Separated by geography and language, there's not much that might seem to connect India's five dwindling Jewish communities – except praying in Hebrew, and food.
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A man wearing personal protective equipment walks into a makeshift ward built for Covid-19 patients at a hospital in Manila. AFP
Covid-19 variant B.1.617 in the Philippines – a monster at the gates
Wed, 12 May 2021
With the Covid-19 variant B.1.617 spreading in India, breaking news that two overseas Filipino workers from Oman and the United Arab Emirates had tested positive for it was truly disturbing.
They have apparently since recovered, but the question becomes more urgent: How is the Philippines preparing for another possible surge of the pandemic?
It was only late last month that the government banned the entry of travellers from India starting April 29 up to May 14, which is two days away. At the time of the announcement, as many as 73 Filipinos in India had tested positive for Covid-19 and were being assisted in their medical needs by the Philippine embassy, per ambassador Ramon Bagatsing Jr (The number has since risen and one embassy officer has since died of th