Tag Archives: caribbean

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COVID-19 Vaccination Programme will rely on good governance structure

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — After the successful launch of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme on February 22, Dr. Delores Stapleton-Harris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said that full and effective implementation of the plan will rely on a good governance structure, given the range of responsibilities, personnel, and the responsiveness that will be demanded as the programme rolls out.

“In fact, we recognize the need to augment and support existing structures for the implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme,” said Dr. Stapleton-Harris.

“In the public health system, a vaccination programme lessens morbidity and mortality caused by infectious diseases at the population level,” said Dr. Stapleton-Harris. “The National Immunization Programme of St. Kitts and Nevis is aimed at providing safe efficient and effective administration of all necessary vaccines to the residents who indicate their willingness to receive it.

“The COVID-19 Vaccine therefore will be administered as part of this existing system,” she said. “Noteworthy also is the fact that relative to existing immunization programmes and policies the Ministry of Health makes policy decisions based on advice from the National Immunization Committee, which is subsequently implemented through community health services via the health centres within the Federation.”

Dr. Stapleton-Harris said that the National Immunization Committee was therefore tasked to support the Ministry of Health and the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) to deliver an effective COVID-19 Vaccination Programme that meets best practice and good governance.

“It is also responsible for managing vaccination procurement, storage and distribution under validated call chain conditions, immunization training, and providing communication materials about the vaccine to the public,” said Dr. Stapleton-Harris.

Dr. Stapleton-Harris noted that the strategy aligns with the World Health Organization and the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on the vaccine programme implementation.

The Ministry of Health along with the Office of the Epidemiologist will also play a pivotal role, she said. “The Epidemiological Unit will collect, analyse and public the immunization data during the rollout of our vaccine programme in the Federation, liaise closely with our regional partners such as CARPHA and PAHO, and the findings will ultimately perform further planning and policy development.”

Dr. Stapleton Harris said that the ministry intends to implement a comprehensive, robust communication strategy to guide the education campaign to inform the public and generate the expected demand for the vaccine.

“You would have noticed that such a campaign has commenced utilizing traditional and digital media to disseminate the relevant content,” said Dr. Stapleton-Harris. “Key stakeholders will be engaged to ensure success and in keeping with an all of society approach adopted at the beginning of the response.”

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Thirty students attending Compliance and Quarantine Task Force training

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Training for additional members of the Compliance and Quarantine Task Force got underway at the Police Training School on February 22.

About 30 trainees are participating in the two-week training course. It is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Sessions will cover a variety of topics including the Quarantine Act, customer service, report writing, giving evidence, self-defence and use of force, ethics in law enforcement, risk management and managing quarantine sites.

Force Personnel Officer, Clifford Govia, explained to the participants that National Security is the primary responsibility of the government and that it is part of the government’s mandate to keep people safe.

“The concept of National Security has expanded. Now we are talking about a pandemic,” said Govia. “As a result, it was necessary to recruit people to help the government enforce the laws put in place to address the situation.

“In the process of doing this, safety has to be the priority,” he said. “Not only the safety of the people you are working with, but we’re talking about your own personal safety,” said Govia. “You need to adhere strictly to the protocols in place as well. You know hand sanitising, social and distancing. That is critical, a part of the job, obviously, is customer service. That involves being able to speak to people in a courteous manner and, just as important, being able to listen to people when they are trying to explain certain things.”

Commissioner of Police Hilroy Brandy explained that the intention is to eventually replace Police Officers, some of whom were still carrying out such duties, with civilians. He said it is important to utilise all available officers to address some of the offences that are still posing a challenge. He encouraged the participants to do their best and warned them that the course was not going to be easy.

“It’s not just two weeks of relaxing,” explained Commissioner Brady. “It will be two weeks of intense training. You have to keep your head on and do your best. Everybody will not be at the top of the class, but I hope at the end when I return here in the next two weeks, that I hear from the commander that all persons are successful in passing this training.”

