Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on disease control, general aviation, Myanmar
Image : Alex McBride/AFP via Getty Images
News (1)
Mysterious disease killed 97 in South Sudan quickly to date
According to external consolidated media reports, the mysterious disease that started to hit the town of Fangak, Jonglei State in South Sudan in early December 2021 has claimed fatality of an elderly woman and the number of deaths caused by the infectious disease has hit 97.
Fangak County Commissioner Biel Boutros Biel told ABC News that the elderly woman was the latest fatality of the Fangak outbreak.
News (2)
Victim age range of the mysterious disease revealed
According to Newsweek, the disease mainly affects the elderly and children aged under 14.
News (3)
Symptoms of the mysterious disease revealed
Typical symptoms of the mysterious disease in the Fangak outbreak include cough, diarrhoea, fever, headache, joint pain, loss of appetite, body weakness and chest pain. These symptoms are only similar to the symptoms of Omicron covid and Delta covid.
So far, experts have not done disease origin studies on the Fangak outbreak and the disease's relation to covid.
News (4)
Mysterious disease outbreak begins at the same time as extreme flooding
Biel Boutros Biel told ABC News that the WHO officials that visited Fangak to investigate the disease had left the area without revealing their findings to local officials.
The South Sudan Ministry of Health said recently that Fangak has been hit by extreme flooding, which has raised the number of endemic disease outbreaks like malaria and cholera.
News (5)
Initial sample collected in Fangak is tested cholera-negative
A local health official in South Sudan told Biel that the initial sample collected in the area tested negative for cholera (also known as tiger disease). Cholera is a bacterial disease often associated with floods.
The WHO did not issue a statement on the disease, and Biel did not provide other details.
News (6)
Concerns about malnutrition in South Sudan
MSF, an international charity operating in South Sudan, said the floods have increased the pressure on local health facilities.
MSF said, "We are extremely concerned about the problem of malnutrition. The proportion of residents with severe acute malnutrition here is twice the standard value set by the WHO."
MSF added, "Since the flood began, our hospital has received severe malnutrition. The number of children has doubled."
The United Nations also described the recent floods as "the worst in decades," affecting more than 780,000 people in the area.
News (7)
Flooding started in October 2021
The UNHCR representative in South Sudan, Arafat Jamal, said of the flooding in October 2021, “Women, children and the elderly were exhausted and hungry when they arrived.”
"Some people have not eaten for several days, others are trapped on the island, hiding under trees and unable to cross to safety. Women are deeply concerned about the health of their children because they are infected with the deadly virus caused by the floods. The risk is gradually increasing." Jamal added.
Shumon Sengupta, the country director of an international organization in South Sudan, said in a statement, "This year's floods are huge. Due to the increase in floods, more than 200,000 people, or a quarter of the local population have been forced to leave their homes.”
"Some families have been displaced and have taken refuge in higher ground, in public buildings, or with neighbors or family members. Because the clinic is damaged and flooded and cannot be accessed, basic services including health and nutrition support have been interrupted. "Sengupta added.
Refs: https://www.newsweek.com/elderly-woman-latest-die-mysterious-illness-south-sudan-that-has-killed-almost-100-1662961, https://www.sinchew.com.my/20211224/%E5%8D%97%E8%8B%8F%E4%B8%B9%E7%88%86%E5%8F%91%E4%B8%8D%E6%98%8E%E7%96%BE%E7%97%85-%E8%87%B4%E8%BF%91%E7%99%BE%E4%BA%BA%E6%AD%BB%E4%BA%A1, https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/12/15/a103294895.html, https://news.yahoo.com/mysterious-illness-south-sudan-being-211300704.html
News (8)
448 confirmed Omicron covid cases in Singapore
According to Singapore's Ministry of Health, a total of 448 confirmed covid cases infected with the Omicron variant strain (Covi29) have been found in Singapore, of which 79 are local cases and the remaining 369 are imported cases.
The Ministry of Health issued a statement on 25 December 2021 pointing out that due to the rapid spread of Covi29 in many countries and regions, more related cases have been found in Singapore. In view of its high dissemination, it is sooner or later that Covi29 will spread in the local communities.
