These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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Additional $30 million financial support for taxi and private-hire car drivers to cope with Covid-19 restrictions
Taxi and private-hire car drivers will get additional financial support till end-September to help ease the impact of the latest set of tightened Covid-19 restrictions. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Friday (July 23) that drivers will get an additional $10 per vehicle per day from July 22 to Aug 31. This will then be reduced to $5 per day in September. The Government is funding these measures by providing an additional $30 million to enhance the Covid-19 Driver Relief Fund. Drivers will receive the pay-outs through the taxi and private-hire car companies, and there is no need to make an application. The latest round of support measures doubles the pay-outs that drivers are currently receiving. Under an earlier round of measures in June, drivers were to get $10 per vehicle per day for 60 days from this month and $5 per vehicle per day in September. LTA said a total of $482 million had been set aside to support the taxi and private-hire car sectors since February last year. Explaining the additional support, it said taxi and private-hire car ridership is expected to decline significantly with Singapore entering the phase two (heightened alert) period from July 22 to Aug 18. "Based on the experience from the last phase two (heightened alert) period from May 16 to June 13, ridership will take time to recover after the relaxation of measures," said LTA. "LTA will work with the taxi and private-hire car operators to implement the latest Covid-19 Driver Relief Fund enhancement over the next two weeks, and operators will inform drivers of disbursement details in due course." It added that drivers who are served quarantine orders after coming into close contact with individuals infected with Covid-19 will continue to receive help from the Quarantine Order Allowance Scheme by the Health Ministry. Operators, as well as the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association will also continue to provide their own relief packages to affected drivers, said LTA. – The Straits Times
Dr Adham dismisses oxygen supply shortage claims
There are no issues surrounding oxygen supply shortage despite the death rates among Covid-19 patients in Category 4 and 5. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the 10 to 15 daily deaths on average since July 20 involved a surge in cases among Category 4 and 5 patients with co-morbidities. "The patients in Category 4 and 5 who were admitted to the Ampang Hospital were found in critical state. "The patients, especially those in Category 5, needed oxygen therapy and the hospital is supplied with oxygen twice daily. There is no issue with the oxygen supply," he said at the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) virtual press conference today. Since June 23, Ampang Hospital has been converted into a full Covid-19 hospital save for its haematology department. On data involving Covid-19 Category 1 to 5 patients, Dr Adham denied there were discrepancies in the figures reported by his ministry. "The data reported by the Health Ministry is based on patients' condition when they were admitted to health facilities. "There is a possibility that a patient's condition can deteriorate from Category 1 to 2 to Category 4 and 5. "This is all based on the patient's medical history and co-morbidity," he said. Covid-19 patients in Category 1 do not display any symptoms while Category 2 patients show mild symptoms. Patients in Category 3 display serious symptoms such as lung inflammation while those in Category 4 need oxygen assistance. Category 5 patients require ventilators to assist them with breathing. – New Straits Times
Bodies in streets stun PM
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concern about people who died of Covid-19 after not receiving timely treatment. He has instructed all agencies involved to overcome the problem. During a meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) via video conference on Thursday, Gen Prayut said: "You must help me find ways to reduce the number of infected people who stay at home and wait for an ambulance or wait on the streets. "A picture like this must not be seen again. It is the responsibility of all agencies, not just the Public Health Ministry. Agencies involved must find ways to take these people to field hospitals," the prime minister said. He made the remarks following an outcry over the delay in collecting a body, one of three, found in a street in Phra Nakhon district on Tuesday night. The sight of the body shrouded in white cloth and lying on the street uncollected for almost 12 hours in Ban Phan Thom of Phra Nakhon district sparked public outrage. The man was identified as Somkiat Ruenkao, 50, a car park attendant at Wat Bowon Niwet. Police received a call about the man who had fainted on the street at 11am on Tuesday. Paramedics and rescuers arrived later with oxygen. They tried in vain to revive the man, prompting the police to call forensic experts from Vajira Hospital to examine the body. The Por Teck Tung foundation collected the body at 10pm and brought it to Vajira Hospital for an autopsy. The man had Covid-19, Metropolitan Police Bureau spokesman Piya Tawichai said. The spokesman said police were also alerted about 6.30pm on Tuesday to a second body, that of Seri Ruengrojanarit, 59, from Rayong, found on Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Vajira Hospital forensic officials arrived to examine the body at 7.15pm and the Por Teck Tung rescuers delivered it shortly afterwards to the hospital where a Covid-19 test was performed. The result was pending. The third body, identified by police as Bangpot Jermjenkarn, 81, was discovered in Wat Suthat Thepphawararam in the Sao Chingcha area at 7.30pm. The forensic team from the Police General Hospital arrived to collect the body at 9pm. Tests confirmed he was infected with Covid-19. The CESA on Thursday also looked at a report on the current economic situation submitted by the National Economic and Social Development Council. It discussed economic and investment stimulus proposals aimed at attracting high-calibre foreigners to the country. The meeting was also briefed on progress in the reopening of Phuket under the sandbox scheme which started on July 1. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul on Thursday said the cabinet on Tuesday instructed the Public Health Ministry to work with other agencies to come up with measures to transport Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms in Bangkok and surrounding provinces who want to return to their home provinces and seek medical treatment at local or field hospitals. She said the National Health Security Office, the National Institute for Emergency Medicine, the army, and the Transport Ministry have collaborated to arrange vehicles to transport those patients to their home provinces. Strict precautions will be taken to make sure patients are transported safely to their destinations and to prevent the spread of the disease throughout the journey. They can contact 1330 ext.15 or register on http://crmdci.nhso.go.th/ Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry on Thursday reported a new daily record of 13,655 Covid-19 cases, and 87 more fatalities over the previous 24 hours. There were 13,110 cases in the general population and 545 among prison inmates. Bangkok had the highest new cases at 2,893, followed by 965 in Samut Sakhon and 895 in Samut Prakan. – Bangkok Post
PH extends travel ban to Malaysia, Thailand due to Delta variant threat
The Philippines has expanded its travel restriction to Malaysia and Thailand in a bid to prevent the entry of the COVID-19 Delta variant, Malacañang said Friday. “Nagdesisyon na rin po ang ating Presidente, isinama na po ang Malaysia at Thailand sa mga bansa na kasama po sa travel ban,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced over state-run People’s Television Network. (The President has decided to include Malaysia and Thailand in the countries with a travel ban.) Roque said the travel restriction on these two countries is effective starting Sunday, July 25 until July 31, 2021. Those already in transit to the Philippines from these countries must undergo a strict 14-day facility-based quarantine. “These travel restrictions, however, are subject to the same exceptions on repatriation and special commercial flights for Filipinos, but they have to follow the prescribed testing and quarantine protocols,” Roque said. The Philippines earlier imposed travel bans on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. Health authorities confirmed there is already local transmission of the Delta variant, with 47 cases so far detected in the country. – INQUIRER.net
Viet Nam grateful for international COVID-19 vaccine support: Foreign ministry
Viet Nam welcomes and is grateful for the timely and practical assistance from countries, partners, and international organisations to Viet Nam with regards to COVID-19, foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on Thursday. The spokesperson also confirmed that a further three million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US Government would be delivered to Viet Nam via the global vaccine sharing initiative COVAX on Sunday, bringing the total assistance to five million doses after the first shipment of two million doses of Moderna arrived on July 10. “Vaccine diplomacy is being carried out with vigour, and with the engagement of Party, State, Government and National Assembly leaders, in a bid to inoculate at least 70 per cent of the population by early next year and achieve herd immunity against COVID-19,” Hang said. To date, Viet Nam has received some eight million doses of vaccine – 4.5 million from COVAX (two million doses from the US included), three million doses from Japan, 500,000 from China, and 1,000 doses of Sputnik V as a gift from Russia. In addition, India, the UK, Australia, Cuba and Germany have also made concrete commitments on vaccine assistance or vaccine production technology transfer to Viet Nam, according to Hang. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and countries like Laos, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Australia, Germany, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have also provided Viet Nam with medical supplies and resources to help fight the pandemic. According to the foreign ministry, the Vietnamese leaders have thanked countries for their valuable support during their meetings and online talks, and in letters to foreign leaders, saying it demonstrates the friendly relations between Viet Nam and international partners and friends. Viet Nam itself has also contributed US$500,000 to COVAX. Viet Nam is set to receive up to 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this year, both from assistance and through deals with manufacturers including AstraZeneca and Pfizer. By the end of Wednesday, 4,042,984 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, mainly AstraZeneca, have been administered in Viet Nam, with 324,955 people having received the full two doses. – Viet Nam News
Chinese Embassy in Cambodia reacts to ‘fake news’ that Chinese hackers stole Mekong River data from Cambodia