At the end of the course, individuals who successfully complete the programme will either be posted at quarantine sites as security personnel, or they will assist with ensuring compliance with the health protocols that were established last year.

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Nevis Investment Promotion Agency’s website attracting new investment prospects

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — The Nevis Investment Promotion Agency (NIPA) launched its new website on February 1 and according to Ms. Kimone Moving, NIPA Director, it has seen impressive traffic.

“We have received very good feedback as it relates to our new Nevis Investment Promotion Agency website, www.investnevis.org, said Ms. Moving. “We have received considerable traction from clients and users all over the world.

“We have received information about its appeal, the information that can be found there, and exciting new videos,” she said. “This is one spot where you can have access to information about investing on Nevis.

“From the February 1 to 17 we have seen about 1,400 new visitors to the site,” said Ms. Moving. “I think that is remarkable. We continue to see how the site performs as we move forward.”

The NIPA website is a full service portal, offering potential investors a multitude of services as well as identifies investment opportunities in seven key areas within the local economy.

“To date we have received some traction as it relates to registering for our platform from our service providers,” said Ms. Moving. “We want to have the right mix of service investors available.

“The overall objective for this new website is to make Nevis more visible, to promote the investment opportunities that are available on the island,” said Ms. Moving. “We know that foreign direct investment is critical for a nation’s development.

“We look forward to having that increase of foreign direct investment, but also local investment and having partnerships so that we can see sustainable growth and sustainable development on the island of Nevis.”

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Biden Announces plans for 25m Masks, Free to Vulnerable People–World Stats

The Biden administration has just announced plans to deliver more than 25m masks to vulnerable communities who have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House, the masks will be delivered to 1,300 community health centers and 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens across the country.

At a press briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response team coordinator, said the action was needed to address some communities’ lack of access to masks, which have proved crucial in limiting the spread of coronavirus.

“These masks will be available at no cost,” Zients said. “With this action, we’re helping to level the playing field.”

Zients said it will cost the federal government $86 million to distribute more than 25 million masks to vulnerable communities.

The coordinator of the White House coronavirus response team said the Biden administration considered this initiative so crucial because many Americans still do not have access to masks, and this will help ensure a more equitable pandemic response.

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Long COVID May Adversely Effect People Up to a Year    

Dr Anthony Fauci delivered a presentation on long-term symptoms among coronavirus patients during the press conference today.

Fauci noted that studies have indicated some hospitalized coronavirus patients have reported symptoms — including fatigue, “brain fog” and gastrointestinal issues — for up to nine months after they returned home.

The National Institutes of Health has received funding to study what has come to be known as “long-haul syndrome.” Yesterday, the NIH made the first in a series of research opportunity announcements related to long-term coronavirus symptoms.

At the press briefing, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response team coordinator, also addressed the positive news about the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Zients said he expected 3 to 4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be ready once the Food and Drug Administration grants the company an emergency use authorization, which could come as soon as this weekend.

Assuming the authorization comes through, Johnson & Johnson is expected to deliver about 20 million doses by the end of March, Zients said.

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“Hellish Days Await Us,” Czech Leader on Coronavirus Surge in His Country

Czech leader: 'Hellish days await us' as virus cases strain hospitals
© Getty Images

The Czech Republic faces “hellish” days ahead as the country faces a surge of hospitalizations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, its prime minister said Wednesday.

Reuters reported that Andrej Babis told reporters that residents should expect further COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days as health officials attempt to gain control over the virus’s spread.

Nearly 1,400 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 and in serious condition in the Czech Republic, stressing the country’s health system and forcing the government to consider asking to transfer patients to German hospitals, according to the news service.

“Hellish days await us,” Babis said Wednesday, according to Reuters, while adding that plans to resume in-person learning for some grades had been halted due to the virus surge.

Just under 1.2 million COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the country since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The country is facing one of the highest rates of new cases per capita of any country, and is also rankled by political turmoil with the country’s parliament refusing to grant President Milos Zeman’s government the power to declare a national emergency on the issue earlier this month.