News (9)
Second cluster of Omicron infections develops within 3 days
Image : Video Screenshot
The Vinyl Bar on River Valley Road has a cluster of Omicron infections, and there are currently ten related cases. One of the owners of the bar said that the bar received about 25 to 30 customers at night of 17 December.
According to the Ministry of Health's statement on 25 December, the first case of the infected group entered the United States on 14 December 2021. He had not actually been to a bar but his colleague (the 281477th case) met him on 17 December and he visited the bar on the same day. The investigation found that this colleague may have transmitted the virus to a staff member (case 281,876) and three customers who were also in the bar that night. One of the customers subsequently transmitted the virus to four people who lived with him.
News (10)
Other staff currently tested negative
The boss, who did not want to be named, said in an interview with 8world News that, including him, there are five staff members in the bar, and the other four are the general manager, the chef, the bartender and the cashier.
The general manager is the 281,876th case. On Tuesday (21 December) the test result was positive and he was recuperating at his home. On Thursday (23 December) it was confirmed that he was infected with Covi29 and was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment. His current symptoms are mild.
He revealed that the chef who had been in close contact with the general manager was isolated from the hotel arranged by the authorities on the 23rd and received a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. The result was negative today.
The boss himself, the bartender and the cashier received the Health Risk Warning (HRW) from the Ministry of Health on 23 December 2021, and carried out the Rapid Antigen Test (ART) by themselves every morning. The results so far have all been negative. According to the arrangement of the Ministry of Health, they will undergo a one-time PCR test on 27 or 28 December 2021.
News (11)
Bar closed until further notice
The boss revealed that there are ten tables in the bar, and each table has a maximum of five people. On the night of the visit of the 281477th case (reported on 17 December), only two-thirds of the tables were occupied. He remembered that the bar received 25 to 30 customers that night.
The Ministry of Health stated that bar staff and visitors listed as close contacts of the confirmed case will be ordered to quarantine. For safety reasons, the Ministry of Health will also contact the staff and customers who visited the bar at the same time as the 281477th case on the 17th of this month for a one-time PCR test.
Although the authorities did not require the bar to be closed, the bar has been suspended from the day before yesterday (23rd), and the owner has not yet decided when to reopen.
He said, "We have already cleaned the bar once, and we will invite a professional team to deep clean and disinfect. This is a small restaurant and bar. The remaining three cannot continue to operate. We may wait until all the staff recover and end the quarantine period and HRW before re-opening the bar but it depends on the situation."
News (12) to (13) Reporter : Lin Yan / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/12/25/n13459864.htm
News (12)
Scientist who report on Omicron variant says China's zero-clearing policy is useless
Image : An epidemic in Shaanxi Province broke out in Xianyang, Xi'an. The picture shows people in Xi'an queuing for nucleic acid testing on 21 December 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)
The South African scientist who was the first to warn the world of the Omicron variant (Covi29) said on Saturday (25 December 2021) that the CCP’s zero-clearing policy against this kind of super spread variant does not work.
The city of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, China, has ordered 13 million residents to stay at home from Wednesday (22 December) and bans unnecessary outings. This is the most severe anti-epidemic blockade measures taken by China in its cities with a population of tens of millions this year.
The new restrictions include that each family can only send one family member out every two days to purchase daily necessities and not leave Xi'an without permission. Long-distance bus stations have been closed, disease control checkpoints have been set up on highways leaving Xi’an, 85% of flights in and out of Xi’an have been grounded, the number of buses and trains in the city has been reduced, and schools have been closed. The intensity of Xi'an's control of the epidemic is close to the lockdown of Wuhan at the beginning of 2020.
However, Tulio de Oliveira, director of the South African Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), warned on Saturday that these measures would not work.
"Under the Omicron variant and zero policy, China will encounter great difficulties." De Oliveira wrote, "They may need to join the mitigation strategies of other countries in the world."
She believes that the Chinese Communist Party should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigners for a more transmissible variant of the virus.
China will have great difficulty with #omicron and zero covid policy. They may need@ to join the rest of the world with mitigation strategies. #China should not punish its public health officials or citizens or foreigns because a more transmissible variant...
