These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Changi General Hospital porter among 2 unlinked Covid-19 cases; 3 new cases linked to Bukit Merah View food centre
A 35-year-old man who works as a porter at Changi General Hospital (CGH) tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday night (June 24). He is one of two unlinked cases that were announced. The man is asymptomatic, and was detected when he was tested for Covid-19 on Tuesday as part of rostered routine testing (RRT). His earlier tests from RRT - the last being on June 8 - were all negative for Covid-19 infection, said the ministry. "He has tested preliminarily positive for the Delta variant, and is pending further confirmatory tests." The ministry added that his serology test result is negative, which suggests the presence of early infection. The man received his first vaccine dose on Jan 14, and his second dose on Feb 4. In a Facebook post, CGH said that porter was last at work on Tuesday morning and had adhered to precautionary measures such as wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. The hospital has cleaned the affected areas and contact tracing as well as surveillance swab tests are underway. MOH said that three more people were also added to the Bukit Merah View food centre cluster. This brings the total number of cases in the cluster to 85. The three new cases are part of the 12 linked cases on Thursday. One of the cases in the cluster is a 12-year-old boy who studies at Crest Secondary and was last in school on May 18. He is a family member and household contact of two other cases, including one who was also linked to the cluster on Thursday. The boy was placed under quarantine on Tuesday. He is asymptomatic, and was detected when he was tested on Wednesday during quarantine. His test result came back positive on Thursday. His serology test result is pending. Separately, MOH said it has concluded testing for residents and visitors of the Redhill vicinity. Of the 1,972 people, three tested positive for Covid-19 and were reported in previous updates. Meanwhile, a new cluster at Ion Orchard has been opened. The first case is a 35-year-old female retail assistant at the Four Leaves bakery in Ion Orchard and Ang Mo Kio Hub. She had tested positive for the virus on June 7. There were also two unlinked cases and nine imported cases confirmed on Thursday, for a total of 23 new cases. The 23 confirmed cases as at Thursday noon take Singapore's total to 62,493, said the ministry. The 12 linked cases consist of 11 cases that had already been placed under quarantine and one that was detected through surveillance. – The Straits Times
Make jab mandatory, say experts
Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination will allow the authorities to draw up a policy to restrict non-vaccinated individuals in work settings, which in turn, helps keep infections in check. In suggesting this, health experts said such a move should be considered due to violations of the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 standard operating procedures (SOP) by some employers, and a blatant disregard for public interest and the government's efforts in managing the pandemic. Former Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr N.K.S. Tharmaseelan said those who refused to get vaccinated should not be allowed into factories or places where there were gatherings like places of worship. "This is where clusters originate and spread. This is for the greater benefit of the nation. People who refuse to be vaccinated should not be allowed to come to work and pose a risk to others. "Why should others suffer due to the inconsiderate few who refuse vaccination?" he said, adding that the health and welfare of the nation were more important than the individuals who posed a threat to them. This was in addition to the ongoing steps to ramp up the vaccination drive and strict adherence to the SOP, he said. Dr Tharmaseelan, who is the Melaka-Manipal Medical College professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, said a general sense of complacency had set in among the people, with continuous emphasis needed to remind them of the virus spreading via human contact. He said measures, such as physical distancing, wearing face masks and washing hands, if observed strictly, should bring the curve of infection down. "But everyone is restless, the people for being cooped up while politicians are playing to the gallery, trying to please everyone by opening up and loosening the strict enforcement of MCO procedures. In the end, no one is pleased as more are dying and getting infected. "A strict lockdown needs to be enforced, including extending the MCO for a reasonably long lockdown to break the chain of infection and clusters," he said. Epidemiology and biostatistics expert Associate Professor Dr Malina Osman from Universiti Putra Malaysia, while agreeing to the suggestion, said a detailed study was needed before it could be implemented. "If the public receive the vaccines for free and no charges are imposed on industries, then I would agree with the possible step. But if the companies need to pay, inevitably, the employees would need to pay too. "This will be the main challenge if we wish to make this vaccination compulsory. If all receive vaccines for free, then there will be no issue about barring those who are unvaccinated from going to work," she said. On the current Covid-19 situation, apart from expediting the vaccination drive, she suggested the closure of all factories in red zones until at least 50 per cent of employees had been vaccinated. Factories in green zones and states logging one or two digits of new cases could be allowed to operate as usual. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had previously said the government might review the voluntary Covid-19 vaccination policy if the inoculation rate was still low next month. The Covid-19 National Immunisation Plan coordinating minister recently said 10 per cent of the population were expected to be fully vaccinated by the middle of next month. – New Straits Times
