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Showing posts with label Singapore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singapore. Show all posts

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Surge in Covid-19 cases recorded, Asia registers Covid-19 spike



  Virus making a comeback in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and US, Indonesia, Malaysia


PETALING JAYA: As society becomes more relaxed about the perceived threat of Covid-19, the coronavirus has started to resurge in many countries, leading to an increase in reported cases.

Between May 25 and 30, Thailand reported 65,880 new Covid-19 cases with three fatalities.

Indonesia’s Health Ministry issued a public health advisory following a resurgence of cases in several Asian countries. It urged citizens to remain vigilant and adopt precautionary measures.

Both Hong Kong and the United States have reported an uptick in Covid-19 cases linked to the NB.1.8.1 variant.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: Health Ministry monitoring situation closely

Singapore reported over 14,000 cases between Apr 27 and May 3.

In Malaysia, the Health Ministry said an average of 600 cases were reported each week between Apr 14 and May 10. Malaysia reported over 11,000 cases between Jan 1 and May 10. These are the last available numbers released by the ministry.

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s professor of Public Health Medicine, said people have become lax as Covid-19 is no longer seen as a major threat now. People should be aware of the mutation of the virus and the new variants that would appear, she added.

“The most recent designated variant under monitoring (VUM) is NB.1.8.1, and it is considered highly transmissible but does not indicate higher virulence, or risk of hospitalisation or deaths. It has been stated that the current vaccine’s coverage also covers the current strain and those at high risk such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women and those with high comorbidity need to be vigilant,” she added.

ALSO READ: Remembering war-like Covid-19 pandemic

She said high-risk groups should wear a mask when they are outdoors or if they develop symptoms. Those with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) should not miss their medication schedule.

“If you have Covid-19-like symptoms, it could also be adenovirus (usually mild), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and/or influenza,” she said.

This can be determined by testing for Covid-19, or by visiting your healthcare provider for treatment and admission if necessary. “The symptoms may mimic each other, or you can catch two diseases at the same time which is rare, but can occur,” she added.

She said this new variant seems to cause symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache and gastrointestinal distress.

“Besides antigen testing, you may need to get a chest X-ray and blood test for confirmation to rule out pneumonia. Covid generally presents as non threatening symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and no need to follow up with MySejahtera app (like before),” she said.

Former Health Ministry official and public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the rise in cases could be due to decreasing immunity either from natural infection or immunisation and people no longer observing precautionary measures like before.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on May 28 that since February, global SARS-CoV-2 activity has been on the rise, with the test positivity rate reaching 11% - levels that have not been observed since July 2024.

“This rise is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions. Since early 2025, global SARS-CoV-2 variant trends have slightly shifted. Circulation of LP.8.1 has been declining, and reporting of NB.1.8.1, a VUM, is increasing, reaching 10.7% of global sequences reported as of mid-May.”

Recent increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity are broadly consistent with levels observed during the same period last year.

However, there still lacks a clear seasonality in SARS-CoV-2 circulation, and surveillance is limited, it said.

WHO also advised all member states to continue monitoring and applying a risk-based and integrated approach to managing Covid-19.

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Asia registers Covid-19 spike


Healthcare facilities in Indonesia instructed to prepare for rising cases

The country’s health ministry has urged healthcare facilities to stay alert and increase surveillance of Covid-19 amid a surge in cases caused by a more transmissible but less deadly Omicron sub-variant in several countries across Asia.

health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin met with President Prabowo Subianto to discuss the rising number of Covid-19 cases across Asia on June 3.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said that “cases are indeed increasing, but the rise is caused by variants that are relatively less deadly”.

his statement came after his ministry issued a circular last week to warn healthcare facilities to stay alert after a rising Covid-19 trend in Thailand, hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, largely driven by the more transmissible but less severe Omicron subvariant JN.1.

The circular instructed regional health agencies, hospitals, community health centres (Puskesmas) and other health service facilities across the country to monitor case trends through routine surveillance, report any unusual occurrences and raise public awareness about the need for vigilance.

According to the latest data from the health Ministry on June 3, Indonesia reported seven confirmed cases last week with the positive rate declining to 2.05% from a peak of 3.62% the previous week.