“The situation is serious,” Babis said earlier this month at a news conference. “It poses a threat for the health of our citizens.”

The country has recorded seven suspected cases of a highly-contagious South African variant of COVID-19 within its borders, and a similarly contagious strain originating from the U.K. is thought to be spreading across Europe as well.

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Coronavirus Cases:

112,853,727

Deaths:

2,500,699

Recovered:

88,429,998
ACTIVE CASES
21,923,030
Currently Infected Patients

21,830,846 (99.6%)

in Mild Condition

Reported Cases and Deaths by Country or Territory

Highlighted in green
= all cases have recovered from the infection
Highlighted in grey
= all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases)

[back to top ↑]

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St. Kitts and Nevis to receive additional 41,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis kicked off its COVID-19 Vaccination Programme on February 22, with some 70 frontline workers and Ministers of Government stepping forward to accept their shot.

The programme continued on Tuesday with more frontline and essential workers being vaccinated at the designated locations. The programme will be ramped up over the next several weeks as more doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine are expected to arrive in the Federation this month and in March.

Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, the second person in St. Kitts and Nevis to be administered the vaccine, said the Federation will receive more than 41,000 doses of the vaccine soon.

“In anticipation of the highest voluntary acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in modern times, my Government has over 41,600 doses of Astra-Zeneca vaccines on order with delivery over the coming weeks, said Dr. Harris. “We are bringing them in and making them available free of cost to every person eligible to receive them. We thank the COVAX Facility and all benefactors like Governments of Dominica, India, and Taiwan, which have been helping us.”

Dr. Harris explained that the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Commission has made charter flight arrangements to bring 125,000 doses of vaccine by the most direct route from India to Saint Lucia, where individual distribution will be made via the Regional Security System (RSS).

“The expected arrival of the charter is on or about February 26,” said Dr. Harris. “The expectation is that the RSS plane will be in Saint Lucia awaiting the arrival of the charter plane coming from India. The cost of the charter is US $250,000 or just about EC $680,000. This cost will be met by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). As Chairman of the ECCB Monetary Council, advised Governor Antoine to release the funds with the approval of Members of the Monetary Council.”

The 41,600 doses of vaccine St. Kitts and Nevis will receive will be in addition to the 2,000 doses the Federation has previously obtained.

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Lucky to be Alive: Tiger Woods Recovering from Surgery After Car Crash

Tiger Woods suffered serious injuries including “open fractures” to his legs in a car crash in Los Angeles on Tuesday, according to an update posted on his official Twitter account, but is now “awake, responsive and recovering”.

The golfer was involved in a single-car accident and has undergone a “long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital”, his team said in a statement that included a detailed update from Woods’ surgeon.

Änish Mahajan, who is the chief medical officer and interim chief executive officer at Harbor-UCLA medical centre, said: “Mr Woods suffered significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopaedic trauma specialities.

“Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the foot and ankle were stabilised with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to muscle and soft –tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling,” said Mr Mahajan.

The statement said the golfer is now recovering in the hospital and that he thanked the hospital staff for their support and assistance.

According to local media reports, Woods is understood to have been alone in the car when it crashed and rolled several times.

Police said the golfer was alert when firefighters used the “jaws of life” to open the car’s windshield and get him out.

Police said they checked for alcohol or other signs of him being under the influence of a substance, but none was found.

Deputy Carlos Gonzalez was the first officer on the scene and at a news conference described Woods as “calm and lucid” when he spoke to him.

The deputy added that Woods was wearing a seatbelt may have contributed to saving his life.

“It is very fortunate that Mr Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said the deputy.

Additional reporting by agencies

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Ghana 1st to Get Corona Vaccine Through Covax Scheme

The WHO and Unicef said the delivery was a momentous occasion

 

Ghana has become the first country to receive coronavirus vaccines through the Covax vaccine-sharing initiative.

The World Health Organization (WHO) programme aims to ensure that vaccines are shared fairly among all nations.

Covax is aiming to deliver about two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines globally by the end of the year.

A total of 600,000 doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University arrived in Ghana’s capital Accra on Wednesday.

In a joint statement, the WHO and the United Nations children’s fund (Unicef) said it was a “momentous occasion”.

“The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccines into Ghana is critical in bringing the pandemic to an end,” they said.

The West African country has recorded more than 80,700 cases of coronavirus and 580 deaths since the pandemic began. These numbers are believed to fall short of the actual toll because of low levels of testing.

The WHO and Unicef said the shipment represented “part of the first wave of Covid vaccines headed to several low and middle-income countries”.

What is Covax?

So far, richer countries have been able to buy far more Covid jabs than poorer ones.

Covax world map
Presentational white space

The Covax scheme was set up by the WHO, the Gavi vaccines alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to try to prevent poorer countries from being pushed to the back of the queue.

The programme is designed so that richer countries buying vaccines agree to help finance access for poorer nations, too.

It hopes to deliver more than two billion doses to people in 190 countries in less than a year. In particular, it wants to ensure 92 poorer countries will receive access to vaccines at the same time as 98 wealthier countries.

Most African countries are intended recipients of Covax, but a number of them like Senegal have been making provisions for vaccines outside the initiative.

A polling clerk checks body temperature of voters within coronavirus (Covid-19) measures as they arrive to cast their votes at a Wisconsin University during 2020 Ghanaian general election in Accra, Ghana on December 7, 2020.image copyrightAnadolu Agency via Getty Images
image captionGhana has recorded more than 80,700 cases of coronavirus

The scheme has so far raised $6bn (£4.3bn), but says it needs at least another $2bn to meet its target for 2021.

Covax has faced some criticism for not moving quickly enough. One WHO board member, Austria’s Dr Clemens Martin Auer, said it had been slow to secure vaccine deals and deliver doses to countries.

The joint statement on Wednesday said the shipment to Ghana represented “the beginning of what should be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history”.

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Associated Press World View: US Capitol Attack, Vaccine Production, Iraq’s Christians

Feb 24, 2021

Alternate text

AP MORNING WIRE

Good morning. In today’s AP Morning Wire:

  • Capitol defenders cite missed ‘war’ intelligence for deadly siege.
  • US execs say big jump due on vaccine supply; Global vaccination push.
  • No charges against Rochester officers involved in Daniel Prude’s death.
  • Iraq’s struggling Christians hope for boost from papal visit. 
  • Tiger Woods faces hard recovery from serious injuries in car crash.
     

TAMER FAKAHANY
DEPUTY DIRECTOR – GLOBAL NEWS COORDINATION, LONDON

The Rundown

Alternate text

AP PHOTO/ANDREW HARNIK

US Capitol defenders cite missed intelligence — that extremists could commit ‘war’ — for deadly Jan. 6 breach and siege

Officials in charge of U.S. Capitol security during last month’s deadly insurrection have testified to Congress, blaming missed intelligence that extremists could commit “war” in Washington for their failure to anticipate the violent mob.

The invaders stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, interrupting the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory over Donald Trump. Then-president Trump had urged them to protest the certification at a rally just minutes earlier.

The officials, including the former chief of the Capitol Police, pointed fingers at other federal agencies — and each other — for their failure to defend the building as Trump supporters overwhelmed security barriers, broke windows and doors and sent lawmakers fleeing from the House and Senate chambers. Mary Clare Jalonick, Michael Balsamo and Lisa Mascaro report.

Five people died as a result of the riot, including a Capitol Police officer and a woman who was shot as she tried to enter the House chamber when lawmakers were still inside.

Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, who resigned under pressure immediately after the attack, and the other officials said they had expected the protests to be like two pro-Trump events in late 2020 that were far less violent. Sund said he hadn’t seen an FBI report that warned of potential violence from extremists citing online posts about a “war.”

VIDEO: Ex-Capitol Police chief says he didn’t see ‘war’ report.

VIDEO: Capitol Police officer says Jan 6 ‘worst of the worst.’

VIDEO: Security officials disagree on Capitol riot help.

VIDEO: U.S. Capitol security examined after attack.

Takeaways from Congress’ first hearing on Capitol riot.

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AP PHOTO/JOHN LOCHER

US drug executives say big jump in vaccine supply is coming soon; Vaccinations surge around the world

COVID-19 vaccine makers told the U.S. Congress to expect a big jump in the delivery of doses over the coming month, and the companies insist they will be able to provide enough shots for most Americans to get inoculated by summer.

By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna expect to have sent the U.S. government 220 million vaccine doses, up from the roughly 75 million shipped so far, Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard report.

That’s not counting a third vaccine, from Johnson & Johnson, which is expected to get a green light from U.S. regulators soon.

State health officials say demand for inoculations still vastly outstrips the limited weekly shipments sent by the federal government.

Asia Vaccines: Many nations in the Asia-Pacific region are rolling out the first shots for COVID-19 this week. South Korea’s top health experts warned that vaccines will not bring the disease to a quick end and called for continued vigilance in social distancing and mask wearing. South Korea prepares to give its first shots on Friday. In Australia, two elderly people received higher-than-prescribed doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Thailand received the first 200,000 doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine, while in Malaysia, the prime minister got the first injection.

More from Around the  World:

  • Ukraine has received its first shipment of coronavirus vaccine, 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca from India. The delivery raises hopes in a nation where the pandemic has strained a struggling medical system.
  • Senegal launched its vaccination campaign in the capital, Dakar, where the health minister was the first to receive a jab of the Sinopharm vaccine. The West African nation received 200,000 doses of the vaccine from China.
  • The World Bank has threatened to suspend financing for vaccines in Lebanon over violations by members of parliament and others that it said were inoculated without registering in advance.
  • Britain will use its presidency of the Group of Seven economic powers to push for an internationally recognized system of vaccine passports that could allow world travel to resume.

One Good Thing: In 200 stories over this pandemic-ridden year, the AP has celebrated selfless people who have given of themselves in trying times. The stories have warmed hearts of readers around the world. But we’ve also heard from the people spotlighted in the series — launched last March as “One Good Thing” — who say their lives have been profoundly affected by the attention.

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AP PHOTO/TED SHAFFREY

No charges against Rochester officers involved in Daniel Prude’s death; Memorials, lawsuit mark anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting death

Police officers who put a hood over the head of Daniel Prude, a mentally distraught Black man, then pressed his naked, handcuffed body against the pavement until he stopped breathing will not face criminal charges after a grand jury declined to indict them.

The 41-year-old’s death last March sparked nightly protests in Rochester, New York, after the video was released nearly six months later.

The video shows Prude handcuffed and naked with a spit hood over his head as an officer pushes his face against the ground. The video of Prude’s fatal encounter with officers was initially withheld by police in part because of concerns it would inflame street demonstrations occurring nationwide over George Floyd’s death.

Lawyers for the seven officers suspended over Prude’s death have said they were strictly following training. The county medical examiner, however, listed the death as a homicide. Michael Hill and Carolyn Thompson report.

Ahmaud Arbery’s death in Georgia: Family and friends of Ahmaud Arbery marked the anniversary of his slaying in Georgia. Arbery’s father led about 100 people last night in a memorial procession to the spot where armed white men chased and shot the 25-year-old Black man on a residential street outside the city of Brunswick on Feb. 23, 2020. Arbery’s mother visited his grave before a church vigil. Hours earlier, she filed a civil lawsuit accusing the men charged in her son’s death and local authorities who first responded to the shooting of violating his civil rights.

President Biden tweeted about Arbery’s death, saying Americans must commit themselves to making the nation safer for people of color. As the three men await trial on murder charges, their lawyers still insist they committed no crimes. Russ Bynum and Angie Wang report.

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Iraq: Papal Visit

Iraq’s struggling Christians hope for a boost from Pope Francis’ visit

“You’re not alone. There’s someone who is thinking of you, who is with you.”

That is the central message of Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq in early March, his first foreign trip since the pandemic and the first ever by a pope to the country, according to the undersecretary of the Vatican’s development office.

Iraq’s Christians are hoping that the historic visit by the pontiff will help boost their community’s existential struggle to survive, Mariam Fam reports.

The country’s Christian population has been dwindling ever since the turmoil that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and occupation. And it was dealt a near-fatal blow in 2014, when Islamic State group militants overran northern Iraq, site of Iraq’s historical Christian heartland.

It was a brutal and murderous rampage — and between that and the long war to drive the extremists out, the area was pulverized. Entire towns of Christians fled IS, most taking refuge in Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous zone in the north and some fleeing abroad.

The Vatican and the pope have often insisted on the need to preserve Iraq’s ancient Christian communities and to create the secure economic and social conditions for those who have left to return.

The Vatican for years has helped coordinate Catholic NGOs providing help in Iraq and other countries, including in education, health care and reconstruction. The aid is non-denominational _ Muslims are helped as well as Christians — and the overall hope is that the area’s delicate interfaith balance can be strengthened.

The pope’s March 5-8 visit will also have a strong interfaith component.

Other Top Stories

Golf superstar Tiger Woods was seriously injured when his SUV crashed into a median and rolled over several times on a steep road in suburban Los Angeles. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s chief medical offer said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones on his right leg in multiple locations, with additional injuries in the ankle and foot. A statement on his Twitter account says he was awake, responsive and recovering. Authorities had to extricate Woods through the front windshield. They say he’s fortunate to be alive. Authorities say there wasn’t evidence Woods was impaired. The crash happened on a sweeping, downhill stretch of road.

Authorities in Ecuador say 62 people have died in riots at prisons in three cities as a result of fights between rival gangs and an escape attempt. Prisons Director Edmundo Moncayo said 800 police officers were trying to regain control of the facilities. He said two groups were trying to cement “criminal leadership within the detention centers” and that the clashes were precipitated by a police search for weapons on Monday. Moncayo said 33 died at the prison in Cuenca in southern Ecuador, 21 in the Pacific coast city of Guayaquil and eight in the central city of Latacunga.

As arrests of dissidents continue during anti-coup protests across Myanmar, experts are concerned that a new generation of political prisoners will begin to fill the country’s prisons. According to activist groups in Myanmar, 696 people have been arrested in relation to the coup. During previous junta rule that began in 1962 and lasted for decades, political prisoners were common, with thousands jailed. When Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy took power during a period of democratic reform, many political prisoners were freed. But many were also jailed for political activity during the party’s time in power.

The huge parachute used by NASA’s Perseverance rover to land on Mars contained a secret message. Systems engineer Ian Clark used a binary code to spell out “Dare Mighty Things” in the orange and white strips of the 70-foot parachute. He also included the GPS coordinates for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Clark said only about six people knew about the encoded message before Thursday’s landing. Clark says the fabric pattern was mainly for engineers to know how the parachute was oriented during descent. He said it didn’t take long for space fans to figure it out.

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Mexican President Claims His Country Handling COVID Better than US

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday that his country is doing better than the United States in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, even though Mexico’s per capita death rate is probably higher and the country has vaccinated less than 1% of its population.

López Obrador said Tuesday that comparing countries is in “bad taste,” but went on to say “the most powerful nation on earth, our neighbor, did worse than us.”

The Mexican government’s “estimated” death toll from COVID-19 is now about 201,000. The United States death toll is around 500,000, but its population is 2.6 times larger.

Moreover, estimates of excess deaths in Mexico since the start of the pandemic suggest the COVID-19 toll is now well above 220,000. Mexico has administered about 1.7 million vaccine doses, while the U.S. has given 64 million shots.

