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Selasa, 25 Mei 2021

US closes in on 50% adult vaccination rate as COVID-19 cases ebb - CNA

WASHINGTON: More than half of all adults in the United States have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said on Tuesday (May 25), roughly six weeks before US President Joe Biden's Jul 4 goal of 70 per cent of the adult population receiving at least one shot.

The halfway mark comes as federal, state and local leaders press ahead with delivering COVID-19 shots to people who have not yet received them, while also battling vaccine hesitancy, fears and misinformation.

"Now, with another week left in May, half of all US adults are fully vaccinated," White House senior COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt tweeted overnight.

New coronavirus infections nationwide have settled into a sustained decline as more people become vaccinated.

READ: US administers nearly 287 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines: CDC

READ: US reports lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in nearly a year

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Tuesday the seven-day average case count in the United States is now below 23,000 per day, down about 25 per cent from the prior week.

"I remain cautious but hopeful they will continue to trend downward," Walensky said, adding that people who are not yet vaccinated should still follow federal guidance on social distancing and mask wearing during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

The seven-day average of new infections at 22,877 on Sunday was the lowest since June and less than one-tenth of its peak of more than 250,000 following the Christmas and New Year holidays, according to CDC data.

People as young as 12 can now receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 shot, while Moderna said on Tuesday its vaccine was also effective in adolescents, opening the door to a likely second US-authorised vaccine for youths later this year.

A growing number of localities have announced further reopening efforts as the United States heads into its unofficial summer kick-off with the Memorial Day holiday this weekend.

US travel is on the rise and, while masks are still required for interstate public transportation, many local mandates have been lifted.

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

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2021-05-25 14:37:30Z
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2 victims in LRT train collision in KL undergo brain surgery; another needed cerebral resuscitation - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Two passengers who were injured in the collision between two LRT trains on Monday (May 24) evening have undergone brain surgery, with a third needing cerebral resuscitation treatment, said Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) director Heric Corray.

The crash, which occurred near KLCC station, injured more than 210 passengers, with six in critical condition.

Mr Corray told news agency Bernama that 61 passengers who were injured have since been discharged.

Sixty victims are still being treated at HKL, including six foreigners from the Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh, said Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah.

READ: KL LRT collision a result of driver negligence, train was driven in wrong direction: Wee Ka Siong

An injured passenger talking on his mobile phone — This picture taken on May 24, 2021 shows an injured passenger talking on his mobile phone outside KLCC station after an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: AFP)

Rescue personnel carrying an injured passenger — This picture taken on May 24, 2021 shows rescue personnel carrying an injured passenger outside KLCC station after an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: AFP)

TRAIN DRIVER TO BE CALLED UP FOR STATEMENT

Preliminary investigations have indicated that driver negligence was the cause of the accident, said Malaysian Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong on Tuesday.

The driver of one of the trains had driven it in the wrong direction, he said.

"TR40 was supposed to travel southbound towards Dang Wangi, but it moved northbound, a different orientation. This resulted in the collision between TR40 and TR81," said Dr Wee.

READ: KLCC train collision: 6 in critical condition; special task force to investigate accident

Injured passengers lying on stretchers — This picture taken on May 24, 2021 shows injured passengers lying on stretchers outside KLCC station after an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: AFP)

Medical personnel at the scene after an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: Bernama)

Mr Mohamad Zainal said the police will assist a special task force established by the Transport Ministry to investigate the cause of the accident.

"Currently, we will assist the team in conducting further investigations. We will see whether it is necessary to call up the 32-year-old driver who also suffered minor injuries in the crash to aid investigations,” he said.

More than 300 hospital workers were involved in treating the victims of the collision, said Mr Corray.

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2021-05-25 13:05:02Z
52781621615214

Open windows, turn off air-con: New guidelines to stem Covid-19 spread in poorly ventilated spaces - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - If your office does not have a mechanical ventilation system to provide fresh air, you should now open all windows and doors as often as possible.

And the air-conditioning should be reduced or turned off when this is happening, said three government agencies in a set of updated guidelines on improving building ventilation and air quality to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The new directive comes as Singapore sees an uptick in coronavirus cases in the community, with 21 locally transmitted cases reported on Tuesday (May 25).

In the five-page document, jointly issued by the Building and Construction Authority, National Environment Agency and Health Ministry, the authorities noted that Covid-19 can be spread by virus aerosols in enclosed environments that are poorly ventilated.

"Hence, it is critical to mitigate this risk by improving ventilation and air quality in indoor environments," they said.

The guidelines set out measures that building owners and facility managers should undertake in three different settings.

For air-conditioned spaces with mechanical ventilation - such as office blocks and shopping malls - those in charge should make sure that ventilation systems are in good working order and maximise the intake of outdoor air.

