WHO
WHO chief calls for suspension of 3rd Covid shots until year-end
The UN health agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Wednesday urged the advanced countries to suspend their ongoing or planned administration of third shots against Covid-19 until at least the end of the year to ensure vaccine supplies for developing countries.
In early August, the World Health Organisation director-general had called for the suspension of the Covid-19 booster shots until the end of this month. But now he is seeking to extend the timeline for offering third shots, as the disparity in vaccine access for poorer countries has yet to be overcome.
Read: US okays Covid booster dose for those with weak immune systems
"A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses at least until the end of September, to prioritise vaccinating the most at-risk people around the world who are yet to receive their first dose," Tedros told a press conference.
"Today I am calling for an extension of the moratorium until at least the end of the year, to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population," the WHO chief said.
Some developed countries are moving ahead with booster shots to protect their populations amid recent surges in infections while developing countries have largely fallen behind in vaccination efforts against Covid-19.
According to Tedros, while 5.5 billion doses of the Covid vaccine have been administered globally, 80% of them have gone to high and upper-middle-income countries.
Read: What we know about Covid-19 booster shots
Booster shots are meant to strengthen vaccine efficacy, but the WHO takes a position of not recommending them under the present circumstances, citing a lack of sufficient data on efficacy and potential side effects of the available Covid vaccines.
The WHO chief also urged advanced countries to "fulfil their dose-sharing pledges" to developing countries by the end of September.
No decision yet on vaccinating the under-18: DGHS
The government is yet to take any decision on bringing people below 18 years under Covid-19 vaccination, said the Directorate General of Health Services on Sunday.
“So far we know, no decision has been taken yet. But the government is thinking about it. Measures will be taken as per the decision of the National Advisory Committee,” said Dr Shamsul Haq, director of DGHS Vaccination Programme.
He said some university students were vaccinated as per the list of the University Grants Commission.
Those who don’t have NID cards and are yet to get vaccinated may get their jabs showing birth certificates, he added.
Also read: PM: Govt has arranged to bring one crore Covid vaccine doses a month
However, on Saturday Health Minister Zahid Maleque said students below 18 can be vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna jabs following the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) directives as per the availability of vaccine doses.
About 80% teachers and students involved in medical treatment have been brought under vaccination campaigns, the minister added.
Besides, pregnant and lactating women can get jabs without SMS from nearby vaccination centres at any convenient time after registration, Dr Shamsul Haq said on Sunday.
"We have changed the previous rules for vaccinating pregnant and lactating women and given new instructions," he added.
Moreover, Dr Shamsul said pregnant and lactating women must take a doctor's advice card before getting the jab. They can go to the vaccination centres and get a jab by signing a letter of consent.
Teen drowns saving friend in Sylhet
A teenager drowned in a Sylhet pond on Monday evening trying to rescue one of his friends in distress.
The deceased was identified as Habibur Rahman Mahi (16).
According to eye-witnesses, a group of teens decided to take a bath in the village pond in Mukitla of Sylhet's Lakshanaband union following their evening games.
Read:Mentally disturbed woman drowns baby in Kushtia, held
Suddenly, one of the teens started struggling in the waters of the pond. Seeing his friend in distress, Habibur dived deep under water to rescue him.
Though he managed to save his friend, Habibur himself drowned.
On information, a team from Gopalganj Fire Service immediately rushed to the spot and started a rescue operation, only to recover the body of Habibur hours later, Golapganj Model Police Station officer-in-charge Mohammad Harunur Rashid Chowdhury told UNB.
Drowning in Bangladesh
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under five in Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey (BHIS), nearly 17,000 children drown annually, an average of around 46 each day, in the country. That has led to it being described as a 'Silent Killer'.
Read: 3 Rohingya children drown at Bhashanchar
A cross-governmental taskforce was established on drowning prevention – led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with representation from 12 departments. The task force is working to prepare a ‘National Drowning Reduction Strategy’.
According to the WHO’s latest estimates, drowning is the cause of 235,000 deaths every year. Many countries, including Bangladesh, report drowning as a leading cause of childhood mortality, particularly in children under the age of five.
'Vaccine inequity' concerns IMF, WB, WHO, WTO
The heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organisation and World Trade Organisation recently met with the leaders of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), Africa CDC, Gavi and UNICEF at the third meeting of the Multilateral Leaders Taskforce on Covid-19 to rapidly scale-up vaccines in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
"The global rollout of Covid-19 vaccines is progressing at two alarmingly different speeds. Less than 2% of adults are fully vaccinated in most low-income countries compared to almost 50% in high-income countries," they said in a statement following the meeting.
READ: Vaccine inequity biggest barrier to ending pandemic: WHO chief
"These countries, the majority of which are in Africa, simply cannot access sufficient vaccines to meet even the global goals of 10% coverage in all countries by September and 40% by end 2021, let alone the African Union's goal of 70% in 2022."
Govt inks Tk 10.5-crore vaccine deal with WHO: Health Minister
The government signed a new vaccine procurement deal of Tk 10.5 crore with the World Health Organization(WHO) in an effort to ensure Covid-19 vaccine for all, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.
The minister was speaking at a programme organised by sadar upazila Jubo League in Manikganj to observe the National Mourning marking August 15 massacre.
In another virtual program on Sunday, the minister said that doctors are doing their duties properly during the Covid situation and his ministry is just assisting them.
