Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on Iraq, disease control, health, Taiwan, CCP, U.S., Japan
News (1)
Erbil Airport, near the U.S. consulate, hit by drone
Image : The picture shows the international airport near the US consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil. (Safin Hamed/AFP via Getty Images)
Kurdish security forces stated on 11 September 2021 that two armed drones attacked the international airport near the US consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil. Fortunately, they were no casualties. The person in charge of the airport also said that the base was not damaged.
This airport is a coalition base for terrorists. Erbil is the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq and is led by the President of the Kurdish Autonomous Region, Nechirvan Barzani.
The Agence France-Presse reporter heard two loud noises, saw black smoke coming out, and heard a loud alarm near the US consulate.
Witnesses said that security forces had blocked a cordon around the roads around the airport. (Click to watch related video)
Such attacks usually target US forces or US interests in Iraq, and have become more commonplace in recent months. Although no one has come forward to claim the crime, the United States believes that these attacks were carried out by pro-Iranian forces in Iraq.
The use of armed drones is a recent development, posing new challenges to the anti-rocket, artillery and mortar system (C-RAM) set up by the coalition forces and the United States.
A drone with a booby trap also attacked Erbil International Airport in July, but it also caused no casualties or loss of property. A few weeks ago, three drones targeted the Baghdad Airport, which was also deployed by the US military.
Erbil is the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq and is led by the President of the Kurdish Autonomous Region, Nechirvan Barzani.
Both Iran and the United States have troops stationed in Iraq, as well as allies. About 2,500 American troops are stationed in Iraq.
News (2)
26 out of 27 scientists who trashed 'lab-leak' theory of SARS-CoV-2 have links with Wuhan researchers
Reporter : Chris Jewers, Daily Mail
Image of Wuhan Institute of Viology : Video Screenshot
Of the 27 scientists who wrote a letter in The Lancet medical journal dismissing the possibility that Covid-19 originated from a Wuhan lab, 26 have links to its Chinese researchers, their colleagues or its benefactors, a new investigation has revealed.
On March 7 last year, the influential journal published the letter in which the 27 scientists said they 'strongly condemned conspiracy theories' surrounding the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted all corners of the world.
All debate into whether Covid-19 had man-made origins or leaked from the lab in Wuhan - the Chinese city that was ground-zero for the virus - was effectively shut down by the letter.
Of the 27 scientists who wrote a letter in The Lancet medical journal dismissing the possibility that Covid-19 originated from a Wuhan lab, 26 have links to its Chinese researchers, their colleagues or its benefactors, a new investigation has revealed.
On March 7 last year, the influential journal published the letter in which the 27 scientists said they 'strongly condemned conspiracy theories' surrounding the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted all corners of the world.
All debate into whether Covid-19 had man-made origins or leaked from the lab in Wuhan - the Chinese city that was ground-zero for the virus - was effectively shut down by the letter.
In an email made public through Freedom of Information requests, Mr Daszak is said to have revealed on February 8 that he composed the letter after being asked by 'our collaborators' in China for a 'show of support'.
Scandal hit Dr Daszak has since been removed from the UN-backed Lancet commission looking at the origins of the pandemic.
However, The Telegraph has reported that five other signatories also worked for the same organisation. None of whom declared their involvement.
Two such signatories include Dr William Karesh, an infectious disease expert and Professor Hume Field, veterinary sciences expert.
Image : Daily Mail Online Twitter
For the 12 out of 26 scientists covered, Ref: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9980015/26-Lancet-scientists-trashed-theory-Covid-leaked-Chinese-lab-links-Wuhan.html
News (3)
New document reveals the inside story of Wuhan Virus Institute, Cotton accuses Fauci of lying
Republican Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas. (Tom Williams/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
According to documents disclosed by the US media recently, the US non-governmental organization EcoHealth Alliance has invested in Wuhan Virus Research Institute to help it conduct virus gain-of-function research. The US Senator therefore questioned the White House. Chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci lied to Congress.
On Monday (6 September 2021), the US media Intercept website announced that in accordance with the US "Freedom of Information Act", the agency has obtained an "EcoHealth Alliance" funding application document. It shows that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved a five-year project with a total value of more than three million US dollars to study bat coronavirus in 2014.
NIH also extended the project in 2019 until former US President Trump ordered the suspension of this funding in April 2020.
According to a document published by The Intercept, the "EcoHealth Alliance" grant includes US$599,000 for the Wuhan Virus Research Institute to find and change the so-called "functional gain research" for bat coronavirus that may infect humans.
Fauci, the chief medical adviser of the White House and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), also told Congress many times that the NIH did not fund the Wuhan Institute of Virology to conduct research on "gain-of-function" of viruses.
Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, attacked Fauci, accusing him of lying to Congress and saying that this is "one of the biggest scandals in modern times" in Washington.
"For months I have been saying that Fauci should be fired, and now (new evidence) is obvious-he lied to Congress. He should be investigated and prosecuted by law." Cotton said that Fauci deceived Congress and the American people. Attempting to cover up his own funding of the CCP’s laboratory, "this is a shame, and now it’s time for Fauci to take responsibility."
News (4)
Pfizer executive called Israel a vaccine "laboratory", Israel refuted
Image : The Israeli people received the third dose of Pfizer's vaccine Comirnaty. (Associated Press)
Israeli media reported that Pfizer’s chief scientist Philip Dormitzer said at a Zoom meeting that Israel was "a kind of laboratory" for Pfizer's covi vaccine, which caused great controversy. Pfizer and Israel swiftly put out fires, and the Israeli Ministry of Health emphasized that Israel also provides people with Moderna vaccine.
The Times of Israel reported that Pfizer chief scientist Philip Dormitzer made a comment at the Zoom academic conference last week, saying that at the beginning of the pandemic, they established a relationship with the Israeli Ministry of Health. They used Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines "specially" and then monitored the situation very closely.
Philip Dormitzer also said that so we have a "laboratory" where we can see the effect, so a high percentage of the population in Israel was immunized "very early."
The rapid spread of this statement shocked Israeli officials. The Minister of Health Nachman Ash today (12) refuted it. He said that Israel does not have any exclusive deal with Pfizer, and currently provides priority vaccination of Moderna vaccine for people over 18 years of age.
Nachman Ash emphasized that Israel is studying statistics, but "I am not going to use the term laboratory." Pfizer does provide Israel with the third dose of vaccine, and citizen rights will not be compromised.
Pfizer also clarified what the "laboratory" said, emphasizing that this is not a "clinical study" but a "non-interventional" "real-world" data collection collaboration.
Pfizer added that there is no exclusive deal with Israel. Israel is not a "laboratory" but the first country to achieve a high vaccination rate. This is enough to evaluate the actual protection of vaccines and share data with the world.
News (5)
Shock! The latest research in the United States: Under-age men vaccinated with Comirnaty, the risk of myocarditis is higher than diagnosed and hospitalized
Image : A study by the University of California found that after being vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech covi vaccine/Comirnaty, the probability of developing myocarditis in men aged 12 to 17 in the United States is higher than the probability of being hospitalized after being diagnosed with covid. (Reuters)
Tracy Høeg, MD, University of California, and colleagues found that men from 12 to 17 years old across the United States were exposed to Comirnaty. The probability of myocarditis is higher than the probability of being hospitalized with covid.
According to the “Guardian” report, this study analyzed the adverse effects of vaccination among teenagers and girls aged 12 to 17 in the United States in the first half of this year. After two doses of Pfizer, the proportion of boys aged 12 to 15 who had myocarditis was 162.2 per million. 16 to 17 year old boys are 94 per million, while the number of girls is significantly lower, 13.4 and 13 per million, respectively.
However, according to the current infection rate in the United States, if adolescents and girls who are healthy and have no underlying diseases are diagnosed with martial arts, the risk of being sent to the hospital within 4 months is about 44 per million. In addition, studies have pointed out that most minors who develop myocarditis develop symptoms within a few days after the second dose of Pfizer. About 86% of boys require hospitalization.
In fact, the British Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) has announced that it does not recommend vaccination for children between 12 and 15 years old. Saul Faust, professor of childhood immunology and infectious disease at the University of Southampton, said that the results of the University of California study seem to prove that JCVI is very reasonable in taking a cautious approach to whether boys and girls are vaccinated.
News (6)
The efficacy of BNT vaccine declines faster than that of AZ, experts point out the key reason
Reporter : Chen Chengliang / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/3669508
Image : The British study pointed out that the effectiveness of the BNT vaccine (left) decreases faster than the AZ vaccine. (Photo by Reuters)
The latest study by a research team from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom found that after two full doses of the vaccine, the protective power of Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT) vaccine/Comirnaty is slightly higher than that of AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, but the protective power is reduced. The speed is faster than AZ. Experts speculate that it may be that the spike protein of the AZ vaccine stays longer and therefore induces a greater immune response.
A study published by the University of Oxford on 18 August 2021 shows that 4 months after BNT vaccination, the protection against symptomatic infections has dropped by almost half the load is as high as those who have not been vaccinated.
Scientists at the University of Oxford also found that since the Delta variant (Covi72) became the main epidemic strain in the UK in May, the effectiveness of the vaccine has also begun to decline. Studies have shown that although Comirnaty has a high level of protection at the beginning, after 4 to 5 months after the second dose, its effectiveness is similar to that of the AZ vaccine, which provides almost no change in protection. This is the first research report suggesting that the protective effect of Comirnaty declines faster than that of the AZ vaccine.
"Financial Times" pointed out that 4 months after the complete vaccination, the AZ vaccine may provide stronger protection than the BNT vaccine in preventing symptomatic infections." Tomas Hanke, professor of vaccine immunology at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, speculates that the key to AZ’s ability to produce longer-lasting immunity is that “its spine protein lasts longer, so it can promote greater immune response".
