Biological Security - Weekly Update - December 2021

The Weekly Biological Security Update is prepared by PGA's International Peace and Security Program and provided strictly for informational purposes only. Any opinions expressed in articles contained in this Update are not necessarily shared by PGA or any individual/s associated with PGA, nor does PGA, or any individual/s associated with PGA, vouch for the accuracy of the contents of these articles.

December27

Global	A Decade After CRISPR Discovery, the Unimaginable Outcomes of Gene Editing Emerge "...It can’t be ruled out that in the future a country that does not adhere to the ethical discipline of the rest of the world – North Korea, for example – will create embryos that are resistant to chemical and biological weapons, and will thus forge a generation of ‘enhanced’ soldiers...”
Africa	Biodiversity conservation, zoonotic diseases, and human security in Africa two years into COVID-19
Africa	Lassa fever and COVID-19 in Africa: A double crisis
Africa	Key lessons from Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout
BWC	BWC ISU - Interim report of the Preparatory Committee for the Ninth Review Conference
Canada	One Health: A crucial approach to preventing, preparing for future pandemics
Canada	The race to avoid the next pandemic
Canada	Canada reports atypical case of mad cow disease, OIE says
Canada	Discovery of avian flu puts N.L. exhibition farm under quarantine
Canada	Climate change could mean some Arctic animals will be more vulnerable to disease spread by insects: researcher
Canada	Government of Canada backs innovative tech company specializing in water quality management that helps protect the environment and human health
Canada	Conservatives boycott security committee over refusal to release docs on fired scientists
Global	Charities urged to stop animal gifting programs to address escalating climate crisis
China	Covid-hit Xi'an tightens measures as China sees 21-month case record
China	China probably got rid of intermediary COVID-19 host between bats, humans, Fauci says
China	Fatal lab explosion in China highlights wider safety fears
FAO	FAO welcomes $10 million USA contribution to its COVID-19 response efforts
FAO	FAO in Asia-Pacific calls for improvements to early warning systems as concerns grow over evolving avian influenza and potential threat to humans
FAO	Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR): FAO calls for more funding to eradicate the disease by 2030
Finland	Finland to vaccinate 50k mink against coronavirus
France	Peste aviaire , une catastrophe pour les élevages, un risque exceptionnel pour l’Homme
Global	Half measures in One Health fail people and the environment
India	One Health: A crucial approach to preparing for future pandemics
India	The Indian 'germ murder' that gripped the world
Ireland	The case for integrating planetary health into the curriculum in Irish medical schools
Ireland	You think Covid is bad? Now's the time to start planning for the next pandemic
Italy	Italy Votes to Ban Fur Farming and Shut Down Mink Farms
Madagascar	The impact of COVID-19 on clinical research for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs): A case study of bubonic plague
Malaysia	Ecological surveillance of bat coronaviruses in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
Nigeria	FEC approves new biosecurity policy
Nigeria	FG approves biosecurity policy to protect environment, others
Nigeria	Insecurity: FG warns against use of micro-organisms by terrorists
Nigeria	Nigeria reports 10 additional Lassa fever cases
Global	Offline: The origin story—division deepens
Philippines	Cimatu calls for vigilance to stem wildlife trade after arrest of 2 pangolin traffickers
Philippines	More high-level biosafety laboratories needed to bolster public health system — NIH
RDC	A LA UNERDC: gestion de 1,5 million USD alloués à la lutte contre Ebola à l’Equateur en 2020, la Cour des comptes va diligenter une enquête
Global	Should we worry about animals with COVID-19?
Taiwan	Containing lab accidents and risks
Thailand/UN‌SCR 1540	New Regulation on DUI Control Measure
United Kingdom	United Kingdom Food Security Report 2021: Theme 5: Food Safety and Consumer Confidence
United Kingdom	Curious Kids: why do bats pass diseases to humans?
United Kingdom	No strike action to be taken at Dstl after ballot
United Kingdom	Dstl showcases ongoing tech projects from its labs at Porton Down
United Nations	UN fails to agree on ‘killer robot’ ban as nations pour billions into autonomous weapons research ".....High-end proliferation is just as bad, however. Nations could compete to develop increasingly devastating versions of autonomous weapons, including ones capable of mounting chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear arms. The moral dangers of escalating weapon lethality would be amplified by escalating weapon use....."
United Nations	UNOCT #UNCCT concluded a joint training on Bio Preparedness and Response for Nigeria. The 3-day event gathered participants from nearly 30 national entities involved in implementing the #1972BWC and UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy #UNiteToCounterTerrorism
United States	Why stopping deforestation must be a priority for public health
United States	Beneath a Covid Vaccine Debacle, 30 Years of Government Culpability
United States	Harvard professor convicted for hiding affiliation with China
United States	HHS launches PandemicX Accelerator to narrow health inequities
United States	Megan Palmer: We must build a world where everyone, everywhere, can build with biology
United States	Fauci & NIH Scientific Community Urge Pursuit of Universal Coronavirus Vaccine
United States	Preventing Future Pandemics Starts With Recognizing the Tremendous Threats to Global Health From Zoonotic Diseases
United States	CEPI broadens partnership with SK bioscience in pursuit of variant-proof vaccine for viruses like SARS-CoV-2
United States	US government to implement multi-pronged export controls and sanctions measures against Cambodia
United States	Tulane researcher receives award to study the threat of diseases from bats
United States	Tom Inglesby Joins White House COVID-19 Response Team
United States	Gain-of-function research advances knowledge and saves lives
United States	Chinese aviation firms vulnerable to financing restrictions due to US embargo on dual-use exports
United States	Preventing pandemics: what can be done from an ecological standpoint?
United States	Far-Right Group Fantasizes They’ve Been Attacked With Anthrax
United States	No Evidence of ‘Anthrax’ Attack at Conspiracy Event
United States	Targeting anthrax: Durham firm aims to be global biodefense leader with latest deal
WHO	Meet Team WHO: Dr Annet Kisakye, Immunization Officer, Uganda
WHO	WHO boosts Sierra Leone’s COVID-19 response and disease surveillance with $600,000 worth of laboratory commodities.

