International

US coronavirus death toll rises to six, all in Washington state

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The number of US deaths from the novel coronavirus rose to six on Monday, all in the state of Washington, officials said, signaling the contagion has taken root in the Pacific Northwest. Five of the six were from King county, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,000 people. The sixth victim was from Snohomish county, officials said. “The risk for […]

Indicted Netanyahu claims victory in Israel vote

by Joe Dyke JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) –Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory in Israel’s general election Monday, with exit polls putting the indicted premier in a strong position to form the next government. The election, Israel’s third in less than a year, was called after inconclusive votes in April and September plunged the Jewish state into political stalemate. The surveys conducted by three Israeli networks gave Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party between 36 and 37 seats […]

Iran reports 12 more coronavirus deaths, raising total to 66

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran said Monday that novel coronavirus had killed 12 more people in the Islamic republic, raising the country’s overall death toll to 66. The number of confirmed cases leaped by 523 from the previous day to a total of 1,501, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi told a news conference. “We are announcing 523 new cases infected (and) 12 new deaths. The total number of deaths is therefore 66,” Raisi said. The […]

58 quarantined in Nigeria over coronavirus contacts

ABUJA, Nigeria (AFP) — Nigeria is monitoring 58 people who had contact with an Italian man infected with the new coronavirus, the health minister said Monday, as officials scrambled to stop the disease spreading. Africa’s most populous country on Friday confirmed the first case of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa after the patient was diagnosed in the economic hub Lagos. The Italian had arrived from Milan on a business trip a week ago and traveled […]

Egypt detects second coronavirus case

CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Egypt on Monday reported its second case of a novel coronavirus, more than two weeks after announcing the first confirmed infection in Africa. The foreigner is showing “minor symptoms” and has been quarantined, the ministry and the World Health Organization said in a joint statement. Other people who had contact with the patient are undergoing medical tests, it added. Egypt announced its first confirmed case of novel coronavirus on February 14. […]

Netanyahu rival Gantz urges ‘change’ as Israel votes

ROSH HAYAAIN, Israel (AFP) — Former military chief Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main challenger in elections Monday, voiced hope the country would “change the tune,” after a year of political stalemate. “It’s about time that we be much more united,” Gantz said after voting in the central town of Rosh Haayin. “I hope that today will be the day that we change the tune, stop the mudslinging (and) stop the lying,” he […]

North Korea fires unidentified projectile: South’s military

by Sunghee Hwang SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea fired two unidentified projectiles on Monday, the South’s military said, weeks after Pyongyang declared its moratorium on long-range missile tests over. The move comes as nuclear negotiations with the United States are at a standstill and as a unilateral deadline Pyongyang set Washington to offer it fresh concessions on sanctions relief expired. The two devices were fired eastwards over the sea from the Wonsan area […]

Second man dies of coronavirus in US

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The second fatality from the novel coronavirus on US soil has been confirmed, health officials said Sunday. The man, who died Saturday, was in his 70s and had “underlying health conditions,” according to the public health office in King County, Washington state. The death occurred Saturday in King County, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,000 people. It is the second […]

Armenia confirms first coronavirus case

YEREVAN, Armenia (AFP) — Armenia on Sunday confirmed its first case of coronavirus, an Armenian citizen who recently returned from Iran and who was in stable condition in hospital. Around 30 people who had been in contact with the patient had also been placed in isolation, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Facebook. Neighboring Azerbaijan registered its first case of the COVID-19 virus on Friday, a Russian who had also arrived from Iran. On […]

Global coronavirus death toll passes 3,000 with new China count

BEIJING, China (AFP) — The number of deaths globally in the new coronavirus outbreak passed 3,000 on Monday, as China reported more 42 deaths. The new fatalities were all in the virus epicenter Hubei province, the National Health Commission said, bringing the overall toll in mainland China to 2,912. Health officials also reported the lowest daily tally of fresh infections since late January, with 202 new cases. In China, the number of reported new cases […]

Czech health official confirms first 3 coronavirus cases

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — The Czech Republic has recorded its first three cases of the new coronavirus: two men and a woman recently arrived from northern Italy, Health Minister Adam Vojtech said Sunday. A fourth person, a woman, is still undergoing tests. “We have the first three cases of the COVID-19 disease caused by the new coronavirus,” Vojtech told reporters. The virus was found in a man born in 1952 who had attended a […]

France closes Louvre as virus cases mount in Europe

by Caroline Taix and Juliette Collen with AFP bureaux PARIS, France (AFP) — France’s famed Louvre museum closed Sunday as coronavirus cases mounted across Europe and beyond, with the global death toll nearing 3,000 and Italy reporting a near doubling of cases in 48 hours. The virus has now infected more than 88,000 people and spread to more than 60 countries around the world, well beyond the epicenter in China where it first emerged late […]