These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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About 21,800 people had their Covid-19 vaccination status lapse for not taking booster shots in time
About 21,800 people aged 18 and above had their Covid-19 vaccination status lapse on Monday (Feb 14) for failing to take the booster shot.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) told The Straits Times on Tuesday (Feb 15) that these individuals had yet to make their booster shot appointments as of Sunday (Feb 13), even as they were eligible and had taken their second vaccine jab more than 270 days ago.
Under the ministry's new policy that kicked in on Monday, those aged 18 and above will have to take a booster shot within 270 days of completing their primary Covid-19 vaccination series in order to maintain their full vaccination status.
MOH added that about 82,000 persons received their booster dose over the last weekend (Feb 11 to 13).
"This is a notable increase from the previous weekend (Feb 4 to 6), which saw about 63,000 persons receiving their booster dose," said the ministry.
MOH said those who have received their booster dose will have their vaccination status updated within 24 hours of the jab.
As at Tuesday, about 94 per cent of Singapore's eligible population have completed the full Covid-19 vaccination regimen, and 64 per cent of the total population have received the vaccine booster shot. – Straits Times
Majority of Covid-19 clusters involve education institutions
Twelve of 16 new Covid-19 clusters registered by the Health Ministry yesterday involved education institutions where 242 people had been infected by the virus.
Data shared by the ministry on the CovidNow portal as of midnight last night indicated that the clusters recorded were in Kelantan (5), Johor (1), Melaka (1), Sabah (1), Putrajaya (1), Pahang (1) and Selangor (2).
In Kelantan, an accumulative 118 cases were reported in Pasir Mas and Kota Baru.
The Seksyen 17 Lembah Sireh 2 cluster in Kota Baru had the most infections with 48, followed by Kluster Lorong Taman Sri Darul Riyadh with 30 and Kluster Pasir Mas-Pohon Tanjung 2 with 21. There were 11 and eight cases respectively in Kluster Jalan Darul Naim and Kluster Kampung Wakaf Zin.
In Tangkak, Johor, Kluster Tanjung Agas recorded seven cases.
In Melaka, Kluster Londang in Alor Gajah saw 27 cases while in Kota Belud, Sabah, Kluster Jubi Tambulion had 22 and there are 16 in Kluster Lebuh Karak 2 in Bentong, Pahang.
In Putrajaya, there are seven cases in Kluster Jalan Jati Bukit while in Selangor, there are 19 in Kluster Jalan Sungai Long 32 in Klang and 26 in Kluster Pasir Penambang in Kuala Selangor.
In the workplace and detention centre categories, Kluster Industri Pegoh 2 in Alor Gajah, Melaka and Kluster Tembok Kota Kinabalu 2 reported 120 and 104 cases respectively.
Separately, 31 new deaths were reported due to Covid-19, with 10 classified as Brought in Dead (BID) cases. This brings the nation's death toll to 32,180.
There were 2,034 admissions into hospitals nationwide yesterday with the highest in the Klang Valley (512), followed by Johor (414) and Sabah with 308. – New Straits Times
Political standoff over Green Line
All eyes are on the Bhumjaithai Party's next move against a 30-year extension of the Green Line railway concession with the maximum fare set at 65 baht.
The matter was withdrawn from last week's cabinet meeting agenda with the absence of ministers from the coalition Bhumjaithai Party – including its leader, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Transport Minister and party secretary-general Saksayam Chidchob – thought to be a factor.
The Interior Ministry has proposed that the agreement be extended from 2029 to 2059 with the stipulation that the maximum fare goes no higher than 65 baht.
Observers have claimed the Interior Ministry did not comply with regulations and principles of good governance. If the matter is approved, it may affect laws in the future, they have said.
Mr Anutin and Mr Saksayam had earlier opposed the extension and this was the seventh time the matter had been tabled then withdrawn prior to a cabinet meeting, according to a source.
Moreover, the absence of ministers from the Bhumjaithai Party has shaken the stability of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's government given disunity within the ruling party amid growing political pressure.
The party brought up the reason Mr Saksayam was against the 30-year Green Line railway concession which was that he thinks the government would be disadvantaged by it.
The matter began during the tenure of former Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra in 2012.
At that time, he chaired a signing ceremony for a contract to operate railway line extensions from On Nut-Bearing and Wong Wian Yai-Bang Wa sections from 2012-2042, in addition to Mo Chit-On Nut and National Stadium-Saphan Taksin sections from 2029-2042.
A study by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said that since Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) has certain capital advantages, such as having its own maintenance centre, other firms may not be able to offer competing bids when the BTSC reaches the end of its term in 2029. – Bangkok Post
Balance Piston exercise to boost PH, US troops interoperability
The Philippine Army’s (PA) Special Force Regiment "Airborne" (SFRA) and the US Army Special Forces formally opened the three-week Balance Piston 22-1 exercise that would improve interoperability between the two services, at Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on February 14.
PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad, in a statement Wednesday, said the Balance Piston 22-1 aims to test and validate plans, procedures, and concepts to enhance collaboration and interoperability between Filipino and US Special Forces.
"(The) Joint/Combined Exchange Training Balance Piston 22-1 is an annual bilateral exercise that provides an avenue to Filipino and US Special Forces to learn and exchange tactics, techniques, procedures, and best practices," he said.
The exercise, which ends on March 7, will focus on Human Rights and Law of Armed Conflict; Combat Management of Marksmanship Skills; Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures; Command and Control Structure; Mission Planning; Unconventional Warfare Subject Matter Experts Exchange; Crisis Action Planning, Fundamentals of Reconnaissance; Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyze, Disseminate; Urban Reconnaissance; Tactical Combat Casualty Care; and a Culmination Exercise.
