These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
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S'pore Poly and NIE students, NSF among 11 new unlinked Covid-19 community cases
Two more students at Singapore Polytechnic (SP) have tested positive for Covid-19. The first is a 16-year-old boy who has tested positive for the B1617 variant of the virus first identified in India, while the second is a 32-year-old IT engineer enrolled as a part-time adult learner. This has prompted the polytechnic to move all lessons online for the next two weeks from Tuesday (May 18) to May 28, it said in a statement on Monday. The two cases, currently not connected, were among 11 unlinked ones reported on Monday. The others included a student at the National Institute of Education (NIE) who is also a part-time tutor, and a full-time national serviceman (NSF), said the Ministry of Health (MOH). The NSF was last at Sungei Gedong Camp on May 14, and is currently warded at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, said the Ministry of Defence in a statement on Monday night. He had received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. The two SP students' positive tests come after an 18-year-old from SP's Media, Arts and Design School tested positive last Saturday. Also, a 37-year-old teacher at Frontier Primary School and an eight-year-old boy at Fuchun Primary School have tested positive for the virus, prompting their schools to shift to home-based learning two days earlier than the rest. The teacher's infection is unlinked, while the boy's has been linked to the Changi Airport cluster. Three other patients reported on Monday were linked to this group. They are a 37-year-old foreign domestic worker, a 63-year-old housewife and a 49-year-old Certis security officer. There were six other linked cases for a total of 10, said the Ministry of Health. Of these, one - a 62-year-old retired man - has been linked to the cluster related to Wok Hey in White Sands Shopping Mall. There are now four cases in this cluster. – The Straits Times
Our vaccination rate still low, please continue to follow SOP, says Lee
The people have been reminded to continue complying with the standard operating procedures (SOP) despite the roll out of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP). The reminder came from Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye after taking into progress the country's vaccination programme that is still in its early stages, and the surge in Covid-19 cases that were contributed by the emergence of different variants of the coronavirus. He said there should be no let-up in compliance with the essential SOPs such as wearing face masks, observing physical distances and sanitising our hands. "It may be prudent for countries like the United States to advise its citizens who have been vaccinated to discard their masks, primarily because it has been able to achieve a vaccination rate of 50 per cent. "In comparison, our vaccination rate is just four per cent. "This reality, coupled with the fact that our number of cases has been increasing and the fear that it could reach 8,000 by next month, is sufficient for us to tighten our vigilance further and be more resolute in following all the SOPs," said Lee in a statement today. He added the Covid-19 virus was mutating in ways that many did not predict which made the battle to eradicate the virus more challenging. Therefore, he said, the people cannot afford to go back to their old ways where hygiene is concerned since we still do not know everything, we need to about this invisible enemy. "There is a body of credible opinion that even after we reach herd immunity, we cannot let our guard down. "The good hygienic habits that we have followed over the last year or so should be a permanent part of our lives. "And it is a known fact that no vaccine prevents illness 100 percent of the time. "Some people who are fully vaccinated can still catch the illness when exposed to the virus but the numbers are too small to be a cause for worry or for complacency," he said. On a related matter, Lee welcomed the announcement by the government over the second round for the opt in AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine that will available for bookings for senior citizens above 60 first, from May 23 until May 26. He also welcomed the move to extend the opt in programme, which was now only offered in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, to other states such as Penang, Johor and Sarawak. He also said the public should heed the appeal by the Coordinating Minister of the NIP, Khairy Jamaluddin that those who had not registered for the jabs should not crowd vaccine dispensing centres. "It is important for those who have yet to be vaccinated to first equip themselves with the facts relating to the availability of the vaccines from reliable sources like the broadcast and print media. "They should do a double check on negative news from any source before they act on them. "And then they will be able to take informed decisions. Be careful not to be deceived." – New Straits Times
Clusters surge across capital
