26th Apr 2022 https://nfind.uk/lockdown_exit/index.php/newsletter=651 lockdown_exit

Lockdown Exit

BBC News Largescale celebrations at the end of Ramadan are returning to Birmingham after a twoyear break caused by the pandemic. Eid alFitr marks the end of Ramadan and fasting. Before Covid19 restrictions an event in Birminghams Small Heath park was among the largest in Europe regularly attracting more than 60000 people. It returns at the beginning of May albeit with a reduced 20000 capacity with public health measures in place. Celebrations will also be held at Edgbaston Stadium for the first time. Eid is a joyous occasion where Muslims come together to celebrate spend time with family and worship as a community project manager Saleem Ahmed said. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-61216726 25th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

CNN Many states are scaling back on how often they report key Covid19 statistics a shift that some experts worry might hinder efforts to mitigate outbreaks and negative effects of the coronavirus. A year ago all 50 states were reporting new Covid19 cases on a daily basis. But that has gradually trailed off. This week Pennsylvania will be the latest state to switch from daily to weekly updates leaving just six states that will still be reporting new Covid19 cases every day of the week. About half of states now report just once a week with Florida down to every two weeks. https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/health/states-scale-back-covid-data-reporting/index.html 25th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

The Guardian Health officials are urging Australians to take Covid19 precautions at Anzac Day commemorations despite restrictions easing in most states and territories. With many jurisdictions preparing for the return of fullscale Anzac Day services after two Coviddisrupted years Victorias health department has shared riskmitigation tips. It recommends patrons wear a mask when unable to physically distance particularly in crowds or indoor environments. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/apr/24/anzac-day-health-authorities-urge-covid-19-precautions-at-gatherings 25th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters Most Americans support a flexible approach to the lingering COVID19 pandemic with cities reimposing mask mandates when cases surge even as a growing number are eager to get on with their lives a ReutersIpsos poll completed on Friday found. The results of the twoday poll illustrate the balancing act facing U.S. officials particularly President Joe Bidens Democrats as they navigate a health crisis that will not go away. Sixtyfour percent of U.S. adults including 83 of Democrats and 46 of Republicans said cities and states should impose mask mandates for indoor public places if there is a resurgence of COVID19 in their area the poll found. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/americans-back-flexible-approach-masks-eager-move-covid-reutersipsos-2022-04-22/ 25th Apr 2022

Lockdown Exit

Reuters The Olympic Council of Asia OCA has requested an update from Beijing on the COVID19 situation in China but remains confident the Asian Games will go ahead in Hangzhou in September a senior official at the body told Reuters on Monday. The 19th edition of the multisports Games second in size only to the Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from Sept. 1025 in the capital of Zhejiang province some 175 kilometres southwest of Shanghai. A media report last week quoted the OCAs directorgeneral as saying that there was a possibility the Games would have to be postponed because of the monthlong COVID19 lockdown in Chinas financial capital https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/oca-confident-asian-games-will-go-ahead-september-official-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

India Times Karnataka Health Department on Monday said that wearing facemasks is mandatory as a preventive step to control the surge of Covid19 cases. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/city/bengaluru/covid-19-karnataka-to-make-wearing-masks-mandatory-again/videoshow/91073174.cms 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

ABC News While top U.S. health officials are urging some Americans to get yet another coronavirus booster shot local health departments across the country are grappling with a growing dilemma how to address a declining demand for vaccines while minimizing the waste of unused millions of doses currently in state stockpiles and at risk of expiring. Since the emergency use authorization of the first COVID19 vaccines in the U.S. last winter federal data shows that states received a staggering 720 million doses and more than 570 million of those shots have been administered. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/millions-covid-19-shots-set-waste-vaccine-rollout/story?id=84111412 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

CNN Rapid antigen Covid19 tests better known as home tests have become more common in households across the country as supplies have increased. These tests are designed to give you results in less than 30 minutes from the comfort of your own home. But if you have several boxes of them stored away perhaps left over from winters Omicron surge or from the federal program that sends up to eight free tests to US households you might wonder whether theyre safe and accurate to use beyond the expiration date on the package. https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/health/expired-home-covid-19-tests-wellness/index.html 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Reuters Beijing residents snapped up food and other supplies as the citys biggest district began mass COVID19 testing of all residents on Monday prompting fears of a Shanghaistyle lockdown after dozens of cases in the capital in recent days. Authorities in Chaoyang home to 3.45 million people late on Sunday ordered residents and those who work there to be tested three times this week as Beijing warned the virus had stealthily spread in the city for about a week before being detected. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijings-biggest-district-begins-covid-mass-testing-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