December20

Africa	First International Conference on Public Health in Africa Closes With Urgent Call for a New Public Health Order
Africa	Africa's COVID-19 infections pass 9.1 mln: Africa CDC
Canada	Ontario researchers create chemical compounds that can neutralize COVID-19, some variants
Canada	Large mink fur farms threaten our COVID-19 health efforts
Canada	Commons Speaker reflects on dispute over secret documents on scientists' firing
China	A reporter risked her life to show the world Covid in Wuhan. Now she may not survive jail.
China	Hantavirus infections reported in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
China	H5N6 avian influenza in China: 4 additional cases reported
China	Biosafety Law: China’s new, stricter controls
China	China Holds Nuclear, Chemical, Biological Warfare Exercises
Denmark	Danish authorities cull 126 minks at illegal fur farm
Deutschland	Das geschah am 16. Dezember
Global	Dose-Dependent Response to Infection with Ebola Virus in the Ferret Model and Evidence of Viral Evolution in the Eye
DRC	Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over
DRC	Dozens of cholera cases reported in Uvira, South Kivu
DRC	THE CO-DISCOVERER OF EBOLA’S LONG ROAD TO RECOGNITION (WITH VIDEO)
Ethiopia	Hungry Hyenas Can Help Human Health
Global	Festive Christmas plants may not be as safe as you think!
Georgia	Ambassador Degnan’s Remarks to Media at Emergency Operations Center Workshop Graduation
India/Bangladesh/Malaysia	Containing a Nipah virus outbreak amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
Ireland	From bioweapons and yoghurt to baby wipes and beyond
Ireland	Minister Colm Brophy to host online discussion with Dr. Mike Ryan on global health preparedness
Nigeria	Why Nigeria can’t produce COVID-19 vaccine for now -NABDA DG
Nigeria	Coalition condemns state attacks on Nigerian journalists over critical reports (final paragraph)
Nigeria	Lassa fever in Nasarawa State, Nigeria prompts intensified surveillance and response
Nigeria	Don’t allow food-bioterrorism to replace AK-47, don tasks FG
Philippines	Philippine Official Visits U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Highlights Robust Partnership
South Africa	Inside South African virology labs: Hunting for the next Covid variant
Tanzania	FAO pilots innovative tool to support One Health operationalization in United Republic of Tanzania
United Kingdom	BBC's 'Best of 2021 Stories'
United Kingdom	Inside the government's secret data room
United Kingdom	Covid sample ‘left in coat pocket’ by scientist at top secret lab
United Kingdom	Government Considers Gene Editing Animals: But What Are The Ethical Implications?
United States	Two scientists awarded prestigious Scialog grants supporting new research to detect, mitigate emerging animal-borne infectious diseases
United States	Global experts endorse legislation creating COVID-19 commission
United States	Alan Scott, the doctor credited with developing Botox for medicine, dies at 89
United States	Johns Hopkins report cites failure to integrate primary care providers into COVID-19 response as missed opportunity
United States	University of Minnesota animal science scholars research biosecurity of animal feed
WHO	Deliberations ongoing for a global treaty to deal with future pandemics: WHO chief scientist
WHO	WHO’s Mike Ryan says steps needed to reduce Omicron transmission to absolute minimum

