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Jumat, 31 Juli 2020

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announces delay to Sep 6 elections as COVID-19 cases spike - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Friday (Jul 31) that elections for the city legislature will be postponed from Sep 6 due to a spike in coronavirus cases, dealing a major blow to the city's pro-democracy opposition.

The new date has been set for Sep 5, 2021.

Lam said the decision was the hardest choice she had made in the last seven months, but said it was aimed at safeguarding people's health.

The decision is supported by the central government, she added.

Having scored an overwhelming win in lower-level district council elections last year, the opposition was banking on keeping up the momentum gathered since anti-government protests erupted a year ago.

READ: Prominent Hong Kong democracy activists barred from election

News of the postponement came as the nomination period for candidates seeking to run in the election closed.

The poll would have been the former British colony's first official vote since Beijing imposed a new security law in late June, which critics say aims to quash dissent in the city.

Supporters of the new security law say it will bring more stability after a year of often-violent anti-government and anti-China unrest, and that it plugs loopholes in national security left by the city's inability to fulfil a constitutional requirement to pass such laws on its own.

READ: COVID-19: Hong Kong backtracks on restaurant dining ban, to allow with restrictions

On Wednesday, Lam warned the city was on the brink of a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak, and urged people to stay indoors as much as possible as strict new measures to curb the disease's spread took effect.

The new regulations ban gatherings of more than two people, dining in restaurants and make the wearing of face masks mandatory in public places, including outdoors. These are the toughest measures introduced in the city since the outbreak.

The government has also tightened testing and quarantine arrangements for sea and air crew members.

Hong Kong has reported more than 3,000 coronavirus cases since January, far lower than in other major cities around the world.

But for the past 10 days running the number of new infections has been in the triple-digits.

At least 68 countries and territories have delayed national or regional polls due to coronavirus since February, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

At least 49 countries and territories have decided to hold national or subnational elections, it said.

READ: Hong Kong is on verge of COVID-19 outbreak that could collapse hospital system, says Carrie Lam

CANDIDATES BARRED FROM STANDING IN ELECTION

Since the imposition of the security law on Jun 30 to punish what China broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, the crackdown on opposition forces has intensified.

Twelve opposition candidates, including young activist Joshua Wong but also more moderate, old-guard voices, have been disqualified from contesting the election. More candidates are expected to be barred in coming days.

The reasons cited by the city government for their disqualification included what authorities perceive as subversive intentions, opposition to the new national security law, and a campaign to obtain a majority that can block legislation.

The government denies political censorship or suppression of the right to run for the legislature, where only half of the seats are directly elected, while the other half is stacked with pro-Beijing figures. Critics called the move a political purge.

Hong Kong police have also arrested four students aged 16 to 21 years old on suspicion of threatening national security by allegedly being involved in an online group that pledged to use every means to fight for Hong Kong independence.

Wong said on Friday the reasons for disqualifying him from running in elections for the legislature were "invalid and ridiculous".

He added in a statement that Hong Kong's new national security was a "legal weapon used against dissidents".

"Our resistance will continue on and we hope the world can stand with us in the upcoming uphill battle," he told reporters.

"Beyond any doubt (this) is the most scandalous election fraud era in Hong Kong history," he added.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

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2020-07-31 10:30:00Z
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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announces delay to Sep 6 elections as COVID-19 cases spike - CNA

Lam said the decision was the hardest choice she had made in the last seven months, but said it was aimed at safeguarding people's health.

The decision is supported by the central government, she added.

READ: COVID-19: Hong Kong backtracks on restaurant dining ban, to allow with restrictions

The government has also tightened testing and quarantine arrangements for sea and air crew members.

READ: Hong Kong is on verge of COVID-19 outbreak that could collapse hospital system, says Carrie Lam

CANDIDATES BARRED FROM STANDING IN ELECTION

Wong said on Friday the reasons for disqualifying him from running in elections for the legislature were "invalid and ridiculous".

He added in a statement that Hong Kong's new national security was a "legal weapon used against dissidents".

"Our resistance will continue on and we hope the world can stand with us in the upcoming uphill battle," he told reporters.

"Beyond any doubt (this) is the most scandalous election fraud era in Hong Kong history," he added.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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'Unlikely' that New Zealand traveller en route to South Korea was infected with COVID-19 during transit in Singapore: MOH, CAAS - CNA

SINGAPORE: Initial investigations show that is “unlikely” that a traveller from New Zealand who had transited in Singapore en route to South Korea was infected with COVID-19 during his stopover, Singapore authorities said on Friday (Jul 31).

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said: "Our initial investigations found that it is unlikely that the individual was infected during transit in Changi Airport as that would mean an incubation period of less than 24 hours.

"According to the World Health Organization, the average incubation period for COVID-19 infection is five to six days, with a maximum of up to 14 days."

On Monday, New Zealand said that they were informed by South Korean authorities that the traveller may have been infected while in transit in Singapore.

