【無了期唔知幾時完嘅武漢肺炎】國際疫情討論區09

現新變種病毒株傳播更快 倫敦最高警戒

英國衞生大臣夏國賢（Matt Hancock）周一（14日）表示，在英格蘭南部發現比現時新冠病毒傳播速度更快的新變種病毒株，並已通報世界衞生組織（WHO）。他宣布，倫敦、部分埃塞克斯郡及赫特福德郡，將於周三（16日）凌晨起被劃入疫情警報系統最高級別的第3級。

英國過去一日新增超過2萬宗確診及232人病歿。夏國賢表示，科學家在英格蘭南部發現新變種病毒株，或與當地的疫情傳播速度變快有關。目前已發現超過1,000宗病例，主要出現在南部近60個不同地區，而案例亦在迅速增加。他又指出，有其他國家亦發現相同的病毒株，並已告知WHO。但他指沒有迹象顯示，新變種病毒株比原本的病毒株更加致命，也沒證據表明新毒株會使現有疫苗失效。

在疫情警報系統第3級的地區，所有食肆、酒吧及夜店必須關閉，只可提供外送及外賣服務；室內娛樂場所亦要關閉；非同一家庭的人不可在室內和私人花園聚會，而在戶外空間聚集人數上限為6人。受影響地區的英超球會亦需遵守防疫規則，不准球迷入場觀賽，其他地區的球賽最多容許2,000名球迷入場。政府亦建議民眾不要往返實施最高防疫級別的地區。

消委會口罩｜$2.2香港製口罩高分過$9口罩 保為康BFE、PFE達標但含菌量超標

新冠肺炎疫情持續，口罩已成為防疫必需品，其保護效能自然是消費者的首要關注。消費者委員會測試30款口罩，29款口罩對於細菌過濾效率(BFE)及平均顆粒過濾效率(PFE)均達95%以上，不過就有3款含菌量較高，保為康的口罩雖然達到BFE及PFE標準卻含菌量超標，大家選購時要留意。

Perfetta、Tempo、Fresh 3款口罩BFE低於標示
是次測試市面共30款外科口罩，每個口罩的平均售價約為$2.0至$9.0。測試結果顯示，29款型號的平均BFE及PFE均高於95%，表現最佳是「V Care Mask」、「便利妥」、「Bethreis」、「保為康」、「萊潔」及「Shield+」，6款型號各自的5個測試樣本的細菌過濾效率都達99.9%。

有3款型號最少有一個樣本的細菌過濾效率較其聲稱的低，分別是「Perfetta」、「Tempo」和「Fresh」。

增98宗確診貴東樓增2病患 大埔外傭宿舍多8人確診豐年樓1C單位需強檢

【星島日報報道】衞生防護中心傳染病處主任張竹君公布，新增98宗新冠肺炎確診，89宗是本地個案，30宗源頭不明。24宗病例經過社區檢測中心找出。

關連個案中，黃大仙東頭邨貴東樓增加2宗確診。2宗確診是將軍澳藍田隧道地盤群組，1宗亞洲博覽館檢疫人員群組，1宗是沙田一田群組，1宗是跳舞唱歌群組，1宗是日出康城地盤群組。

而昨日有2名外傭確診的大埔豐年樓1C單位外傭宿舍，群組增加8人確診，多數是一段時間住過或者曾經周末過夜，有4位病人是昨日確診外傭工作的家人，包括6個月大嬰兒。中心將會要求11 15日或之後逗留2小時或以上強制檢測，中心呼籲僱主查詢家中外傭有否去過爆發宿舍。

中心已經聯絡30多位個案緊密接觸者送去檢疫，但中心不肯定是否所有人都已經尋獲，雖然已經聯絡僱傭中心宿舍負責人，但有些外傭可能帶同同鄉、朋友上去，所以需要強制要求檢測。

41宗其他患者相關。

海關呼籲停用一款「保為康」外科口罩 商戶應立即下架

海關呼籲市民馬上停用一款「保為康」外科口罩，因測試結果顯示有關口罩的含菌量超出標準上限，涉嫌違反《消費品安全條例》，一名62歲男子被捕，正被扣查。海關表示，商戶如有出售該款口罩，應立即下架。

