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TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran on Monday announced 127 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the official toll to 1,812 in one of the worst hit countries along with Italy, Spain and China. Health ministry spokesman Kianouche Jahanpour said 1,411 new cases had been recorded in Iran over the past 24 hours, bringing the total of those infected to 23,049. Jahanpour, who was speaking during his daily news conference devoted to the pandemic, said […]
TOKYO, Olympics (AFP) — The Olympic torch relay, due to begin Thursday from a symbolic site in Fukushima, will proceed as scheduled but organizers said they would re-assess in the coming days given the “worsening” coronavirus situation. “The torch relay will start on March 26 in Fukushima, the plan has not changed,” Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told reporters, a day after the International Olympic Committee said it was considering postponing the Games due […]
by Su Xinqi HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong will ban all non-residents from entering the city from midnight on Tuesday evening in a bid to halt the coronavirus, its leader said, as she unveiled plans to stop restaurants and bars serving alcohol. Despite its proximity to the Chinese mainland, the financial hub has managed to stave off a runaway outbreak of the deadly virus — partly thanks to the public overwhelmingly embracing masks, […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — More than one billion people have been asked to stay home in more than 50 countries and territories around the world as governments battle the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, according to an AFP tally Monday. Some countries imposed mandatory lockdown measures, while others have issued stay-at-home recommendations to stem the spread of the virus. At least 34 countries or territories have established mandatory lockdown measures ordering people to stay in […]
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — The coronavirus death toll in Spain surged to 2,182 after 462 people died within 24 hours, the health ministry said on Monday. The death rate showed a 27-percent increase on the figures released a day earlier, with the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rising to 33,089 in Spain, one of the worst-hit countries in the world after China and Italy. Despite an unprecedented national lockdown which was put in place […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — People in central China where the coronavirus was first detected are allowed to go back to work and public transport is restarting, as some normality slowly returns after a two-month lockdown. The easing of restrictions in Wuhan city comes as Chinese health officials reported Monday no new local cases of the deadly virus, but confirmed another 39 infections brought from overseas. Wuhan residents considered healthy can move around the city and […]
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has announced a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew from Monday in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of restrictions. The curfew –- from 7 pm until 6 am –- will be imposed for 21 days, the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a royal order. The move comes after Saudi Arabia on Sunday said the number of COVID-19 cases […]
PARIS, France (AFP) — France is calling up helicopters and drones to boost the government’s attempts to keep people in their homes, police officials said Saturday. “The helicopters will give us a larger vision and a panoramic view of the situation in real-time to help guide the patrols on the ground,” a national gendarmerie source said. One helicopter was already in use on Saturday, hovering above major Paris parks to ensure that confinement rules were […]
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia on Sunday announced a $38 billion spending plan to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic, as citizens were told to cancel domestic travel plans to slow the virus spread. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the latest Aus$66 billion announced Sunday brought government and central bank measures to support the economy to Aus$189 billion — or nearly 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “These extraordinary times require extraordinary measures […]
DAMASCUS, Syria (AFP) — The Syrian government has announced the first case of the novel coronavirus in the war-torn country, days after starting measures to stem the spread of the pandemic. Health Minister Nizar Yaziji late Sunday said authorities had recorded “a first case of the coronavirus in Syria in a person coming from abroad,” without specifying the country. “The appropriate measures have been taken to deal with” the female patient aged around 20, state […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — China has started the first phase of a clinical trial for a novel coronavirus vaccine, records show, as the world’s scientists race to find a way to combat the deadly pathogen. It comes after US health officials said last week they had started a trial to evaluate a possible vaccine in Seattle. The Chinese effort began on March 16 — the same day as the US announcement — and is expected […]
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AFP) — Iraq on Sunday imposed a total nationwide lockdown until March 28 to fight the novel coronavirus, as the number of cases grew and the death toll climbed to 20. Most of Iraq’s 18 provinces had so far imposed their own local curfews but the new measures would include the whole of the country, according to a new decision by the government’s crisis cell. Schools, universities and other gathering places would remain […]