The first author of the study, Koen Pouwels, said that they have considered a series of complex factors, so it is reasonable to speculate that this phenomenon is caused by a decline in immunity. In addition, since the AZ vaccine was jointly developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, this study has excluded all scientists involved in the development of AZ.
The two mRNA vaccines, Comirnaty and Moderna, are sought after by all countries due to their protective power over 90% in phase III clinical trials, but medical experts emphasize that these data only represent "clinical trials" and not the real world (public vaccination). What happens is that we cannot make a “horizontal comparison” with the Phase III clinical protection (70%) announced by AZ. If you really want to compare various vaccines, you must let these vaccines be tested at the same time and at the same place. It makes sense.
In fact, according to a 5-month real-world study in the United Kingdom, it was found that two doses of AZ and Comirnaty have the same protective effect, and the ability of both to prevent severe hospital admissions is more than 90%, which can be described as the same. AZ is even in the elderly group. In August, a study on breakthrough infections after vaccination in Bahrain, a Middle Eastern country, found that AZ is better than Comirnaty in preventing death and hospitalization.
The Israeli Ministry of Health reported in July that now two doses of BNT vaccine are only 39% effective against Covi72; another study in this country also found that the antibody concentration in the body after Comirnaty drops by 40% every month. The antibodies of the recovered patients decrease at a rate of 4% per month. So it is speculated that the rapid decline of the antibody concentration in the body is the main reason for the recurrence of the Israeli epidemic.
News (7)
The main developer of AZ vaccine: Most people do not need booster shots
Reporter : Zhang Peiyuan / https://health.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/3667863
Image : Gilbert, the main researcher of the AZ vaccine and a female professor at the University of Oxford, said that most people do not need a booster shot. The picture shows Gilbert taking a photo with the Barbie doll designed after her in August this year. (European News Agency)
Oxford University’s female professor Sarah Gilbert, the main developer of a vaccine jointly developed by the University of Oxford and the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, said on 10 September 2021 that most people may not need a booster shot to extend the protection of the vaccine.
Gilbert told The Telegraph that even in the face of the highly contagious Covi72, the protection from the vaccine can still be maintained and intact; the elderly and those with impaired immunity may need to be given a booster injection but she believes that for most people, the standard two-dose vaccine can already provide long-lasting protection.
Gilbert said, "We will consider various situations. Immunity impaired and the elderly will be vaccinated with booster shots, but I don't think we need to get everyone with booster shots. Most people's immunity can last well. Go down."
Gilbert also said that the world’s top priority should be to enable countries that have not been able to get too many vaccines to get more vaccines. "We have to make vaccines available in countries where only a few people have been vaccinated so far, and we have to do better in this regard. The first dose has the greatest impact."
News (8)
Was squeezed out because of Medigen vaccination and was regarded as "no vaccine"? Doctor: No vaccine is particularly advanced
The doctor emphasized that there is no vaccine, which is particularly advanced. Whether to use it or not to respect personal choice, but please discuss with the doctor to see if the health condition is suitable or not. "Don't talk about politics, only talk about medical treatment." (Data photo, reporter Zhu Peixiong Photo)
In response to Covi72, the command centre has successively opened up vaccinations from various brands, and all walks of life have also continued to call on the public to actively vaccinate. However, a famous netizen on the PTT gossip board recently asked "What should I do if I am excluded after vaccinating with Medigen (MVC)?" and revealed that his friend's company stipulates that "people who have not been vaccinated and those vaccinated with MVC should not enter the epidemic area for construction for the time being." This news came out and triggered hot discussion.
"There is no vaccine, it is very high-level." Xu Jiaxian, the director of the Xu Jiaxian Pediatric Clinic, posted on the Facebook fan page "Dr. Xu Jiaxian, Daddy with Dark Eyes", saying whether or not to fight, respect personal choice, but please discuss with the doctor. It depends on whether the health status is suitable or not, and emphasizes that "not talking about politics, only about medical treatment."
Xu Jiaxian shared that he recently received an inquiry. The content was quite shaking. The content of the message was "Doctor, I would like to ask your opinion. I recently made an appointment to get XX vaccine and want to protect myself and my family. Especially Recently, the epidemic has begun to show signs of fever. As a result, colleagues around me, when they heard that I was going to get XX vaccine, they started to make fun of me, saying how I would choose XX, should choose YY, and say that YY vaccine is more advanced, I just want. Do you know the XX vaccine, is it really inferior?"
Xu Jiaxian said frankly that he disagrees with the "higher/lower" statement. There is nothing wrong with the idea of protecting yourself and your family as early as possible. The antibodies you get hit yourself, not others. You don’t need to care about the eyes of others; there is no such thing as a vaccine, especially superior to others. Some vaccines are more difficult to obtain, and different vaccines have their own characteristics, but vaccines are vaccines. They have their own advantages and disadvantages. The vaccines that will enter the Taiwan market have all been screened.
Xu Jiaxian said that although it is another matter to make an appointment as soon as possible, it is true that many friends have reached the qualifications and the ages, so they can't make appointments anyway, and there are quite a few of them. He also believes that the number of vaccines has been coming in one after another, and believes that with more numbers, everyone's chances of administering them will also increase.
"Successfully hitting the ideal specific brand is certainly worthy of joy." However, Xu Jiaxian emphasized that this will not make the immune system more "advanced". It means that the people ranked are luckier and ahead of the list, but it is not representatives have the right to make fun of others with "other people's choices", and "want to protect themselves and their family." What's wrong with the idea?
News (9)
Men even squirt! Medical exposure: "This ethnic group" is the easiest to happen
Image : Men will squirt too! But it is not semen but urine, which is actually a kind of urinary incontinence; the picture is a situational photo. (Picture taken from shutterstock)
In the process of sex, you know that men can squirt in addition to ejaculation! What did it shoot out? Can everyone do it? Urologists shared foreign research cases and uncovered the secrets of male squirting.
Cheng Weiming, a urologist in the Zhongxiao Branch of Taipei United Hospital, posted a video on YouTube "Dr. DKK Cheng Weiming" and pointed out that many fans were curious to ask him whether boys squirt? After working hard to find a case study abroad, a 25-year-old man claimed to be squirting. The research unit used a special ultrasonic probe into his anus for monitoring when he was masturbating, and found that the man would continue to stimulate his penis after masturbating and ejaculating. After 20 seconds, there was really liquid coming out of the penis, which lasted about 60 seconds.
The ejaculation is actually urine
Cheng Weiming said that the researchers checked the ultrasound records and found that when the man was squirting, the muscles of the prostate and the pelvic floor had strong contractions, and the ejected fluid came from the bladder. The fluid was verified to be urine. , This also verifies one thing, regardless of whether boys or girls, squirting is all urine at the time, it is a kind of urinary incontinence.
Middle-aged and elderly men are more likely to occur
Cheng Weiming further explained that male squirting does not occur frequently in young men. Instead, it occurs more frequently in middle-aged and elderly men, especially after prostate cancer surgery, because some nerves that control the sphincter may be damaged or damaged. To the sphincter itself, it is not semen but urine that is ejaculated during sex. Different studies have found that after prostate cancer surgery, about 15% or even close to 95% of people have ejaculation during ejaculation.
Cheng Weiming also said that male squirting does not necessarily make men happy, and it may be embarrassing because of the large amount, but it is a kind of trouble!
News (10)
Mid-Autumn Festival barbecue must be healthy, be careful that overheating can cause cancer
Chinese people often have the habit of barbecue during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Taiwan Social Responsibility and Harm Reduction Research and Development Association pointed out that this year's Mid-Autumn Festival coincides with the epidemic. Barbecue can be applied to low-smoke electric heating stove. Enjoy the atmosphere of barbecue at home while reducing the harm to health.
News (11)
Barbecue smoke may induce cancer and accelerate skin aging
Liu Zongrong, Chairman of the Taiwan Association for Social Responsibility and Public Welfare Harm Reduction Research and Development Association and an honorary professor of Yangming University, pointed out that when grilling, the fat contained in the meat drips out when exposed to heat, and smoke, carbon black particles, carbon black particles, Hazardous substances such as carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Under high-temperature barbecues, the meat quality will undergo chemical changes, and isocyclic amines will be released. Excessive consumption may induce cancers such as colorectal cancer.
Wei Guoyan, the executive director of the Taiwan Society for Social Responsibility and Public Welfare Harm Reduction Research and Development Association and the former director of the Environmental Protection Agency, said that harmful substances enter the human body through three channels: skin exposure, breath inhalation, and eating. Among them, skin contact is the most overlooked by the general public. If these fumes adhere to the skin and are not cleaned immediately, carcinogens may be absorbed by the skin and cause harm to the body. Many substances in the fumes have been proven to damage the skin's antioxidant capacity and cause skin aging.
News (12)
Three tips for reducing the harm of barbecue: Low temperature, more flipping, adding vegetables
Liu Zongrong pointed out that if barbecue is necessary, there are three steps to reduce harm: low temperature, more flipping, and adding vegetables. First of all, the most important thing is to "lower the temperature." Generally, the charcoal fire temperature is more than 300-500 degrees Celsius, but the grilled meat will produce isocyclic amines when it is greater than 120 degrees Celsius, and the amount of isocyclic amines produced is absolutely dependent on the temperature. For example, the amount of isocyclic amine produced at 300 degrees Celsius is much greater than that at 120 degrees Celsius.
In order to reduce the temperature, you can turn over the grilled items or place the meat on the periphery of the baking tray, or even wrap it in aluminum foil and place it on the side of the baking tray. This indirect heating method can also prevent the oil droplets produced by the barbecue from directly touching the flame, which can reduce the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and at the same time, choose meat with less oil.
