Coronavirus Global Updates, Apr 15 ::: India Case Surge; Tokyo’s Olympics Concern

Thu Apr 15 10:27:32 CAT 2021

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Coronavirus Global Updates, Apr 15 ::: India Case Surge; Tokyo’s Olympics Concern

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Zimbabwe COVID19 Update

COVID-19 update: As at 14 April 2021, Zimbabwe had 37 369 confirmed cases, including 34 946 recoveries and 1 548 deaths. To date, a total of 231 632 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

India Case Surge; Tokyo’s Olympics Concern: Virus Update
India reported more than 200,000 new infections on Thursday -- its highest one-day surge since the pandemic broke out. A senior official in Japan’s ruling party indicated that canceling the Tokyo Olympics was an option, according to a media report, as cases in the city rose to the highest in more than two months.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel ended discussion of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine without taking a vote, while J&J itself said it continues to believe in the positive benefit-risk profile of its Covid-19 shot.

The European Union’s drug regulator said it expects to issue a recommendation on J&J’s vaccine next week. Russia said there have been no cases of clotting with its Sputnik vaccine.

Thailand is considering imposing a partial lockdown in Bangkok and other provinces after coronavirus cases rose by a record this week, the Bangkok Post said. Qantas Airways Ltd. said its  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-15/qantas-sees-australia-passenger-traffic-bouncing-back-to-normal> passenger traffic in Australia has almost completely recovered.

Tokyo Governor Mulls Possible State of Emergency Request 
Coronavirus cases in Tokyo rose to the highest in more than two months as the city struggles to contain the latest surge, with just 99 days to go before the city is set to host the Olympic Games.

Tokyo posted 729 cases on Thursday, a 34% increase from the same day last week, and the most in a single day since Feb. 4, when the city was under a state of emergency. Governor Yuriko Koike said that if measures imposed on Monday failed to stop the spread, she would have to consider requesting another emergency declaration.

Earlier, a senior official in Japan’s ruling party  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-15/senior-japan-official-signals-canceling-olympics-is-an-option> indicated that canceling the Olympics was an option, according to a media report. Toshihiro Nikai, the secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said that if it was determined to be impossible to hold the Games, they would have to be canceled, according to local newswire Jiji.

On Thursday, Taro Kono, Japan’s vaccine czar and administrative reform minister, signaled the possibility of holding the Olympics without spectators, according to Kyodo.

Philippines to Continue J&J Vaccine Talks 
The Philippines said Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine suspension won’t affect ongoing supply negotiations,  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-15/philippines-to-continue-j-j-vaccine-talks-signs-sputnik-v-deal> according to Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez in a mobile-phone reply to questions.

The Philippine government has signed an agreement for the supply of 10 million Sputnik V vaccine doses from Russia’s Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Galvez said.

Meanwhile, the nation’s Food and Drug Administration has recommended to resume the use of AstraZeneca Plc.’s Covid-19 vaccines on persons below 60 years old, its head Eric Domingo said. Blood clotting incidents are “very rare,” he said.

Hong Kong to Open Up Vaccinations to Under 30s 
Hong Kong expanded eligibility for Covid-19 vaccines to all residents aged 16 and older, local media reported, in the government’s latest attempt to boost a low inoculation rate by making the shots widely accessible.

Residents aged 16 and above will be allowed to receive BioNTech SE vaccines, while those older than 18 will also be able to opt for shots made by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd., the South China Morning Post reported, citing a government source. Bookings for the expanded group could start next week, according to local broadcaster TVB.

Macau Suspends Delivery of AstraZeneca Vaccine
Macau has suspended the delivery of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, Teledifusão de Macau reports, citing Health Bureau Director Lo Iek Long. The Macau government’s request was agreed by AstraZeneca.

Malaysia’s Covid Infection Rate Climbs 
Malaysia’s coronavirus is spreading at its fastest rate since at least March, days after the government warned the country may be on the cusp of a fourth wave at the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

The so-called “Rt” rate -- the reproduction number that shows how quickly the virus multiplies -- was 1.14 as of April 14, according to Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah on Twitter. Malaysia added 1,889 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the most since March 5.

India Single-Day Coronavirus Infections Top 200,000 
India reported more than 200,000 new infections on Thursday -- its highest one-day surge since the pandemic broke out -- as a deadlier new wave grips the world’s second worst-hit country.

With 200,739 new cases, the outbreak in the South Asian nation has gone past 14 million. Casualties rose to 173,123 while more than 114 millionvaccine doses have been administered, according to latest data from India’s health ministry.