Bloomberg China has signaled a willingness to allow local governments to increase offbalance sheet debt again after a crackdown in recent years to bring it under control. The Peoples Bank of China said last week that banks should meet the reasonable funding needs of local government financing vehicles or LGFVs and not blindly suspend or withdraw loans from the companies. The measures were one of 23 listed by the central bank to help boost lending and support industries battered by Covid outbreaks and lockdowns. While Beijing still remains committed to debt control the economys slump is forcing policy makers to ease up on some restrictions. To bolster growth local governments have been instructed to boost investment in infrastructure but since they face a cash crunch because of a property market slump many will need financial help from LGFVs. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/china-covid-shock-sees-beijing-consider-risky-debt-option-again 25th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

The Washington Post As mask mandates and social distancing requirements lift around the world North Korea remains one of two countries that have not administered any coronavirus vaccines with no sign of how it can ever begin to reopen despite a brewing humanitarian crisis for its people. The vaccines that were allocated for North Korea through a United Nationsbacked global vaccination effort are no longer available officials said this month after Pyongyang repeatedly rejected the initiatives offers of millions of doses. North Korea already one of the most closed societies in the world remains in a strict pandemic lockdown and has shuttered its borders except to a minimal level of trade with China with grave implications for the health and food security of its population. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/24/north-korea-covid-vaccines-covax/ 24th Apr 2022

Exit Strategies

CIDRAP Paxlovid is an oral SARSCoV2 protease inhibitor called nirmatrelvir that is given with a low dose of the HIV antiviral drug ritonavir which can boost the level of protease inhibitors. The drug combo is designed to be given at the first sign of illness and is taken twice a day for 5 days. In December the US Food and Drug Administration FDA authorized the drug for emergency use. In a statement the WHO said it based the recommendation on new data from two randomized controlled trials that included 3078 patients which suggested that Paxlovid can cut the risk of hospitalization by 85 among highrisk groups. The WHO said its recommendation applies to those who are at highest risk for severe disease such as those who are unvaccinated older or immunocompromised. It added that data showed benefits were negligible in lowerrisk patients. However the WHO aired concerns about two obstacles for rollout of the drug to low and middleincome countries. One is access to early testing and diagnosis since the drug needs to be given in the earlier stages of infection. The WHO pointed to data that suggest average daily testing rates in lowerincome countries are oneeightieth that of higherincome countries. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/04/who-backs-paxlovid-high-risk-covid-patients 22nd Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Belfast Telegraph A public health expert has said he did not communicate the Covid19 models as well as was necessary to Government ministers weeks before Ireland had the worlds highest incidence of cases. Professor Philip Nolan who was a key member of the advisory group assisting the Government in the battle against Covid made the comments at the University of Limerick on Monday. The former head of National Public Health Emergency Team Nphet modelling said that as health experts we need to be better at communicating the range of possibilities and uncertainties. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/nolan-did-not-communicate-covid-19-models-as-well-as-necessary-to-ministers-41585384.html 25th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Financial Times One of Chinas top government health officials has repeatedly promoted Covid19 remedies included in Beijings official treatment protocol for the disease without disclosing his links with the manufacturers. Epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan was appointed to head an expert group at the National Health Commission the body responsible for formulating Chinas health policy at the start of the pandemic and is considered a hero in the country after managing the Sars epidemic in 2003. The NHC publishes an official protocol that advises on Covid treatments and medicines that is regarded as the treatment bible by doctors and local governments across China according to Jin DongYan a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. But Zhong has close ties to the companies behind some of the treatments which he has promoted in scientific journals and in public talks without mentioning these relationships. https://www.ft.com/content/fcac2cbc-4bff-44f5-81bf-66db32b99fca 25th Apr 2022

Partisan Exits

Reuters An independent report into lockdown gatherings held at Boris Johnsons Downing Street office and residence is excoriating for the British prime minister and will make things incredibly difficult for him the Times said. Sue Gray a senior civil servant has been tasked with investigating the events and whether they broke lockdown rules set by Johnson. The publication of her report has been put on hold until the police complete their own inquiry. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/lockdown-gatherings-report-is-excoriating-uks-johnson-the-times-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Continued Lockdown

