Covid-19 appears likely to develop into a seasonal disease, the United Nations said Thursday, cautioning though against relaxing pandemic-related measures simply based on meteorological factors.

More than a year after the novel coronavirus first surfaced in China, a number of mysteries still surround the spread of the disease that has killed nearly 2.7 million people worldwide.

In its first report, an expert team tasked with trying to shed light on one of those mysteries by examining potential meteorological and air quality influences on the spread of Covid-19, found some indications the disease would develop into a seasonal menace.

The 16-member team set up by the UN' World Meteorological Organization pointed out that respiratory viral infections are often seasonal, "in particular the autumn-winter peak for influenza and cold-causing coronaviruses in temperate climates."

"This has fuelled expectations that, if it persists for many years, Covid-19 will prove to be a strongly seasonal disease," it said in a statement.

Modelling studies anticipate that transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, "may become seasonal over time".

- Trigger? -

But Covid-19 transmission dynamics so far appear to have been influenced mainly by government interventions like mask mandates and travel restrictions, they said, rather than the weather.

The task team therefore insisted that weather and climate conditions alone should for now not be the trigger for loosening anti-Covid restrictions.

"At this stage, evidence does not support the use of meteorological and air quality factors as a basis for governments to relax their interventions aimed at reducing transmission," said task team co-chair Ben Zaitchik of the earth and planetary sciences department at The John Hopkins University in the United States.

He pointed out that during the first year of the pandemic, infections in some places rose in warm seasons, "and there is no evidence that this couldn't happen again in the coming year".

The experts, who focused only on outdoor meteorology and air quality conditions in the report, said laboratory studies had provided some evidence the virus survives longer in cold, dry weather and when there is low ultraviolet radiation.

But it remained unclear whether meteorological influences "have a meaningful influence on transmission rates under real world conditions".

They also highlighted that evidence around the impact of air quality on the virus remained "inconclusive".

There was some preliminary evidence that poor air quality increases Covid-19 mortality rates, "but not that pollution directly impacts airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2".

Hong Kong defends practice of restraining some coronavirus babies
Hong Kong (AFP) March 18, 2021 - Hong Kong health authorities have defended the practice of physically restraining some babies and children to beds in coronavirus isolation wards after criticism built over the treatment of families under the city's strict anti-virus measures.

Despite being one of the most densely packed cities in the world, Hong Kong has kept infections low thanks to some of the most stringent quarantine measures in the world, recording some 11,000 infections and 200 deaths since the pandemic began.

Anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus is immediately taken to isolation wards -- regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not -- and those deemed "close contacts" are sent to mandatory government quarantine camps.

Almost all arrivals into the city must also quarantine in dedicated hotels for three weeks.

The measures have helped curb infections and have been in place for much of the past year, largely without complaint.

But there has been growing pushback in recent weeks after an outbreak hit neighbourhoods favoured by wealthier -- and more politically connected -- white-collar locals and foreigners.

Social media groups have since filled with comments by families taken to isolation wards or mandatory quarantine camps.

Their complaints include allegations that some parents have been separated from their children, ordered not to breastfeed babies and that some infants have even been tied to beds to stop them moving around.

The allegations have led to a series of statements this week from health authorities defending their policies, including over the use of restraints.

"Generally speaking, the hospital will only consider the application of physical restraint on paediatric patients for the safety and well-being of the patient," the Hospital Authority said in a statement late Wednesday.

"Appropriate and prior consent will be sought from the parents or guardians," it added.

The Hospital Authority added parents who test negative would usually be allowed to accompany infected children on isolation wards if there is space.

In recent days, the consulates of Switzerland, Britain and the United States have all expressed concerns over how Hong Kong's tough anti-virus measures were impacting families, including concerns that parents had about being separated from children.

The US consulate temporarily closed earlier this week after two staff members tested positive and were sent to an isolation ward.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam confirmed special permission had been granted to allow their children to join them instead of being sent into quarantine.

Hong Kong's treatment of mothers during the pandemic has previously come under scrutiny.

Last year, a group of expecting parents fought an ultimately successful campaign to allow birth partners into the delivery room after they were banned during a spike in coronavirus cases.

World Health Organization guidelines recommend birth partners be present, even during the pandemic, and that infected mothers continue breastfeeding their babies.

While authorities relented on birth partners, Hong Kong continues to tell mothers not to breastfeed on isolation wards.

Authorities have also defended the use of mandatory quarantine camps arguing most of Hong Kong's notoriously cramped apartments are too small for families to self-isolate safely.

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China to issue visas to foreigners who have taken Chinese jab
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China is poised to ease border restrictions to allow some foreigners - including from the US, India and Pakistan - back in, provided they have taken a Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccine. The country has been closed to most foreigners since last March to stem the spread of coronavirus which it has largely brought under control at home, stranding many foreigners with jobs and family inside China overseas. But Chinese embassies in several countries have issued notices saying the country will open visa ... read more