Skewering vegetables and meat can indirectly reduce the temperature of grilled meat, and after eating with meat, it can accelerate the discharge of harmful substances produced by meat.
News (13)
Million Dollar Future Science Award Announced: The Discoverer of SARS pathogen and transmission chain Wins
Reporter : He Liping, Zhang Jing / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/9/464938.shtm
At about 10.30 am on 12 September 2021, the 2021 Future Science Award is announced in Beijing. Professor Yuen Guoyong and Professor Malik Peiris of the University of Hong Kong won the "Life Science Award", one of the three awards. The prize is 1 million U.S. Dollars, and there are no restrictions on how to use it.
The award was given to them in recognition of their discovery of the coronavirus (SARS-COV-1) as the pathogen that caused the global severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the chain of infection from animals to humans. The response to the infectious diseases caused by the MERS and COVID-19 coronavirus has had a significant impact.
Professor Yuen Guoyong graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong in 1981 and served as the head of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong from 2001 to 2011. He is an outstanding microbiologist, infectious disease expert and surgeon. He is a pathologist and surgeon expert of the Hong Kong Academy of Medical Sciences, an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgery of Glasgow, United Kingdom, and a fellow of the United States; He was elected as a Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2002. He was named a Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong in 2002 and was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Medal by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2004.
Because of his expertise and contributions in emerging infectious diseases, Yuan Guoyong was appointed as the director of the Pasteur Institute of the University of Hong Kong in 2000 to promote the cooperation between the University of Hong Kong and the Pasteur Institute of France. His research is characterized by finding treatments for various intractable diseases on various hospital beds, and then bringing clinical samples to experiments to identify new pathogens. This is how many animal-derived pathogens were discovered, using laboratory methods. Research findings and his experience and leadership skills coordinated doctors, microbiologists and epidemiologists. He has helped the government to control outbreaks in communities, hospitals or animals on many occasions.
Yuen Guoyong's expertise was confirmed in the control of the global SARS outbreak in 2003. He played a vital role in the discovery of the source of SARS infection, the SARS coronavirus. The identification of the virus is the key to the effective control of the epidemic. Over the years, he led his team to discover two more than 50 new pathogens, including human coronavirus HKU1, bat-like SARS coronavirus, bat coronavirus HKU2-24, and many bacteria, fungi and parasites.
He first published a paper on the laboratory diagnosis of avian influenza H5N1 in the Lancet medical journal in 1998. This paper has been cited more than 500 times. In recognition of his contribution in the field of infectious diseases, the University of Hong Kong in 2005 In 2005, he was appointed as Professor of Infectious Diseases Fok Yingdong. Also in 2005, in order to highlight the achievements and contributions of the University of Hong Kong in this field, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China awarded the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases to the University of Hong Kong, which was established outside mainland China. The first State Key Laboratory, Yuen Guoyong has been the first laboratory director so far.
Professor Malik Peiris, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, University of Ceylon, Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University, Fellow of Royal College of Pathologists, Fellow of Royal College of London, Fellow of Royal College of Pathology and School of Medicine, Fellow of Hong Kong School of Pathology and School of Medicine, Hong Kong Community Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Medicine, Fellow of the British Academy of Public Health, Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology; Founding Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.
Professor Malik Peiris is currently the Chair Professor of Virology of Public Health at Li Ka Shing School of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, and Professor of Tan Huazheng Foundation (Medical Science). He co-led the World Health Organization Influenza H5 Reference Laboratory at the University of Hong Kong and the Pasteur Research Center of the University of Hong Kong.
His current research includes the mechanism of influenza virus, innate immune response, transmission, ecology, and epidemiology in humans and animals (such as poultry, pigs and wild birds). His research has made significant discoveries about the emergence of human swine flu and avian flu viruses and other pathological mechanisms. The research he participated in also provides an empirical basis for the control of flu and animal flu.
He has a new understanding of the severe pneumonia caused by H5N1 bird flu, and even introduced new treatments for the disease. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, he played an important role in the discovery, diagnosis and pathology of the SARS coronavirus. He is also currently conducting research on the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus.
The Future Science Award is China’s first world-class private science award. It was established by the Future Forum in 2016. It consists of three awards: Life Science Award, Material Science Award, and Mathematics and Computer Science Award. The single prize is US$1 million (approximately 6.5 million RMB). Each award is jointly donated by four donors. The award adopts a nomination invitation system and an international peer review system. In the award review process, there are Nobel Prize winners, Turing Award winners, Fields Medal winners and dozens of academicians of the Academy of Sciences and Engineering from the United States, France, Germany and other countries. They participated in the nomination and evaluation process of the Future Science Award.
The Future Science Award is held every year in Beijing, China, to commend scientists who have made major scientific research achievements for all mankind. The scientific summit held at the same time as the award ceremony aims to invite outstanding scientists from all over the world to share the cutting-edge achievements of scientific development, discuss the interdisciplinary and academic innovation, and promote the application of science-led industries.
Past winners
Since 2016, a total of 20 winners of the Future Science Award have been selected, and they have been widely recognized in the fields of science and society. They are:
Life Science Award
2016 Yuk-Ming Dennis LO
2017 Yigong Shi
2018 Li Jiayang Yuan Longping Zhang Qifa
2019 Shao Feng
2020 Wang Zhenyi Zhang Tingdong
Material Science Award
2016 Xue Qikun
2017 Pan Jianwei
2018 Ma Dawei Feng Xiaoming Zhou Qilin
2019 Wang Yifang and Lu Jinbiao (Kam-Biu LUK)
Mathematics and Computer Science Award
2017 Xu Chenyang
2018 Burn J. LIN
2019 Wang Xiaoyun
2020 Peng Shige
News (14) to (15) / Reporter : Wang Xiang / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/9/11/n13226902.htm
News (14)
Brazil no longer imports Chinese-made vaccines and switches to U.S. vaccines
Image : Brazil initially relied heavily on China's Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac, but has now switched to purchasing American vaccines as a priority. The picture shows a man vaccinated against the CCP virus (covi) at a vaccination site in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 18 June 2021. (Rodrigo Paiva, Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
Brazil initially relied heavily on China's Sinovac vaccine (CoronaVac), and has now stopped ordering China's covi vaccine and switched to purchasing vaccines made in the United States.
Brazil is the main buyer of vaccines produced in China and Beijing's past successful example of vaccine diplomacy. However, as people continue to worry about the efficacy of the covi vaccine against Covi72, as well as other vaccines. As it becomes more accessible, Brazil is quickly retreating from vaccines made in China.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday (11 September 2021) that the Brazilian government and spokespersons for the local producer Butantan Institute said that the Brazilian government has stopped negotiations to purchase more doses of CoronaVac. The Brazilian government also stated that it would not recommend the use of CoronaVac as a third booster shot.
Like Brazil, there are several other Latin American countries and Southeast Asian countries that have reduced their dependence on vaccines produced in China. They have all begun to switch to vaccines produced in the United States as the next choice for vaccines. This is also related to the slowdown of domestic vaccination in the United States, which frees up Pfizer and Moderna's overseas vaccine supply.
According to data from the Brazilian government, in the first two months of the start of vaccination in Brazil earlier this year, 80% of vaccines produced in China were produced in China, and the current proportion is less than 35%. The increase in the number of vaccines is related.
Brazil has purchased 100 million doses of CoronaVac so far, and almost all doses have been delivered. Approximately two-thirds of Brazilians have received one shot of the vaccine, and more than one-third have received two shots.
A government spokesperson told Wall Street Journal that the government has stopped discussing whether to purchase another 30 million doses of Chinese vaccines. This was a recommendation made by the Brazilian Health Agency last month.
Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said in a television interview last week that the government no longer recommends CoronaVac as a booster but instead recommends Pfizer vaccine.
News (15)
Butantan Institute to produce non-Chinese covi vaccines
The Butantan Institute, a local producer of CoronaVac in Brazil, also confirmed that the procurement negotiations have not progressed and no agreement has been signed.
It is reported that the Butantan Institute is building a factory on the outskirts of São Paulo to produce Chinese vaccines and sell them throughout Latin America. A source close to the operation of the institute revealed that in view of the reduced demand for Chinese vaccines, Butantan is already looking for alternative products to be produced at the plant, which will be completed in the next few months.
Before Covi72 spread rapidly, epidemiologists and some studies expressed concern about the continued use of CoronaVac.
Earlier this year, CoronaVac became the only widely used vaccine in Brazil and was given priority to medical workers and the elderly. According to the final phase of trials conducted in Brazil last year, CoronaVac is highly effective in preventing deaths, but it is one of the least effective in preventing asymptomatic infections among all vaccines, with only 50.4% effectiveness.
Epidemiologists say that this makes it difficult for countries to reduce the total number of confirmed cases in order to control the spread of the epidemic.
A study by the Barcelona Institute of Global Health and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil this year showed that the Sinovac vaccine is less effective for the elderly, with only 28% effective for those over 80 years old. This research has not been peer reviewed.
For many countries that do not have immediate access to vaccines manufactured in the West, purchasing Chinese vaccines is a crucial expedient when other, more effective vaccines are not available. But now the situation has changed.
Carla Domingues, former head of Brazil’s National Immunization Program, said, “It’s meaningless to buy this vaccine...it’s very low effectiveness in the elderly. It’s better to buy other vaccines.”
News (16) to (20) / Reporter : Lin Chunyin / Editor : Huang Yuhan / http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2021/09-12/9563881.shtml / Images : Video Screenshots
News (16)
A total of 64 positive nucleic acid cases have been reported in Putian, Fujian, taking various measures to prevent and control
At 6 pm on 12 September 2021, the Putian Municipal Government of Fujian Province held a press conference on epidemic prevention and control to introduce the latest situation. According to reports, as of 4 pm on 12 September, Putian has reported a total of 64 positive cases of the new crown virus nucleic acid, and the entire town of Fengting Town, Xianyou County has been upgraded to a high-risk area, and 3 new medium-risk areas have been added.
