customized recommendations based on big data analyses, according to the new rules.

Data analysis shall not be used to impose differential treatment on users with the same trading conditions without justified reasons. Violators can be fined up to 50 million yuan (US$7.74 million).

The regulations also emphasized that the data generated and processed by organizations that provide public services, including education, health, public transportation, water and power, should be open to the public as much as possible without any fees.

Published : July 09, 2021

By : Chai Hua/China Daily/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40003021

S. Korea to announce new virus curbs for greater Seoul area on Friday

South Koreas health authorities said Thursday they will announce new social distancing measures for the greater Seoul area soon, amid expectations that the capital area may be placed under the highest level in the four-tier system.

South Korea reported 1,275 new COVID-19 cases on the day, setting a new daily record.

The government will announce a readjusted level of social distancing Friday after a COVID-19 control meeting in the morning, officials said.

South Korea earlier planned to ease virus-related restrictions in July as the country gained confidence after providing at least one COVID-19 jab to around 30 percent of the population.

The growing concerns over uptick in virus infections, coupled with the rising number of more transmissible delta variant cases, however, induced the country to delay its decision to lift regulations in the greater Seoul area.

The capital area, home to around half of the population, is currently under Level 2, in which gatherings of up to eight people are allowed. Health authorities, however, decided to keep the ceiling at four for the time being.

Sources say the government may put the capital area under the highest social distancing rules when additional details on new guidelines are delivered on Friday.

Under Level 4, gatherings of more than two people will be banned after 6:00 p.m.. Demonstrations will also be restricted, although the government will allow one-person protests.

Entertainment establishments, including night clubs, will be ordered to shut down, while restaurants will be allowed to have dine-in customers until 10 p.m. (Yonhap)

Published : July 09, 2021

By : The Korea Herald/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40003020

Vietnam advised to postpone 31st Southeast Asian Games

HÀ NỘI — The 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hà Nội should be postponed, the SEA Games Federation advised yesterday.

The announcement was made after an online meeting of the SEA Games Federation attended by sports officials of all 11 participating nations.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the biennial sports event, originally scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 2, may be delayed until 2022.

But the final decision still rests with Việt Nam who are yet to make an announcement. Also yesterday, deputy secretary of the Thai Olympic Committee, Varin Tansuphasiri, told AFP: “Definitely, the 31st SEA games will not (be hosted) this year as scheduled in November.

“The proposal is to postpone the Games until next year, 2022.”

Việt Nam, set to host the Games for the second time after 18 years, will spend about US$69 million to hold 40 sports and welcome about 10,000 athletes. They will compete in Hà Nội and surrounding cities and provinces.

However, because of the current complicated developments of the pandemic, it has become more likely the event will be postponed until April or May next year.

At the meeting, the SEA Games Federation praised Việt Nam for the work sporting officials had carried out so far but admitted the decision was inevitable. VNS

Published : July 09, 2021

By : Viet Nam News/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40002978

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Wednesday issued an urgent dispatch on COVID-19 measures in the wake of the worsening outbreak in HCM City and other southern localities.

He noted that recently, following the direction of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Government, the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, localities across the country made great and resolute efforts to gradually put COVID-19 outbreaks nationwide under control, however, the outbreak remains complicated in HCM City and has spread quite quickly to a number of other localities in the southern region.

PM asked all localities and ministries to strictly implement solutions to prevent, detect, isolate, suppress outbreak and provide active treatment; pay special attention to the implementation of regulations on social distancing and lockdowns, and the supply of food and necessities for people in quarantined/locked down areas.

The health ministry is asked to frequently update its public list of officially determined “outbreak areas” on its website.

While the whole of HCM City is not yet considered an outbreak area, all travellers from zones in the city must declare their health status to the destination’s local authorities and are subject to quarantine, testing or medical monitoring depending on the epidemiological investigation’s results.

Regarding the situation in HCM City, the dispatch ordered the municipal People’s Committee to “step up leadership in drastic, determined and comprehensive measures” to cut off chains of virus transmission and contain local outbreaks.