The Independent Volunteers and lowlevel government workers in Shanghai have erected metal barriers in multiple districts to block off small streets and entrances to apartment complexes as China hardens its strict zeroCOVID approach in the metropolis. In the citys financial district Pudong the barriers either thin metal sheets or mesh fences were put up in several neighborhoods under a local government directive according to Caixin a Chinese business media outlet. Buildings where positive cases have been found sealed up their main entrances with a small opening for pandemic prevention workers to pass through. China reported 21796 new communitytransmitted COVID19 infections on Sunday with the vast majority being asymptomatic cases in Shanghai. Across the country many cities and provinces have enforced some version of a lockdown in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/shanghai-ap-china-buildings-taiwan-b2064203.html 25th Apr 2022

Continued Lockdown

Reuters Shanghai fences up COVIDhit areas fuelling fresh outcry By Investing.com UKShanghai further tightens Covid restrictions after weeks of strict lockdownThe GuardianNerves Fray Frustration Grows in Shanghais Lockdown PurgatoryU.S. News World ReportNerves fray frustration grows in Shanghais COVID19 lockdown purgatoryCNAView Full coverage on Google News https://www.reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-considers-more-targeted-covid-curbs-lockdown-enters-4th-week-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Continued Lockdown

Bloomberg In recent days the censorship machine within WeChat has come out. Last weekend its biggest guns were aimed at a short sixminute clip called the Voices of April. It was a simple video showing the city skyline with audio snippets of officials comments at press conferences and residents pleas for help. It seems to have touched on a sore subject the overstretched Shanghai public health system. However it was not something so sensational it deserved instantaneous censorship. When my friends tried to circumvent WeChats censor and share the video via various cloud services their links were quickly blocked. By Saturday afternoon people became so frustrated they started posting the song Do You Hear the People Sing from the musical Les Miserables. That got censored too. But the word was out. And it matters that it is out in Shanghai. The city is not Xian or northeastern Jilin province where local governments could just bury discontent. Shanghai is Chinas commercial and cultural hub its 25 million residents include native Shanghainese and more than 10 million from all over China. These are constantly in touch with their hometowns. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-04-24/shanghai-s-covid-experience-may-affect-how-the-rest-of-china-sees-the-pandemic 25th Apr 2022

Continued Lockdown

The Wall Street Journal For weeks Shanghai has made international headlines as a Covid19 outbreak has forced the citys 25 million residents to lock down in their homes many in severe distress over how to get food and medical care. Yet in the rest of China it is easy to get the impression that nothing out of the ordinary is going on in Shanghai. If viewed through the lens of state media Shanghai authorities are delivering food packages and ensuring everyones wellbeing with few glitches. There is little in authorities statements to signal a crisis. Official narratives have framed Shanghai residents resilience and resourcefulness in securing essentialsoften through grass roots efforts like groupbuying and barteringas examples of positive energy. https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-shanghai-is-going-through-is-news-to-many-in-the-rest-of-china-11650687277 25th Apr 2022

Continued Lockdown

CIDRAP An international team led by a Simon Fraser University researcher in Canada assessed the stringency of daily public health policies using the Oxford COVID19 Government Response Tracker and psychological distress and life evaluations using the Imperial College LondonYouGov COVID 19 Behaviour Tracker Global Survey. Respondents from 15 countries were tracked from Apr 27 2020 to Jun 28 2021 when most participants werent fully vaccinated. They completed the fouritem Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ4 and the singlequestion Cantril Ladder every 2 weeks. Included countries were Australia Canada Denmark Finland France Germany Italy Japan the Netherlands Norway Singapore South Korea Spain Sweden and the United Kingdom. The researchers also studied a subset of the Nordic countries with Sweden following a mitigation strategy and Denmark Finland and Norway adopting an elimination approach. Australia Japan Singapore and South Korea pursued a COVIDelimination strategy while the remainder took a mitigation approach. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/04/effect-nations-covid-restrictions-mental-health-varied-type-group 22nd Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Independent China has put nearly 30 million people under strict lockdown measures as the country recorded a steep rise in new coronavirus infections which have hit a twoyear high. The country has taken some of the most drastic measures since the start of the pandemic even though its caseload is low compared with other major countries because it has tethered itself tightly to a zeroCovid strategy. The latest increase is due to Omicron reported to be the dominant variant. First detected in Southern Africa and Hong Kong in November 2021 Omicron was soon confirmed as the dominant variant in the UK in December. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/omicron-symptoms-last-fully-vaccinated-covid-b2064746.html 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Jerusalem Post Approximately 234000 COVID19 deaths in the United States could have been prevented since June with vaccines according to a data analysis by Health System Tracker. Vaccines became available for free to all adults in the US in May of last year and Health System Tacker estimated that by June they could have all been fully vaccinated. The analysis took all adult COVID deaths from June 2021 to March 2022. Childrens deaths were excluded because vaccines were made available to them later than adults and not for all children at once. https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/article-704937 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Bloomberg Serum Institute of India Ltd. the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer and a key supplier of Covid19 inoculations to developing countries has stopped making fresh batches of shots after its stockpile grew to 200 million doses amid a global supply glut. We have got 200 million doses of stock. We had to shut down production in December Serums chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla said at the India Economic Conclave organized by Times Network on Friday saying he was worried about wastage if the shots expired. I have even offered to give free donations to whoever wanted to take it. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-22/serum-stops-making-covid-vaccines-with-200-million-doses-spare 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