At present, Putian City will expand the scope of nucleic acid testing and speed up the traceability work; continue to disinfect the epidemic spot; do a good job in prevention and control to resolutely prevent the outflow; continue to track the condition of hospitalized patients and carry out treatment work; fully protect the people's living materials .
Nucleic acid positive cases increased to 64
As of 4 pm on 12 September, Putian has completed the epidemiological investigation of 64 positive cases. A total of 841 close contacts have been identified, 1,690 close contacts have been identified, and 1,293 people have concentrated on medical observation; organized investigations on Xianyou involved. Nucleic acid testing of people in 24 villages and 5 surrounding towns in Fengting Town of the county. Nucleic acid testing sampled 196,758 human samples, and 121087 reports were collected; a total of 213 environmental samples were collected, and 113 nucleic acid testing results were released. 100 copies to be reported.
With the support of the state, province, and other cities in the province, Putian has expanded the scope of nucleic acid testing, accelerated traceability work, and made every effort to block transmission channels. On the basis of the original nucleic acid test in Fengting Town, it was further expanded to the entire Xianyou County and Donghai Town, Chengxiang District; to speed up the flow adjustment work, the state, province, city, and county jointly established a flow adjustment team of 160 people. Form 5 flow adjustment teams to ensure that the flow of new cases that day is completed within 24 hours.
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Fengting Town is upgraded to a high-risk area
According to the results of the current survey, the expert group analyzed and judged that the risk areas are delineated as follows: 1 high-risk area is Fengting Town, Xianyou County; 3 medium-risk areas are Houshen Village and Xianyou, Jiaowei Town, Xianyou County Xiangling Village, Laidian Town, Xianyou County, Dapu Village, Yuanzhuang Town, Xianyou County.
According to the results of the on-site epidemiological investigation, Xianyou County has successively checked the venues for related cases (No. 48 Wuliling, Xiufeng Village, Fengting Town, Xianyou County, Putou Primary School Campus, No. 45 Putou Village, Fengcheng Xindu Yihe Tangdian, Zhengxin Chicken Chop Shop, Overseas Chinese Hotel, etc.) carry out external environmental disinfection. As of 16:00 on September 12, a total of 37,800 square meters of surface disinfection and 45,800 cubic meters of air have been disinfected.
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Putian implement scientific and precise control
According to the delineation of the medium and high risk areas, Putian has done its best to do various prevention and control work and resolutely prevent the outflow of personnel. Carry out traffic control over the city's 20 high-speed entrances and exits, and 9 inter-city entrances and exits in national provinces, counties, and townships. Of the highway intersections, 12 are subject to closed management (no entry and no exit), and 8 are subject to inspection and traffic management.
Putian strengthened the management of key places. On 12 September, the Putian City Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters issued a notice to strictly restrict the gathering of people; chess and card rooms, theaters, Internet cafes, billiards halls, karaoke halls, bars, museums, libraries, fitness venues, training institutions and other related indoor public places were suspended In principle, people who do not need to leave the city in principle, if they really need to go in and out for medical treatment, specific official duties, etc., they must hold a certificate of negative nucleic acid test within 48 hours. The city’s primary and secondary schools (except for senior thirds with accommodation and fully enclosed management conditions), kindergartens and various education and training institutions will suspend offline teaching from September 13 and change to online teaching.
Putian has also strengthened the management of centralized isolation points. Centralized isolation The central air conditioner is switched off to replace the electric fan, the hanging air conditioner is promptly eliminated, the garbage is centralized, and the sewage pipe network is centralized to eliminate cross-infection.
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Putian fully carries out treatment
As of 4 pm on 12 September 2021, a total of 64 patients, 14 were ordinary type, 18 were mild type, 32 were asymptomatic infection, and the patient's condition was stable.
At present, Putian City is doing its best to carry out treatment work. The designated treatment hospital has three areas and two channels, and implements full-closed-loop management. There are 99 medical treatment teams. Organize national, provincial, and municipal expert groups to propose diagnosis and treatment plans and implement treatment for patients. Currently, the confirmed patients are in stable condition. Xianyou County General Hospital serves as a reserve designated treatment hospital.
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Putian officials guarantee the lives of the people
After the outbreak, Xianyou County transferred 949 people from various townships (sub-districts, management committees), county units, and village cadres in Fengting Town to make every effort to protect the people's living supplies.
Putian officials stated that the prevention and control strategy will be adjusted in time according to the current situation and the changing situation of the epidemic.
News (21)
Fujian Putian announces details of new local "19+17" cases: Many of them are elementary school students
According to the website of the Health Commission of Putian, Fujian Province, from 0:00-23:59 on 11 September 2021, Putian reported 19 new local confirmed cases and 17 new local asymptomatic infections.
Imported from abroad related local asymptomatic infection 1: Zhang XX, Chinese nationality, 11 years old, Putou primary school student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosis He was an asymptomatic infected person with new coronary pneumonia and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Imported local asymptomatic infection related to overseas 2: Lin XX, Chinese nationality, 11 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosis He was an asymptomatic infected person with covid and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Overseas imported related local confirmed case 3: Lin XX, Chinese nationality, 11 years old, a student of Fengting Putou Primary School, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported local asymptomatic infections associated with overseas 4: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 12 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosis He was an asymptomatic infected person with covid and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Imported local asymptomatic infection related to overseas 5: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 11 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosis He was an asymptomatic infected person with covid and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Overseas imported confirmed local confirmed case 6: Lin, Chinese, 27 years old, Putou Primary School, positive nucleic acid test result.
Locally diagnosed patients related to overseas imported cases 7: Wu XX, Chinese nationality, 34 years old, is the wife of Lin XX, a confirmed case imported from abroad, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported local asymptomatic infected person 8: Lin XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, is the daughter of a confirmed imported case Lin XX, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported confirmed local case 9: Lu XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas import related local asymptomatic infection 10: Li XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, Putou primary school student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas import related local asymptomatic infection 11: Huang XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, Putou primary school student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported confirmed local confirmed case 12: Gao XX, Chinese nationality, 10 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported from overseas related local asymptomatic infections 13: Lai XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test results.
Overseas imported confirmed local confirmed case 14: Su XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported local confirmed case 15: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, a student at Fengting Putou Primary School, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported from abroad related local asymptomatic infection 16: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 12 years old, Putou Primary School student, positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported local asymptomatic infected persons 17: Chen, Chinese nationality, 10 years old, Putou primary school student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results to diagnose him asymptomatic infection of covid.
Imported from abroad related local asymptomatic infection 18: Lin XX, Chinese nationality, 10 years old, Putou primary school student, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosis. He was an asymptomatic infected person with covid and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Overseas import related local asymptomatic infection 19: Zhang XX, Chinese nationality, 34 years old, mother of asymptomatic infection 27, positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported overseas confirmed local confirmed cases 20: Chen, Chinese nationality, 37 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported overseas associated local asymptomatic infected persons 21: Su XX, Chinese nationality, 26 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported related local confirmed cases from abroad 22: Ai Moumou, Chinese nationality, 42 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported related local confirmed case 23: Qiu XX, Chinese nationality, 42 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported related local confirmed case 24: Zhang XX, Chinese nationality, 34 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, , with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported overseas related confirmed local cases 25: Cai Moumou, Chinese nationality, 38 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported local asymptomatic infections associated with overseas import 26: Zhu XX, Chinese nationality, 36 years old, with a positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosed as asymptomatic for covid. Infected persons shall be isolated and observed by designated hospitals in the city.
Overseas import related local asymptomatic infection 27: Ke XX, Chinese nationality, 9 years old, son of asymptomatic infection 19, positive nucleic acid test result, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory tests As a result, he was diagnosed as an asymptomatic person with covid and was isolated and observed by a designated hospital in the city.
Overseas imported confirmed case 28: Huang XX, Chinese nationality, 60 years old, with positive nucleic acid test results.
Imported overseas related local asymptomatic infection 29: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 3 years old, daughter of confirmed case 30, sister of asymptomatic infection 31, positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported related local confirmed case 30: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 31 years old, mother of asymptomatic infection 29, asymptomatic infection 31, positive nucleic acid test result.
Foreign import related native asymptomatic infection 31: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 5 years old, brother of asymptomatic infection 29, son of confirmed case 30, positive nucleic acid test result.
32: Huang XX, Chinese nationality, 55 years old, a positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported confirmed local confirmed case 33: Zhang, Chinese nationality, 48 years old, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Imported overseas related local confirmed case 34: Wang XX, Chinese nationality, 39 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
Overseas imported related local confirmed case 35: Qiu XX, Chinese nationality, 39 years old, an employee of Xiesheng Shoe Factory, with a positive nucleic acid test result.
For the above cases, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, they were diagnosed for confirmed cases of covid, isolated and treated by designated hospitals in the city.
Overseas imported confirmed case 36: Chen XX, Chinese nationality, 57 years old, with positive nucleic acid test results, combined with epidemiological history, clinical symptoms, imaging findings and laboratory test results, diagnosed as asymptomatic infection of covid, isolated and observed by the designated hospital in the city.
Since September 10, Putian has reported a total of 20 local confirmed cases, and currently 20 hospitalized (20 in Xianyou), with no deaths; the existing local asymptomatic infections are still undergoing centralized isolation and medical observation in 20 cases (Xianyou).
From 0-24 o'clock on 11 September, Putian reported 0 newly imported confirmed cases of covid from abroad.
As of 24:00 on 11 September, Putian has reported a total of 2 confirmed imported cases from abroad, and 2 are currently hospitalized with no deaths; there are currently 0 suspected cases imported from abroad; currently reported imported asymptomatic infections are still being accepted. There are no further cases for centralized isolation and medical observation.
At present, 1888 people in close contact have been released from medical observation, and 755 people are still under medical observation.
News (22) to (26) / Reporter : Zhang Yilin / Editor : Tian Boqun / http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2021/09-12/9563651.shtml
News (22)
Schools, typhoons, delta... How many passes will this "race" of Putian have to overcome?
In the past few days, the sudden epidemic in Putian, Fujian Province has become the focus of public opinion. According to the latest data from the National Health Commission, on the 11th, there were 19 newly confirmed cases in Putian, Fujian Province, and 17 new local asymptomatic infections.
At present, the Putian area has adopted strict control measures. The epidemic hits suddenly. In the next few days, Putian, a city with a permanent population of more than 3 million, has to race against the cunning virus. How many barriers does it need to break?
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The virus is cunning and requires rapid screening
According to the previous Putian report, experts have determined that the source of the epidemic is suspected to be the chain of infection caused by Lin XX who entered from Singapore.
The flow investigation found that after being quarantined at a designated hotel in Xiamen for 14 days, Lin XX was transported point-to-point to the centralized quarantine point in Xianyou County on 19 August to continue the concentrated quarantine. During the period, three nucleic acid tests were negative, and then on 26 August, home health monitoring was implemented, and the nucleic acid test was positive on 10 September.
The director of the Putian Center for Disease Control and Prevention Ling Longmei said at the press conference that the imported case from Singapore was quarantined for 21 days. During this period, 9 nucleic acid tests were negative, and 1 serum test was also negative. Nucleic acid test result on 10 September is positive, and the virus has a longer incubation period.
In the face of such a "cunning" virus, how to isolate and isolate close contacts in the shortest time and how to find infected persons through screening and investigation is a great test for Putian.
At present, the Putian area has urgently carried out large-scale nucleic acid testing, and 212 Fuzhou medical staff quickly assembled to assist Putian. At the same time, the National Health Commission also sent a working group to Putian City, Fujian Province to guide the epidemic management work.
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Delta again? Strict control and do not relax
Putian introduced at a press conference held on the 11th that the specimens of the 19 related cases of this epidemic have been sent to the Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention for gene sequencing and rapid screening by the melting curve method. The result was initially determined to be a Delta strain.
We are no strangers to the "Delta" virus. Since the beginning of this year, the covid epidemic caused by the Delta strain has appeared in many places in Guangdong, Yunnan, and Jiangsu.
Many experts have previously stated that the Delta strain has the characteristics of high viral load, strong transmission, long time for nucleic acid to turn negative, atypical symptoms, and prone to severe illness.
"Fighting" with Delta again, whether or not this mutant virus can be defeated is the key to preventing the spread of the epidemic.
Since the 11th, the Putian area has implemented stricter containment measures. In principle, Putian personnel do not leave the city unless necessary.
In addition, all provincial and inter-city shuttle buses in Putian have stopped operating on the 11th. In Xianyou County, two passengers and one endangered, all buses and taxis (including online car-hailing) vehicles were suspended, Xianyou Bus Station was closed, and Xianyou Railway Station stopped serving passengers (boarding and dropping off passengers are prohibited).
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In the beginning of the school season, campus prevention and control cannot be "lost"
In September, colleges and universities, primary and secondary schools across the country have started school one after another, and campus prevention and control is still the top priority.
Previously, the United Nations National Health Commission of the Ministry of Education issued the "Technical Plan for the Prevention and Control of New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemics in Higher Schools, Primary and Secondary Schools, and Nursery Institutions (Fourth Edition)" to strictly deploy the epidemic prevention work for school and return to school.
It is worth noting that this epidemic occurred during the nucleic acid test of covi on the students of a primary school in Fengting Town, Xianyou County, and it was found that the nucleic acid test results of two students were positive.
The 6 infected people discovered on the 10th involved two families, including 3 students and 3 parents. The imported case outside Singapore at the source of the epidemic was also one of the parents of the student.
He Qinghua, the first-level inspector of the CDC of the National Health Commission, once said that schools and kindergartens are special places where people gather and are prone to outbreaks of infectious diseases. It is very important to do a good job in the prevention and control of epidemics in schools and kindergartens. .
Putian City Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow typhoon warning.
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The typhoon epidemic is double-struck, this is a tough battle
In addition to the sudden outbreak of the epidemic, the severe weather that will be brought about by the typhoon has put Putian City facing another challenge.
According to a message from the Fujian Meteorological Bureau, the typhoon "Chandu" will affect Fujian from the 11th and will pass through the Mindong fishing grounds on the night of the 12th. Fujian Province continued to issue "Typhoon Warning" on the 11th, and the "Typhoon Warning" was upgraded to Level III.
Data from the Meteorological Department showed that from the 12th to the 13th, the maximum wind force in Mindong Fishing Ground and other places could reach 10 to 12, and gusts of 13 to 15.
Putian City Meteorological Observatory continued to issue typhoon yellow warning signals at 21:39 on the 11th. "Chandu" (super typhoon level) is expected to move northward at a speed of about 15 kilometers per hour. Affected by this, the maximum wind force in Chengxiang District, Licheng District, and Hanjiang District from the night of the 11th to the 12th during the day can reach 7 to 8 with gusts of 9 to 10.
Xianyou County issued a typhoon blue warning signal at 21:45 on the 11th. Affected by the typhoon, coastal winds of magnitude 6 to 7 during the day on the 11th and gusts of magnitude 8 to 9.
Under the attack of the epidemic and typhoon weather, Putian, Fujian needs to prevent and control the epidemic while ensuring the safety and defense against typhoons.
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Confirmed 38 days after entry, Expert: Fujian epidemic has spread invisibly
Reporter : He Yating / Editor: Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/09/12/a103214594.html
A new wave of COVID-19 has recently emerged in Fujian Province, Mainland China, with 64 local infections (including asymptomatic infections) within 3 days. The man surnamed Lin, who was suspected of being the source of the epidemic, was reportedly diagnosed 38 days after entering the country from Singapore. Some experts said that judging from the current situation, the Fujian epidemic has spread invisibly, and the scale of the epidemic "will not be too small."
According to the latest report from the Putian Municipal Government of Fujian Province, as of 4 pm on 12 September, a total of 64 cases of local nucleic acid tests have been reported in this round of the epidemic in Putian, Fujian, including 32 confirmed cases and 32 cases of asymptomatic infections. So far, 841 close contacts have been identified in the local area.
In addition, according to the information previously released by the Putian Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 specimens of relevant cases from the current round of the epidemic in Fujian have been sent to the Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention for genetic sequencing, and experts initially determined that they were Delta mutant strains.
After the outbreak in Fujian, local officials announced that a man surnamed Lin who returned to Fujian from Singapore on 4 August may be the source of the epidemic.
According to the CCP’s official report on 10 September, a man surnamed Lin entered the Xiamen airport from Singapore on 4 August, and after being quarantined in Xiamen for 14 days, he was transferred to Xianyou County and continued to be quarantined for 7 days. During the 21-day quarantine period after entry, the man underwent 9 nucleic acid tests and 1 serum test, and the results were all negative. Lin began home health monitoring on 26 August until 10 September when he was tested positive for nucleic acid again.
Outsiders questioned that, according to the official statement above, Lin was diagnosed 38 days after entering China, which is obviously beyond the usual two or three weeks of virus incubation period. If the man is really the source of this wave of epidemics, it means that the current incubation period of the virus may far exceed the two or three weeks of isolation and observation period.
After the official announcement that the virus that caused this round of the epidemic was a mutant strain of Delta, it caused new doubts among Chinese netizens: Medical experts said that the general characteristics of Delta are strong infectivity and high viral load, and high viral load means high viral load. The virus "is easily screened out." Why is Lin's incubation period unusually "extremely long" this time? Does this mean that many people may have been infected, but they have not yet shown obvious symptoms?
On 12 September, the relevant report of the Chinese Communist Party's official media "China News Weekly" changed the view on the source of this round of the epidemic in Fujian. This report quoted an epidemiology professor's point of view analysis, saying that the current lack of evidence makes it difficult to determine the source of this transmission chain as Lin Moujie. It is not ruled out that Lin was infected during the centralized isolation in Xiamen or Xianyou County. Further investigation and sampling of the isolation site is required to see if the virus test positive is found in the environmental samples of the isolation site.
The epidemiologist also emphasized that Xianyou is only the end of this wave of epidemic transmission chain, and there are still multiple nodes in the upstream that need to be thoroughly investigated. It is likely that a certain degree of invisible transmission has been formed in the upstream when it is discovered. The expert said, "Judging from the current situation, the scale of this epidemic will not be too small."
In response to this wave of the CCP virus epidemic, Putian, Fujian officials have recently ordered: From 12 September, in principle, people in Putian shall not leave the city) unless necessary; from 13 September onwards, Putian’s primary and secondary schools, kindergartens and various education and training institutions have suspended offline teaching.
News (28)
The logistics staff of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University were positive, the hospital closed and some areas were closed
Reporter : Li Jinfeng / Editor: Fan Ming / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/09/13/a103214806.html
A few days ago, a logistic worker from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University in Fujian Province tested positive for nucleic acid. The hospital is closed for management and outpatient and emergency services are suspended. Some areas of Siming District where the hospital is located are also closed for management. In addition, the Exit and Entry Building of Xiamen Public Security Bureau is opposite the hospital.
On 13 September, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University issued a notice stating that on the 12th, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University found in a routine screening that a third-party company's logistics service personnel had a positive nucleic acid test result. The hospital will be closed for management from today (13th), and outpatient and emergency medical services will be suspended.
At present, the official notification did not disclose the source of infection of the case in Xiamen.
