Coronavirus Global Updates May 20 ::: India Cases Decline, but Fungus Seen as Epidemic ; Moderna Eyes Asian Production

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Coronavirus Global Updates May 20 :::Taiwan Cases Surge, Thai Workers Join Vaccine Line

 


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Zimbabwe COVID19 Update


COVID-19 update: As at 20 May 2021, Zimbabwe had 38 635 confirmed cases, including 36 427 recoveries and 1 585 deaths. To date, a total of 615 296 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

 


 


Indian Epidemic; Moderna Eyes Asian Production: Virus Update


Moderna said it’s  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFYUXT1UM0Y> considering making Covid vaccines in Asia. India said a  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/cascade-of-rare-complications-deepen-india-s-covid-misery> deadly fungal infection considered a secondary ailment of Covid should be designated an epidemic.



The European Union moved forward with a plan for EU-wide vaccination certificates, boosting chances of a summer tourism rebound. The number of U.K. cases of a worrying virus variant from India  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/u-k-cases-of-covid-variant-from-india-more-than-double-in-week> more than doubled for a second week, adding fresh doubt to plans to fully unlock the economy.

New York will offer $20 scratch-off lottery tickets as a vaccine incentive, with a maximum payout of $5 million, while Maryland residents who get vaccinated can compete for $2 million in prize money. Unvaccinated Americans should keep wearing masks in public, said Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s top health adviser.


Hungary to Eliminate Outdoor Mask Mandate 
Hungary won’t require  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFZQBT0G1KY> masks to be worn outdoors as the country approaches a milestone of having given 5 million people a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.. A nightly curfew will be eliminated and limits on store openings will be relaxed, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio Friday.




India Cases Decline, but Fungus Seen as Epidemic 
ndia reported 259,551 new infections Friday, continuing with the declining trend seen since a record high May 7. The total tally inched past 26 million, while deaths rose by more than 4,200 to 291,331, according the heath ministry.


The country also is seeing a raft of  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/cascade-of-rare-complications-deepen-india-s-covid-misery> secondary ailments, from dangerous inflammatory syndrome in children to rising cases of a deadly black fungal infection called mucormycosis, which India’s government has asked states to designate as an epidemic.




Moderna Confirms Seeking to Produce Vaccine in Asia 
Moderna is considering  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFYUXT1UM0Y> making its Covid-19 vaccine in Asia to expand global production and accelerate inoculations, CEO Stephane Bancel said in an interview with Nikkei. Bancel said he’s in talks with several Asian countries, including Japan. A company spokeswoman confirmed the news.



Takeda said Friday it plans to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFWOIT1UM0Z> start distributing the Moderna vaccine in Japan “immediately,” after the Health Ministry approved it this week. South Korea said Friday it also had <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFY3QT0AFB5> approved Moderna’s shot.

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca said production of its vaccine is  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTG0SLT0AFB7> already underway in Japan, with the first doses expected to be available in coming weeks.


Philippines Could Open to Vaccinated Tourists 
The Philippines is considering accepting fully vaccinated foreign travelers, with the Tourism and Foreign Affairs Departments tasked with crafting protocols, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Friday.




Thai Protests to Resume When Outbreak Subsides 
Thai protest leaders plan to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-21/thai-protesters-plan-comeback-as-virus-response-fuels-disquiet> revive demonstrations as soon as the country’s worst coronavirus outbreak starts to ease, adding to the government’s challenges as it comes under fire for a slow vaccine rollout.


After a monthslong hiatus due to a spike in cases, protest leaders say they want to rally support for a movement that began last year with calls for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha’s resignation and unprecedented reforms of the monarchy. Authorities have faced increasing public criticism for Thailand’s third wave of Covid-19, which has more than quadrupled total cases since early April.

“We can’t wait too long. We want to take advantage of this period when there’s a lot of anger,” Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon, one of the protest leaders, said in a telephone interview.




New Zealand to Seek Vaccine Tariff Removal: DJ
New Zealand will push to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFRHAT0G1KW> remove tariffs on vaccines and medical supplies when it hosts a virtual summit of APEC trade ministers June 5, Dow Jones reported, citing an interview with Trade Minister Damien O’Connor. A commitment to removing barriers to trade in vaccines and related medical supplies will be the “first and core component” of the meeting, O’Connor said.


Japan May Extend Emergency By 3 Weeks 
Japan’s government will discuss whether to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFNIVT0G1L5> extend a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas by as much as three weeks, with daily virus cases still high two months before the Olympics.