The person had left New Zealand on Jul 21 and arrived in South Korea the next day after transiting through Singapore. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was done about four hours after the individual’s arrival in South Korea, Singapore authorities said.

New Zealand's health ministry said on Tuesday the person spent 14 hours and 20 minutes in a transit lounge at Changi Airport, along with people who had travelled from other parts of the world.

Before departing from New Zealand, the individual was on a domestic flight from Auckland to Christchurch. Close contact tracing of passengers on the domestic flight has been completed, New Zealand's health ministry said on Thursday.

READ: South Korea suspects traveller who tested positive for COVID-19 was infected during transit in Singapore: New Zealand

"Singapore is in contact with the New Zealand and South Korea authorities for further information," MOH and CAAS said on Friday.

"The source of infection remains unknown and investigations by the various authorities are ongoing. As an added precaution, contact tracing in Singapore is also underway."

They outlined the "stringent measures" taken at Changi Airport to ensure that transiting passengers are segregated from other passengers "at all stages of their journey - both in flight, and at the airport".

“In addition, all passengers travelling through Changi Airport are required to wear masks at all times, while airport staff wear personal protective equipment when interacting with passengers," said the joint reply to CNA's queries.

Safe distancing and temperature taking for passengers and staff are also enforced.

"All transit passengers, including those who had arrived on the same flight as the individual, adhered to these precautionary measures," MOH and CAAS added.

POSSIBLE SOURCES OF INFECTION

On Friday, New Zealand's health ministry said that "there continues to be no evidence of transmission" in the country involving the traveller.

All domestic contacts of the case tested to date have returned negative results.

It earlier said it was considering four possibilities about the case: That it may have been a false positive result, that it may be an old infection which has returned a positive result, that it was a case recently acquired in transit or that it was a case recently acquired in New Zealand.

The possibility of a false positive was ruled out after New Zealand's health ministry received the result of a second positive PCR test from South Korean authorities.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

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2020-07-31 07:03:16Z
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India's coronavirus cases rise by a daily record of 55078 - CNA

BENGALURU: India reported another record surge in daily COVID-19 cases on Friday (Jul 31), taking the total to 1.64 million, as the government further eases virus curbs in a bid to resuscitate the economy, while also trying to increase testing.

Infections jumped by 55,078 in the past 24 hours, while the death toll rose by 779 to 35,747, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on its website.

The ministry also said it aimed to raise the country's capacity to 1 million coronavirus tests per day in the medium term, from a record 600,000 on Friday.

The federal government this week announced the reopening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums, and removed restrictions on the movement of people and goods.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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2020-07-31 06:30:25Z
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Kamis, 30 Juli 2020

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong says his disqualification from Hong Kong poll 'invalid and ridiculous' - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong said on Friday (Jul 31) the reasons for disqualifying him from running in elections for the legislature were "invalid and ridiculous".

Wong said in a statement Hong Kong's new national security was a "legal weapon used against dissidents".

"Our resistance will continue on and we hope the world can stand with us in the upcoming uphill battle," he told reporters.

On Thursday, Hong Kong disqualified a dozen candidates from running in a key election, including Wong, citing reasons including collusion with foreign forces and opposition to the new China-imposed national security laws.

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2020-07-31 04:41:55Z
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Macau refutes Malaysia's claim Jho Low is hiding in territory - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - Macau has disputed Malaysian authorities' claim that Low Taek Jho is hiding in the territory as the authorities continue with efforts to locate and bring the fugitive financier home to face justice for his role in the troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The "unilateral" disclosure of information from the Malaysian police that Low is in Macau is "not in line with facts and the rules and practices of international police cooperation", according to a statement by the Office of the Secretary for Security dated Thursday (July 30).

The Malaysian government hasn't notified Macau authorities or made any requests regarding the fugitive, the office said.

Malaysia was informed in 2018 that Low wasn't in the territory after the Macau sub-bureau of the China National Central Bureau of Interpol received a request from Malaysia.

Malaysia's court on Tuesday said that Low had played a crucial role in transferring 42 million ringgit (S$13.5 million) of funds from a former 1MDB unit to former prime minister Najib Razak's accounts. Najib was found guilty of all seven charges in the trial and faces 12 years in prison, along with a 210 million ringgit fine.

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2020-07-31 03:17:50Z
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Commentary: Booster shots will likely be needed even if a COVID-19 vaccine is ready - CNA

BRIGHTON, England: In the global race to contain the coronavirus pandemic, there is hopeful news on the vaccine front, with a number of potential candidates being developed and some promising early results.

Based on what we know so far, it currently seems likely that most potential vaccines designed to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 will require boosters, perhaps regularly. Why is this?

When an infectious agent enters the body, the immune system will notice this and create a memory, so that the next time it encounters the agent there will be a swift, repelling response.

In the case of most infectious agents, such as viruses, natural infection produces a long-lasting memory. But this is not always the case.

