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S.Korea To Extend Tightened Social-Distancing Rules For Two Weeks

SEOUL– South Korea decided today, to extend the tightened social-distancing rules for two more weeks, in a bid to reduce hospitalisations and contain the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

 

South Korean Prime Minister, Kim Boo-kyum, made the announcement during a COVID-19 response meeting, saying, it was too early to be sure that the country overcame the pandemic crisis.

 

The government began to toughen anti-virus measures on Dec 18, as the eased quarantine measures called “Living with COVID-19” in Nov led to surging infections.

 

Under the tightened social-distancing guideline nationwide, the maximum number of people allowed for private gatherings will remain four for two more weeks, until Jan 16.

 

The business hour curfew will be maintained on multi-use facilities. Restaurants and cafes will be permitted to open until 9:00 p.m. local time.

 

Those who are not fully inoculated will be allowed to enter restaurants and cafes alone or use take-out and delivery services.

 

The business hour of nighttime entertainment facilities, such as nightclubs and bars, will be restricted to 9:00 p.m., but movie theatres, concert halls and internet cafes will be allowed to operate until 10:00 p.m.

 

The tougher anti-virus measures were taken, to lower hospitalisations and contain the Omicron variant.

 

In the latest tally, South Korea reported 4,875 more cases for the past 24 hours, lifting the total number of infections to 630,838.

 

The number of the Omicron variant infections came to 894 so far, including 479 imported cases and 415 domestic transmissions, up 269 from the prior day.

 

The number of infected people who were in a serious condition stood at 1,056, down 89 from the previous day.

 

Source: NAM News Network

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New Zealand Reports 49 New Community Cases Of COVID-19 Delta Variant

WELLINGTON– New Zealand reported 49 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country’s current community outbreak to 10,825.

 

Among the new infections, 22 were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, three in nearby Waikato, 19 in Bay of Plenty, one in Hawke’s Bay and four in the Lakes, according to the Ministry of Health.

 

A total of 46 cases are being treated in hospitals, including eight in intensive care units or high dependency units, the ministry said in a statement.

 

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Zealand stands at 13,748 currently, according to the health ministry.

 

To date, 95 percent of eligible people in New Zealand have had their first dose and 91 percent have double doses, or been fully vaccinated.

 

Nationwide, 90 percent of eligible Pacific peoples are now fully vaccinated, the ministry said.

 

A suite of precautionary measures was announced last week, in light of emerging experience overseas with Omicron. This included shortening the period between the second and booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine from six months to four months.

 

There are 10 Omicron cases to report among recent arrivals at the border, taking the total at the border to date to 88. There are no community Omicron cases to report, the ministry statement said.

 

Parents and caregivers will be able to book vaccinations for 5-11 year-olds from Jan 17.

 

Source: NAM News Network

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Diplomatic boycott of Beijing Games is ‘meaningless’: World Athletics President Sebastian Coe

LONDON— World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said he takes human rights “very seriously” but that Britain’s diplomatic boycott of next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics is “meaningless”.

 

The United States, Australia and Canada have also announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games over China’s human rights record, a stand that China dismissed as “political posturing”.

 

Coe drew criticism over his comments last week when he said he was “philosophically opposed” to boycotts.

 

“Boycotts, on balance, are historically illiterate and intellectually dishonest. A political boycott is, frankly, meaningless,” Coe told British media.

 

“That’s not to be an apologist for countries that do not conform to the basic standards around human rights … I’m not insouciant or cavalier about human rights. I take them very seriously.

 

“I don’t think over the long haul (boycotts) actually achieve a great deal. There are always unintended consequences. And at the end of the day, the people that most suffer in all that are the athletes.”

 

The Beijing Games begin on Feb 4.

 

Source: NAM News Network

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Thailand Reports Over 700 Omicron Variant Cases

BANGKOK– Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health said yesterday that, the country has detected a total of 739 cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, to date, including 488 overseas arrivals and 251 local infections.

