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Partial lockdown in Bangkok to quell virus surge - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2021/01/partial-lockdown-in-bangkok-to-quell-virus-surge

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The capital also announced yesterday that public schools will be closed for two weeks, while more than a dozen virus checkpoints were set up Saturday across the city.“We don’t want to use extreme measures like a lockdown and putting up a curfew, but we need a stronger medicine to prevent the new surge,” said Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for Thailand’s Covid-19 taskforce. Nationwide restrictions and closures are expected to go into effect from January 4 to February 1, he added, allowing a two-day “grace period” for business owners to prepare. Authorities worried about inciting alarm nationwide had been reluctant to classify the new emergence of the virus as a “second wave”.But anger resounded across Thai social media Saturday on the renewed restrictions, with business owners expressing frustration with the partial lockdown. “I comply with the measures strictly, yet I now need to close my business while there are many people scrambling on the skytrain everyday,” wrote Aksika Chantarawinji, a spa owner, on the official Facebook page of Bangkok’s governor. Thailand’s economy has been hit hard by the coronavirus, and is among the worst-affected in Southeast Asia due to its reliance on tourism and exports

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#thailande#sante#restrictionsanitaire#confinement#tourisme

HK urged to retest travelers for mutant virus - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/hk-urged-to-retest-travelers-for-mutant-virus

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Hong Kong has been urged to retest previously arrived British travelers and analyze the genome sequences of any coronavirus infection to see whether the UK mutation has entered the territory. Of 45 imported cases from the UK since early November, 85% showed no symptoms. This was a higher percentage than usual, said Ho Pak-leung, a microbiologist of the University of Hong Kong.The government should do the gene sequencing and find out if any carried the mutated coronavirus from the UK, Ho said.
The UK mutation has 10 amino acids different from the original virus in Wuhan. Some of these new amino acids increase the infectivity of the mutated virus. The mutated virus contained new spike proteins that could have lowered the accuracy of the current mRNA tests and resulted in some false negative results, he said. Several thousand students who had returned to Hong Kong from the UK could have carried the mutated virus to the territory, said Leung Chi-chiu, chairman of the Medical Association’s advisory committee on communicable diseases. The government should consider testing these people again to stop possible transmission.
The mutated virus was being spread rapidly not only in Britain but also in many other countries, he said. As it had a higher infectivity, it would probably replace the original one to become dominant variant in most places, he said.Leung said it was not safe enough to require the previously arrived UK travelers to stay at home for seven more days. He said these travelers should be sent to a designated hotel for quarantine.
Infectious disease specialist Joseph Tsang said the government should consider banning more flights from Europe as infection numbers there spike. The strain that emerged in the UK in September could have spread to other European countries before they suspended air travel with the UK, Tsang said.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#hongkong#grandebretagne#sante#mutation#coronavirus#voyageur#etudiant#quarantaine

Migrant cluster breaks Thai Covid winning streak - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/migrant-cluster-breaks-thai-covid-winning-streak

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Is the recent revelation of the largest daily number of Covid-19 infections in Thailand a full-blown outbreak, or a chance discovery of a malady that has been there for quite some time? That is the key question after more than 700 people living and working around a shrimp market in Mahachai in Samut Sakhon, a province southwest of the capital Bangkok, were found over the weekend to be Covid-19 positive.Either way, migrant workers, most of them from Myanmar, are at the center of the ruckus with cases being discovered even in Bangkok, from where people travel to Mahachai to buy shrimps and other seafood. That will only make their already precarious and marginalized situation in Thailand even more treacherous. Contrary to what some Thai newspapers have reported, this is not likely something they brought with them from Myanmar, where authorities have struggled to contain a spreading outbreak. There are rising concerns that Thai authorities may lurch to impose a new national lockdown, including over Bangkok, if numbers continue to climb in the days ahead.Thailand’s land borders with all its neighbors have been closed since March and the migrant workers in Mahachai went there long before any Covid-19 cases were discovered first in Wuhan, China and then in the rest of the region and the wider world.Since the first cases were discovered in Samut Sakhon in mid-December, Thailand’s highly efficient health authorities have carried out massive testing in the affected area and placed it under at least a partial lockdown.Since nearly all of those who have tested positive for the virus are asymptomatic or have very mild signs of the disease, it would have been hard to discover it earlier. Thai medical officials collect a nose swab sample to test for the Covid-19 at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon after some cases of local infections were detected and linked to a vendor at the market,
But the discovery of cases fits a pattern that has also been seen in many European capitals: migrants, newly arrived refugees and otherwise dispossessed people who live closely-packed together in ghetto-like conditions are among those hardest-hit by the pandemic. In those communities, where health services are likewise inadequate, it doesn’t take more than the arrival of a few infected people for any disease to spread like wildfire and then be out of control. While many Thais have gone to work in Europe, Taiwan, Israel, South Korea and other foreign countries, even larger numbers of workers from Thailand’s impoverished neighbors have come to the kingdom to look for jobs.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#thailande#taiwan#israel#coreedusud#contamination#test