The idea behind any vaccine is to give the recipient a version of the infectious agent which will not cause the disease, but will still create the immune system memory. How we achieve that varies based on the nature of the virus targeted by a vaccine, and how much we know about it.

LISTEN: The COVID-19 vaccine will be the biggest product launch in history. Can we pull it off?

READ: Commentary: COVID-19 vaccine – why is it taking so long to develop one?

TWO TYPES OF VACCINES

Some vaccines are made by disabling the infectious agent in some way so that it becomes safe to introduce to our bodies, but still goes through its normal life cycle.

The theory is that this will stimulate something close to the natural immune response and produce the long-lasting memory without making the recipient sick.

This is the basis of the vaccine we are given for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). It contains live but disabled versions of each virus.

Children are given two doses of the vaccine a few years apart. This is in case the vaccine does not “take” the first time around and the immune system needs a reminder of what the viruses look like.

This repeat vaccine is not technically a booster, but rather a second dose which allows for possible interference by other childhood infections the first time around, and because a pre-school child’s immune system is still developing.

READ: 5 things you need to know about a COVID-19 vaccine

vaccination file photo — File photo of a woman preparing a measles vaccine. (Photo: AFP/Schneyder Mendoza)

The MMR approach has been possible because the viruses that cause measles, mumps and rubella are well established in the human population and virologists know a lot about how they interact with the human immune system.

But it takes years to create a safe and effective live vaccine, so for SARS-CoV-2, research teams are trying different routes. A good approach is to use a killed version of the virus rather than a modified, live version as in the case of MMR.

The inactivated polio vaccine and influenza vaccines both use killed viruses. The drawback of these vaccines is that the immune response does not last, which is why boosters are needed.

In the case of seasonal influenza, variations in the virus means a fresh vaccine is needed each year anyway, but even if the virus did not change, boosters would still be required to keep stimulating the immune memory because the virus in the vaccine is not live.

In the case of polio, most countries now use the inactivated polio vaccine in their childhood vaccination programme instead of the live, oral version.

READ: Commentary: How ‘good’ does a COVID-19 vaccine need to be to stop the pandemic?

READ: Wave of promising study results raise hopes for COVID-19 vaccines

As the disease is close to being eradicated, the theory is that giving each cohort of children a single dose should be enough to protect them as they start mixing with others.

But if there was an outbreak, then everyone in close contact in the local area would need a booster.

WHAT A COVID-19 VACCINE MAY LOOK LIKE

The potential COVID-19 vaccine designed by French company Valneva, which will be manufactured in Scotland, is a killed vaccine. If it is effective in protecting against SARS-CoV-2, it could really help to reduce the spread of the virus.

In the case of this vaccine, regular (perhaps annual) boosters would probably be needed to help to ensure people keep their immune memory. In an outbreak situation, everyone in the affected area could be given a dose of the vaccine to help contain the transmission.

READ: Commentary: Controversies over COVID-19 research show the messy progress of science

FILE PHOTO: Scientists work in a lab testing COVID-19 samples at New York City's health depart — Scientists work in a lab testing COVID-19 samples at New York City's health department, during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York U.S., April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. (File photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Another approach in vaccine design is to take the genetic code for a part of the virus which is known to stimulate an immune response, and place that into a carrier organism which cannot cause disease.

The Hepatitis B vaccine uses the code for the antigen found on the outside of infectious virus particles. This has been put into the genome of a harmless yeast and made into a vaccine.

As the yeast grows and divides, it also makes the virus’s surface antigen, thus stimulating the body to keep making an immune response. This vaccine is given in three doses over six months in the first instance, and most people require a booster after about five years.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by the team at Oxford University, which has shown promising early results, uses a broadly similar approach, in that researchers have taken the code for the SARS-CoV-2 “spike protein” and put it into a harmless virus carrier.

READ: Don't expect first COVID-19 vaccinations until early 2021: WHO expert

So, it is possible that the initial schedule for everyone who received this type of vaccine would involve one or two booster doses a few months after the first, in a similar way to the Hepatitis B vaccine.

We are not really sure how long we would be protected against COVID-19 using this approach, by analogy with Hepatitis B – but it could be a few years. This might be enough to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 around the world.

The need for a booster should not provide a barrier for the rollout of any potential COVID-19 vaccine, as our experiences with Hepatitis B, MMR and influenza prevention have shown.

But it will require a concerted effort to make billions of doses of the vaccine and distribute them efficiently and fairly around the world.

READ: Commentary: As world waits for coronavirus vaccine, antibodies treatment a needed plan B

All countries will need a robust vaccination programme in place to invite everyone to have the first dose and then remind them to have the second or third dose as required. It will also be important to monitor how people respond to make sure that the booster works as planned.

If we can manage this, getting immunised against COVID-19 may just become a normal part of our routine health care duty – like regularly going to the dentist.

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Sarah Pitt is Principal Lecturer, Microbiology and Biomedical Science Practice at the University of Brighton. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.

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2020-07-30 22:07:36Z
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