Asia / World Tuesday, September 8, 2020 07 China shows off COVID-19 vaccines for first time Fresh blaze AFP Neither has hit the market are now emphasising the re- China a “global public good”. China’s official Xinhua on stricken oil Beijing yet but the makers hope they vival of Wuhan, the central Sinopharm said it antici- news agency reported Monday will be approved after all-im- Chinese city where the deadly pates the antibodies from its that another vaccine candidate, tanker off Sri China has put its homegrown portant phase 3 trials as early pathogen surfaced, as a suc- jab to last between one and developed by Chinese military coronavirus vaccines on dis- as year-end. cess story in the fight against three years -- although the final scientists, can deal with muta- Lanka: Navy play for the first time, as the A Sinovac representative the virus. result will only be known after tions in the coronavirus. country where the contagion told AFP his firm has already They are also touting pro- the trials. China’s nationalistic As of last month, at least AFP was discovered looks to shape “completed the construction of gress on domestic vaccines as tabloid Global Times reported 5.7 billion doses of the vaccines Colombo the narrative surrounding the a vaccine factory” able to pro- a sign of Chinese leadership last month that “the price of the under development around the pandemic. duce 300 million doses a year. and resilience in the face of an vaccines will not be high”. world had been pre-ordered. A massive fire that crippled High hopes hang on the China, which is facing a A China National Biotec Group unprecedented health threat Every two doses should cost But the World Health Or- an oil tanker off Sri Lanka has small vials of liquid on show storm of foreign criticism over (CNBG) vaccine candidate for that has pummelled the global below 1,000 yuan ($146), the ganization has warned that reignited in strong winds, the at a Beijing trade fair this week its early handling of the pan- COVID-19 coronavirus is on economy. report said, citing Sinopharm’s widespread immunisation island nation’s navy said Mon- -- vaccine candidates produced demic, has been trying to re- display at the China International In May, President Xi Jin- chairman, who told media he against Covid-19 may not be day, just a day after the blaze by Chinese companies Sinovac purpose the story of COVID-19. Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) ping pledged to make any po- has already been injected with on the cards until the middle of was extinguished. Biotech and Sinopharm. State media and officials in Beijing on Sunday. (AFP) tential vaccine developed by one of the candidate vaccines. next year. The Panamanian-regis- tered New Diamond, carrying over 270,000 tonnes of crude and diesel, was en-route from Kuwait to the Indian port of Pakistan to reopen Paradip when it issued a dis- tress call Thursday after an engine room explosion that educational institutions Delhi metro services killed a Filipino crew member. The ensuing fire was put starting September 15 out Sunday through the com- bined efforts of Sri Lanka’s DPA said students would attend navy and air force, the Indian Islamabad their classes on alternate days resume as India sees navy and coastguard, as well and that wearing a face mask as private operators. Pakistan on Tuesday said it would be mandatory. Firefighters continued to will allow educational institu- Health Ministry data from douse the tanker with water tions to reopen, after months Tuesday showed that 394 new and dry chemicals, but the of closure due to the outbreak cases and three deaths were 90,000 cases a day squally conditions -- where of coronavirus pandemic, as a reported during the last 24 winds were blowing at up to 70 declining trend in infections hours. In total, the country has AFP kilometres per hour -- led to a encourages authorities. recorded 298,903 cases and New Delhi fresh flare-up. “We have decided that edu- confirmed 6,345 deaths. “Due high winds... the cational institutions should be According to the Pakistan Commuters flashed victory fire which has already been allowed to reopen in a phased Medical Association, at least signs as India restarted city doused, has re-ignited from manner,” Education Minister 100 doctors and 24 paramedics metro services Monday after the effects of extreme tem- Shafqat Mahmood told a press died from Covid-19. a nearly six-month hiatus, de- perature and sparks onboard,” conference. Pakistan reported its first termined to live with the new the navy said in a statement. According to the plan, coronavirus case on February normal even as the vast nation Sri Lanka navy spokesman higher education institutions 26 and enforced a country- overtook Brazil as the second- Captain Indika de Silva told would reopen from September wide lockdown in March, un- worst coronavirus-affected AFP the blaze was at a “serious 15. Classes for junior students der which more than 300,000 country. level, but we hope we will be would resume after weekly as- educational institutions were Masked commuters sat in able to contain it”. sessments, whereas classes for closed. mostly empty coaches as jour- The tanker was earlier primary students would re- Authorities allowed some nalists clambered for pictures pulled away from the coun- sume from September 30. businesses to