Coronavirus Global Updates, Mar 24 ::::Astra Promises Results; WHO Sees ‘Worrying Trends and Chicago Reports an Increase in Cases

Wed Mar 24 12:13:11 CAT 2021

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Coronavirus Global Updates, Mar 24 ::::Astra Promises Results; WHO Sees ‘Worrying Trends and Chicago Reports an Increase in Cases

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Zimbabwe COVID19 Update

COVID-19 update: As at 23 March 2021, Zimbabwe had 36 717 confirmed cases, including 34 447 recoveries and 1 516 deaths. To date, a total of 44 135 people have been vaccinated. 

Astra Promises Results; WHO Sees ‘Worrying Trends:’ Virus Update
AstraZeneca Plc  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/astra-may-have-given-outdated-details-on-vaccine-says-u-s-body> said it will release up-to-date results from the final stage trial of its vaccine within 48 hours, responding to criticism from a U.S. science agency. Millions more doses of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine are expected to be released after U.S. regulators cleared the way for a contract manufacturer to help produce them.

The head of the World Health Organization called recent increases in deaths and cases “truly worrying trends.” Pfizer Inc. said it has begun human safety testing of a new pill to treat the coronavirus that could be used at the first sign of illness.

Citigroup Inc. barred internal video calls on Fridays and encouraged vacations in an effort to combat workplace malaise brought on by the pandemic.

 <https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/> 

 <https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/> 

Chicago Reports an Increase in Cases 
Chicago is seeing an uptick in several of its Covid-19 metrics.

The city’s daily cases, positivity rate and related emergency-room visits have moved up in the last few weeks. The city is seeing about 350 cases per day, up from an average of around 270 to 280 daily for the last couple of weeks.

San Francisco to Open Offices, Some Bars 
San Francisco will open offices, outdoor bars and indoor recreational facilities as it moves to California’s orange tier, the state’s second-least restrictive level.

Non-essential offices can open at 25% capacity starting Wednesday under the new guidelines, while already-open indoor businesses including restaurants and stores can expand capacity to 50%. The city also plans to allow outdoor concerts, theater performances and festivals for up to 50 people as of April 1, Mayor London Breed said.

Santa Clara County, home to many of Silicon Valley’s large employers, also moved to the orange tier Tuesday, along with Marin County, a wealthy area north of San Francisco. The majority of California’s counties -- representing 83% of the population -- are in the state’s red, or second-most restrictive, tier for economic activity.

N.Y. Assembly Speaker Heastie Has Covid-19 
New York state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie tested positive on Tuesday for the coronavirus, according to a statement from his office. The Democrat said he was feeling under the weather and experiencing “extremely mild symptoms.”

His positive test result comes in the middle of negotiations on the state’s approximately $193 billion spending plan for fiscal 2022, which begins on April 1. Heastie said he plans to stay in Albany and work from his residence.

On Tuesday, the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee held its first meeting to discuss its impeachment investigation into Governor Andrew Cuomo. Heastie isn’t on that committee but directed it to begin the probe.

Dutch Lockdown Is Extended 
The lockdown in the Netherlands, including a night-time curfew, will be extended until April 20. The move comes after infections rose 16% last week compared with the week before.

The Dutch government did, however, decide to postpone the starting time of the curfew by an hour, looking to retain backing from the Dutch public for the long-lasting, stringent measures. An advisory to not travel abroad was extended until May 15.

J&J Partner Catalent Approved to Make Vaccine 
 <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/j-j-partner-catalent-gets-key-u-s-approval-to-make-vaccine> Millions more doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine are expected to be released after U.S. regulators cleared the way for contract manufacturer Catalent Inc. to help produce them.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Catalent facility in Bloomington, Indiana, to make the single-dose vaccine’s active ingredient.

Norway Bans Alcohol Ahead of Easter 
Norway is tightening national restrictions ahead of the Easter holiday period in attempt to halt a third wave of contagion brought on by more infectious variants. The new measures include a ban on serving alcohol in restaurants and bars across the country and a recommendation that people keep a distance of at least 2 meters (6.5 feet) from each other.

EU to Scrap Exemptions of Export Curbs 
The European Union will  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/eu-to-scrap-country-exemptions-for-vaccine-export-curbs> abolish a list of more than 90 countries that are currently exempt from requiring vaccine export authorizations and will apply potential restrictions even to those pharmaceutical companies that fulfill their contracts with the bloc.

The European Commission will revise its vaccine export transparency and authorization mechanism. The controversial tool introduced in January aims to help EU governments screen vaccine export requests, with the option to turn them down in certain cases.

Texas, Georgia Open Vaccines to All Adults 
Texas and Georgia joined a growing list of U.S. states opening vaccinations to all adults. Georgia will offer the shots starting Thursday.

Texas to open  <https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> #COVID19 vaccination to all adults on March 29.

With every dose, Texas gets closer to normal and protects more lives from COVID-19 hospitalization and death.

