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US to pause J&J jab as Muslims mark Ramadan under Covid shadow

By AFP bureaus
Africa Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum, The Netherlands.  By Jeroen JUMELET ANPAFP
APR 13, 2021 LISTEN
Muslims pray in the Turkish Mevlana Mosque in Hilversum, The Netherlands. By Jeroen JUMELET (ANP/AFP)

US health authorities on Tuesday recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over blood clot fears, as surging coronavirus cases in many parts of the world overshadowed the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Europe, the worst-hit continent, passed the threshold of one million coronavirus deaths, while South Asian countries battle a spiralling outbreak of the disease that has crippled the global economy.

Vaccination drives are giving hope to people fed up with restrictions that are well into a second year, and India -- which is experiencing a record surge in cases -- was given a boost as it authorised Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 drug.

Spread of the coronavirus.  By Simon MALFATTO AFP Spread of the coronavirus. By Simon MALFATTO (AFP)

But the US campaign to vaccinate most of its population hit a hurdle Tuesday as regulators recommended the use of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine be paused "out of an abundance of caution".

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control are looking into six reported cases of a rare blood clot in patients who have received the shot -- among more than 6.8 million J&J doses administered in the US.

"Until that process is complete, we are recommending this pause," the FDA tweeted.

'So happy'

More than 800 million vaccine doses have now been administered globally, according to an AFP tally, as governments ramp up inoculation efforts in a bid to emerge from the bruising pandemic.

The total number of virus deaths is approaching three million, as the World Health Organization warned infections are rising exponentially despite efforts aimed at stopping them.

Men queue to refill empty oxygen tanks it in Villa El Salvador, on the southern outskirts of Lima.  By ERNESTO BENAVIDES AFP Men queue to refill empty oxygen tanks it in Villa El Salvador, on the southern outskirts of Lima. By ERNESTO BENAVIDES (AFP)

From Indonesia to Egypt, many Muslims around the world started Ramadan after religious leaders confirmed the month of fasting would begin on Tuesday, with countries many facing virus restrictions.

Jakarta's newly renovated Istiqlal Mosque -- Southeast Asia's largest -- welcomed worshippers for the first time on Monday night after more than a year of closure because of the pandemic.

Mohamad Fathi, a resident of the Indonesian capital, told AFP this year's Ramadan was happier than in 2020.

"Last year it was gloomy as we were not allowed to go to the mosque for tarawih (evening) prayers," he said.

"But this year, I am so happy finally we can go to the mosque to perform tarawih prayers at the mosque, although we are under strict health protocol during the prayer."

Two nuns wearing face masks walk in Santiago, Chile.  By Martin BERNETTI AFP Two nuns wearing face masks walk in Santiago, Chile. By Martin BERNETTI (AFP)

Mosques in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation will only be able to host people at a maximum of 50 percent capacity. Worshippers are required to wear masks and bring their own prayer mats.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest shrines, announced that the holy fasting month was to start on Tuesday, though authorities said only people inoculated against Covid-19 will be allowed to perform the year-round umrah pilgrimage from the start of Ramadan.

In Egypt, restrictions were much less stringent than last year as people took to the streets to mark the start of the fasting month.

India gets Sputnik

Pakistanis will only begin fasting Wednesday after rival moon-sighting committees agreed to a nationally applied start of what is called "Ramazan" in the country.

More than 800 million vaccine doses have now been administered globally.  By FETHI BELAID AFP More than 800 million vaccine doses have now been administered globally. By FETHI BELAID (AFP)

With the country in the grip of a third wave of the coronavirus -- the deadliest so far -- the government urged mosques to only allow prayers in open courtyards and to strictly enforce social distancing to avoid the same spike in cases which followed last year's Ramadan.

But shoppers thronged markets Tuesday ahead of fasting, sparking anxiety among some.

"We have been pleading with people to wear masks and keep their distance but it seems too much for them... people are still not ready to accept that there is a virus and we are going through a pandemic," said Zubair Mehmood, a shopkeeper in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.

In neighbouring India health officials have been battling a huge surge in cases in recent weeks that has prompted night curfews and a clampdown on movement and activities.

The country of 1.3 billion people on Monday reported more than 161,000 new cases -- the seventh-consecutive day that more than 100,000 infections have been recorded.

In India health officials have been battling a huge surge in cases.  By NARINDER NANU AFP In India health officials have been battling a huge surge in cases. By NARINDER NANU (AFP)

Experts have warned that huge, mostly maskless crowds at political rallies and religious festivals have fuelled India's caseload, and in the Himalayan city Haridwar, maskless Hindu pilgrims have ignored social distancing pleas.

Adding Sputnik to its roster of jabs bolsters the government's ambitious goal of vaccinating 300 million people by the end of July.

Pandemic growing 'exponentially'

In Europe, the government in hard-hit Germany agreed to controversial changes to a national infections control law, handing Berlin more power to impose tougher measures.

Those measures include a 9 pm to 5 am curfew and stricter rules around private gatherings and sports.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, said the world was now at a "critical point" of the pandemic.

"The trajectory of this pandemic is growing... exponentially."

The organisation also called for a halt to the sale of live wild mammals in food markets to prevent the emergence of new diseases such as coronavirus.

"Covid-19 has brought new attention to this threat, given the magnitude of its consequences," WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told reporters.

Some of the earliest known cases of Covid-19 had links to a wholesale traditional food market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

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