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, said the warning should be taken seriously by the broader public.

“This is a good measure as an early warning to create awareness,” he told The Jakarta Post on June 3.

he said while it would no longer become a pandemic since mass vaccination has built herd immunity among the Indonesian population, he urged people to maintain caution.

“We must maintain the clean and healthy habits that were developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as regularly wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining physical distance, adopting a healthy lifestyle and ensuring proper air circulation.”

Dr Dicky also suggested that the government heighten its alert systems, especially in vulnerable areas with large elderly populations.

Dr Masdalina Pane of the Indonesian epidemiologists Association (PAEI) predicted that the newest sub-variant JN.1 has likely already entered Indonesia, but the surveillance system has been unable to detect it in real time.

“Unfortunately, it is not easy to identify suspects at ports and airports,” she said, suggesting that the government should focus on travellers from affected countries instead.

“Governments can also implement random rapid diagnostic checks based on certain criteria while considering ethical aspects,” she added.

Among the hardest-hit nations in the current wave is Thailand, which reported over 65,000 cases and three deaths in the last week of May, according to The Nation.

But Thai Public health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on June 2 that the outbreak in the country has already passed its peak and was expected to ease.

hong Kong saw a downward trend in its positive rate from 13.6% in the week of May 11 to 17 to 11.22% in the following week, although its health department still warned that case levels might remain high in upcoming months. — The Jakarta POST/ANN

Daily and weekly updated statistics tracking the number of COVID-19 cases, recovered, and deaths. Historical data with cumulative charts, graphs, ...

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Monday, January 13, 2025

World’s most innovative country

Singapore tops global innovation ranking of over 70 countries

Singapore tops global innovation ranking


THE republic has been named the world’s most innovative country, taking first place in a ranking of nations based on wide-ranging indicators such as workforce education level and new business creation rate.

It overtook the United States to top the latest Global Innovation Scorecard, a biennial ranking of 74 countries and the European Union that the Consumer Trade Association (CTA), a US trade body, has tabulated since 2019.

Out of 25 countries that were named global innovation champions, Singapore received the highest composite score, a jump from its 15th position in 2023.

Rounding off the top five innovative countries were the United States, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.

Singapore was presented with the Global Innovation Champion award on Thursday at CES, the world’s largest tech fair where companies showcase their latest products and prototypes, in Las Vegas.

The exhibition, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, concluded yesterday.

CTA said its scorecard measures countries on the basis of their political, economic and demographic realities to see how well-placed they are to fuel tech innovation, with the latest edition evaluating countries on a wider range of metrics than before.

While the 2023 scorecard had 40 indicators, the latest one had 56, comprising a range of data sources from agencies such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Intellectual Property Organisation and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Singapore achieved top scores in four of the 16 categories measured: business environment resilience and data transparency; the pro-innovation nature of its legal environment; its friendliness towards start-ups and small businesses; and its tax policies for companies.

It also scored well in other categories, such as the ethnic and immigrant diversity of its workforce; openness to telehealth and cross-border data flows; and broadband speeds.

CTA chief executive officer Gary Shapiro said that the scorecard looked at whether countries have the conditions that catalyse their innovators to invent a better future.

“That means not just evaluating the investment in cutting-edge sectors or red tape for start-ups, but also recognising that countries that ensure freedom of speech create opportunities for workforce diversity and respect people’s fundamental freedoms.

“By celebrating the best of the best, our innovation champions, we encourage other countries to follow their lead,” he said.

As always, the countries that rank highest on the scorecard demonstrate the best of collaboration between government and industry, added Shapiro.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Enterprise Singapore said the country is proud to be the highest-scoring innovation champion of all the countries evaluated.

“This top honour recognises Singapore’s skilled workforce, advanced broadband connectivity, entrepreneurial climate and openness to new technologies,” it said. — The Straits Times/ANN

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CES 2025: Robots set to move beyond factory as AI advances

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Friday, May 10, 2024

Clarion call for quality education, Update of syllabi needed, Time needed to revamp system, say experts

The Implications of Outdated Syllabus: A Call for Education ...

