Tag: Virus

Nepal’s elderly get second Covid-19 vaccine shots after months-long wait

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AFP ) — Nepal on Monday rolled out second Covid-19 vaccine jabs for nearly 1.4 million elderly people, following a months-long delay after neighbouring India halted exports over a massive surge in infections. People aged over 65 became eligible from March to receive their first AstraZeneca-Oxford shots from India, but were unable to get their second dose after the stock ran out. The vaccination drive was later opened in stages to everyone above […]

France extends Macron’s Covid pass despite protests

by Florian SOENEN with Sabine WIBAUX in Bordeaux PARIS, France (AFP) — France on Monday began enforcing a Covid pass championed by President Emmanuel Macron in cafes, restaurants and trains, a tightening of rules the government hopes will boost vaccinations but which has prompted weeks of angry protests. The pass, already needed for the last three weeks to go to a cinema, attend a concert or visit a museum, will be needed to partake in […]

Brunei clamps down after first local virus cases in 15 months

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Brunei imposed strict curbs to halt the spread of Covid-19, after finding its first locally transmitted cases in the country in over a year. Seven community infections were found, the health ministry said Saturday, leading the government to close all places of worship and postpone social events for two weeks. Mass events were also limited to groups of 30 people over this period as school classes were moved online and […]

Saudi compensates families of Covid health worker victims

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia has begun compensating the families of health workers who died because of the coronavirus, state media reported on Sunday, after announcing last year that each will receive $133,000. The kingdom said in October it would distribute “500,000 Saudi riyals to the families of those who died as a result of Covid-19 working in the health sectors, be it government or private, civilian or military, Saudi or non-Saudi”. The […]

Malaysia to ease Covid restrictions for fully vaccinated in eight states

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia will ease coronavirus curbs for fully vaccinated people in states comprising about half the country, its premier said Sunday. The move, which takes effect from Tuesday, will allow millions to cross district borders, play individual outdoor sports and eat in restaurants in eight states where cases have fallen and vaccination rates are promising. A lockdown since June has shut down thousands of businesses and limited most peoples’ travel to […]

Israel sets up Covid rapid test stations nationwide

JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israel set up rapid coronavirus testing stations across the country on Sunday, the Magen David Adom emergency service said, as the government tries to stave off another pandemic lockdown. “Following a request from the Ministry of Health, Magen David Adom on Sunday opened 120 rapid detection stations,” an MDA statement said. The testing centres are aimed at the non-vaccinated and those who have recovered from the virus and need a health […]

China’s Wuhan completes citywide Covid tests on 11 million residents

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Sunday said they had completed citywide testing of more than 11 million people for Covid-19 after a resurgence of cases more than a year after the coronavirus first emerged there. The tests — which began on Tuesday — provide “basically full coverage” of all residents in the city except for children under the age of six and students on their summer break, […]

Tunisia holds vaccine ‘open day’ against Delta-driven spike

TUNIS, Tunisia (AFP) — Tunisia on Sunday launched a Covid-19 vaccination drive for the over-40s, after receiving more than six million doses from abroad to combat surging infections. The health ministry said 551,008 people had been given jabs in more than 300 centres across the country, in what was billed as an “open day” for vaccinations. Tunisia, in the thick of political and economic crises, has received more than six million doses from Western and […]

PHL reports surge in COVID-19 deaths at 287 on Sunday, Aug. 8

  (Eagle News) — The Department of Health reported a surge in COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, Aug. 8 at 287, an increase of more than a hundred compared to Saturday’s additional deaths of 162. The 287 new deaths is the highest single-day tally of COVID-19 fatalities reported since the April 2021 surge. The highest single-day report of deaths last April happened on April 9 at 401 deaths. Total COVID-19 deaths as of Sunday, Aug. 8, […]

Iran records over 500 Covid deaths, hits new high

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran reported over 500 daily Covid deaths for the first time on Sunday, its health ministry announced, as new infections also hit a record high. Iran registered 39,619 new infections in the 24 hours to Sunday, taking the total since the pandemic started to 4,158,729, the ministry said During that same period it recorded 542 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 94,015, it added. Iranian health officials have acknowledged […]

India approves J&J’s single-shot Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — India gave emergency approval to Johnson and Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine Saturday to ramp up its flailing immunization campaign as fears grow of a new wave of infections. Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the approval will boost the fight against the pandemic in India, where at least 200,000 people died in a brutal two-month wave up to mid-June. “India expands its vaccine basket! Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is […]

DOH reports 11,021 new COVID cases, setting new record since April 2021 surge

  (Eagle News) – At least 11,021 more COVID-19 cases were reported by the Department of Health on Saturday, Aug. 7, higher than Friday’s count of 10,623 new cases. This makes it a new record for highest single-day number of new virus infections since the April 2021 surge. This is the second straight day that the new virus cases were more than 10,000 since the COVID surge in April. Active COVID cases also rose to […]