— Tulio de Oliveira (@Tuliodna) December 25, 2021
It is not yet known what variant of the new wave of outbreaks in China, but the Omicron variant (Covi29) is the most likely.
News (13)
High-level CCP adheres to the zero-clearing policy, local officials punished due to the epidemic
The Wall Street Journal published an article titled "Xi Jinping's Leadership Style" in a recent periodical, stating that a person familiar with the relevant discussions revealed that in late July this year, some officials of the central government made suggestions with reference to the situation in other countries, saying that China. Perhaps it is time to put aside the "dynamic reset" strategy and learn to coexist with the virus.
People familiar with the matter said Xi Jinping was very angry at the time. According to the statements of these people and reports from the official media, Xi Jinping once asked when giving instructions whether officials were becoming lax and paralyzed in the process of epidemic prevention and control. The "dynamic reset" policy has not wavered.
Subsequently, local officials stepped up efforts to prevent the epidemic. In late October, because a tourist in Shanghai tested positive for nucleic acid, more than 30,000 tourists at Shanghai Disneyland were required to undergo a new crown nucleic acid test before leaving the park. After a covid case was detected in a large container port in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, the government ordered the temporary closure of the entire port, adversely affecting the global supply chain.
Dozens of Communist Party officials have been punished by Beijing for failing to stop the covid outbreak in Xi'an.
Beijing is preparing for the Winter Olympics in February. As the more contagious variant Covi29 spreads rapidly around the world, the CCP has maintained a high degree of vigilance against new cases. Its zero-clearing policy includes strict border restrictions, a long isolation period and reasons. A case of infection will shut down the city without warning, and some extreme prevention and control measures have been criticized for lack of humanitarian care.
The outside world is worried that China is unprepared for the more contagious Covi29, and the zero-clearing policy may lead to more lockdowns and more economic chaos.
The latest report by Hong Kong researchers shows that the Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac cannot protect against the Omicron variant. The report recommends that people who administer two doses of CoronaVac should also seek other vaccines as booster shots.
At present, China has administered 2.6 billion doses of domestic vaccines, a large part of which is CoronaVac, which is also one of the covi vaccines that China mainly exports to other countries.
News (14)
The 4 dose fighters can't stop it! Man vaccinated with 2 Medigen + 2 Moderna is infected by Omicron
Reporter : Ye Weichen
The foreign epidemic situation has spread again because of Omicron variant (Covi29). The Central Epidemic Command Centre announced on 26 December 2021 that another case of Covi29 has been intercepted.
This man returned to Taiwan from the United States and received 4 doses of two different types of covi vaccine, Medigen and Moderna.
Luo Yijun explained that there is a new case of Omicron, a male in his 30s who returned to Taiwan from abroad before the case of 16983. He entered the United States on 17 December and received 2 doses of Medigen and 2 doses of Moderna. His case is a breakthrough infection. The case was tested negative at the airport on the day of entry, and was quarantined on 23 December. The confirmed Ct value was 16. The virus was confirmed to be Covi29 in the genetic sequencing today. He is under negative pressure isolation in the hospital.
News (15)
157 new cases diagnosed locally in Shaanxi; 1 case in Guangxi
As of 12 am of 26 December 2021, 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 206 new confirmed cases. Among them, 48 were imported from abroad (18 in Shanghai, 8 in Tianjin, 5 in Guangxi, 4 in Yunnan, 4 in Shaanxi, 3 in Fujian, 2 in Hunan, 2 in Guangdong, 1 in Beijing, 1 in Zhejiang), including 6 cases changed from asymptomatic infections to confirmed cases (3 in Shaanxi, 2 in Guangxi, and 1 in Beijing); 158 local cases (157 in Shaanxi, including 155 in Xi’an and 2 in Xianyang; 1 case in Guangxi, in Fangchenggang). 1 case of indigenous asymptomatic infection (in Fangchenggang, Guangxi).
