International

US virus expert warns of dangers as countries reopen

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — America’s top infectious diseases official has warned that ending lockdowns too quickly could trigger uncontrollable new coronavirus outbreaks, as the global death toll closes in on 300,000. The stark words from Anthony Fauci came as much of the United States and Europe press ahead with easing curbs that have confined billions to their homes to stem the spread of the disease. Opening up continues despite the toll spiking in some […]

Chinese city in partial lockdown over ‘major risk’ of virus spread

BEIJING, China (AFP) — A northeastern Chinese city has partially shut its borders and cut off transport links after the emergence of a local coronavirus cluster that has fuelled growing fears of a second wave of infections in China. Jilin, with a population of more than four million, suspended bus services Wednesday and said it will only allow residents to leave the city if they have tested negative for COVID-19 in the past 48 hours […]

Pence to ‘keep distance’ from Trump: White House

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Vice President Mike Pence, whose press secretary tested positive for coronavirus, has decided to “keep his distance” from President Donald Trump for a few days, the White House said Tuesday. Katie Miller, Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for the virus last week along with a personal valet to Trump. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, “has made the choice […]

US adds 1,894 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours: tracker

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States recorded 1,894 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 82,246, according to the real-time tally by Johns Hopkins University at 8:30 pm Tuesday (0030 GMT Wednesday). The figure was a sharp rise after daily tolls fell below 1,000 on Sunday and Monday. The country — hardest hit by the pandemic in terms of the number of fatalities — has now confirmed a total […]

113-year-old Spanish woman survives coronavirus

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — A 113-year-old woman, believed to be the oldest person living in Spain, has beat the coronavirus at the retirement home where several other residents died from the pandemic, the residence said Tuesday. Maria Branyas, who was born in the US, was infected with the virus in April at the Santa Maria del Tura care home in the eastern city of Olot where she has lived for the past 20 years and […]

Los Angeles residents likely confined through July

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The stay-at-home order for residents of Los Angeles County will likely be extended through the end of July unless the number of COVID-19 cases dramatically decreases, health officials said Tuesday. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Department of Public Health, made the comments during a meeting with the Board of Supervisors on how long a moratorium on evictions should stand. Ferrer said the county’s lockdown will remain in place under […]

US Senate threatens sanctions on China over COVID-19 accounting

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Republican senators proposed legislation Tuesday that would empower President Donald Trump to slap sanctions on China if Beijing does not give a “full accounting” for the coronavirus outbreak. “The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic,” said Senator Jim Inhofe, one of the sponsors of the “COVID-19 Accountability Act.” “Their outright deception of the origin and spread of the virus […]

Wuhan to test entire population after new virus cluster: state media

WUHAN, China (AFP) — Wuhan plans to conduct coronavirus tests on the Chinese city’s entire population after new cases emerged for the first time in weeks in the cradle of the global pandemic, state media reported Tuesday. Officials have been ordered to submit by noon on Tuesday plans to administer nucleic acid tests on all residents in the city of 11 million people, according to an official notice carried by news outlets. “Each district should […]

Indian trains start rolling again despite virus surge

by Bhuvan Bagga and Abhaya Srivastava Agence France Presse NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — India’s enormous railway network tentatively ground back to life Tuesday as a gradual lifting of the world’s biggest coronavirus lockdown gathered pace even as new cases surged. The country of 1.3 billion imposed a strict shutdown in late March, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has credited with keeping cases to a modest 70,000, with around 2,300 deaths. But the lockdown, […]

Thousands of schools reopen as France eases virus lockdown

by Andrea GRAELLS TEMPEL et Maryam EL HAMMOUCHI avec les bureaux de l’AFP en région Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Thousands of schools reopened throughout France on Tuesday as the government eases its coronavirus lockdown rules despite some fears of a second waves of infections. According to official figures there were 348 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the national total to 26,991. Primary and nursery schools reopened however, with teachers wearing face […]

US Democrats unveil $3 trillion virus relief package

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a $3 trillion coronavirus response package, the largest yet, to fund efforts to fight the pandemic and provide emergency payments to millions of American households. The Heroes Act was introduced in the House of Representatives and could be voted on in the Democratic-led chamber as early as this week. But the 1,815-page measure faced immediate opposition in the Republican-controlled Senate, where leaders have said a […]

New virus cases threaten world’s moves back to work

  by Michael Mainville with AFP bureaux Agence France Presse World powers including Russia and India pushed on with easing coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, despite upsurges in infections in parts of the world and warnings of a second wave epidemic. Chinese authorities, meanwhile, moved to test the entire 11-million strong population of the city of Wuhan, cradle of the global pandemic, after new cases were reported there. In Russia, the government began to gradually ease […]