Virus crisis fears rise
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Thursday gave an assurance the country's public health system will not collapse despite the number of hospital beds and health personnel being at critically low levels amid soaring new Covid-19 cases. "The ministry will not allow the public health system to collapse. No one should use this term. We must work together to improve the situation. If necessary, all public health resources and personnel must be mobilised nationwide," Mr Anutin said. His assurance came after several senior doctors said the Covid-19 outbreak situation was critical with some suggesting the government should impose a lockdown in the capital for seven days. Dr Yuwares Sittichanbuncha, head of the emergency medicine division at Ramathibodi Hospital, posted on Facebook that: "ICU [intensive care unit] beds are fully occupied. We have to begin to choose who will go on them, and who shouldn't. Don't let your guard down. Precautions are always important." Chulalongkorn University's Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases chief, Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, announced on Facebook on Thursday that Chulalongkorn General Hospital had suspended Covid-19 testing for four days from Sunday because of bed and medical personnel shortages. He said numerous patients came to the hospital after their condition deteriorated since they had been refused admission at other hospitals due to bed and staff shortages there too. "Passive screening, which has been implemented [by the government] since last year, has been proven not to work and it cannot prevent infection outbreaks," Dr Thiravat said. Responding to the suggestion that Bangkok be locked down for seven days, Mr Anutin said the proposal was worth listening to, but it must be weighed up carefully. Mr Anutin insisted he had not received reports that some hospitals have stopped testing for Covid-19 due to bed shortages even though the news has gone viral on social media. Dr Somsak Akksilp, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said there were only 23 beds at state hospitals left for Covid-19 patients suffering severe symptoms. The situation is expected to worsen if the number of new cases continues to soar at the current rate, he said. He said the Public Health Ministry is trying to increase the number of beds for patients with less severe symptoms and the 14-day treatment period at hospitals may be changed to 10 days, after which they would self-isolate at home. The change means the number of beds will increase by 40% and this measure will apply to so-called green, or those with mild or no symptoms first, Dr Somsak said. This is because the number of beds for green patients at state hospitals is stretched almost to the limit while there are about 1,000 beds at private hospitals, he said. There were 31 Covid-19 fatalities and 4,108 new cases over the past 24 hours across the country. Of the total number of coronavirus cases, 229 of them were prison inmates. Since April 1, when the third wave of Covid-19 began, there have been 203,784 Covid-19 patients, 163,929 of whom have recovered. Apisamai Srirangson, assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the CCSA director, had instructed all agencies involved to help Bangkok and the surrounding provinces to increase the number of beds, particularly for groups of patients with more severe symptoms. In light of this, the Public Health Ministry's emergency operation centre agreed that Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital and Ratchaphiphat Hospital will be upgraded to accommodate patients with severe symptoms, Dr Apisamai said. The ministry will also ask Mongkutwattana Hospital and Thon Buri Hospital to provide accommodation for severe cases, she said, adding that Thammasat University Hospital, Ramathibodi Hospital and Vajira Hospital will also arrange for beds for more than 50 patients this month. – Bangkok Post
US President Biden conveys condolences over death of ‘valued friend’ Noynoy Aquino
