TIG Post

Tag: Coronavirus

  • Google to publish user location data to help govts tackle virus

    Google will publish location data from its users around the world from Friday to allow governments to gauge the effectiveness of social distancing measures put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the tech giant said.

    The reports on users’ movements in 131 countries will be made available on a special website and will “chart movement trends over time by geography,” according to a post on one of the company’s blogs.

    Trends will display “a percentage point increase or decrease in visits” to locations like parks, shops, homes and places of work, not “the absolute number of visits,” said the post, signed by Jen Fitzpatrick, who leads Google Maps, and the company’s chief health officer Karen DeSalvo.

    “We hope these reports will help support decisions about how to manage the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said.

    “This information could help officials understand changes in essential trips that can shape recommendations on business hours or inform delivery service offerings.”

    Like the detection of traffic jams or the measurement of traffic on Google Maps, the new reports will use “aggregated, anonymised” data from users who have activated their location history.

    No “personally identifiable information,” such as a person’s location, contacts or movements, will be made available, the post said.

    The reports will also employ a statistical technique that adds “artificial noise” to raw data, making it harder for users to be identified.

    From China to Singapore to Israel, governments have ordered electronic monitoring of their citizens’ movements in an effort to limit the spread of the virus, which has infected more than a million people and killed over 50,000 worldwide.

    In Europe and the United States, technology firms have begun sharing “anonymised” smartphone data to better track the outbreak.

    Even privacy-loving Germany is considering using a smartphone app to help manage the spread of the disease.

    But activists say authoritarian regimes are using the coronavirus as a pretext to suppress independent speech and increase surveillance.

    And in liberal democracies, others fear widespread data harvesting and intrusion could bring lasting harm to privacy and digital rights.

    Source: France24

  • Customers desert South Korea’s animal cafes over virus fears

    A beige feline paces between two Gaudi-style columns at the empty 2 Cats cafe in Seoul, with upturned stools standing on the tables where humans sat to play with them in pre-virus days.

    Along with coffee, South Korea’s animal cafes offer the chance to cuddle companion creatures like dogs or cats for customers who cannot keep one themselves.

    Business has been devastated by the coronavirus outbreak, with South Koreans staying at home under social distancing guidelines, and tourism disappearing.

    But unlike other firms, these cafes cannot lay off staff as they have to look after the animals.

    Many also provide encounters with more exotic species. Meerkats and raccoons are particularly popular as both have behaviour patterns endearing to human eyes, although the trade in these creatures faces heavy opposition from animal rights groups.

    A family of wallabies; their names Alkong and Dalkong translate as “Lovey” and “Dovey” looked sheepish when caught stealing bananas at the Eden Meerkat Friends Cafe in the tourist district of Myeongdong.

    Staff member Kim Min-ji said customers were down to one or two a day.

    “Ninety percent of our customers had been foreigners, mostly Chinese, but they stopped coming since the coronavirus outbreak,” she said. “Korean customers also don’t come much.”

    And Ji Hyo-yeon, owner of the Raccoon Cafe Table A — which also stocks turtles and lizards as well as meerkats — said some people avoided his premises after hearing the virus was first contracted from a wild animal.

    South Korea was among the earliest countries to be hit outside China, where the coronavirus first emerged, and for a time had the world’s second-largest outbreak before it was largely brought under control through a widespread testing drive.

    Customers said the animals helped to put them at ease in the tense times of the pandemic.

    Hong Chan-wook and his girlfriend were the only visitors at the Eden Meerkat Friends Cafe on a weekday afternoon, and he told AFP: “After spending all my time at home and being bored, I feel healed by meeting these adorable new animals.”

    Source: France24

  • US records 1,169 new coronavirus deaths

    The United States recorded 1,169 Coronavirus fatalities in a single day, the Johns Hopkins University tracker showed Thursday, the highest one-day death toll recorded in any country since the global pandemic began.

    The toll reflected figures reported by the university between 8:30pm Wednesday (0030 GMT) and the same time Thursday.

    The grim record was previously held by Italy, where 969 people died on March 27.

    The US has now recorded around 6000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began.

    Trump changes his position on masks

    US President Donald Trump’s administration appeared to join local officials on Thursday in advising Americans to wear masks when venturing out during the still-exploding coronavirus pandemic.

    Speaking at a White House briefing, Deborah Birx, a member of Trump’s coronavirus task force, said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would issue guidelines in the coming days on the use of face coverings.

    Birx however cautioned that Americans, who have been admonished to stay at home except for essential outings, should not develop a “false sense of security” that they are fully protected from the respiratory illness by wearing a mask.

    Trump, answering questions from reporters at the same briefing, said only that “if people want to wear them, they can.”

    Global cases surpassed 1 million on Thursday with more than 52,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally based on country by country data.

    White House medical experts have forecast that between 100,000 to 240,000 people could be killed even if Americans follow the sweeping lock-down orders.

    The Trump administration, CDC and public health officials have all wavered on the issue of face masks since the pandemic broke out, initially telling healthy people such measures were unnecessary or even counter-productive.

    Lack of resources

    In New York City, the center of the US outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to wear face coverings, citing studies showing that the virus can be transmitted by infected people who are showing no symptoms.

    “What that means is when you put on that face covering you’re protecting everyone else,” de Blasio said. The Democratic mayor suggested New Yorkers use scarves or other home-made masks because medical-grade protective gear was in short supply.

    An emergency stockpile of medical equipment maintained by the US government has nearly run out of protective garb for doctors and nurses.

    In New York City, where at least 1,400 people have been killed by the virus, hospitals and morgues struggled to treat the desperately ill and bury the dead.

    New York City funeral homes and cemetery directors described a surge in demand not seen in decades as cases surpassed 50,000 in the city.

    Crematories extended their hours and burned bodies into the night, with corpses piling up so quickly that city officials were looking elsewhere in the state for temporary interment sites.

    “We’ve been preparing for a worst-case scenario, which is in a lot of ways starting to materialise,” said Mike Lanotte, director of the New York State Funeral Directors Association.

    Source: France24

  • Corona beer producer halts brewing over virus

    The Mexican brewer of Corona beer said Thursday it was suspending production because of the health emergency in the country over the Coronavirus pandemic.

    Grupo Modelo — whose brands also include Pacifico and Modelo — said the measure was in line with the Mexican government’s order to suspend all non-essential activities until April 30 to slow the spread of coronavirus.

    “We are in the process of lowering production at our plants to the bare minimum,” the company said in a statement, adding it would complete the suspension in the following days.

    Mexico’s government has said that only key sectors such as agribusiness will be able to continue to function.

    Grupo Modelo said it was ready to operate with 75 percent of its staff working remotely to guarantee the supply of beer, if the government agreed.

    Mexico’s other major beer producer Heineken — which makes the Tecate and Dos Equis brands — could also stop activities on Friday, the Reforma newspaper said, although the company did not confirm the report.

    On Wednesday, the northern state of Nuevo Leon, where Heineken’s Mexican operations are based, said it would stop the production and distribution of beer, which led to panic buying.

    Since the start of the virus crisis, Corona beer has been the punchline of jokes and memes, and an online rumour said sales in the US dropped by around 40 percent after the outbreak.