News-Medical.Net In the present study the researchers estimated the effectiveness of two and three doses of COVID19 messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA vaccines against SARSCoV2 Alpha Delta and Omicron variant infection and related hospitalization. The study population comprised Denmark residents aged 12 years or older in a time period where either the Alpha Delta or Omicron variants were dominant. The team included only the first SARSCoV2 positive polymerase chain reaction PCR test of a participant. They obtained information on all laboratoryconfirmed positive reverse transcriptionPCR RTPCR results from the Danish microbiology database MiBa. COVID19related hospitalization was defined as a new hospital admission lasting at least 12 hours occurring within two days prior to or 14 days after the diagnosis with either the SARSCoV2 Alpha Delta or Omicron variant infection. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220425/Vaccine-effectiveness-against-COVID-19-infection-and-related-hospitalization.aspx 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

FRANCE 24 English As vaccine makers rush to stamp out new Covid19 variants some scientists have set their sights higher aiming for a universal coronavirus vaccine that could tackle any future strains and possibly even stave off another pandemic. Since the race for a first Covid jab supercharged a new generation of vaccine technology there have been numerous efforts to develop pancoronavirus immunisation. Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania who was a pioneer of the mRNA technology used in Pfizers Covid vaccine is leading one such project. He said the problem with updating current vaccines to target all existing strains a plan announced by Pfizer earlier this month is that new variants are going to appear every three or six months. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220425-the-quest-for-a-universal-coronavirus-vaccine 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