United States President Joe Biden extended his condolences to the Philippines on the passing of former President Benigno S. Aquino III, whom he called a “valued friend and partner” to Washington. “I extend my deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines on the death of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. He was a valued friend and partner to the United States, and he will long be remembered for serving his country with integrity and selfless dedication,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House on Friday. Aquino’s “steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote the rules-based international order” will leave a “remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come.” “I greatly valued our time working together, and I extend my heartfelt sympathies to his family and to all who will mourn his absence,” America’s leader added. Biden served as the vice president under the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. Aquino was President of the Republic of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. Aquino passed away in his sleep on Thursday morning due to renal disease secondary to diabetes, according to his sisters. He was 61. Aquino was the only son of democracy icons – the assassinated former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino. He was survived by sisters Ballsy, Pinky, Viel, and Kris. – INQUIRER.net
VN fruit, vegetable exports to top record $4b in 2021
Exports of fruits and vegetables were worth US$2.06 billion in the first six months of this year, up 17.4 per cent year-on-year, and are expected to reach a record $4 billion this year. Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Viet Nam Vegetables Association, said exports would increase sharply this year since importing countries are recovering economically, leading to an increase in demand. But in the next few months Thailand, Malaysia, China, and other countries would also have their fruit harvest season making competition very fierce, he said. New-generation free trade agreements such as the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are helping Vietnamese businesses increase fruit and vegetable exports this year, he said. The UK – Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKFTA) that took effect late last year scrapped taxes on more than 94 per cent of vegetables and fruits, he said. Experts said to take advantage of opportunities and boost exports, exporters should improve processing technologies, especially in the post-harvest and packaging stages, to preserve their products longer and enhance their value. Viet Nam is gradually expanding exports to the US, EU, Japan, and South Korea, but China remains the leading market for Viet Nam’s farming, forestry and seafood products. It accounted for 64.7 per cent of Viet Nam's fruit and vegetable exports in the first quarter of this year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has urged the Ministry of Health to issue safety certificates for drivers transporting agricultural products and pay attention to deploying a priority mechanism for COVID-19 vaccination, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked to consider negotiate with bordering countries on the form of "vaccine passport" for drivers transporting goods across the border. Viet Nam hopes that when COVID-19 is brought under control, Chinese experts can come to re-evaluate the technical processes for its durian. If it gets approval for official export to China, Viet Nam could become a competitor to Thailand and Malaysia. – Viet Nam News
Variant of concern: Health Ministry says C-19 Delta strain is harder to treat
The Ministry of Health yesterday expressed concern over the Delta B.1.617-2 strain of Covid-19 which will need longer treatment time than previous variants. This comes with Cambodia having found 10 imported cases of this new strain. Or Vandine, spokeswoman of Ministry of Health and Chairwoman of the Vaccination Committee of Covid-19, said that the new variant is difficult to treat and some patients who were infected may take a long time to recover. “A case with the new variant is currently being closely monitored by doctors in intensive care by doctors but it has not progressed to any serious condition yet,” Vandine said. “Our past medical examinations show that patients infected with the new Delta B.1.617-2 virus need longer treatment time compared to those infected with the normal virus,” she added. The Ministry of Health has not yet confirmed if this new strain has spread into the community. “More than 83 countries have been infected with the virus, so if we want to avoid this deadly virus, we must be very careful to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health,” Vandine said. Delta B.1.617.2 has been labelled by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Variant of Global Concern. In another development, outgoing French Ambassador Eva Nguyen Binh paid a courtesy call to Health Minister Mam Bun Heng yesterday and said that France would jointly find ways to fight the Covid-19 virus, especially new strains, to contain the spread of infection in Cambodia. She said the cooperation would in particular, be through the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia. Nguyen Binh added that the French side will continue to make contributions through the Pasteur Institute to assist in research and analysis of the Covid-19 virus, especially new strains The ambassador also mentioned that the Commission on Vaccination’s efforts throughout the country was progressing well and the results should be good. “I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Mr Hun Sen, for providing free vaccinations to foreigners, which means that there is equality in the vaccination of foreigners and the Cambodian people without discrimination,” she said. She also informed the Ministry of Health that Pasteur Institute president Dr Baren