Tag: Virus

Over a dozen vaccinated doctors dead as Indonesia’s virus cases surge

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Over a dozen fully vaccinated doctors have died of Covid-19 in Indonesia, a medical association said Friday, as the Southeast Asian country battles a rash of severe cases in inoculated medical workers and highly infectious new virus strains. Infections have surged in the nation of 270 million people in the past week, passing two million cases on Monday as hospital occupancy rates soared to over 75 percent in Jakarta and other […]

S.Africa hardens lockdown to combat Delta variant surge

PRETORIA, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday reimposed restrictions for two weeks to combat a surge in the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant. The worst-hit country on the continent “is facing a massive resurgence of infection,” the president said in a televised address to the nation. “Our health facilities are stretched to the limit… ICU beds are in short supply,” he said as he placed the country on alert level […]

Sydney broadens Covid lockdown as Delta variant cases sweep city

  SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Sydney streets were nearly deserted on Saturday at the start of a beefed-up two-week lockdown to contain the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant sweeping Australia’s largest city. More than 80 Covid-19 cases have been reported so far in an infection surge linked to an international flight crew transported to a quarantine hotel from the airport. The flare-up was a shock for a city that had returned to relative normality after […]

Israel resumes indoor mask requirement amid virus spike

  TEL AVIV, Israel (AFP) — The Israeli health ministry reimposed a requirement Friday for masks to be worn in enclosed public places following a surge in Covid cases since it was dropped 10 days ago. The spike in new infections is a blow for a country which has prided itself on one of the world’s most successful vaccine rollouts. The head of Israel’s pandemic response taskforce, Nachman Ash, told public radio the requirement came […]

Brazil sets daily record for Covid cases, as pandemic third wave breaks

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil set a new record for Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, with 115,228 new cases identified within 24 hours, the Health Ministry said, confirming the arrival of a third wave of the pandemic. During the same period 2,392 new deaths were recorded, bringing the total to 507,109. Brazil is the second worst-hit in the world in absolute numbers of fatalities, behind the United States which has suffered more than 600,000 deaths. […]

Israel holds up tourist entries as Delta variant spreads

JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israel announced Wednesday a delay to the renewed entry of individual tourists and said it could take other steps to counter the spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus despite the country’s high vaccination rate. “Due to concern over the potential spread of the Delta variant, the government has postponed the entry of individual tourists by one month to August 1,” the tourism ministry said. Israel will however continue to allow […]

Buffett to resign as trustee from Gates Foundation

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Warren Buffett said Wednesday he is resigning as a trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation while making a $4.1 billion donation to the organization as well as four others. The 90-year-old business magnate did not give a reason for the resignation, which comes about seven weeks after Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce. Buffet, whose wealth is currently estimated by Forbes at $104.4 billion, signaled continued […]

Russia warns of ‘explosive’ virus surge

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia warned on Wednesday of an “explosive” spread of the Delta coronavirus variant in the country that was made worse by a sluggish vaccination campaign leading to rapidly rising infections and deaths. Citing increases in cases of coronavirus in all Russian regions, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova called for stronger restrictive measures and speeding up of inoculations. “Last week the death rate linked to Covid increased by 21.3 percent compared to […]

Vaccine push vital as Delta strain threatens EU, health agency says

by Hélène DAUSCHY STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — The highly contagious Delta variant could soon account for 90 percent of new coronavirus cases in the EU, the bloc’s disease control agency said Wednesday, urging members to spur vaccination drives. While the Alpha variant first discovered in the UK is the predominant strain now circulating in the European Union, that is expected to change quickly, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said. “It is very […]

Delta variant mutation – “Delta Plus” variant declared as new variant of concern in India

  (Eagle News) – A new variant of concern was declared in India, known as the “Delta Plus” variant. This new variant of concern is a mutation of the earlier Delta variant which caused the surge in cases in India early this year. India’s Ministry of Health declared that the Delta Plus variant, or AY.1, was observed in three states – Maharashtra, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh. It said 40 cases had been identified so far. […]

PHL to get “at least 70M doses” of COVID vaccines from US, including 40M Pfizer doses – PH envoy

US also donating close to a million vaccine doses to the PHL set to arrive by July https://youtu.be/2_0XQHlDvSk     (Eagle News) – The Philippines will be receiving at least 70 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the United States, including the 40 million Pfizer doses that were finalized through a bilateral deal, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez. In an interview with the Eagle News Service program Balitalakayan on […]

More than 150 Texas hospital staff fired or quit over vaccine ruling

HOUSTON, United States (AFP) — More than 150 employees at the Houston Methodist hospital in Texas were fired or resigned after failing to comply with orders to get a Covid-19 vaccination to continue working there, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday. Officials Houston Methodist told its staff they needed to have received a Covid vaccination by June 7 or be suspended for two weeks. Hospital spokeswoman Gale Smith told AFP that 153 employees “either resigned in […]