Philippines extends virus curbs as cases hit new record high

A member of the Philippine National Police stands on a road in San Juan City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, Aug 6, 2021. (VEEJAY VILLAFRANCE/BLOOMBERG)

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has lengthened coronavirus restrictions in the capital region and some provinces, his spokesperson said on Saturday, as the Southeast Asian nation logged a new record in daily COVID-19 infections.

The Philippines, which has among the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, is battling a renewed surge in COVID-19 cases driven by community transmission of the more infectious Delta variant.

The health ministry recorded 19,441 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, notching a record-high for the third time in the past nine days. Total confirmed cases have risen to more than 1.93 million, while deaths have reached 33,008, after 167 more fatalities were recorded.

The government on Saturday extended the second-highest level of quarantine curbs in the capital region until Sept 7. Although some businesses can operate at up to 50 percent on-site capacity, restaurant dine-in, personal care services and religious activities are still prohibited in the capital region.

The capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to more than 13 million people, is the country's coronavirus epicenter, accounting for a third of the 1.91 million confirmed infections and a quarter of the 32,841 total deaths.

Empty tables and chairs are seen at a closed restaurant along a quiet Circular Quay in Sydney on July 6, 2021, as the city remains in lockdown for a second week to contain an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant.
(BIANCA DE MARCHI / AFP)

Australia

Australia reported a record 1,126 coronavirus infectious on Saturday, the vast majority in New South Wales, the epicenter of the Delta-fuelled outbreak.

More than half of Australians have been in weeks-long lockdowns as officials in Sydney and Melbourne, the country's largest cities, and the capital Canberra struggle to quell the outbreak.

New South Wales, the most populous state and home to Sydney, reported 1,035 locally acquired COVID-19 infections, breaking Thursday's record of 1,029 as the outbreak that started in mid-June continues to grow.

Victoria reported 64 cases, mostly in its capital Melbourne, and Australian Capital Territory that includes Canberra had 26 infections. Queensland had one, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd told a briefing.

Local media reported that the New South Wales government is mulling to ban unvaccinated people from restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues.

The New South Wales government is consulting with industry groups on a plan to require all hospitality staff and patrons to prove they have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine when the state begins to emerge from lockdown after reaching 70 percent vaccination rate, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

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Small-scale businesses such as hairdressers and beauty salons will begin a trial in coming weeks where both employees and customers are vaccinated, and could serve as a litmus test for other sectors such as hospitality, according to the newspaper report.

India

India on Saturday reported 46,759 new coronavirus infections, the most in nearly two months, as cases surged in the southern state of Kerala after a big festival.

The South Asian country's total COVID-19 cases reached nearly 32.7 million and deaths rose by 509 to 437,370 in the last 24 hours.

Kerala, which last week celebrated a local festival, accounted for 70 percent of the new cases.

India administered more than 10 million vaccine doses in the past 24 hours, a national record that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a "momentous feat" for the country ahead of fears of another surge in infections.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s fortress against the pandemic suffered another breach as the formerly COVID-free nation reported 82 new local cases, all in Auckland, lifting the total in the community outbreak to 429.

Less than a quarter of New Zealand’s population over the age of 12 is fully vaccinated. The nation administered more than 89,000 vaccines on Friday, the second-biggest daily total to date.

Palestine

Palestine on Friday recorded the highest daily count of 1,863 COVID-19 cases in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in weeks.

Six fatalities and 470 recoveries were reported in the Palestinian territories in the last 24 hours.

South Korea

South Korea reported 1,793 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Friday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 246,951.

The daily caseload was down from 1,841 in the prior day, but it hovered above 1,000 for 53 straight days.

Members of the public wait in line for a free COVID-19 test at Wat Suthi Wararam, a Buddhist temple providing free medical facilities and food to those in need, in Bangkok, Thailand, o, Aug 19, 2021.
(BLOOMBERG)

Thailand

Thailand reported 17,984 new infections, the lowest in four days, and 292 deaths. Authorities said the current outbreak has peaked and approved the relaxation of some restrictions from Sept 1 to allow inter-provincial travel, and restaurants and more businesses in shopping malls to reopen in 29 provinces, which are currently under the strictest curbs.

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The easing is part of the government’s “living with COVID” strategy hinted at earlier this week, with a goal of containing the outbreak to a level that doesn’t overwhelm the health-care system. There are currently 182,357 active cases in the country, with 5,109 patients in critical condition and 1,069 on ventilators.

Turkey

Turkey on Friday reported 18,340 new COVID-19 cases, raising its tally of infections to 6,311,637, according to its Health Ministry.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 244 to 55,713, while 14,528 more people recovered in the last 24 hours, said the ministry.