Laurel will also be completing her mission and that the French Embassy will send a new president soon. “I hope that the new president will continue to have good cooperation with the Ministry of Health,” she said. In response, Bun Heng expressed his deep gratitude to France and the ambassador herself for the continued attention and support to the Cambodian health sector, especially in the context of the fight against Covid-19. He said the ambassador also collaborated to promote technical support to contribute to better implementation of efforts, as well as to respond to and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Cambodia. Yesterday, Bun Heng and World Health Organization (WHO) representative Dr Li Ailan presided over a presentation ceremony to hand over a WHO contribution of more than $650,000 in medical equipment to help the government’s response to the pandemic in Cambodia. The donation included 70,000 N95 face masks, 360 oxygen concentrators 19,000 boxes of Dexamethasone and 25 generators. Bun Heng expressed his deep gratitude to the WHO Cambodia and Western Pacific Regional Office for their continued financial and technical support to Cambodia’s health sector, especially during the current circumstances when efforts are being made to promote measures to prevent and respond to the spread of Covid-19 as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health yesterday reported 655 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number in the Kingdom to 45,366. Of the new cases, 72 are imported cases and the rest are linked to the February 20 Community Event. The ministry also announced 18 more deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 493. At the same time, the ministry also recorded 696 new recoveries, bringing the total number to 40,000. – Khmer Times
At least 20 soldiers killed and 1,000 villagers displaced during clash near Sagaing capital
Local resistance fighters killed at least 20 soldiers and suffered one fatality during a clash at a village about 16 miles outside the Sagaing Region capital of Monywa on Tuesday. The fighting started hours after about 50 regime troops arrived at Htayaw Kyin village in Yinmabin Township at around 8am and raided people’s homes, inspected their motorbikes and checked their phones. The military flew surveillance drones over the area later in the afternoon. Then at around 3pm, members of the local People’s Defense Force launched an attack against the soldiers. Regime troops retreated from the village during the attack but returned half an hour later when they encountered more resistance fighters outside, a PDF fighter told Myanmar Now. “When the clash began, they went outside the village because they thought there would be fewer of us,” he said. “But when they saw there were a lot of us, they went inside and stationed themselves in the village.” The resistance fighters held their fire while the soldiers took cover in the village, allowing residents to flee, he added. “Once we guessed that there was enough time for everyone to be out of the village, we surrounded it.” The soldiers took cover in a high school, a monastery and a pagoda as the two sides exchanged fire for about three hours. “The pagoda was damaged – some pieces fell off,” the PDF fighter said. “There were even holes in the roofs of buildings in the village.” Two military trucks came from Monywa to bring reinforcements but PDF fighters attacked them with explosives, causing multiple casualties, the PDF said. Survivors from among the reinforcements then went and set fire to eight houses near the site of the ambush, locals said. At 6:30pm, PDF fighters retreated, allowing the military to also retreat to a site about two miles from the village. “Our members who were involved in the fight say at least 20 soldiers were killed in two locations,” the PDF fighter said. One PDF fighter was shot in the head and killed while two others suffered injuries to their hands and legs, he added. The military deployed snipers and mortars during the clash. “We’ll keep fighting until we succeed. We don’t accept the terrorist military at all, so we’ll just keep going,” the PDF fighter said. On Wednesday morning, over 200 soldiers arrived at the village and took up posts at the school and the monastery. “No one dares to go near the village. They’ve already destroyed a home along the road to the village,” a local resident said. More than 1,000 people from Htayaw Kyin and nearby villages have been displaced by the occupying soldiers. Villagers in Yinmabin Township were among the first to take up arms against the junta in April. – Myanmar NOW
145 Indonesian migrant workers deported from Malaysia
The first batch of 145 Indonesian migrant workers deported from Malaysia arrived in Indonesia on Thursday. The 145 workers have been categorized as a vulnerable group, director general of development and placement of workers and job opportunities expansion at the Manpower Ministry, Suhartono, said here on Thursday. The deportation of the Indonesian migrant workers was carried out under the observance of health protocols, he informed. Soon after arriving at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, the workers were taken to the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, Jakarta, where they will undergo quarantine before returning to their hometowns, he said. – AntaraNews.Com