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world news Diabierna 18 Juni 2021

UK records over 10,000 virus cases for first time since Feb

(AP) — The U.K.’s lat- around 95% of all new cases further deaths in the near- showed that two doses of the delta variant — 96% in
est surge in coronavirus in the U.K. term, Whitty, the govern- the main vaccines the U.K. the case of the Pfizer-BioN-
infections gathered pace ment’s chief medical adviser, is using are highly effective Tech vaccine and 92% for the
Thursday with new con- Most of the new confirmed said the country should brace against hospitalization from AstraZeneca jab.
firmed cases rising above cases are among younger age itself for further waves of the
10,000 for the first time groups which have not yet virus to come.
in nearly four months as gotten COVID-19 vaccines.
a result of the spread of The U.K.’s widely praised “In terms of the medium-
the more contagious delta rollout of vaccines is being term, my expectation is that
variant. extended to all adults over we will get a further winter
the age of 18 starting Friday, surge, late autumn/winter
Government figures showed Health Secretary Matt Han- surge, and that is because we
another 11,007 cases were cock confirmed. know that winter and autumn
reported. That’s the highest favor respiratory viruses, and
daily number since Feb. 19, The spread of the variant up- therefore it’d be very surpris-
when 12,027 cases were re- ended government plans to ing if this particular highly
corded, and cements talk that lift all remaining restrictions transmissible respiratory vi-
the country with Europe’s on social contact in England rus was not also favored,” he
highest virus-related death starting next week. On Mon- said in a speech to health pro-
toll is in the midst of a third day, Prime Minister Boris fessionals.
wave of the pandemic. Johnson delayed the move
until July 19, saying now was Many blame the Conserva-
The government’s chief the “time to ease off the ac- tive government for the spike
medical adviser, Professor celerator” so more people in infections, saying it acted
Chris Whitty, said the height could get vaccinated and pre- too slowly to impose the
of the current surge is “still vent thousands more deaths. strictest quarantine require-
uncertain” but that it “will Johnson laid out his hope ments on everyone arriving
definitely translate into fur- that by July 19, two-thirds of from India, which has en-
ther hospitalizations and, un- the U.K.’s adult population dured a catastrophic resur-
fortunately, it will undoubt- will have been offered two gence of the virus.
edly translate into further vaccine shots, including ev-
deaths.” eryone over 50. The hope is that the rollout
of vaccines will turn the latest
Daily cases have risen fairly The government’s figures spike around and allow the
sharply over the past few Thursday showed that an- next easing in the lockdown
weeks after fluctuating other 19 people died after to take place. As of Thurs-
around the 2,000 mark ear- testing positive for the virus, day, around 63% of the Brit-
lier. The delta variant, which the highest daily death toll ish population had received
was first identified in India reported since May 11. It at least one dose of vaccine,
and is considered by govern- takes the U.K.’s total deaths while around 46% has re-
ment scientists to be between in the pandemic to 127,945, ceived two.
40% to 80% more trans- the most in Europe.
missible than the previous An analysis on Monday
dominant strain, accounts for In addition to warning about from Public Health England

UN alarmed by abuse of civilians in Myanmar conflict

(AP) — The United Na- soldiers who killed hundreds the Karen National Defense A resident of the village con-
tions’ office in Myanmar of peaceful protesters and by- Organization,” or KNDO. On Wednesday, however, the firmed to The Associated
expressed concern Thurs- standers. Karen National Union issued Press accounts in indepen-
day about escalating hu- The KNDO is one of the a statement saying it would dent media that government
man rights abuses after The statement by the U.N. fighting forces of the Karen form a team to investigate troops were responsible for
reports this week that office cited abuses by both National Union, the politi- the incident, stating that the burning down most of the
a group opposed to the sides, calling on “all actors in cal organization of the Karen group “follows the Geneva village’s roughly 250 houses,
country’s ruling military the current crisis to ensure ethnic minority that has been Convention which does not and that an elderly couple un-
may have executed 25 ci- that international human fighting for decades for more condone the killing of civil- able or unwilling to flee with
vilians it captured and rights norms and standards autonomy from the central ians during armed conflict.” the rest of the villagers were
that government security are respected.” government. believed to have perished in
forces had burned down a The statement added that ac- the blaze. The villager spoke
village. “This includes upholding the The junta said Sunday that tion could be taken to prose- on condition of anonymity
obligation to minimize col- the 25 bodies were those of cute any wrongdoing accord- for fear of reprisals by the
The struggle between the lateral harm to civilians and road construction workers ing to relevant laws, without government.
military regime that took to civilian infrastructure, and who were detained and killed providing specifics.
power in February after oust- prohibiting the application by the KNDO. Government-controlled me-
ing the elected government of collective punishments The U.N. statement called dia, however, reported that
of Aung San Suu Kyi and against communities, fami- In response, KNDO spokes- for “those responsible for “terrorists” were responsible
those opposing it has sharp- lies or individuals,” the U.N. man Wah Nay Nu was quot- human rights violations to for the conflagration, charg-
ened in recent months. office said. ed by The Irrawaddy, an in- be held accountable, includ- ing that they had burned
dependent online news ser- ing the perpetrators and their down the home of someone
Elements of what had initial- The statement noted the dis- vice, as saying the men were chain of command.” unsympathetic to their cause,
ly been a nonviolent civil dis- covery of two mass graves not civilians but government and that the wind had then
obedience movement against in the eastern state of Kayin, military personnel who were Tuesday’s burning of Kinma spread the fire.
the takeover evolved into a also called Karen, contain- spying. Some were shot dead village in the Magway Region
fledgling armed resistance ing the human remains of 25 by KNDO forces but others of central Myanmar was also The government and its op-
force in response to harsh people “who had reportedly were killed by shelling from a matter of dispute. ponents each refer to the oth-
repression from police and been detained on 31 May by government forces, he said. er side as “terrorists.”