SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean firms will make their first shipment of coronavirus tests to the United States this week after a request by US President Donald Trump, Yonhap news agency reported Monday. The US has more confirmed COVID-19 cases than anywhere else in the world and also has the highest toll, with more than 22,000 deaths. In contrast South Korea was once the hardest-hit country outside China, but appears to have brought […]
Tag: Virus
Police collect nearly 800 bodies from Ecuador’s virus epicenter
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AFP) — Ecuador said police have removed almost 800 bodies in recent weeks from homes in Guayaquil, the epicenter of the country’s coronavirus outbreak after the disease overwhelmed emergency services, hospitals, and funeral parlors. Mortuary workers in the Pacific port city have been unable to cope with a backlog, with residents posting videos on social media showing abandoned bodies in the streets. “The number we have collected with the task force from people’s […]
‘Medibot’ to do rounds on Malaysian virus wards
KULA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysian scientists have created a barrel-shaped robot on wheels that they hope will make the rounds on hospital wards to check on coronavirus patients, reducing health workers’ risk of infection. “Medibot” is a 1.5 meter tall (five-foot) white robot, equipped with a camera and screen via which patients can communicate remotely with medics. The invention, built by scientists at the International Islamic University Malaysia, is also fitted with a device […]
Macron set to warn France virus lockdown must go on
PARIS, France (AFP) — President Emmanuel Macron is on Monday expected to warn France its lockdown to combat the coronavirus must go on for several more weeks at least, while also outlining how the country will recover from the crisis. At just after 8:00 pm (1800 GMT), Macron will give his third prime-time televised address to the nation on the epidemic from the Elysee palace. In his last, he announced the nationwide lockdown to […]
Spain ‘far from victory’ in virus fight: PM
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spain is “far from victory” in its fight against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned on Sunday as the country’s death toll from the pandemic rose again after falling for three days in a row. The nation registered 619 new deaths in the last 24 hours from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 16,972, the health ministry said, the highest in the world after the United States and Italy. The […]
France reports lower coronavirus daily death toll
PARIS, France (AFP) — France on Sunday reported a drop in COVID-19 deaths on the previous 24 hours, with the total toll from the coronavirus epidemic in the country now 14,393, the health ministry said. It said that there were 315 deaths in hospital over the last day, compared with 345 the day earlier. The total toll includes those who have died in nursing homes. France had on April 6 recorded 605 deaths in hospitals, […]
23-day old baby in Lipa, Batangas could be youngest COVID-19 fatality in PHL
(Eagle News) — A baby boy in Lipa City Batangas, who was only 23 days old, was recently confirmed to have died due to COVID-19, and could be the youngest coronavirus-related fatality in the country. The baby died on April 5, but results of his test released four days later showed he was positive for COVID-19. Lipa City mayor Eric Africa said in a Facebook post on April. 9 that the 23-day old baby boy […]
British PM leaves hospital after recovering from COVID-19, thanks NHS doctors, nurses for saving his life
by Joe JACKSON Agence France Presse British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his personal battle with the coronavirus “could have gone either way” and said there was “no question” doctors saved his life, speaking in a candid video message after leaving hospital Sunday. The UK leader checked into hospital a week ago and spent three days in intensive care after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 at the end of March, the most high-profile leader […]
Ebola virus on the rise again in Democratic Republic of Congo amid COVID-19 pandemic
(Eagle News) — The World Health Organization said that it has confirmed “a new case of Ebola virus disease” in the city of Beni in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “While not welcome news, this is an event we anticipated. We kept response teams in Beni and other high risk areas for precisely this reason,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Tedros said that with the confirmed […]
North Korea calls for stronger coronavirus measures
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea called for stronger measures against the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic at a meeting presided by leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported Sunday, without acknowledging whether the country had reported any infections. The already isolated, nuclear-armed North quickly shut down its borders after the virus was first detected in neighbouring China in January, and imposed strict containment measures. Officials in Pyongyang and its state media have repeatedly insisted […]
US could start reopening in May, top virus advisor says
by Shaun TANDON Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States may be ready to start gradually reopening next month, the government’s top infectious diseases expert said Sunday, as signs grew that the coronavirus pandemic is peaking. President Donald Trump had earlier wanted the world’s largest economy to be “raring to go” by Sunday, but most of the country remained at a standstill and churches took Easter celebrations online to halt […]
Iran reports 117 new virus deaths, raising total to 4,474
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran on Sunday announced 117 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, bringing the overall official toll to 4,474, even as it eased some restrictions that had been imposed to slow the spread of the illness. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour also told a news conference that 1,657 new infections had been confirmed in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 71,686. Iran has carried out 263,388 tests for the virus […]