December13

Africa	African governments may have to impose vaccine mandates, says Africa CDC
Africa	Why Africa feels let down by India’s largest Covid-19 vaccine maker
Global	Anticipating Future Directions of Tech-Enabled Terror
Burkina Faso/C‌anada	In Burkina Faso healthcare is free only for some: why this is a problem
BWC ISU	Article X in the context of the 9th Review Conference
Canada	Canada fourth out of 195 countries in preparedness for next pandemic: GHS Index
Canada	COVID-19 discovery: Researcher in Canada invents coating that can kill virus on a mask, prevents transmission
Canada	uOttawa launches country's first research centre focused on Black health
Canada	Human trials to begin on made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccine you inhale, not inject
Canada	Canada announces support for global nutrition efforts
Canada	Lyme disease a concern as Toronto tick testing program cancelled due to COVID-19
Canada	SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in urban wildlife from Ontario and Québec
Canada	Conservatives reject Liberal proposal to see docs on fired Winnipeg lab scientists
Canada	Order to produce docs on fired scientists ended with dissolution of Parliament: Rota
China	Chinese woman dies from H5N6 strain of bird flu
China	‘Terror and Confusion’: On the Ground in Wuhan, China in the Early Days of Covid-19
China	Xi stresses adherence to socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics ".....Xi called for further efforts to promote the legislative work in key areas including national security, scientific and technological innovation, public health, biosafety and biosecurity, ecological conservation and risk prevention, and focus on the key task of raising the quality of legislation....."
China	Chinese TV’s Newest Heroes Are Ebola Fighters
Denmark	'It was busy': Danish PM defends mink cull oversight
Deutschland	Die bayerisch-dänische Impfstoffhoffnung
DRC	Congo's Ebola survivors unite to combat stigma and misinformation
DRC	The 2018–2020 Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Better Response Had Been Achieved Through Inter-State Coordination in Africa
DRC	DRC's thirteenth Ebola outbreak
DRC	Ebola outbreak update: More than 30 days since last positive case
DRC	Cholera kills 10 in South Kivu in recent days
España	Contribución de 20.000 euros al Mecanismo del Secretario General de la ONU para la Investigación del Presunto Empleo de Armas Químicas, Biológicas o Toxínicas (UNSGM)
European Union	EU One Health report: drop in reported zoonotic diseases in humans and foodborne outbreaks in 2020
Europe/Africa/North America	Transcriptomic signatures induced by the Ebola virus vaccine rVSV?G-ZEBOV-GP in adult cohorts in Europe, Africa, and North America: a molecular biomarker study
Finland	Finland OKs Zoetis’ Mink Vaccine to Protect Fur Industry
Global	From hippos to hamsters: how Covid is affecting creatures great and small
Ghana	University Technologists and Technicians Association holds inaugural ceremony
Global	Global cooperation is crucial for pathogen detection. The scientist who discovered the Omicron variant explains why
Greece	Greece: The epidemic volatility index, a novel early warning tool for identifying new waves in an epidemic
Global	Has the COVID pandemic amplified insecurity in the Sahel?
ICRC	Multiple Countries \| Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Outbreak: Preparedness and Response
India	Omicron scare: CDS Rawat asks nations to be prepared for tackling biological warfare
India	India’s Top Military General Dies in Helicopter Crash
India	Hyderabad Gandhi Medical College part of ‘One Health Consortium’
Indonesia	Peneliti Indonesia Melacak Potensi Penularan Virus Corona pada Kelelawar
Israel	Israel adds Biotech Software to its Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Dual Use Export Control List