Hints Hun Sen starting to look away from China - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/hints-hun-sen-starting-to-look-away-from-china

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When Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced this week that his country will order its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines from the United Nations-backed COVAX facility, it was notable that Cambodia’s first inoculations were not coming from China.“Cambodia is not a dustbin.. and not a place for a vaccine trial,” Hun Sen said in blunt terms during a marathon speech on December 15, adding that he will only trust and accept vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).According to reports, Cambodia’s government has so far collected US$48 million in donations, mostly from wealthy tycoons allied to Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which will go towards the US$200 million needed to purchase inoculations.The vaccine collection drive comes amid fears a community-transmission outbreak that started late last month may still be spreading. A first batch of China’s Sinovac vaccines has already been delivered to Indonesia, yet there has been no official comment on whether Beijing will donate doses to its so-called “ironclad friend” Cambodia. This is despite pledges from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in August that mainland Southeast Asian states would be given priority once shots are ready.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#chine#cambodge#vaccin#circulationtherapeutique#sante

Duterte fatally misplays Philippines vaccine diplomacy - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/12/duterte-fatally-misplays-philippines-vaccine-diplomacy

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While the United States and United Kingdom start to roll out mass Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, developing countries like the Philippines are scrambling to access affordable and reliable vaccines for their at-risk populations.The United Arab Emirates became the first country to approve the Chinese-made vaccine Sinovac for mass inoculation this month, while other major developing countries such as Indonesia have already received more than a million doses of China-made vaccines. A growing number of Arab and Latin American nations are expected to become among the first recipients of Chinese-made vaccines, with Chinese company Sinopharm preparing to deliver 500 million doses worldwide in the near future.
Countries such as the Philippines, however, are not expected to introduce mass inoculation until the middle of next year after failing to secure enough vaccines in advance from either Western or Chinese pharmaceutical companies.Critics charge this is due largely to a lack of proactiveness on the behalf of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who early on overly committed to China and Russia-made vaccines at the early trial stage.
At the time, he opposed advance payment for now more reliable vaccines from the likes of Pfizer and AstraZeneca, the former of which has claimed a 95% efficacy rate.In a speech to the United Nation’s General Assembly this month, Duterte lamented “gross injustice” in the lack of universal access to vaccines, citing developed countries cornering the bulk of newly available vaccines.Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in facemask during the
“If any country is excluded by reason of poverty or strategic unimporance, this gross injustice will haunt the world for a long time,” the Filipino leader said in a pre-recorded speech for the UN General Assembly’s 31st Special Session in early December.Rich nations have reportedly secured an estimated 80% of the total vaccine supply, clinching access to 3.1 billion doses of vaccines to be delivered over the coming months. What Duterte failed to acknowledge, however, is that his lack of proactiveness and foresight may now be costing his country more lives and even further economic immiseration to the pandemic. According to the International Monetary Fund, the Philippines will suffer the largest fall in projected GDP growth over the next five years, following a prolonged lockdown in response to one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks in Asia.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#sante#vaccin#circulationtherapeutique#chine#industriepharmaceutique

HK-Singapore ’travel bubble’ starts on November 22 - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/11/hk-singapore-travel-bubble-starts-on-november-22

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Hong Kong and Singapore will launch a “travel bubble” on November 22, their governments said Wednesday, in a rare piece of good news for the pandemic-battered airline and tourism industries.A quota of 200 residents from each city will be able to travel on one daily flight to the other, Hong Kong commerce minister Edward Yau told a press conference.Only those who have been in Hong Kong or Singapore for two weeks and tested negative for the coronavirus will be allowed to board, he added.The corridor offers a glimpse into how places with less severe outbreaks might be able to safely restart some travel.Passengers arriving in Hong Kong will have to test negative again at the airport to avoid quarantine, while those arriving in Singapore will have to download a contact-tracing app.
Those hoping to get on a plane in Hong Kong will have to stump up about HK$1,500 (US$190) for a test at a government-approved laboratory or hospital.In Singapore, a test will set you back about Sg$200 ($150).

