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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistan has recorded more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus, health authorities said Monday, as hospitals warned they are running out of beds to treat patients. Pakistan — and neighbors India and Afghanistan — have lagged behind Western nations in virus tolls, but experts warn a lack of testing or accurate reporting in rural areas could be hiding true figures. In recent weeks, however, the country of more than 210 million has […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand lifted all domestic coronavirus restrictions on Monday after its final COVID-19 patient was given the all clear, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealing she danced around her living room when told about the milestone. While strict border controls will remain in place, Ardern said restrictions such as social distancing and limits on public gatherings were no longer needed. “We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japanese growth figures were better than initially feared in the first quarter, according to official data published on Monday, but the world’s third-top economy was still mired deep in recession. Gross domestic product contracted by 0.6 percent in the January-March period compared to the previous quarter. Authorities had initially reported a 0.9-percent contraction. Economists had expected the revision, with the market forecasting a 0.5-percent contraction. The figures confirmed that Japan was […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand has no active COVID-19 cases after the country’s final patient was given the all clear and released from isolation, health authorities said Monday. The milestone was “really good news” and an achievement the whole of New Zealand could take heart from, health department director-general Ashley Bloomfield said. “Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but, as […]
by Camille LAFFONT PICTURES BY FLORENT VERGNES Agence France-Presse BAYANGA, Central African Republic (AFP) — Dzanga-Sangha, a wildlife sanctuary in southwest Central African Republic, is a remote place, linked to the rest of the world by a narrow trail that becomes impassable in heavy rain. But for the region’s Pygmies—outcasts in a country already ranked among the poorest in the world—Dzanga-Sangha’s isolation could be a blessing. As coronavirus spreads in the CAR, with more than 1,000 […]
LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Peru hit 5,000 coronavirus deaths Thursday, according to the country’s health ministry, as hospitals faced a lack of oxygen for seriously ill patients. Peru has recorded more than 183,000 cases of COVID-19, making it the second hardest-hit country in Latin America after Brazil. Officials recorded more than 4,200 new cases and 137 deaths over the last 24 hours, bringing Peru’s total number of fatalities to 5,031, the health ministry said. The […]
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Sweden on Thursday said it would provide free testing for anyone showing coronavirus symptoms and conduct contact tracing for those who are infected. The announcement came as the country said it would also allow domestic travel across the country, almost three months after it was discouraged in line with anti-virus measures. The aim of the new testing program is to control infection rates in the country, which did not impose strict […]
AMMAN, Jordan (AFP) — Jordan announced Thursday it will lift most restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, with mosques, restaurants and churches allowed to reopen. There will be “a period of general easing” of the lockdown, Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz told reporters on Thursday. Information Minister Amjad al-Adayleh said most restrictions imposed over the last two months to rein in the virus would be lifted from Saturday. The announcements come amid […]
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on Thursday that Canada is winning the fight against the new coronavirus, with the latest data showing new cases in decline. But he also warned that the battle is not over yet. “The data shows that we are continuing to make progress in the fight against this virus in many communities, the number of new cases is low, and we can trace where they came from,” […]
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — A scurrying robot dog named K9 dispenses hand sanitizer to curious children and wary shoppers — one of the more unexpected measures Thai malls are taking as the kingdom relaxes virus restrictions. The hi-tech hound is controlled using 5G, a technology promising super-fast internet speeds with immediate reaction times that is still in the initial stages of roll out in Thailand. Mimicking an excited puppy, K9 roams around the popular Central […]
ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) — Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Roche said Thursday the US authorities had given it emergency clearance for a test identifying patients most at risk of a dangerous immune response to coronavirus infection. Some of those worst affected display a very severe inflammatory response to COVID-19 as the body tries to combat the infection but ends up also destroying healthy tissue and even organs such as the kidneys with life-threatening implications. Very ill patients […]
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s eastern Maluku islands Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami warning issued or immediate reports of damage. The strong quake hit at a relatively deep 106 kilometers (65 miles), the USGS said. Its epicenter was about 135 kilometers north of Tobelo. Shallow quakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones. The Southeast Asian archipelago is […]
