VIF Neighborhood News Digest: March 30, 2020

PAKISTAN

Govt claims 27pc cases due to local transmission: Dawn
March 30, 2020

Only a day after the government claim about low mortality rate of coronavirus in Pakistan and the decision to extend borders closure for another fortnight, the death toll jumped to 16 with two women in Punjab, a man in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a medical professional in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) among the latest victims. A female patient of Covid-19 in Rawalpindi and another woman, who had been under treatment in Rahim Yar Khan since her recent return from Saudi Arabia, died on Sunday while Abbottabad witnessed the death of an elderly man and a radiologist lost his life while serving in GB’s Nagar district. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Lack of Budget Hinders COVID-19 Response: MoPH: Tolo
March 30, 2020

The positive cases of COVID-19 reached 120 in Afghanistan after three people tested positive for the virus on Sunday, said Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz, who added that the cases are increasing and that his institution does not have access to the required budget to fight the pandemic. Two of the new cases were in Herat while another was in Nimroz. Both provinces share borders with Iran where the coronavirus has killed thousands of people. Four members of NATO’s Resolute Support mission are also among those who have contracted the virus in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

Govt to expand Covid-19 testing facilities: Dhaka Tribune
March 30, 2020

Hospitals across the country setting up labs, waiting for test kits. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) announced they are going to expand Covid-19 testing facilities to medical college hospitals in each division. Most of the medical colleges are yet to begin testing as they are still in the process of setting up the requisite laboratories and are waiting for the arrival of test kits. In Dhaka, the Institute of Public Health, Dhaka Shishu (Children’s) Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford Hospital), have been given the authority to run testing facilities. Click here to read... [4]

MYANMAR

Myanmar COVID-19 patients climb to 10: Myanmar Times
March 30, 2020

The number of COVID-19 patients in Myanmar has been increasing steadily as the Health Ministry confirmed two more infections on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 10. The first case involved a 44-year-old man who returned from Thailand recently. He passed through the Myawaddy border gate in Kayin State. The man arrived in Myawaddy on March 23 and traveled to Mingalardone township in Yangon on March 26, where he was quarantined upon arrival at Pale Myothit Hospital under the government COVID-19 protocol as he was sick and coughing. He would be sent to Wai Bar Gi Hospital. Click here to read... [5]

NEPAL

Central bank announces relief measures for businesses affected by Covid-19: The Kathmandu Post
March 30, 2020

Nepal Rastra Bank on Sunday announced a number of relief measures, including rescheduling of loan repayments deadline, for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the pandemic, the tourism sector, including hotels, restaurants and airlines, has been hit worst while other businesses have also been affected due to ongoing lockdown and slumped economic activities in the market. Click here to read... [6]

Sri Lanka

Japan, China donates drug for COVID-19: Daily Mirror
March 30, 2020

Sri Lanka is to use anti-influenza drug ‘AVIGAN’ on COVID-19 patients on an experimental basis from next week, a senior Public official said today. Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Dr. Prasanna Gunasena told Daily Mirror that a stock of 5,000 ‘AVIGAN’ tablets would be handed over to the SPC as a gift from Japan and China tomorrow (31) to be given to COVID-19 patients on a trial basis. Click here to read... [7]

BHUTAN

Government impose travel restrictions: Kuenselonline
March 30, 2020

With restrictions imposed on travels, the Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA) is exploring a middle-path approach to encourage physical distancing in public transportation sector. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on restricting all non-essential and leisure travels within the country, RSTA is drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP), which would be submitted to the Cabinet on Monday. Click here to read... [8]

CHINA

Xi Focus: Xi chairs leadership meeting on COVID-19 response, economy
March 30, 2020

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday chaired a leadership meeting to analyze the COVID-19 response and economic performance. The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee made new arrangements on coordinating the COVID-19 response and economic and social development. Click here to read... [9]

Xi's G20 speech charts course for global COVID-19 fight, experts say: People’s Daily
March 30, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit, which stressed a coordinated response to the common threat of COVID-19, has charted a course for the global fight against the pandemic, experts have said. Click here to read... [10]

Interview: Experts say U.S.-China cooperation vitally important for global fight against COVID-19: People’s Daily
March 30, 2020

The phone conversation between Chinese and U.S. presidents had sent the message to the world at a critical moment, U.S. experts told Xinhua on Saturday, that U.S.-China cooperation is vitally important in the global fight against COVID-19. In their phone talks on Friday, the two heads of state agreed to enhance sharing of information and experience on epidemic prevention and control, and accelerate cooperation in scientific research against the disease. Click here to read... [11]