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by Nicolas ASFOURI Agence France Presse WUHAN, China (AFP) — A team of experts from the World Health Organization arrived in Wuhan Thursday to probe the origins of the coronavirus more than a year after it emerged, although two members were barred from boarding a flight in Singapore after testing positive for virus antibodies. The international team of 13 scientists landed for their much-delayed mission, met by Chinese officials in hazmat suits and given […]
https://youtu.be/UEiz1rk-rz8 (Eagle News) — The Philippines is readying cold storage facilities for the expected COVID-19 vaccines that will be coming into the country by next month. Philippine vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr said that they have already identified the major hubs which already have cold storage warehouses that could store the vaccines. The central hub is in Metro Manila where millions of vaccine doses can be stored. From the Philippine capital, there will […]
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — The African Union said on Wednesday it had secured 270 million doses of anti-Covid vaccine for the continent, in a deal that will benefit countries unable to finance their own immunization campaigns. Under the deal, the vaccines will be supplied by Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. The doses will complement the vaccines secured via Covax, the globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort which has struck agreements to secure two […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China reported a death from Covid-19 on Thursday — its first in eight months — as the country battles to contain a resurgence in cases and prepares for the arrival of an expert team from the WHO. China had largely brought the virus under control after strict lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions, but recent weeks have seen numbers climbing again, especially in the north. Another 138 infections were reported […]
Duterte refers to highly infectious COVID strain as “new monster” (Eagle News) – President Rodigo Duterte said that he is hoping and praying that the highly infectious variant B.1.1.7, also known as the United Kingdom strain, is not more dangerous or toxic than previous COVID-19 strains. This was after the Department of Health (DOH) bared that the UK strain had been detected in a Filipino who arrived in the country on Jan. 7 after […]
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spain registered a record daily number of coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with nearly 39,000 new infections over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said. A total of 38,869 new cases were recorded since Tuesday and 195 deaths. The data showed Spain was in a situation of “very high risk, extreme risk”, said Carolina Darias, minister for territorial policy and civil service. The numbers bring the total number of infections in […]
by Paul RICARD PARIS, France (AFP) — As the British coronavirus variant occupies countries’ pandemic plans due to its increased transmissibility, other mutations to the Sars-CoV-2 are provoking concern among scientists who are scrambling to work out if they will still respond to vaccines. In particular, one mutation, known as E484K, detected initially in South Africa and on subsequent variants in Brazil and Japan, has raised alarm among researchers. Ravi Gupta, professor of microbiology at […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain will make appointments for coronavirus vaccinations available 24 hours-a-day “as soon as we can”, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday, reversing his opposition to the idea. Johnson had just days ago brushed off calls from the main opposition Labour party for night-time opening of vaccine centers, arguing there was “no clamour” for it. But the government has come under increasing pressure to speed up its vaccination program, and is […]
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday tasked officials with launching mass coronavirus vaccinations from next week, touting Russia’s homemade jab as the world’s best. “I ask you to begin the mass vaccination of the entire population next week,” Putin told officials at a televised government meeting. “The Russian vaccine is the best in the world,” he said. Russia in August registered Sputnik V — named after the Soviet-era satellite — months […]
by Robin MILLARD Agence France Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The coronavirus mutation first found in Britain has now spread to 50 territories, according to the World Health Organization, while a similar South African-identified strain has now been found in 20. The UN body also noted a third new coronavirus “variant of concern” found in Japan may impact upon immune response and needs further investigation. “The more the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads, the more opportunities it […]
by Agence France Presse Bureaus The United States has endured its worst day of the pandemic, with three Americans dying every minute, as China took decisive steps on Wednesday to stamp out a tiny coronavirus outbreak. Global infections have soared past 91 million, and the spikes have forced governments around the world to reimpose restrictions such as unpopular and economically painful lockdowns, including in Europe which is battling a devastating second wave. The United […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan is set to expand a coronavirus state of emergency on Wednesday to seven more regions including the major cities of Osaka and Kyoto, as infections surge nationwide. While the country’s outbreak remains comparatively small, with around 4,100 deaths overall, there has been a sharp spike in cases this winter and medics say hospitals are under heavy strain in the worst-affected areas. The month-long emergency measure — which unlike strict lockdowns […]
