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 India reports coronavirus variant
India has detected a new "double mutant variant" of the coronavirus,
the health ministry said on Wednesday, adding to concern as the
government struggles with the highest single-day tally of new
infections and deaths this year.
Genome sequencing and analysis of samples from Maharashtra state
found mutations in the virus that do not match previously catalogued
"variants of concern", the ministry said in a statement.
Maharashtra is one of India's worst-affected states but the ministry
said it was not clear if the new variant was causing an upsurge
there or in other states.
Hong Kong halts Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines
Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday halted the use of the COVID-19
vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech citing defective packaging,
triggering scenes of confusion in inoculation centres across the
city.
The suspension comes as the Asian financial hub has faced a sluggish
take-up of vaccines due to dwindling confidence in China's Sinovac
Biotech treatment and fears of adverse reactions.
Inoculation centre staff turned away residents booked to take the
Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with many Hong Kong-ers unsure as to the
reason and asking for explanations.
Merkel calls new talks on German lockdown
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called an unexpected meeting
with leaders of the federal states for Wednesday morning to discuss
the coronavirus pandemic after they agreed on Tuesday to extend the
lockdown to April 18.
At talks on Monday with the leaders of Germany's 16 states, Merkel
had pushed for a tougher stance to fight the pandemic, reversing
plans for a gradual re-opening of the economy agreed earlier this
month after a sharp rise in the infection rate.
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 But state premiers pushed back
at the talks that ran into the early hours of
Tuesday, only agreeing to call on citizens to
stay at home for five days over the Easter
holidays.
Poland reports daily record new cases
Poland reported a record 29,978 new daily
coronavirus cases on Wednesday as the government
prepares to toughen restrictions amid a
worsening third wave of the pandemic.
The government ordered theatres, shopping malls,
hotels and cinemas to close last week after a
rise in cases, fuelled by the more contagious
variant first identified in Britain.
There have been growing media reports that Poland will have to bring
in more curbs ahead of the busy Easter holidays, usually marked by
packed church services and family gatherings in the deeply Catholic
country.
Capitalism and greed gave UK vaccine success, Johnson says
Capitalism and greed gave Britain its success in vaccinating its
population, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers in a closed
meeting, praising pharmaceutical companies for developing a shot in
record time.
The comments, reported by The Sun newspaper, were made by Johnson
during a Zoom meeting and could inflame a row with the European
Union, which is considering a ban on vaccine exports to Britain.
"The reason we have the vaccine success is because of capitalism,
because of greed, my friends," The Sun newspaper quoted him as
saying during a meeting with Conservative lawmakers to rally them to
support coronavirus restrictions.
(Compiled by Linda NoakesEditing by Gareth Jones)
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