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Vital Chinese supplies arrive in India

NEW DELHI/CAIRO－Anti-epidemic supplies including 100 oxygen concentrators and 40 ventilators donated by the Red Cross Society of China, or RCSC, arrived in India on Sunday, Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong said in a tweet.

The shipment by a Chinese cargo flight from China’s southwestern city of Chengdu was the first batch of anti-epidemic supplies donated by the RCSC to India, he said.

Sun also said the RCSC has decided to provide $1 million in cash to the Indian Red Cross Society through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help India fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nothing in the world is more precious than people’s lives. The rights to subsistence and development are the basic human rights of paramount importance,” Sun said. “Actions of RCSC shine the humanitarian spirit and highlight the purpose of dedication and protection of human life and health.”

Calls grew for India to impose a nationwide lockdown as new cases and deaths held close to record highs on Monday, increasing pressure on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Many states have imposed strict lockdowns over the last month while others have placed curbs on movement and shut cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls.

The 366,161 new infections and 3,754 deaths reported for the latest 24-hour period by the health ministry were off a little from recent peaks, but took India’s tally to 22.66 million with 246,116 deaths.

By Sunday, the world’s largest vaccine-producing nation had fully vaccinated just over 34.3 million people, or only 2.5 percent of its population of about 1.35 billion, government data shows.

The Indian Medical Association has called for a “complete, well-planned, pre-announced” lockdown.

Egypt vaccine deal

Meanwhile in Egypt, Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Sunday that her country will start producing a COVID-19 vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotec next month.

Zayed said the first 2 million doses will be produced in June at the plants of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines, or VACSERA.

“We will receive the first shipment of the raw materials needed to manufacture the vaccine on May 18,” Zayed told a news conference in Cairo, adding that 40 million doses will be produced in the first year.

Zayed said two agreements were signed between Sinovac and VACSERA in April, with the first one enabling the Egyptian company to obtain the expertise and technical assistance to produce the vaccine; the second agreement grants VACSERA the license to manufacture and pack the vaccine in its factories.

The Sinovac vaccine to be produced in Egypt will be called Sinovac-Vacsera, the minister said.

Egypt started in late January to vaccinate medical workers at governmental hospitals with a COVID-19 vaccine made by another leading Chinese drugmaker, Sinopharm. It was the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority.

In early March, the most populous Arab country began vaccinating the elderly and patients with chronic diseases against the highly infectious coronavirus.

By Monday, Egypt had reported 236,272 COVID-19 cases, including 13,845 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

Published : May 11, 2021

By : China Daily/ANN

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Delhi left with just one stock of Covaxin: Satyendar Jain

Flagging the acute shortage of Covid-19 vaccine doses in the national capital, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday said that Delhi has only one day’s Covaxin stock left and its Covishield doses will last for just three to four days.

The Minister’s remarks came a day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre to direct manufacturers to increase vaccine supplies to the capital between May and July.

“Covaxin doses can last up to one day only, while Covishield doses can last up to three to four days. We really want the entire population of Delhi to be vaccinated and are conducting a mass vaccination drive,” Jain told reporters amid his visit to Guru Teg Bahadur COVID Care Centre at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in central Delhi.

According to the Delhi government’s data shared by AAP MLA Atishi, the capital has so far received 5.5 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines for the 18-44 category, and over 43 lakh doses for 45-plus, and healthcare and frontline workers.

Till Sunday evening, Delhi had 4.65 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines available for those above 45, and healthcare and frontline workers, while 2.74 lakh doses were available for the 18-44 age category, Atishi had informed via a digital press conference.

Meanwhile, the city has administered around 39 lakh doses have been administered in the national capital so far.

Speaking on the falling positivity in the test samples, Jain said the dip in the positivity rate and the number of new infections over the last fortnight is a “glimmer of hope”.

“We can see a ray of hope now that in the past few days, not only is the positivity rate decreasing but a downfall in the number of cases is also being observed. The number of cases has reduced from around 28,000 to 13,000 now. The positivity rate has come down from a high of 36 per cent to around 20 per cent,” the minister stated.

