28″ January ” 2021″ AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Hospital situation in Brazil is particularly worrying, with three-quarters of ICU beds occupied in many states, PAHO director says
- More than one million people in the Americas have now died from complications due to COVID-19, the head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has said.
- As many as 90,000 Americans are projected to die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks, the Biden administration has warned in its first science briefing on the pandemic.
- The United Kingdom’s official coronavirus death toll has passed 100,000, as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced hotel quarantines on international travellers to stop new virus variants from reaching the country.
- More than 100.5 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and some 2.1 million have died, according to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University. More than 55.6 million patients have recovered.
This is Mersiha Gadzo in Toronto, Canada. Here are the latest updates:
2 hours ago (21:05 GMT)
EU says it failed to make breakthrough with AstraZeneca on vaccine deliveries
The EU’s health chief said the bloc and AstraZeneca have failed to finalise a plan on delayed vaccine deliveries.
“We regret the continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule,” EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said in a tweet, adding the EU was requesting a clear plan from AstraZeneca for the rapid delivery of the vaccine doses the bloc has reserved for the first quarter.
We regret the continued lack of clarity on the delivery schedule and request a clear plan from AstraZeneca for the fast delivery of the quantity of vaccines that we reserved for Q1. We will work with the company to find solutions and deliver vaccines rapidly for EU citizens.
The EU is pushing the company to supply more doses of its vaccine from plants in Europe and Britain after the AstraZeneca announced delivery delays, adding to frustrations over the EU’s inoculation programme.
Mexico’s richest man Carlos Slim hospitalised
Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, one of the world’s richest men, has been hospitalised with COVID-19, spokesman Arturo Elias has said” Elias said Slim, 80, is doing “very well” and has been hospitalised so his health can be monitored during his treatment
Oman bans group events under new measures: State media
Oman has banned all group events, postponed students’ return to universities and advised citizens and residents against foreign travel, in a tightening of measures against the coronavirus, state media has said ,The ban on gatherings include international conferences, sports events and exhibitions, state news agency ONA said, citing a decision by the Gulf state’s coronavirus emergency committee. Oman closed its land borders 10 days ago.
EU says it has rights to AstraZeneca vaccines from two UK plants
The European Union Health Commissioner has said that, under the contract it signed with AstraZeneca for the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, the drugmaker committed to providing doses from four plants, including two in the UK. Stella Kyriakides told a news conference that the company had legal obligations to comply with the contract.
UK PM’s office kept up to date on AstraZeneca plan
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street office is being kept up to date from police and officials on what is happening at a factory in Wales that produces AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, his spokesman has said. Earlier, the factory was partially evacuated after it received a suspicious package and police said a bomb disposal unit was dealing with the incident.
Decrying vaccines, Tanzania president says ‘God will protect’ from COVID-19
Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has said that no lockdown was planned because God will protect people from COVID-19 while homespun precautions such as steam inhalation were better than vaccines, “Vaccines are not good and if they were good, whites would have brought even HIV/AIDS vaccine,” he said in a speech in western Tanzania, contradicting global scientific consensus and advice from the World Health Organization.
Read more about what he said here.
Pakistan to start vaccination drive next week: Minister
Pakistan will start its COVID-19 vaccination drive next week, starting with front-line health workers, a government minister has said.
“God willing, the vaccination of front-line health workers will start next week,” Asad Umar, who oversees Pakistan’s efforts to stem the coronavirus pandemic, said in a tweet.
China has pledged a donation of 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine made by the Chinese firm Sinopharm.
Two government sources said the first batch would be flown in on Saturday.
People must explain travel reasons under new UK measures
The UK has announced new measures to reduce travel with a requirement that people wishing to leave the country must fill in a form to explain why they are travelling, as well as introducing new hotel quarantine stays for some arrivals.
“It is clear that there are still too many people coming in and out of our country each day,” Home Secretary (interior minister) Priti Patel said.
“We will introduce a new requirement so that people wishing to travel must first make a declaration as to why they need to travel.”
South Africa approves AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use
South Africa has given fast-track approval to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use and is reviewing applications by rival manufacturers Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, the medicines regulator has said.
As the country prepares to roll out a massive vaccination programme, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) chairwoman Helen Rees said: “In terms of the AstraZeneca vaccine … this has been granted emergency use (approval).”
Cyprus to ease lockdown measures after fall in cases
Cyprus has announced a staggered easing of lockdown measures following a fall in the number of COVID-19 infections, including the reopening of primary schools and shopping malls on February 8″ “We want to avoid any rash and risky action which might undermine the effort to resume social and economic activity,” Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou told a news briefing.
Authorities will permit the reopening of hairdressers and beauty salons on February 1, allow up to 50 percent of staff to return to work at service companies and permit limited family gatherings. Churches will also reopen for worship after that date, with a maximum 50 persons in attendance.
Vaccine spat heats up as AstraZeneca confirms plans for EU talks
The European Union’s dispute with AstraZeneca has intensified with the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker denying the EU’s assertion that it had pulled out of talks on COVID-19 vaccine supplies” AstraZeneca said in a statement that it still planned to meet with EU officials in Brussels later in the day. The comments came after EU officials said the company had informed the bloc that it would not take part in a meeting to discuss delayed vaccine commitments – the third such talks in as many days.
Read more here.
UK PM confident vaccine supply will keep accelerating
Boris Johnson has said he is confident that the country’s supplies of COVID-19 vaccine would keep accelerating” “I’m confident that … we will be able to continue that accelerating curve of supply as well,” Johnson said when asked about possible shortages of vaccine.
Questions over how many people plan to come to the UK
Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from Gatwick airport near London, has said Johnson is “basically saying that the UK will be tightening up restrictions” as he tries to demonstrate his government has a hold on the pandemic” But Challands noted there were questions over “how many people were planning to come to the UK” at the moment, given it has just breached the grim figure of 100,000 COVID-19 deaths and the toll is still rising by more than 1,000 daily.
Travellers to UK from high-risk countries to quarantine for 10 days
Travellers arriving in the UK from high-risk COVID-19 countries will have to quarantine for 10 days in government-provided accommodation to stop new variants of the virus, Johhnson said. “We will require all such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in government provided accommodation, such as hotels, for 10 days without exception,” he told politicians.” “They will be met at the airport and transported directly into quarantine.” :
AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES