Tag: covid

Pres. Duterte delivers last SONA, enumerates accomplishments but says COVID stalled his dreams for PH

“Never did I imagine that my presidency would not only be judged on how I made good on my campaign promises, but also on how well I led our nation during the global pandemic,” says Duterte       (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 26, giving a report on the accomplishments of his administration so far, and what he intends to do […]

QC gov’t says 1 returning OFW who had already recovered from COVID, listed as its first Delta variant case

Points to another possible Delta variant case who lives in another city, but is working in a factory in QC   (Eagle News) — The Quezon City government said a returning Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) from Saudi Arabia who arrived on June 24, but stayed in a hotel in Makati City, is the first confirmed Delta variant case in the city, even as it is closely monitoring another possible Delta variant case. Although classified as […]

PHL detects 55 more Delta cases bringing total to 119; new Alpha, Beta infections also rise

Total Beta variant cases at 2,019, while total Alpha cases reach 1,773   (Eagle News) – The Philippines detected 55 more Delta variant cases in the country, bringing the total Delta variant infections to 119. This was announced by the Department of Health today, Sunday, July 25, after the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) of the University of the Philippines, as well as the UP National Institute of Health (UP-NIH) detected more variant cases. In fact, […]

AstraZeneca searching for vaccines for virus-hit Southeast Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Drugmaker AstraZeneca said Saturday it was scouring its supply chain to find more doses of its Covid-19 vaccine for Southeast Asia, which is facing its most serious outbreak yet of the virus. The statement from the Anglo-Swedish company — which produces its vaccine in Thailand for use domestically and in neighbouring countries — comes in the wake of a supply shortage which has sparked heavy criticism of Thai Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha’s […]

Hanoi goes into lockdown as virus cases soar

  HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — Vietnam locked down eight million people in Hanoi on Saturday, the latest attempt to curb a serious coronavirus outbreak that has already forced a third of the country to stay home. Authorities reported more than 7,000 new infections across the nation on Friday — the third record number of daily infections in a week. The centre of the normally bustling capital was empty and shops were shuttered as the lockdown […]

As cases soar, Spaniards keep their masks firmly on

  by Marie Giffard with Rosa Sulleiro in Barcelona Agence France Presse MADRID, Spain (AFP) — It’s over 35 degrees Celsius and although masks are no longer obligatory in the streets of Spain, masks are everywhere in Madrid as people fear soaring Covid cases. Unlike people in many other European countries who have dropped their masks, Spaniards have largely opted to hang onto the face coverings that have become part of the daily lives of […]

PHL finds 17 more new Delta cases bringing total Delta variant cases to 64

Nine of 12 new local Delta cases found in Metro Manila, 3 in CALABARZON   (Eagle News) — At least 17 more Delta variant cases were detected by the Department of Health, 12 of which are local cases, bringing to 64 the total Delta variant cases as of Saturday, July 24. Nine of the local cases have addresses in Metro Manila, the DOH said. The Philippine Genome Center and the National Institutes of Health of […]

Due to rising Delta cases in US, Americans ask, “Do vaccinated people need to go back to masking?”

  by Issam AHMED Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — With the Delta variant pushing US Covid cases back up, fully vaccinated people are wondering whether they need to start masking indoors again. Covid vaccines remain extremely effective against the worst outcomes of the disease — hospitalization and death — and breakthrough infections remain uncommon. But experts told AFP that one size doesn’t fit all, and people should consider factors like community transmission, […]

Pandemic-hit Tokyo Olympics open in low-key ceremony without fans

The Tokyo Olympics were declared open in an eerily empty stadium on Friday after defying a year’s pandemic delay and lingering coronavirus threats that will make them perhaps the most unusual Games in history. Japan’s Emperor Naruhito made the announcement against the backdrop of thousands of vacant seats at Tokyo’s 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium, after Covid-19 forced organisers to ban spectators at all but a handful of venues. “I declare open the Games of Tokyo,” said […]

Increased testing needed to fight delta strain in Europe: WHO

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Increased free testing, contact tracing and other steps are needed to fight the Covid-19 Delta variant, now dominant in much of Europe, the World Health Organization and the EU’s disease agency warned Friday. WHO Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a joint appeal for “reinforced efforts” by European countries to check the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, first detected in India. “WHO recommends […]

High COVID transmission observed in NCR as reproduction number rises to 1.21 — OCTA Research

DOH also confirms local transmission of Delta variant in PHL as more local Delta cases detected   (Eagle News) –  The reproduction number of COVID-19 in Metro Manila has increased to 1.21 which means there is now a high COVID-19 transmission in the Philippine capital,  according to the OCTA Research. Dr. Guido David, OCTA Research Fellow, in an interview with the Eagle News Service program “Balitalakayan”  said the increase in the reproduction number in Metro […]

Sydney outbreak a ‘national emergency’ as cases spike

  by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Sydney’s fast-growing coronavirus outbreak has become a “national emergency,” state leaders said Friday, as Australia’s largest city reported another record number of new infections. Admitting a month-long lockdown had so far failed to stop a Delta-variant outbreak, the state of New South Wales pleaded for Canberra to urgently send more vaccines and resources. Declaring the outbreak a national emergency could pave the way for […]