The authorities must not let mass gatherings and crowding continue, in which social distancing is not respected, especially in high-risks areas.

The city is also told to “immediately complete necessary steps (legal and communication) to limit people’s movements to the highest extent” and coordinate with neighbouring localities to manage industrial zones’ and factory workers who live in one place and work in another.

HCM City must also strictly control the exit and entry of vehicles to better manage the sources of infections, but in a way that is not disruptive to transportation of goods and conducive to maintenance of business and production activities at the highest level amid the pandemic.

In tandem with prevention and control measures, the southern city must also carry out measures to ensure people’s livelihoods and lives, especially in terms of support for the poor, people in difficult situations, freelance workers, and workers who have no savings or suffered income losses, etc. so that “no people would starve because of the pandemic.”

As of noon on Wednesday, HCM City has recorded over 8,000 cases of COVID-19 since late April, and has consistently led the national tally with hundreds of new patients in recent days with many patients of unknown sources of infection or detected through screening. It is currently the largest hot spot in the country’s fourth wave of infections, despite being put under heightened social distancing since May 31, with non-essential businesses – and most recently, many traditional markets where COVID-19 clusters have been detected – forced to shut down, and limits placed on gatherings in public and indoors.

People have been advised not to go outside unless necessary under the current order, however, the highest level of restrictions ever been enforced in the country include a ban on going outside unless for necessary purposes or emergency cases and halt of public transport and travels between localities enforced in the nationwide lockdown earlier last year.

Also on Wednesday, the health ministry issued a notice to all local health departments, requiring all arrivals from HCM City to self-isolate at home/accommodation facilities for seven days (starting from the date of arrival), avoid contact with others and refrain from taking part in large gatherings, and self-monitor their health status for the next seven days.

Health workers are supposed to conduct COVID-19 testing on these arrivals three times on the first, third, and sixth day of the self-isolation period. — VNS

Published : July 08, 2021

By : Viet Nam News/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40002977

South Korea reported the highest daily COVID-19 cases since the pandemic hit the nation early last year on Thursday as the country braces for another wave of the pandemic, prompting authorities to consider imposing tougher virus curbs.

The country recorded 1,275 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,227 local infections, raising the total caseload to 164,028, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

It marked the highest number since Jan. 20 last year, when the nation reported its first confirmed infection.

Also, it was the first time that the nation’s daily infections rose above 1,200 for a second straight day. Thursday’s figure compares with 1,212 on Wednesday, 746 on Tuesday, 711 on Monday and 743 on Sunday.

The country added one more COVID-19 death, raising the death toll to 2,034.

As concerns over a fourth wave of outbreaks over the summer grew, health authorities decided to extend current distancing curbs in the greater Seoul area for one week on Wednesday but warned of further tougher measures unless the current situation is brought under control.

Current social distancing rules, including a ban on private gatherings of five or more people and a 10 p.m. curfew on restaurants, in the greater Seoul area were extended until next Wednesday.

President Moon Jae-in has ordered the swift deployment of police officers, military personnel and civil servants to help with COVID-19 tests and tracing.

Cluster infections have recently grown at various places, including companies, schools and department stores, amid a surge in cases of the contagious delta COVID-19 variant.

About 80 percent of new infections came from Seoul and its neighboring areas, with people in their 20s and 30s, most of whom are not eligible for vaccinations, fueling new cases, according to the KDCA.

A total of 15.44 million people, or 30.1 percent of the country’s population, have received their first shots of COVID-19 vaccines. The KDCA said 5.49 million people have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 10.8 percent of the population.

The country currently administers two-dose vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, as well as Janssen’s single-shot vaccine.

Of the newly confirmed domestic cases, 545 were from Seoul, 388 from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 61 from the western port city of Incheon.

There were 48 additional imported cases, with 43 of them from Asian nations.

The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries was 151,923, up 423 from a day earlier. (Yonhap)

Published : July 08, 2021

By : The Korea Herald/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40002976

The government plans to issue a fourth state of emergency for Tokyo from Monday through Aug. 22, sources said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga met with Cabinet ministers concerned with current measures dealing with the coronavirus.