    However, in late February, Constellation Brands, which owns the Corona label, denied the rumour and said sales had stayed strong in the US even as the virus has spread internationally.

    Mexico has so far registered over 1,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 50 deaths.

    Source: AFP

  • Wuhan doctor among first to alert medics of coronavirus spread ‘goes missing’, fears she has been detained

    A Wuhan doctor who was among the first to alert other medics to the spread of coronavirus has disappeared sparking concerns that she has been detained, reports suggest.

    Dr Ai Fen said she faced ‘unprecedented, extremely harsh reprimanded’ by officials at Wuhan Central Hospital after she shared a picture of a patient report labelled ‘SARS coronavirus’.

    The image was widely circulated and made its way to whistle-blower Li Wenliang who raised the alarm about the bug, which has killed more than 41,000 people worldwide.

    Dr Li was reprimanded by authorities for ‘illegally spreading untruthful information online’.

    Dr Ai Fen - who went public over the spread coronavirus in Wuhan - has disappeared sparking concerns that she has been detained, reports suggest
    Dr Ai said she faced 'unprecedented, extremely harsh reprimanded' by officials at Wuhan Central Hospital

    Dr Ai Fen – who went public over the spread coronavirus in Wuhan – has disappeared sparking concerns that she has been detained, reports suggest

    A woman wears a face mask while riding a scooter along the street in Wuhan after the government relaxed lockdown rules

    A woman wears a face mask while riding a scooter along the street in Wuhan after the government relaxed lockdown rules

    Officials wearing hazmat suits control an entrance to Biandanshan Cemetery in Wuhan

    Officials wearing hazmat suits control an entrance to Biandanshan Cemetery in Wuhan

    After the show’s investigation aired, a post on the doctor’s Weibo account – a social media platform similar to Twitter – shared a picture with the caption: ‘A river. A bridge. A road. A clock chime,’ RFA reports.

    Her rumoured disappearance comes after criticism was levvied at the Chinese government for lying and covering up key information during virtually every stage of its coronavirus response.

    Beijing initially tried to cover up the outbreak by punishing medics who discovered it, denying it could spread person-to-person and delaying a lockdown of affected regions – meaning early opportunities to control the spread were lost.

    Then, once the virus began spreading, the Communist Party began censoring public information about it and spread disinformation overseas – including suggesting that US troops could have been the initial carriers.

    A man is seen in a protective mask overlooking the Yangtze River in Wuhan after the city was partially reopened

    A man is seen in a protective mask overlooking the Yangtze River in Wuhan after the city was partially reopenedDr Ai Fen said she faced 'unprecedented, extremely harsh reprimanded' by officials at Wuhan Central Hospital after she shared a picture of a patient report labelled 'SARS coronavirus'

    Dr Ai Fen said she faced ‘unprecedented, extremely harsh reprimanded’ by officials at Wuhan Central Hospital after she shared a picture of a patient report labelled ‘SARS coronavirus”

    Even now, prominent politicians have warned that infection and death totals being reported by the regime are likely to be wrong – with locals in the epicenter of Wuhan suggesting the true tolls could be ten times higher.

    In the interview prior to her alleged dissapearance, Dr Ai admitted ‘feeling regretful about not speaking out more’ after four of her colleagues, including Dr Li, had contracted the virus and died while fighting the outbreak.

    ‘If I had known what would have happened today, I wouldn’t have cared about the reprimand. I would have told whoever and wherever I want,’ said Dr Ai.

    Dr Fen criticised the hospital bosses for dismissing the early warnings of the coronavirus in a feature article published online yesterday by Chinese magazine People

    Dr Fen criticised the hospital bosses for dismissing the early warnings of the coronavirus in a feature article published online yesterday by Chinese magazine People

    The interview was posted on Tuesday but quickly retracted from social media by its publisher People (Renwu) Magazine.

    On 30 December, Dr Ai received a patient’s report labelled ‘SARS coronavirus’.

    She said she broke out into a cold sweat after reading the lab results several times.

    The SARS epidemic 17 years ago infected more than 8,000 people worldwide and killed over 800, according to the World Health Organisation.

    The medic circled the word ‘SARS’ and sent a picture of the report to one of her former classmates and a group chat within her department.

    Dr Ai said she alerted hospital authorities about the case.

    ‘Later that evening, the stuff was shared all over the place with screenshots of the report bearing my red circle,’ she said.

    She added: ‘[These platforms] included the chatting group, which Li Wenliang shared the information with. I thought something bad is going to happen.’

    Two days later, the Wuhan medic was summoned by the head of the hospital’s disciplinary inspection committee.

    Dr Ai said she faced ‘unprecedented, extremely harsh reprimanded’ and was accused of ‘spreading rumours as a professional’ by the hospital’s officials.

    Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

  • ‘Contagion’ vs. coronavirus: The film’s connections to a real life pandemic

    As we live through a developing pandemic, some of us can’t help but compare it to the 2011 American thriller which some claim predicted Covid-19: “Contagion.”

    Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Z. Burns, the film follows the spread of a virus transmitted when sick humans touch surfaces and leave virus behind that others can catch. Next comes the frantic attempts by public health officials to identify and contain the disease, the anarchy that unfolds amid a pandemic, and the ultimate introduction of a vaccine to stop the spread. Sound like a plot we’re in the middle of?
    Its prescience was bolstered by Burns consulting with representatives of the World Health Organization on the ins and outs of infectious diseases, and by Kate Winslet working with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to understand the lifestyle and character of an epidemiologist charged with leading the world through crisis.
    The filmmakers also consulted medical experts including Dr. W. Ian Lipkin and Lawrence “Larry” Brilliant. Lipkin is the director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University Mailman School of Health. He recently contracted the novel coronavirus.
    Laurie Garrett also served as a consultant on the film because she wrote the 1994 book “The Coming Plague” and reported on multiple pandemics. In a 2001 article she wrote for CNN, Garrett described “Contagion”as “part fantasy, part reality and totally possible.”
    Here is how the virus and drama of “Contagion” compares with the real life coronavirus pandemic as it currently stands.

    Virus origins

    The final scene in “Contagion” reveals that the fictional “MEV-1″virus originated from a pig that ate a piece of banana dropped by an infected bat escaping the destruction of its palm tree forest habitat in China.
    That pig is then slaughtered and prepared by a chef who, without washing them first, shakes hands with Beth Emhoff (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), thus transmitting the virus to her. Emhoff becomes the “index case,” meaning she was the first identified case.
    Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) is considered the index case in “Contagion,” here seen transmitting the virus to another patient.
    The origin of the novel coronavirus terrorizing us today is still a mystery to scientists. It will only be solvedif they’re able to isolate the live virus in a suspected species (like in the movie), which can be difficult.
    However, like “Contagion,” bats are considered by some epidemiologiststo be the possible source of the coronavirus.
    Zoologists, ecologists and disease experts have told CNN that human behaviors — such as destroying natural habitats — might be to blame for the transfer of the disease.
    When bats are stressed, which can occur from destruction of their habitats, their typically strong immune system is challenged, which makes it harder to cope with pathogens they could usually fight off. This allows an increase in infections and the shedding of them.
    One theory on the origin of the current coronavirus is that the initial epicenter was likely a “wet market” in Wuhan, China.In “wet markets,” wild animals that also may be infected and stressed are held together and sold as food or pets, leading to a mix of viruses and species.
    Any “zoonotic spillover,” or the transfer of disease from animals to humans, is exacerbated by population density and public transport, which make it easy for a virus to spread rapidly.
    Scientists studying the spread of the coronavirus have provided another theory: It may have spread into humans from animals in a less deadly form and circulated at low levels in humans for years before adapting to us and becoming seriously infectious, according to recent research published in the journal Nature Medicine.
    If the “Contagion” bats were under stress from the palm tree destruction, the origin of the “Contagion” virus could mirror the potential origin of the current coronavirus.

