United States: China has not been transparent with WHO

A general view shows various activities as people receive a dose of the BioNTech/Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic set up inside Derby Arena at Pride Park in Derby, Derbyshire on Wednesday. PIC/AFP

An international team behind a long-awaited study of the possible origins of COVID-19 with Chinese colleagues on Tuesday called it a "first start," while the United States and allies expressed concerns about the findings and China trumpeted its cooperation.

Team leader Peter Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization (WHO) presented the team's first-phase look into the possible origins of the pandemic that has killed nearly 2.8 million people and pummeled economies since it first turned up in China over a year ago. The report, obtained by The Associated Press on Monday and formally published on Tuesday, said transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is "extremely unlikely." The WHO chief has said all hypotheses remain open.

After the report's publication, the US and over a dozen other countries expressed concerns about the study, pointing to delays and a lack of access to samples and data, without finger-pointing at Beijing directly. China responded by reiterating its criticism of efforts to "politicise" the issue.

Nepal first nation to inoculate refugees

Nepal has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to give COVID-19 jabs to refugees through its vaccination rollout. According to the UN refugee agency in Kathmandu, Nepal started to inoculate the Bhutanese refugees from March 7. The refugees at the settlement in the Jhapa district were vaccinated as part of the second phase.

Ukraine sees 689 cases of side effects

Ukraine's Health Ministry received 689 reports of side effects after vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine during the first month of the programme, authorities said. From February 24 to March 28, nearly 200,000 vaccinations were made and 689 people reported adverse reactions, the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health said.

Japan calls for further probe into virus origin

Japan is calling for further probe into the origins of COVID-19, saying the WHO report released this week was based on work that faced delays and lacked access to essential virus samples. "In order to prevent pandemics, it is indispensable to carry out prompt, independent and experts-led investigations that are free of surveillance," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said.

Oz completes only 16.7% of its March vaccination target

The Australian government has administered a little more than 670,000 vaccines as of Wednesday, 16.7 per cent of its target number in March since the rollout began in February. The government initially promised that four million people would receive vaccines by the end of March. Leaders of Queensland and New South Wales on Wednesday slammed the rollout after Brisbane entered a lockdown.

2,69,929
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

12,83,77,922
Total no. of cases worldwide

28,06,679
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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