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#hongkong#singapour#sante#bullevoyage#frontiere#test#tracking#tourisme#economie

HK offers low-cost tests for ‘travel bubble’ plan - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/11/hk-offers-low-cost-tests-for-travel-bubble-plan

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HK offers low-cost tests for ‘travel bubble’ plan. Hong Kong is planning four test centers and to partner with private laboratories to offer low-cost coronavirus tests to those going to visit Singapore in the proposed “travel bubble” scheme.The centers will start operating in mid-November and provide tests at HK$240 (US$30.95) per person, the government said.
The centers will collect combined nasal and throat swabs and test for Covid-19 to serve general community uses such as cross-boundary travel but not for medical diagnosis and treatment.They aim to serve all asymptomatic individuals, including Hong Kong residents and non-residents, who are over six years old and suitable for testing.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#hongkong#bullevoyage#testlowcost#resident#nonresident#economiesante

HK’s travel bubble plan challenged by local cases - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/hks-travel-bubble-plan-challenged-by-local-cases

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Hong Kong recorded two local infections between Wednesday and Thursday, creating obstacles for the city to form “travel bubbles” with other places.The Center for Health Protection said Friday that seven cases were identified on Thursday, including six imported cases and one local infection. It had been the first coronavirus infection with no known source in almost one week

#Covid-19#migrant#migrationhongkong#sante#bulle#frontiere#casimporte

India slows spread of Covid – but new risks loom - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/india-slows-spread-of-covid-but-new-risks-loom

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However, the “Covid-irresponsible” behavior of people doing their annual festive shopping or politicians wooing voters at election rallies is threatening to derail achievements, say experts. In a national telecast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to people to abide by the rules. However, election rallies during Bihar’s state elections were in brazen violation of Covid regulations, including those held by Modi’s BJP.Kerala state was initially a containment role model, even though it had the country’s first case, a visitor from China. However, a relaxation of the rules and a general lack of discipline during the festival of Onam in August and early September saw the number of cases jumping. It now has about 411,000 cases.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#inde#chine#sante#economie#tourisme#frontiere

Singapore makes first move in reopening to China - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/singapore-makes-first-move-in-reopening-to-china

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Singapore will become the first regional countries to scrap mandatory quarantine measures for arrivals from China, a daring move coming against the backdrop of resurgent second and third Covid-19 waves and new lockdowns in Europe. Starting from November 6, the Southeast Asian city-state will reopen its border to Chinese visitors and its returning nationals. China still puts all arriving passengers, including Singaporeans, in two-week, confinement-style quarantine. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s administration is taking the initiative amid a steep economic downturn, a sign that his trade-geared nation needs to reintegrate with the regional economy as fast as possible. Singapore’s stock market has shed 25% of its value this year, ranking among the region’s worst performers.
China’s Embassy in the so-called Lion City commended the one-way travel relaxation as a positive step for resuming bilateral exchanges that have fallen off dramatically since the pandemic started its lethal global spread earlier this year.The move is also an endorsement of China’s perceived ability to stamp out the virus, which is still coursing through many regional countries including Singapore’s neighbors Malaysia and Indonesia.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#singapour#chine#malaisue#indonesie#asie#sante#frontiere#economie#retour#tourisme#etudiant

Thailand welcomes first tourists since March - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/thailand-welcomes-first-tourists-since-march

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Thailand has welcomed its first group of tourists in seven months, as part of an experiment aimed at testing if a wider opening is possible as the coronavirus cripples the kingdom’s economy.A planeload of 39 Chinese tourists flew into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Tuesday evening from Shanghai to a welcome from staff in full protective equipment.
The visitors underwent health checks and had their luggage disinfected, before donning protective clothing themselves and being whisked away for two weeks’ quarantine.“It’s a welcome sign that foreigners are confident in our safety measures,” Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a statement. “I instructed officials to take good care of the tourists, because if they’re safe, Thais are safe too.”