“The number of infected people is on the rise in Tokyo. We will take thorough measures to curb infections based on data such as the number of infected people and hospital bed occupancy,” he told reporters after the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, ministers discussed extending the emergency-level priority measures that are scheduled to end on July 11 until Aug. 22 in the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa and Osaka. They also discussed an extension for the state of emergency in Okinawa Prefecture until Aug. 22.

The government will make final official decisions on Thursday after hearing experts’ opinions.

Published : July 08, 2021

By : The Japan News/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40002975

Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) — the nerve centre of Pakistans coronavirus response — the team of the Ehsaas Programme and the State Bank of Pakistan after The Economist ranked Pakistan among the best performing countries for handling the coronavirus pandemic.

The Economist’s normalcy index tracks the progress of 50 countries’ return to pre-pandemic life on the basis of eight indicators classified into three categories.

Each country is scored out of 100 — the benchmark score for the pre-pandemic level of activity — on the index, where Pakistan’s current score is 84.4. This tracker is updated every week.

At present, the top-ranked country on the index is Hong Kong, with a score of 96.3, followed by New Zealand that has a score of 87.8. Pakistan is ranked third.

Sharing a screenshot of the index on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted: “Congratulations to NCOC members, Ehsaas team & State Bank of Pakistan for effective response to Covid-19 pandemic; and above all thanks to the mercy of Almighty Allah.”

Among other countries, China is ranked 19th with a score of 72.9 and India — which has been struggling in face of the pandemic after a disastrous outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant — is ranked 48 with a score of 46.5.

South Korea and Colombia are at the bottom, each having an overall score of zero.

Science behind the ranking

According to The Economist, the index “covers 50 of the world’s largest economies that together account for 90 per cent of global GDP (gross domestic product) and 76 per cent of the world’s population.”

They are scored out of 100 on the basis of eight indicators, classified into three categories. The first category of transport and travel includes public transport in big cites, the extent of traffic congestion in these cities and the number of international and domestic flights.

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Indicators such as the amount of time people spend outdoors, cinema and box-office revenues and attendance at sports events are clubbed together under the category of recreation and entertainment, and footfall in shops and occupancy of offices are grouped under the category of retailing and work.

The separate tracker for each indicator shows that Pakistan has shown significant improvement on the public transport indicator, where its current score is above 100. However, the country’s score remains below 50 on the domestic and international flights indicator.

Its score on the indicator signifying cinema revenues has remained zero for most part of this year and the previous year. For the amount of time people spend outdoors, the country’s score has remained close to 100. At present, Pakistan is ranked slightly above 100 on this indicator.

Pakistan has shown erratic but gradual improvement on the indicators of office occupancy and footfall in shops since March last year. The graph shows that its current score for office occupancy is above 100, after a dip in June, and the country’s score is close to 120 on the retail indicator.

The country has not been scored for road traffic and sports attendance.

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Uptick in positivity rate

Meanwhile, Pakistan has witnessed a rise in daily cases in recent days.

According to the government’s Covid-19 portal, the number of daily Covid-19 cases dropped from four digits to three digits on June 25. It remained at around 900 till June 27 and further fell to 735 on June 28.

Then the number of cases gradually started increasing and doubled in just one week. The positivity rate was less than 2pc in June but it has now crossed 3pc after a gap of 20 days.

According to the government’s portal for tracking the spread of the disease in the country, the positivity rate was recorded as 3.28pc during the last 24 hours. The last time it had exceeded 3pc was on June 16 when it was recorded as 3.01pc.

During the last 24 hours, the country has reported 1,517 coronavirus cases and 17 deaths. The total number of cases has risen to 966,007 and the death toll is 22,469.

Published : July 08, 2021

By : DAWN/ANN

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Foreign leaders and diplomats hailed the Communist Party of Chinas people-centered philosophy, which has led to the countrys remarkable achievements, at a virtual gathering on Tuesday attended by representatives of 500 political parties and organizations from more than 160 countries.