Air should be purged at least once a day before the building is occupied and indoor air recirculation reduced. Exhaust fans should also be running at full capacity in areas such as toilets, in order to expel indoor air.

Spaces without mechanical ventilation - such as retail shops - should have their doors and windows opened as frequently as possible and operators should consider installing window-mounted exhaust fans.

In enclosed spaces, where the risk of disease transmission is high, portable air cleaners with high-efficiency filters may be considered as an interim measure. These include premises such as dental clinics or places where Covid-19 patients may be present.

Lastly, operators of naturally ventilated premises such as coffee shops and dormitories should keep windows and doors open at all times, with outward-facing fans installed to increase air exchange. They should check other systems - including water seals in the sanitary system - to make sure there is no undesired air leakage into occupied spaces.

These measures should not exist in isolation, the authorities said. High-touch points should be regularly disinfected and building occupants should still abide by safe distancing measures and wear masks.

Public buses and trains are well-ventilated, according to a study conducted last year by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.

The study found that air in trains is exchanged every six minutes through ventilation systems, and also when doors open and close at each station. In buses, fresh air enters when doors open and close. They are also ventilated at interchanges when their doors are kept open.

"The ventilation systems, combined with stepped-up cleaning and disinfection regimes - as well as commuters' observing the strict discipline of wearing good efficiency masks and not talking - will minimise commuters' exposure to the virus," the authorities said.

'Prepare for the worst': Record 7289 new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia as hospital ICUs struggle with surge - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Tuesday (May 25) reported a record 7,289 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of new daily infections in the country since the start of the pandemic.

This is also the first time the number of new cases has breached the 7,000 mark. Malaysia’s previous daily record was two days ago, when it reported 6,976 new infections.

The country has logged more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases a day for seven consecutive days as it struggles to contain a third wave of COVID-19. The surge has left hospitals low on intensive care unit (ICU) beds.

The Klang Valley area accounted for more than a third of the new cases: Selangor had 2,642 while Kuala Lumpur reported 604. Neighbouring states Negeri Sembilan and Pahang had 410 and 211 respectively.

Johor reported 664 new cases while Penang had 380. More information will be provided by the health ministry on Tuesday evening.

READ: Malaysia probes allegations of underdosage of COVID-19 shots

READ: More people in Malaysia to work from home, shorter business hours among new COVID-19 curbs during MCO 3.0

Medical workers at a quarantine centre — Medical personnel at a quarantine centre at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park in Serdang, as seen in this photo published on May 20, 2021. (Photo: Twitter/KKMPutrajaya)

Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah warned that Malaysia’s daily COVID-19 cases are following an “exponential trend”.

“The rise of cases started from Apr 1, 2021 and could trigger a vertical surge. We need to prepare for the worst,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday afternoon.

He also urged members of the public to stay home in order to break the chain of infection.

COMMENTARY: Little wonder why Malaysians are angry over celebrity Neelofa’s repeated COVID-19 breaches

READ: Full lockdown would guarantee safety, but Malaysia's economy could collapse: Muhyiddin on targeted COVID-19 curbs

Malaysia COVID-19 cases chart May 25, 2021 — Number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia from Apr 1, 2021 to May 23, 2021. (Image: Twitter/Noor Hisham Abdullah)

“Neglecting the facts and data is not coming to help or giving all excuses not to stay at home,” he said.

Malaysia had on Monday logged a record 61 COVID-19 deaths. There were also 711 patients in ICU, another record figure. Health authorities have repeatedly warned about surging ICU occupancy rates.

As of Tuesday, Malaysia has reported a total of 525,889 COVID-19 cases.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic 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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2021-05-25 09:29:45Z
52781620893924

Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses on the way for Taiwan, alert level extended - CNA

TAIPEI: Millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses are on their way to Taiwan, the health minister said on Tuesday (May 25), as he extended virus-related restrictions until the middle of June even though the trend in new infections is falling.

Having spent months keeping the virus at bay with life relatively normal compared with many other places, Taiwan is dealing with a spike in domestic infections, exacerbated by a low vaccination rate of only about 1 per cent of its population.

Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said two million vaccine doses would arrive by the end of June and 10 million by the end of August, though he did not give details, only saying that the numbers included domestically developed vaccines.

Taiwan has ordered more than 20 million doses from AstraZeneca and Moderna and is also developing its own vaccines.

READ: China offers vaccines to Taiwan to fight COVID-19

Chen, however, made no mention of China's offer on Monday to urgently send vaccines and medical staff, which has already drawn an angry response from Taiwan's government.

The minister said that while infection numbers had continued to fall since last Monday, positive rates remained high.

While current measures were effective, Chen said he was concerned about "hidden spreaders" in the community, which the authorities were not able to detect due to a time lag in getting test results.