STAT News In the first piece of science journalism I ever wrote I compared deciphering the effects of climate change to baking a cake. I was a college sophomore. This was homework. We were to read a study and then find an analogy for it transforming what we found dizzying and technical into something easily imaginable. In my hands an existential threat became dessert. I dont remember exactly why I thought that computer models showing possible futures for an ocean inlet were best conveyed through recipes and increments of butter. But I do remember what I think the professor wanted us to remember When an idea is hard to grasp too big too small too abstruse too abstract liken it to something else. Its so fundamental its almost a clich so prevalent its almost unnoticeable. We describe genes as blueprints receptors and viruses as locks and keys. We take the measure of galaxies in celestial football fields. https://www.statnews.com/2022/04/25/one-million-covid-deaths-united-states/ 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Global News Even with high immunization rates unvaccinated people threaten the safety of people vaccinated against the COVID19 virus suggests a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Weve really tended to forget that were in a pandemic of a communicable disease which means that our actions affect those around us Dr. David Fisman the studys coauthor and professor of epidemiology at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health told Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/8783380/unvaccinated-vaccinated-covid-risk-canadian-study/ 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Guardian Fewer than one in three people who have been hospitalised with Covid19 have fully recovered a year after they succumbed to infection. That is the shock finding of a survey into the impact of long Covid in the UK. The team of scientists and doctors at Leicester University also found that women had poorer recovery rates than men after hospitalisation while obesity was also likely to hinder a persons prospects of health improvements. Among the symptoms reported by patients a year after their initial infection were fatigue muscle pain poor sleep and breathlessness. Given that more than 750000 people have been hospitalised in the UK with Covid19 over the past two years it is clear from our research that the legacy of this disease is going to be huge said Rachael Evans one of the studys authors. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/24/only-29-of-uk-covid-hospital-patients-recover-within-a-year 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Investing.com French drugmaker Valneva said on Monday that the European Medicines Agency EMA had asked for more data on its COVID19 vaccine precipitating a sharp fall in its shares. The latest EMA setback comes after Britain earlier this month cleared the use of Valnevas vaccine becoming the first European country to give its shot the green light. Valneva said the EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use CHMP had a fresh list of questions including requests for additional data and for further justification of a conditional marketing authorisation for the vaccine. We are disappointed that the EMA has not considered our submissions sufficient to date. We remain fully committed and dedicated to working jointly with the regulators towards a product approval Valneva CEO Thomas Lingelbach said in a statement. Valnevas share price slumped about 15.5 putting the stock on track for its worst day since Jan. 4. https://uk.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/regulator-asks-valneva-for-more-information-on-its-covid-vaccine-candidate-2631681 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters An experimental treatment from Shionogi Co Ltd has shown rapid clearance of the virus that causes COVID19 according to new data the Japanese drug maker said on Sunday. The pill S217622 demonstrated rapid clearance of the infectious SARSCoV2 virus Shionogi said in a statement citing Phase2b results from the Phase IIIII clinical trial of the drug. The company has global aspirations for the antiviral pill which is now being evaluated by Japanese regulators. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/japans-shionogi-says-covid-19-pill-shows-rapid-clearance-virus-2022-04-24/ 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Reuters Roches firstquarter sales rose 10 on strong U.S. demand for rapid COVID19 antigen tests and specialty drugs but the Swiss drugmaker reaffirmed that a drop in pandemicrelated demand would put the brakes on growth. Chief Executive Severin Schwan predicted much lower COVID related sales mainly from tests and antibody treatment Ronapreve from now on. There is of course a scenario where there is an upside in the winter season depending on how COVID19 will develop but that is not our planning scenario he said on a call with reporters on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/roche-q1-sales-up-10-confirms-2022-outlook-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

FiercePharma Coming off a World Health Organization WHO recommendation for the use of Veklury in nonhospitalized COVID19 patients Gilead Sciences is touting realworld evidence that could help expand the WHO endorsement to those who are hospitalized with a severe infection. While the FDA approved the infused antiviral for emergency use in patients with severe COVID in October of 2020 and more than 40 other countries have done the same the WHO has not followed suit in a key area where options are limited. But a look at the Premier Healthcare Database of 853219 patients hospitalized in the U.S. for COVID suggests the increased use of Veklury has helped improve outcomes. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/data-gileads-covid-19-antiviral-veklury-shows-sooner-its-administered-better-it-performs 25th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

The Associated Press COVID19 vaccinations are at a critical juncture as companies test whether new approaches like combination shots or nasal drops can keep up with a mutating coronavirus even though its not clear if changes are needed. Already theres public confusion about who should get a second booster now and who can wait. Theres also debate about whether pretty much everyone might need an extra dose in the fall. Im very concerned about booster fatigue causing a loss of confidence in vaccines that still offer very strong protection against COVID19s worst outcomes said Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington an adviser to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-0866f07f17c647e97199f86f950abd6f 24th Apr 2022

Scientific Viewpoint

Cidrap COVID19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States last year and deaths from COVID19 increased by 1 in 2021 over 2020 according to new data from the National Vital Statistics System released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. Only heart disease and cancer killed more Americans than COVID19 with provisional death tolls from each cause totaling 693000 605000 and 415000 respectively. Those were also the three leading killers in 2020. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/04/covid-19-third-leading-cause-death-us-2021 22nd Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

The Star Vietnam reported 7417 new Covid19 cases on Monday down 1395 from Sunday according to its Ministry of Health. The new infections recorded in 60 provinces and cities were all domestically transmitted. The Vietnamese capital Hanoi remained the epidemic hotspot with 941 cases on Monday followed by the northern provinces of Phu Tho with 493 and Quang Ninh with 411. Also on Monday local health authorities of northern Vietnams Bac Giang province reported 853 previously detected Covid19 cases. The infections brought the total tally to 10571772 with 43021 deaths. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/04/25/vietnam-reports-7417-new-covid-19-cases-and-confirms-all-are-domestic-cases-on-monday-april-25 25th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Italy reported 56263 new COVID19 related cases on Sunday against 70520 the day before the health ministry said while the daily number of deaths fell to 79 from 143. Italy has registered 162688 deaths linked to COVID19 since its outbreak emerged in February 2020 the second highest toll in Europe after Britain and the eighth highest in the world. The country has reported 16.1 million cases to date. Patients in hospital with COVID19 not including those in intensive care stood at 9895 on Sunday down from 9914 a day earlier. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-reports-56263-new-coronavirus-cases-79-deaths-2022-04-24/ 25th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Reuters Chinese financial hub Shanghai reported 51 new deaths among its COVID19 patients on April 24 up from 39 the day before the local government said on Monday. The city also recorded 16983 new local asymptomatic coronavirus cases down from 19657 a day earlier. The number of confirmed symptomatic infections stood at 2472 up from 1401 the previous day. Shanghai is currently battling Chinas biggestever COVID19 outbreak. reuters.com/world/china/shanghai-reports-51-covid-related-deaths-april-24-up-39-day-earlier-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Bloomberg Shanghai reported its highest number of daily Covid19 deaths in the current outbreak as China continues to stick to its Covid Zero policy with strict lockdown measures imposed in the city. The city recorded 39 fatalities for Saturday bringing its total number of virusrelated deaths to 87 since late February according to a report on Sunday by the Shanghai Health Commission. The average age of the people who died was 78.7 and all had underlying diseases according to the report. Shanghai logged 21058 new local Covid infections the vast majority of which were mild or asymptomatic cases the commission said. The previous day the city reported 23370 new local cases and 12 deaths. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-24/shanghai-reports-record-daily-covid-deaths-in-current-outbreak 24th Apr 2022

Coronavirus Resurgence

Business Standard Malaysia reported 4006 new COVID19 infections as of midnight Sunday bringing the national total to 4431073 according to the health ministry. There are seven new imported cases and 3999 local transmissions data released on the ministrys website showed. A further eight deaths have been reported bringing the death toll to 35499. The ministry reported 10223 new recoveries bringing the total number https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/malaysia-reports-4-006-new-covid-19-infections-eight-new-deaths-122042500169_1.html 23rd Apr 2022

New Lockdown

Reuters Beijing residents snapped up food and other supplies as the citys biggest district began mass COVID19 testing of all residents on Monday prompting fears of a Shanghaistyle lockdown after dozens of cases in the capital in recent days. Authorities in Chaoyang home to 3.45 million people late on Sunday ordered residents and those who work there to be tested three times this week as Beijing warned the virus had stealthily spread in the city for about a week before being detected. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijings-biggest-district-begins-covid-mass-testing-2022-04-25/ 25th Apr 2022

New Lockdown

Bloomberg China expanded coronavirus testing to most of Beijing as rising cases fuel fears about an unprecedented lockdown of the capital with policy makers racing to avert a Shanghaistyle crisis thats already wrought havoc on the financial hub. Officials on Monday night said testing would take place in another 11 of Beijings 16 districts moving beyond just Chaoyang where most of the infections have been detected since Friday. Through a suite of appropriately tough measures we are confident and capable of controlling the outbreak said municipal government spokesman Xu Hejian at a briefing held on late Monday. Worries that the countrys strict adherence to Covid Zero will further damage the economy dragged down stocks to oil and iron ore on Monday. Its also sparked a bout of panic buying as Beijing residents fearful of being caught unprepared in the event of a citywide shutdown rushed to stock up on food and other supplies after the government announced mass testing plans and put some areas under lockdown. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/china-races-to-stop-beijing-outbreak-as-shanghai-deaths-climb 25th Apr 2022

New Lockdown

The Associated Press Beijing will conduct mass testing of most of its 21 million people authorities announced Monday as a new COVID19 outbreak sparked stockpiling of food by residents worried about the possibility of a Shanghaistyle lockdown. The Chinese capital began mass testing people in one of its 16 districts where most of the new cases have been found. The city also imposed lockdowns on individual residential buildings and one section of the city. Late in the day health officials said the testing would be expanded Tuesday to all but five outlying districts. While only 70 cases have been found since the outbreak surfaced Friday authorities have rolled out strict measures under Chinas zeroCOVID approach to try to prevent a further spread of the virus. Some residents worked from home and many stocked up on food as a safeguard against the possibility that they could be confined indoors as has happened in multiple cities including the financial hub of Shanghai. https://apnews.com/article/covid-business-health-china-beijing-04f6bab983b14f9ff89459d2e3c99fdf 25th Apr 2022