Health Alerts

The Feb 23 WHO epi update reports six consecutive weeks of decline in new COVID-19 cases, with deaths down for three weeks in a row. Of the five countries which recorded the highest weekly case numbers, only India and France saw increases (up by 10 percent and three percent respectively). In the Western Pacific region, overall new case numbers were down but fatalities rose by six percent – the Philippines reported a 41 percent increase in new deaths. Read More

In other COVID-19 NEWS:

-Pfizer/BioNTech has progressed its global study on the use of Comirnaty vaccine in healthy pregnant women aged 18 and older into Phase 2/3

-In an about-turn on his previous stance, Tanzania’s president has asked citizens to protect themselves from “this respiratory disease” by respecting preventive measures including wearing masks (locally made versions only). On the weekend, the WHO Director-General called for Tanzania to start reporting COVID-19 cases, share data and prepare for vaccinations. Read more

- The first AstraZeneca vaccines produced in India under the COVAX program have been shipped to Africa. Read more

-Food Safety News reports that ‘U.S. officials say there’s nothing to suggest food or food packaging spread of COVID-19’.