Meanwhile, SFRA acting commander, Col. Eliglen F. Villaflor, who served as the event's keynote speaker, said the exercise would help the unit identify operational capabilities and competency gaps.
“Observe and learn from our US Special Forces partners,” he said.
Trinidad added that the annual exercise reinforces the thrust of Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., in enhancing the skills of soldiers and competencies of Army units to further empower them in mission accomplishment. – Philippine News Agency
Health ministry issues guidelines for COVID-19 patients under home care
COVID-19 patients who are allowed to self-monitor at home have been told to measure and pay attention to breathing rate, pulse, temperature, peripheral oxygen (SpO2) levels, and blood pressure, then fill out a health monitoring sheet twice a day.
The Ministry of Health on Saturday issued new guidelines on health monitoring for COVID-19 patients who are allowed to self-monitor at home. Viet Nam registered 29,413 COVID-19 patients on Monday, the highest since the start of the pandemic.
Under the guidelines, COVID-19 patients are allowed to self-monitor at home but have to watch out for symptoms of fatigue, cough, coughing up phlegm, chills, conjunctivitis, loss of taste or smell, diarrhoea, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, persistent chest pain, drowsiness, sore throat, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and muscle aches. – Vietnam News
Health spokesperson urges Cambodians not to underestimate Omicron
Dr Or Vandine, Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, has again urged Cambodians not to underestimate the Omicron variant – as Cambodia records 11 consecutive days of triple digit case figures. “The Ministry of Health has repeatedly called for measures to be put in place, but it is up to all individuals to take action now,” she said.
“In some countries around the world and in the region, there are cases of Omicron infection every day, including Cambodia, and deaths in some countries have already occurred” she added, stating that people with a chronic illness and those who have not been vaccinated or given a low dose are at a higher risk.
Omicron has spread through the community, especially in crowded places, closed places, places with no ventilation, only air conditioning and too many gathering places – due to lack of implementation of 3 measures to protect and 3 do not.
At the same time, she reiterated that we must work together to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 from now on by continuing to do so:
1: Bring your loved ones to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for all basic and booster doses now.
2: Take care to continue to implement 3 the protective measures: Wear a mask properly, wash your hands often, keep a safe distance of one and a half meters between people.
For example, do not go to too many gatherings, which have a very high risk during the omega epidemic, and do not sit too close to each other.
It is necessary to implement the personal safety gap as instructed by the Ministry of Health and local authorities.
Do not go to crowded places, closed places, do not gather together and so on.
3: If in doubt: Ask for a quick test yourself, if positive for COVID-19, isolate, receive treatment and care at home thoroughly, avoid transmission to family members in their home by following the operating guidelines for home treatment and care that has already been properly published by the Ministry of Health.
4: Participate in disseminating the above preventive measures to our families and communities to jointly prevent the transmission of COVID-19 virus in Cambodia. – Khmer Times
Anti-junta guerrillas draw outrage for killing respected democracy activist
Myint San was a poet known for dedicating his life to helping his neighbours. The 65-year-old built a library with his own money in his Sagaing Region village of Ma Le Thar, and even “bribed” children with cash for every book they finished.
After the military seized power in February last year, he became an avid anti-coup activist, his family said. In December, he went into hiding in the neighbouring village of Pa Dat Taing to avoid being arrested, or possibly worse, by the junta’s forces.
On February 3, three gunmen shot Myint San in the head in front of his son and daughter outside the safehouse where he was staying.
But the killers were not members of the junta’s forces. They were from an anti-junta guerrilla group that has accused Myint San of being a military informant.
Friends, family members, and fellow activists say there is no evidence for this accusation, and are demanding an explanation from the Zero Guerrilla Force, which is based in Mandalay Region’s Myingyan Township.
“What I can really guarantee is that Myint San actively participated in the revolution,” said Ba Oo, an officer of the Ayadaw Revolutionary Force, another local guerrilla group. “There is no reason he would be on the enemy’s side. He was a well-known figure in revolutionary communities.”
He and others have called on the killers to hand over any evidence they have against Myint San, and say they should apologise and agree to submit themselves to a fair trial under a democratic regime in the event that the revolution is successful. – Myanmar NOW
Government witnesses rising trend in COVID-19 deaths
An upward trend in COVID-19 deaths was recorded despite the figure still being lower than that during the second COVID-19 wave, Government spokesperson for COVID-19 Handling Wiku Adisasmito stated.
At a virtual press conference accessed here on Tuesday, Adisasmito noted that the number of COVID-19 cases nationwide during the current third wave had jumped sharply faster than that during the second wave.
"This increase in COVID19-positive cases also has an impact on the death trend, which is currently rising. The good news is that the increase (in the number of deaths) in the third wave is much lower than that during the second wave," he affirmed. He explained that the country had recorded 505 COVID-19-related deaths last week. Meanwhile, during the spike in cases caused by the Delta variant last year, the number of fatalities had surpassed 12 thousand.
Adisasmito noted that the weekly new cases last week had almost touched the weekly new cases during the Delta spread.
He remarked that 291 thousand new COVID-19 cases were recorded last week due to Omicron. Meanwhile, during the peak of the Delta variant spread during the previous year, the number of weekly cases had reached 350 thousand.
Apart from the rise in the COVID-19 death trend, the bed occupancy rate (BOR) at hospitals also increased, although the rate is still lower than that during the previous wave. – AntaraNews.Com