He, however, said there’s no room for any leniency and urged everyone to keep their guard up.

Published : May 11, 2021

By : The Statesman/ANN

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Vaccine maker BioNTech to set up regional HQ, manufacturing site in Singapore

SINGAPORE – BioNTech, the vaccine maker that has partnered with Pfizer on its Covid-19 shot, will be designating Singapore as its regional headquarters for South-east Asia, and will set up an mRNA manufacturing facility here.

It plans to open its Singapore office and start the construction of the manufacturing facility in 2021, subject to planning approval. The site is expected to be operational in 2023 and will create at least 80 jobs, the German company said on Monday (May 10).

These include roles in quality control, quality assurance and management. 

It added that the expansion plan is supported by Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB).

BioNTech chief executive and co-founder Ugur Sahin told reporters in a Web conference on Monday that establishing a manufacturing hub in Singapore will mean that “a certain percentage (of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured) will go to Singapore”.

He also said: “But we have to be clear that starting a manufacturing building in Singapore will not help us in the next 12 months with regard to the global supply (of the Covid-19 vaccine).

“The global supply can only be addressed by increasing the existing production capacities. We did that and they will continue to do that in the next 12 months.”

The plan is to deliver up to three billion doses in 2021, together with Pfizer – more than 50 per cent higher than initially announced. Over 40 per cent will be supplied to low- and middle-income countries, Dr Sahin added.

The surge in global demand for the vaccine has seen more manufacturing sites set up in countries such as Germany and Belgium, as well as states in the United States, to boost production.

Demand has outstripped supply in almost every country. Across the world, over 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered.

The World Health Organisation has said the world is in a “vaccine crisis”, calling on the Group of Seven countries to fund the global Covid-19 recovery and ensure most adults around the world get immunised.

Dr Sahin also said that BioNTech is in discussions on whether to acquire an existing building or build new infrastructure to house the new manufacturing facility.

In response to questions on the value of the investment in Singapore, Dr Sahin said it is “in the range of hundreds of millions of US dollars”.

He added: “We’re looking at this as a long-term investment in biotech in Singapore… It extends beyond Covid-19. Our hope here is that we can establish both a regional and even potentially global supply for a range of different vaccines and therapies based in Singapore.”

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, who also participated in the Web conference, said the venture will be a boost to the biopharmaceutical sector in Singapore.

“Every significant investment that we attract into Singapore will certainly strengthen the overall ecosystem within Singapore because this will enable us to grow our talent pool – from management to production control and quality assurance.”

The new facility will use cutting-edge manufacturing and digital infrastructure, and will be equipped to produce a range of novel mRNA vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancer, said BioNTech.

“The envisioned site will bring highly automated and end-to-end mRNA production capabilities across drug substance, drug product and fill-and-finish, with an estimated annual capacity of several hundred of million doses of mRNA-based vaccines depending on the specific vaccine,” it added.

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is based on mRNA technology, which uses a chemical messenger to instruct cells to make proteins that mimic the outer surface of the new coronavirus, which the immune system learns to recognise as a foreign invader and mounts a defence against.

mRNA relies on synthetic genes that can be generated and manufactured in weeks, and produced at scale more rapidly than conventional vaccines.

Dr Beh Swan Gin, EDB chairman, said the investment will enable Singapore to “develop capabilities in an important new therapeutic modality as part of the strategy to grow our biopharmaceutical industry”.

“In particular, BioNTech’s mRNA manufacturing facility will contribute significantly to the region’s ability to address future pandemic threats.”

Published : May 11, 2021

By : Jolene Ang/The Straits Times/ANN

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Movement Control Order for whole of Malaysia as cases surged

PETALING JAYA: All of Malaysia will come under the movement control order from tomorrow until June 7 in view of a “more critical and vicious third wave” of Covid-19 infections.

“With daily cases exceeding 4,000 cases, and with 37,396 active cases and 1,700 deaths as at May 10, Malaysia is facing a third wave that could break into a national crisis, ” said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic).