    Similar symptoms

    Sick people in the film experienced fevers and profuse sweating, pounding headaches, sore throat and cough but also had seizures, dizziness and frothed at the mouth when they passed.
    “Contagion”: A man in Hong Kong falls sick with MEV-1, the fictional virus.
    The signs of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Covid-19 are similar, but there haven’t been any reports of seizures or frothing at the mouth. Covid-19 symptoms include primarily a fever of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celsius), cough or trouble breathing, according to the CDC.
    Emergency warning signs of Covid-19 include “persistent pain or pressure in the chest,” “bluish lips or face” — indicating a lack of oxygen — and sudden mental confusion, fatigue or inability to rouse.
    Less commonsymptoms of Covid-19 include those typically experienced during flu and cold: headaches, digestive issues, body aches and fatigue, and a runny nose, sore throat and sneezing.
    Anosmia, a lack of sense of smell, and dygeusia, a lack of taste, are symptoms that might flag Covid-19 in its early stages among patients with a mild case.

    Transmission

    Like Covid-19, the film’s MEV-1 is a respiratory disease, carried in expelled droplets of saliva from a sneeze or cough or other secretions. It spreads directly between people when those droplets reach the eyes, nose or mouth of an uninfected person.
    The film’s virus is also transmitted by fomites, or surfaces that have been contaminated with infections after sick humans touch them.
    The spreading of MEV-1 is exacerbated by the average person touching their face a few thousand times per day — while in between, they’re touching door handles, elevator buttons, subway poles and each other.
    Evidence shows that the novel coronavirus transmits through the same mechanisms, according to the World Health Organization.
    What is coronavirus and Covid-19? An explainer
    Actors from “Contagion” recently urged people to “control the contagion” by washing their hands, practicing social distancing and following the advice of health experts In a series of PSAs from Columbia Public Health.

    Can you be immune to the virus?

    The fictional Mitch Emhoff (played by Matt Damon), husband of index case Beth, is found to be immune to the virus. He dodges the deliberately targeted coughs of strangers in grocery stores and survives through the film physically unscathed.
    Today, there are no reports of people biologically immune to getting the novel coronavirus. But can one be immune to the novel coronavirus after recovering from it? Scientists aren’t sure yet.
    In the March 26 CNN Global Town Hall: Coronavirus Facts and Fears, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked physician Dr. Leana Wen whether a person can be immune to the virus via antibodies they developed after having and recovering from the disease.
    Masks can’t stop the coronavirus in the US, but hysteria has led to bulk-buying, price-gouging and serious fear for the future
    “This is what we want to get to,” she responded. “We don’t have that test yet. It’s being developed. But that would be great. It would be so helpful for people to know whether they have immunity.”
    And if someone could be immune, we don’t yet know how long it could last for.
    “There are some people who speculate that one might have immunity for a long time, even forever, but we just don’t know yet,” she added.

    The R0

    The number of people a sick person is likely to infect is called the R0, or R-naught, of a virus. The R0 of the fictional MEV-1 virus was 4, while the R0 of coronavirus is 2.2, according to a recent study of data from the first cases of Covid-19 in Wuhan and investigations conducted by Chinese and American health officials.
    They found the epidemic doubled about every seven days. In other words, on average, each Covid-19 patient transmits the infection to an additional 2.2 people.

    The mortality rate

    The mortality rate of the “Contagion” virus, or the percentage of those that die among an infected population, was estimated to be about 25% to 30%.
    As of March 26, the mortality rate among patients with Covid-19 is between 1.8% to 3.4%,according to the CDC.

    An unproven remedy: Forsythia vs. chloroquine

    In “Contagion,” blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) pushes forsythia, a floral homeopathic tincture, as the cure for the virus, although studies hadn’t proved it worked.
    He appeared to have recovered from the virus shortly after taking forsythia, and anxious customersclamored for prescriptions of the remedy from their local pharmacies as well as on Krumwiede’s blog. He attracted more 12 million followers and severalmillion dollars from the false claim, according to the film.
    Law, in the production notes for the film, described his character as the “‘index patient’ for what becomes a parallel epidemic of fear and panic” based on mistrust of news media, the government and health officials.
    Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) is a blogger who is skeptical of the government and news media and touts an unproven remedy for the virus.
    There are currently no cures or vaccines for Covid-19, yet the drugs chloroquine and its analog hydroxychloroquine have been called “game changers” by President Donald Trump. Both drugs are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria and other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
    A man living in Phoenix died and his wife was in critical care after the two took a non-pharmaceutical version of chloroquine in an attempt to prevent contracting the virus. His wife said he heard Trump tout the drug in a news conference.
    On March 29, the FDA issued a limited emergency use authorization for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat patients hospitalized with Covid-19.
    Despite limited evidence on the efficacy of the drugs for Covid-19,the US Department of Human Health Services said in a statement that anecdotal reports suggest they may be beneficial in the treatment of hospitalized patients. The FDA saidthe benefits outweigh the risks.

    A path toward a vaccine

    In “Contagion,” CDC research scientist Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle) stresses that it can take months, maybe a year, to be able to distribute a vaccine after testing, clinical trials, manufacturing and distribution. However, Hextall speeds up the process by inoculating herself with the final experimental vaccine, then is able to provide doses for human use in just several months.
    Fictional CDC research scientist Dr. Ally Hextall leads testing of a MEV-1 vaccine.
    In reality, leading infectious disease experts say the typical vaccine takes between 8 and 10 years to develop. American health officials are trying to fast track that time frame, as are laboratories around the world.
    Currently a year to 18 months is an optimistic time window for a possible coronavirus vaccine,Dr. Peter Hotez, a leading expert on infectious disease and vaccine development at Baylor College of Medicine, previously told CNN.
    That said, a novel coronavirus vaccine Phase I trial in the US gave the first dose to test the safety of the vaccine to a participant in March. This trial is meant to establish that the vaccine is safe and that participants immune systems respond well, but proving the vaccine effectively prevents infection will take many more months.