海關表示，有關外科口罩為10片袋裝，售價為90元，是海關人員購自北角一間家品零售店。經調查後，海關在同一集團3間分別位於北角、將軍澳和荃灣的店舖檢獲共74片同款口罩，包括7包10片袋裝和4個分拆出售的口罩。初步調查顯示，涉案外科口罩由該商戶從內地進口。

海關將進一步檢測有關外科口罩，確定含菌種類。另外，海關跟進相關機構就其他懷疑涉及虛假效能聲稱外科口罩的轉介，如發現違反《商品說明條例》，會採取行動。

支持警察 吞槍自殺

https://lihkg.com/thread/2326400/

7 new cases in Iceland

Has defect the second wave of the Chinese virus.

Covid vaccines may not reach a quarter of the world's people until 2022, study finds

Just over half of all planned doses of coronavirus vaccines have been bought up by high-income countries such as the US, Japan and Australia, which means as much as a quarter of the world’s population will be unable to get vaccinated until 2022, researchers reported Tuesday.

These rich countries have pre-ordered close to 7.5 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines, enough to vaccinate 3.76 billion people, Anthony So of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues found.

“Just over half (51%) of these doses will go to high income countries, which represent 14% of the world’s population,” they wrote in their report, published in the BMJ.

At the time the report was written, the US accounted for one-fifth of all global Covid-19 cases but had reserved 800 million doses of vaccine. Japan, Australia, and accounted for fewer than 1% of cases but had options on 1 billion doses.

The researchers projected that the 13 major vaccine manufacturers working on coronavirus vaccines had the potential capacity for close to 6 billion courses of vaccine by the end of 2021.

“High income countries have reserved just over half of these vaccine doses from 13 leading vaccine manufacturers. Low and middle income countries have the remainder, despite these countries comprising more than 85% of the world’s population,” they wrote.

More on https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-12-15-20/h_b2f9ada809cc4d86d4585162e06648d2

More than 30% of people in Japan want 2021 Olympics canceled, survey finds

More than 30% of poll respondents in Japan say next year's Olympics and Paralympics should be canceled, according to a survey conducted by public broadcaster NHK.

Some 31% of the respondents said they believed the Olympics and Paralympics should be postponed further.

Only 27% say the Games should be held as planned in 2021 in Japan. That’s a steep drop from a 40% support for the Games from a similar poll conducted in October, before the third wave of coronavirus hit Japan.

NHK’s telephone survey was conducted over the weekend. More than 1,200 people participated.

In October, the same poll revealed that 23% wanted the Games to be canceled while 25% said they should be postponed.

Japan has highest number of ICU patients since pandemic began

From CNN’s Yoko Wakatsuki in Tokyo

Japan now has the highest number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care since the pandemic began.

A record 588 people are in critical condition from Covid-19 and have been admitted to the ICU, the country's Ministry of Health announced on Monday.

Japan recorded 1,677 new cases and 58 additional virus-related deaths on Monday.

That brings the national total to 182,582 infections and 2,656 fatalities.

New measures: In response to the surge in cases and hospitalizations, local governments have strengthened their anti-Covid-19 procedures.

Tokyo announced late Monday it has requested the 10 p.m. closure of restaurants and bars to be extended through to Jan. 11.

Osaka prefecture also requested early closures for all restaurants and bars serving alcohol in Osaka city through Dec. 29.

There's no place like home ... for the virus to spread

One in six persons who share a home with a COVID-19 patient will catch the disease as well, a significantly higher rate than observed from previous respiratory diseases like SARS and MERS, a new meta-analysis shows.

The study, published on JAMA Network, indicates that even as public health officials promote stay-at-home policies to curb spread of the coronavirus, household transmission remains a major factor in the pandemic.