 

Although the majority of new COVID-19 cases reported in Thailand are still those of the Delta variant, more Omicron cases have started popping up, said Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Medical Sciences Department from the Ministry of Public Health.

 

According to the official, Omicron infections have already been found in at least 33 provinces, of which 19 are known to have cases from local infections. Many of those locally infected patients are linked to transmission from the Kalasin cluster.

 

Three provinces – Bangkok, Kalasin and Phuket – accounted for more than 60 percent of these Omicron cases.

 

The Ministry of Public Health urged the people to protect themselves with face masks, social distancing and regular hand washing, as these measures were still proven effective in preventing infection by all COVID-19 variants.

 

Government officials have been told to work from home after the New Year, while schools may consider resuming online classes, as part of a precautionary measure to keep the country safe from the rising threat posed by the Omicron variant.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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Vietnam Reports 13,889 New COVID-19 Cases

HANOI– Vietnam reported 13,889 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, including 13,873 locally transmitted and 16 imported, the Ministry of Health said.

 

Among the localities, the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, continued to log the highest number of infections yesterday, with 1,766 cases, followed by southern Tay Ninh province with 938 cases and southern Vinh Long province with 917 cases.

 

The infections brought the country’s total tally to 1,694,874, with 31,877 deaths, said the ministry. Nationwide, as many as 1,302,542 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 38,260 from Tuesday.

 

Some 148.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 67.3 million second shots, have been administered, according to the ministry.

 

Vietnam has by far gone through four waves of increasing scale, complication and infectivity. As of yesterday, the country registered around 1.7 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, since the start of the current wave in late Apr, the ministry said.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

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Cambodia Vows To Strengthen ASEAN’s Centrality For Regional Peace, Security, Prosperity

PHNOM PENH, Dec 30 (NNN-AKP) – Cambodia, the incoming chair of ASEAN for 2022, vowed to strengthen ASEAN centrality, in order to maintain and uphold peace, security and prosperity, the country’s Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn, said yesterday.

 

Speaking during a diplomatic briefing on Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2022, Sokhonn said, Cambodia will reinforce multilateralism and multilateral processes, through ASEAN-led mechanisms and concerted actions that will remain open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based.

 

He said, the kingdom will also foster mutual trust, respect, interest, and understanding, in accordance with the principles and objectives laid out in the United Nations Charter, ASEAN Charter, and Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, among others.

 

“ASEAN Centrality will be further strengthened, in the face of rising anti-globalisation sentiments, unilateralism and protectionism, while promoting the ASEAN Way, unity in diversity, caring and sharing community, and the culture of peace,” he said.

 

Sokhonn, who is also deputy prime minister, said, Cambodia will promote ASEAN’s spirit as a united family.

 

He added that, the kingdom will also do its best to reenergise and expand ASEAN’s partnerships with external partners, in order to maintain regional peace and stability, and to enhance the ASEAN community-building efforts.

 

Cambodian Commerce Minister, Pan Sorasak, said, Cambodia will endeavour to steer ASEAN’s collective efforts, to promote an action-oriented approach, that is based on openness, honesty, good faith, solidarity, and harmony within ASEAN, so as to effectively address the common challenges facing the region.

 

“Also, a foreseeable priority for us is, to ensure more satisfactory outcomes of ASEAN efforts, to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

 

“In this regard, Cambodia commits to working closely with ASEAN and development partners, to sustain ASEAN as a region of critical importance for global trade, investment and supply chains through, among others, generating maximum benefits from the existing free trade agreements and especially the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which will enter into force on Jan 1, 2022,” he added.

 

Sorasak said, Cambodia will guide ASEAN to accelerate and harmonise ASEAN’s objectives, in deepening regional and global integration process and building back stronger from the pandemic with inclusiveness, competitiveness, resilience, sustainability and equitability.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK