ASEAN coronavirus updates (by country)
Brunei
Brunei has joined the global Covax scheme and is expecting to have the COVID-19 vaccine in Q1 2021, having sourced enough supplies to cover 50% of the population. Discussions are on-going with other suppliers.
Brunei saw seven new cases on March 14, taking the total to
199.
Brunei reported one new case on March 6, taking the total to
186.
Brunei recorded one new case on February 17, taking the
total to 185.
One new case reported on February 12, taking the total to
184.
Cambodia
Cambodia is expected to import vaccines from both China and Russia. China’s vaccines are still undergoing clinical trials while Russia has already commenced production. Australia has offered financial support to aid vaccine coverage in several southeast Asia countries including Cambodia.
Cambodia reported 36 new cases on March 18, taking the total
to 1,541 amid one death.
Cambodia reported 75 new cases on March 17, taking the total
to 1,505 amid one death.
Cambodia recorded 105 new cases on March 16, taking the total to 1,430 amid one death.
Indonesia
Indonesia has commenced vaccinations with just over nine million doses being given to front line workers from last month. China’s Sinovac is in discussions with Indonesia to provide supplies, however, the Government faces difficulties with a large population of 268 million and price sensitivity at Sinovac’s estimated costs at 200,000 rupiah (US$20) a dose. Indonesia’s Health Ministry’s Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Achmad Yurianto said that vaccinations would only be provided to citizens aged 18-59. The vaccine has also been required to pass halal certification prior to use and it is uncertain how the country can source enough vaccines to reach a sizeable part of its population. Australia has stated it will also provide financial support to solve these issues.
Indonesia reported 6,570 new cases and 227 deaths on March
18, taking the tallies to 1,443,853 cases and 39,142 deaths.
Indonesia saw 6,825 new cases and 162 deaths on March 17,
bringing the totals to 1,437,283 cases and 38,915 deaths.
Indonesia recorded 5,414 new cases and 180 deaths on March 16, taking the tallies to 1,430,458 cases and 38,753 deaths.
Laos
Laos has been trialing the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and is also in discussions with China about acquiring supplies.
Laos reported one new case on March 17, bringing the total
to 49.
As of March 13, Laos has 48 cases.
Two new cases reported on March 5, taking the total to 47.
Malaysia
Malaysia is to provide vaccines free of charge to its nationals, but foreigners will need to pay for the treatment, according to the Malaysian Minister of Health, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who has signed a deal with Pfizer for 12.8 million doses. These will be administered in two stages of 6.4 million people each, with the program to commence in Q1 2021. The country aims to inoculate between 80-100% of its citizens.
Malaysia reported 1,213 new cases and three deaths on March
18, taking the totals to 328,466 cases and 1,223 deaths.
Malaysia saw 1,219 new cases and two deaths on March 17,
bringing the totals to 327,253 cases and 1,220 deaths.
Malaysia recorded 1,063 new cases and five deaths on March 16, bringing the tallies to 326,034 cases and 1,218 deaths.
Myanmar
Myanmar is seeking assistance from the Gavi and Covax programs to acquire vaccines, while Australia is also providing financial relief. At present, the Government aims to treat 20 percent of the ‘most at risk’ in the country with vaccines. The Government is struggling with finances and logistics and is also under US sanctions, while cases are surging. The Government has banned the celebration of Christmas and other seasonal celebrations.
The country saw 22 new cases and one death on March 18,
taking the tallies to 142,212 cases and 3,204 deaths.
Myanmar reported 11 new cases on March 17, bringing the
total to 142,190 cases amid 3,203 deaths.
Myanmar reported 15 new cases and one death on March 16, taking the total to 142,162 cases and 3,203 deaths.
Philippines
The Philippines aims to commence vaccinations from June 2021 and expects to inoculate about 25 million people (about 25 percent of its population) over the course of the year. The country has been badly affected by the virus and has the second-highest rate in Southeast Asia. The business community has reacted, more than 30 local companies signed an agreement to purchase at least 2.6 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca in the country’s first such deal to secure coronavirus vaccines, ten days ago. They plan to donate a large part of the doses to the government for its planned vaccination program and use the rest to inoculate their employees.
The Philippines reported 5,290 new cases and 21 deaths on
March 18, taking the totals to 640,984 cases and 12,887 deaths.
The Philippines saw 4,387 new cases and 18 deaths on March
17, bringing the tallies to 635,698 cases and 12,866 deaths.
The Philippines recorded 4,437 new cases and 11 deaths on March
16, taking the totals to 631,320 cases and 12,848 deaths.
Singapore
Singapore has been working on producing its own ‘Lunar’ vaccine, in a joint venture between the US company Arcturus together with the Duke-NUS medical school. It is a single dose, mRNA shot, developed from genetically engineering COVID-19 genes into an otherwise harmless virus. This technique is marginally safer than other vaccines which rely on dead Covid-19 material to provoke an immune response. The vaccine is expected to be available from Q1 2021. High-risk personnel will receive the vaccine first in a process to be determined by the government.
Singapore reported 15 new cases on March 18, taking the
total to 60,152 amid 29 deaths.
Singapore saw nine new cases on March 17, bringing the total
to 60,137 amid 29 deaths.
Singapore reported 11 new cases on March 16, bringing the
total to 60,128 cases amid 29 deaths.
Thailand
Thailand is currently expecting vaccines to be delivered in mid-2021. The doses would cover 13 million people in a population of about 69 million. Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute signed a non-refundable advance market commitment contract worth 2.38 billion baht (US$79 million) with AstraZeneca to reserve the supplies. Discussions are also on-going with Oxford University in the UK to secure a vaccine that could be available in Q1 if trials are completed in time.
The country reported 92 new cases and one death on March 18,
bringing the total to 27,494 cases and 88 deaths.
Thailand saw 248 new cases and one death on March 17, taking
the total to 27,402 and 88 deaths.
Thailand recorded 149 new cases on March 16, taking the
total to 27,154 amid 87 deaths.
Vietnam
Vietnam’s National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), a division of Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, has signed an agreement with Medigen Vaccine, a Taipei, Taiwan-based vaccine company to secure the supply of 3 million to 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in 2021. Medigen is currently conducting Phase II studies of the vaccine, co-developed with the USA’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Taiwan and Vietnam with a view to a Q1 2021 rollout.
Vietnam is also working on producing its own vaccine, with the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) in Nha Trang City, partnering with New York City-based Icahn School of Medicine and the global health non-profit organization PATH. Phase 1 trials are already underway in Vietnam, while Phases 2 & 3 will be conducted at the beginning of 2021. The institute plans to submit documents for approval to the health ministry as early as April next year and claims to be capable of producing 30 million doses a year, expecting that a national vaccine could be distributed to the general population in October 2021.
As of March 19, 2021, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed
a total of 2,570 cases of COVID-19. However, 2,198 of the affected patients
have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Vietnam has also recorded 35
deaths due to the pandemic. The latest community transmission cases were
reported from Hai Duong.
As of March 18, 2021, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed
a total of 2,567 cases of COVID-19. However, 2,198 of the affected patients
have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Vietnam has also recorded 35
deaths due to the pandemic. The latest community transmission cases were
reported from Hai Duong.
As of March 17, 2021, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed
a total of 2,560 cases of COVID-19. However, 2,158 of the affected patients
have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Vietnam has also recorded 35
deaths due to the pandemic. The latest community transmission cases were reported
from Hai Duong.