As Covid-19 infections continue to surge in Bangkok with 28 clusters now detected across 19 districts, the Public Health Ministry is planning to inoculate at least five million people by the end of July. The capital on Monday logged the highest number of new infections at 1,843, out of a record-high 9,635 cases found across the country. The surge was driven by an outbreak in several prisons, which accounted for 6,853 cases. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said authorities were closely monitoring the infection clusters in the capital, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) separating them into four categories depending on the rate of local transmission and daily new infections. In all, there are 28 clusters in 19 districts: Din Daeng, Watthana, Klong Toey, Laksi, Lat Phrao, Ratchathewi, Phra Nakhon, Pomprap Sattruphai, Suan Luang, Pathumwan, Sathon, Samphanthawong, Chatuchak, Bang Rak, Prawet, Wang Thonglang, Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok Noi and Huai Khwang. The clusters which contributed the most to Monday's tally were centred around a construction worker camp in Laksi district, the Din Daeng flats and Huai Khwang market in Din Daeng district, Klong Thom Centre and the 22 July Roundabout in Pomprap Sattruphai district, and a construction site in Watthana district. Attempts to contain the spread of the virus are currently focused on the worker camp in Laksi district, which has reported 885 cases to date. The camp was built by the Italian-Thai Development company to house labourers working at a nearby construction site. Dr Taweesilp said authorities were concerned as there were 11 subcontractors working at the site and their workers lived across eight camps in the area. Although the construction site has been sealed off, six camps with 6,000 residents have been told to step up their Covid-19 prevention measures and limit the movement of their residents, he said. The six camps are Flat Tamruat Isara, Yoo Laew Ruay, Flat Tamruat Suanklang, Kongbanchakarnsuksa, Khon Rak Thin and Premsuksan. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), said the DDC would allocate vaccines to the BMA to ensure 70% of Bangkok's population was vaccinated within two months. He said the mass vaccination drive would be launched as soon as the AstraZeneca vaccines arrive next month. About 2.5 million people will be given the shots each month, he said. – Bangkok Post
Gov’t to start vaccination of essential workers, indigents by end-May
The national government is eyeing to open up the COVID-19 vaccination to A4 priority group, comprising essential front liners and the indigent population, in the last week of May, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s pre-recorded speech aired on Tuesday morning, Galvez said opening the vaccination to the A4 was the recommendation of the business sector, many of Cabinet officials, as well as the Senate. “Dapat buksan na natin talaga ‘yung A4 priority group (essential front liners) saka A5 (indigent population) na kailangan ‘yung bakuna, unahin natin ang mahihirap,” he said. Vaccines from the global initiative COVAX facility can be used on the indigent population “for equitable access,” Galvez said. The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said COVAX-donated vaccines, mainly AstraZeneca and Pfizer doses, can only be used on the top three priority groups, namely health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities. Once the vaccination is opened up to the indigent population, there will be less doubts on whether AstraZeneca vaccines can be administered before it expires in June or July, Galvez said. “Gagawin natin, lalakihan natin ‘yung net para ‘yung atin target population ay lumaki at mas marami ang mabakuhanahan. Kahi na mayroong mga magrereject, at least marami ang babakunahan,” Galvez said. (We will widen our net so that our target population will increase and even though there will be those who don’t want to get vaccinated, we can still vaccinate others.) He said the target population of essential workers is at 12.8 million while 16 million are listed under the indigent population. “Ang recommendation ng business sector at karamihan ng Gabinete at saka sa Senate ay ibukas na as soon as possible time na pwede magstart para sa mahihirap para ‘yung mga ibang mga bakuna na galing sa COVAX ay mabigyan din ang mahihirap,” Galvez said. (The recommendation of the business sector and most Cabinet officials as well as the Senate is to open up the vaccination so that poor people can get vaccines from COVAX.) For his part, President Duterte agreed to prioritize the indigent population, reiterating his previous proposal to bring the vaccines to the poor people especially to those who cannot go to vaccination sites. – INQUIRER.net
Newly arrived COVID-19 vaccine doses to be given to worst-hit localities