    Life as we haven’t known it

    In “Contagion,” civil unrest rips at the fabric of society, leaving banks and grocery stores ransacked.Police seemed unable to respond to crime, as martial law prohibited travel between states to stop the spread of the virus.
    That hasn’t happened in real life. But, as in the film, a lot of us have spent weeks separated from friends, family and places we love, wondering when the pandemic will end so we can get back to life as we’ve known it. People are under variations of restrictions on movement, including social distancing guidelines, shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. On March 29, Trump extended social distancing guidelines to April 30.
    In one of the final scenes of the film, after successful distribution of vaccines, people wait in an airport to board their flight. Some still wear masks, but when a man in line drops something, the man behind him touches his shoulder to catch his attention, then leans down to pick the item up for him. The man seems grateful. Naivety? Or, maybe it’s a sign that the worst is behind them.
    Fictional CDC head Dr. Ellis Cheever(Laurence Fishburne)gives the son of a CDC custodian his own intranasal vaccine near the end of the film. The boy hesitantly shakes Cheever’s hand, expressing his gratitude.
    “You know where this comes from, shaking hands?” Cheever asked. “It was a way of showing a stranger that you weren’t carrying a weapon in the old days. You offered your empty right hand to show that you meant no harm.”
    If there are any concrete takeaways “Contagion” offers us, it’s a reminder to stop touching your face, and a beacon of hope that this too shall pass.
    We can only hope we will one day be able to reach out and touch again, thankful that our pandemic is over.
    Source: cnn.com

  • Coronavirus: One million cases, 53,000 deaths globally

    More than a million cases of coronavirus have been registered globally, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University – another grim milestone as the world grapples with the spreading pandemic.

    Nearly 53,000 people have died and more than 210,000 have recovered, according to the US university’s figures.

    The US has the most cases, and about 1,000 died there in the past day.

    The disease, Covid-19, first emerged in central China three months ago.

    Though the tally kept by Johns Hopkins records one million confirmed cases, the actual number is thought to be much higher.

    It took a month and a half for the first 100,000 cases to be registered. A million was reached after a doubling in cases over the past week.

    Nearly a quarter of cases have been registered in the United States, while Europe accounts for around half.

    What’s the latest?

    On Thursday, Spain said 950 people had died in the previous 24 hours – thought to be the highest number of deaths of any country in one day.

    The number of confirmed Spanish cases rose from 102,136 on Wednesday to 110,238 – an 8% rise that is similar to the rate recorded in previous days. Authorities believe the virus is now peaking and say they expect to see a drop in figures in the days ahead.

    “We continue with an increase of around 8%. This points, as we have already seen, to a stabilisation in the data that we’re registering,” María José Sierra, from the Spanish health ministry’s emergency co-ordination unit, said at a news conference.

    Spain, the second-worst hit nation in terms of deaths, has also lost nearly 900,000 jobs.

    The US on Thursday said it saw a record 6.6 million new unemployment benefit claims.

    How did we get here?
    In China at the end of December, a 34-year-old ophthalmologist named Dr Li Wenliang tried to send a message to other medics warning them about a new virus in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province.

    He was later visited by the police and accused of scaremongering. Dr Li died on 6 February after contracting the virus while treating patients in Wuhan.

    Source: The BBC

  • Spain’s coronavirus death toll tops 10,000

    Spain’s death toll from coronavirus surpassed the 10,000 threshold after a record 950 people died overnight, the country’s Health Ministry said on Thursday.

    The country’s total death toll caused by the coronavirus outbreak was 10,003 while the number of cases registered rose to 110,238 from 102,136 on Wednesday, according to the country’s health ministry.

    The massive jump in toll figures came as Spain’s Social Security Minister Jose Luis Escriva warned the country’s 2020 budget deficit would widen “significantly but temporarily” as a result of the measures taken to halt the spread of coronavirus.

    Speaking at the same conference, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said 2.3 million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits, costing the state around 1.22 billion euros ($1.33 billion) a month.

    Spain has recorded the world’s second-highest tally of deaths from Covid-19, after Italy.

    Source: France24

  • Philippines ambassador to Lebanon dies of coronavirus

    The country’s total death toll caused by the coronavirus outbreak was 10,003 while the number of cases registered rose to 110,238 from 102,136 on Wednesday, according to the country’s health ministry.

    Over 6,000 people were in intensive care, the data showed.

    Burials via video calls a grim reality for coronavirus-hit Spain

    The massive jump in toll figures came as Spain’s Social Security Minister Jose Luis Escriva warned the country’s 2020 budget deficit would widen “significantly but temporarily” as a result of the measures taken to halt the spread of coronavirus.

    Speaking at the same conference, Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said 2.3 million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits, costing the state around 1.22 billion euros ($1.33 billion) a month.

    Spain has recorded the world’s second-highest tally of deaths from Covid-19, after Italy.

    Source: France24

     

  • Man jailed for stealing face masks

    A man has been jailed for six months for stealing personal protective equipment, including face masks, from an ambulance, police in London said on Thursday.

    Mark Manley, 35, pleaded guilty to theft, public order offences and assaulting a security guard who challenged him about the incident near a south London hospital last Saturday evening.

    The Metropolitan Police said he took a bag containing items including masks, paper suits and hand gel from the ambulance but some of the items were unusable because of contamination.

    He was sentenced at a court hearing in Croydon, south London, on Monday, it added in a statement.

    Another six-month jail sentence was given in London on Wednesday to a 55-year-old man who coughed on a police officer and threatened to infect him with COVID-19.

    Both incidents were classed under a specific law governing assaults on emergency workers, which was introduced in November 2018 and carries a maximum jail term of 12 months.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Trump warns of ‘horrific’ weeks ahead as US virus death toll tops 5,000

    President Donald Trump gave another dire press conference warning of ‘horrific’ weeks to come as the US reported its highest one-day Coronavirus death toll of 884 people.

    “Difficult days are ahead for our nation,” US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

    “We’re going to have a couple of weeks, starting pretty much now, but especially a few days from now, that are going to be horrific.”

    Trump had initially played down the virus’ severity, but White House medical experts now forecast that even if Americans follow unprecedented stay-at-home orders, some 100,000 to 240,000 people could die from the respiratory disease.

    The World Health Organisation said the global case count will reach 1 million and the death toll 50,000 in the next few days. It currently stands at 43,412.

    US has its highest one-day death toll

    The coronavirus has killed 884 people over the past 24 hours in the US, a new one-day record for the country with by far the highest number of reported cases anywhere in the world, Johns Hopkins University said Wednesday evening.

    That took the total death toll in America to 5,116 people.

    The number of reported cases rose by 25,200 over the past 24 hours to 216,772, said the university’s coronavirus tracker.

    The grim record for deaths in one day is held by Italy with 969 on March 27.

    Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced what he called a tragic milestone as the virus claimed its youngest known US victim to date, a six-week-old baby.

    “It just is a reminder that nobody is safe from this virus,” Lamont said at a field house at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, where more than 200 hospital beds have been set up.

    New York Governor Cuomo turns the thumbscrews

    New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday clamped down harder on public gatherings in the face of the coronavirus, calling residents “selfish” for refusing to stay home as California’s governor warned his state may run out of intensive care beds and ventilators next month.

    New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told New York City police to more aggressively enforce rules for social distancing as deaths in the state shot up to nearly 2,000.

    “Young people must get this message, and they still have not gotten the message, you still see too many situations with too much density by young people,” said Cuomo in imposing new rules to close playgrounds, swing sets, basketball courts and similar spaces.

    The Democratic governor sounded vexed by reports of crowds gathering at a Manhattan pier to watch the arrival of the US Navy hospital ship, the Comfort.

    “How reckless and irresponsible and selfish for people not to do it on their own,” he said.

    Source: France24

  • EU chief ‘concerned’ about Hungary virus emergency law

    European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed concern Thursday over a Coronavirus emergency law in Hungary that has given nationalist premier Viktor Orban sweeping powers.

