These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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No flu cases at S'pore polyclinics in more than 8 months
There has not been a single case of confirmed influenza at any of the more than 60 polyclinics and sentinel general practice clinics here in more than eight months - something not seen in the past decade. These polyclinics and GP clinics are used by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to monitor for possible outbreaks, and to track influenza strains. Until the circuit breaker in April last year, and the introduction of safety measures for Covid-19, such as the wearing of masks, there has not been a month without any laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza since the MOH started monitoring for flu more than a decade ago. Samples from some patients who appear to have influenza at these clinics are sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for testing. The last case that tested positive for influenza, according to the MOH's weekly infectious diseases bulletin, was one person with type A influenza in May last year. Similarly, there was also only one case of influenza diagnosed in April. An MOH spokesman said: "This is the first time such a steep decline in influenza activity has been observed since the start of the surveillance programme." In contrast, the bulletin had 320 people testing positive for the flu virus in January last year, out of a sample of 652 people who had flu-like illness. The high numbers at the turn of the year were "not unexpected", said the spokesman, "as it was the winter season in the north hemisphere where influenza usually circulates widely". But in January this year, not one out of the 231 people with flu-like illness who were tested actually had influenza. The spokesman said the MOH continues to test 200 to 250 samples for influenza per month. Aside from safety measures that are still in place, Dr Asok Kurup, who chairs the Academy of Medicine's Chapter of Infectious Disease Physicians, said the lack of confirmed flu cases could also be due to the good take-up rates for influenza vaccines last year. People were urged to vaccinate against the flu last year to avoid being mistaken as having Covid-19 infections, as both diseases share some symptoms, such as fever, fatigue and cough. Dr Kurup added that "people were also not travelling and bringing back all sorts of bugs". – The Straits Times
Johor hopes NIP will facilitate reopening of border with Singapore
Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) would facilitate the reopening of the border with Singapore. He said the state government would propose to the Federal government to allow cross border travel for those who have been vaccinated. "I believe those who have been vaccinated will receive a certificate so they should have the benefit of being able to travel to Singapore," said Hasni. Singapore started their vaccination programme in December 30 last year. "We will submit a proposal on the standard operating procedures on this matter to the Federal Government so it can be discussed further," said Hasni. He said the state government will do its best to ensure cross border travel between Malaysia and Singapore is considered soon. "Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has said that inter-state travel would only be allowed when 80 per cent of the country's population have been vaccinated. Hasni was speaking to the media after the launch of the state level NIP at Dewan Muafakat Johor in Adda Heights here. At the launch, Hasni became among the first individual in Johor to receive the vaccine. – New Straits Times
Injuries as city rally clash erupts
A confrontation between police and pro-democracy protesters turned ugly on Sunday, with several injuries and arrests following a protest in front of the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks, King's Guard. About 1,500 young protesters under of the REDEM (Restart Democracy) banner, began converging at Victory Monument at 3pm before marching to the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks, King's Guard, on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's residence is located, according to the Special Branch Bureau. REDEM is the latest reincarnation of the Free Youth group that had rallied against the government and campaigned for monarchy reform. Over 2,000 anti-riot officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau were deployed to counter, and barricades were set up to block protesters from approaching the prime minister's residence. The situation took a turn for the worse about 6.30pm when the protesters clashed with the police. Police deploying tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, who continued to throw objects at the officers. Police officers shot rubber bullets at the protesters during the clash. As of press time, the police had not come out with an explanation on the use of rubber bullets on protesters, although sources close to the matter said an official briefing can be expected today. That said, Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) deputy commissioner Piya Tawichai insisted that police did not fire tear gas or water cannons at the protesters. The deputy MPB chief added that the protests have become more violent with some of the protesters carrying weapons and vandalising government properties, referring to the rallies in front of Parliament House and Kiak Kai Junction. – Bangkok Post
