ndonesian doctors have seen a spike in coronavirus deaths and cases among children.
This rise has been charted since the Delta variant spread in July this year.
More than 1,272 children have died in the country in total, according to the Ministry of Health’s figures.
Deaths of under-18s make up around 1% of Indonesia’s total Covid-19 death toll which remains higher than the average worldwide at 0.3%, UNICEF reported on August 24 based on data from 79 countries.
In August, at least 228 people aged under-18 died before the end of the month.
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Scotland: No new Covid-19 deaths and 3,893 cases
Scotland has recorded no new deaths of coronavirus patients and 3,893 cases in the past 24 hours, according to the latest data.
Figures published by the Scottish Government indicate the death toll under the daily measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – remains at 8,111.
The daily test positivity rate is 14.1 per cent, up from 13.5 per cent the previous day.
A total of 551 people were in hospital on Sunday with recently confirmed Covid-19, up by 44 on the previous day, with 52 patients in intensive care, no change.
So far, 4,103,687 people have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccination and 3,668,041 have had their second.
Anger and frustration for events sector in Ireland
A meeting between government and the live entertainment sector ended with “anger and frustration”, a stakeholders’ group has said.
The Entertainment Industry Alliance (EIA), an umbrella group representing the sector, said it had not been provided with a date for the return of full capacity events, or a strategy to achieve it.
It came after a meeting with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, and Culture Minister Catherine Martin who promised to provide them with reopening dates on Tuesday.
“We continue to be disappointed and frustrated at the total lack of urgency on the part of Government for the reopening of the event industry, which represents 35,000 people and is worth 3.5 billion euro to the Irish economy,” EIA chairman Dan McDonnell said.
“This is despite being the only sector mandated to remain closed for nearly 18 months, far beyond any other industry or sector within Ireland.”
But speaking after the meeting, Minister Martin said it had been “a very positive engagement”, adding that it was “timely” ahead of a Covid Cabinet sub-committee meeting later on Monday afternoon.
She said: “I’m positive. What I was looking for is an early September, phased return for live music and events. I remain optimistic about that before we go into this meeting.
“The industry have always been clear that dates are needed, and that’s what will be provided tomorrow. They need that clarity and that will be provided.”
Germany offers transportation for vaccinations
Germany is offering a special train service for anyone in Berlin who would like to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
The train service will run for two hours on Monday via a circular commuter line around the centre of the German capital for two hours amid slowing demand for the jab.
Officials invited anyone aged 18 or older to step aboard and receive a dose of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Health authorities are trying to make it easier for people to get the shot, as the pace of vaccination has declined noticeably in recent months.
Slightly more than 60 per cent of the German population is fully vaccinated against Covid, while infection rates are rising strongly again. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Germany has more than doubled over the past two weeks from almost 5.2 new cases per 100,000 people on August 15 to nearly 11 on August 29.
Nicola Sturgeon ends self-isolation after negative Covid test
Nicola Sturgeon is no longer self-isolating after testing negative for coronavirus.
The Scottish First Minister said she was “relieved” by the results of the PCR test which she had taken after being identified as a close contact of someone with the virus.
Under coronavirus rules, double-vaccinated adults and all children can avoid self-isolation if they are a close contact of someone with coronavirus so long as they are symptomless and provide a negative PCR test. The First Minister had her second dose of a coronavirus vaccine in June.
Scotland had recorded more than 7,000 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, a new record high, with Ms Sturgeon announcing she had been identified as a close contact.
Traffic returns to pre-Covid levels after bank holiday rush
Traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels with a “perfect storm” of congestion over the bank holiday weekend, the AA has said.
The return of music festivals, international travel restrictions and scepticism about the safety of public transport will lead to 18.4 million car journeys being made over the three days, according to the motoring association.
The number of cars on the road will increase by 37% on last year’s August Bank Holiday weekend total after 2020 was severely affected by coronavirus restrictions.
Friday evening saw “bumper-to-bumper” traffic on many of the country’s motorways – including the M1, M5, M6, M25 and M56 – as many people left on their getaways, and the AA said more gridlock will follow on Monday.
AA president Edmund King said: “There are likely to be big delays on the roads where holiday traffic mixes with sporting or shopping day trippers.