The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia has reacted strongly to a Reuters report that “Chinese hackers have stolen data on the Mekong River from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia”. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia said on July 22 that the Reuters news agency cited the US Justice Department’s unreasonable allegations, exaggerating the fact that “Chinese hackers have stolen data Mekong River from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia expresses its deep concern and strong opposition to the above allegations. The Chinese side strongly opposes and suppresses all forms of cyber-attacks, whether encouraging, supporting or favouring hacker attacks. The United States is the largest source of cyber-attacks in the world, and even its “allies” are not spared. As for cyber security, trust in the United States has long been lost. On this, apart from lying to oneself and others, there is no value. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia has categorically denied the Reuters misrepresentation and stressed that “the publication of this article is entirely based on US fiction, with clear gaps in reality and logic.”. The Reuters article said the Chinese embassy in Cambodia did not respond, which is not true. The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia has never received any inquiries from Reuters about this issue, if we have received the news, we will not miss the opportunity to confirm the truth and reveal the truth to the public. Hopefully, next time Reuters will respect the truth, promote professionalism and seriousness in reporting. – Khmer Times
SSPP launches Covid-19 inoculation effort using Chinese vaccines
The Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) has started vaccination efforts in its territory by giving jabs to around 1,000 civilians around the armed group’s headquarters in Wanhai, Shan State, a spokesperson said on Thursday. Maj Sai Phone Harn said that the SSPP plans to distribute oxygen concentrators and vaccinate as many as 500,000 people. He added that the plan depends on the availability of the vaccines, which were made in China. At the time of reporting, Myanmar Now was unable to confirm the brand of the vaccines. “We’ve already [vaccinated] the elderly within our headquarters and other elderly people within our reach,” the spokesperson said. He said that the armed group increased its Covid-19 prevention efforts amid the third wave of the pandemic. The SSPP-controlled areas where vaccines could be distributed include Mong Hsu, Kesi, Tangyan and Hsipaw townships, in addition to parts of Lashio, Kyaukme, Hsenwi, Muse and Namkham. “The vaccines are mostly made in China. We’re planning to import oxygen concentrators from Thailand. We’re still trying though. We still can’t say which we will be doing first,” the major said. The SSPP has raised 100 million kyat (more than US$60,000) for the initiative, and said that they would increase the budget if needed. The Shan ethnic armed organisation is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is made up of seven groups who did not sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the National League for Democracy government and the military. The FPNCC operates under the leadership of the United Wa State Army (UWSA). Other FPNCC members operating along the Myanmar-China border, including the UWSA, the National Democratic Alliance Army in Mongla, and the Kachin Independence Army, have also implemented vaccination schemes with jabs made in China. – Myanmar NOW
UB students devise body lotion against COVID-19 using moringa leaves
Five students from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Brawijaya University (FPIK UB) have created a body lotion from moringa leaves and catfish skin as raw materials to prevent COVID-19. "We created the body lotion, as (we were) inspired by the mass usage of hand sanitizers that dehydrated the skin instead, thereby causing skin dryness," a member of the developer team Indri Dwi Fitria stated in Malang, East Java, on Friday. The five students were Indri Dwi Fitria, Rani Elvira, Jamiilah Zahrotul Jannah, Kevin, and Alfain Homis Fadil, who were overseen by lecturer Muhammad Fakhri, S.Pi, M.P, M.Sc. Fitria stated that body lotion was still used by many people, as it offers benefits, such as providing skin nutrients and possessing moisturizing properties. However, the use of synthetic materials, such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and paraben, in the body lotion has negative side-effects following long-term use and was proven to be carcinogenic. To solve the issue, Fitria and her teammates prepared the body lotion by using flavonoid found in moringa leaves and skin collagen from catfish. It was called MORISTIN, a portmanteau of moringa oleifera and catfish skin. "Substances present in moringa leaves, such as apilin, epicatehin, and hesperetin, have a good affinity for the active side of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), thereby ceasing the interaction with SARS-Cov-2," she expounded. Fitria further noted that the collagen from catfish had anti-aging properties, prevented wrinkles, moisturized skin, and increased skin elasticity. Fitria deemed MORISTIN as a safe skincare product that offered extra protection and had no side-effects on long-term usage. The product was an antiseptic body lotion rich in antioxidants, moisturized the skin, offered UV protection, and was safe from bacteria and virus. MORISTIN is available in the three variants of Orange Fresh, Choco Melt, and Vanilla Sweet, according to Fitria. It was available in two sizes of 250 ml priced at Rp50,000 (around three US dollars) per bottle and the 60-ml bottle costing Rp15,000 (about one US dollar). The body lotions were sold online on several online shopping platforms, such as Shopee (@moristin.id) and Tokopedia (moristin_id). Moreover, they had an Instagram handle (@moristin.id) to notify potential buyers of new information. "With MORISTIN, (we) hope to draw the people's attention, so they will always apply health protocols and stay safe during the pandemic without worrying about the side-effects from the routine use of body lotion," Fitria stated. MORISTIN received research funding from the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry during the 2021 Student Creativity Week for Entrepreneurship. – AntaraNews.Com