New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, with new variants and strains of the virus making the fight even harder.
With more than 11 crore global Covid cases and 26 lakh deaths, the pandemic is showing no signs of letting up.
In some global headlines, Russia, it turns out, has been spreading disinformation about Covid-19 vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer while a Palestinian nurse has fallen victim to the deadly virus three times within five months. Meanwhile, Germany has started selling rapid antigen tests in supermarkets.
Also read: Why America is losing the global PR war over Covid vaccines
US alleges Russia is spreading Covid disinformation
The United States has identified at least three websites through which Russia is spreading disinformation about Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, reports Reuters.
The outlets “spread many types of disinformation, including about both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, as well as international organizations, military conflicts, protests, and any divisive issue that they can exploit”, a US State Department spokeswoman was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The three identified websites are New Eastern Outlook, Oriental Review (controlled by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service) and News Front, controlled by Russia’s federal security service.
A fourth outlet, Rebel Inside, controlled by Russian Army, has also been named but it has been dormant.
The Wall Street Journal was the first outlet to identify this alleged campaign. However, the Kremlin has denied all such charges.
The US has reported 2,96,96,250 coronavirus cases and 5,37, 838 deaths so far while Russia has reported 43,22,776 coronavirus cases and 89,094 deaths so far.
Palestinian nurse tests positive for 3rd time in 5 months
A young Palestinian nurse has tested positive for Covid-19 three times within five months, reports Gulf News.
Nurse Abdul Malik Sawalmeh’s first confirmed infection was in November 2020, when he suffered mild symptoms. He contracted the infection again in January after he came in close contact with a Covid-positive patient. He suffered from mild symptoms both times.
Within a month of recuperating in January, he contracted the UK strain of the virus after which he suffered from severe symptoms. “I urge everyone to be careful. Covid-19, especially the new strains are not a joke. I was supposed to take the vaccine after my second infection, yet getting infected a third time aborted my plan. I will have to wait now at least for 90 days,” Sawalmeh said in a Facebook post.
Palestine has reported 1,96,812 coronavirus cases and 2,140 deaths so far.
Germany starts selling rapid Covid-19 tests in supermarkets
Now you can just enter any supermarket belonging to the Aldi chain in Germany and buy a Rapid antigen Covid-19 test kit for yourself, reports Euro News.
There are long queues to buy the tests and some stores are completely sold out. A pack of five tests costs € 25 and seven brands have been approved in the country to sell the tests.
This has come when Germany is gradually easing its lockdown restrictions but the spread of new variants impedes a return to normal life for Europe.
Germany has reported 25,08,655 coronavirus cases and 75,532 deaths so far.
7 fall ill after taking Sinovac shot in Hong Kong
Seven people fell ill, and two of them had to be admitted to intensive care, after receiving the Sinovac Covid vaccine shot in Hong Kong, reports South China Morning Post.
Eighteen people have had to seek medical assistance after taking the Sinovac shot in Hong Kong, but this just makes for 0.019 per cent people who have been administered the Sinovac vaccine.
Hong Kong has also received a second lot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, which has taken the total number of vaccinated population in the city-state to 1.3 million.
Hong Kong has reported 11,091 coronavirus cases and 202 deaths so far.
Also read: Covid antibodies, vaccines may become less effective against virus variants, study says
What else we are reading:
Women fighting on Britain’s COVID front line: Al Jazeera
The US has N95 masks available — you just can’t find them – CNN