It is reported that the covid outbreak recently broke out in Xianyou County, Putian City, Fujian Province. It was initially determined to be the Delta strain, and the number of confirmed cases increased sharply. There are 2 high-risk areas and 5 medium-risk areas in the local area. The county has also entered a state of lockdown. The epidemic has spread to Quanzhou, Fujian.
The aforementioned First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University is located at 55 Zhenhai Road, Siming District, Xiamen.
NTD reporters found out that Zhonghua Street was located in the northwest of the main building complex of the hospital, and only adjacent to a highway; and very close to the main building complex of the hospital was the Xiamen Public Security Bureau Exit-Entry Building on Sucu Street in the northeast. A little further away is the Xiamen Education Bureau, which is also located in the northeast of the main building complex of the hospital.
Image : A logistics personnel of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University was positive. Near the hospital are the Exit and Entry Building of Xiamen Public Security Bureau (in the blue box) and Xiamen Education Bureau (in the pink circle). (Google Maps)
On the 13th, the Emergency Headquarters for Epidemic Prevention and Control in Siming District, Xiamen announced that it would close some jurisdictions in Zhonghua Street.
Specifically, starting today (13th), Sucu Street 14-1, 14-2, 16, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 71, 73, 75, 77, 91 within the jurisdiction of Zhonghua Street No. 1, 2, 3, 3-1, 3-5, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 17, 19, 21, Waiqing Alley, No. 12-36 (double number), Yanxi Street, 1 No.-33 (single number), No. 52-58 (double number), No. 62-70 (double number), No. 78-102 (double number), Yu Chaoxiang (all house numbers), Wucuo Lanes 9-14, 16, 17, 19, 21, and 23 are all controlled areas.
The notice requires that from now on, residents of the closed area will only be allowed to enter, and non-residents of the area will not be allowed to enter. During the closed management period, residents will not visit, gather, or go out without special circumstances.
Except for special vehicles such as military and police vehicles, ambulances, fire engines, vaccination vehicles and special vehicles for people's livelihood, all foreign vehicles are not allowed to enter the enclosed area.
News (29)
Xiamen presents imported case in high-risk areas and some areas are closed for management
Reporter : Yang Fushan / Editor : Liang Jing / http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2021/09-13/9564079.shtml / Image : Video Screenshot
The Tong'an District Epidemic Prevention and Control Emergency Headquarters, Xiamen, issued the No. 1 notice of this year in the early morning of13 September 2021, for non-production and life necessities in the area under the jurisdiction of Xinmin Town and Xiangping Sub-district in the district. The premises are temporarily closed to strengthen the prevention and control of the epidemic.
The notice requires that residents within the jurisdiction of Xinmin Town and Xiangping Sub-district will not leave the jurisdiction of this town (street) unless necessary.
Subsequently, Xiamen Tong’an District Epidemic Prevention and Control Emergency Headquarters issued the No. 2 Announcement of this year, deciding to implement control over the areas east of Tonghui Road, west of Tongming Road, south of Ji’an Road, and north of Jixian Road, Xinmin Town, with immediate effect. Residents in the controlled area can only enter and cannot leave, and non-residents in the area are not allowed to enter.
On 12 September, Tong'an District of Xiamen screened people who came to Xiamen from high-risk areas such as Fengting Town, Xianyou County, Putian, and found that a person who came to Xiamen, Wu XX, tested positive for the covi nucleic acid. After verification, Wu XX was a close contact of the reported case Wang XX in Putian.
In response to this, Xiamen immediately took emergency measures, sent Wu XX point-to-point to a designated hospital for isolation and treatment, and strictly followed relevant procedures to implement closed management and environmental destruction of relevant places, conduct epidemiological investigations, and conduct close contacts. Follow-up investigation, nucleic acid detection and isolation control are in progress.
The official track of Wu XX's activities in Xiamen shows: On 6 September, at 7.41 am, take the D3333 EMU (Car No. 7 6C) from Xianyou Station to Xiamen North Station, and take Bus 692 Tong'an Wutu at 9.00 am. Get off at the station, walk back to his residence (Puli, Wutubazai, Xinmin Town, Tong'an District), and walk to the factory (Chenming Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd.) to work. From then on to 11 September, his activities tracked along his residence, the factory and restaurants along the way from his office.
According to the website of the National Health Commission, as of 12 am on 13 September 2021, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 49 new confirmed cases. Among them, 27 were inbound cases (17 in Yunnan, 5 in Shanghai, 3 in Guangdong, 1 in Sichuan, and 1 in Shaanxi), including 1 case from asymptomatic infection to confirmed case (in Sichuan); 22 local cases ( All in Fujian, including 15 cases in Putian, 6 cases in Quanzhouy, and 1 case in Xiamen), including 2 cases from asymptomatic infections to confirmed cases (both in Fujian). There were no new deaths. There are no new suspected cases.
News (30)
Comprehensive news: Africa’s third wave of epidemics is weakening but still faces multiple challenges
Report by: Lu Tianran, Shi Yu, Guo Jun, etc. / Publisher : Xinhua News Agency via ScienceNet / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/9/464961.shtm
The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on the 11th that the cumulative number of confirmed cases of new crowns in Africa exceeded 8 million. At present, the overall situation in Africa is improving, and vaccine distribution and vaccination work are also advancing. At the same time, Africa still faces challenges such as the impact of variant strains and the low rate of vaccination.
The World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa said on 9 September that the third wave of the epidemic in Africa is "weakening." In the week ending on 5 September, there were approximately 165,000 newly confirmed cases in Africa, a decrease of 23% from the previous week, the largest decline in two months.
South Africa, which has the largest number of confirmed cases in Africa, announced in July that the third wave of epidemic peaks had passed. South Africa’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases said on 8 September that the number of newly confirmed cases nationwide has continued to decline. Although there are differences in the status of the third wave of epidemics in various provinces, the number of daily confirmed cases has declined.
Nigeria added 466 new confirmed cases on 10 September, which is more than half of the 1,000-plus cases at the peak of the third wave of epidemics. Kenya added 661 confirmed cases on the 10th, and the current positive test rate has dropped from 26.6% at the end of March to 8.1%.
In Botswana, both the number of new confirmed cases and the number of deaths in the past three weeks have fallen sharply, and the government began to relax restrictions on epidemic prevention on the 6th. Its neighbour Zimbabwe announced on 7 September that the epidemic has eased significantly. As the country has passed the peak of the third wave of the new crown epidemic, the Zimbabwe government has decided to reduce the "city closure" measures from level 4 to level 2 from now on.
At present, the number of new crown vaccines received in Africa continues to increase, and vaccination work continues to advance. According to data from the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Africa received about 5.5 million doses of vaccine through the "Covi Vaccine Implementation Plan" in the first week of September.
Chinese vaccines has provided support for countries such as Zimbabwe to achieve their vaccination goals. Zimbabwe's vaccination rate is among the highest in Africa, and most of the vaccines vaccinated are Chinese vaccines. In Zimbabwe, about 1.83 million people have been vaccinated, accounting for about 12.5% of the total population.
South Africa will vaccinate all adults with the covi vaccine since August 20. According to official data released by South Africa on the 10th, more than 7.15 million people across the country have been vaccinated, accounting for about 14% of the total population.
The Kenyan government said that it expects 2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to arrive in Kenya in September. At present, 3.02% of adults in Kenya have completed vaccination, and it is expected that 10% of adults have completed the vaccination target by the end of the year.
As of the 10th, more than 3.9 million people in Nigeria had received the first dose of the covi vaccine, accounting for 3.5% of the population meeting the vaccination requirements, and more than 1.65 million people had received the second dose of vaccine, accounting for 1.5% of the population meeting the vaccination requirements.
Although the overall epidemic situation in Africa is slowing down and vaccine work continues to advance, the fight against the epidemic still faces multiple challenges. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Macediso Muti, said on the 9th that due to the continued impact of the more contagious Delta strain, compared with the previous two waves, the third wave of the epidemic "declined slowly and frustratingly." ". The WHO said that the results of gene sequencing carried out in Southern Africa in August showed that in Botswana, South Africa and Malawi, the rate of infection with Covi72 exceeded 70%, and in Zimbabwe, the rate was as high as 90%.
In addition to Covi72, the newly discovered mutant strain also brings hidden dangers to the epidemic. The WHO said that the "C.1.2" mutant strain found in South Africa in May of this year contained "worrisome mutations." Although there is no evidence that this mutant strain is more infectious or affects vaccine effectiveness, more research is needed on it. As of now, this strain is not a variant strain marked by the WHO as "requiring attention" or "requiring attention".
According to data from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, currently Africa has received 111.3 million doses of the covi vaccine, and about 3.18% of the population has completed the vaccination, which is far lower than the level of some other regions in the world. Muti said that while Africa is doing its utmost to adopt public health measures, it must significantly strengthen vaccine supply and vaccination in order to fundamentally reverse the trend of the epidemic. (Notewriter: Lu Tianran; participating reporters: Shi Yu, Guo Jun, Teng Junwei, Li Hualing, Wang Ping, Jing Jing, Zhang Yuliang, Tian Yun, Wang Xiaopeng)
News (31)
Data on more than 16,000 early deaths from covid in the U.S. has been missed
Reporters : Zhao Fenghua and Chen Haiyue / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/09/12/a103214701.html
According to a Harvard University research report, due to the delay in calculating the number of deaths from the infection in the United States, more than 16,000 early deaths in nursing homes were not counted.
The U.S. federal government requires nursing homes to report confirmed and dead cases of covid before 24 May 2020. This is more than three months later than the first outbreak of a nursing home outbreak at the Kirkland Life Care Center in Washington State. In the first stage of the report, nursing institutions can also choose whether to report retrospective data.