    While saying EU countries may need extraordinary measures to tackle the pandemic, she added: “I am concerned that certain measures go too far — and I’m particularly concerned with the situation in Hungary.”

    Hungary’s parliament, dominated by Orban’s ruling party, handed the prime minister the power from Tuesday to rule by decree until his government decides the virus crisis is over.

    The emergency law also threatens journalists with prison if they publish what it deems “falsehoods” about the virus or the government’s actions to slow it.

    The law has sparked alarm among rights groups, media organisations and several EU countries, with fears it was a power grab by Orban, who has ruled Hungary for the past decade.

    Thirteen EU nations, including heavyweights France and Germany, issued a joint statement on Wednesday that — without explicitly naming Hungary — said they were “deeply concerned about the risk of violations of the principles of rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights arising from the adoption of certain emergency measures”.

    Von der Leyen up to now had been similarly circumspect, avoiding singling Hungary out by name. On Tuesday, she emphasised that coronavirus emergency measures in EU countries must be limited, proportionate and cannot last indefinitely.

    EU threatens ‘action’

    As part of her response to questions on Thursday specifically on Hungary, von der Leyen said that where EU countries’ measures do no meet those criteria “we will take action as necessary as we have already done in the past”.

    Her Commission, she added, was “mapping the whole situation” and weighing them against those standards.

    Orban’s government argues that it is upholding EU values and press freedom with the emergency law.

    His spokesman for international relations tweeted on Wednesday that “the Hungarian state of emergency and extraordinary measures are congruent with the treaties and Hungarian constitution and targeted exclusively at fighting the coronavirus”.

    Orban, frequently in hot water with the Commission over his anti-EU stances, is worried about his Fidesz party remaining part of an EU-wide conservative political grouping, the European People’s Party (EPP).

    Orban contacted leading EPP figures — including, in a letter obtained by AFP, the head of Germany’s powerful CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer — appealing for support, party figures said.

    EPP head Donald Tusk, former president of the European Council representing EU leaders, has written his own letter to EPP member party chiefs calling Hungary’s emergency measures “disproportionate and inadequate”.

    Source: AFP

  • UK reports daily death toll of 563 in worst day of coronavirus crisis

    Britain reported 563 daily coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, the first time the national toll has exceeded 500, bringing the total fatalities to 2,352, according to official figures.

    “As of 5pm (1600 GMT) on 31 March, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 2,352 have sadly died,” the health ministry said on its official Twitter page.

    Some 29,474 people have now tested positive, an increase of 4,324 over the previous day, it added.

    Britain locked down last week in an attempt to combat the virus, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself has tested positive, warned that it would “get worse before it gets better”.

    The virus has also hit the royal family, with Prince Charles only coming out of isolation on Tuesday after displaying mild symptoms of the disease.

    On Wednesday he released a video message praising the “remarkable” state-run National Health Service. “None of us can say when this will end, but end it will,” he said.

    “Until it does, let us all try and live with hope and, with faith in ourselves and each other, look forward to better times to come

    Source: AFP

  • Adidas apologizes for deferring store rent, will pay up

    German sportswear maker Adidas (ADSGn.DE) apologizes on Wednesday for saying it would stop paying rent for stores around the world forced to close by coronavirus lockdowns after a storm of criticism, saying it would pay up for April after all.

    Adidas was blasted on social media for its decision last week to defer rental payments and German Labour Minister Hubertus Heil called the behavior irresponsible and noted that the company had made hefty profits in recent years.

    Many retailers around the world have been seeking to defer rent payments as they look to ride out the coronavirus shutdown, passing on the financial pressure to their landlords.

    “Almost all over the world there is no normal business anymore. The shops are closed. Even a healthy company like Adidas cannot stand this for long,” the company said in a letter due to appear in various media outlets on Thursday.

    Adidas said it would need credit even after staff cut their working hours, executives waived part of their pay and the company stopped share buybacks, but said it understood that many people saw the decision on rents as lacking solidarity.

    “We would therefore like to apologize to you formally. We have paid our landlords the rent for April,” it said.

    Adidas said on Tuesday it will suspend a 1 billion euro ($1.09 billion)share buyback it had planned for this year as a way to conserve cash after closing its retail outlets in Europe and North America.

    Source: reuters.com

  • China City bans the eating of Cats and Dogs after COVID-19 outbreak

    Shenzhen has become the first Chinese city to ban the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat.

    It comes after the coronavirus outbreak was linked to wildlife meat, prompting Chinese authorities to ban the trade and consumption of wild animals.

    Shenzhen went a step further, extending the ban to dogs and cats. The new law will come into force on 1 May.

    Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat, says Humane Society International (HSI).

    However, the practice of eating dog meat in China is not that common – the majority of Chinese people have never done so and say don’t want to.

    “Dogs and cats as pets have established a much closer relationship with humans than all other animals, and banning the consumption of dogs and cats and other pets is a common practice in developed countries and in Hong Kong and Taiwan,” the Shenzhen city government said, according to a Reuters report.

    “This ban also responds to the demand and spirit of human civilization.”

    • The race to find the source of coronavirus in wildlife

    Animal advocacy organisation HSI praised the move.

    “This really could be a watershed moment in efforts to end this brutal trade that kills an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats in China every year,” said Dr Peter Li, China policy specialist for HSI.

    However, at the same time as this ruling, China approved the use of bear bile to treat coronavirus patients.

    Bear bile – a digestive fluid drained from living captive bears – has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine.

    The active ingredient, ursodeoxycholic acid, is used to dissolve gallstones and treat liver disease. But there is no proof that it is effective against the coronavirus and the process is painful and distressing for the animals

    Brian Daly, a spokesman for the Animals Asia Foundation, told AFP: “We shouldn’t be relying on wildlife products like bear bile as the solution to combat a deadly virus that appears to have originated from wildlife.”

    A wildlife market

    In February, Chinese authorities banned the trade and consumption of wild animals.

    The move came after it emerged that a market in Wuhan selling wild animals and wildlife meat could have been the starting point for the outbreak of the new coronavirus, providing the means for the virus to travel from animals to humans.

    News of this led the Chinese government to crack down strongly on the trade and on the markets that sold such products.

    Covered market in Shenzhen

    There are now close to one million confirmed cases of the virus worldwide, and more than 47,000 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.

    In China alone, there are 81,589 confirmed cases and 3,318 deaths, said the National Health Commission.

    Scientists and researchers are still no closer to finding out what the source of the virus is and how it could have spread to humans.

    Source: www.bbc.com

  • Guam agrees to quarantine US Navy sailors

    The governor of Guam says the island will take in US sailors from the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt, after the ship’s captain warned that urgent action was needed to stop the virus from spreading to all 4,000 crew members.

    Hundreds of uninfected US Navy sailors will be hosted in unnamed local hotels for 14 days and are strictly prohibited from interacting with local residents.

    “We have an interest in protecting our community and stopping the spread of Covid-19 just as much as the military has an obligation to return the USS Roosevelt to the open ocean to protect Guam and the region,” Gov Lou Leon Guerrero said on Wednesday.

    It comes after the ship’s captain warned military officials: “We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die.”