The emergency, set to expire at the end of this month, may be extended to coincide with the June 20 end of Okinawa’s state of emergency, TBS reported. NTV reported Thursday on a possible extension for Tokyo and Osaka. The Olympics, beginning July 23, are expected to bring about 94,000 athletes and officials from overseas to Tokyo.


Singapore’s MAS Calls Fed Swaps Pandemic ‘Lifeline’ 
 <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTFLHAT0G1KW> Sustaining dollar liquidity to other countries is the “best the U.S. can do” amid the global recovery from the pandemic, Monetary Authority of Singapore Managing Director Ravi Menon said Friday, calling the Federal Reserve’s swap lines a “real lifeline.”


Speaking at an event hosted by the Institute of International Finance, Menon warned of a two-speed recovery, with Covid now a “feature” of many emerging economies while the U.S., China and Europe start to recover.


Singapore Steps Up Testing Amid Rise in Cases 
Singapore is  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/singapore-finds-27-new-virus-cases-with-some-unlinked-infections> stepping up Covid testing amid a rise in new and unlinked infections. The government will conduct tests for all residents of one housing block after positive cases were found there, and about 2,000 more students and staff from Singapore Polytechnic will undergo testing after four students were found to have the virus.


The number of new coronavirus cases in the community has more than doubled in the past week to 190, while the number of infections unlinked to previous clusters has risen by more than four times, forcing Singapore back into lockdown-like conditions.


Argentina Tightens Lockdown as Cases Surge 
Argentina will impose a stricter lockdown for nine days as cases and deaths have shot up in recent weeks. President Alberto Fernandez announced that all non-essential, in-person activities -- including schools, sports, churches and social gatherings -- will be suspended from Saturday, and only essential businesses may remain open.


Then, from May 31 to June 11, the government will return to current restrictions, which still involve an 8 p.m. curfew and limited social activities.


Brunei Suspends Green Lane With Singapore 
Brunei  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTEJVQT0AFB5> temporarily suspended its reciprocal “green lane” travel arrangement with Singapore until further notice from Thursday evening, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei.


All travelers from Singapore will have to self-isolate at hotels for a period determined by Brunei’s health ministry, according to the statement dated Wednesday.


Sputnik, Cansino Seek Indonesia Approval 
 <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTEFDVT0AFB9> Indonesia will decide whether the Sputnik and Cansino vaccines will be used in the state inoculation program or in a private program, Honesti Basyir, president director of Indonesia’s state vaccine maker Bio Farma, told a parliament panel Thursday.


Bio Farma and the government are lobbying Saudi Arabian authorities to include Sinovac’s vaccine on its preferred list for the hajj pilgrimage. Bio Farma expects Sinovac to get emergency-use listing procedure from the World Health Organization in the first or second week of June.


Malaysian Firms Want Tighter Curbs, Not Lockdown 
Malaysian industries are calling on the government to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTEFC9T0G1QQ> avoid a full lockdown and instead tighten virus protocols and accelerate the vaccine roll-out, as infections hit a record for a second straight day.


Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will chair a meeting Friday to discuss a nationwide Movement Control Order, Bernama reported, after cases topped 6,000 for a second straight day Thursday. One-third of the new cases originated from Selangor, Malaysia’s most industrialized state, which said it was willing to accept a lockdown with hospitals low on ICU beds.


U.K. Plans ‘Pandemic Radar’ 
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans Friday to create a “global pandemic radar” to identify and track new coronavirus variants and other emerging diseases. The WHO will work with the U.K. and partners, including the Wellcome Trust, to develop an international pathogen surveillance network before the end of 2021, according to an emailed statement. The announcement was made ahead of the Global Health Summit convened by G20 President Italy and the European Union.


Africa Death Risk Higher for Very Ill 
Critically ill Covid patients in Africa face an outsize  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/more-critical-covid-patients-die-in-africa-due-to-poor-resources> risk of death, mainly because health systems lack key resources like hospital beds and oxygen machines, according to a study.


The death rate in the month after admission to intensive care is about 48% on the continent, compared with about 32% globally, according to a report published Thursday in The Lancet.


U.K. Cases of India Strain Double 
The number of U.K. cases of a worrying coronavirus variant from India  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/u-k-cases-of-covid-variant-from-india-more-than-double-in-week> more than doubled for a second week as authorities also monitor a new mutation of the virus, adding fresh doubt to plans to fully unlock the economy.