 The national education system needs an urgent overhaul by making changes to irrelevant subjects, says Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim. New and proactive initiatives are needed to equip the country’s youth to face upcoming challenges, the Regent of Johor says in his first state assembly speech. Experts agree on the need to transform the current national education syllabi but reorienting an education system could take time.

Royal presence: Tunku Ismail (left) opening the third term of the 15th state assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar. — Bernama

Update of syllabi needed


ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Regent of Johor has called for a national education reform by making changes to the syllabi of subjects that are no longer relevant to ensure that the next generation will remain competitive.

Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said the Federal Government should take more proactive measures to improve the quality, system and facilities of education.

“An important change that needs to be made is to update the syllabi of subjects that are no longer relevant.

“If this cannot be done at the national level, let Johor become the first state to change the syllabi in our schools,” he decreed when opening the third term of the 15th state assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar here yesterday.

It is also his first state assembly opening speech as Regent of Johor.

According to Tunku Ismail, he has always stressed the importance of quality education for the people.

“Quality education is the basis of a developed state. It will help to solve various issues and bring more job opportunities to the next generation,” he said.

He also highlighted a recent World Bank report as well as the country’s substandard performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) in his speech.

Malaysia’s achievements in the international assessment “Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study” and Pisa have yet to reach the top three positions as desired in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

“If we do not face these realities, then we should not complain when our next generation is less competitive compared with their peers.

“New and proactive initiatives are needed to equip youths to face upcoming challenges,” said Tunku Ismail, who is also the Johor Crown Prince.

He hoped that in years to come, every Johorean student would graduate from a higher education institution and not just stop at the secondary school level.

“The state needs more technology-savvy students and those who are exposed to ever-changing technology trends.

“It is my priority to ensure that all the Bangsa Johor people have food on the table, a place to stay, and access to quality education for their children, besides access to basic amenities and good healthcare services,” he told the state legislative assembly.

When Tunku Ismail was a guest on the Keluar Sekejap podcast in October last year, he told hosts Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan that quality education for the next generation is something that is close to his heart.

Tunku Ismail also said the Causeway in Johor Baru and the Second Link near here are important bridges to cross the border into Singapore for work as well as for Singaporeans to visit the state.

“Lately, upgrades have been conducted at the Customs, immigration and quarantine complexes at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (at the Causeway) and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (Second Link), but there are still many shortcomings that need to be addressed.

“I want to see these issues solved without compromise,” he added.

Tunku Ismail also thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Federal Government for selecting Johor to implement the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and Special Financial Zone (SFZ).

Besides significantly boosting Johor’s economic growth, he is confident that Johor and Singapore’s ties would be further strengthened through the initiatives.

He urged the state’s civil servants to do their part in ensuring that the JS-SEZ, SFZ and other related projects are implemented efficiently and on schedule.

He hoped this would help Johor transform into one of the main economic hubs in the region by 2030.

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Time needed to revamp system, say experts


PETALING JAYA: There is a need to transform the current national education syllabi in keeping with the times and global challenges, but reorienting an education system could take time, say experts.

Dr Yeah Kim Leng, director of economic studies programme at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute of Sunway University, said that for a country to move forward, it is important to create quality and skilled students so that they can compete with their peers globally.

He pointed out that there should be greater emphasis on the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the 3Rs of learning.

The 3Rs refer to the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic.

“The current education syllabi in national schools definitely need to be reoriented to include more STEM subjects while emphasising the 3Rs. Language skills must also be given more focus, especially due to the deterioration of language proficiency.

“Language proficiency is important in a borderless economic landscape, and what more with advanced technology? The emphasis should be on the English language, as it is widely used in the business world, and with the rise of China as an economic power, Mandarin, too, is of much importance.

“Malaysian schools need to enhance learning; students need to learn how to learn so that they can be critical thinkers with a broad understanding of world developments.

“The focus should be on financial literacy and cross-cultural acculturation, which will allow students to be flexible in a multicultural setting. It is very important for Malaysians to be inclusive and apply their skills to take the country to greater heights,” said Yeah.

“The education ministry needs to update itself to incorporate and review the education system to ensure that the national education institutions keep up with the times.”

National Union of Teaching Profession president Aminuddin Awang said the current Malaysian National Education Blueprint ends in 2025, and changing it abruptly would be unwise.

“We cannot deny the recent World Bank report on Malaysia’s education standards, as it was done based on data, and we should accept such criticism for our own good. I believe the Education Ministry understands such criticism from the World Bank and has already started to engage the stakeholders in national education to get their inputs for the next blueprint.”

Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said teachers are the most important factor in making any national education system a success.

“As long as the teachers cannot deliver, no matter what syllabi you come out with, if the same teachers are going to deliver it the same way, the results will not get any better.

“The authorities overseeing the national education system need to reconsider the training methods for teachers.

“The Education Ministry has obviously been in denial by stating that there is nothing wrong with the education system,” said Azimah.

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Monday, February 19, 2024

China’s C919: first home-grown airliner makes international debut, Secures Biggest-Ever Order, showing China's efforts in self-innovation in high-end manufacturing industry

 

China's challenger to Airbus and Boeing's passenger jets, the narrowbody C919, made its international debut in Singapore on the eve of opening day of its air show. It comes after Chinese planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) signalled an interest in gaining a bigger foothold in the aviation market in 2024.

Singapore Airshow, starting point for C919 to step onto world stage: Global Times editorial


Chinese-made craft takes flight | The Star


Chinese-made craft takes flight | The Star


China's homegrown C919 secures biggest-ever aircraft order




China Eastern Airlines has signed a purchase contract with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) for an additional 100 C919 planes, marking the largest single order for the China-developed large passenger aircraft.

According to the plan, the new C919 aircraft purchased by the airline company will be delivered in batches from 2024 to 2031.

China Eastern Airlines placed an order for five C919 planes in 2021. The company has taken delivery of two jets and put them into operation on the air route between the cities of Shanghai and Chengdu.

China's C919 passenger plane completes inaugural 

 

commercial flight, showing China's efforts in self-innovation in high-end manufacturing industry

This photo taken on May 28, 2023 shows a C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, getting ready for its first commercial flight in east China's Shanghai. C919 kicked off its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday, marking its official entry into the civil aviation market. (Xinhua)

This photo taken on May 28, 2023 shows a C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, getting ready for its first commercial flight in east China's Shanghai. C919 kicked off its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday, marking its official entry into the civil aviation market. (Xinhua)



C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, completed its inaugural commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday, creating a milestone in China's aviation industry, which aims to compete with global players such as Boeing. 

Developed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the C919 aircraft, China's first self-developed large jet airliner, is important proof of China's strength in self-innovation in the high-end manufacturing industry, and its solid market performance will foster further confidence in future orders and among customers, Chinese experts said. 

The C919's inaugural flight departed at 10:32 am from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and landed at Beijing Capital international Airport at 12:31 pm, where it was welcomed with a special water-salute ceremony.

The highly anticipated flight, codenamed MU9191 flying from Shanghai to Beijing was flown by China Eastern Airlines, and carried around 130 passengers.

"More than 20 years ago, I heard many people in the aviation field talking about their dream of making a big plane. I am so excited to be one of the first passengers to fly on the C919," a passenger named Shi Ding told the Global Times on Sunday.

Shi said he arrived at the Shanghai airport at 7:40 in the morning, and there were around 500 people attending the inaugural ceremony. "I have been closely watching the development of C919 for years. As an aviation fan, I am so proud that China now has such an advanced aircraft manufacturing industry."

The video clips he sent to the Global Times showed passengers waving national flags and the cabin filled with a euphoric atmosphere, with excited passengers taking photos and shooting videos. The carrier even prepared meals selected by poll by the passengers. 

Both the business and economy class on the C919 use a new generation of domestically designed and produced cabin seats. Among them, eight business class seats use an all-aluminum alloy frame structure with a cradle design and a backrest that can reach 120 degrees. The distance between the front and rear seats exceeds 1 meter. 

The C919 cabin has an aisle height of 2.25 meters, and the middle seat in the economy class triple seat is 1.5cm wider than the two seats on the end, bringing passengers more comfort.