Ireland	‘We hope that from January, fur farming will be consigned to the history books’
Japan	Japan to cull 7,000 chickens after new bird flu outbreak confirmed in Aomori
Kenya	The Government has officially commissioned the European Union CBRN risk mitigation offices in Nairobi
Latvia	Latvia Detects Uncontrolled Mutation Of COVID Among Minks; Can Be 'potentially Dangerous'
Malaysia	Flashback #Star50: Farming town ravaged by deadly virus
Nigeria	N’Assembly will insist on prudent use of COVID-19 funds ― Lawan
Nigeria	Biosafety Regulation To Boost Nigerians Green Economy ― DG NBMA
Pakistan	Biosafety in biomedical labs: Students urged to know evolving research demands, pratices
Pakistan	Disaster displacement and zoonotic disease dynamics: The impact of structural and chronic drivers in Sindh, Pakistan
Global	Pandemic mystery: Scientists focus on COVID-19's animal origins
RDC	RDC-Abus sexuels Ebola : une lettre ouverte sera adressée à l’OMS pour exiger le "déclenchement du processus des réparations"
RDC	Africa CDC forme des formateurs à l'usage de la plateforme web AVoHC net pour une base des volontaires à déployer lors de prochaines urgences sanitaires
RDC	Le retour de la stabilité dans l’est de la RDC nécessite de restaurer la confiance de la population, déclare l’envoyée de l’ONU
Russian Federation/Tajikistan	Russian troops thwart subversive attack on military base in Tajikistan drills
Global	Situation analysis: Social and Behaviour Change Messaging on Wildlife Trade and Zoonotic Disease Risks
South Africa	'I'm really humbled': SA scientist to lead WHO research into Covid-19 origins
South Korea	South Korea Develops Long-Distance Chemical Weapons Detector
Taiwan	Taiwan investigates possible COVID lab leak as scientist tests positive after bites from infected mouse
United Kingdom	UK chief vet warns avian flu at phenomenal level in UK
United Nations	UN committee calls for global alert on bioterrorism in Covid times
United Nations	PGA Member Hon. Ivone Soares has welcomed the publication of Mozambique's First National Report to the United Nations Security Council 1540 Committee
United Nations	US Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing by the 1267, 1373, and 1540 Committees
United States	New Public Awareness Campaign Urges Support for Ambitious Biodefense Goal
United States	Congress eyes new international biothreat organization
United States	Heat Biologics unveils RapidVax vaccine platform for customizable, easily stockpiled counter to biological threats
United States	Socio-ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities
United States	Penn Vet opens institute to study diseases spread from animals to humans
United States	Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to pour $3.4B over 10 years into AI, imaging and other tech to unravel biomedical challenges
United States	Teledyne FLIR to Develop AR Tech to Display Chem-Bio Threats
United States	USDA And Boehringer Ingelheim Expand Summer Research Opportunities For Veterinary Students
United States	Letter to the Editor: Anthrax attack on Sen. Leahy
United States	How a Nerve Agent Killed Thousands of Sheep and Transformed Weapons Law in the US
United States	'The Hot Zone: Anthrax': How did Dr Bruce Ivins die? Main suspect left 'Let me sleep' letter
United States	Montgomery County, MD Chosen for Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center Headquarters
United States	Congressman Bera warns U.S. must be better prepared for biological threats like Covid-19
United States	Ending the pandemic requires global solidarity, not blame
United States	Chemical Company Keeps Combat Units In South Korea Ready To Fight

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Biological Security - Weekly Update - December 2021