“Covid‘s disruption to people’s lives is still noticeable in the 10% fewer long-distance trippers this August. The drop in longer trips might be due to the difficulty in booking accommodation away from home due to more families taking their holidays in the UK.”
Coronavirus booster shots “not a luxury” says WHO Europe boss
A third-dose booster shot of the coronavirus vaccination is a way to keep the most vulnerable safe and “not a luxury”, the World Health Organization has said.
The WHO said earlier this month data did not indicate a need for booster shots, while topping up already fully vaccinated people would further increase vaccine inequity between rich and lower-income countries.
“A third dose of vaccine is not a luxury booster taken away from someone who is still waiting for a first jab. It’s basically a way to keep the most vulnerable safe,” Hans Kluge, head of WHO Europe, told a press briefing.
Kluge also said an increase in Covid transmission rates across Europe over the last two weeks, combined with low levels of vaccination in some countries, was “deeply worrying”.
Live entertainment to return in Ireland
The Irish government will provide the live entertainment sector with “specific dates” for reopening on Tuesday.
The sector has been largely shut throughout the pandemic, with bosses calling on government to allow it to return as soon as possible.
A meeting between stakeholders and Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar and Culture Minister Catherine Martin got under way at 10am on Monday.
“The government wants to open up and to do that as safely as we can,” minister Simon Coveney told RTE’s Morning Ireland.
“One thing we will definitely do tomorrow is give people specific dates so they can plan their businesses and lives around dates in the future. That’s what the industry is asking for.”
Children should have regular Covid tests as schools return, parents urged
Parents should make sure their children are tested regularly for coronavirus, the education secretary has said.
Gavin Williamson also warned youngsters not to get “carried away” when schools return.
The government is trying to persuade parents, secondary school pupils and college students to take part in voluntary asymptomatic Covid-19 testing.
There are concerns that the return to classes in England in September could drive a new wave of infections.
Mr Williamson said the easing of restrictions and the return of schooling which is “closer to normality” is welcome but warned that parents and children should not “throw caution to the wind”.
Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: “At long last, we will see children once more free to chase a football around, sing in a choir or just hang out with friends. I am absolutely delighted.
“After all, children and their parents have had to put up with so much disruption over the past 18 months.
“It is important not to get too carried away with these new freedoms and throw caution to the wind.
“The fact that we are in the happy position we are now is because everyone has worked hard to follow the national guidelines. We still need to do so.”
Moderna vaccine contamination fears widen with one million more shots suspended in Japan
Fears have widened in Japan over contaminated coronavirus vaccines with another million doses being temporarily suspended.
Two people have died after receiving affected shots of the Moderna vaccine with batches found to contain foreign substances.
The suspension of Moderna supplies, affecting more than 2.6 million does in total, comes as Japan battles its worst wave of Covid-19 yet, driven by the contagious delta variant.
New daily infections exceeded 25,000 this month for the first time amid a slow vaccine rollout.
The latest reports of vaccine contamination came from Gunma prefecture near Tokyo and the southern prefecture of Okinawa, prompting the suspension on Sunday of two more lots in addition to the 1.63 million doses already pulled last week.
A tiny black substance was found in a Moderna vaccine vial in Gunma, an official from the prefecture said.
In Okinawa, black substances were spotted in syringes and a vial, and pink material was found in a different syringe.
Japan’s health ministry said some of the incidents may have been due needles being incorrectly inserted into vials, breaking off bits of the rubber stopper. Other vials from the lots can continue to be used, the ministry said.
The contamination cases followed a government report on Saturday that two people died after receiving Moderna shots that were among lots later suspended.
New Zealand reports first coronavirus vaccine death
A woman in New Zealand has died after being given the Pfizer jab.
It is believed to be the first death linked to the coronavirus vaccine in the country.
A vaccine safety monitoring board said the woman died from myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, which she “probably developed because of the vaccine.”
However, she had other medical conditions which may have also contributed.
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said myocarditis is a very rare side effect and there is clear evidence that having a vaccination is much safer than being infected with Covid-19.
Health authorities have so far administered vaccines to more than two million New Zealanders.
New Zealand is currently in lockdown amid an outbreak of the delta variant which was first identified in India.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland will remain in strict lockdown for at least two more weeks and the rest of the country for at least another week, but with slightly fewer restrictions.