reopen in May at metro stations in the capital try’s coast but the high winds Health minister Faisal Sul- and lifted all the restrictions New Delhi -- one of the most moved it some 18 kilometres tan said that a declining trend of on August 10 after a substan- badly hit cities, along with fi- (11 miles) closer to the shore, infections had encouraged the tial decline in numbers of in- nancial hub Mumbai. officials said. reopening of the schools. He fections. Passengers had to leave Powerful tug boats were empty seats between each oth- now secured to the large ship er, and could only enter car- to prevent it from moving clos- riages after undergoing tem- er, they added. Philippine officials caution against perature screening. A Delhi Metro train (top) and Gurugram Rapid train cross each other at Sikanderpur Metro station as Delhi The navy said the cargo “For our lives to move Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) resumed services on Monday. (AFP) has not been affected by the complacency about coronavirus on, we have to get out of our recurrence of the fire. homes... so this is a good move increase of more than 90,000 morning and four in the after- the... average has moved from DPA and we can further decrease the by the government to start the cases. noon -- while trains had to be about 65,000 cases per day to Manila transmission rate and other in- metro trains,” said passenger Its caseload had moved fully sanitised after each jour- about 83,000 cases per day, dicators.” Deepak Kumar. past four million on Saturday, ney. that is about a 27 percent in- Malaysia’s virus Philippine health officials The Department of Health “Social distancing is being only 13 days after hitting three “It’s the new normal, and crease over two weeks or about on Monday cautioned Filipinos reported 1,383 new coronavirus followed and... people are us- million. I guess all of us need to take two percent per day,” Jameel rules see hundreds against becoming complacent infections on Monday, the low- ing facemasks and sanitising,” that responsibility,” said Rashi told AFP. about the novel coronavirus, est number of additional cases he told AFP. Bhargave onboard a train in India has been testing arrested, dozens despite reports that the out- in over two months. The resumption of metro The resumption of metro Delhi. more than 10 million people stuck at airport break in the country has been The country’s total case- services came as the South services came as the South The metro carried 2.7 per day on average, with plans easing, stressing that “nothing load stood at 238,727, while Asian nation recorded 4.2 mil- Asian nation recorded 4.2 million passengers a day be- to ramp it up further. DPA is certain.” Health Undersec- the death toll was at 3,890, up lion infections since the pan- million infections since the fore the epidemic around the The Indian Council of Bangkok retary Maria Rosario Vergeire by 15. demic began, health ministry pandemic began, health 400-kilometre (250 mile) net- Medical Research, the scien- said people need to continue President Rodrigo Duterte data showed. work. tific agency leading the gov- Dozens of Malaysians were taking precautions and follow- earlier said that Russia and It surpassed Brazil’s total, ministry data showed. The city of 20 million peo- ernment’s response, on Friday stranded at Kuala Lumpur In- ing health safety protocols even China have promised to supply making it the second-highest ple recorded some 3,256 new revised the testing criteria, ternational Airport on Monday if transmission and mortality vaccines to the Philippines, but tally behind the United States’ The re-opening of the infections on Sunday -- its allowing anyone to get a test after a ban on arrivals from 23 rates were going down based on Vergeire said the government 6.25 million. metro is part of an effort by highest single-day spike in 73 without a doctor’s letter. countries kicked in. recent data. was also speaking with other India has also recorded the government to gradually days. It was also the first time Jameel said the move was Around 50 Malaysians “Our situation is improving, manufacturers. 71,642 deaths, fewer than the restart economic activity after cases crossed the 3,000 mark overdue. who arrived on a flight from but we always say that nothing She said the Health Depart- 126,203 in Brazil and 188,540 the strict lockdown imposed during this period. “This will uncover more London were prevented from is certain at this point,” she said. ment would hold discussions in the US. from late March saw growth Virologist Shahid Jameel, asymptomatic people, who are leaving the airport, according “We don’t want people to be with Australia’s University of Since August the country contract by a record 23.9 per- who heads the Wellcome the real source of this expan- to local media reports, after complacent. We just continue Queensland, which has devel- of 1.3 billion people, home cent in April to June. Trust/DBT India Alliance, sion in India. There should apparent confusion among of- to monitor our situation,” she oped a vaccine that is on its to some of the world’s most Commuters shrugged off said the key factor to watch is also be more testing in rural ficials over whether the ban added. pre-clinical trial stage, and the densely populated cities, has the restrictions imposed by the growth rate