Image : Researcher's Picture
Xi'an has 116 high-risk areas
On 25 December 2021, the Xi’an Municipal People’s Government held the 36th Xi’an Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic Prevention and Control Work Press Conference. The reporter learned that, in accordance with relevant regulations, starting from 25 December 2021, Xi’an has added medium-risk areas:
1. Block B, Chengnan Jinxiu Community, Dayanta Street, Yanta District
2. Building 5, Sunac Long Mansion, Ducheng Street, Yanta District
3. Building 9, Bafuzhuang Community, Taihua Road Street, Xincheng District
4. Building 5, Family Courtyard, No. 10 Shangpu Road, Xiyi Street, Xincheng District
As of now, Xi'an has 1 high-risk area and 115 medium-risk areas. Except for the announced high- and medium-risk areas, other areas in the city are still low-risk areas.
Video
The epidemic is not over yet. Will it be worse next year? 2022 prophecies of things and things coincide. Warning the 2022 Chinese tragedy. Ancient poems predict that "all six animals will suffer from evil". Will they come true? │Hosted by Huimin Lu│【Breaking News Line】202112225│Sanli News Channel
News (16)
The first domestically-made AC311A helicopter arrived in Tibet to perform rescue and disaster relief tasks
Source / Image : China News Network
Tibet Himalaya General Aviation Co., Ltd.'s first domestically produced AC311A helicopter arrived at the emergency rescue base in Tibet at 3 pm on 24 December 2021.
This model is a 2-ton light general-purpose helicopter, which can perform various tasks such as rescue and disaster relief, public security law enforcement, medical rescue, power inspection, aerial photography, and news interviews.
Tibet Himalaya General Aviation Co., Ltd. is a state-owned general aviation company established by the Tibet Autonomous Region government for the operation of Tibet's emergency rescue base. In the initial stage, it purchased 8 domestically-made AC series high-altitude helicopters according to the configuration of "large, medium and small" models, which can perform medical treatment. Rescue, police law enforcement, commuter command, forest fire rescue and other tasks.
Tibet Himalaya General Aviation Co., Ltd. stated that it will take the first aircraft in place as an opportunity, adhere to the charity attribute, and strive to practice "safety first, mission first, and people's livelihood first". Emergency rescue, medical rescue and other fields play a role, and contribute to the construction of the Tibet Autonomous Region's emergency rescue aviation system and the development of the general aviation industry.
News (17)
Myanmar National Airlines plane nearly hit by rocket
According to the Myanmar Propaganda Department, at about 8.30 am on 24 December, local time, a Myanmar National Airlines passenger plane flying from Yangon, Myanmar to Loikaw Airport in Kayah State was attacked by local civilian armed rockets. At the time of the attack, the plane was preparing to land. Fortunately, the rocket did not hit the plane, nor did it cause casualties or damage to the airport runway and buildings.
Local sources said the attackers fired four rockets, which landed 2,000 meters east and southeast of the airport. The passenger plane was loaded with 64 passengers and returned to Yangon at 8:55. When it returned, the plane was loaded with 38 passengers.
It is also understood that the local civilian armed forces issued an attack warning a month ago. They believe that Myanmar National Airlines’ planes have helped the military deliver weapons and ammunition.
News (18) to (20) / Editor : Lu Yongxin / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/12/26/a103303414.html, https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2021/12/26/a103303473.html
News (18)
Suspected military massacre on Christmas Eve: 35 burnt corpses, women and children in Myanmar town
Image : A massacre was suspected in a town in eastern Myanmar, and more than 30 bodies including women and children were scorched to black. (Network screenshot)
The Myanmar military launched a coup in February 2021, and the country has so far been turbulent. Photos on social media on 25 December showed a suspected massacre in a town in the east. More than 30 bodies including women and children were found scorched in several trucks. Two members of the Save the Children Fund were also missing. Observation organizations and local media stated that the attack was carried out by military government forces.
Reuters reported that Karenni Human Rights Group on Saturday (25 December) found dozens of civilians killed and burned by the Myanmar army near the village of Mo So in the town of Hpruso and said, "We strongly condemn this inhumane and brutal killing that violates human rights."
