Risk Assessment Report – 20 May 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 20 May 2020
Rapid Risk Assessment
May 20, 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 20 May 2020
Time Period Covered May 20, 2020 - May 20, 2020
- The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) which opened on May 18, focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. Member States delivered statements, reported their progress in fighting the coronavirus, shared knowledge on the evolving situation and considered a draft resolution on COVID-19. In his opening remarks at the World Health Assembly, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros declared: ‘We have come together as the nations of the world to confront the defining health crisis of our time.’ In conclusion, he asserted that the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that we need a healthier, safer and fairer world with a stronger WHO to support this goal.
- China announced during the virtual event opening the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly that it will provide USD 2billions over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries.
- According to Brunei’s Minister of Religious Affairs, the opening of mosques, suraus and religious halls will be carried out in four phases and with certain procedures and guidelines. The first phase will be implemented for three weeks, for the Friday prayers on May 29, June 5 and June 12. According to the guidelines of praying in congregations at mosques, handshakes and staying too long at the mosque as well as exceeding quota capacity are not allowed. Congregants also need to scan the mosque QR code to enter. In addition, Brunei reports no new COVID-19 case/s for 13 consecutive days since May 7.
- Cambodia reported no new case/s for 36 consecutive days since April 12.
- A Philippine government spokesman said last May 19 that it planned to ramp up efforts to test Filipinos for COVID-19, after health officials reported that far less than 1 percent of the country’s 110 million people had been tested for the virus. The plan is to be able to reach the capacity of doing 30,000 tests a day. The country’s capacity to test for the coronavirus had grown to an average of 11,127 tests per day (as of May 15) compared with around 5,000 daily tests as of May 2.
- According to the multi-ministry task force on the COVID-19 outbreak today (May 20), Singapore’s circuit breaker will formally end on June 1. At a virtual press conference, the task force outlined the broad plan to transition Singapore in phases of stringent measures eventually into a new normal until an effective vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is developed. In the first phase, known as “safe reopening”, more people will be allowed to return to their workplaces, with priority given to critical sectors and businesses that operate in settings with lower coronavirus transmission risks. And according to Trade and Industry Minister, those who are working from home should continue to work from home. More businesses will also be allowed to resume operations starting June 2.
- Thailand government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported on May 19 that pubs, bars and entertainment facilities would be permitted to reopen in the coming weeks if the regular count of new COVID19 cases remains in single digits. CCSA confirmed that the COVID-19 situation in Thailand continues to improve and has dropped to single digits for the past 22 days.
- Students in South Korea started to return to school on today (May 20). Students are required to comply with temperature checks and were given sanitizers to wash their hands as they entered school premises.
Risk Assessment Report – 20 May 2020