The C919 project was launched in 2007 and completed its first test flight in 2017. On September 29, 2022, it obtained the Type Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country's aviation sector regulator. 

With between 158 and 168 seats, and a flight range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers, the C919 is designed to have the same level of specifications as the popular Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

According to China Eastern Airlines' plan, the first C919 plane will initially be operated between Shanghai and Chengdu, capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, before flying more routes. 

China Eastern has also set up special teams including cabin services to ensure security and guarantee services.

New starting point

"Based on earlier full preparations, the maiden flight is a new starting point for China Eastern," Li Yangmin, vice chairman of the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines Corp, was quoted as saying at the inaugural ceremony held in Shanghai on Sunday.

Li said the airline will take this commercial operation as an opportunity, and strive to meet market demand with high-quality supply, allowing people in China and even around the world to use the plane. 

Before the flight, other Chinese airlines also expressed interest in the plane. On Thursday, Ma Chongxian, chairman of Air China Ltd, said that in 2010 the company signed a purchase agreement with COMAC for 20 C919 aircraft, and continued to pay attention to the progress of the C919.

 China Southern Airlines vice chairman Han Wensheng said on the same say that his company is paying great attention to the C919 aircraft and maintaining close communication with COMAC.

COMAC said in January that the company expects to reach an annual production capacity of 150 C919 planes within five years, and has already received more than 1,200 orders, according to media reports.

Chinese experts said that the commercial fight is of great significance to China's equipment manufacturing industry, as the civil aircraft manufacturing industry is a symbol of a country's technological and industrial strength.

For China's aviation manufacturing industry, China's commercial aviation must have its own place in the world, in terms of not only market size and development potential, but also equipment manufacturing, Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times. "We must have our own manufacturing capabilities for regional aircraft and large commercial airliners," he noted.

We should focus on core technologies in key fields and continue to work together to tackle bottleneck problems, we must put safety and reliability first and eliminate all potential hazards, and we must do a good job in the large aircraft sector, said China's top leadership at the end of September last year that when the C919 passenger jet was issued the type certificate by China's civil aviation regulator, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

COMAC, the developer of the plane, extended its warm congratulations over the flight on its WeChat account with a line from an ancient poem that translates as "Till the day the strangled dragon vibrates in fresh rainfall, it will surely roar to the sky like a flying crane."


Photo: Courtesy of China Eastern Airlines

Photo: Courtesy of China Eastern Airlines

Global competition 

Hours after the conclusion of the inaugural commercial flight, global plane manufacturers sent messages of congratulation. 

"On the occasion of the successful commercial maiden flight of C919 today, we would like to extend our sincere congratulations to China Eastern Airlines and COMAC," Boeing said on its official WeChat account, while Airbus also sent warm congratulations to China Eastern Airlines C919 on successfully completing its first commercial flight.

In an earlier interview with Global Times in April, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said that COMAC has brought new competition to the market. "We have great respect for any competitor in the market," he said.

The C919's first commercial flight means that China's extraordinary aviation capabilities have started to accept the challenges of the market, Qi Qi, an independent market watcher, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

With the accumulation of flight hours, there will be more confidence in potential orders and among customers, as well as more growth in the entire large aircraft industry chain, Qi remarked.

A market forecast report released by COMAC in 2021 predicted that China's aviation market will receive 9,084 passenger aircraft with more than 50 seats over the next 20 years, with a value of about $1.4 trillion. It is widely believed that a trillion-dollar level aircraft industry chain is gaining momentum with the commercialization of the C919.

As for future flights, Qi said it is still too early to talk about exploring the international market at this stage. 

Prior to this, it is necessary to obtain airworthiness certifications from the civil aviation authorities of other countries, and obtaining the type certification from Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency will be an important indicator of how the C919 will explore the international market, Qi said. 

It has been predicted that the C919 will still face many difficulties amid a changing international political backdrop, and the difficulties may be even greater than expected. As a strategic project of China's national aviation industry, the goal of the C919 will not waver, Wang said. China will mobilize and pool all its scientific research and industrial resources to push this project to a successful end.

"For a developing country like China, which is under enormous development pressure, we have no other choice but to face up to the difficulties," Wang noted.