Although it is still unknown how many nursing homes chose not to report retrospective infections and deaths in the first few months of the epidemic, Harvard University obtained a rough estimate by collecting data on confirmed cases and deaths in various states: Yes More than 16,000 early deaths in nursing homes were not counted. These data were collected before the federal government requested statistics on infections and deaths.
News (32)
Ministry of Defense of Japan: Suspected CCP submarine approaching Japanese territorial waters
Reporter : Chen Beichen / Editor: Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/09/12/a103214618.html
Image : On 13 April 2021, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (left) and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi (right) held a video conference with their German counterparts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (Franck Robichon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Ministry of Defense of Japan stated on 12 September 2021that the authorities found a submarine believed to be from China (CCP) in the waters off Kagoshima last week and found one not far away. The guided missile destroyer of the Chinese Communist Navy.
The Ministry of Defense pointed out in a statement that this incident occurred on the morning of 10 September, in the eastern seas of Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, a submarine suspected of the Chinese Communists was found submerging in the northwest, away from the controversial Japanese-controlled submarine. The East China Sea islands are about 700 kilometers (420 miles) long.
The submarine later headed towards the western waters of Yokoate. In addition, the Japanese authorities also found a Chinese destroyer sailing nearby.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Self-Defense Forces discovered the two ships in the contiguous zone, which is outside the territorial waters. According to international law, if a submarine passes the coast of another country, it must surface in the territorial waters and display the national flag to show its identity.
In response to the submarine incident, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has instructed his subordinates to "maintain high alert, collect intelligence, and ensure that security surveillance is foolproof." The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has sent three reconnaissance planes and two destroyers to the area for early warning and intelligence collection to analyze the CCP’s intentions.
In recent years, Japan has repeatedly complained about the intrusion of CCP ships into Japanese territorial waters and nearby islands in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
News (33)
Has the CCP invaded Taiwan's clock been wound? US think tank calls on the world to be vigilant
Reporter : Wang Yuhe / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/09/12/a103214751.html
The CCP has frequently invaded Taiwan's air defense identification zone in recent months. In addition to strengthening the defense of Taiwan with its allies, experts have also launched investigations and studies. The previous report released by the Jamestown Foundation, a Washington think tank, analyzed several reasons why the CCP has been obsessed with occupying Taiwan, and reminded that the clock has been wound and the United States needs to be vigilant.
In May 2021,The Jamestown Foundation published a report written by Dr. Matthew Brazil, entitled "The Prize: Why Taiwan and its Place in the Global Semiconductor Supply Chain Matter to the United States".
The report discusses Taiwan's important status to the United States and the world, and analyzes the benefits that the CCP will gain after occupying Taiwan from multiple perspectives.
First of all, the "first island chain" is a barrier for the CCP to enter the Pacific Ocean, and Taiwan is the central part of the first island chain. For the CCP, its strategic position can be said to be invaluable; in contrast, for Japan and the United States' defense in the Western Pacific. Especially in terms of restraining the global expansion of the CCP’s hegemony, Taiwan’s geographic location is extremely critical. Taiwan was once known as the "unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the first island chain.
In addition, the report states that the status of Taiwanese chips represented by TSMC in the global chip supply chain is even more precious.
Currently 63% of the world's chip market is controlled by Taiwanese chip manufacturers. In particular, TSMC’s world market share has reached 56% and has the world’s top chip manufacturing technology. Its chip width is as small as 5 nanometers. According to reports, the new factory will start producing 3 nanometer chips in 2022.
In contrast, China's chip manufacturing is far inferior to Taiwan's. In 2020, 94% of the chips used in China will be imported. For the CCP, TSMC is a treasure. However, the report warned that even if there is a war in the Taiwan Strait and the CCP controls Taiwan and takes over TSMC, the United States will also impose corresponding export controls to restrict it. In addition, the closure or shutdown of factories under the turmoil will create a bottleneck for the world's semiconductor manufacturing supply.
Finally, according to the analysis of the report, there are historical issues that the CCP has to worry about. The capture of Taiwan has always been a key goal of the CCP leaders.
The report pointed out that the CCP’s army focused on national defense for about 50 years after the establishment of the regime because the CCP knew that the "informatization" and "air superiority" required for the occupation of Taiwan were not available in the CCP's military at that time. The plan specifically includes a target plan for attacking Taiwan.
Dr. Blassey warned that if the Chinese Communist military’s air capabilities increase in the 2020s, then time is more pressing for Taipei and Washington than for Beijing, and "the clock has already been wound."
He called on the U.S. government to clearly point out to the CCP that an aggression against Taiwan will not be tolerated by the U.S. and its allies, and the whole world must go all out to protect Taiwan and "cannot fail."
News (34) to (39) / Editor : Ye Ziwei / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/9/10/n13224099.htm
News (34)
National Committee of the Republican Party of the United States: Intends to sue Biden over compulsory vaccination order
Image : On 9 November 2020, Ronna McDaniel, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, spoke at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee in Washington. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
The Republican National Committee (RNC) announced on Friday that it intends to sue the Biden administration over President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine and testing order.
The federal vaccine order issued by President Biden may affect as many as 100 million Americans, and the government hopes that these requirements will curb the increasing number of Delta variant cases.
Ronna McDaniel, chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), announced on Twitter, “Joe Biden told the Americans when he was elected that he would not mandate vaccination. He lied. When his order came into effect, at that time, the RNC will sue the government to protect Americans and their freedom."
McDaniel also shared a press release announcing that the Republican National Committee intends to sue the government for what they called an "unconstitutional executive order."
President Biden signed an executive order earlier that day requiring all federal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This order also applies to government contractors and their employees.
Biden subsequently announced that he would instruct the Department of Labor to formulate a rule requiring companies with more than 100 employees to have mandatory vaccinations or weekly tests, a move that would affect more than 80 million employees in private companies.
The White House said that the new order is part of Biden's "six-pronged" comprehensive national strategy.
Outsiders speculate that the latest order may face opposition from millions of Americans.
News (35)
Biden issues mandatory vaccine order involving 80 million private sector employees
On Thursday (9 September 2021), U.S. President Biden delivered an important speech, expounding the "six-pronged" anti-epidemic strategy to promote vaccination of U.S. citizens. It is expected that this will involve 100 million U.S. citizens, including 80 million private companies and department employees.
The White House stated that President Biden will instruct the Department of Labor to formulate a rule that requires large companies with more than 100 employees to vaccinate their employees or conduct virus tests once a week.
"All employers with more than 100 employees must ensure that their employees are fully vaccinated, or require unvaccinated employees to test negative every week." This will affect 80 million employees in the private sector.
The White House document stated that in order to implement these requirements, the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will issue "emergency interim standards," but the document does not mention religious exemptions or those who are advised by doctors not to be vaccinated.
The document also stated that Biden will sign an executive order requiring all employees of the executive branch of the federal government and federal contractors to be vaccinated, instead of using "regular testing" as a substitute. Federal labor unions said on Thursday that they will accept the vaccine order. It is not clear whether the U.S. Postal Service is also covered by the vaccine order.
"The U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service, and the National Institutes of Health will complete the original plan to vaccinate 2.5 million people," the document said.
Biden will also use the powers granted by the National Defense Production Act to stimulate the production of more covi test agents, which will then be sold at major retailers across the country. At the same time, the plan also calls on theaters, concert halls and other entertainment venues to compulsorily require audiences to provide vaccine passports or negative test certificates.
The White House also plans to provide a third shot of vaccination for people who are "fully vaccinated." This measure will be launched on 20 September.
News (36)
Biden orders all federal employees to be vaccinated, violators face penalties
Biden announced at the White House on 9 September that all federal employees will be required to be vaccinated to curb the surge in cases caused by the Delta variant of the CCP virus. This order involves employees of all administrative departments, federal government agency contractors, and health care workers.
This new regulation involves as many as 100 million Americans and is the most significant and toughest move the US government has made to promote vaccination so far.
In a speech on Thursday afternoon, Biden instructed the Department of Labor to require all companies with more than 100 employees to ensure that their employees are either vaccinated or tested weekly.
Biden has signed an executive order requiring all employees of the administrative department to be vaccinated, and cannot choose a virus test instead. He also signed another executive order, ordering the employees of contractors who do business with the government to apply the same standards.
Biden also said that he will require 300,000 educators in the Federal Head Start program to be vaccinated, and called on state governors to require school teachers and staff to be vaccinated.
He said he will also require the 17 million health care workers receiving federal health insurance and Medicaid funds to be fully vaccinated, and expand the order to hospitals, home care facilities and dialysis centers across the country.
The new regulations announced by Biden on Thursday afternoon are part of his new "action plan" to deal with the recent surge in COVID-19 infections and stagnant vaccination in the United States.
Biden's new order shows that the US government is strengthening its vaccinations position and further extending the government's powers.
The Biden-Harris administration said that those who fail to comply with the new rules will bear the consequences-federal employees face dismissal and private employers face fines.
Bloomberg said that Biden’s new order may face resistance from outside groups, including unions that represent some of the 4 million executive branch employees. Business groups may object to employers’ mandatory requirements for vaccination and testing, although some large employers are already doing so.
News (37)
Moderna Inc. is developing a two-in-one vaccine for COVID-19 and influenza
Image : Schematic diagram, the picture shows Moderna's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Taken on 8 May 2020) (Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
The American pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. said that it is currently developing a mixed vaccine that can prevent COVID-19 and influenza at the same time.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that a mixed vaccine of covi and seasonal flu vaccine is currently being developed.
He said: "We announced today that our new respiratory vaccine program has taken the first step to develop a single-dose vaccine that combines an anti-covid enhancer and an anti-flu enhancer. "
Moderna also announced that it will develop a two-in-one vaccine "mRNA-1365" for children, which can simultaneously combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).
