As nations across the Asia-Pacific region yesterday extended or reimposed restrictions to tackle fresh waves of infections, Moscow recorded its worst daily COVID-19 death toll so far.
The COVID-19 pandemic has now killed close to 4 million people worldwide, but vaccination drives have brought down infection numbers in many wealthy countries.
However, the Delta strain of the virus remains a concern, as the variant is now in 85 countries and is the most contagious of any COVID-19 strain identified, the WHO has said.
In much of Europe and the US curbs on daily life are easing as vaccination programs bear fruit, although Russia is grappling with a deadly third wave.
Moscow yesterday recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, a day after Saint Petersburg set the previous highest figure.
Saint Petersburg has hosted six UEFA Euro 2020 soccer matches and is due to host a quarter-final on Friday, with spectator numbers capped at half, but still upward of 26,000 people.
Russia as a whole has seen an explosion of infections since the middle of this month driven by the Delta variant, which is also feeding fresh outbreaks in Southeast Asia, where authorities have brought back or prolonged restrictions.
From today, Thailand is reimposing restrictions on restaurants, construction sites and gatherings in Bangkok.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has said he plans to fully reopen the country by October, but this would require vaccinating 50 million people in four months.
In Malaysia, the prime minister announced that a nationwide lockdown in place for about a month already would continue, and he gave no date for the lifting of restrictions.
His government had previously said the strict curbs would be eased in stages, as long as there was a drop in infections, intensive care bed use and a rise in vaccination rates.
In Bangladesh, tens of thousands of migrant workers yesterday fled the capital, Dhaka, on the eve of a tightened lockdown that would curtail most economic activity and confine people to their homes.
Ferries have been operating on overdrive, with some running 24 hours a day and cramming more than 1,000 people onto each trip.
A senior Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corp official said that at least 50,000 people had left the city by ferries yesterday alone.
Infections declined last month, but started to rise again this month, with just more than 6,000 daily cases on Thursday and 108 deaths on Friday, the health ministry said.
Meanwhile, British Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock resigned on Saturday after revelations he broke government COVID-19 restrictions during an affair with a close aide, with former British chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid taking up the role.
The frontman for the UK’s response to the pandemic quit in a letter to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“We owe it to people who have sacrificed so much in this pandemic to be honest when we have let them down as I have done by breaching the guidance,” he wrote.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old
SEA SEARCH: Nine crew members of a cargo ship had taken to the water after the vessel sunk off the southern coast, with a rescue effort under way, officials said The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years yesterday killed three people and flooded parts of the nation’s second-biggest city, while rescuers were searching for nine sailors after their cargo ship sank in the storm. Typhoon Gaemi transformed streets in Kaohsiung into rivers, with some households flooded. Offices and schools were closed for the second consecutive day, with thousands of people evacuated. Three people died and 380 were injured due to strong winds and torrential rainfall brought by Typhoon Gaemi, the Central Emergency Response Center said. The typhoon made landfall in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳) at midnight yesterday and departed Taiwan