Thailand Mulls Imposing a Partial Lockdown 
Thailand is considering  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QRL1R3DWLU6J> imposing a partial lockdown in Bangkok and other provinces after coronavirus cases rose by a record this week, the Bangkok Post reported, citing Natthapon Nakpanich, secretary general of the National Security Council.

The government’s commission will discuss with the health ministry the proposal for a partial lockdown along with other possible measures this Thursday, the report said. Thailand reported a record 1,543 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday.

N.Z. Medicines Regulator Seeks More Janssen Data 
New Zealand medicines regulator Medsafe said it has requested additional information from Janssen ahead of making a decision about whether to approve the company’s Covid-19 vaccine. Medsafe expects to provide an update on the Janssen approval process in the next two to three weeks

J&J Continues to Believe in Vaccine 
Johnson & Johnson said it  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QRKZLNDWLU6E> continues to believe in the positive benefit-risk profile of its Covid-19 vaccine.

“The safety and well-being of the people who use our products is our number one priority, and we strongly support awareness of the signs and symptoms of this extremely rare event to ensure the correct diagnosis, appropriate treatment and expedited reporting by health care professionals,” Scientific Director Paul Stoffels said in a statement.

The company plans to proactively delay the rollout of the vaccine in Europe and pause vaccinations in all Janssen Covid vaccine clinical trials while it updates guidance for investigators and participants.

Qantas Domestic Passenger Traffic Bouncing Back 
Qantas Airways Ltd. said its  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-15/qantas-sees-australia-passenger-traffic-bouncing-back-to-normal> passenger traffic in Australia has almost completely recovered, highlighting the potential for speedier travel rebounds than previously expected more than a year into the pandemic.

Capacity on domestic routes will top 90% of pre-Covid levels this quarter, the airline said in a statement Thursday, up from its previous forecast of reaching 80%. Low-cost unit Jetstar will have even more capacity than before the pandemic. Qantas said it has seen “extremely strong” demand for leisure trips and a return of business travel, which is back to about 65% of normal.

Argentina Restricts Buenos Aires Area Mobility 
Stores in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area cannot open earlier than 9am and must close by 7pm local time for the next two weeks beginning April 16, President Alberto Fernandez  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QRKW30DWX2Q8> said in a televised statement.

Argentina needs to restrict social gatherings due to Covid-19 spike in Buenos Aires metropolitan area, Fernandez said

Singapore Uncovers Small Covid Cluster 
Singapore’s latest community case of Covid-19 infection widened a new cluster in the city state to four patients,  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-15/singapore-uncovers-small-covid-cluster-first-since-march-25> according to the health ministry.

The lone reported community case that added to this cluster is a 44 year-old male Papua New Guinea citizen, with a short-term visit pass, who arrived from Australia on March 25 for a work project, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The linked spread of Covid-19 is the first after the ministry’s announcement on March 25 that there were no open clusters of infections.

Japan Mulls Stricter Measures for Tokyo Neighbors 
The Japanese government will  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QRKTU9DWLU6G> consider designating Tokyo’s neighboring prefectures Saitama and Kanagawa as areas needing stricter coronavirus measures if their governors seek application of a quasi-state of emergency, public broadcaster NHK reported, without attribution. The government is also considering adding Aichi prefecture, in central Japan, to the status, the report said.

CDC Panel Doesn’t Vote on J&J Pause 
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel ended discussion about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine without taking a vote, leaving it unclear how long the distribution of the shot will remain paused in the U.S.

Some panel members advocated for a monthlong pause, while others were concerned about the effects of not having the J&J vaccine available, especially to the communities it was being targeted toward.

As a result, distribution of the vaccine will remain halted at least until the panel meets next, perhaps in a week to 10 days.

Michigan Won’t Shut Down Amid Surge 
Michigan health officials won’t issue new orders shutting down parts of the state economy in an attempt to combat the state’s surging Covid-19 cases, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday.

Health officials in the state are concerned tighter restrictions might just lead to more noncompliance.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 7,955 new cases Wednesday as roughly two dozen Michigan hospitals neared in-patient capacity. About 18% of Michigan hospital beds are occupied by people with the virus, state officials said Wednesday.

N.Y. Moves Restaurant, Bar Curfew to Midnight 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo moved the curfew on bars and restaurants to midnight from 11 p.m. The closing time for catered events will shift to 1 a.m. from midnight, he said in a briefing Wednesday. The changes will take effect Monday.

Vaccine Hesitancy Down in U.S. 
Vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. is  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-14/vaccine-hesitancy-down-in-u-s-but-1-in-7-are-still-reluctant> shrinking, though 1 in 7 residents remain wary about getting a Covid-19 vaccine, largely because of concerns about side effects.