The Turkish Broadcasting Corporation International Channel reported that on 23 December 2021, social media photos showed that there were two burnt trucks and a car on a highway in the town of Hpruso in the eastern Kayah State containing charred remains. (video)
The local People’s Defense Forces stated that, according to what they heard, the military government clashed with local fighters near the town of Pluso the previous day, and then several military vehicles stopped there.
A member of the People’s Defence Force told AFP on an anonymous basis, “We went to the local area this morning to find out and found that there were 27 charred remains in 2 trucks.”
Another witness, who did not want to be named, said that he knew about the fire on Friday (24 December) night, but he was unable to go to the scene due to gunfire from the scene of the crime. "I went to see it today (25th) morning... I saw the burned dead bodies, and the clothes of children and women scattered all over the floor."
An eyewitness said, "We found 27 skulls. There were other remains on the truck, but they were all burned to pieces, which is really hard to count."
The observation organization "Myanmar Witness" stated that after inspection, local media and protesters were correct in saying that "35 people, including women and children, were killed and burned by the military in Hpruso Town on 24 December."
Save the Children said on 25 December that its two Myanmar staff who had just completed humanitarian work were implicated on their way home and their whereabouts are still unknown. It was later confirmed that the two men's "private vehicles were attacked and destroyed by fire." This incident has caused the Foundation to suspend missions in multiple areas.
Chief Executive Inger Ashing said, “We are deeply shocked by the violence against innocent civilians and our staff. Save the Children Foundation staff are dedicated humanitarians who support millions across Myanmar Children in need."
The Myanmar military government earlier stated that their army tried to stop 7 vehicles driving "suspiciously" in Hpruso Town on 24 December and were subsequently attacked.
News (19)
Myanmar military spokesman admits his army killed the people
Military government spokesman Zaw Min Tun told AFP that the army killed some people in the ensuing conflict but did not provide details.
In October 2021, Save the Children’s office in the western town of Thantlang was also destroyed by gunfire from the military government during the conflict between the rebels and the military government, and dozens of houses were razed to the ground.
After the Myanmar military launched the coup, according to local observation groups, more than 1,300 people were killed in the military government's crackdown.
News (20)
Ten thousand people in Sudan protest, the military shuts off the bridge and disconnects Net, drives away protestors with tear gas
In Sudan, where a military coup took place two months ago, even though the military cut off communications and security forces were stationed in large numbers, the masses still marched on the streets of the capital Khartoum on the 25th to protest and appeal to the military. "Return to the barracks" to return the country to literati governance. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least 170 people were injured in the conflict, of which 8 were caused by live ammunition.
Before the demonstration, officials blocked the bridge connecting Khartoum and the suburbs, cut off telephone lines and restricted internet access. The governor of Khartoum State warned that the security forces "could deal with violators and chaos."
But fearless crowds still gathered in the streets of Khartoum to wave flags, drums, dance and cheer. However, the security forces released tear gas to disperse the protest shortly afterwards, and the wounded were taken away by the demonstrators.
Some users tried to post pictures of protests in several other cities, including Madani and Atbara, on social media after resuming Internet services late on the 25th.
An eyewitness told Reuters that in Omdurman, security forces fired tear gas at protesters near a bridge connecting the city and Khartoum city centre.
The pro-democracy organization "Doctors’ Committee" stated that the security forces also fired tear gas at the hospital to attack the doctors and the wounded.
The Central Committee of Doctors in Sudan stated that 178 people were injured in the protests on the 25th, of which 8 were caused by live ammunition. During the weeks of opposition to the military revolution, at least 48 people died in the crackdown.
On 25 October 2021, demonstrators gathered in front of the presidential palace where the military government has been the headquarters since General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan seized power.
A woman told Agence France-Presse, "October 25th was a coup... We will not stop the demonstrations until we have a literati government."
Othman Mustafa, 31, said, “We not only want the military to leave, but we also want to choose Sudanese who are just like us, who can respond to our needs and give everyone equal rights.”
After Bohan seized power, the literati prime minister Abdalla Hamdok was placed under house arrest for several weeks. Under international pressure, Hamdok was reinstated on November 21 and announced that elections would be held in July 2023.
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