New Delhi: The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries across the world — the latest count being over six crore cases and more than 14 lakh deaths.
The global demand for ‘ultra-cold’ freezers has increased exponentially as countries prepare for the arrival of a Covid vaccine. LGBTQ+ shelter groups in Uganda are being targeted under the ‘cover of Covid’ and the Italian city Sicily requested Cuba to send a medical task force to aid the fight against the pandemic.
ThePrint brings you the most important global stories on the coronavirus pandemic and why they matter.
Covid vaccines create global demand for ‘ultra-cold’ freezers
Preparations for a Covid-19 vaccine has fuelled demands for specialised freezers to store them across the world, reports The Straits Times.
“Much of the focus is on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. It needs complex and ultra-cold conditions, below minus 70 deg C or more, for long-term storage, which could hinder its distribution to areas lacking proper facilities,” notes the report.
“Some speciality freezer makers have already warned of months-long waits for units as governments worldwide place orders as part of vaccine distribution chains, which involve complex and costly deep-freeze warehouses, refrigerated vehicles and vaccination points,” it adds.
Pfizer is expected to supply at least 50 million doses this year and over 1.3 billion doses next year.
Also read: China’s economic recovery stabilises as exports, markets continue to boom
LGBTQ+ shelter groups in Uganda targeted under ‘cover of Covid’
In a two-month long ordeal, Ugandans living in an LGBTQ+ shelter group in Kyengera town were arbitrarily arrested and not allowed to talk to their lawyers “under the guise of public health protections” amid the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Mail and Guardian.
Same-sex sexual relations are illegal in Uganda and carry a potential punishment of life imprisonment. The LGBTQ+ community in the country is severely discriminated against and there have been repeated attempts to introduce death penalty for them.
Those arrested from the shelter group in Kyengera were eventually sent to prison and reportedly subject to torture. They were not allowed legal representation for almost two months and were released only when the news began gathering international attention.
The report highlights that such raids on LGBTQ+ shelters and arbitrary arrests of queer individuals had increased manifold during the Covid pandemic.
Uganda has recorded 18,406 cases of coronavirus and 186 deaths, till date.
Italy requests Cuba for medics amid second Covid wave
The authorities in Sicily have requested Cuba to send healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, to the region as it struggles with an acute shortage of medical personnel amid a severe second wave of Covid-19 , reports The Guardian.
“The request was filed this week to the Italian embassy in Cuba and refers to intensive care specialists, nurses, anaesthetists, resuscitators, virologists and pneumologists,” Guardian quoted Italian newspaper la Repubblica as saying.
Cuba had earlier sent a team of doctors to some of the worst-hit regions in Italy, including Lombardy and Piedermont, in March and April.
Italy has recorded 14,55,022 cases of Covid-19 and 51,306 deaths.
Malaysian firm Top Glove ‘defensive’ over Covid hotspot
Malaysian firm Top Glove is ‘scrambling’ to explain how its factory became the biggest Covid-19 hotspot in the country, reports South China Morning Post.
So far, 2,684 employees of the firm — the largest manufacturer of rubber gloves in the world — have tested positive for the virus.
“The huge cluster has also raised questions over the possible contamination of its gloves, which are in high demand in hospitals around the globe amid the raging pandemic, though the company on Wednesday dismissed these concerns,” the report notes.
Malaysia has recorded 58,847 cases of Covid-19 and 341 deaths.
Also read: Chinese vaccine maker seeks authorisation for its Covid shot’s public use
Germany to impose stricter Covid rules after highest daily deaths recorded
On 2 November, Germany imposed a month-long ‘lockdown lite’ — bars and restaurants were closed but schools and shops remained open. However, after recording a record number of daily deaths, a stricter lockdown will now be implemented, reports The Guardian.
From 1 December onwards, private gatherings will have to be limited to only five people. The rules, however, have been relaxed around Christmas.
The move comes after “Germany recorded its highest daily death rate, which rose by 410 in 24 hours. Almost 14,800 people have died from the virus. The registered infection rate appears to be stabilising, with 18,633 new infections since Tuesday,” the report states.
So far, Germany has recorded 9,62,906 cases of Covid-19 and 14,800 deaths.
Now South Wales records no new cases of Covid after 2 months
The Australian city New South Wales recorded no new cases of coronavirus in the community for the first time in almost two months, reports The Age.
According to the government data, the city’s total case load stands at 4,363 as of Thursday.
“Although NSW has enjoyed 19 days without a locally acquired case of COVID-19 and restrictions continue to be eased, now is not the time to be complacent,” the report states, quoting a statement by the New South Wales Health Department.
Australia has recorded 27,853 cases of Covid-19 and 907 deaths.
What else we are reading:
More staying at home, more tea — Pandemic ramps up consumption of Turkey’s favourite beverage: The Daily Sabah
Culled mink rise from the dead to Denmark’s horror: The Guardian
Also read: France to ease lockdown, Hong Kong shuts bars after cases surge & other Covid news