That segment is younger and less educated than average, according to a tracker released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau that uses Household Pulse Survey data. Residents were surveyed before U.S. regulators on Tuesday recommended pausing Johnson & Johnson vaccines because of concerns about rare blood clots.

Astra Shot Safe, Effective, Health Canada Says 
AstraZeneca’s vaccine may be linked to “very rare events of blood clots,” but the benefits of the shot outweigh its potential risk, Health Canada said in a statement following an assessment of scientific data.

The federal agency has updated warnings about the possible side effects in product information and is providing information about potential symptoms as well as when to seek prompt medical attention following vaccination.

J&J Drops Pregnant Women From Study 

Johnson & Johnson will revise protocols on its Covid-19 vaccine study and exclude pregnant health workers from a trial in South Africa set to include 500,000 people. The move came after U.S. regulators paused the shot’s rollout on concerns of a rare and severe blood-clotting side effect.

While all studies are delayed, plans to run trials on children and pregnant women in South Africa have been set aside for now, said Glenda Gray, the co-lead of the South African studies, in an interview on Wednesday.

Airline Middle Seats Cited as Risk 
The risk of being exposed to the Covid-19 virus on an airline flight drop by as much as half when airlines keep  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-14/airlines-middle-seats-cited-as-covid-risk-with-crucial-caveats> middle seats open, a new study published by the U.S. government concludes, a safety practice the carriers have abandoned.

The study is the latest to roil the waters on a controversial topic: just how risky it is to travel during the pandemic. It didn’t attempt to estimate infection risks and was based on modeling done before the pandemic, so it didn’t consider rules that now require face masks on flights.

The risk of coming in contact with the virus dropped by 23% to 57% if airlines limited passenger loads on both single-aisle and widebody jets, compared with full occupancy, according to research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.

U.S. Spy Chiefs Say Virus Source Unknown 
U.S. spy agencies have yet to determine the source of the virus that causes Covid-19, top intelligence officials told the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday.

Avril Haines, the director of National Intelligence, said analysts are still examining two theories: animal-to-human transmission, and the possibility of a laboratory accident. “The intelligence community does not know exactly where, when or how Covid-19 virus was transmitted initially,” Haines said.

CIA Director William Burns, echoed Haines’ assessment, adding that “the Chinese leadership has not been fully forthcoming or fully transparent” in working with the World Health Organization to pinpoint the origin of the coronavirus.

Russia Says No Clotting Cases From Sputnik 
The developers of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine said it hasn’t produced any instances of the dangerous blood-clotting that forced U.S. officials to urge a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

Sputnik’s first dose uses the same human adenovirus as the Johnson & Johnson inoculation, but they have “significant differences in their structure” and it isn’t appropriate to extrapolate safety data from one to the other, the state-run Gamaleya Center said in a  <https://sputnikvaccine.com/newsroom/pressreleases/the-gamaleya-center-statement/> statement.

Switzerland Allows Theaters to Open 
Switzerland will allow theaters, cinemas and outdoor dining at restaurants to open starting Monday, pursuing once again a more liberal course than many of its European neighbors.

EU Sees J&J Recommendation Next Week 
The European Union’s drug regulator is accelerating its review of blood-clot reports with J&J’s vaccine and said it expects to issue a recommendation next week.

EU member states should store doses as they await guidance, and the European Medicines Agency said it will decide shortly whether “regulatory action is necessary.”

Astra Shot Induces Strong T-Cell Response 
The Astra vaccine generated a stronger cellular immune response than the Pfizer and BioNTech shot in people over 80 years old, a study by U.K. researchers shows.

Responses in T cells -- a type of white blood cell that helps fight viruses -- were seen in 31% of participants receiving the Astra vaccine and 12% of the Pfizer-BioNTech group, according to the University of Birmingham and U.K. Coronavirus Immunology Consortium. Elderly people receiving a single dose of either vaccine showed equivalent antibody responses after five weeks.

It’s unclear if the different levels of T cell responses observed will have any impact on clinical effectiveness, the researchers said.

INVESTORS DIARY 2021

Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

Independence Day

18/04/21

Public Holiday in lieu of Independence Day falling on a Sunday

19/04/21

Workers Day

01/05/21

FCB

AGM 

virtual

06/05/21 : 3pm

Africa Day

25/05/21

Companies under Cautionary

ART

PPC

Dairibord

Starafrica

Fidelity

Turnall

Medtech

Zimre

Nampak Zimbabwe

DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are for guideline purposes only and sourced from third parties.

(c) 2021 Web: <http:// www.bullszimbabwe.com >  www.bullszimbabwe.com Email:  <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> info at bulls.co.zw Tel: +263 4 2927658 Cell: +263 77 344 1674

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