A further 1,682,000 doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine from the global vaccine sharing scheme COVAX arrived in Viet Nam on Sunday. The shipment, which arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Ha Noi on a Qatar Airlines flight, was transported to the cold storage facility of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Ha Noi at 8pm. This shipment comes in addition to the first batch of more than 800,000 doses delivered on April 1 and is part of the 4.1 million free-of-charge doses committed to Viet Nam from the COVAX Facility by the end of May (out of the total 30 million doses the country is eligible to receive by the end of 2022), according to a statement from UNICEF. The COVAX Facility, an international partnership created to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI), GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF. The vaccine doses were shipped from Catalent Biologics’ manufacturing facility in Anagni, Italy. The health ministry will assess the doses for quality control purposes before allocating them to localities for the third phase of the vaccination programme. As of Sunday, 979,238 doses had been administered to frontline workers, medical staff who are directly involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, contact tracers, community-based anti-COVID-19 groups, members of steering committees from central to local levels, military, and public security forces, according to the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation. A total of 22,561 people have received the full two doses. “The additional vaccines will help the Ministry of Health to expand coverage and reach more people from the priority groups, while also providing a second dose to those who have already received the first dose,” UNICEF said. Amid record spikes in cases in the ongoing fourth wave of community infections, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said the vaccines will be prioritised for provinces that are suffering from high caseloads like Bac Ninh and Bac Giang in the northern region. Thuan said a multidose vial of the AstraZeneca vaccine, 10*0.5ml doses, could be used to inoculate up to 11-12 people instead of just 10. Eighteen per cent of the vaccinated have suffered from mild reactions, with the most common local swelling, pain, or fever. Only 24 have recorded serious reactions, including one death from anaphylactic shock. Currently, Viat Nam’s health authorities have approved only two types of vaccines for emergency use in the country – AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V. The existing stockpile of vaccine doses expected to be fully administered by May 23, before moving on to the newly arrived doses. – Viet Nam News
Possible super-spreader detained
Pailin Provincial Administration has detained a potential super-spreader who tested positive for Covid-19, who revealed he had previously visited 10 provinces in the Kingdom. The emergency response team of Pailin Provincial Health Department confirmed that Keng Ravi, a 26-year-old Cambodian tyre seller who lives in Boeng Kak I commune, Tuol Kork district, Phnom Penh, is positive for COVID-19. Ravi and his travelling companion, another tyre seller Chuon Vuthea, 29, whose test came back negative, were tested with rapid tests and detained while trying to cross into Pailin province on May 14. During investigations, the man revealed he had an extensive travel history and may have spread the deadly virus to a number of provinces. Pailin Provincial Administration has called on those who came into direct or indirect contact with the two above men, especially guesthouses in the provinces where they had stayed during their trip, to immediately report to the nearest health centre or provincial referral hospital for testing. Pailin Provincial Administration director Khun Bunly told Khmer Times yesterday that authorities sent Ravi to Teacher’s Guesthouse treatment centre and Vuthea to quarantine for 14 days after allowing him to return home. Bunly said the provincial administration has not taken any legal action against Ravi, because he said he did not know he was Covid-19 positive. “We are treating him first and then we will question him for more information,” Bunly said. In response, Siem Reap Provincial Administration yesterday issued a press release deciding to temporarily close 15 car tyre shops and one guesthouse in Siem Reap province and ordered their staff to quarantine for 14 days at home starting from May 16. Siem Reap authorities said the information provided by Pailin Provincial Administration showed that Ravi had travelled to 15 car tyre shops in Siem Reap province to sell car tyres and stayed at Wai Hong Angkor Guesthouse in Chong Kaosou village, Slor Kram commune, Siem Reap city on May 11. “As a first step, we have suspended some traders’ businesses and monitored the health of the people who have been in contact with the patient. So far, we have listed nearly 100 people directly and indirectly affected to prepare for sample testing,” director of Siem Reap provincial Health Department Kros Sarath said. However, he added, he thinks the chance of transmission is minimal as the patient was only present in the car tyre shops for between 10 and 15 minutes, and some traders who came into contact with him were wearing masks and spraying alcohol sanitiser regularly. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health reported 360 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday, bringing the total number in the Kingdom to 22,544. Of the new cases, four are imported and the rest are linked to the February 20 Community Event. The ministry also announced four more Covid-19 deaths yesterday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 154. It also recorded 886 recoveries; bringing the total number to 13,006. According to Pailin Provincial Administration, on May 7, Ravi travelled from Phnom Penh to Takeo, Kampot and Kep provinces by car, spending the night in Kep at an unknown guesthouse. On May 8, he travelled from Kep province to Veal Rinh commune, Prey Nop district in Preah Sihanouk province and stayed there for one night – he claims not to remember the name of the guesthouse in which he stayed. On May 9, he then travelled to Koh Kong province and stayed there for one night in a guesthouse he again said he forgot the name of. On May 10, he then stayed in Phnom Penh overnight. On May 11, he travelled to Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces, staying in Siem Reap for one night at another unknown guesthouse. On May 12, he stayed at Malyma Guesthouse in Preah Vihear province for one night. On May 13, he moved on to Anlong Veng district, Oddar Meanchey province, and stayed at Sophea Guesthouse overnight. On May 14, he then travelled to Banteay Meanchey and Battambang provinces and then attempted to enter Pailin province. – Khmer Times
People’s Party co-founder resigns amid row over whether to attend meeting with junta’s election commission
One of the co-founders of the People’s Party has resigned over a disagreement about whether the party should attend a meeting on Friday organised by the junta’s election body. Ye Naing Aung, the party’s General Secretary, told Myanmar Now he argued for boycotting the meeting with the Union Election Commission (UEC) during a discussion with senior party members on Monday. “I resigned from the party during a meeting with the central executive committee members today,” he said, declining to give further details. Ye Naing Aung founded the party in 2018 with Ko Ko Gyi and other veterans of the 1988 democratic uprising. Ko Ko Gyi, who is the party’s chair, declined to comment on the resignation or the party’s stance regarding the UEC meeting. The People’s Party boycotted a first meeting with the UEC in late February, along with others including the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the Democratic Party for a New Society, which was also founded by veterans of the 1988 uprising. Sai Nyunt Lwin, a vice-chair of the SNLD, told Myanmar Now his party will not attend Friday’s meeting. “There are currently clashes in Shan State and Covid-19 is still there. We can’t think about this,” said Sai Nyunt Lwin. A number of ethnic political parties from Rakhine and Kachin states, as well as dozens of parties allied with the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, attended the February meeting. The military council arrested former UEC members after it seized power on February 1. It then reappointed its own members to the commission, which held its first post-coup meeting with political parties on February 26. During the meeting, the junta-appointed chairman announced that the results of last year’s election – which Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won in a landslide – were annulled. The military alleged – without evidence – that there was widespread voter fraud in the poll, a claim it used as justification for seizing power. The coup regime claims it plans to hold another election and transfer power to the winning party. The People’s Party fielded 140 candidates, including Ko Ko Gyi, in last year’s election but did not win any seats. – Myanmar NOW
Over 4 million people enter, exit Jakarta during homecoming ban
Over 2 million people left Jakarta and nearly as many visitors entered the city during the Eid al-Fitr homecoming ban from May 6 to May 15, 2021, Jakarta Vice Governor Ahmad Riza Patria said. "As per the available data, some 2.2 million people entered Jakarta and some 2.6 million people left Jakarta between May 6 and 15," he disclosed at the Jakarta City Hall on Monday. To stem transmission of COVID-19 arising from the movement of people in large numbers, the Jakarta provincial government adopted several policies during the homecoming ban period, including temporarily closing tourist destinations, such as Ragunan Zoo, Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park (TMII), and Ancol Dream Land. "We always pray and make efforts that the Eid al-Fitr holidays will not lead to a rise or spike in COVID-19 cases in Jakarta," Patria said. As per official data, 2,607,688 people left Jakarta using private vehicles while 55 others used inter-provincial buses during the homecoming ban period. Meanwhile, 2,244,096 people travelled to Jakarta by private vehicles and 174 others used inter-provincial buses. The data also shows 1,730,463 vehicles left Jakarta, while 1,513,267 vehicles entered the Indonesian capital during the period. The COVID-19 Handling Task Force issued Circular Number 13 of 2021 on the ‘mudik’ ban to stem coronavirus transmission during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations. The ban excluded logistics distribution service vehicles and people who needed to travel for non-mudik purposes, specifically for work or business, to visit sick family members, or attend funerals of family members. The ban also excluded pregnant women, who were allowed to be accompanied by one family member, while women traveling for childbirth were allowed to be accompanied by a maximum of two people. – AntaraNews.Com