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by Ivan Couronne and Issam Ahmed Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States edged close to registering 200,000 Covid-19 deaths on Monday, the latest grim milestone for the country just weeks before voters decide if President Donald Trump stays in office. According to a rolling tally by Johns Hopkins University, 199,531 Americans have died and 6.8 million have been confirmed infected. The US has had the world’s highest official death […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern moved most of New Zealand to the lowest virus alert setting Monday, saying the country was edging towards eliminating Covid-19. Ardern announced New Zealand would from late Monday move down to virus level one in its four-tier alert system, except for Auckland, where the country’s most recent outbreak emerged. “Our actions collectively have managed to get the virus under control,” said Ardern, whose government has been […]
TORONTO, Canada (AFP )– The Quebec government on Sunday announced new restrictions on gatherings in order to prevent a second wave of Covid-19 infections. The number of people allowed in “rented halls, places of worship, festive events weddings” will drop from 250 to 50 from Monday, said Health Minister Christian Dube. In three of the regions in the province — including the cities of Montreal and Quebec City, which have increased to an “orange” alert […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Friday he expects enough Covid-19 vaccines “for every American” will be produced by next April, and that the first doses will be distributed immediately after approval later this year. Claiming “historic progress” with three vaccines in the final stages of development and trials, Trump said at least 100 million doses would be manufactured by the end of the year — perhaps more. “Hundreds of […]
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada’s conservative opposition leader Erin O’Toole tested positive for the new coronavirus on Friday, his office announced, one day after another federal party leader did, too. Both O’Toole and Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet were “feeling well” and were self-isolating, according to statements. Each had had close contact with staffers who tested positive for the Covid-19 illness. O’Toole said he is “very relieved that his wife and children have tested […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — Thousands of people in northwest China have tested positive for a bacterial disease after a leak from a state-owned biopharmaceutical plant making animal vaccines last year. Health officials in Lanzhou city said 3,245 people had contracted brucellosis, a disease often caused by close contact with infected animals or animal products that can bring about fevers, joint pain and headaches. Another 1,401 people tested as an early positive for the disease, […]
by AFP bureaus COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Coronavirus infections topped 30 million around the globe on Thursday as the World Health Organization warned of “alarming rates of transmission” across Europe and cautioned against shortening quarantine periods. The WHO’s regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said a September surge “should serve as a wake-up call for all of us” after Europe set a new record last week, with some 54,000 cases recorded in 24 hours. “Although […]
by Kelly MACNAMARA LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — More than half of patients and staff who had Covid-19 at an Irish hospital suffered persistent fatigue in the aftermath of the initial disease, according to a new study Friday highlighting the “significant burden” of lingering symptoms. It comes as patient groups and doctors call for more research into the medium- and long-term effects of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which has sickened more than 29 million people […]
by Ivan Couronne WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US biotech firm Moderna, one of nine companies in the late stages of clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine, became the first to publish the complete blueprints of its study following calls for greater transparency. Pfizer, the other American company currently carrying out Phase 3 trials in the US, followed suit a short time later and there is now added pressure for the remainder to do the […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday he could close pubs earlier to “stop the second hump” of coronavirus cases, comparing the country’s trajectory of resurgent transmission to a camel’s profile. His government is set to unveil new restrictions in England, which could also include greater social curbs, later on Thursday, initially targeting the northeast region where Covid-19 cases are surging. It already imposed rules across England on Monday limiting […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A group of wealthy nations representing 13 percent of the global population have already bought up more than half of the promised doses of future Covid-19 vaccines, according to a report by Oxfam on Wednesday. The non-governmental organization analyzed deals struck by pharmaceuticals and vaccine producers for the five leading vaccine candidates currently in late-stage trials, based on data collected by the analytics company Airfinity. “Access to a life-saving […]
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s unemployment rate fell slightly to 6.8 percent in August, spurring hopes that the worst of a coronavirus-fuelled recession may have passed. The country’s statistical agency said Thursday that unemployment had fallen 0.7 points from the 7.5-percent rate posted in July, with the economy adding 111,000 more jobs. Australia is experiencing its first recession in almost 30 years, prompting the government and central bank to embark on a vast stimulus spending […]