    So far, the US territory has suffered the worst outbreak in the Pacific, according to Radio New Zealand.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Spain’s deaths pass 9,000 as infection rate slows

    Spain has recorded another 864 deaths related to coronavirus, the highest in one day, as the total number of deaths across Europe has gone beyond 30,000.

    More than 9,000 people have died in Spain, which is second only to Italy in fatalities caused by the virus.

    Confirmed cases in the country have passed 100,000, but numbers show the infection rate continues to fall.

    UN Secretary General António Guterres said the pandemic was the world’s biggest challenge since World War Two.

    The warning comes amid dire predictions about the possible economic impact of measures imposed to fight the virus. A UN report estimates that up to 25 million jobs could be lost around the world as the result of the outbreak.

    The number of confirmed cases globally is now over 870,000, with more than 43,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

    Follow our latest updates on the coronavirus crisis Wednesday’s number of deaths in Spain was marginally higher than the 849 announced the day before, and the country has now seen more than 800 deaths for five days in a row. But health officials believe the latest 12% increase in daily infections is further evidence that the rate has stabilised.

    Spain has been in lockdown for over two weeks, with further restrictions on movement introduced two days ago. But health services in the hardest-hit areas, including Madrid and Catalonia, are still struggling, with shortages of medical equipment a particular problem.

    Italy remains the worst-affected country, with a total of 105,792 confirmed cases and 13,155 deaths. Spain has 102,136 cases and 9,053 deaths. However, Italy has seen the daily rise in infection rates fall to less than 3%, well down on a few days ago.

    The number of deaths in the US has now topped 4,000, and Iran says Covid-19 – the disease caused by coronavirus – has claimed 3,000 lives. Belgium said more than half its intensive care beds were occupied as it reported a rise of 123 deaths, bringing the country’s death toll to 828.

    Meanwhile France reported 509 deaths from Coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 4,032. It is the fourth country to record more than 4,000 fatalities after Italy, Spain and the US. The total number of confirmed cases is now 56,989, up about 9% from Tuesday.

    The UK on Wednesday recorded 563 deaths in 24 hours – it is the first time its daily toll has been higher than France’s. However Britain’s overall death toll, 2,352, is still lower.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Alcohol sales surge in US, research suggests

    Sales of alcohol have reportedly spiked in the US, where almost three out of four people are now under some form of lockdown.

    Online sales of alcoholic drinks more than tripled last week (up 243% compared to the same time period the year before), according to market research firm Nielsen.

    Shops sales also rose by 55% the research suggested – with tequila and gin named as the most popular tipples.

    In the UK, some online wine merchants had been forced to suspend orders “due to unprecedented demand” after pubs and clubs were told to close.

    But British off-licences have been told they can stay open – after being added to the list of essential businesses.

    It came as some British supermarkets placed a limit on the amount of alcohol products shoppers can buy at one time after their supplies kept running dry.

    Meanwhile, in South Africa, the sale of alcohol has been banned.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Netanyahu asks Israelis to wear face-masks in public

    Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the country’s citizens to wear face masks in public in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.

    In a televised address to the nation, Mr Netanyahu told people they could make improvised masks if needed.

    Wearing face masks is compulsory in some countries, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia, while Austria has told people to wear them in supermarkets.

    But in many other parts of the world, including the UK and the US, it’s still perfectly acceptable to walk around bare-faced.

    However US health authorities are now debating whether to recommend face coverings for everyone when they go out in public. US media say a CDC internal memo says even simple cloth masks could help reduce transmission.

    Since the start of the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said people only need to wear face masks in two situations:

    1. if they are sick and showing symptoms 2. or if they are caring for people who are suspected to have coronavirus

    However, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the organisation continued “to gather all available evidence and to evaluate the potential use of masks more broadly to control Covid-19 transmission at the community level”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: US death toll exceeds 5,000

    The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US has gone above 5,000, while confirmed cases worldwide are close to reaching one million.

    There were 884 deaths in the US in 24 hours, a new record, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked virus figures globally.

    The latest victims include a six-week-old baby. More than 216,000 are now infected, the world’s highest figure.

    Reserves of protective equipment and medical supplies are almost exhausted.

    This has left the federal government and individual US states competing for safety gear, while the unprecedented demand has led to profiteering, officials in the Department for Homeland Security were quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

    The Trump administration says it can acquire adequate supplies, and has $16bn (£13bn) available to do so. State and local officials have complained about insufficient protective equipment such as masks and gowns as well as ventilators, needed to help keep patients breathing.

    Meanwhile, US Vice-President Mike Pence warned the US appeared to be on a similar trajectory as Italy where the death toll has exceeded 13,000 – the worst in the world.

    The number of confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day. The worst-hit place is New York City, where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more than 1,300 have died.

    Officials say as many as 240,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 – the disease caused by the virus – even with the mitigation measures in place. In Connecticut, a six-week-old baby has died from coronavirus, believed to be America’s youngest victim of the virus so far.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Lightning kills 20 people during Congos virus lockdown

    Some 20 people were killed by a lightning strike on high-voltage power lines in Congo Brazzaville, the authorities say.

    The incident happened on the first day of a lockdown in the capital, Brazzaville, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

    So far 22 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the country including two deaths.

    The mayor of Kintele district, Stella Mensah Saddou Nguesso, said people were electrocuted by the falling cables.

    Eyewitnesses said one line fell on a house, setting it on fire and killing those inside.

    The other cable struck a pool of water in a courtyard, electrocuting the neighbours.

    Heavy rain has been falling in Kintele for several hours.

    Some of the dead and injured were rushed to hospital by people in private vehicles as ambulances could not cope with the numbers.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Coronavirus: US death toll exceeds 5,000; more than 216,000 are now infected

    The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US has gone above 5,000, while confirmed cases worldwide are close to reaching one million.

    There were 884 deaths in the US in 24 hours, a new record, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked virus figures globally.

    The latest victims include a six-week-old baby. More than 216,000 are now infected, the world’s highest figure.

    Reserves of protective equipment and medical supplies are almost exhausted.

    This has left the federal government and individual US states competing for safety gear, while the unprecedented demand has led to profiteering, officials in the Department for Homeland Security were quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

    The Trump administration says it can acquire adequate supplies, and has $16bn (£13bn) available to do so. State and local officials have complained about insufficient protective equipment such as masks and gowns as well as ventilators, needed to help keep patients breathing.

    Coronavirus: Lack of medical supplies ‘a national shame’

    Meanwhile, US Vice-President Mike Pence warned the US appeared to be on a similar trajectory as Italy where the death toll has exceeded 13,000 – the worst in the world.

    The number of confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day. The worst-hit place is New York City, where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more than 1,300 have died.

    Officials say as many as 240,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 – the disease caused by the virus – even with the mitigation measures in place. In Connecticut, a six-week-old baby has died from coronavirus, believed to be America’s youngest victim of the virus so far.

    What is happening in New York?

    Queens, New York City’s second-most populous borough, has the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. The area is home to a large population of low-income workers employed by the service sector who live in close proximity, and social-distancing guidelines are hard to enforce.

    “While we are practising as a city, social distancing, you may have multiple families living in a very small apartment. And so it’s easy to understand why there’s a lot of transmission of Covid occurring,” said Dr Mitchell Katz, head of New York City Health + Hospitals.