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#thailande#chine#tourisme#economie#sante#mesuresanitaire#securitesanitaire

Covid-19 launches the Fourth Industrial Revolution - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/covid-19-launches-the-fourth-industrial-revolution

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Covid-19 launches the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Deploying diagnostic tech, detecting patterns with AI, Asian countries suppressed pandemic with little testing

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#asie#sante#technologie#science#intelligenceartificielle#test

Hong Kong pushes health code to open up travel - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/hong-kong-pushes-health-code-to-open-up-travel

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The Hong Kong government is pushing hard for the launch of a health code system that will let people travel in the Greater Bay Area without being quarantined. Chief Executive Carrie Lam told local newspapers she had explained to the central government that it was hard for Hong Kong to have zero local cases though the city had been successful in identifying imported cases. Whenever Hong Kong managed to control its epidemic, it could reopen its border with mainland China under certain conditions, which include the launch of a health code system, the use of negative test certificates and a cap on the number of travellers, Lam said.
If Hong Kong could reopen its border with Guangdong, it would not be far to resume travel between the territory and Macau, she said, adding that she was closely monitoring the number of local infections every day.According to the mainland’s standard, a low-risk region refers to a province or city that has not recorded any local case for 14 consecutive days. A single case can make a place become a medium-risk region. The Center for Health Protection said Monday that a total of 15 cases were recorded, including 14 imported cases and one local infection, within the 24 hours on Sunday. The local case could be linked to previous cases. It was the third day Hong Kong has recorded no local infection with no known source. Between Friday and Saturday, 21 cases were identified, comprising 19 imported cases and two local cases with known sources.
Three in four Hong Kong people hoped that they could be allowed to visit Macau and mainland China freely with a health code system as early as possible, according to a survey conducted by Youth Vision, a pro-Beijing activist group, which interviewed 1,780 people between October 8 and 12 over the Internet.Ben Chan, an advisor of Youth Vision and a lawmaker of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, said people who had to travel between Hong Kong and mainland due to medical or family reasons had been seriously affected by the border closure this year. Chan urged the Hong Kong government to speed up its discussions with the central government about the launch of a health code system for the Greater Bay Area region. Chan also said it would be more urgent to reopen Hong Kong’s border with Macau, rather than forming a “travel bubble” with Singapore, as many Hong Kong people’s relatives were living in the nearby special administrative region.According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the number of visitors to Hong Kong amounted to 9,132 in September, down 99.7% from the same period last year. Last week, the Hong Kong government announced that Singapore and the territory had agreed to set up an “air travel bubble” that would allow people to travel between the two places with negative test certificates. Meanwhile, Sophia Chan, the Secretary for Food and Health, said in a radio program on Sunday that the government was seeking legal advice about requiring those who have mild illness symptoms to have mandatory virus tests.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#singapour#chine#macau#frontiere#sante#circulation#bullevoyage#codesante#casimporte

Hong Kong to form ‘travel bubble’ with Singapore - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/hong-kong-to-form-travel-bubble-with-singapore

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Hong Kong and Singapore have agreed in principle to form an “air travel bubble,” which will let people who have tested negative for coronavirus travel between the cities without being quarantined.The agreement was reached between Edward Yau, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, and Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Transport Minister, in a videoconference on Wednesday. Travelers would have to take a Covid test recognised in each place before they could be exempted from quarantine, Yau said on Thursday. There would be no restriction on the purpose of the travel or itineraries but there were conditions. For example, “bubble” passengers would be required to take a designated flight and no transit passengers would be allowed on it, he said. The scheme could be adjusted or suspended at any time, depending on the epidemic situation in the two places, Yau said. The governments hoped the scheme could be launched within weeks.
“I am pleased that both sides have agreed on the key features to underpin the expeditious conclusion of the air travel bubble between two major international aviation hubs in the world,” Yau said. “This is a milestone in our efforts to resume normalcy while fighting against the long-drawn battle of Covid-19.”
Ong was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Hong Kong government, “Both our cities have low incidence of Covid-19 cases and have put in place robust mechanisms to manage and control the virus. This has given us the confidence to mutually and progressively open our borders to each other.” “It is a safe, careful, but significant step forward to revive air travel, and provide a model for future collaboration with other parts of the world.”

