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Agencies

The Philippines reported an 11-month daily low in Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, even as authorities scrapped the mandatory use of face shields.
The Department of Health said only 849 new Covid-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday, pushing the country’s total caseload to more than 2.81 million.
The daily tally was the lowest since December 2020, but the department said it was “largely due to the regular low testing output coming from the weekend.”
The death toll was up by 99, to 45,808, the department said.
Daily cases have been declining since last month, prompting the government to further ease coronavirus restrictions in the country, even allowing children to go out of their homes after nearly two years.

Late on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the mandatory use of face shields for people in areas where risk is considered low to medium, such as the capital region of Metro Manila, said presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles.
“In Metro Manila and other areas under alert level 1, 2 and 3, the use of face shields is no longer required in public places,” he told a press briefing on Tuesday.
Nograles said Duterte also urged local government units to consider imposing age restrictions for access to shopping malls.
“Certainly we cannot allow those below 12 years old or those still unvaccinated to be exposed to the risk of Covid-19 in public places,” Nograles quoted Duterte as saying.
The government had only decided on November 5 to allow children – even those who are unvaccinated – to go to malls and dine indoors in restaurants. That change in policy came nearly two years after the government imposed a lockdown in March 2020.
South Korea pushes boosters as outbreak worsens
South Korea on Wednesday reported 3,187 new coronavirus cases, nearly matching a one-day record set in September, a worrisome development in a country that eased social distancing rules in recent weeks to lessen the pandemic’s economic impact.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said more than 2,550 of the new cases came from the greater capital area, including a record 1,436 in Seoul. The country’s death toll is now 3,137, after 21 deaths were reported on Wednesday, the 16th consecutive day of double-digit fatalities, including a record 32 on Saturday.
The Delta-driven spread has raised questions about whether the country was too quick to ease pandemic restrictions at the start of November in what officials described as a first step toward restoring some pre-pandemic normalcy.

In allowing larger social gatherings and expanding indoor dining hours at restaurants, officials had hoped that the country’s improving vaccination rates would keep hospitalizations and deaths down even if the virus continues to spread.
But there has been a rise in serious cases and fatalities among elderly people who rejected vaccines or people in long-term care settings whose immunities have waned after being inoculated early in the vaccine roll-out, which began in late February.
Officials are now pushing to speed up the administration of booster shots for people who were fully vaccinated more than six months ago. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Seoul’s No. 2 behind President Moon Jae-in, said during a virus meeting on Wednesday that the interval period will be reduced to four months for people who are in their 60s or older, and for patients in nursing homes or long-term care hospitals. People in their 50s will be eligible for booster shots after five months, Kim said.
New Zealand to reopen Auckland, issue vaccine passes
Domestic borders of New Zealand’s largest city Auckland will reopen from December 15 for fully vaccinated people and those with negative Covid-19 test results, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday.
“Aucklanders have faced restrictions for an extended period of time to keep the rest of New Zealand safe. But with increased rates of vaccination it’s time to open up the ability to travel again,” Ardern said at a news conference.
Auckland was cut off from the rest of the country after the outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in August.

Ardern also said cabinet would confirm on November 29 its decision to move Auckland and the rest of the country into the new traffic-light system, which will end lockdowns and use social distancing and other measures to limit the spread of the virus.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said vaccine passes would be made available for the more than 3.4 million New Zealanders who are double jabbed.
The pass can be downloaded to a phone or printed out, and can be used to attend hospitality settings, retail establishments, community and sporting events, religious gatherings and other functions.
Vaccination status is not required at supermarkets, pharmacies, health services and other essential establishments.
Elimination was never intended as a forever strategy. As time has gone on we have seen its limitations
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
“Elimination was never intended as a forever strategy. As time has gone on we have seen its limitations,” Ardern said.
“Almost no country has escaped Delta and New Zealand has been no exception. But where we can be an exception is how well we minimise the virus and protect our people from it.”
The “traffic light” system that is set to be introduced would allow high-risk businesses to open to vaccinated customers at green and orange and continue to operate with some restrictions at red, she said.
“This represents a significant shift for New Zealanders,” Ardern said, acknowledging some would think the change came too fast or too slow but saying she had “no doubt” it was the best plan to keep the country safe.
With a population of 5 million, New Zealand has reported almost 9,000 cases of Covid-19 and 36 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.
Reporting by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters


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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: Philippines cases hit 11-month low; South Korea outbreak worsens

A woman walks along a street in Manila past a mural depicting health workers wearing masks. Photo: AFP

A pedestrian weariing a face mask walks past a storefront reading "Welcome Back!" as shoppers return to the Newmarket retail district in the wake of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions being eased in Auckland, New Zealand, November 10, 2021. REUTERS/Fiona Goodall

Fans wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus cheer their teams during the second baseball game of the Korean Series between Doosan Bears and KT Wiz at Gocheok Skydome in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon).

A teenager (C) receives the BioNtech-Pfizer Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine during the innoculation of young people aged 12 to 17, at a school in Taguig City, suburban Manila on November 10, 2021. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

Coronavirus: unvaccinated people 16 times more likely to die, Australian report says

Medical specialists treat a Covid-19 patient in a hospital’s intensive care unit. Photo: Reuters

Protesters attend a Freedom and Rights Coalition demonstration to demand an end to Covid-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination outside the Parliament House building in Wellington on November 9, 2021. (Photo by Neil SANDS / AFP)

Protesters rally against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions and vaccine mandates in Wellington, New Zealand, November 9, 2021. REUTERS/Praveen Menon

epa09572041 Thai and migrant workers receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive for employees in service establishments and related businesses at a vaccination center in Bangkok, Thailand, 09 November 2021. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) rolled out a COVID-19 vaccination drive with a Sinovac and AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria) vaccine cocktail for employees of service businesses who have direct contact with their customers following the country's reopening to fully vaccinated foreign tourists as part of the government's living with COVID strategy. EPA-EFE/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

People cross a road, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Singapore November 3, 2021. REUTERS/Caroline Chia

Ben Shepherd from the Rural Fire Service receives a Pfizer vaccine at the newly opened COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in Sydney Monday, May 10, 2021. (Nick Moir/Pool Photo via AP)

Coronavirus: Singapore treads carefully on path to full reopening; Philippines eases face-shield mandate

Singapore is trying to tread a path of reopening to rebuild its status as an international hub while keeping a tight lid of infections. Photo: Reuters

A mother (R) talks to her son wearing face mask and shield prior to attending face-to-face classes at Siocon Elementary School in the town of Bogo in Cebu province on November 15, 2021, after thousands of children were allowed to return to class for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Cheryl Baldicantos / AFP)

FILE PHOTO: Singapore Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore December 8, 2020. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo GLOBAL BUSINESS WEEK AHEAD

Ultra-poor in Philippines living on less than 50 US cents a day get help from Hong Kong fundraising banquet and art auction

International Care Ministries distributes Nutripacks. For almost 30 years, the non-profit has been helping transform the lives of the ultra-poor in the Philippines. Photo courtesy of ICM

“Flying Dreams” by Ombok Villamor. A Hong Kong banquet and silent auction of Filipino art like this piece will benefit NGO International Care Ministries, which raises funds to help the ultra poor in the Philippines. Photo: courtesy of ICM

For almost 30 years, International Care Ministries has been helping transform the lives of the ultra-poor in the Philippines. Photo: courtesy of ICM

David Sutherland is ICM’s global chief executive. Photo: courtesy of ICM

ICM’s Transform project gathers the 30 poorest people in each community for weekly training in values, health and livelihood. Photo: courtesy of ICM

“Mother’s Bests” by renowned Filipino artist Migs Villanueva.

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Coronavirus


Only 849 new Covid-19 cases were recorded nationwide in the Philippines on Tuesday – the lowest daily tally since December last year
Elsewhere, South Korea’s Covid-19 outbreak worsened and New Zealand’s Auckland will reopen next month, as vaccine passes are rolled out



Elsewhere, South Korea’s Covid-19 outbreak worsened and New Zealand’s Auckland will reopen next month, as vaccine passes are rolled out.