“Data and science show gatherings make social distancing difficult and that the presence of large groups in closed spaces is the main cause of Covid-19 spreading.

“The chain of infection can only be broken with the public staying home by enforcing stricter movement control, ” he said in a statement yesterday.

The rules and restrictions include:

> No mass gatherings such as weddings, dinners and tahlil, nor government and private events;

> No face-to-face seminars or meetings;

> No inter-district and interstate travel except for work and economic purposes, health matters, emergencies, vaccination appointments and long-distance couples;

> All educational institutions to be closed with exceptions for students sitting for international examinations;

> Childcare centres, nurseries and kindergartens allowed to operate;

> A three-person limit, including the driver, in personal vehicles, taxis and e-hailing rides;

> Employers to enforce a work-from-home order with no more than 30% of its management in office at any one time; and

> Akad nikah allowed based on the standard operating procedure (SOP) by the state Islamic agencies for Muslims, and by the National Registration Department for non-Muslims.

Movement Control Order for whole of Malaysia as cases surged

Muhyiddin said the restriction on inter-district and interstate travel, as well as social, sports and education activities, started yesterday and would go on until June 6 as previously announced.

“The start for the rest of the instructions will begin May 12 and be in effect until June 7, ” he added.

Throughout this period, all economic sectors would remain operational, he said.

“The government will continue using the HIDE (Hotspot Identification for Dynamic Engagement) system to monitor premises and hotspots, as well as take follow-up actions.

“I hope the public will remain disciplined and continue to abide by the SOP to break the chain of infections, ” he said.

Muhyiddin reminded all Malaysians that the best course of action was to stay at home.

“We flattened the curve during the first and second wave. I wish to remind all that the third wave we are currently facing is more fierce and critical.

“We have not won. God willing, we will beat this virus, ” he added.

Prior to yesterday’s announcement, which underscored the growing severity of the situation, the MCO had been enforced in certain “red” districts.

Published : May 11, 2021

By : JUSTIN ZACK/The Star/ANN

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Demand for precooked rice packs rises in Japan amid pandemic

Sales of precooked rice packs have been upbeat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Consumers have increasingly stockpiled such packaged rice in recent years as awareness of disaster preparedness has grown. This trend has increased further during the pandemic as more people hoard precooked rice. While the overall consumption of rice has been on the decline in Japan, manufacturers of precooked rice have diversified their product lines to cater to health-conscious people and meet other consumer needs. Such high-quality instant food products made in Japan have also gradually become popular overseas.

■ Handy products

At the Inageya Nerima Kamishakujii Minami supermarket in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, packs of precooked rice of various brands, such as Koshihikari and Akitakomachi, are lined up on the shelves. Packaged products, each of which contains about 200 grams of rice, are sold for ¥100 to ¥150, while packs come in various sizes.

Two major selling points of these products are that their best-before dates are relatively long, ranging from 10 months to a year, and they can be consumed simply by heating in a microwave for about two minutes.

“We’ve stocked up more [packs of precooked rice] amid the coronavirus pandemic,” said a homemaker in her 40s. “It’s very useful when I forget to cook rice.”

Supermarket chain operator Inageya Co. saw its overall sales of precooked rice packs increase by 12.3% in 2020 from the previous year.

According to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, Japan’s production volume of such rice packs in 2020 totaled 224,430 tons, up 6.7% from the previous year. The figure was nearly double the volume produced 10 years ago.

Last year, demand for precooked rice packs grew as people refrained from going out and hoarded such products amid the pandemic.

■ Health-conscious trend

Packs of precooked rice have become a popular item to stockpile, especially among the elderly and students living alone, since people have become more aware of the importance of being prepared for a disaster in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

In recent years, products containing brown rice and barley have become popular owing to a health-conscious boom, and some featuring no additives have also hit supermarket shelves.

As rice farmers have increasingly sought to commercialize their brands of rice, the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh) has made full-fledged entry into the packaged precooked rice business a priority. A Zen-Noh subsidiary plans to build a new plant to raise the annual production capacity of such products to about 16 million servings in fiscal 2022, a fourfold increase from the current level.