López Obrador blamed rich countries for “hoarding” vaccines, calling that “totally unfair,” and said “the U.N. has to intervene.”

López Obrador has demanded the United States vaccinate the millions of Mexicans living in the U.S. with or without legal documents; Mexico says its consulates in the United States have even been registered as vaccination centers.

But a photo circulated on social media showed a sign posted last week outside one Mexico City vaccination center stating “No Foreigners Will be Vaccinated.”

Presidential spokesman Jesús Ramírez said that was a mistake, and promised everyone over 60, foreigners and Mexicans alike, would have access to vaccines.

“That was a photo of one center, and that message was corrected,” Ramírez said.

But Dr. Ruy López Ridaura, the country’s director of disease prevention and control, said the exclusion of foreigners apparently occurred at other sites in the opening weeks of the vaccination effort.

“There may have been some confusion at some operating sites,” López Ridaura said. “It was a communication problem. … The orders are totally clear now, foreigners will also receive their vaccinations.”

López Obrador invited Argentine President Alberto Fernández onstage at his daily morning press conference Tuesday, and the Argentine leader proposed that vaccine companies be forced to cede intellectual property rights and allow anyone to manufacture their shots.

“The idea is to propose at the G20 the need to declare COVID-19 vaccines as ‘global goods,’ so that they cede their intellectual property rights and all countries can freely produce them,” Fernández said.

Mexico is trying to beef up its supply of Pfizer vaccines with Russian and Chinese shots, and late Monday the country received its first shipment of 200,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccines.

Mexico has had over 2 million test-confirmed coronavirus cases, but the low level of testing means the real number is probably several times that amount.

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UN Registers Steep Rise in Colombian Activist Murders

By MANUEL RUEDA

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Slayings of human rights leaders and mass killings of civilians are increasing at a worrying pace in Colombia, according to a United Nations report published on Tuesday.

The annual U.N. report on the human rights situation in Colombia found that violence is “intensifying” in some rural areas where state presence is weak and armed groups are fighting for territorial control following the 2016 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group.

According to the U.N. report, at least 133 human rights defenders were murdered in Colombia in 2020, a 23% increase from 2019.

The United Nations also registered 76 massacres across the country last year, which are defined as events in which three or more civilians are executed at once. The number of massacres registered was “almost double” the number in 2019 and was the highest number since 2016, said Juliette de Rivero, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights representative in Colombia.

The report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

The findings were published as Colombia’s government struggles to diminish violence in rural areas that were once controlled by the FARC and where illegal activities like cocaine trafficking, timber smuggling and wildcat mining still exist.

These areas are now fought over by armed groups that include the National Liberation Army, the Gulf Clan and former FARC rebels who refused to join the 2016 peace deal with Colombia’s government.

The United Nations urged Colombia’s government to increase its presence in these areas to protect civilians and bring down violence.

One way to do that, De Rivero said in a press conference, is by “putting the (2016) peace deal at the center of the government’s response.”

The peace deal includes land titling projects and programs aimed at helping coca growers to substitute their illegal crops for legal crops. It also created a commission aimed at finding solutions to dismantling armed groups.

President Ivan Duque has been a critic of some aspects of the peace deal, including a transitional justice system that he accuses of being too lenient with former rebel commanders. Critics of his government have said that it has been slow at implementing some aspects of the peace deal, including the coca substitution projects.

The United Nations said that Colombia’s government has made progress towards stopping violence against activists by setting up a monitoring system that provides early warnings on threats against human rights defenders. De Rivero also praised a recent initiative by the attorney general’s office to decrease impunity for crimes by taking itinerant judges to remote rural areas.

Nevertheless, the report calls on Colombia to “intensify” efforts to implement the peace deal.

“The growth in assassinations is worrying,” De Rivero said. “The Colombian state has the capacity to adjust its policies to prevent violence.”

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