HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Construction crews from mainland China were helping Hong Kong build two temporary isolation facilities to house thousands of coronavirus patients on Sunday as a senior official declared the city “in full combat mode”. The crowded Chinese financial hub is in the throes of its worst-ever coronavirus outbreak, registering thousands of confirmed cases a day as hospitals reach breaking point. A strict zero-Covid policy like China uses kept infections at […]
Tag: covid
PHL new Covid-19 cases at 1,923, a new record low for this year
Only 392 new cases reported in Metro Manila (Eagle News) – The Philippines had its lowest single day record of new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, with 1,923 cases. At the same time, the Department of Health reported 5,158 new recoveries. This brought the number of total active cases to 62,533 or 1.7 percent of total confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. There were also 198 new Covid deaths bringing the […]
DOH reports 2,232 new cases, 3,010 new recoveries; 3rd straight week that recoveries exceeded new cases
9.1 positivity rate, lowest so far this year (Eagle News) – The Department of Health reported 2,232 new Covid-19 cases and 3,010 new recoveries on Friday, February 18, the 21st straight day that new recoveries exceeded new cases. The total active Covid cases as of Friday were down to 65,796 or 1.8 percent of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. The positivity rate is also down to […]
Seoul eases Covid restrictions with daily cases at record high of over 100,000
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea said it would ease pandemic restrictions Friday, even as the country’s daily caseload crossed 100,000 for the first time, with officials citing economic concerns over social distancing measures. The country reported a record 109,831 new infections for Thursday, with health experts warning this number could rise to 270,000 new cases a day next month. Despite the spike in cases, Seoul officials said they would ease restrictions by […]
Swiss president tests positive as Covid rules lifted
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — President Ignazio Cassis has tested positive for Covid-19, the government said on Thursday — the same day Switzerland lifted almost all remaining coronavirus restrictions despite high case numbers. Wednesday’s “test came back positive and the president went into self-isolation this morning as soon as he learned of the test result,” a government statement said. “Mr Cassis has no symptoms and is in good health.” The former cantonal doctor, aged 60, who […]
Japan eases virus border rules for workers, students
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan will ease its strict virus border rules to allow students and businesspeople into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday. The move comes with growing pressure on Japan from the business community and academics to loosen the border restrictions, which are the toughest in the G7 but have broad support from Japanese voters. Japan has barred tourists since the early […]
PHL 2 week growth rate of Covid cases drops to a low of negative 74 percent; most of PH now at low risk
DOH: Only Regions 11,12, 6 and CAR at moderate risk (Eagle News) – The Philippines’ Covid-19 cases continued its downtrend, with the two-week growth rate for the whole country hitting a low of negative 74 percent, the Department of Health said. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that this is a good sign as this means a continuing drop in cases and the whole country is now classified under low-risk. This also means there […]
DOH reports 2,730 new Covid cases, lowest this year; 164 new deaths include late reports since July 2021
(Eagle News) – The Department of Health reported 2,730 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, February 14, the lowest recorded since December 30 last year. The DOH also reported 7,456 new recoveries and 164 new Covid-deaths, The increase in the number of fatalities was mostly due to late reporting of cases. In fact, some of the deaths reported were from cases that occurred since July last year. “Of the 164 deaths, 86 occurred in February […]
PHL reports only 3,050 new cases, 11.7 percent Covid positivity rate, the lowest this year
Total Covid-19 recoveries breach 3.5 million (Eagle News) — The Philippines reported its lowest number of new Covid-19 cases and lowest positivity rate this year at 3,050, and 11.7 percent, respectively, on Sunday, February 13. New recoveries hit 5,811, which again were more than the recorded new Covid cases. Because of this, the total active cases in the country went down to 81,394. This is 2.2 percent of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases since […]
Norway lifts final Covid curbs on social distancing
OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Norway on Saturday lifted its final Covid restrictions, scrapping social distancing and masks in crowded spaces despite a surge in Omicron infections. “The metre is disappearing. We are taking away the recommendation on social distancing,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters at a press conference. “Now we can now socialise like we did before, in nightlife, at cultural events and other social occasions. And on the way to and […]
China gives conditional approval for Pfizer Covid pill, Paxlovid: drug regulator
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Saturday said it had given “conditional” approval for Pfizer’s Covid-19 drug Paxlovid to treat adults with mild to moderate illness and a high risk of developing severe disease. The National Medical Products Administration said further research on the drug needed to be undertaken and submitted to the regulator. Paxlovid has so far been authorized in several countries including the United States and Israel, while the European Union […]
WHO congratulates PHL for vaccinating 70 percent of population; urges Covid jabs for still unvaxxed 2.5M elderly
Identifies provinces with high numbers of still unvaccinated senior citizens (Eagle News) – The World Health Organizaton recognized and congratulated the Philippine government for being able to vaccinate at least 70 percent of its eligible population, but stressed the need to vaccinate the 2.5 million senior citizens that had not received a primary dose. “So we congratulate the Philippine government for vaccinating over 60 million people so far, at least 70% of the eligible […]





