Covid-19 pandemic: Food worries in Cambodia’s red zones, new Chinese drug under scrutiny
World

Covid-19 pandemic: Food worries in Cambodia’s red zones, new Chinese drug under scrutiny

As the Covid-19 pandemic shows no signs of letting up, ThePrint highlights the most important stories on the crisis from across the globe

   
Buildings on the Phnom Phen skyline in Cambodia | Photographer: Taylor Weidman | Bloomberg

Buildings on the Phnom Phen skyline in Cambodia | Photographer: Taylor Weidman | Bloomberg

New Delhi: The Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the world — the latest count being more than 16,18,35,227 cases and 33,58,658 deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US announced the lifting of mask-wearing for vaccinated people Thursday leaves epidemiologists surprised and, Cambodia’s Covid red zones go hungry and more.

ThePrint brings you some stories from around the world on the pandemic to keep you updated.

US guidance on masks leaves epidemiologists surprised 

When the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Thursday that vaccinated Americans no longer needed to wear masks in most places, it came as a surprise to American epidemiologists, reports The New York Times

Among epidemiologists surveyed in the last two weeks, 80 per cent said they thought mask-wearing would last at least another year. Only 5 per cent said people would no longer need to wear masks indoors by this summer.

In large crowds outdoors, 88 per cent said it was necessary even for fully vaccinated people to wear masks.

The survey covered 723 epidemiologists and was conducted between 28 April and 10 May, before the new guidance from the CDC came.

The US has recorded 3,36,26,097 cases and 5,98,540 deaths.


Also read: Increase vaccine manufacturing, share tech with poor nations to fight Covid: global panel


Food insecurity in Cambodia’s Covid red zones

Harsh new restrictions in Cambodia aimed at controlling a Covid outbreak that began in February, have left tens of thousands trapped in their homes with food insecurity a real problem, reports BBC.

The situation is particularly grim in Cambodia’s “red zones”, Covid hotspots in capital Phnom Penh that have gone into lockdown. Those living inside say food and help are scarce.

Among the estimated 1.2 lakh people living in Phnom Penh’s red zones, resident Somal Ratanak says he cannot rely on the standard government aid package of rice, noodles, soy sauce, and canned fish as it is delivered irregularly.

NGOs have also been barred from the red zones — making it even harder to reach those in need.

The government’s response so far has been haphazard, said Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns Ming Yu Hah.

Though Cambodia was lauded for its tight restrictions and relatively low case numbers last year, the country is now seeing a concerning new wave of cases.

Cambodia has recorded 21,499 cases and 147 deaths.

Chinese firm’s Covid drug Proxalutamide raises doubts

Chinese biotech firm Kintor Pharmaceutical Limited announced on 25 April that it has made progress on the drug, Proxalutamide. But the company has come under scrutiny in recent days, reports Reuters.

The company had not dosed any patients as of early May, said Zeid Kayali, a doctor Kintor identified as its principal clinical trial investigator in documents it posted on a US trials website. Kayali also told Reuters he was “not in charge” of the trial, contradicting what the company has claimed.

In response, Kintor Chief Financial Officer Lucy Lu said Kayali was one of its trial investigators, declined to name a different principal investigator and also declined to comment on the firm’s announcement on patient dosing.

Kintor’s lack of transparency, along with inconsistencies in the company’s statements, raise a “red flag” about the company’s claims, said Stephen Ostroff, a former US Food and Drug Administration chief scientist.

The company is headquartered in China.

China has recorded 90,815 cases and 4,636 deaths.


Also read: World finally accepts China’s much-maligned Sinovac shot


Universities in Australia’s Queensland plan chartered flights, quarantine for international students

International students could be flown into the Australian state of Queensland on specially chartered flights, reports Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

This is part of an ambitious plan organised by the state’s universities. The proposal involves flying in cohorts of students and setting up quarantine measures for them outside the existing system. The state’s universities plan to put forth the proposal before the state government within weeks. However, the proposal has attracted union and medical criticism.

The Queensland Vice-Chancellors’ committee said the proposal would need to be approved by the state and federal governments — and not add pressure to existing quarantine capacity is also a factor.

Australia has recorded 29,957 cases and 910 deaths.

What else are we reading:

COVID-19 and Israeli Bombs Leave Gaza’s Hospitals Badly Struggling: Haaretz

Anger grows in Guatemala over COVID vaccine rollout, corruption: Al Jazeera