READ: Vaccine sharing: Dhaka wants EU to be more generous
“Even in this situation the country’s growth rate is within 6 which means Covid situation here is still under our control”, said the minister.
Many developed countries have failed in controlling the Covid crisis as people died on roads but Bangladesh didn’t face that scenario, he said.
READ: Bangladesh to receive 10 lakh Pfizer vaccine jabs on Aug 30: Minister
He said educational institutions will be reopened soon after all students and teachers get Covid jabs.
Covid cases, fatalities continue to fall in Bangladesh
The number of people testing positive for Covid-19 and dying from the virus has continued to fall in Bangladesh, the latest daily figures show.
Bangladesh added 117 new fatalities to its national tally Friday – down from 145 logged a week earlier on August 20.
The average number of Covid-related fatalities confirmed each day has dropped by more than 110 over the last three weeks, 46% of the previous peak.
The country reported below 100, 77 fatalities, on June 26, the highest fatality number – 264 – on August 5 and 10, and 16,230 infections on July 28.
Bangladesh is now seeing a sustained drop in the daily case numbers, reporting 5,059 new cases on average each day – 35% of the peak. The highest daily average was reported on August 3.
Read: Bangladesh to receive 60 lakh more Pfizer vaccine doses in Aug: Minister
UN official says Afghan supplies low, seeks help
A top World Health Organisation official says the agency only has "a few days left of supplies" for Afghanistan and wants help to ferry in 10 or 12 planeloads of equipment and medicine for its beleaguered people.
Dr Rick Brennan heads the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region that includes Afghanistan. He said from Cairo that the UN health agency is negotiating with the US and other countries to help efforts to replenish strained stockpiles.
"We estimate we've only got a few days left of supplies," Brennan said, alluding to a distribution centre in Dubai that has what is needed. "We have 500 metric tonnes ready to go, but we haven't got any way of getting them into the country right now."
READ: When the music stops: Afghan ‘happy place’ falls silent
The US and other authorities have encouraged the WHO and partners to look to other Afghan airports than Kabul's, which is facing a crush of thousands of people trying to get out of Afghanistan after a Taliban takeover, Rick said.
He said those authorities "have suggested that it'll be too difficult a logistics exercise and security exercise to bring supplies into Kabul," where teams would be required to unload planes and allow trucks to carry out the supplies – which could complicate the evacuations.
Needed supplies include emergency kits and essential medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases, like diabetes, the WHO said.
READ: Afghan woman gives birth on US evacuation flight
"We're cautiously optimistic that we might need to get something done in the coming days," Rick said, before adding: "We need a consistent humanitarian air bridge into the country ASAP."
Kushtia logs 7 more Covid deaths
Seven more Covid-related deaths were reported at Kushtia General Hospital in the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday morning.
All the deceased had tested positive for Covid, said statistics officer of Kushtia General Hospital, Md Mejbaul Alam.
Read:Covid: 9 more die at Kushtia hospital
Besides, 292 people have tested positive for Covid in the district in the past 24 hours. "Some 1,085 samples were tested during the period," he said.
The positivity rate rose to 26.91%, while the WHO recommends a positivity rate of below 5%.
A total of 191 people with Covid symptoms are currently undergoing treatment at the leading medical facility, officials said.
Read:Covid claims lives of 12 people in Kushtia in 24 hrs
So far, 16,587 people have been infected with the virus in the district, while the death toll reached 650.
On the other hand, 12,874 people have recovered from Covid to date.
Bangladesh records 212 more Covid deaths setting off alarm bells
As Bangladesh races to head off a surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the Delta variant, the country added 212 fatalities to its national tally on Friday, up from 166 logged a week earlier.
The country has been shattering the records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day, reporting over 200 single-day fatalities for the last six days as it tries to prevent the spread of the Delta variant.
The rapid rise in cases and fatalities in July is enough to set off alarm bells, showing the pandemic is far from slowing down in Bangladesh.
The Covid-19 infections are at their peak now, with 12,293 new cases reported on average each day, plunging the country into uncertainty.
As the worst days of the pandemic are not over, Bangladesh recorded 13,862 new cases on Friday after testing 45,044 samples, up from 6,364 logged a week earlier on 23 July.
WHO reports sharp increase in Covid fatalities
Global Covid-19 cases are on the rise, with 3.8 million new infections confirmed in the week between July 19 and July 25, and a "sharp" rise has been reported in the number of fatalities, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
For the past week, the global cases rose by 8% compared to the previous week, which was largely attributed to substantial increases in the Americas and the Western Pacific Regions, the UN health agency said in its weekly update report.
With over 69,000, the number of Covid-19 deaths reported during the period increased by 21% week-on-week.
Read: Countries have responsibility to help scientists find Covid origin: WHO
Most of the new deaths were reported from the Americas and South-East Asia Regions, said the report.
While previous months saw decreasing Covid-19 cases worldwide, the trend has changed this month and last week saw a 12% increase in the number of cases, while deaths and spread of variants are also on the rise, the WHO said on July 21.
The UN health agency also reported that if the virus continues to spread at this rate, the global number of Covid-19 cases could reach 200 million soon.
Read: Vaccine inequity biggest barrier to ending pandemic: WHO chief
Variants are continuing their progression, as the Alpha variant was seen in 180 countries, territories or areas, and 13 new countries, territories or areas reported cases of the Delta variant.
While the Alpha variant is still detected more often than its counterpart, the Delta variant is believed by the WHO to be 50% more transmissible and might become the dominant form of the virus in the next few months.