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#singapour#hongkong#circulation#sante#bullesecurite

Pandemic pushes SE Asia back into poverty - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/pandemic-pushes-se-asia-back-into-poverty

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Virus cases exceed 7 million in India - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/virus-cases-exceed-7-million-in-india

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India’s coronavirus cases surged past seven million on Sunday, taking it ever closer to overtaking the United States as the world’s most infected country.Health ministry data showed a rise of almost 75,000 cases on Sunday, taking the total to 7.05 million, second only to the US which has recorded 7.67 million infections.Experts say that the true number may be much higher, with testing rates in the vast country of 1.3 billion people – home to some of the planet’s most crowded cities – much lower than in many other countries. This is borne out by a string of studies measuring antibodies to the virus among the Indian population that have indicated infection rates could be several times higher than officially recorded.
India’s death toll of 108,334 as of Sunday is also lower than in the US and other countries with higher caseloads. The United States has recorded 214,000 deaths while Brazil, with two million fewer infections than India, has lost nearly 150,000 lives so far.Possible factors for this include India’s relatively young population, immunity thanks to other diseases, and under-reporting. The rise in infections in India comes as the government continues to lift restrictions to boost an economy battered by a severe lockdown imposed in March. On Thursday, cinemas are set to re-open – albeit at 50% capacity – and experts fear the upcoming festival season when large crowds gather for public celebrations will exacerbate the situation. Anticipating a fresh surge in cases, the government has issued strict guidelines and capped the number of revellers for the two main Hindu festivals of Dussehra on October 25 and Diwali next month. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a mass awareness campaign, encouraging the public to wear masks, practise hand hygiene and maintain physical distance. “Our collective efforts have helped saved many lives. We have to continue the momentum and protect our citizens from the virus,” Modi tweeted. The virus initially hit major metropolises such as Mumbai and New Delhi, but has since spread to almost every corner of the huge country, including the remote Andaman and Nicobar islands. Recently, the daily number of new cases has fallen from a peak of almost 100,000 in mid-September to around 60,000-70,000.But Preeti Kumar of the Delhi-based Public Health Foundation of India said it was too early to assume India has passed the peak.

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#inde#sante#circulation#urbain#insularite#religion#pelerinage#hindouisme

Post-Covid holidaymakers could form China’s next wave - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/post-covid-holidaymakers-form-chinas-latest-wave

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More than 600 million holidaymakers are said to be on the go across China, six days into the eight-day National Day Golden Week break that kicked off on October 1. This is the first national holiday since China swiftly subdued the coronavirus and squashed resurgences since April.This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival also fell on October 1. The double holiday has seen the middle class cut loose from work and Covid-19 blues and go on a travel and shopping binge after lockdowns and travel restrictions.The Ministry of Culture and Tourism estimated that half the population would travel during the festive period. It appears that Beijing’s deteriorating ties with Washington have not dampened the enthusiasm of the 80,000 daily visitors to Shanghai’s Disneyland. The 390-hectare fairyland that is among the largest Sino-US joint ventures constantly leads the chart of China’s top-10 tourist attractions during the long break compiled by travel booking portal Ctrip. The resort is the first Disneyland worldwide to emerge from Covid and resume welcoming visitors since May, when other Walt Disney Company properties across the US, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong remained shut and deserted. The park has since October 1 scrambled to enforce crowd management measures, including staggered admission as well as an online appointment system, part of its ad hoc measures to cope with surging patronage. The number of Disney fans that can be allowed in has been capped at two-thirds of the park’s capacity. And, apparently, the 665-yuan per person admission fee and overpriced food, drinks and souvenirs are considered worthwhile as people seek a magical, pick-me-up getaway.
Mask-wearing and social-distancing rules are more often than not shunned inside the resort as Shanghai’s government has rolled back draconian anti-virus orders.
Wuhan’s Yellow Cranes Tower, a landmark on a hilltop above the Yangtze that was built 1,500 years ago, is runner-up on the Ctrip list. Within four days of the break, an estimated 800,000 visitors flocked to the ground zero of the contagion. Bargain-hunting hordes are availing themselves of the free admission at many attractions in Wuhan and across Hubei province as local cadres seek to burnish Wuhan’s image and revive the battered economy after a 76-day lockdown. Other popular scenic spots that also made the list include Chengdu’s giant panda zoo, Wuhan’s Arctic Ocean Park, Guangzhou’s Canton Tower and wildlife zoo, Beijing’s Forbidden City and Yuanmingyuan Palace as well as Zhangjiajie Geopark in Hubei.
Guangzhou’s South Railway Station, China’s largest high-speed rail transportation node, saw 430,000 daily passengers on October 1, an all-time high when residents streamed out of the megacity to resorts and theme parks elsewhere.