PGH director is PH’s first Covid-19 vaccine recipient
The Philippines has given its first Covid-19 vaccine to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi. Legaspi received the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech on Monday at the PGH. PGH nurse Sherlock Santos administered the vaccine to Legaspi. Other government officials who were also inoculated with Sinovac’s vaccine, CoronaVac, include Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos, and National Task Force against Covid-19 deputy implementer Vince Dizon. In a briefing, Legaspi noted that his decision to get the vaccines was based on “nothing else but science.” “Nakadesisyon po tayo sa Sinovac base sa siyensya. Sinabi ko po sa town hall, alisin natin ang ating view sa vaccine, hiwalay sa pulitika, hiwala sa partido, hiwalay sa administrasyon, hiwalay sa paniniwala kundi batay sa siyensya na malinaw,” Legaspi said, recalling a town hall meeting attended by PGH’s health workers. (We decided on Sinovac based on science. I told the town hall meeting, let’s remove our view on the vaccine, separate from politics, party, administration, whatever belief. Let’s base it on science that is clear.) Legaspi expressed confidence that FDA’s Domingo and the vaccine expert panel will not approve a vaccine that is not safe. “Hindi po ganon kaganda sa pananaw ng karamihan pero kapag sinuri ninyo nang mas malalim, maiintindihan po ninyo bakit ako ang una nag-volunteer magpabakuna,” Legaspi said. (It may not be good in a lot of people’s opinion but if you examine it deeper, you will understand why I volunteered to be first to get vaccinated.) “Katulad po ng sinabi ko, ang akin pong pananaw ay hango sa aking paniniwala sa datos at walang ibang basehan po,” he went on. (Just like what I said, my view is based on data and nothing more.) The Philippines rolled out its vaccination program after receiving 600,000 doses of Sinovac’s vaccine from the Chinese government. A million more doses are expected to arrive this month, a representative of Sinovac Biotech said. – INQUIRER.net
Hà Nội students to return to schools on March 2
Students in Hà Nội are set to come back to school next Tuesday (March 2), according to a document issued by the municipal People’s Committee on Saturday. The date applies for students from kindergarten to high school levels, while colleges and centres for vocational training and continuing education will reopen a week later. Relevant agencies have been asked to exert efforts in ensuring safety for students when they resume going to schools, and enforce strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Schools are also requested to complete the curriculum in tandem with guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Training and prepare for the upcoming national high school and secondary school examinations. Students in the city had to stay home and study online from February 2 when new locally-transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported in the city late January. Hà Nội had not detected new cases of COVID-19 for 11 consecutive days to February 26. – Viet Nam News
Almost locked down: Authorities advice against travel in or out of Sihanoukville
Preah Sihanouk Provincial administration yesterday identified four more hotspots in Sihanoukville amid concerns of a COVID-19 community spread and has urged its residents not to leave the city in a bid to contain the situation. In a Facebook post, it also advised people from other provinces and the capital not to visit Sihanoukville for the moment. The number of hotspots in Sinhanoukville has now risen to 20 after 16 were identified on Saturday. The locations were identified through contact tracing after two women linked to the community incident in Phnom Penh visited a hotel in Sihanoukville on February 23. Since then, eight people in the city have tested positive for the virus, with no new cases reported yesterday. The four new hotspots are Zing Shaone Hotel, Han Gaun Hotel, Jin Feng Hotel and The International Polyclinic Hospital. The 16 previous hotspots are three branches of Jin Bei Hotel; One Kitchen Hotel; Guan Haungi Hotel; One Future Condominium; Goddess of Liberty Hotel; SS Hotel and Residence; Hay Geu Kang Hotel; Casino Chhang Chheung; Hotel and Restaurant Chou Hay Taing; Brilliancy Hotel and Casino; Thai Khang Hospital; Casino Haong Lie; Nan Hay Hotels and Darun Fa Supermarket. The provincial administration also said that so far 4,119 people, including 1,676 women, have had samples taken for testing. It appealed to people to continue taking preventative measures against COVID-19 after noticing that a small number of people keep gathering in large groups. It said that the situation could escalate into a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19 into community, which could be difficult to control. The administration advised people to cut down on marketing trips by buying foodstuff and groceries to last for several days during each visit. It also continued to urge taxi, tuk took and auto-rickshaw drivers (PassApps) to strictly adhere to health rules by spraying disinfectant or alcohol before and after getting out of the vehicle, and must ensure all passengers wear masks. Meanwhile, the fallout from the February 20 Community Incident in Phnom Penh continues to worsen with the Health Ministry reporting 35 new positive cases and 14 more hotspots yesterday. So far, the total number of infections linked to the February 20 Community Incident has reached 302 with the number of identified hotspots now at 77. – Khmer Times
