Infectious variant from India detected in 44 nations: WHO

The more-infectious coronavirus driving a catastrophic Covid-19 epidemic in India was detected in 44 countries, according to the World health Organization, which urged more studies to understand its severity and propensity to cause reinfections. The strain, identified in October, spawned three versions—b.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3—amid an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases that made the South Asian country the site of the world’s worst coronavirus crisis.

Though there may be important differences among the three, the available evidence is too limited to characterize them individually, the WHO said in a report on Tuesday. Any impacts on effectiveness of vaccines or therapeutics remain uncertain, it said.

Meanwhile, some companies in India are temporarily halting business or offering unusual assistance to employees as a devastating wave of the coronavirus sickens and kills hundreds of thousands.

Feng Tay said it will suspend its Indian factories for 10 working days to keep its employees safe, following firms including honda Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. that have announced similar decisions in recent days.

Developer Godrej Properties ltd. extended a long weekend by three days to offer its employees time “to heal” while property company The lodha Group will pay 12 months salary to the family of any of its associates who dies of Covid while in the service of the firm.

Key developments: France readies ‘health pass’

AFTER an initial rejection on Tuesday, France’s national Assembly adopted a provision that will allow for the creation of a “health pass” for people who are immunized against Covid-19 or who have tested negative. They will be able to show a certificate to travel and join group gatherings.

Taiwan tightens control measures

THE government will strengthen Covid-19 control measures at businesses around Taiwan, health minister Chen Shih-chung said as a daily record of 16 local cases were reported on Wednesday. Those who fail to comply will face fines or closure of businesses and the government will expand contact tracing. liberty Times earlier cited the minister as saying Taiwan may elevate its alert level for the virus.

Bangkok’s vaccination push

THAILAND plans to inoculate the majority of the adult population in Bangkok in the coming months to quell a flareup in virus infections that’s made the capital city the epicenter of the nation’s biggest Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 7 million residents will be able to get their shots at hospitals, malls, gymnasiums and mobile vaccine units, according to Sophon Mekthon, vice minister of public health. With only about 5 percent of Bangkok’s adult population currently vaccinated, the goal is to reach 70 percent as soon as possible, he said.

The Southeast Asian nation, which was largely successful in containing the pandemic for much of last year, has been hit by a third wave of infections that started in Bangkok’s night entertainment venues.

Singapore airport cluster widens

SINGAPOREAN authorities found 13 new cases of coronavirus with more than half linked to an existing cluster at Changi Airport as the government stepped up testing to track down the spread in the local community.

Singapore has taken an aggressive approach in tackling an uptick in coronavirus infections by tightening border controls and reimposing stricter social distancing rules in recent weeks.

lawrence Wong, the minister who co-chairs the government’s virus taskforce, said the country’s virus situation is “now on the knife’s edge” and community cases could go either way over the next few weeks.

Korea seeks vaccine partnership

“VACCINE partnership” is on the agenda for next week’s bilateral summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart Joe Biden, according to presidential chief of staff for policy lee ho-seung.

The US has the original vaccine technology, while South Korea has worldclass bio-production facilities, said lee, adding that the Asian nation could potentially become a “global hub” for vaccine production.

Hanoi restricts gatherings

HANOI banned gatherings of more than 10 people in public places and requested the suspension of non-essential meetings and events.

The city, which is asking residents to leave home for essential reasons only, closed parks after a new outbreak centered in north Vietnam began April 27. The municipality also requested beer establishments, wet markets and most restaurants to close.

WEF to go ahead in Singapore

THE World Economic Forum plans to go ahead with its annual meeting in Singapore this August despite a jump in coronavirus cases that prompted the Asian city-state to reimpose restrictions and tighten border controls.

The WEF’S marquee event, typically held in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, is scheduled for Aug. 17-20.

Singapore last week curbed entry for most foreign workers and ordered mass testing after new cases of the virus.

Malaysia unifies Covid protocols

MALAYSIA will follow a standardized protocol nationwide to make it easier for people to comply with social-distancing procedures as the nation bolsters efforts to stem a new wave of Covid infections.

The decision comes after Prime Minister Muhyiddin yassin extended the restrictions on movements nationwide to rein in the fresh wave that has left some hospitals low on ICU beds. There’s been confusion among the public over the different protocols that have been imposed from time to time to tackle the pandemic.

Study finds China’s Sinovac effective

SINOVAC Biotech ltd.’s vaccine is wiping out Covid-19 among health workers in Indonesia, an encouraging sign for the dozens of developing countries reliant on the controversial Chinese shot, which performed far worse than western vaccines in clinical trials.

Indonesia tracked 25,374 health workers in capital city Jakarta for 28 days after they received their second dose and found that the vaccine protected 100 percent of them from death and 96 percent from hospitalization as soon as seven days after, said health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in an interview on Tuesday. The workers were tracked until late February.

“We see a very, very drastic drop,” in hospitalizations and deaths among medical workers, Sadikin said. It’s not known what strain of the coronavirus Sinovac’s shot worked against in Indonesia, but the country hasn’t flagged any major outbreaks driven by variants of concern.