However, Moderna is not the first manufacturer to develop a two-in-one vaccine for covid and influenza. The American biotechnology company Novavax has announced on the 8th that it will recruit clinical trial subjects to develop its two-in-one vaccine.
News (38)
The governor of Florida files an urgent appeal and continues to ban schools from wearing masks
Image : On 13 July 2020, Governor DeSantis of Florida gave a speech on the response to the increase in covid cases in the state. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)
The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis filed an urgent appeal on Wednesday (8 September), requesting the cancellation of a previous action taken by the lower court in order to address the issue of the state’s prohibition of schools from enforcing the mask order. Before the final ruling is obtained, the ban will continue to be enforced.
DeSantis filed an urgent appeal with the First District Court of Appeals in Florida on Wednesday night. Earlier, a Leon County circuit judge had just ruled to allow school districts in the state to continue to enforce the mask order.
According to CNN, court documents show that DeSantis’ attorneys believe that they are “very likely to win the appeal” and that “the court of first instance abused its discretion when revoking the automatic suspension. The court should resume the suspension procedure and wait for review".
"There is no doubt that in Florida, we are in the midst of a Covid pandemic. According to the evidence I have heard, if the suspension procedure is revoked, there will be no harm to the state." DeSantis wrote.
News (39)
Hong Kong adds two more cases from abroad
As of 0:00 on 9 September, Hong Kong had newly confirmed two inbound covid cases, involving a man and a woman who arrived in Hong Kong from South Korea or the Philippines. Both of them had received two doses of Comirnaty. The male patient’s residence, Happy Valley Anbi Garden, and his workplace, Queen’s Road Admiralty Centre, Wanchai, were included in the mandatory testing announcement.
One of the cases involved a 56-year-old man who received two doses of Comirnaty in Hong Kong on 10 April and 1 May. The virus was tested in Hong Kong on 16 August and the result was negative. He left Hong Kong for the United States on 18 August, and then returned to Hong Kong by flight KE607 from South Korea on 7 September. The sample he took at the airport temporary sample collection center was positive and contained the L452R mutant virus strain.
The other case involved a 33-year-old woman who came to Hong Kong from the Philippines and had been vaccinated with two doses o Comirnaty in the Philippines on 1 and 22 July 2021.
News (40)
Casualties of war between Myanmar Junta and People's Defence Forces (PDF)
Sources : The Irrawaddy and Myanmar Now
Nearly 50 Junta soldiers and police killed in Chin State and Magway Region
Almost 50 junta soldiers and police were reportedly killed during two attacks by civilian resistance fighters on junta outposts in Chin State and Magway Region on the weekend.
Civilian resistance fighters of the Chinland Defense Force seized and burned down a military outpost in Thantlang Township, Chin State on Saturday night.
Around 200 troops from a combined force of the Chinland Defense Force-Thantlang (CDF-T) and the Chin National Association (CNA) started attacking the military outpost in Lungler Village near the Indian border west of Thantlang on Friday.
The civilian resistance forces had to retreat from the firefight that day as they were bombarded by the junta’s jets, according to a statement from the CDF-T.
The CDF-T said they managed to seize the military outpost on Saturday night when 400 civilian resistance fighters attacked the outpost a second time.
During the firefight, 12 junta soldiers were killed and eight civilian resistance fighters were injured.
The CDF-T said they burned down the military outpost after seizing firearms and ammunition from the base camp.
Separately, a combined force from the Yaw-Defense Force (YDF) and Chin Defense Force-Mindat (CDF-M) raided a police outpost in Gangaw Township, Magway Region early on Sunday morning.
At 2 a.m. on Sunday, five junta police officers were killed when the civilian resistance raided the police outpost in Minywar Village, located to the south of Gangaw. Three civilian resistance fighters were injured in the firefight.
A leader of CDF-Mindat told The Irrawaddy they had to attack the police outpost because many civilians in the area around Gangaw have been suppressed by junta forces.
Another 30 police reinforcements sent to the police outpost were killed during ambushes by civilian resistance fighters, according to a statement from the YDF.
However, The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the police and military casualties.
Myanmar has seen growing and intense violence between junta troops and PDFs after the declaration of a people’s war against the regime by the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) on 7 September.
After the announcement, the military regime escalated not only its inspections and arrests but also its violence and raids including burning down villages across the country, especially in Sagaing and Magway regions and Kayah State.
As of Saturday, 1,080 people had been killed by junta forces during their raids, crackdowns, arrests, interrogations and random shootings, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.
Almost, 8,050 people including elected government leaders have been detained by the junta or face arrest warrants.
At least 18 locals including unarmed civilians killed by Myanmar Junta in Magway region
Image : An infographic released by the National Unity Government’s Ministry of Human Rights shows casualty figures from the raid on Myin Thar (MOHR)
At least 18 people, including
unarmed civilians, were killed by junta troops in Magway Region on Thursday, in
the deadliest clash since the country’s opposition government declared a
“resistance war” on the coup regime earlier this month.
Fighting
between regime forces and a local resistance group broke out on Thursday in the
village of Myin Thar in Magway’s Gangaw Township, according to locals.
Thirteen
members of the group died in the clash, while five villagers—four people in
their fifties and an 80-year-old man—were also killed, a local woman told
Myanmar Now.
Tun
Ngwe, the oldest victim, was shot in the back of the head with his hands tied
behind his back, local sources said.
The
bodies of those killed during the clash and the subsequent raid were cremated
by surviving locals on Friday, the sources added.
The local resistance fighters
were defeated because they were young and inexperienced and had only antiquated
handmade weapons to fight with, according to a relative of one person who was
killed in the clash.
“Those
from our defence group were kids who had just finished the 9th or 10th grade.
They were all still too young. And they were killed in the clash,” the relative
said.
A
Myin Thar villager who was among those who retrieved the bodies of the local
defence members said that eight of the 13 who were killed in the clash appeared
to have been shot at close range.
“Those
who were not killed by artillery shells had mostly been shot in the temple by
the soldiers. They were hiding when artillery shells hit, but the soldiers who
later found them shot them dead for their defiance,” he said.
Fighting started when junta
troops arrived in Myin Thar from the nearby village of Thar Lin, where they had
set fire to a house earlier that day. The two villages are on opposite sides of
the more than 240-meter-wide Myittha River, with Thar Lin on the west side and
Myin Thar on the east.
After
hearing about the raid on Thar Lin, Myin Thar residents moved to put up a
barrier near a bridge between the two villages.
The
resistance fighters positioned themselves on the eastern side of the river and
fought against around 30 soldiers on the opposite side. The Myin Thar fighters
initially had the upper hand in the clash, which lasted about an hour.
Armed with primitive weapons,
including hunting rifles and pipes filled with gunpowder, the resistance
fighters fought against soldiers with AK-47s and other far more advanced guns,
said a Myin Thar local who was involved in the clash.
“We
managed to fire about 10 rounds that reached their side,” he said, describing
how they used their makeshift pipe guns to fire across the river. He added that
a number of soldiers were injured in this exchange.
About 45 minutes into the
clash, however, another 30 soldiers arrived as reinforcements and started using
heavy artillery against them, he said. At this stage, the resistance forces
started to sustain casualties and were forced to retreat.
“They
fired four, five rounds of heavy weapons and started advancing. They could see
our situation from the other side of the river,” the man told Myanmar Now.
No
longer facing any resistance, the soldiers stormed the village and occupied it
until the following morning. By this time, however, many villagers had already
fled to the forest or nearby farms, while some who were not able to hide took
shelter at a Buddhist monastery outside the village.
In
a statement released on Saturday, the National Unity Government (NUG) said that
11 of those killed on Thursday were under the age of 18. It also said that
soldiers torched a total of 36 houses on Thursday and Friday. Locals said the
damage was worth tens of millions of kyat.
“Villagers,
including women, children and elders hiding in a local monastery, were held on
their knees under the sun. Their phones were [also] destroyed,” the NUG said in
its statement.
The reason for destroying the
phones was to prevent people from documenting the aftermath of the raid and
sending records to media outlets, according to the villagers.
“We feel so bitter. We won’t forget it till the end of the world,” said one woman.
After the raid on Myin Thar, about 60 soldiers marched to Hnan Khar, another village in Gangaw Township located on the western side of the Myittha River. Before arriving there at around 8am on Friday, they clashed with members of the Gangaw People’s Defence Force (PDF).
After planting landmines on the
way to Hnan Khar, the Gangaw PDF ambushed the soldiers, fatally injuring around
15 of them, according to a statement released by the group.
The troops retreated but
returned with reinforcements a few hours later, according to a source close to
the Gangaw PDF. A combined force of around 100 soldiers used heavy artillery
and machine guns to force the PDF fighters to retreat, the source added.
The soldiers who took control
of Hnan Khar proceeded to set fire to houses in the village, destroying at
least 36, according to residents. They later left at around 4pm.
No civilian casualties were
reported, as the village’s residents had already fled. It was the third time
that Hnan Khar had been raided by junta troops, following assaults in June and August.
Residents
of Hnan Khar were also among the roughly 10,000 people displaced when regime forces started
violently cracking down on peaceful anti-coup protests in Gangaw in late March.
The military has been carrying
out clearance operations in Gangaw and other Magway townships, including
Yesagyo, Myaing, and Pauk, to quell armed resistance to its rule and crush PDF
camps.
Magway is bordered by Sagaing
Region to the north and Rakhine and Chin states to the west. All are
strongholds of anti-junta resistance and armed rebellion against military
rule.
Security and military experts say that due to its strategically
important location, Magway Region will likely be a key battleground in the
armed uprising against the coup regime.
Refs: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/nearly-50-myanmar-junta-forces-killed-in-two-raids-by-civilian-fighters-in-chin-magwe.html, https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/at-least-18-locals-including-unarmed-civilians-killed-in-magway-region
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