    The city needed 2.1 million surgical masks, 100,000 surgical gowns and 400 ventilators, among other items, by Sunday, said Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has warned that April would be worse than March as the outbreak gathered pace. He said the goal was to triple the number of hospital beds, to 65,000.

    “This will be an epic process through the month of April. It’s herculean, but I believe it can be reached,” he said on Twitter.

    Sobering pictures from the city have shown bodies being loaded onto refrigerated mortuary lorries outside hospitals.

    US death rates v UK, Italy and South Korea

    What is happening elsewhere in the US?

    Other clusters are flaring up in places like Detroit. In New Orleans, Ellis Marsalis Jr, a jazz pianist, teacher and father of musicians Branford and Wynton Marsalis, became the latest high-profile figure to die from complications caused by Covid-19. He was 85.

    Marsalis spent most of his career in his native New Orleans, and released more than 15 albums. “Ellis Marsalis was a legend. He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

    Florida, Georgia and Mississippi have become the latest US states to issue lockdown orders. More than 75% of the country’s population are now under orders to stay at home.

    In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis softened his stance banning two cruise ships hit with coronavirus from docking in the state. He had been adamant that the ships should not land passengers at Fort Lauderdale, but now said the decision was up to the local authorities.

    A staunch ally of President Trump, the governor faced pressure from the president on Wednesday to relent. He said he had understood the passengers were all foreigners, mainly Canadians and British, and did not realise that US citizens were also aboard.

    What is happening elsewhere?

    • In the UK, the Wimbledon tennis tournament has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two
    • British government officials vowed to ramp up testing within weeks, as the number of deaths in the UK saw its big daily increase – 563
    • Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised the largest economic programme in the country’s history
    • The official death toll in Iran has passed 3,000 while in Spain more than 9,000 have died

    Source: BBC

  • Humans are terrible at being apart. Here’s why and what to do about it

    In Tokyo, crowds have been congregating in parks each day to see the cherry blossoms at peak bloom. Some 6,000 miles away in Washington DC, people were doing the exact same thing.

    Like so many people in so many countries, they are willfully ignoring government advice to stay at home and to keep well away from others, as the coronavirus spreads rapidly, killing thousands and already changing daily life as we know it.

    But is it really just the cherry blossoms, or the beaches in Australia and California, or parks in central London that have inspired throngs of people to leave their homes during a pandemic? It’s plausible. There’s little else to do as cities around the world have all but shut down.

    There is, however, something else highly appealing about going to these places, and it’s the very thing that threatens to worsen thse pandemic — other people.

    It seems that we humans just can’t stay away from one another.

    Even in Italy, the country with the most coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, 125,000 people have been fined for breaking rules on restriction of movement. Many of these violations were made by people trying to sneak away and meet with other people, Italian media reports.
    The desire to be physically near others is human nature. We humans — or our ancestor species, more precisely — have been social creatures since the Stone Age. Many studies have shown that hunter-gatherers formed “bands” as they found it more efficient to find enough food for survival through joint efforts. They also found strength in numbers, fending off threats, whether animal or human, more effectively as a group.
    Over a long evolutionary process, humans have developed highly sophisticated societies in which we cooperate to survive and better our lives, studies show.

    Today, having consensual physical contact with other people and enjoying the company of others in in the flesh releases all sorts of chemicals in the brain and body — endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin, for example — that essentially give us feelings of happiness and even love.

    This is why, when we go to a concert or a football match, it’s not just the athletes or the musicians that give us that sense of euphoria. Being with a lot of other people adds to the kick.

    “Not everybody likes these situations, some people hate crowds. But for those that do, being with a lot of other people creates a physiological pleasure, endorphins, etcetera, go off,” said Michael Muthukrishna, an assistant professor of Economic Psychology with the London School of Economics and Political Science.

    After events like this, people say they feel more bonded to one another and that they feel part of something whole, he told CNN.

    “It’s a wonderful feeling to be part of a bigger thing. Cheering on your own isn’t as good as cheering with a friend, and that’s not as good as cheering in a large crowd chanting war cries. It physiologically creates a sense of the individual dissolving into the whole.”

    In these sophisticated societies we have developed, we rely heavily on one another to get by.

    In hunter-gatherer days, one person or family may have been responsible for finding food, cooking it, building a home and making clothes. Now we rely on other people from all over the world, with their own sets of knowledge and skills, to carry out different functions essential to surviving, Muthukrishna explains.

    “Our society is such that we have a division of labor, and a more complex whole world than even the smartest among us could possibly understand. Each of us understands a small sliver of the world, and the rest is socially acquired,” he said.

    “It’s what we call the illusion of explanatory depths — we assume we understand how the world works, but really we have a very poor understanding of most things. We’re happy to trust in the people who do. For example, you believe in germs. You might have seen them under microscope, but really you believe in it because you trust people that know that germs exist, even though you don’t actually have access to that information.”

    We also really like touching

    The coronavirus and need to physically distance ourselves has put much of our lives online. We have work meetings by video conference, we Skype with friends and family we can’t meet, and we watch Netflix instead of going out for dinner.

    But anyone who has had a long-distance relationship or has friends and family in far-flung places knows that Skype just isn’t the same.

    Partly, it’s because we really like to touch each other.

    Giving someone a hug, handshake or a kiss releases those same chemicals in the brain and body that make us happy. This natural process develops right from the start of life — touch is the first sense a baby develops in the womb.

    Newborns are able see very little and their hearing is murky for some time after birth, so skin-to-skin contact is highly recommended between parents and babies to build bonds.

    There are all sorts of health benefits too. Skin-to-skin contact between mothers and babies regulates the baby’s heart rate and breathing, stimulates digestion, helps fend off infection, stimulates the release of hormones to support breastfeeding and reduces cortisol, a stress hormone that suppresses the immune system, numerous studies show.

    The health benefits of human touch carry on through childhood, adolescence and adulthood, according to Tiffany Field, founder and director of the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute. Touch helps strengthens the immune system in fighting infections and plays a role in reducing mental health problems, Field has found in her research.

    People in the United States, as in many other countries, are becoming less and less tactile with each other, she said.

    Field is concerned that human health is suffering as we increasingly isolate ourselves physically and become engrossed in communicating via technology.

    This “touch starvation” is evident in a growing industry of professional cuddlers, who offer safe spaces for people who need hugs and other forms of platonic touching.

    Field has carried out several studies that show that touch-deprived children and teenagers show higher levels of aggression. In one, she compared teenagers hanging out at a McDonald’s in Paris with some at a McDonald’s in Miami.

    “The kids in Paris, who were getting more touch and were touching each other more, were less physically and verbally aggressive toward each other,” she told CNN.

    Field is working on a new study observing people at airport gates, where she says there is a concerning lack of human contact.

    “We’re seeing that people are not touching each other. They’re on their cell phones, which is a real problem. People are now used to not touching each other — there’s very little handshaking and hugging, there’s very little touch going on,” she said.

    There are very few studies on humans for touch deprivation for ethical reasons, but the concept of human contact as a basic need developed in the 1950s and 1960s, when researcher Harry Harlow experimented with monkeys.