■ Exports growing

Exports of precooked rice packs have also increased. According to the agriculture ministry, the export volume rose to 1,203 tons in 2020, up 18.2% from the previous year. Over the past three years, the figure saw a 1.8-fold increase.

Wooke Co., a subsidiary in Toyama Prefecture of major rice wholesaler Shinmei Holdings Ltd., exports such precooked rice products mainly to Hong Kong and mainland China. The company’s export volume reached 650,000 servings in fiscal 2020, a 50% increase from the previous fiscal year. Wooke says many of the products are given as gifts and online orders have grown.

On the other hand, the overall year-on-year demand for rice produced in the 2019 season, which ran from July 2019 through June 2020, dropped by 200,000 tons in volume due to a sharp decline in demand from eating establishments.

“Demand for packs of precooked rice has been on the rise both in Japan and abroad,” a senior agriculture ministry official said. “We hope it will become a catalyst for expanding rice consumption.”

Published : May 10, 2021

By : The Japan News/ANN

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S. Korea seeks to develop advanced robot for ground surveillance

South Korea is seeking to develop an advanced robot to conduct surveillance missions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and other risky regions, the arms procurement agency said Monday.

The Defense Acquisition Administration (DAPA) began receiving applications from companies and research institutes for advanced technologies and ideas to build a small surveillance robot, agency officials said.

The new platform will be designed to be capable of conducting surveillance missions in areas where troops cannot reach or are not permitted due to security concerns, such as border areas, underground facilities and tunnels, DAPA said.

“After receiving applications until the end of next month, we will draw up detailed plans,” an official said. “We will continue to seek ways to make the most of advanced technologies for defense projects.” (Yonhap)

Published : May 10, 2021

By : The Korea Herald/ANN

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India reports 403,000 COVID-19 cases, 4092 deaths in last 24 hours

India recorded 403,738 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the overall caseload to 2,22,96,414, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

The country’s active COVID-19 cases stand at 37,36,648.

With 4092 deaths in the last 24 hours, the total death toll is 2,42,362.

This is the second time that the death toll crossed the 4000-mark.

In the last 24 hours, 3,86,444 recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 1,83,17,404.

Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh remain the worst affected states by the pandemic.

According to government data, as many as 16,94,39,663 people have been vaccinated.

Published : May 10, 2021

By : The Statesman/ANN

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EU fails to embrace IP waiver for vaccines

The European Union has criticized the United States call for an intellectual property rights waiver for novel coronavirus vaccines and urged Washington to take other steps to ensure the worlds poorest people have better access to jabs.

After a two-day leaders’ summit in Porto, Portugal, the bloc of 27 states, which has itself been urged to do more to ensure vaccines are widely distributed, said the US should not waste time waiting for a system of vaccine patent waivers but simply start exporting jabs to nations in need.

The US had said it wanted intellectual property rights to be suspended temporarily to allow poor nations to make jabs legally, without having to pay fees to the pharmaceutical giants that designed them.

Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel said last week’s surprise call from US President Joe Biden missed the point.

“I don’t think waiving patents is the solution to supply the vaccine to more people,” the Financial Times quoted her saying after the summit ended on Saturday. “I think that we need the creativity and innovation of the companies; and for that we need patent protection.”

Merkel said the US should ensure more manufacturers around the world are granted licenses to produce vaccines.

“Europe has always exported a large part of European production to the rest of the world and that should be the norm,” she said, alluding to the fact that the US has exported very little.

The European Commission, which is the executive branch of the EU, said the bloc has exported 200 million doses of novel coronavirus vaccine so far, which is a similar amount to the total number of jabs given to EU citizens.

But with the idea of temporarily waiving intellectual property rights having been put forward by South Africa and India and having been supported by the World Health Organization, the EU’s lack of enthusiasm will leave it open to criticism.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, insisted, however, it was not the “magic bullet” the US suggested it was. He said some jabs require dozens, if not hundreds, of contributing patents and specialist equipment.

Pundits said the US call for intellectual property rights to be temporarily suspended caught the EU by surprise and, with the bloc home to BioNTech, one of the first companies to market its vaccine, the EU said the US increasing exports of jabs was the best solution.

The Financial Times quoted President Emmanuel Macron of France as saying: “I call very clearly on the US to end export bans, not only on vaccines but on ingredients of those vaccines.”

Macron said it might also be possible to waive intellectual property rights “in a limited way”.

The BBC noted that the divide emerging between the US and the EU on the issue comes as around 1.25 billion doses of vaccine have been administered among the world’s 7.8 billion people. Of those, only around 1 percent have been given to people in the world’s poorest 29 countries, the AFP news agency added.

Published : May 10, 2021

By : Earle Gale/China Daily/ANN

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Thailand supports Laos’ battle against Covid-19

The Royal Thai Embassy to Laos has provided cash and materials worth over 16 million baht to the Lao government to support efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.

The donated items were handed over in Vientiane on Friday by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Laos, Mr Jesda Katavetin, on behalf of the Thai government to Minister of Health and Deputy Head of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, Dr Dr Bounfeng Phommalaisith.
The Thai government’s donation together with medical supplies totalled 12.8 million baht (4.1 billion kip). Donations worth 4.3 million baht delivered on Friday

comprised a cash donation of 2 million baht, 180 patient beds, 50,000 medical masks, 2,370 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and six mobile swab testing units for use in hospitals in Bokeo province.

A second shipment of supplies from the Thai government worth more than 8.5 million baht, to be delivered by the end of this month, will consist of 2,000 PPE outfits, Covid-19 test equipment, DNA/RNA extraction kits, and 2,500 test kits for use in hospitals in Bokeo and Xayaboury provinces. Thailand will also provide medical equipment for use in hospitals in Savannakhet province, including a defibrillator, patient monitoring machine, infrared thermometers, oxygen regulators and pulse oximeters.
In addition, Thailand  will provide online medical public health consultations to strengthen Covid-19 testing capacity and collaboration between Thai and Lao medical staff, especially at the Thai-Lao border, to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In another donation, the Thai-Lao Association for Friendship has provided 500 PPE outfits and the 480 N95 masks worth 100,000 baht through the Lao Embassy in Bangkok.
Lastly, the Thai Embassy to Laos and Team Thailand are facilitating support from the Thai Business Association in Laos, the Thailand-Laos Business Council, Thai companies in Laos, and Thai nationals resident in Laos.
Cash donations and medical supplies worth more than 3.4 million baht (about 1 billion kip) will be handed over to the Lao government on May 12. The cash donations and medical equipment from the Thai government, private sector and Thai people reflect the country’s concern for the people of Laos and underscore Thailand’s resolute solidarity with Laos as a close neighbour with special bonds and readiness to tackle the  Covid-19 outbreak together, the Thai Embassy to Laos said.

Published : May 10, 2021

By : Vientiane Times/ANN

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Hainan FTP to become worlds largest duty-free market: report

HAIKOU — The Hainan free trade port (FTP) will likely become the worlds biggest duty-free market in the near term if it continues on its current growth curve, according to a report jointly released by KPMG China and The Moodie Davitt Report.

By the end of 2020, offshore duty-free business in Hainan was worth approximately $5 billion, boosted by an enhanced shopping policy, said the report. It was released on the sideline of the ongoing inaugural China International Consumer Products Expo.

In July 2020, the province increased its annual per capita duty-free shopping limit from 30,000 yuan (about $4,638) to 100,000 yuan.

Noting that the business environment in the Hainan FTP benefits from the country’s national strategies, institutional design, and policy supports, the report said its open free trade and offshore duty-free policy have created fertile ground for the development of the retail travel industry.

The rapid offshore duty-free sector development in Hainan since 2011 has played a significant role in its growing allure and status as an international tourism consumption center, it said.

China released a master plan last June to build the island province into a globally influential and high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. The plan also blueprinted that Hainan should strive to build itself into an international tourism and consumption center.

Published : May 09, 2021

By : China Daily / ANN