A nurse fills a syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center in Seoul on March 20, 2021. (JUNG YEON-JE / POOL / AFP)
TOKYO / DHAKA / BANGKOK / NEW DELHI / SEOUL / WELLINGTON / VIENTIANE- South Korea approved its first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by SK bioscience Co Ltd, for general public use following positive clinical data, authorities said on Wednesday.
Nearly 87 percent of South Korea's 52 million population are fully vaccinated, with 65 percent having also had a booster shot, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency data
The SKYCovione vaccine was authorized for a two-dose regimen on people aged 18 or older, with shots given four weeks apart, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
In a phase III clinical trial of 4,037 adults, SKYCovione induced neutralizing antibody responses against the SARS-CoV-2 parental strain, SK bioscience said in a statement.
It is not yet known how effective it is against Omicron and other COVID-19 variants.
The vaccine was jointly developed by the University of Washington's Institute for Protein Design, with the support of global drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline.
SK bioscience said it would seek authorizations for distribution of SKYCovione in other countries and through global vaccine sharing facility COVAX, and for emergency use listing at the World Health Organization.
South Korean authorities have agreed a 200 billion won ($155 million) deal to buy 10 million doses of the vaccine, which can be stored under normal refrigeration conditions, and previously said they expected it to be rolled out from the second half of the year.
SK bioscience is now looking into its possible use for booster shots, and planning trials for adolescents and children, it added.
Nearly 87 percent of South Korea's 52 million population are fully vaccinated, with 65 percent having also had a booster shot, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency data.
Students arrive to attend their classes at the Rajuk Uttara Model College in Dhaka on Sept 12, 2021, as Bangladesh schools reopened after 18 months in one of the world's longest shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(MUNIR UZAMAN / AFP)
Bangladesh
Amid a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases, Bangladesh's Cabinet Division issued a circular with the six-point directives to be effective immediately on Tuesday.
In line with the directives, people must wear masks at all gatherings, shopping malls and restaurants under the "No mask, no service" policy.
Those who bear any symptoms are encouraged to get themselves tested for COVID-19.
The moves are aimed at limiting the fresh spread of the new wave of COVID-19 as Bangladesh is again seeing a surge in fresh cases after a respite of several months.
India
India reported 14,506 new COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 43,433,345, showed data released by the federal health ministry on Wednesday.
Besides, 30 deaths due to the pandemic since Tuesday morning took the total death toll to 525,077.
The daily positivity rate in the country stood at 3.35 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was 3.30 percent, revealed the ministry.
Pedestrians wearing protective face masks cross a road in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, Japan, July 30, 2020. (SHOKO TAKAYASU / BLOOMBERG)
Japan
Japan's minister in charge of coronavirus measures on Tuesday said the government is "closely monitoring" the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Daishiro Yamagiwa, following the conclusion of a cabinet meeting, also told a press briefing that rising cases overseas involving Omicron's sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 had not gone unnoticed by the government.
As cases rise across the country, Japan has also relaxed its previously strict COVID-related border controls
The government has, however, recommended that people stop wearing masks in certain situations, provided that social distancing measures are adhered to.
As cases rise across the country, Japan has also relaxed its previously strict COVID-19-related border controls.
Overseas visitors from a number of countries are now allowed to enter Japan without vaccine documentation and with no quarantine requirements upon arrival.
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Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan had maintained the strictest border controls out of all Group of Seven (G7) members.
However, as a barometer for the outlook of cases nationwide, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Tuesday reported 2,514 new cases of COVID-19 infections in the capital.
Compared to the same day a week before, the figure increased by 551, the local government said, marking the 11th straight day of week-on-week increases in Tokyo.
From a week earlier, the seven-day average through Tuesday stood at 2,159.7, jumping 28.4 percent from the previous week, the metropolitan government said.
A man receives a dose of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Vientiane, Laos, June 17, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Laos
Some 5,833,738 people have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to 79.5 percent of the total population, according to the Lao Ministry of Health.
As of Monday, a total of 5,136,478 people have had a second dose, accounting for 70 percent of the population, according to the latest report by the Center of Information and Education for Health under the Lao Ministry of Health.
A total of 1,668,269 people in Laos had been given a third COVID-19 injection, equal to 22.7 percent of the total population.
New Zealand
New Zealand recorded 7,829 community cases of COVID-19 and 15 more deaths during the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Wednesday.
Among the new community infections, 2,519 cases were reported in the largest city Auckland, the ministry said.
Schoolchildren and their parents wait in an observation area after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive for 12 to 18-year-olds with preexisting conditions ahead of the re-opening of schools, at the Vachira Haospital in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 21, 2021. (ANDREW MALERBA / BLOOMBERG)
Thailand
Thailand's two deputy prime ministers, Anutin Charnvirakul and Jurin Laksanavisit, have tested positive for COVID-19, local media reported Tuesday.
Anutin, who is also the country's public health minister, and Jurin, who is also the commerce minister, were both confirmed as being infected days after they returned from abroad.
Anutin returned to Thailand on Sunday after attending the 50th meeting of the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board in Geneva, Switzerland, from June 21 to June 24, while Jurin returned from a trip to Britain during June 18 and June 23, according to local media reports.
Both were recommended for a one-week isolation, according to local media.
On Tuesday, Thailand reported 1,761 new confirmed cases and 13 additional fatalities, said the country's Ministry of Public Health.