in infections, districts and villages, since includes Malaysians arriving “We continue to do our US-based company Moderna, been reporting the highest sin- metro authorities. which he called “quite alarm- over two-thirds of the cases from the blacklisted countries. strategies so that we can further the frontrunner in the vaccine gle-day rises in the world. Only one line was opera- ing”. are coming from there,” he While Malaysia ditched decrease the number of cases, development. On Monday it reported an tional -- for four hours in the “Over the past two weeks, said. most domestic curbs when ending a seven-week lockdown on May 4, Malaysians remain mostly prohibited from leav- Nearly 300 Rohingya migrants land ing the country and a ban on all tourist arrivals has been ex- Typhoon hits South Korea after in Indonesia after months at sea tended to December 31. Some 873 people were de- DPA been prolonged by the collective tained on Sunday for infrac- triggering landslides in Japan Jakarta unwillingness of states to act for tions, according to Defence more than six months,” said the Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. AFP the country. Nearly 300 members of My- UNHCR director for Asia and Almost 600 of those arrested Sokcho The typhoon cut electric- anmar’s ethnic Rohingya mi- the Pacific, Indrika Ratwatte. were snared at nightclubs open ity to Hyundai Motor’s assem- nority landed in Aceh province “The group had repeatedly in defiance of a ban scheduled A powerful typhoon lashed bly lines in the city of Ulsan, on Indonesia’s Sumatra island tried to disembark over the to last until the end of the year, South Korea on Monday after bringing production to a halt early Monday after months at course of more than 200 days the minister said on Monday. smashing into southern Japan for several hours. sea, a Red Cross official said. Lo- at sea, to no avail,” he said in a Malaysia’s Ministry of with record winds and heavy Haishen churned its way cals immediately brought the statement. Health announced on Monday rains that left up to eight peo- up the eastern side of the migrants to beach huts in UNHCR staff in Aceh were that 62 more people had con- ple dead or missing. peninsula into the Sea of Ja- the town of Lhokseumawe as helping local authorities to as- tracted the virus, taking the More than 300,000 pan, known as the East Sea soon as they reached the shore sess the needs of the refugees, cumulative total since the first households were still without in Korea, having lost some of around midnight, said Muham- he added. In June, Acehnese reported case in January to power Monday afternoon after its destructive force, but still mad Waly, the head of the local fishermen rescued nearly 100 9,459, of which around 200 are Typhoon Haishen roared past packing winds of up to 112 Indonesian Red Cross. Rohingya migrants who had listed as “active.” In Malaysia, Japan’s southern island of kilometres per hour. The group consisted of 181 been drifting several kilome- 128 people have died after a Kyushu, ripping off roofs and Outside the city, swol- women, 102 men and 14 chil- tres of the coast of North Aceh. positive coronavirus test. dumping half a metre of water len rivers surged through the dren, who started their voyage in just a day. countryside carrying debris from Bangladesh with Malay- Rescue workers were pick- and the occasional fallen tree. sia as their destination, Waly ing through mud and detritus A riverside park near the Taehwa River is flooded by heavy rain Haishen was forecast said. “According to informa- seeking four missing people caused by Typhoon Haishen in Ulsan on Monday. (AFP) to make landfall again in tion from some of them, they after a landslide in rural Mi- Chongjin, North Hamgyong spent six months at sea,” Waly FOR RENT yazaki. Haishen, which came on housing stock. province in North Korea, at told dpa. Dozens of police offic- the heels of another power- By lunchtime on Monday, around midnight, according to “They are weak and some new apartments ers were on their way to help, ful typhoon, crashed into Ok- the storm had moved over South Korea’s Meteorological of them are ill,” he added. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshi- inawa on Saturday and moved South Korea, forcing the can- Administration. The UN Refugee Agency UN- in Mansoura hide Suga told reporters in northwards throughout Sun- cellation of hundreds of flights Pyongyang’s state media HCR said about 30 in the group Tokyo. day. and triggering landslides. have been on high alert, car- died at sea after they embarked (3) Bedrooms Qr. 5,000 At least one person had Around 1.8 million people Traffic lights and trees rying live broadcasts of the on their journey in February been killed by the typhoon, were told to seek shelter for were felled in and around Bu- situation, with one showing from Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, (2) Bedrooms Qr. 4,000 he said, with the causes of an- fear that the 200-kilometre- san, streets were flooded and a reporter driving through a where hundreds of thousands of other three deaths during the per-hour winds would wreak power was knocked out for windy, inundated street in Rohingya refugees live. storm not immediately known. havoc on Japan’s wooden around 20,000 homes across Tongchon, Kangwon province. “Their hazardous ordeal has 55555065