Pfizer Begins Human Trials of Covid Pill 
Pfizer Inc. said it has begun human safety testing of a  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/pfizer-begins-human-trials-of-new-pill-to-treat-coronavirus> new pill to treat the coronavirus that could be used at the first sign of illness.

If it succeeds in trials, the pill could be prescribed early on in an infection to block viral replication before patients get very sick. The drug binds to an enzyme called a protease to keep the virus from replicating. Protease-inhibiting medicines have been successful in treating other types of viruses, include HIV and Hepatitis C.

The new protease inhibitor is the second such medicine Pfizer has brought into human trials to treat Covid-19. Pfizer is testing another given intravenously to hospitalized virus patients.

NYC Municipal Workers Will Return May 3 
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said about 80,000 city workers will return to their offices beginning May 3, a promise he outlined in his State of the City address in January.

The city has administered more than 3.4 million vaccines and is expecting a “major boost” in supply in early April, the mayor said. All New Yorkers 50 and older are eligible to get their Covid-19 shots.

Portugal Reaffirms Vaccine Goal 
Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido reaffirmed that the country will meet a goal to administer a vaccine dose to at least 80% of people over 80 by the end of March. “Naturally, if we had access to more vaccines we would have the possibility of vaccinating more people,” Temido told reporters.

WHO’s Tedros Sees ‘Truly Worrying Trends’ 
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the recent rise in Covid-19 deaths and cases are “truly worrying trends.”

Speaking at a World Trade Organization  <https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/gr21_e/gr21ext_session_e.htm?session=08> virtual event, Tedros urged nations to waive intellectual property rights for vaccines as a “mid- to long-term solution” to help developing countries manufacture their own shots.

Fauci: Astra Likely Has a Very Good Vaccine 
“The fact is this is very likely a very good vaccine,” Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. expert on infectious diseases, said of the Astra shot in a “Good Morning America” interview.

Astra earlier  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/astra-may-have-given-outdated-details-on-vaccine-says-u-s-body> said it will release up-to-date results from the final stage trial of the shot within 48 hours, responding to criticism from a U.S. science agency that the drugmaker’s analysis included old information.

India Speeds Vaccine Push Amid Second Wave
India’s government  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/india-accelerates-vaccination-drive-as-second-covid-wave-grows> opened one of the biggest coronavirus immunization campaigns to everyone over the age of 45 as the nation grapples with a case resurgence amid tensions over delayed vaccine supplies to other countries.

World Is Too Optimistic About Covid: Farrar 
“This pandemic is nowhere near its end,” Jeremy Farrar, an infectious-disease specialist and director of Wellcome, the U.K. research foundation, said at a conference. “There remains in my view too much optimism that there will be a single magic bullet that solves it all.”

After one year, the world remains closer to the start of the pandemic than to its conclusion, as new waves take place around the world, Farrar said.

In a separate presentation, Fauci sounded a more positive tone. He said people should remain cautiously optimistic about the outlook, even as U.S. cases plateau following recent declines.

“I don’t think that that should cause us to despair,” Fauci said in an online talk. “As we continue to vaccinate more and more people, which will ultimately give us control of the outbreak, we’ve got to remember we can’t just completely turn off all public health measures.”

Countries Loosen Visitor Rules 
Cyprus will open its borders starting April 1 to visitors from Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K. Those with a negative test result who haven’t come into close contact with a confirmed case will be guaranteed a quarantine-free stay. Vaccinated travelers from Israel won’t need to be tested, and the same will apply to Britain starting May 1.

Kuwait said arrivals who have taken one of the vaccines it has approved would be exempt from hotel quarantine requirements.

Citi CEO Bans Zoom on Friday, Urges Vacations 
Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jane Fraser has  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/citigroup-ceo-bans-zoom-calls-on-friday-encourages-vacations> barred internal video calls on Fridays and encouraged vacations in an effort to combat workplace malaise brought on by the pandemic.

Fraser, who succeeded Michael Corbat earlier this year, said the final day of the working week shall be known as “Zoom-Free Fridays” and designated May 28 as a holiday to be known as “Citi Reset Day.”

INVESTORS DIARY 2021

Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

Old Mutual

analysts briefing

24/03/21 | 2:30pm

Willdale

AGM

Boardroom, Willdale Administration Block, Teneriffe, 19.5km peg Lomagundi Road, Mt Hampden

25/03/21 | 11am

TSL

AGM

Virtual |  <https://eagm.creg.co.zw/eagmzim/> https://eagm.creg.co.zw/eagmzim/ Login.aspx | in the Auditorium, Ground Floor, 28 Simon Mazorodze Road, Southerton

25/03/21 | 12pm

CFI

AGM

Farm & City Boardroom, 1st Floor Farm & City Complex, 1 Wynne Street

31/03/21 | 11am

Good Friday

02/04/21

Easter Sunday

04/04/21

Easter Monday

05/04/21

Independence Day

18/04/21

Public Holiday in lieu of Independence Day falling on a Sunday

19/04/21

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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