All entering Malaysia to serve quarantine at hotels, govt centres

From Friday, people entering Malaysia from overseas will have to undergo their mandatory quarantine at hotels or quarantine centres.

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also Defence Minister, yesterday said this requirement applies to Malaysians and non-citizens granted entry to the country, and that they will have to bear the full cost of their stay.

Currently, those who test negative for the coronavirus upon arrival can choose to serve their 14-day quarantine at home. But this option will no longer be available from Friday.

facebook_default_pic.jpg

PETALING JAYA • From Friday, people entering Malaysia from overseas will have to undergo their mandatory quarantine at hotels or quarantine centres.

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also Defence Minister, yesterday said this requirement applies to Malaysians and non-citizens granted entry to the country, and that they will have to bear the full cost of their stay.

Currently, those who test negative for the coronavirus upon arrival can choose to serve their 14-day quarantine at home. But this option will no longer be available from Friday.

The new rule comes amid rising Covid-19 cases after Malaysia eased its shutdown measures on June 10, allowing businesses and most social activities to resume but with social distancing protocols in place.

Recently, five cases were detected in the “Novgorod cluster”, which originated from a Malaysian who had returned from Russia on July 5.

He had tested negative for the virus on arrival, but later tested positive on a second test.

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri also said the police will no longer just advise or warn those who flout social distancing rules under the recovery phase of the country’s movement control order (MCO).

“Many people seem to assume that there are no laws in place, as if the MCO has ended,” he said. “The police have decided that there will be no more warnings and advice. They will take stern action against anyone who violates the MCO.”

On Monday, police detained 80 individuals for violating the MCO – of which 20 were remanded, four released on bail, and another 56 fined.

Malaysia recorded 15 new coronavirus cases yesterday, lifting the total to 8,815 cases while deaths remained at 123.

Yesterday’s was the third straight daily double-digit rise in infections, after the country managed to hold daily growth to single digits since movement controls were eased.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Japan approves dexamethasone as coronavirus treatment

Japan’s health ministry has approved dexamethasone, a cheap and widely used steroid, as a second treatment of Covid-19 after a trial in Britain showed the drug reduced death rates in hospitalised patients.

The ministry included dexamethasone as an option for treatment along with antiviral drug remdesivir in a recent revision to its handbook. The revision was widely reported by Japanese media on Wednesday (July 22).

In results announced last month, a trial by researchers in the United Kingdom showed dexamethasone as the first drug to save lives of Covid-19 patients in what scientists said was a major breakthrough in the coronavirus pandemic.

nz_dexamethasone_220733.jpg?itok=Ycti-24

TOKYO (REUTERS) – Japan’s health ministry has approved dexamethasone, a cheap and widely used steroid, as a second treatment of Covid-19 after a trial in Britain showed the drug reduced death rates in hospitalised patients.

The ministry included dexamethasone as an option for treatment along with antiviral drug remdesivir in a recent revision to its handbook. The revision was widely reported by Japanese media on Wednesday (July 22).

In results announced last month, a trial by researchers in the United Kingdom showed dexamethasone as the first drug to save lives of Covid-19 patients in what scientists said was a major breakthrough in the coronavirus pandemic.

Related Stories: 

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Moderna, Merck will not limit price of COVID-19 vaccines to company cost

Executives from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca Plc testified that they will price their respective potential vaccines at no profit while the pandemic rages on.
Gerberding and a representative from Moderna did not comment on the price they have in mind for their vaccines at the hearing, which focused on efforts to develop a safe, effective and widely accessible vaccine against COVID-19, which has claimed 600,000 lives globally.
Pfizer Inc has said the company intends to make a profit from its potential coronavirus vaccine if approved. However, Pfizer Chief Business Officer John Young, testified: “We recognize that these are extraordinary times and our price will reflect that.” 460650
Executives from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca testified that they will price their respective potential vaccines at no profit while the pandemic rages on.

LabCorp CEO: Coronavirus is spreading faster than testing expansion

LabCorp CEO Adam Schechter told CNBC on Tuesday that the coronavirus is spreading faster in the U.S. than the company can expand testing capacity, leading to slower turnaround time for results.  “We need all states to ensure we’re doing everything we can to better control the virus. If we can do that, then we’ll be able to have the tests that we need,” Schechter said on “Closing Bell.”  LabCorp is currently processing about 165,000 tests for Covid-19 per day, translating to more than 1 million per week, he said. In late March during the early stages of the pandemic, LabCorp was running about 20,000 tests per day.  “We’re continuing to increase capacity every single week over week,” he said. “The problem is that the number of tests being asked to be performed each week is growing faster than the capacity that we can build.”

Source: LabCorp CEO: Coronavirus is spreading faster than testing expansion

Former Bush DHS secretary rips Trump for treating department like ‘the president’s personal militia’ – referencing Portland

“The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia,” Ridge said, alluding to the department’s creation after the 9/11 attacks. Ridge did say he would “welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime or lawlessness in the cities” if he were governor. But “it would be a cold day in hell before I would consent to an uninvited, unilateral intervention into one of my cities,” he added, specifically calling out how the federal authorities were unwelcome in Portland.

Source: Former Bush DHS secretary rips Trump for treating department like ‘the president’s personal militia’