UK’s Creaking Covid-19 Test System Puts Health Services at Risk | Britain’s testing system for COVID-19 was creaking as a bottleneck prevented people including medics from getting a test, with the government saying it may take weeks to resolve the problem. In an attempt to slow one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the West, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised in May to create a “world beating” system to test and trace people exposed to the virus.
China Suspends Poultry Imports from Second U.S. Plant Over Covid-19 | China has suspended imports from an OK Foods poultry plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas, because of coronavirus cases among workers, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council said. China, the world’s top meat importer, has blocked products from some plants in foreign countries as part of an all-out effort to control the spread of COVID-19.
Haryana reports 2,493 new Covid-19 cases and 26 deaths on September 15, taking the total number of cases to 98,622 including 77,166 recoveries and 1,026 deaths. There are 20,430 active cases.
Trump Says Covid-19 will ‘Go Way’ Because of ‘Herd Mentality’ | US President Donald Trump has given a town hall in which he said that Covid-19 would go away without a vaccine. This would happen because of “herd mentality,” he said. It is unclear whether he meant herd immunity, as he repeated the phrase several times.
Serum Institute Gets a Nod to Resume Trials in India | Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr VG Somani gave permission to Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country while revoking its earlier order of suspending any new recruitment for phase two and three trial.
No Idol Worship this Durga Puja in Assam | In a meeting, it was unanimously decided that ‘Vedic ritual’ will be performed instead of idol worship this Durga Puja. Temples with permanent idols would be allowed to carry on rituals but COVID-19 protocols are to be followed, said the Dibrugarh Dy Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha.
Canada Not Ruling Out Lockdown Amid Covid-19 Surge but Eyes ‘Surgical Approach’ | Canada’s health minister said she could not rule out another full lockdown if needed amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases, but added Ottawa was significantly more prepared to manage the virus than during the first wave. Patty Hajdu’s comments followed a pledge she made late Monday to take a “surgical approach” to tackling outbreaks. Canada reported 1,351 new cases on Sept. 14, the highest single daily addition since May 1, amid school re openings and flare-ups tied to group gatherings.
Trump Says Coronavirus Vaccine Could be Weeks Away | US President Donald Trump said a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus could be three or four weeks away, underscoring predictions made by U.S. public health officials and Pfizer Inc earlier this month. Trump, speaking at a town hall hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, defended his handling of the coronavirus crisis, and said a vaccine could be ready for distribution soon.
New Zealand Sees Second Consecutive Day With No New Cases | New Zealand reported a second consecutive day of no new cases of Covid-19 spread in the community. A single new case diagnosed in the country on Wednesday, health officials said, was uncovered in a traveler returning to New Zealand who is in quarantine at a managed isolation facility.
LIFE IN A PANDEMIC | Prakash Bhalani, a Surat-based builder has accommodated 42 families who are facing financial crisis due to COVID-19 and are unable to pay rent, at his constructed buildings. He says, “We are charging Rs 1500 as maintenance fee. People can stay here as long as they want.”
World Still at ‘Beginning of Pandemic’, WHO Expert Warns | The world is still at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, a World Health Organization special envoy on Covid-19 has said. Dr David Nabarro described the situation as “grotesque” during a sitting of the UK’s foreign affairs committee. “t’s much worse than any of the science fiction about pandemics. This is really serious – we’re not even in the middle of it yet. We’re still at the beginning of it. And we’re beginning to see what damage it’s going to cause the world. And it’s getting nastier as we go into this particular phase in Europe of watching the thing come back again.”
