Wuhan marks a year since COVID lockdown as others scramble | ABS-CBN

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Wuhan marks a year since COVID lockdown as others scramble

Wuhan marks a year since COVID lockdown as others scramble

Agence France-Presse bureaus

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A general view shows the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, where the first cluster of cases of the coronavirus disease emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province, , China, January 15, 2021. Thomas Peter, Reuters/file

The Chinese city of Wuhan marked one year since the start of its traumatic 76-day coronavirus lockdown Saturday, while the pandemic raged elsewhere and governments scrambled to put in place new measures.

Europe faced a worsening struggle with production woes hitting supply of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine as well as the Pfizer/BioNTech shot.

Around the world, more than 2.1 million people have died of COVID-19 since it emerged in China in December 2019, with over 98 million infected.

In the world's worst-hit country, US President Joe Biden warned America's death toll could pass 600,000, the highest estimate yet that would mark a devastating rise on the 400,000 fatalities so far.

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But the picture was vastly different in Wuhan, where humming traffic, bustling sidewalks, and citizens packing parks and public transport underscored the scale of the recovery in the metropolis of 11 million where the pathogen first emerged before going global.

"I think Wuhan is quite safe now, safer than my hometown and most places in China," 21-year-old resident Wang Yizhe said.

Elsewhere in China, new outbreaks have prompted harsh responses.

Thousands of Hong Kongers in Jordan, one of the city's poorest and most densely-packed districts, were ordered to stay home Saturday unless they can show a negative test, in the city's first lockdown.

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- 'Deep dissatisfaction' -

AstraZeneca told AFP late Friday that "lower yield" at one of its vaccine-making sites would affect deliveries across Europe.

Lithuania estimated it would receive 80 percent fewer AstraZeneca doses than hoped in the first quarter, although German and French ministers tried to reassure the public of a steady supply.

Deliveries of Pfizer-made shots to the continent's countries are already behind schedule as the US firm upgrades capacity at a Belgian plant.

At a meeting with AstraZeneca representatives, the EU Commission "insisted on a precise delivery schedule on the basis of which member states should be planning their vaccination programs", Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides tweeted.

Already cleared for use in Britain, EU authorities are expected to give the vaccine the green light at the end of January.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was "some evidence" the new strain first detected in the country "may be associated with a higher degree of mortality" as well as being more infectious.

At 95,981 as of Friday, the UK death toll is the highest in Europe.

The World Health Organization reassured that fabric masks should still work in hindering the spread of new variants from Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

However, Norwegian capital Oslo toughened health restrictions after the British variant was found in a retirement home, closing all but essential shops and asking people to restrict movements.

A French government source told AFP a new lockdown in the country looked increasingly likely with the more transmissible strain.

Meanwhile the Netherlands introduced its first curfew since World War II, from 9 pm until 4:30 am.

- 'Surging' -

Across the Atlantic, newly-installed President Biden stepped up federal aid even as he gave his highest estimate yet of the eventual toll.

"The virus is surging," he said. "We're at 400,000 dead, expected to reach well over 600,000."

And in the Colombian capital of Bogota, residents were under their third weekend quarantine in a row, meaning the closure of all non-essential shops in the city of eight million from Friday at 8 pm until Monday at 4 am.

In Mexico, where hospitals have been overwhelmed and over 146,000 have died, people are queueing for hours to buy oxygen to care for the growing numbers fighting coronavirus at home.

Brazilian scientists have meanwhile warned that the country faces running out of vaccine doses and basic equipment like syringes, just as its vaccination campaign gets underway -- with some blaming government for the shortages.

- Origins probe -

In Wuhan, a team of World Health Organization experts was still in hotel quarantine ahead of a mission to investigate the source of the virus.

"All hypotheses are on the table," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference in Geneva.

"And it is definitely too early to come to a conclusion of exactly where this virus started, either within or without China."

But there was good news Friday for poorer nations, as the WHO and pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer announced a deal for up to 40 million initial doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be made available to them through the Covax global pool.

A separate deal, brokered by international agencies working with the WHO, will supply developing nations with tens of millions of rapid antigen tests at half the usual $5 price.

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‘Unfulfilled deals’ may be behind Duterte’s tirades vs Marcos: political analyst

‘Unfulfilled deals’ may be behind Duterte’s tirades vs Marcos: political analyst

Joyce Balancio,

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Jan 29, 2024 11:09 PM PHT

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MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. might not be keeping his “end of the bargain” with the Duterte family, that is why he is receiving attacks from some members of the family, a political analyst said Monday.

Prof. Dennis Coronacion from the University of Santo Tomas Department of Political Science said the Marcoses might have sealed some deals with the Dutertes when they were convincing then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to be his running mate during the 2022 national elections.

“Ang mga political alliances po natin, or even political parties and coalitions, they are made up of elites. And when these elites form political parties or alliance, there is definitely political arrangements or negotiations that go along with it,” Coronacion told ABS-CBN News.

“Itong rally sa Davao nitong Sunday isa ito sa paraan ng Duterte family to remind the President of, you know, what took place during the negotiations during the last presidential election," he said.

He said the Davao City rally may have been meant to send a "strong message" that failing to honor previous agreements or further marginalizing Vice President Sara Duterte could lead to bigger problems.

CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS

Coronacion explained that is possible that the Duterte family did not take it lightly when Congress removed the confidential funds of the two offices of Vice President Sara Duterte for the 2024.

Speculations that a team from the International Criminal Court had already entered the country to investigate former President Duterte’s drug war, may also have agitated the Dutertes and their supporters.

Marcos Jr.’s shooting back at the older Duterte might also be a sign that the UniTeam is “crumbling”.

“Mukhang lumalabas na napikon na rin ang Pangulo sa mga paratang sa kanya. lalo na doon sa pagkasama sa kanyang pangalan sa watchlist ng mga suspects tungkol sa illegal drugs,” he said.

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“At this point parang hindi maganda ang patutunguhan kung ibabasa natin doon sa reaskyon ng pangulo. Hindi ito magandang sign para sa pagsasamahan nila,” he added.

'PEOPLE TO BEAR BRUNT OF FEUD'

Further he said, if the situation worsens, Vice President Duterte’s function as the concurrent education secretary will be affected.

“Iyong mapapamalakad halimbawa ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa DepEd, somehow baka maapektuhan iyon. For example, patuloy na gigipitin ang budget ng DepEd o di kaya ang opisina ng Vice President so kapag ganito na masama na ang takbo ng kanilang relasyon,” he explained.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) also expressed concern the passage of laws that will provide additional benefits and salary to teachers might also be compromised given the rift between the leaders of the House of Representatives and VP Duterte who is also the concurrent Education Secretary.

“Walang pakinabang dito ang mamamayang Pilipino. Iyong usapin ng sahod ngayon nakasalang lalo na usapin ng GAA 2024 at ng usapin ng salary standardization law so technically pwede makaapekto iyan,” ACT National Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.

A youth group also lamented how the political bickering affects governance, and the giving of service to the Filipino people.

“Nagagalit po kami dahil habang nanatiling mataas ng presyo ng bilhin, habang maliliit ang sahod ng mga manggagawa at may kinakaharap tayong krisis sa transportasyon bardagulan ang inaatupag ni Duterte at ng Marcos at basically ginagawa nila ito dahil sa pagaagawan sa kapangyarihan,” Kate Almenzo, Anakbayan’s National Spokesperson said.

“Ang talo dito sa bardagulan ng mga Marcos at Duterte ay ang mga mamamayan,” she added.

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