#Covid-19#migration#migrant#chine#tourisme#sante#deplacement#loisir#economie#transport

HK extends epidemic rules as new cases pick up - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/hk-extends-epidemic-rules-as-new-cases-pick-up

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There were more unidentified infections in the community after social distancing rules were relaxed last month, said Benjamin Cowling, a professor of public health at the University of Hong Kong.“There’s opportunity for infection to spread, and sooner or later the virus will take one of those opportunities,” Cowling said. “So I think fairly soon we are going to see some outbreaks and maybe that’s going to develop into our fourth wave. By mid-to-late October it will be clear.”Meanwhile, health officials said they were considering whether to prosecute a Thai housewife, 27, for reportedly giving incorrect information on how she contracted Covid-19 and misleading them about the whereabouts of her infected friend.The woman told authorities she thought she had caught the virus from a 35-year-old friend who she went shopping with in Tsim Sha Tsui, but that the friend had returned to Thailand and tested positive there.
However, the friend in question never left Hong Kong, and was staying in Tsim Sha Tsui with four other Thais. She and one of her flat mates tested positive on Sunday and Monday. The Center for Health Protection said it had asked for help from the Thai Consulate in Hong Kong to find asymptomatic patients in the city

#Covid-19#migrant#migration#kongkong#thailande#sante#discrimination#economie#depistage#infection

New Zealand PM says ’we beat the virus again’ - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/10/new-zealand-pm-says-we-beat-the-virus-again

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared on Monday New Zealand “beat the virus again” and announced restrictions in the country’s largest city would be eased, after a second Covid-19 wave was contained.The virus was believed to have been eradicated in late May after a strict national lockdown led to New Zealanders enjoying 102 days without community transmission.
But a new cluster emerged in Auckland in August, forcing the city of 1.5 million into lockdown for almost three weeks. With no new confirmed cases in Auckland for 12 days, Ardern said Monday the virus was now under control and congratulated residents for enduring the second lockdown.
“It felt longer and dragged on in what was already starting to feel like a very long year,” she said. “But despite this, Aucklanders and New Zealanders stuck to the plan that has worked twice now, and beat the virus again.”
Ardern said from late Wednesday Auckland would join the rest of New Zealand on level one, the lowest rating on the government’s four-tier virus alert system. Under the change, there are no restrictions on social gatherings, allowing the second Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland on October 18 to be played in front of a full stadium at Eden Park. “This is positive news that (Auckland fans) will be able to enjoy Test match rugby,” New Zealand Rugby said in a statement. New Zealand has recorded only 25 Covid-19 deaths in a population of five million, with 40 active cases in the country on Monday. But Ardern, who faces a general election on October 17, warned success could not be taken for granted.She pointed to a decline in the use of the official Covid-19 tracing app and falling virus test numbers.
“A resurgence of the virus is not our only worry, resurgence of complacency is right up there too,” Ardern said.

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Cultural life blossoming in Saudi Arabia amid pandemic - Asia Times
▻https://asiatimes.com/2020/09/cultural-life-blossoming-in-saudi-arabia-amid-pandemic

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“Write the bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble,” says an old Arab proverb. With only three months of it left, there is no doubt that 2020 will forever be marked as a year that changed the course of history and humanity itself, forcing both governments and individuals to review their role and status.
In Saudi Arabia, the closing of borders meant citizens and foreign residents were obliged to look closer to home for entertainment and respite from the pandemic – and the search took them on a journey of discovery. For years, Saudi Arabia had been all but closed to the outside world. Much of the country was relatively closed off to many of its own people. Unlike the region’s more established tourist hubs, such as the United Arab Emirates or Oman, Saudi Arabia has always been reticent about marketing itself. But the pandemic has changed all that, producing a massive surge in domestic tourism and a great flowering of the arts and of cultural life. A national campaign, “Saudi Summer,” encouraged people in the country to explore beach resorts, the mountains and archeological sites that are, if not quite on their own doorstep, at least within easy reach. Cruising was previously almost unheard of as a vacation option, but Red Sea cruises have proved to be a big hit, with passengers exploring the unspoiled coast and being entertained by top singing stars – all while remaining safely close to home.The drive to promote home-grown culture by organizations such as the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture has brought the reclusive “flower men” from the southern provinces of Jizan and Asir to the cities during festivals such as National Day, to demonstrate the ancient art of creating intricate floral headpieces. (...) A more relaxed attitude to women’s dress, with some women venturing out in public minus their abaya, is just another part of the drive to connect the different communities in the country. Culture is a key component of the kingdom’s reform plan, 2030 Vision. “We consider culture and entertainment to be indispensable to our quality of life,” the 2030 Vision website states

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