"There has been no sudden deterioration," he said.

His ministry has been criticised by the opposition for a logjam with recording positive COVID-19 tests due to reporting delays following the surge in cases.

READ: Taiwan's bid to take part in WHO annual assembly fails

Chen said that was a concern for the virus to spread further.

"The worry is that ... we are not able to control the hidden cases during this time period, which could lead to a worsening pandemic," Chen said.

Authorities are also scrambling to track the whereabouts of 300 people who were tested positive for COVID-19 in the capital Taipei and neighbouring New Taipei City, Chen said, urging local governments to work with the police to find those patients.

Taiwan's level-three measures, one rung below its highest alert level, would be extended until Jun 14, with schools and entertainment venues remaining closed and personal gatherings restricted, Chen added.

Taiwan has reported 5,456 infections since the pandemic began, with 35 deaths.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic 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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2021-05-25 08:20:30Z
52781616235807

KL LRT collision a result of driver negligence, train was driven in wrong direction: Wee Ka Siong - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Preliminary investigations into the head-on collision between two LRT trains has indicated that driver negligence was the cause of the accident, said Malaysian Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong on Tuesday (May 25).

The collision, which occurred near KLCC station on Monday evening, injured more than 210 passsengers, with six presently in critical condition.

In a press conference, the minister said: "Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident was the result of carelessness of the hostler who drove TR40 in the wrong direction." The hostler was driving the faulty train to the depot.

"TR40 was supposed to travel southbound towards Dang Wangi, but it moved northbound, a different orientation. This resulted in the collision between TR40 and TR 81."

Dr Wee explained that TR40, which wasn't carrying any passengers, was heading southbound from Gombak to Subang, when it "suffered a failure" at Kampung Baru station. The failure occurred because the train had failed to operate automatically.

The central operations centre then instructed the driver of TR40 to drive the train manually from Kampung Baru station to Dang Wangi station, said Dr Wee.

However, at 8.33pm, the driver contacted central command to inform the latter that TR40 had collided with another train, which was later identified as TR81. There were 213 passengers on TR81.

READ: LRT passengers flung by impact of collision, say victims

Earlier in the day, Dr Wee announced that a special task force has been formed to investigate the cause of the incident.

He added that the task force, which will be headed by the transport ministry's chief secretary, will be given two weeks to present their findings on the incident.

The collision is the first accident in 23 years of LRT operations in Malaysia.

The Kelana Jaya Line operating company Prasarana Malaysia has outlined that out of the 213 passengers affected, 64 were still hospitalised at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Out of the 64, six are in critical condition. Three of them require ventilation support.

MCA President and Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong. (Photo: Facebook/Wee Ka Siong)

When asked during the press conference to comment on the financial losses incurred from the incident, Dr Wee said that it was too early to estimate since the authorities were still cleaning the debris and fixing the damaged track.

He added that this process will take "three days" but reassured commuters that train services will proceed.

On Tuesday morning, Prasarana Malaysia said that the LRT Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur resumed service at 6am with trains operating on a single track, adding that there will also be supporting shuttle bus services.

On Monday night, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that he has instructed the Transport Ministry and Prasarana Malaysia to conduct a "full investigation to identify the cause of the accident". He added that "stern action will be taken immediately".

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2021-05-25 07:40:02Z
52781619149776

KL LRT collision a result of driver negligence, train was driven in wrong direction: Wee Ka Siong - CNA

The collision, which occurred near KLCC station on Monday evening, injured more than 210 passsengers, with six presently in critical condition.

"TR40 was supposed to travel southbound towards Dang Wangi, but it moved northbound, a different orientation. This resulted in the collision between TR40 and TR 81."

Dr Wee explained that TR40, which had 213 passengers, was heading southbound from Gombak to Subang, when it "suffered a failure" at Kampung Baru station. The failure occurred because the train had failed to operate automatically.

The central operations centre then instructed the driver of TR40 to drive the train manually from Kampung Baru station to Dang Wangi station, said Dr Wee.

However, at 8.33pm, the driver contacted central command to inform the latter that TR40 had collided with another train, which was later identified as TR81. There was a driver but no passengers on TR81.

READ: LRT passengers flung by impact of collision, say victims

Earlier in the day, Dr Wee announced that a special task force has been formed to investigate the cause of the incident.

He added that the task force, which will be headed by the transport ministry's chief secretary, will be given two weeks to present their findings on the incident.

The collision is the first accident in 23 years of LRT operations in Malaysia.

The Kelana Jaya Line operating company Prasarana Malaysia has outlined that out of the 213 passengers affected, 64 were still hospitalised at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Out of the 64, six are in critical condition. Three of them require ventilation support.

He added that this process will take "three days" but reassured commuters that train services will proceed.

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Selasa, 25 Mei 2021

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