The study found a "secondary attack rate'' of 16.6% in households, compared to 7.5% for SARS and 4.7% for MERS. The contagion rate increased to 18% in cases where the infected person had symptoms. Adults were more likely to catch the virus than children, 28.3% to 16.8%, and spouses fared the worst among all family contacts, getting infected in 37.8% of all cases.

1 in 20 Americans has tested positive

One in 20 Americans has tested positive for COVID-19, Johns Hopkins University data and Census Bureau population estimates show.

The United States is now reporting more than 1.5 million cases each week, at a rate of about 150 every minute, a USA TODAY analysis shows. Even New York state, America's initial epicenter, is now reporting coronavirus cases at a rate faster than it did in the spring. Every state except Florida and Hawaii have reported more cases in a week of November or December than they have at any time in the pandemic.

外傭宿舍群組增10確診 疫播僱主家禍連半歲嬰

新冠肺炎疫情嚴峻，再有外傭宿舍爆發群組個案，位於大埔大榮里28-32號豐年樓1C室外傭宿舍昨新增10宗確診個案，包括6名外傭及4名外傭的僱主家庭成員，當中有一名6個月大嬰兒，該群組累計12宗個案。而昨日新增98宗確診，包括9宗輸入個案，其餘89宗為本地個案，當中30宗屬源頭不明。此外，再有屋苑爆發疫情，觀塘寶達邨達怡樓及黃大仙彩雲（二）邨明麗樓分別錄得一宗確診及初步確診個案，兩座樓連同豐年樓被列為強制檢測範圍，居民須於12月20日或之前接受病毒檢測。另再有3宗確診病人死亡，本港累計7,722宗確診，另有逾70宗初步確診。

大埔豐年樓外傭宿舍爆疫，衞生防護中心傳染病處主任張竹君說，連同前日確診的兩名外傭，再多10宗相關個案，其中有4名為前日確診外傭的僱主家庭成員。確診外傭並非互相認識，她們大部分於僱主家中居住，個別正在求職，已有一段時間無工作。由於不肯定所有到訪人士都能找到，而且宿舍負責人平時會帶人到宿舍休息，故中心會發出強制檢測，要求曾在11月15日或之後去過豐年樓1C單位，並逗留兩小時以上的人士須接受病毒檢測。

觀塘寶達邨達怡樓多一宗初步確診，是早前確診者的家人，該座已有7宗確診，涉及4個單位，分布不同樓層。至於黃大仙彩雲邨明麗樓，亦增一宗確診，累計6宗，涉及4個單位，其中一個確診者與歌舞群組相關。張竹君指達怡樓的初步確診者與明麗樓確診者為家庭成員，衞生防護中心會向兩座樓的住客，以及在11月20日後曾到訪兩小時或以上的訪客，發出強制檢測令。

至於59宗相關個案，將軍澳藍田隧道地盤多兩人確診；東頭（二）邨貴東樓再多兩人中招；亞洲國際博覽館檢疫設施增一人染疫；沙田一田百貨多一宗確診；歌舞群組添一病例，在檢疫中心發現；日出康城或啟德地盤群組再有一宗個案。

另再有3名確診者不治，79歲老翁居於紅磡海逸豪園12A座，本月5日開始發燒及咳嗽，前日送往伊利沙伯醫院時情況已很差，病情持續惡化，延至前日中午離世。東區醫院64歲女病人生前沒有長期病患，為東華三院方樹泉日間活動中心暨宿舍院友。她11月30日發燒，到急症室求醫，同日確診。本月8日入深切治療病房，昨午離世。

瑪麗醫院昨晚公布，一名77歲確診女病人情況持續惡化，本月4日轉到成人深切治療部留醫，延至昨午離世。至今共有123人因染疫亡。

1,078 new cases (new national record) and 12 new deaths in South Korea

South Korea set has a national record for new deaths on Monday: 13 new deaths

Keep worsening.

wants data of new confirmed and death cases of each days

新冠肺炎台灣新增7境外移入 全台累計749例

16 Dec, 2020 10:37 (HKT):
Coronavirus Cases: 73,803,320
Deaths: 1,641,440
Recovered: 51,813,957

BREAKING: Man and woman test positive for Covid-19 in NSW

More than 250,000 Sydney residents are being warned to watch for symptoms of Covid-19 after two more cases of highly-contagious virus emerged.