As the world faces tremendous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the CPC’s successful experience brings new vigor and hope beyond China’s borders, they said.

In a keynote speech addressed to the CPC and World Political Parties Summit, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese president, urged political parties to set the right course forward and shoulder their historical responsibility to ensure the people’s wellbeing and the further progress of mankind.

Cyril Ramaphosa, president of the African National Congress and South African president, congratulated the CPC on the realization of its first centenary goal－building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

He said the historic achievements of the CPC have been made possible because the CPC has placed the needs and interests of the people at the center of its work.

“We wholeheartedly endorse the statement by President Xi Jinping that ‘the people are the true heroes, for it is they who create history’,” Ramaphosa said.

Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and prime minister of Pakistan, said the CPC has remained committed to serving the people and prioritizing their well-being and interests.

“The CPC has proved that attainment of political power is primarily meant for bringing a transformation in the lives of people and making them masters of their destiny,” Khan said.

He praised China’s remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, its anti-corruption campaign and nation-building under the leadership of the CPC.

“It’s something that we hope to emulate in Pakistan,” he said.

Alberto Fernandez, president of Argentina’s Justicialist Party and Argentine president, said Xi’s speech is “visionary and insightful”.

The speech can help political parties to reflect upon what kind of responsibility they should take, he said, calling on parties to strengthen cooperation and promote economic and social development in a bid to bring benefits to all the people.

Aleksandar Vucic, president of the Progressive Party of Serbia and Serbian president, said that the great creativity the CPC showed in the process of building the country has brought inspiration and hope to all countries in the world.

As the world faces unprecedented challenges, Vucic said, mutual respect, mutual help, reaching consensus through consultation and close cooperation have become more urgent than ever before.

Keshavarz Zadeh, Iran’s ambassador to China, is one of the representatives of 130 diplomatic missions in China who attended the summit in Beijing.

Zadeh said China’s great achievement in poverty alleviation under the CPC’s leadership is admirable because people in places of Africa, Latin America and Asia are still suffering from poverty.

“We should promote cooperation among countries, especially among South-South countries, to reach a level of prosperity and development,” he said.

Mahbub Uz Zaman, ambassador of Bangladesh to China, fully agreed with Xi’s remarks on international cooperation, saying that the Belt and Road Initiative, which involves 140 countries, including Bangladesh, is a model of such cooperation.

“Under the BRI, a lot of infrastructure projects－like roads, bridges and ports－have been built, and these are public goods that everyone benefits from,” he said.

The summit, themed “For the People’s Well-Being: The Responsibility of Political Parties” and attended by more than 10,000 people worldwide via video link and live webcasts, was the first of its kind.

Chen Dongxiao, president of the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said the summit demonstrates the CPC’s high prestige and strong appeal among world political parties, especially in developing countries.

All political parties that are responsible and have ideals should work for people’s well-being, and the CPC is taking the lead in this regard, Chen told the media outlet Shanghai Observer.

Published : July 08, 2021

By : Mo Jingxi and Zhou Jin/China Daily/ANN

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40002969

The number of Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia crossed 5.25 million, with 58,275 new cases reported on Wednesday, higher than Tuesday’s tally of 54,013. There were 1,430 new deaths meanwhile, increasing from Tuesday’s 1,082 and taking total Covid-19 deaths in Asean to 101,304 so far.

Singapore’s Public Health Ministry announced that from July 12 up to five people can share the same table at restaurants or workplaces after about two-thirds of its population have been vaccinated with one dose.

The city-state estimates 50 per cent of its population will be inoculated with two doses before July draws to an end.

Meanwhile, Indonesia reported 34,379 new cases and 1,040 deaths on Wednesday, bringing cumulative cases in that country to 2,379,397 and a total 62,908 deaths so far.

The government has extended disease control measures until July 20 in several provinces from Sumatra Island to Papua Island to combat rising infections.

Published : July 08, 2021

By : THE NATION