Police major becomes first high-ranking officer to join anti-coup resistance
A police major from the Yangon region police force announced on Sunday that he has resigned his position in a show of solidarity with anti-coup protesters. Tin Min Tun, an acting major in the force’s Special Branch, revealed the move in a live-stream video on Facebook. “I don’t want to continue serving under the current military regime. That’s why I have joined the CDM to show that I stand with other government employees,” he said in the video, referring to the civil disobedience movement against the February 1 coup. He said he had been with the Special Branch – the intelligence wing of the police, which serves mainly to monitor activists and politicians – since 1989 but submitted his letter of resignation on Friday in protest over the return to military rule, which he said would destroy the country’s future. “If this military regime holds onto power, we won’t achieve what we want in the next 20 or 25 years. We will just lose again,” he said. As the highest-ranking officer to take part in the anti-coup moveme
nt so far, he noted that police who break ranks to join protesters face up to three years in prison under the Myanmar Police Force Maintenance of Discipline Law. “I also want to tell my fellow officers to do what you believe is right,” he added. Earlier in the month, police in various parts of the country joined protesters calling for the restoration of the elected civilian government, raising hopes of mass defections by the “people’s police”. More recently, however, police have been implicated in an increasingly brutal crackdown on protesters that has killed dozens of unarmed civilians, including at least 18 on Sunday. In the video, Tin Min Tun addressed the deteriorating image of the police force in the face of its role in helping the junta hold onto power against the will of the people. Speaking to his fellow officers, he said they should consider how they will face future generations, adding that many members of the force are already experiencing “discrimination” from the public for doing the regime’s bidding. Regarding his own future, he said he would leave that to fate. “If they decide to send me to jail, so be it. This is my sacrifice for my family and my country,” he said. “I also want to tell my children and other family members to stay calm. I didn’t discuss this with them. I did it because I couldn’t control my feelings any longer,” he added. CDM was started by doctors and other healthcare workers in the week after the coup in an effort to hobble the regime’s ability to take control over government functions. It has since been joined by civil servants from a number of ministries, as well as bank employees. An official from the Yangon Region Police Department contacted by Myanmar Now has confirmed that a senior Special Branch officer had joined the CDM. “He is a hero. We have great respect for his decision,” said the officer, who asked to remain anonymous. He added that he would like to follow suit, but is reluctant to do so because it would not only result in a prison sentence for him, but would also have negative consequences for his immediate family. – Myanmar NOW
Vaccination in mutual cooperation must be free of charge: Minister
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin reiterated that COVID-19 vaccination in mutual cooperation by companies should be provided free of charge for employees and their family members. "It should be given for free. The mutual cooperation vaccine would be provided by companies, they will seek the vaccine, and it should be free for all employees and their family members," Sadikin said in a virtual press conference here on Sunday. The vaccination in mutual cooperation is stipulated in article 7 of the Health Minister Regulation no. 10/2021 on vaccination to handle COVID-19 pandemic. The type of COVID-19 vaccine used in the vaccination must be different from those used in the government's vaccination program to avoid any disturbance in national vaccine distribution. It should be approved by the National Food and Drug Control (BPOM) with the issuance of emergency use authorization (EUA) and distribution license number. The Health Ministry has set four COVID-19 vaccines to be used in its massive vaccination program namely Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, dan Novavac. The four vaccine have arrived in Indonesia. "The vaccine (used in mutual cooperation vaccination) cannot be the same hence there is no competition in supply. We should ensure that (companies) would get the supply of vaccine other than the four vaccines used by the government in its program," the minister elaborated. The implementation of vaccinations in mutual cooperation by companies is part of the efforts to expedite the implementation of immunization for more than 181 million Indonesians, to complete in 12 months from its previous target of completion in 15 months. Innovation and collaboration between the government, private sector and the public would help accelerating the vaccination. One of the innovations in vaccination program is drive thru vaccination in Nusa Dua, Bali, he said. "The more people participate in the program, the faster we can reach herd immunity. Indonesia has a remarkable social capital. This time we fight against the pandemic. Together we can get through this," he said. – AntaraNews.Com