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Printed Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020 | 1:34 p.m.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia has quickly suspended all worldwide passenger flights for residents and residents over fears in regards to the fast-spreading new variant of the coronavirus.
The dominion’s inside ministry says the one-week flight ban could also be prolonged “till medical details about the character of this virus turns into clear.”
The nation’s land and sea ports may even shut for per week. The federal government ordered anybody who has returned from or handed by means of a European nation over the previous three months to get examined for COVID-19 instantly.
The ministry added that the journey suspension won’t have an effect on the nation’s cargo flights and provide chains.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— European international locations halt U.Okay. flights, fearing the brand new coronavirus variant.
— Asia Immediately: Outbreak grows in Sydney’s seaside suburbs; Thais line up for checks.
— A surge of ‘new poor’ linked to closed eating places and inns are struggling amid Italy’s outbreak.
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Observe AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
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NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo needs a ban on flights from Nice Britain to New York Metropolis over fears in regards to the new pressure of coronavirus.
Cuomo instructed reporters in a teleconference on Sunday that the six flights arriving every day at Kennedy Airport from Britain pose a well being danger. He referred to as on the federal authorities to both ban the flights or require testing on all passengers.
The primary wave of coronavirus infections in New York “got here from Europe and we did nothing,” the Democratic governor stated. “Doing nothing is negligent.”
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OKLAHOMA CITY — As new every day instances of the coronavirus have surged in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt is starring in a promotional video encouraging folks to go to.
The Oklahoma State Division of Well being on Sunday reported 4,970 new instances and 23 deaths. That brings the state’s totals to greater than 260,000 instances and greater than 2,200 deaths for the reason that pandemic started. Researchers at Johns Hopkins College say there have been 1,081 new instances per 100,000 folks in Oklahoma over the previous two weeks, which ranks 12th within the nation for brand new instances per capita. One in each 175 folks in Oklahoma examined constructive prior to now week.
Stitt, who has resisted requires a statewide masks mandate, stars in a 30-second video that has has greater than 100,000 views on YouTube. The video can also be being promoted on digital and social media platforms in surrounding states, The Oklahoman reported.
“Immediately, all of us want a spot that provides hope,” Stitt says within the video. “Oklahoma is open to the problem. We’re open with new, thrilling locations to discover safely.”
The video was posted on YouTube on Nov. 19 — the identical day the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention suggested in opposition to touring across the Thanksgiving vacation. An Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Division spokeswoman says the advertisements will run by means of Dec. 30.
Stitt spokesman Charlie Hannema tells The Oklahoman newspaper that the marketing campaign is a part of a state technique to assist companies affected by the pandemic.
“We’d like folks to proceed to take precautions, however with the vaccination rollout beginning, the sunshine is on the finish of the tunnel,” Hannema stated.
Well being officers within the state have been pleading with residents to take precautions, and warn that pandemic is way from over.
On Friday, Keith Reed, deputy commissioner of well being with the Oklahoma State Division of Well being, stated that whereas it had been “a historic, but emotional week” for well being care employees, “we nonetheless have a protracted highway forward of us.”
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WASHINGTON — The chief science adviser for the U.S. authorities’s vaccine distribution effort says will probably be transport almost eight million doses of coronavirus vaccine Monday.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui stated Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that 5.9 million doses of a vaccine made by Moderna and a pair of million of a vaccine made by Pfizer can be shipped.
At the very least a dozen states reported final week that they’d obtain a smaller second cargo of the Pfizer vaccine than that they had been instructed beforehand. Military Gen. Gustave Perna, in command of the distribution effort, apologized Saturday for “miscommunication” with states over the variety of doses to be delivered within the early levels of distribution.
Slaoui stated the error was assuming vaccines that had been produced had been prepared for cargo when there was a two-day delay.
“And except it’s completely proper, we won’t launch vaccine doses for utilization,” he stated. “And, typically, there could possibly be small hiccups. There have been none, really, in manufacturing now. The hiccup was extra into the planning.”
Slaoui additionally stated the U.S. will expertise “a seamless surge” within the coronavirus, with bigger numbers of instances attainable from gatherings for the Christmas vacation.
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SOFIA, Bulgaria— Bulgaria is banning till January 31 all flights coming from and leaving for Britain in response to the brand new coronavirus pressure.
At an emergency assembly on Sunday, the federal government had launched new restrictive measures for all individuals arriving from the UK, together with a compulsory 10-day quarantine. Hours later, it added the flight ban to the checklist of restrictions.
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SAN RAMON, Calif. – Greater than 1 million folks have handed by means of U.S. airport safety checkpoints in every of the previous two days in an indication that public well being pleas to keep away from vacation journey are being ignored, regardless of an alarming surge in COVID-19 instances throughout the nation.
It marks the primary time U.S. airports have screened greater than 1 million passengers since Nov. 29. That got here on the finish of a Thanksgiving weekend that noticed way more journey across the nation than had been hoped because the climate turned colder and COVID-19 instances had been already spiking once more.
Now, hospitals in lots of components of the nation are being overwhelmed amid the most important outbreak of COVID-19 within the U.S. for the reason that pandemic since March when most individuals within the U.S. had been ordered to remain at house and keep away from interactions with different households.
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WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for U.S. surgeon normal says it’s extra real looking to assume it could be mid-summer or early fall earlier than coronavirus vaccines can be found to the final inhabitants in the US, quite than late spring.
Talking on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Vivek Murthy stated Biden’s group is working towards having coronavirus vaccines out there to lower-risk people by late spring however doing so requires “the whole lot to go precisely on schedule.”
“I believe it’s extra real looking to imagine that it could be nearer to mid-summer or early fall when this vaccine makes its method to the final inhabitants,” Murthy stated. “So, we wish to be optimistic, however we wish to be cautious as properly.”
Murthy, who additionally served as surgeon normal within the Obama administration, stated Biden’s promise of 100 million vaccines throughout his first 100 days in workplace is real looking and that the Biden group has seen extra cooperation from Trump administration officers.
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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s surgeon normal is defending Trump’s not getting a coronavirus vaccine, saying there are medical causes for it.
U.S. Surgeon Basic and Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, talking on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, famous that Trump each contracted COVID-19 in October and was handled with monoclonal antibodies.
“And that’s really one situation the place we inform folks possibly you need to maintain off on getting the vaccine, speak to your well being supplier to seek out out the appropriate time,” Adams stated.
Requested about Trump doing a public-service announcement for the vaccine to encourage his supporters to get it, Adams famous that each he and Vice President Mike Pence bought vaccinated.
Adams, who’s Black, stated he understands that distrust of the medical group and the vaccine amongst Blacks “comes from an actual place,” the mistreatment of communities of shade.
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JERUSALEM __ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the nation is banning flights from Britain, Denmark or South Africa as a consequence of fears in regards to the new pressure of coronavirus.
“These are the international locations the place the mutation is discovered,” he stated.
He additionally stated Sunday that anybody getting back from these international locations must go into obligatory 14-day quarantine in state-run inns.
Netanyahu spoke a day after he was vaccinated in opposition to the coronavirus – the primary Israeli to take action in what he stated was an try and encourage the general public to observe swimsuit. Israel pushed forward with its vaccination marketing campaign on Sunday, starting with different high officers and front-line health-care employees.
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LONDON — Eurostar trains between London, Brussels and Amsterdam are being canceled from Monday, after the Belgian authorities introduced that borders with the U.Okay will shut at midnight Sunday.
The high-speed practice operator stated Sunday that trains proceed to function on the London to Paris route.
The Belgian authorities has stated it’ll evaluate the place in 24 hours. Eurostar stated they’re awaiting additional particulars from related governments on how journey restrictions can be enforced.
European international locations together with the Netherlands, Austria and Italy stated Sunday they’d halt flights from the U.Okay., hours after Britain’s authorities imposed robust new coronavirus restrictions on massive areas of southern England to curb what officers described as a fast-moving new pressure of the virus.
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MILAN — Each the variety of COVID deaths and new positives had been considerably decrease on Sunday, a day when usually many fewer checks are carried out.
Deaths rose by 352, down by a number of hundred from latest days, and bringing Italy’s identified coronavirus lifeless to 68,799, the best in Europe.
One other 15,104 folks examined constructive, down by over 1,000 from a day earlier because the variety of checks dropped by almost 1 / 4. Sunday marked the final day Italians had been permitted to maneuver from one area to a different with out a legitimate motive, together with work and well being.
The federal government has imposed extra stringent restrictions for the Christmas vacation in a bid to stop celebrations from setting of a brand new surge. Purchasing streets in main cities had been packed forward of the imposition of a partial lockdown this week.
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ROME — Italy’s international minister introduced Sunday that Italy is suspending flights from Britain “to guard Italians” from the brand new coronavirus variant.
Luigi Di Maio tweeted that the federal government was making ready a measure that will block flights. It wasn’t instantly clear when it will it will take impact.
Italian media stories point out about two dozen flights are scheduled to reach in Italy on Sunday, most within the northern area of Lombardy but in addition in Veneto and Lazio, which embody Venice and Rome, respectively.
Greater than 327,000 Italian residents are registered as dwelling in Britain, with the unofficial complete reaching as many as 700,000. Sunday is the final day that Italians can journey from one area to a different earlier than the Christmas holidays, as a consequence of a brand new partial lockdown imposed by the federal government to stop a brand new surge in infections.
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BANGKOK — 1000’s of individuals lined up for coronavirus checks in a province close to Bangkok on Sunday, as Thai authorities scrambled to comprise an outbreak that has contaminated almost 700 folks.
Strains of primarily migrant employees stretched for round 100 meters in a single location alone in Mahachai in Samut Sakhon province, as well being officers in cellular models methodically took nasal swabs.
There have been three areas in complete within the space. Close by, razor wire and police guards blocked entry to one among Thailand’s largest seafood markets and its related housing advanced, the epicenter of the brand new cluster.
Thailand’s Illness Management Division stated Sunday that they discovered 141 extra instances linked to the market outbreak. On Saturday, the division reported 548 instances, Thailand’s largest every day spike.
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PRAGUE — The Czech Republic is imposing restrictions on travels from Britain following a discovery of a brand new, allegedly extremely contagious pressure of coronavirus in southern England.
The Czech Well being Ministry says that given the danger linked to the brand new variant that was confirmed in Britain all folks arriving within the nation who spent not less than 24 hours on British territory in final two weeks should isolate.
The ministry says they’ve to remain remoted for 10 days except they’re examined adverse by a PCR check 5 to seven days into their self-isolation.
It says it measure whose purpose is to extend public security turns into efficient on Sunday.
Belgium and the Netherlands began banning flights from the U.Okay. in response to harder measures imposed in London and surrounding areas on Saturday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Germany, The Czech Republic’s neighbor, is contemplating doing the identical.
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ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s minister for planning who additionally heads the nationwide physique for management of Coronavirus examined constructive and went in isolation at house as authorities reported one other 80 deaths and 3297 instances of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours Sunday.
Asad Umar on Saturday introduced his isolation due to the virus. Umar appealed to fellow countrymen to stick to precautionary measures of bodily distancing and sporting of face masks at on a regular basis when in public or at gatherings. However many individuals on this nation of 22 million not often observe the rules for avoiding COVID-19.
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BRUSSELS — Belgium has joined the Netherlands in banning flights from the U.Okay. and in addition banned rail connections in an try and be sure that a brand new pressure of coronavirus that’s sweeping throughout southern England doesn’t spill over on its territory.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Sunday stated he was issuing the order for 24 hours beginning at midnight “out of precaution.”
“There are an amazing many questions on this new mutation and if it’s not already on the mainland,” he stated. He hoped to have extra readability as of Tuesday.
The Netherlands is banning flights from the U.Okay. for not less than the remainder of the 12 months.
Each Belgium and the Netherlands had been reacting to harder measures imposed in London and surrounding areas on Saturday by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
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JERUSALEM — Israel on Sunday started its coronavirus inoculation drive, aiming to vaccinate some 60,000 folks a day in a bid to stamp out the sickness that’s as soon as once more surging amongst its inhabitants.
The nation will first immunize well being employees, adopted by the aged, high-risk Israelis and people over 60 years outdated. Israel says it has secured ample doses for a lot of the nation’s 9 million folks from each Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccine U.S. authorities authorised this week for emergency use.
With public opinion polls displaying many Israelis are reluctant to obtain pictures immediately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he would set a “private instance” and insisted on being the primary Israeli vaccinated. He obtained the shot Saturday evening.
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SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has recorded greater than 1,000 new coronavirus instances for the fifth consecutive day, placing stress on authorities to implement the hardest distancing guidelines that will additional damage the financial system.
The Korea Illness Management and Prevention Company says it’s discovered 1,097 further instances over the previous 24-hour interval, the best every day tally for the reason that pandemic started. That places the nationwide caseload at 49,665, together with 674 deaths.
About 70% of the brand new instances come from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan space, which has been on the middle of a viral resurgence.
The tempo of the unfold has already met authorities circumstances for elevating social distancing guidelines to their highest degree. However officers have been reluctant to maneuver ahead with the measure out of worries for the financial system. The brand new steps could be banning gatherings of greater than 10 folks and shutting tons of of hundreds of non-essential companies.
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Observe AP’s protection at:
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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