Israel warns of 'emergency' after detecting new virus strain
Jerusalem, Nov 26: Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Friday that Israel is "on the threshold of an emergency situation after authorities detected the country's first case of a new coronavirus variant in a traveller who returned from Malawi.
The Health Ministry said the traveller and two other suspected cases, all of whom had been vaccinated, were placed in isolation.
A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa that scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the country's most populous province.
At a Cabinet meeting convened Friday to discuss the new variant, Bennett said it is more contagious and spreads more rapidly than the delta variant. He said authorities were still gathering information on whether it evades vaccines or is deadlier.
We are currently at the threshold of an emergency situation, he said. "I ask everyone to be prepared and to fully join in the work around the clock.
Late Thursday, Israel declared South Africa and six other African nations to be red countries from which foreign nationals are barred from traveling to Israel. Israelis are prohibited from visiting those countries and those returning from them must undergo a period of isolation.
Israel launched one of the world's first and most successful vaccination campaigns late last year, and nearly half the population has received a booster shot. Israel recently expanded the campaign to include children as young as 5.
But the country only recently managed to contain a wave of infections driven by the highly contagious delta variant.
Israel, with a population of more than 9 million, has reported at least 8,182 deaths since the start of the pandemic. It currently has more than 7,000 active cases, including 120 who are seriously ill, according to the Health Ministry.
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EC meets representatives of political parties in West Bengal; maximum two-phase polling sought
Kolkata (PTI): Representatives of various political parties in West Bengal met the full bench of the Election Commission on Monday, and several of them sought a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming assembly elections, a senior official said.
Representatives of the TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, NPP and Forward Bloc, among others, met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal at a hotel in New Town near Kolkata.
"A wide range of issues concerning the conduct of elections in the state were discussed. Several parties suggested that the elections be held in one or two phases and assured their cooperation in ensuring that the polls remain peaceful," the EC official said.
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The parties urged the EC to take stringent measures to curb the activities of anti-social elements and prevent intimidation of voters during the elections, he said.
"They emphasised the need for strong security arrangements, including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in adequate numbers, to curb violence and ensure that voters can cast their ballots without fear," he said.
Some parties also raised concerns about the possible use of crude bombs, illegal firearms and money or muscle power during the elections, he added.
During the meeting, the CEC assured the parties that elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the law and all necessary steps would be taken to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in the state, the official said.
"The Election Commission has zero tolerance towards violence. We will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring impartial, transparent and peaceful elections," Kumar told the pre-poll consultation meeting, according to the official.
He also reiterated that the SIR exercise had been conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner, stating that Forms 6, 7 and 8 can still be filed for inclusion, deletion or correction of entries in the electoral rolls.
