COVID-19

Japan faces longer state of emergency, casting doubt on Olympics

Officials were leaning toward an extension of the measures in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures beyond 11 May as the country battles a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Yomiuri newspaper said on Wednesday.

Extending the measures, which were imposed on 25 April, would likely fan persistent concerns about whether the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to begin on 23 July, can be held as planned.

The games have already been delayed once from last year due to the pandemic.

Covid-19 surge forces Fiji border closure

The country has been battling a low-level outbreak on Viti Levu, with two more community cases confirmed on Monday taking the total to over 30.

There are also more than 15 cases in managed isolation while four are being investigated over their source of transmission.

Arrivals from all countries had been banned since 22 April, and Health secretary Dr James Fong said he could not see this ending soon.

But Dr Fong told a media conference the only exceptions were Fijians travelling for medical procedures and those with special approval granted by the Health Ministry.

India Covid: Calls grow for national lockdown

The prime minister is resisting the move due to the economic impact.

India added more than 355,000 cases on Tuesday, down from more than 400,000 daily infections on 30 April.

The government says cases are "slowing down", but testing numbers have also dipped, meaning the true caseload could be far higher.

Confirmed infection numbers have however been consistently falling in Maharashtra state, which has driven the second wave since early April.

Delhi calls for army help amid crisis

Hospitals in the city are in crisis, with intensive care beds full and an acute shortage of medical oxygen.

Delhi's government wants the army to run Covid care facilities and intensive care units.

Across India, case numbers since the start of the outbreak are closing in on 20 million.

The country has seen more than 300,000 new cases a day for nearly two weeks straight while deaths stand at 220,000.

Experts say total Covid cases and deaths in India are likely to be much higher, citing lack of testing and patients dying at home without being seen by doctors.

Media Workers are also COVID-19 Frontline Workers,” says PINA President

While our health workers have been rightfully recognised as ‘frontliners’ in the fight against COVID19, the critical frontline efforts of our media workers in bringing much-needed information and news to our people has been largely forgotten.

Floods hamper Covid-19 response in Fiji

Fijians woke today to the lifting of a snap-lockdown imposed since Saturday in Suva and surrounding towns after dozens of community cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the community.

While there were no new cases of the virus overnight, the Health Ministry is urging the public to not let their guard down.

Health Secretary Dr James Fong said since 4am local time, the Suva-Nausori lockdown zone will revert into two separate containment areas.

He said this meant that within these containment areas, only movement for essential purposes may resume.

Australians could face jail or fines if they return from India

The health ministry said the ruling had been made "based on the proportion of people in quarantine who have acquired a Covid-19 infection in India".

Earlier this week, Australia banned all flights from India.

There are an estimated 9,000 Australians in India, 600 of whom are classed as vulnerable.

This will be the first time Australians have been criminalised for returning to their country, Australian media report.

One doctor told ABC that the government's move was disproportionate to the threat posed by those returning from India.

Vanuatu market vendors keeping the economy going

The COVID environment has created additional challenges for market vendors from across the region, who already faced issues in getting their produce to their stalls. Women in particular, who represent the majority of sellers, face challenges in accessing economic opportunities in the informal sector.

These concerns were voiced at a side event titled: Market Vendor Associations in Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu: advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment organised by UN Women last week and held in the margins of the 14th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women.

Fiji court orders Vanuatu students to pay fines for breaching social gathering protocols

FBC News reports the students pleaded guilty to charges of failing to comply with the Public Health Protection Notice issued by the Permanent Secretary of Health.

The Court heard they had gathered for a drinking session at a house along Nailuva Road in Suva, and breached social gatherings protocol by doing that.

The students showed remorse in court for breaching the notice which is there to protect people from COVID-19.

The court heard that majority of the students are sponsored by the Vanuatu government.

Brazil passes 400,000 Covid-19 deaths amid slow vaccination

There were 3,001 deaths in 24 hours, after a peak of more than 4,000 was reached at the start of April.

The 14-day average of deaths and cases remains high but has seen a slight fall.

Congress has opened an inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who has frequently spoken out against lockdowns, masks and defended unproved drugs as treatment, is facing widespread criticism and his support has plummeted.