The state recorded its first case since December 2 on Wednesday after a 45-year-old male who began to develop symptoms on Saturday. He was tested on Tuesday and received a positive result this morning.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard told reporters he is a shuttle bus driver carrying airline crews from the airport. He works for Sydney Group Transport at Alexandria.

But on Wednesday evening, NSW Health said two more people on Sydney’s Northern Beaches have tested positive.

“The source of these new infections is under investigation. At this stage, no links have been identified to other known cases,” NSW Health said.

“The cases are a woman in her 60s and a man in his 70s who are close contacts of each other.”

The two visited a number of locations while infectious including Palm Beach female change rooms on Sunday from 9-9.15 am, the Coast Palm Beach Café, Palm Beach on Sunday from 10-11amm Avalon Bowlo from 3‑5pm and the Sneaky Grind Café at Avalon Beach on Monday from 10.30-11am.

Anyone who visited these venues is being told to self-isolate for 14 days even if they receive a negative test.

They also went to Woolworths Avalon Beach on Sunday from 12-5pm and Oliver’s Pie, Careel Shopping Village, Avalon Beach on Monday from 9-9.15am.

People who went to these venues should self-isolate until they receive a negative test.

“Everyone living in the Northern Beaches area should monitor for even the mildest of symptoms and come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received,” NSW Health said.

According to the 2016 census, more than 250,000 people live in the Northern Beaches.

Kansas mayor resigns following backlash to USA TODAY story on city's mask mandate, citing phone and email threats

DODGE CITY, Kan. — A Kansas mayor has resigned following backlash to comments she made in a USA TODAY story in support of a mask mandate in her city.

Dodge City Mayor Joyce Warshaw, citing concerns for her safety, resigned Tuesday, effective immediately.

“I understand people are under a lot of pressure from various things that are happening around society like the pandemic, the politics, the economy, so on and so forth, but I also believe that during these times people are acting not as they normally would," Warshaw said. “I think it’s best for me and the city that I love to remove myself from the commission at this time and from the mayorship so that the city can move forward and be the best that it can be because I believe in the city.

Since the Dec. 11 publication of the USA TODAY story, Warshaw said she has been met with aggression, including threats via phone and email from Dodge City citizens. Some threatening emails have been turned over to police, she said.

"We just felt like we had to do something so everybody was aware of how important it was for everybody to be responsible for each other’s health and well-being,” Warshaw was quoted in the USA TODAY story.

Dodge City is the most populous town in Ford County and one of the largest cities in western Kansas. The commission passed a mask mandate on Nov. 16 after more than 1 out of every 10 county residents had contracted the virus.

In an interview with the Dodge City Daily Globe, part of the USA TODAY Network, Warshaw said she didn't have any regrets of voting in favor of the mask mandate.

“This is harder for me than people realize,” Warshaw said as she began to cry. “I really love this city with all my heart. I still believe in this city and I believe in their ability to not harm one another.”

Police are looking "into the substance of the communication to determine an appropriate course of action," Dodge City Police Chief Drew Francis said of alleged threats against Warshaw.

【肺炎疫苗比較】一文睇盡國產/歐洲貨有咩唔同＋各國疫苗供應情況

Details on https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E6%96%B0%E5%86%A0%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-%E6%96%B0%E5%86%A0%E8%82%BA%E7%82%8E-%E6%96%B0%E5%86%A0%E8%82%BA%E7%82%8E%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-%E8%BC%9D%E7%91%9E%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-%E7%A7%91%E8%88%88%E7%94%9F%E7%89%A9-moderna%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-%E9%9F%93%E5%9C%8B%E7%96%AB%E8%8B%97-022713384.html

As of 16 December 2020, 12pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed that there are no new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection.

There are 12 imported cases, who had already been placed on Stay-Home Notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore.