New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over 8.8 crore cases and more than 19 lakh deaths.
With richer countries buying the limited number of vaccines for its citizens, Cambodia’s hope for receiving a vaccine in 2021 seems to be “fast diminishing”. Meanwhile, scientists across US have expressed fear that unmasked intruders walking into private offices of the Capitol Hill “may have transformed the riot into a super-spreader event”.
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is unlikely to be approved in Japan before May owing to requirements for local clinical trials.
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Scientists fear Capitol Hill breach may be super-spreader event
Scientists across the US remain fearful that the unmasked intruders who had walked into private offices of the Capitol Hill Thursday “may have transformed the riot into a super-spreader event”, reports The New York Times.
Since the coronavirus spreads indoors, even if a few invaders were infected, the virus would “have had the ideal opportunity to find new victims”, experts have said.
US has recorded 2,21,32,045 cases of Covid-19 and 3,74,124 deaths.
Also read: How India’s regulatory pitfalls helped Covishield and Covaxin get rapid approval
Japan’s approval of Moderna vaccine unlikely before May
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is unlikely to be approved in Japan before May owing to requirements for local clinical trials. This casts doubts over a nationwide vaccination before the Tokyo Olympics, reports The Japan Times.
“Tokyo faces a major regulatory bottleneck due to requirements for local clinical trials before requesting approval,” said the report.
With the upcoming Olympics, Japan has secured rights to over 540 million doses of vaccine.
Japan has recorded 2,58,393 cases of Covid-19 and 3,791 deaths.
Covid-19 kills almost half of Sussex care home residents
Almost half of the residents in a care home in East Sussex have succumbed to the virus over Christmas, reports The Guardian.
Out of 27 residents, 13 have died with confirmed or suspected Covid since 13 December.
“Across England, Covid outbreaks in care homes are rising again, after months of far lower infection rates than in the spring as a result of control measures,” said the report.
UK has recorded 28,89,419 cases of Covid-19 and 78,508 deaths.
Cambodia runs the risk of being last in line for Covid vaccines
With richer countries buying up the limited number of vaccines for their own citizens, Cambodia’s hope for receiving a vaccine in 2021 seems to be “fast diminishing”, reports Asia Times.
Cambodia has an “exceptionally” weak healthcare system, “feeble” bureaucracy and “faltering” finances, the report noted.
A source with the knowledge of Cambodian government’s planning told Asia Times, “Cambodia is really still in ‘will we get it’ mode rather than ‘vaccine preparation’ mode.”
Cambodia hasn’t officially recorded any Covid-19 fatality. So far, only 383 cases have been documented nationwide.
Brisbane declared new Covid-19 hotspot in Australia
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the Commonwealth has declared Brisbane a hotpot, after the UK variant of coronavirus was detected in a quarantine hotel cleaner, reports The Age.
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said, “This is the very first time we’ve seen someone with this strain in the community in Australia. We’ve had some cases in hotel quarantine in the past weeks, but they’ve been controlled through the process.”
Australia has recorded 28,568 cases of Covid-19 and 909 deaths.
What else we are reading:
Turkish Covid-19 vaccines ready for human trials: Daily Sabah
Biggest Covid outbreak since Wuhan creeps toward Beijing: Asia Times
Also read: China’s Sinovac Covid vaccine 78% effective in late-stage trials in Brazil