![Hindu devotees take a holy dip in the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, Uttarakhand [Idrees Mohammed/EPA]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/h_56825915.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Virus detected in more than 1,000 people in Haridwar along Ganges River where the weeks-long festival is being observed.
Live updates
WHO worries COVID rates could surge in MENA: Live news
Infections in the MENA region rose 22 percent last week, while deaths rose 17 percent, according to the UN health agency.
![Muslim worshippers attend prayers at the historic medieval Omari Grand Mosque in Gaza City on April 13, 2021 [Mahmud Hams/AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/000_97W7WJ.jpg?resize=770%2C513)
14 Apr 2021
|
Updated:
3 minutes ago
- The World Health Organization expressed concern the coronavirus pandemic could get worse in the Middle East and North Africa region during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
- Denmark is halting the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, the head of the Danish Health Administration announces.
- India’s worst-hit and richest state Maharashtra is set to impose stricter restrictions for 15 days to stem the surge of coronavirus infections.
- More than 137 million people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and about 78 million have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 2.96 million people have died globally.
Wednesday, April 14
Moderna production unlikely to significantly increase in next few months -CEO
The pace of Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine production is unlikely to speed up markedly in the next few months, though the drugmaker expects its manufacturing capacity to expand significantly by 2022, Chief Executive Stephane Bancel said during a Wednesday investor call.
Moderna is still on track to deliver between 700 million and 1 billion doses in 2021, Bancel said. “Adding big chunks of capacity takes time,” he added.
Spain ready to begin distributing J&J vaccine as soon as EMA gives green light
Spain is prepared to begin distributing the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine as soon as the European Medicine Agency gives a favourable view on the shot, Health Minister Carolina Darias said.
The first batch of 300,000 doses of the vaccine, which has been suspended in the United State over clotting concerns, arrived in Spain earlier on Wednesday but will remain in storage until the EMA announces new guidelines.
WHO worried coronavirus rates could spike during Ramadan
The World Health Organization expressed concern Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic could worsen in the Middle East and North Africa during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Detected cases of infection in the region rose 22 percent last week, while deaths rose 17 percent, said Ahmed al-Mandhari, the Cairo-based chief of the WHO for the eastern Mediterranean.
Mandhari said the situation in the region reflects a “worrying trend”.
People pray before Iftar (breaking fast) during the fasting month of Ramadan, as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease continues, at a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan April 14, 2021 [Fayaz Aziz/REUTERS]
UK’s Johnson shortens India visit as cases spiral
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will shorten his delayed visit to India later this month, his first major bilateral foreign visit since taking power in 2019, his office said.
The trip was originally set for January and heralded as an opportunity for Britain to refocus its international trade policy in the wake of Brexit as it pursues a so-called “global Britain” strategy.
But spiking coronavirus deaths at home caused the delay and now rising cases in India have led to Johnson shorten the three-day visit, which starts April 26.
Trinidad government to close beaches amid rise in cases
The government of Trinidad and Tobago says it is closing all beaches in the twin-island nation for three weeks to stem a rise in coronavirus cases.
Officials also say they’re banning indoor dining at restaurants, bars and casinos. Only groups of five, instead of 10, will be allowed to gather in public. The measures take effect at midnight Thursday.
South Africa suspension of J&J in South Africa out of caution – adviser
South Africa has suspended the Johnson & Johnson shot as a matter of pre-caution, a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 told Al Jazeera, shortly after the United States suspended the use of the vaccine over fear of blood clots.
“In the South African setting where we have administered doses we haven’t seen this rare condition, but because this has been seen in the United States and they’re evaluating it now, it was thought wise that we just put a temporary halt,” Helen Rees said over Skype.
“We’ve been very cautious about safety and evaluating them. That’s good news that’s reassuring for the public.”
However, Rees said the constant starting and stopping of the vaccine rollout was “confusing for the public”.
Portugal extends COVID-19 emergency until end of April
Portugal’s parliament extended a state of emergency for 15 days as health experts warned that a gradual relaxation of strict lockdown rules now underway could soon lead to a significant jump in coronavirus cases.
The state of emergency grants the government powers to take emergency measures such as imposing a nighttime curfew if deemed necessary, though the general trend is currently to ease a lockdown imposed in January to curb what was then the world’s worst COVID-19 surge.
