(Fighting against New Coronary Pneumonia) South Africa may be entering the fifth wave of the epidemic, Fauci said the United States is unlikely to eliminate the epidemic

　　China News Agency, Beijing, April 30. Comprehensive news: The latest data from the WHO website shows that as of 17:47 CET on the 29th (23:47 Beijing time), the number of confirmed cases worldwide increased by 607,159 cases compared with the previous day. 510,270,667 cases; deaths increased by 2,504 to 6,233,526.

Americas: Fauci says U.S. unlikely to eliminate outbreak

　　Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on the 29th local time that the new crown epidemic is not over, and the United States is unlikely to eliminate the new crown epidemic, but efforts should be made to control the virus.

"When I say we're no longer in that explosive acute phase, that doesn't mean the pandemic is over," he said. "It's not over, we're still going through a global pandemic."

　　According to the US "Capitol Hill" report, on the 29th local time, the White House communications director Bedingfield was diagnosed with the new crown virus.

The last time she met with US President Biden was at a meeting on the 27th, when she wore an N95 mask.

At present, Bedingfield has begun a 5-day home quarantine.

　　In recent days, many people around Biden, including US Vice President Harris and White House Press Secretary Psaki, have been infected with the new crown virus.

　　According to data from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, as of 17:20 Eastern Time on the 29th, there were 81,311,888 confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in the United States, and a total of 993,554 deaths.

Compared with 24 hours ago, there were 68,914 new confirmed cases and 414 new deaths.

Europe: Germany will shorten the quarantine period for confirmed patients to 5 days

　　The German Federal Ministry of Health announced on the 29th local time that the Robert Koch Institute, the German disease control agency, will make a unified adjustment to the isolation and quarantine period of new crown patients early next week, and the isolation period of confirmed patients will be shortened to 5 days.

　　Poland's Minister of Health Nedzerski announced on the 29th that the government will cancel the "epidemic state" implemented since March 20, 2020 in mid-May, but will still retain the "epidemic threat state".

It is reported that fewer epidemic prevention restrictions have been implemented under the "epidemic threat state".

　　At present, Poland has lifted most of the epidemic prevention measures.

Except for medical institutions and pharmacies, people do not need to wear masks in other public places.

Officials no longer mandate quarantines for those infected with the new coronavirus.

　Asia: South Korea will lift the mandatory wearing of masks outdoors in principle

　　According to news from the Central Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters of South Korea on the 29th local time, as of 0:00 that day, South Korea added 50,568 new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia compared with 0:00 the previous day, with a total of 17,194,616 confirmed cases.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Fu-gyeom said on the same day that starting from May 2, people will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors except for gatherings, activities, performances, and sports events with a high risk of infection with more than 50 people.

　　The Korean government issued a mandatory mask wearing order on October 13, 2020.

It will be the first time in 566 days that the Korean government has partially lifted the mask wearing requirement after the public was no longer required to wear masks outdoors from May 2.

　　Regarding the reason for relaxing the requirement for wearing masks outdoors, Jin Fuqian and the director of the Korean Agency for Disease Management Zheng Yinjing both said that after the social distancing was gradually lifted in South Korea, the number of confirmed patients with the new crown has steadily declined for 6 consecutive weeks; under natural outdoor ventilation conditions, the new crown virus air The risk of transmission is also significantly lower than indoors; many countries, including France, New Zealand, and Singapore, have lifted the outdoor mask wearing order after the peak of the Omicron variant strain, and the number of confirmed cases has not increased significantly.

　　However, some public opinion in South Korea expressed concern about the government's lifting of outdoor masks.

　　According to data from the Singapore Ministry of Health, Singapore added 2,517 confirmed cases on the 29th, bringing the total to 1,195,767.

At present, six people are being treated in intensive care units nationwide, and the number of new crown patients in intensive care units has remained in single digits for the seventh consecutive day.

At the same time, Singapore reported no new deaths for two consecutive days, and the cumulative number of deaths remained at 1,334.

　　Of the 91,687 confirmed cases in Singapore in the past 28 days, 99.7% were asymptomatic or only had mild symptoms, and 0.03% died.

　　As the epidemic slows down, from May 1st, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao will no longer publish local epidemic data news every day, but it will still publish an epidemic table to let readers know the latest development of the epidemic.

Africa: South Africa may be entering the fifth wave of the epidemic

　　On the 29th local time, South African Minister of Health Fahra said that the number of newly confirmed cases in South Africa in the past 14 days has continued to rise, and South Africa may be entering the fifth wave of the new crown epidemic, and it is necessary to maintain a high degree of vigilance.

　　Nationwide, as of April 25, the number of confirmed cases had increased by 137% compared to seven days earlier, Fakhra said.

Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape have the highest number of confirmed cases.

While it is too early to formally announce the arrival of a new wave, next week will be crucial in determining whether a fifth wave is here.

　　South African medical experts said that the newly discovered subtypes of the Omicron strain, BA.4 and BA.5, appear to be more contagious than the earlier BA.2.

It is worth noting that although the new subtype strain caused an increase in the number of confirmed cases, there was no surge in hospital admissions and deaths.

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