Live COVID-19 updates: Chinese biopharmaceutical producer Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine simple, effective: media
The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
- - - -
WASHINGTON -- An inactivated COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical producer Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd. could be effective in stopping COVID-19, Bloomberg reported.
"In terms of timing, the company was ahead of most other potential vaccines, including the new models meant to facilitate strong protection and fast production," Bloomberg said in an article titled "China's Vaccine Front-Runner Aims to Beat COVID the Old-Fashioned Way" published Monday.
- - - -
BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 3,962 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 211,947.
It also reported 77 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 6,596, while 3,372 more patients recovered in the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 153,761.
- - - -
TOKYO -- Japan on Tuesday confirmed 716 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the nation's cumulative total to 64,000 cases.
The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 182 new daily cases, remaining below the 200-mark for the second straight day, although still comparatively high.
- - - -
KATHMANDU -- After conducting the first ever transfusion of plasma to treat a COVID-19 patient in late July, a Nepali hospital has treated five critically ill patients of COVID-19 with the plasma therapy so far.
"The result of the treatment on all five patients has been good with all either recovered or are recovering," Dr. Santa Kumar Das, coordinator of COVID-19 Management Committee at Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, told Xinhua on Tuesday.
- - - -
HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced on Tuesday to ease some social distancing restrictions.
Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 19 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, including 16 local cases, on Tuesday afternoon, with the total tally at 4,710.
- - - -
KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait on Tuesday reported 613 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 81,573 and the death toll to 519, the Health Ministry said in a statement.
Currently, 7,652 patients are receiving treatment, including 95 in ICU, according to the statement.
- - - -
YANGON -- Myanmar has reopened 6,526 high schools in the country's regions and states since July 21, excluding Rakhine state, where increasing number of infection cases of COVID-19 were reported, according to an announcement from the Education Ministry on Tuesday.
"Scrutiny processes are being carried out to reopen the rest high schools soon, but reopening of middle and primary schools cannot be set yet as it may depend on the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country," Director General U Ko Lay Win of Basic Education Department under the ministry told Xinhua.
- - - -
BERLIN -- The German government deficit or net borrowing totaled 51.6 billion euros (61 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half (H1) of the year, according to provisional results published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Tuesday.
Germany had recorded a surplus of 46.5 billion euros in H1 of previous year but the COVID-19 pandemic "significantly affected the budgets of central government, state government, local government and social security funds," Destatis noted.
