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.