Health officials have now detected 3,424 cases of the B1.617.2 variant, Public Health England said Thursday in a statement, up from 1,313 last week and 520 a week earlier. They’re also investigating a mutation called VUI-21MAY-01, with 49 cases logged so far.


Taiwan Seeks U.S. Vaccine Help 
U.S. help in securing vaccines could  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/taiwan-says-u-s-vaccine-aid-would-help-shield-chip-industry> protect Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, according to James Lee, the head of Taipei’s cultural and economic office in New York, amid concern about a shortage of chips used in everything from mobile phones to automobiles.




While Taiwan’s increasing cases haven’t had an impact yet, “if it lasts too long there could be logistical problems,” he said in an interview. “We have talked to the Biden administration and we work closely together. We expect them to help.”


Morocco to Ease Nightly Curfew 
Morocco’s nightly curfew, which has been in force for much of the last 13 months, will be eased on Friday after new cases declined, the government said in a statement.


Cafes, bars and restaurants will be allowed to say open an extra three hours until 11 p.m., according to a cabinet statement on the MAP newswire.


EU Vaccine Certificate Plan Set for Summer 
With the summer tourism season at stake, European Union negotiators agreed to introduce mutually recognized vaccination certificates designed to let people travel within the EU without having to  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/eu-backs-vaccine-certificates-plan-opening-beaches-for-summer> quarantine.




European Parliament representatives and the 27 EU governments agreed on the plan, which requires a formal approval process before taking effect at the end of June. Proof of vaccination issued by non-European governments would be accepted. The EU will soon allow quarantine-free travel for vaccinated visitors from  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-19/europe-opens-door-to-vaccinated-americans-with-new-travel-rules> non-EU countries deemed safe, too.


 


Maryland, New York Offer Vaccination Lotteries 
Maryland, which previously offered residents free pizza as an incentive to get vaccinated, is now trying it with a $2 million lottery.


Forty daily drawings with $40,000 in prize money and a grand prize of $400,000 on July 4 are planned, according to Kata Hall, Governor Larry Hogan’s deputy communications director.

In New York, vaccinations next week will come with free scratch-off lottery tickets worth $20, with the chance of both small prizes and a multimillion dollar payoff.


BioNTech to Begin Production in Turkey 
BioNTech SE Chief Executive Officer Ugur Sahin said Thursday the company plans to both produce and engage in research and development of vaccines  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/terminal/QTEZTWT0AFB5> in Turkey.




BioNTech plans to increase the number of vaccines to be dispatched to Turkey to 120 million, with new shipments planned from July to September, Sahin said after attending a meeting of the Turkish pandemic board.


Astra Efficacy Reported High 
Two doses of AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 vaccine provide about 85%-90%  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/two-astra-doses-give-up-to-90-protection-from-covid-symptoms> protection against symptomatic disease, according to statistics released Thursday by Public Health England.


The health body estimated that 13,000 deaths have been prevented in England as of May 9 in people ages 60 and older. It also suggested that vaccinations have stopped almost 40,000 hospitalizations among those over 65.


Fauci Cites Masking Confusion 
U.S. health leaders’ move to relax nationwide rules on masks for fully vaccinated people has spurred  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/fauci-says-confusion-over-cdc-mask-guidance-must-be-cleared-up> “understandable confusion” that must be cleared up, said Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease doctor.


Fully vaccinated Americans can shed their masks in most places, including indoors and in large groups, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said May 13. Still, it’s recommended that even fully vaccinated people wear masks on public transportation, in health-care and correctional facilities, and where required by state and local governments or businesses. The unvaccinated should still mask up in public.

“The problem is,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “people interpreted that as a signal that you don’t need masks anymore, which absolutely is not the case.”


Moderna Exports Shots From U.S. 
Moderna Inc. has begun  <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-20/moderna-starts-shipping-vaccine-from-u-s-boosting-shot-exports> exporting U.S.-produced Covid vaccines to other countries, a key step as U.S. vaccine supply begins to be shipped abroad.


Moderna and Pfizer Inc. have been the backbone of the U.S. vaccination campaign, which is leveling off as domestic demand wanes. Their shipments of their coveted mRNA vaccines could be a turning point for nations that have sought to get any doses they can, including less effective ones.

 


 


 


 

 


 

INVESTORS DIARY 2021

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

Africa Day

 

25/05/21

 


 

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

 


 

 


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