China Reins in Flareup; Thailand Mixed on Covax: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) --

AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccine showed limited efficacy against mild disease caused by the South African variant of Covid-19, according to early data in a small phase trial.

New cases in the U.S. continued to signal a declining trend. Though deaths remain high, the average daily increase in infections fell 20% from the previous week. New cases in Brazil dropped for a third consecutive week.

China reined in a northern flareup, with just one new infection in Jilin province. Australia broadened testing for quarantined travelers to stop the virus leaking into the community. Thailand said the conditions of buying vaccines through the World Health Organization-backed Covax program are too strict to make a purchase worthwhile.

Key Developments:

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Indonesia Approves Sinovac Vaccine for Elderly (12:50 p.m. HK)

Indonesia approved China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s Covid-19 vaccine for use on the elderly and may start inoculations between March and April, according to the health ministry.

Indonesia started its mass inoculation drive on Jan. 13 with a Sinovac vaccine. More than 777,000 people have received their first shot and about 137,000 have had a second, official data showed. The government plans to vaccinate 181.5 million people by March 2022.

Malaysia to House Migrant Workers in Hotels (11:45 a.m. HK)

Malaysia’s government has kicked off a plan to temporarily house migrant workers in near-empty hotels across the nation to tackle the worsening spread of Covid-19 cases due to workplace clusters.

The program will indirectly assist hotel operators hurt by the pandemic, the tourism ministry said. Overcrowded conditions in employee dormitories have been a key source of infections, spurring record cases and pressuring Malaysia’s health system. The nation has more than 1.5 million documented migrant workers, 91% of whom live in accommodation that doesn’t meet minimum housing standards, according to the Ministry of Human Resources.

Thailand’s Covax Reluctance (9:35 a.m. HK)

The Thai government won’t procure Covid-19 vaccines through the World Health Organization-backed Covax program for now because the conditions are too strict. The move may put the country at risk of getting delayed vaccines at higher prices.

Under the program, Thailand would be charged extra for booking and it would have limitations on the producers and delivery period. Covax also requires a minimum purchase of 10% of a country’s population for a fast order with conditions and costs, said Nakorn Premsri, director of Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute.

China Outbreak Reined In (8:42 a.m. HK)

China reported just one new local case in Jilin province as the country brings a coronavirus resurgence in its northern regions under control. Outstanding cases in the country totaled 1,176 as of yesterday, the National Health Commission said.

Australian State Tightens Quarantine Testing (7:48 a.m. HK)

Australia’s most-populous state tightened Covid-19 quarantine testing rules in a bid to stop the virus leaking into the community. Returned overseas travelers in New South Wales must now be tested two days after they complete 14-day hotel quarantines, NSW Health said in a statement.

Kentucky Passes 4,000 Deaths (7:02 a.m. HK)

Kentucky reported 49 new deaths, passing 4,000 since the start of the pandemic. “Despite cases falling, we are still losing our people at an alarming rate,” Governor Andy Beshear tweeted. “This is why we mask up and follow the guidance. We must protect against the loss of those we love.” Cases and hospitalizations have been dropping steadily in Kentucky over the last month, while deaths have only fallen slightly.

Astra Vaccine Shows Less Effect Against South Africa Variant (5:46 p.m. NY)

AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 vaccine has shown limited efficacy against mild disease caused by the variant first identified in South Africa, according to early data in a small phase trial.

Efficacy against severe Covid-19 cases, hospitalization and deaths was not yet determined, “given that subjects were predominantly young healthy adults,” a spokesperson for AstraZeneca said in a statement.

None of the participants in the study died or was hospitalized, according to the Financial Times, which first reported on findings of the study.

First U.K. Vaccine Goal May Be Reached Early (5:42 p.m. NY)

The U.K.’s vaccine rollout plan, which aims to inoculate nine priority groups by early May, is going so well that the target could be met by April, the Sunday Telegraph reported, citing unidentified government sources.

Ministers are also discussing a plan in which roving teams would go to places of work to help vaccinate people aged under 50, the report said. The government is still assessing whether to give shots to those most at risk or to put emergency workers and teachers at the head of the line.

Australians to Have Vaccination Proof on Phones, SMH Says (5:24 p.m. NY)

Australians will be able to access their Covid-19 vaccination certificates on their mobile phones, allowing them to access hospitals and high-risk areas, and possibly to cross state borders, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The plans are being considered by federal Cabinet ministers before Australians start receiving shots later this month, the newspaper reported.

Brazil Weekly Cases, Deaths Slow (5:20 p.m. NY)

Brazil’s new cases dropped for a third consecutive week, with 50,630 infections reported on Saturday, Health Ministry data show. Though the reductions show a slowing of the nation’s second wave, cases remain as high as during the surge last summer. Total cases are almost 9.5 million, the highest after the U.S. and India.

Deaths remain at about the same level as last summer, though the weekly number declined. Another 978 fatalities were reported Saturday, for a total of 231,012, the most after the U.S.

London Mosque Seeks to Overcome Vaccine Mistrust (4:43 p.m. NY)

A London mosque has become a vaccination center aimed at overcoming mistrust among Muslims about getting inoculated, the Press Association reported. An official at the London Muslim Centre said only three of 200 people contacted recently to receive the vaccine showed up for the AstraZeneca shot.

“We are telling the people that it is wise for you to take the vaccine because you are not only helping yourself but you are helping the community and beyond,” the mosque official, Asad Jaman, was quoted as saying.

Advice for Covid-Year Super Bowl (3:18 p.m. NY)

The Super Bowl may not be an actual holiday but public health experts are treating it like others of this past year: a moment when Covid-19 could spread, now at a time when infections are finally falling again.

“Enjoy the Super Bowl but don’t do it with a large crowd of people in your house,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday on MSNBC. “It’s a perfect setup to have a mini-superspreader event in your house. Don’t do that.”

Pace of U.S. Weekly Case Increases Falls 20%; Deaths Steady (8:18 a.m NY)

The U.S. added 131,747 new cases on Friday, an increase over the previous day but in line with the overall declining trend of new infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. The number brings the daily average, measured over a week, to 126,283. This is a 20% drop from the previous week’s average.

The nation added 3,625 new deaths on Friday, a substantial drop from the previous day’s 5,054, which was one of the highest on record. The number is higher than the weekly average of 3,247. Average daily deaths remained essentially unchanged this week over the last, the data show.

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