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Bangladesh has begun vaccinating Rohingya refugees living in congested camps as the south Asian nation battles a record surge in coronavirus cases, officials said.
Health officials say 2,600 Covid-19 cases and 29 deaths have been recorded in the camps housing 850,000 Rohingya but many experts say this is likely to be a gross underestimate. In the initial inoculation phase, about 48,000 refugees aged over 55 will get Chinese-made Sinopharm shots in the coming three days, local health chief Mahbubur Rahman told AFP.
Vaccination of all age groups is the only effective way to stop the virus (from) spreading further among the Rohingya population in the camps.
Vaccinations are vital for families to live with dignity because staying home is so tough for people in these cramped camps and most still have limited access to water and sanitation facilities, escalating risks from Covid-19.
Public support for the government of Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has slumped to an all-time low, despite evidence that most people support the decision to go ahead with the Tokyo Olympics during the coronavirus pandemic.
Suga had been hoping to bask in the afterglow of the Games, which ended on Sunday, but support for his cabinet has dipped below 30% for the first time since he became prime minister last September, largely over its response to a recent surge in infections.
Related: Support for Japan’s PM reaches all-time low over Covid-19, despite Olympics success
