Day: April 10, 2022

ABU DHABI, The recent global rise in Covid-19 cases has worried experts and public health officials. “New worldwide infections have jumped by 8 per cent globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases,” a local daily has reported.

As per the WHO, a combination of factors, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its BA. 2 sublineage, and the lifting of public health and social measures in several countries, have contributed to the current spike, it added.

Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a “huge amount of misinformation” also explained the rise in new cases, WHO officials noted.

Some of the biggest jumps in Covid-19 cases have been reported in South Korea and China, where cases rose by 25 per cent and deaths by 27 per cent during recent weeks, Gulf News remarked in its today’s editorial.

During this time Africa saw a 12 per cent rise in new cases and 14 per cent rise in deaths, and Europe a 2 per cent rise in cases but no big jump in deaths. While cases are on the rise in some geographies, there are no signs that it causes more severe disease.

In China where the spike is marked, the big jump in cases in Shanghai has resulted in mass Covid testing even as 26 million people face lockdown.

Beijing has tightened curbs elsewhere in the country, consistent with the country’s zero-tolerance policy to prevent its medical system from breaking down.

“At present the world is witnessing 1.5 million new cases each day. Large outbreaks are spreading in Asia. A new wave is sweeping across Europe.

“Presently BA. 2 is the dominant strain circulating around the US, accounting for almost three out of every four cases. Broadly the cases have dipped 5 per cent across the US to an average of about 28,700 cases from an average of more than 30,000 cases a fortnight ago,” read the editorial.

While experts note that a significant rise in hospitalisations or deaths is not expected, there have been signs of hospitalisations rising among the elderly in other countries like the UK.

“The current situation calls for a balanced approach. While the world cannot afford to remain captive to Covid forever, we need to keep our guard up.

“National governments around the world must speed up the administration of the booster dose of the vaccine by opening it up for all.

“Countries where Covid relaxations are in place, health care infrastructure should remain in top gear. Testing must continue as also common sense measures like masking and sanitising,” the Dubai-based English language newspaper concluded.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, The 1 Billion Meals initiative, the largest food donation drive of its kind in the region, has collected 76 million meals within just six days.

Organized by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the initiative provides food support to the underprivileged and the undernourished in 50 countries around the world, especially vulnerable groups of children, refugees, displaced persons and victims of disasters and crises.

Within just 6 days of the initiative, 45,491 donors and 98 particiapting entities have contributed 76 million meals, which in addition to the 220 million meals collected during the 100 Million Meals campaign, brings the total number of meals collected to 296 million meals, while distribution commenced in 6 countries: India, Lebanon, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Egypt.

The 1 Billion Meals campaign builds on the success of the 100 Million Meals campaign, which ran during Ramadan last year and exceeded all its targets to collect 220 million meals and distribute them around the world. The target of 1 Billion Meals initiative is to collect an additional 780 million meals and distribute them to 50 countries around the world.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of MBRGI, said: “The responses we’ve received to the 1 Billion Meals initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the contributions collected from donors across the UAE, including a wide range of businesses and individuals, are rooted in the people’s ethical responsibility and humanitarian commitment.”

He added: “The 1 Billion Meals initiative reaches the poor and needy around the world with food support they desperately need, and it reflects the well-established values of giving and solidarity in the UAE thanks to the directives of its wise leadership and the keenness of all segments of its society to support humanitarian work.”

Donation Channels Donors can contribute to the 1 Billion Meals initiative through the following donation channels: the campaign’s official website: www.1billionmeals.ae; bank transfer to the campaign’s account at Emirates NBD, number: AE300260001015333439802. Donors can also opt to donate AED1 a day through a monthly subscription by sending “Meal” or “????” via SMS to 1020 on the du network or 1110 on the Etisalat network. Donations can also be made through campaign’s call center via a toll-free number 8009999.

1 Billion Meals The 1 Billion Meals initiative is providing direct access to food supplies to some of the most disadvantaged communities around the world, as is doing so in coordination with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UAE Food Bank, as well as a number of local charity and humanitarian organizations in beneficiary countries.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, In his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, issued Decree No. (9) of 2022 subjecting public-interest entities created by legislations issued by the Ruler of Dubai, to the regulatory supervision and control of Dubai’s Community Development Authority.

According to the Decree, the Director General of the Community Development Authority CDA) will issue a decision about the scope of the Authority’s regulatory oversight of the entities. The scope of the oversight includes sources of the entity’s funding and income and the nature of their expenditure. Under the Decree, public-interest entities are required to maintain up-to-date financial and administrative records so that the Authority can review them when needed. The entity should adhere to transparency standards outlined by the Decree and appoint an external auditor to audit its finances.

Public-interest entities should adhere to the provisions of this Decree and the decisions issued pursuant to it and cooperate with the CDA to enable it to perform its regulatory functions. If the entities fail to adhere to the provisions of the Decree, the Director General of the CDA is authorised to take action against the entity. This may include disciplinary action as per the Law Regulating Civil Society Organisations in Dubai. The Authority can also issue recommendations to relevant authorities to dissolve the entity.

According to the Decree, all government entities must cooperate with the Community Development Authority in Dubai and provide the information and documents necessary for the Authority to perform its duties, as per the Law Regulating Civil Society Organisations in Dubai, and the new Decree and decisions issued pursuant to it.

The Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai will issue the necessary decisions required to implement this Decree, which will be published in the Official Gazette. This Decree annuls any other legislation that may contradict it. The Decree is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

Source: Emirates News Agency