Tag: Virus

Tehran imposes curbs as Iran’s Covid cases hit all-time high

by Amir HAVASI TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran sought to contain a new record surge in Covid cases, with government offices, banks and many businesses shut in the capital Tehran on Tuesday. Already hit by the deadliest outbreak in the Middle East, the Islamic republic has been gripped by what authorities warned would be a “fifth wave” driven by the aggressive Delta variant. To contain it, the national virus taskforce ordered government offices and banks […]

Covid cases surge in Asia as Delta wreaks havoc worldwide

by Agnes Anya, with AFP bureaus JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia, Iran and France were suffering alarming surges in coronavirus cases Tuesday, as governments raced to vaccinate populations in a bid to outpace the highly-contagious Delta variant wreaking havoc across the globe. The new cases come as the head of the Olympics admitted Tuesday he suffered “sleepless” nights leading up to the Tokyo Games, due to open Friday and already marred by outbreaks. Nearly 3.7 […]

Vaccinated W.House official tests positive for Covid: spokeswoman

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A vaccinated White House official has tested positive for Covid-19, a spokeswoman said Tuesday, adding that the person had not had contact with President Joe Biden or other top-level staff. “I want to confirm that yesterday a fully vaccinated White House official tested positive for Covid-19 off campus,” Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing, adding that the official, who has not been identified, had mild symptoms. She […]

India’s Covid deaths 10 times higher than reported: study

  by Glenda KWEK Agence France Presse NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — India’s coronavirus death toll is up to 10 times higher than the nearly 415,000 fatalities reported by authorities, likely making it the country’s worst humanitarian disaster since independence, a US research group said Tuesday. The Center for Global Development study’s estimate is the highest yet for the carnage in the South Asian nation of 1.3 billion people, which is emerging from a devastating […]

Indonesians gather to pray for Eid al-Adha despite virus surge

  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesians prayed outside mosques and slaughtered goats to commemorate a sombre Eid al-Adha festival on Tuesday despite efforts to stop mass gatherings as coronavirus deaths skyrocket. This week marks the second time during the pandemic that the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation has celebrated the Feast of Sacrifice, which signals the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Authorities have banned large crowds, including at traditional events that feature the sacrifice […]

Over 15 million Filipinos already vaccinated, with 4.7 million completing 2 doses

More than 10.3 million already received first COVID-19 vaccine doses   (Eagle News) – The Philippines has already vaccinated more than 15 million Filipinos as the total vaccines delivered in the country reached more than 27.9 million doses. Philippine vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez reported to President Rodrigo Duterte on July 19, that there were around 15.1 million total vaccine doses that had already been administered. Of this number, more than 10.3 million (or 10,388,188) […]

Japan becomes first country to approve Ronapreve Covid treatment

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said Tuesday that Japan had become the first country to fully approve its Ronapreve antibody treatment for patients with mild to moderate Covid-19. The approval was based on phase 3 trials finding that the antibody cocktail dramatically reduced the likelihood that mild or moderate Covid patients would develop into serious illness causing hospitalization or death. Ronapreve, developed in cooperation with US biotech firm Regeneron, was approved by […]

Indonesia reports record number of COVID deaths at over 1,300 in 24 hours

Indonesia overtaking India as Asia’s COVID-19 epicenter   Skyrocketing Covid-19 infections and deaths are hammering hospitals in Indonesia which is overtaking India as Asia’s coronavirus epicentre. Desperate patients lining up at hospitals for days before getting proper treatment, as the government has advised infected people with mild symptomps to self quarantine. Many, however, ended up dying at homes. Workers from local community health centers and volunteers have taken the job to go house to house […]

Pres. Duterte directs PNP, DILG to be stricter in implementing health protocols to prevent Delta variant surge

Says entry of more aggressive Delta variant should be a “cause for serious alarm” for the public   (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to be stricter in ensuring that minimum health protocols are followed by the public to “fight the threat of the Delta variant.” Duterte also raised the possibility of imposing more restrictions,  including restrictions on gatherings and […]

England lifts Covid curbs as scientists warn of surge in cases

by Jitendra JOSHI LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The British government on Monday lifted pandemic restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing rules in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown. From midnight (2300 GMT Sunday), nighclubs reopened and other indoor venues were allowed to run at full capacity, while legal mandates covering the wearing of masks and working from home were scrapped. Prime […]

Adelaide becomes latest Australian city to lock down

ADELAIDE, Australia (AFP) — Adelaide will on Tuesday become the latest in a string of Australian cities to lock down, as the largely unvaccinated nation struggles to contain a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak. The state of South Australia, of which Adelaide is the capital, said it would join Sydney and Melbourne in locking down after five local cases were detected. The decision means more than 14 million Australians are now under orders to stay at […]

Saudis wanting to travel need two Covid jabs: official

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Any Saudi citizen wishing to travel abroad will be required to have had two doses of coronavirus vaccine from next month, tightening existing measures, the interior ministry said on Monday. “The second dose of the vaccine against Covid will be a condition of all overseas travel for all citizens from August 9, 2021,” the ministry wrote in a statement published by the official SPA news agency. Children under 12, those […]