Tag: novel coronavirus

Local DMV Restaurant helps feed kids out of school during lockdown

Washington, D.C. (Eagle News) — With the Coronavirus (COVID-19) being declared a pandemic, most of the world is on lockdown, in order to “flatten the curve” and slow the virus from spreading. Disrupting everyday life as we know it to be. Schools and business (non-essential) are shut down for an extended period of time. Businesses take a big hit without real cash flow and smaller businesses, take an even bigger hit. That doesn’t stop small […]

First virus death in Sub-Saharan Africa as WHO warns ‘prepare for worst’

by Armel Baily with David Esnault in Abidjan Agence France-Presse OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AFP) —Sub-Saharan Africa has recorded its first COVID-19 death, a high-ranking politician in Burkina Faso, as the head of the World Health Organization urged the continent to “prepare for the worst”. “Africa should wake up,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva on Wednesday, pointing out that “in other countries, we have seen how the virus actually accelerates after a certain […]

Venice canals clear as city tourist-free under coronavirus

ROME, Italy (AFP) — The city of Venice is enjoying crystal clear waters in its world-famous canals due to a lack of debris from tourists and near-zero boat traffic under Italy’s ongoing coronavirus lockdown. The clear waters are a tiny bright spot in the beleaguered but beautiful city, whose economy has been virtually wiped out since tourists fled the area beginning last month, spooked by the spread of coronavirus in the country’s north. Since March […]

Scientists search for vaccine for new Coronavirus

Jerome Kim, the Director General of the International Vaccine Institute in Seoul, South Korea, sits with  Agence France-Presse (AFP) to discuss the steps and measures being taking by the scientific community to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Kim says it is ‘kind of remarkable’ that new coronavirus vaccine research is at the ‘pre-clinical stage’ as the world scrambles to find a solution to the outbreak.

‘Collective fear’ psychologist explains panic behavior amid coronavirus pandemic

French professor and researcher, Dr. Jocelyn Raude, sits down with Agence France-Presse (AFP), to explain the psychology of “Collective fear” and panic behavior. “There are contagion effects on the social level: this small minority generates a feeling of concern spread to the rest of the population through the mobilization of resources for basic necessities.” Dr. Raude also explains the difference between the elderly (most affect by the virus) and the youth about their fears. “When […]

Nintendo online gaming network back; relief for quarantined gamers

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Gamers breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday after the end of a network outage that affected Nintendo’s online games, with internet-based systems under increasing pressure from people staying home over coronavirus. “The issue with our network services has now been fixed. Thank you for your patience!” tweeted Nintendo on its European Twitter account, with similar messages posted on its other accounts. The hours-long outage affected its online games but also […]

DOH records six new COVID-19 cases; Of total number of cases, 7 recover

(Eagle News) — The Department of Health on Wednesday, March 18, recorded six new coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the country, bringing the total number of those infected to 193. Of the total number of cases, the DOH said seven have recovered and 14 have died. President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the country under a state of calamity in order to mobilize the government’s resources against COVID-19. Under the proclamation declaring the state of calamity, […]

Virus-stricken airlines face bailout or bust

by Andrew BEATTY Agence France-Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Airlines worldwide face an unprecedented existential threat as the coronavirus shuts down global travel, leaving governments with controversial and costly decisions about which carriers to bail out. A toxic mix of fear, crippling travel bans and investor panic have pummeled the sector, with demand collapsing and carriers cutting flight capacity by up to 90 percent. One troubled airline, Britain’s Flybe, has already gone to the wall and […]

UK rolls out tougher virus action after dire science warning

by Alice RITCHIE / Phil HAZLEWOOD / Joe JACKSON Agence France-Presse London, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government on Tuesday unveiled a huge package of support for businesses to help them survive the introduction of tough new social measures to stem the coronavirus outbreak. The Conservative leader said Britain needed to act “like any wartime government”, as finance minister Rishi Sunak unveiled a £330 billion ($400 billion, 363 billion euros) package of […]

Potential breakthrough: Doctors in Australia map body’s COVID-19 immune response

by Patrick GALEY and Marlowe HOOD Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP)—Researchers in Australia said Tuesday they had mapped the body’s immune response to the novel coronavirus, in a potential breakthrough in the fight against the global killer. A team of scientists were able to test blood samples from a patient who had contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized with moderate symptoms. Authors of the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, said it was the first time […]

DOH launches emergency hotlines for COVID-19 concerns

(Eagle News)– The Department of Health on Tuesday, March 17, launched hotlines for the coronavirus disease 2019. The hotlines, according to an advisory, are  02-894-COVID (02-894-26843) and 1555 for Smart and PLDT subscribers. The DOH said both services are operating 24/7 and are free of charge. Subscribers from other networks will be able to access the 1555 hotline as soon as “technical adjustments are completed.” According to the DOH, callers can ask if they suspect […]

PHL records two new COVID-19 deaths, total at 14

(Eagle News) — The Department of Health on Tuesday night announced two additional deaths from the coronavirus disease 2019. With the deaths of patients 126 and 129, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the country is at 14. According to the DOH, patient 126 was a 76-year-old male who was admitted to the Adventist Medical Center in Manila on March 9, and was confirmed to have COVID-19 on March 15. He had type 2 diabetes […]