HONG KONG -- Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission, said on Monday that he hoped Hong Kong will soon achieve the goal of "zero infection" of COVID-19 so as to resume normal personnel exchanges with the mainland.

Ma made the remarks in a video speech at the opening ceremony of Hong Kong's Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2021. (Hong Kong-Medical Convention)

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NEW DELHI -- The Indian government on Monday allowed medical students studying in the fifth year of the MBBS course to be deployed in COVID-19 management duties under the supervision of their faculty.

The federal government also decided that such medical personnel completing 100 days of COVID-19 duties will be given priority in forthcoming regular government recruitments. (India-COVID-19-Medical Students)

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DHAKA -- Bangladesh, now struggling to contain the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, is expecting to receive a batch of China's Sinopharm vaccine next week.

Bangladeshi Health Minister Zahid Maleque made the announcement on Monday after a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. (Bangladesh-China-Vaccine)

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HONG KONG -- Hong Kong got off to a strong start in the first three months of this year as fast-recovering exports helped bring an end to a prolonged contraction in the overall economic activity since the third quarter of 2019.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Hong Kong returned to the gaining territory with a year-on-year surge of 7.8 percent in the January-March period, according to advance estimates of the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Monday. (Hong Kong-Economy)

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MANILA -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte received his first dose of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine on Monday night, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

"His first dose was covered by the compassionate use permit issued to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) hospital by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (of the Philippines)," Roque said in a brief statement. (Philippines-President-Vaccination)