Category:

Risk Management

Robots are playing many roles in the coronavirus crisis – and offering lessons for future disasters

Research laboratories and startups are creating new robots, including one designed to allow health care workers to remotely take blood samples and perform mouth swabs. These prototypes are unlikely to make a difference now. However, the robots under development could make a difference in future disasters if momentum for robotics research continues.

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AIR Worldwide launches COVID-19 projection tool: Provides case and death projections worldwide

“We’re providing this complimentary tool to give communities, businesses, governments, and insurers a better understanding of what the near future of the COVID-19 pandemic could look like,” said Doug Fullam, director of life/health modeling at AIR Worldwide. “Additionally, we are making this information publicly available as we feel it’s imperative to leverage our strengths as a trusted data steward to provide services that benefit the greater good.”

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Olympic organisers must be flexible if coronavirus vaccine not ready in time, experts say

The Olympics was “a uniquely risky event”, he added, because of the threats represented by visitors streaming in from areas with a lot of infections, and the reverse flow when they return afterwards, perhaps carrying home infections.

Although more hopeful for a vaccine to be found within a year, Jason Kindrachuk, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Manitoba in Canada, flagged a risk of further delay to the Games, as vaccinating people would take time.

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Bat coronavirus found in two Indian bat species:study

“Bats are considered to be the natural reservoir for many viruses, of which some are potential human pathogens. In India, an association of Pteropus medius bats with the Nipah virus was reported in the past. It is suspected that the recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) also has its association with bats,” the objective of the study titled ‘Detection of coronaviruses in Pteropus and Rousettus species of bats from different states of India’ stated.

“In the present scenario of changing demography and ecological manipulations, it is challenging to have checks on the encounters of bats with other animals and humans,” the study stated, highlighting that the need for active and continuous surveillance remains crucial for outbreak alerts for bat-associated viral agents with epidemic potential, which would be helpful in timely interventions.

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Bermuda’s “resilient” re/insurance market continues to meet global clients’ needs amid COVID-19

“The re/insurance industry excels in time of disruption and catastrophes—managing risk during natural and man-made disasters is our strength,” said John M. Huff, President & CEO of Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR), noting the Bermuda market is well capitalized and works closely with regulators and policy makers globally on the economic potential of any significant events. “The industry has a proven track record of responding successfully during critical moments in history and we will continue to do so as the world faces and recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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Cyber Security&Covid-19

If you have effective cyber incident response, crisis management and/or business recovery plans in place, it is important to review them in light of your new operating environment. Can you access all the equipment you will need to test or reset? Is your data still being backed up to a secure site? Can your users still effectively report phishing or other indicators of cyber incidents? How are you going to maintain communication between the key crisis managers if all your laptops and mobiles get encrypted with ransomware? If your plan isn’t tested yet, now may be the wrong time to start – but at a minimum do all the relevant staff at least have a clear understanding of the plan, and how your current situation has altered it?

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EMI moratorium fraud: banks asking customers to be alert, not to share OTP with imposters

Asking customers to protect their financial details, Axis Bank said in an e-mail to customers said fraudsters have started a new modus operandi to gain access to banking details.​​​​​​​Imposters may contact you to help postpone your EMI payments and request you to share OTP, CVV, password or PIN related to your banking accounts, it said.
“Stay aware! If the details are shared, the fraudster can have unwarranted access to your banking information leading to financial loss. Beware of EMI Moratorium Frauds!,” Axis Bank said.

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