COVID-19 Updates
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Names of UK Covid business loan borrowers to stay secret, tribunal rules
Ruling says enough scrutiny exists to detect fraud while naming recipients in £47bn scheme puts them at risk The British government has been given the go-ahead to keep concealing the…
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Rumours of new XBB variant Covid-19 wave spark run on anti-diarrhoea drugs in China
Diarrhoea is not a particular symptom of Covid-19 caused by the XBB variant, health experts have said in urging people not to stockpile drugs. Read the original article at South…
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Australia defends ‘moderate’ Covid testing mandate for China arrivals: ‘to travel to China you need to do it as well’
Pre-departure testing was a reasonable condition to impose on travellers from China as there was ‘very little information’ about the spread of Covid in the country, Australian Health Minister Mark…
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Coronavirus: up to 60,000 travellers from Hong Kong can enter mainland China daily from Sunday, authorities reveal at press briefing on border reopening
City leader helms briefing flanked by top officials, including chief secretary and the health and security ministers. Read the original article at South China Morning Post
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Australian health minister suggests pre-flight China tests designed to make Beijing share more data on Covid outbreak
Mark Butler signals measure could be lifted if China provides ‘real-time uploading’ of genomic sequencing of cases Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Australia’s health minister…
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20,000 Hongkongers receiving Covid jabs each day, with experts citing public concerns over possible case rise following border reopening
Rise in daily vaccine uptake marks sharp increase from 2,000 recorded early last month, with jump beginning when Hong Kong announced Covid policy rollback. Read the original article at South…
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Hong Kong welcomes back hamsters a year after ban and mass culling over Covid transmission fears, with import of pets to start mid-January
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department confirms in statement it is preparing to resume commercial import of the small mammals. Read the original article at South China Morning Post
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China data ‘under-represents’ true impact of Covid outbreak – WHO
Analysis of Chinese data finds no new variants of concern emerging, but world health body says it still does not have ‘complete data’ The World Health Organisation has criticised China’s…
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Shortage of cold medicines in UK is government’s fault, say pharmacists
Pharmacy leaders cite ministers’ ‘lack of planning’ amid problems obtaining common products A shortage of cough and cold medicines in the UK is a result of ministers’ “lack of planning”,…
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EU wants travellers from China to take pre-departure Covid tests
Bloc recommends negative coronavirus tests from all arrivals despite warnings from Beijing of retaliation The European Union wants all travellers from China to take pre-departure Covid tests, in response to…