Portugal has suffered 828,857 cases and 16,931 deaths since the start of the pandemic [File: Pedro Nunes/REUTERS]
Canada will not restrict AstraZeneca vaccine
Canada’s health ministry said it would not restrict use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after a review showed the benefits outweighed the very rare risk of blood clots.
A separate advisory council had earlier recommended Canada stop offering the vaccine to people under 55. The panel is now reviewing that advice, the health ministry said in a statement.
Fauci says US pause on J&J shot should not prompt vaccine hesitancy
Top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci reaffirmed that the COVID-19 shots authorised in the US are safe, after US regulators paused shipments of Johnson & Johnson’s shot amid reports it can cause blood clotting.
US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr Rochelle Walensky urged Americans to keep their appointments for shots from Moderna and Pfizer as the US government works to boost availability of the other authorised shots to offset the pause on J&J dose shipments.
“I want to be clear that this announcement will not have a significant impact on our vaccination program. The J&J vaccine makes up less than 5 percent of the more than 190 million recorded shots in the arms in the US to date,” White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said at a press briefing.
Yesterday's announcement will not significantly impact our vaccination program.
We have more than enough supply of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to keep our pace, hit our goal of 200 million shots in our first 100 days, and reach all adults who want to be vaccinated by May 31.
— White House COVID-19 Response Team (@WHCOVIDResponse) April 14, 2021
Italy reports 469 coronavirus deaths, 16,168 new cases
Italy reported 469 coronavirus-related deaths against 476 on Tuesday, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 16,168 from 13,447.
Italy has registered 115,557 deaths linked to COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged in February last year, the second-highest toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.
Malawi to destroy more than 16,000 expired vaccines
Malawi will destroy over 16,000 expired coronavirus vaccines donated to the impoverished country by the African Union three weeks before their use-by-date, a health official said.
The southern African country received 102,000 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs last month but 16,400 were not administered before they expired.
Vaccination rollouts have been particularly slow in Africa — the region least affected by the pandemic – where only around two percent of the world’s total number of shots have been administered to date [File: Thoko Chikondi/AP]
UK reports rise in daily COVID cases
Britain reported 2,491 new COVID cases, government data showed, up slightly from 2,472 on Tuesday.
A further 38 people were reported as having died within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19, meaning there were 234 deaths between April 8 and 14, an increase of 9.3 percent compared with the previous seven days.
Swiss to ease restrictions despite ‘fragile’ situation
The government of Switzerland announced it would significantly ease its COVID-19 restrictions despite acknowledging that the country’s virus situation “remains fragile and has even worsened in recent weeks”.
As of Monday, Swiss restaurants and bars, which have been closed since December, will be permitted to open outdoor seating areas, the government said.
Cinemas and other leisure facilities will reopen, as will outdoor and indoor sports facilities.
Swiss police patrols to prevent expected illegal gatherings amid restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, in Zurich, Switzerland [Arnd Wiegmann/REUTERS]
Finland latest to mix COVID-19 vaccines as AstraZeneca crisis delays rollout
Finland said on Wednesday people aged under 65 who got a first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot may get a different vaccine for their second dose, as authorities warned about delays to the country’s roll-out.
The Institute of Health and Welfare said it was possible to give a second dose from another manufacturer to people aged under 65 who have already been given AstraZeneca and are scheduled to receive a second dose in the coming weeks.
It’s the third country after France and Germany to consider mixing vaccines as they limit the use of the AstraZeneca shot amid concerns about blood clots.
Russia says Sputnik V vaccine does not cause blood clots
The developer of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine said its jab did not cause blood clots, a potential side effect that has disrupted rollouts in several Western countries.
The United States has recommended pausing its rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after one person out of nearly seven million Americans died from a rare type of clot in the brain following inoculation.
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez receives a dose of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine [File: Argentina Presidency/Handout/REUTERS]
Romania PM sacks health minister over pandemic
Romania’s Prime Minister Florin Citu sacked his health minister in a move he said was in response to the country’s coronavirus epidemic, but which threatens the future of his governing coalition.
Citu said Vlad Voiculescu’s dismissal would shore up citizens’ trust in state institutions.
Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna, who heads the centre-right USR-Plus that Voiculescu is a member of, said Citu had acted without consulting the party and should himself be replaced.
EU plans Pfizer vaccine contract extension
The head of the European Union’s executive arm has announced plans for a significant contract extension for COVID-19 vaccines with Pfizer stretching to 2023.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the EU will start negotiating to buy 1.8 billion doses of the Pfizer vaccine through 2023.
Von der Leyen expressed full confidence in the technology used for the Pfizer vaccine, which is different from the technology behind the AstraZeneca vaccine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen [File: Yves Herman/Reuters]
India’s Maharashtra to impose more restrictions
India’s Maharashtra state will impose stricter restrictions for 15 days in an effort to stem the surge of coronavirus infections that is threatening to overcome hospitals.
Top Maharashtra officials stressed that the closure of most industries, businesses, public places and limits on the movement of people did not constitute a lockdown.
Beds with oxygen support are seen at a recently constructed quarantine facility for patients diagnosed with COVID-19, Mumbai, India, April 13, 2021 [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]
France to continue to give Johnson & Johnson vaccine to over-55s
France is sticking to its plan to give those aged 55 and above the Johnson & Johnson vaccine suspended in the United States and South Africa over rare blood clots, a government spokesman said.
Gabriel Attal also reaffirmed the government’s confidence in the AstraZeneca jab as an “essential tool” in the fight against COVID-19, hours after Denmark said it was stopping its use of the shot over rare incidents of clots in people who received the vaccine.
Denmark halts use of AstraZeneca vaccine
Denmark is halting the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, the head of the Danish Health Administration has said, taking the country’s policy a step beyond other nations that have restricted the drug’s use only for certain age groups.
The vaccination campaign will continue without the shot from the British-Swedish company, Soren Brostrom said at a news conference in Copenhagen.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
Related
![The UK and many European countries are using AstraZeneca's and Pfizer's vaccines in nationwide immunisation campaigns [File: Henry Nicholls/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-03-28T110806Z_482159585_RC2BKM9YY78F_RTRMADP_3_HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-BRITAIN-VACCINE.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Researchers are exploring whether existing vaccines can be used ‘more flexibly’ in the fight against the pandemic.
![World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says 'people are dying - and it’s totally avoidable' [File: Fabrice Coffrini/EPA-EFE]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/h_56193206.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
World Health Organization chief says transmission driven by ‘complacency and inconsistency in public health measures’.
Many coronavirus vaccines are facing setbacks, from low rates of efficacy to concerns over blood clots.
![This video screengrab shows burned chairs, tables and other objects in the school [Boureima Issoufou/AP Photo]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AP_21104492276866.jpeg?resize=170%2C113)
![Somalia’s lower house of parliament voted to extend President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s four-year term, which expired in February, for another two years [File: Feisal Omar/REUTERS]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-03-24T150741Z_1515869797_RC2RHM97LMVR_RTRMADP_3_SOMALIA-POLITICS.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful [Maxar Technologies via Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-11-17T011607Z_570900614_RC2P4K9KMDJA_RTRMADP_3_USA-IRAN-TRUMP.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![An activist holds a sign during a march for Daunte Wright, 20, who was shot and killed by former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on April 13, 2021 [Nick Pfosi/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-04-14T020149Z_235758176_RC2EVM9R5ZET_RTRMADP_3_USA-MINNESOTA-SHOOTING.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![Tensions between Russia and the West are rising over fears Moscow is attempting to escalate its conflict with Ukraine over the eastern Donbas region [Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-04-13T170314Z_1983116804_RC25VM9PE0YJ_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-CRISIS.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the sale of $128bn by state banks helped support the national economy, but critics say it sharply depleted Turkey's buffer of foreign reserves and has left it more exposed to crisis [File: Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/erd.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![A supporter of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party hurls stones towards police (not pictured) during a protest [File: Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-04-14T111415Z_765024811_RC2NVM93CBJ5_RTRMADP_3_PAKISTAN-PROTEST-BLASPHEMY.jpg?resize=170%2C113)
![US troops first invaded Afghanistan in 2001 in pursuit of Osama bin Laden following the September 11 attacks.[Massoud Hossaini/The Associated Press]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AP_18015455508487.jpg?resize=170%2C113)