    In a landmark study, he removed baby monkeys from their mothers and created wire-framed “mother” dummies. He consistently found that the monkeys deprived of touch showed serious behavioral problems. When given the choice, even when very hungry, the monkeys would choose a “mother” dummy covered in soft fabric to cuddle with over the plain wire-framed dummy offering milk.

    Prisoners who have been kept in solitary confinement have often described a lack of physical human contact as torture. Chelsea Manning, for example, in 2016 wrote of what she called “no-touch torture” when kept in a cell alone for long periods of time.

    Stay connected

    It seems particularly perverse that human contact is so beneficial to health and fighting disease, yet during this pandemic, human contact is literally our biggest threat. But experts agree the benefits of social distancing far outweigh the risk of socializing.

    So what can be done about it? Field is hoping that staying at home will actually mean more touching. Give your loved ones a back rub, Field suggests, and if you’re living alone during this period, then touch yourself.

    “We know that moving the skin is critical for health reasons. Moving the skin puts the body into a more relaxed state. The vagal activity in the brain increases, and that slows the heart rate and lowers stress hormones, and that can even in the long run kill bacterial, viral and cancer cells,” she said.

    “And someone giving a back rub will get just as much out of it as the recipient.”

    If you’re living alone, do “self massage,” Field says.

    “Get a daily dose of it. You can reach most parts of your own body.”

    And on the social side, it’s important to stay connected in non-physical ways, says Bianca Suanet, a sociologist from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

    She said she was concerned about the impact of social distancing in the elderly, who may be more vulnerable to feelings of loneliness.

    “This period of social distancing is likely most difficult for older adults that lack a partner and a social support network that looks after them,” said Suanet.

    “People that have a solid social support network might also miss face to face social contact, but if people have someone that gives them a call once in a while and can bring them groceries and other necessities if necessary, that solves already some of the problems,” she said.

    “Helping others is one of the best ways to feel connected to other people.”

    Source: CNN

  • Jerome Boateng escapes unhurt from a car accident

    Jerome Boateng has been involved in a car accident in Germany.

    Fortunately, the Bayern Munich defender emerged unscathed after losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a protective barrier alongside the A9 motorway.

    Boateng was travelling to visit his son, with Germany not having introduced restrictions on movement due to the coronavirus.

    TVO estimate that 25,000 euros worth of damage was done.

    Source: Marca.com/en

  • Coronavirus: Amazon workers threaten strikes over virus protection

    Pressure is building on Amazon and other delivery firms to improve protections for workers worried about getting infected with coronavirus.

    Some US workers at Amazon and US food delivery firm Instacart are threatening strikes, and have accused the firms of not providing proper protections.

    US senators have also written to Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to express concerns.

    The companies have said they are taking extra precautions, amid booming demand for delivery services due to the virus.

    “We are going to great lengths to keep the buildings extremely clean and help employees practice important precautions such as social distancing and other measures”, an Amazon spokesman said in a statement.

    “Those who don’t want to work are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options and we support them in doing so”.

    Amazon said it had adjusted its practices, including increasing cleaning of its facilities and introducing staggered shift and break times.

    Mr Bezos earlier this month addressed the worries in an open letter to staff, thanking them for their work.

    The company, which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers in the US to help address the surge in orders, has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world, including $2 per hour in the US and £2 per hour in the UK, where staff have been told to work overtime.

    However, US lawmakers have questioned Amazon over reports of shortages of protective and cleaning supplies, as well as its sick leave policies.

    The firm earlier faced strikes by workers in France and Italy and has been hit by legal complaints over the issues in Spain, according to a global alliance of unions coordinated by UNI Global Union.

    ‘Neglecting basic wellbeing’

    Monday’s call for a strike against Instacart was organised by the Instacart Shoppers and Gig Workers collective, which had accused the company of profiting by putting people making its deliveries “directly in harm’s way”.

    The organisation said the firm should provide protective gear, offer hazard pay and extend the pay for those unable to work because of the virus, whether due to a required quarantine or pre-existing condition.

    “This is an extraordinary time in history, and as Shoppers, those of us who are able – and have the means to protect ourselves – do want to help those in our community by delivery groceries and supplies,” the organisers wrote.

    “But with Instacart neglecting the basic wellbeing of its 150,000+ drivers, we believe there is no choice but to not only walk off but to raise awareness to the company’s practices.”

    What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

    Despite the threat of a walkout, Instacart on Monday said it had seen “absolutely no impact” on operations, with more people picking and delivering groceries for its platform than ever before. It said it respected the right of shoppers to provide feedback.

    On Sunday, after the call about Monday’s strike, Instacart said it was working with a manufacturer to produce its own hand sanitiser and changing its tip policy. It had earlier said it would pay bonuses and provide 14 days of sick leave for its shoppers or part-time employees diagnosed with the virus or placed under isolation orders.

    “We are immensely grateful to the entire shopper community for continually stepping up as household heroes for families who are relying on Instacart now more than ever,” the firm said.

    “We are continuing to monitor this situation and working around the clock to make sure we’re providing you with the resources and support you need.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Iran hits out at US as virus death toll passes 3,000

    Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus has passed 3,000, the health ministry said on Wednesday, as President Hassan Rouhani accused Washington of missing a “historic opportunity” to lift sanctions.

    Tensions between the arch-foes have soared since President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear agreement in 2018 and reimposed sweeping sanctions.

    Tehran has repeatedly called on Washington to reverse its policy, which has been opposed by US allies, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

    Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said the coronavirus death toll in Iran now stood at 3,036 following 138 new fatalities in the past 24 hours.

    He added that 2,987 new cases had been confirmed, bringing the total to 47,593, with 15,473 of those hospitalised having recovered and been discharged.

    “This was the best, historic opportunity for the Americans to reverse their wrong path and for once, tell their nation they are not against the Iranian people,” Rouhani said in televised comments at a cabinet meeting.

    They “did not learn their lesson even during this difficult global situation,” he said.

    “This was a humanitarian issue. No one would have blamed them for retreating.”

    Medicines and medical equipment are technically exempt from the US sanctions but purchases are frequently blocked by the unwillingness of banks to process purchases for fear of incurring large penalties in the United States.

    Countries including Azerbaijan, Britain, China, France, Germany, Japan, Qatar, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have all sent shipments of medical aid to Iran.

    European nations have also delivered medical goods to Iran in the first transaction under the Instex financing mechanism set up to get round US sanctions, Germany said on Tuesday.

    It is more than a year since Britain, France and Germany announced the creation of Instex, a delay that has prompted Iran to question European governments’ commitment to seeing it through in defiance of the Trump administration.

    Source: AFP

  • Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia asks Muslims to delay Hajj bookings

    Saudi Arabia has asked Muslims planning to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage to delay booking amid uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic.

    Hajj Minister Mohammed Banten said the kingdom was concerned about the safety of pilgrims and urged people to “wait before concluding contracts”.

    Some two million people were expected to travel to Mecca and Medina this July and August for the annual gathering.

    Muslims who are physically able must undertake the Hajj once in a lifetime.

    The lesser pilgrimage, the Umra, has already been suspended as a precaution to try to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

    People are also being prevented from entering Mecca and Medina, as well as the capital Riyadh, as the Saudi authorities attempt to contain an outbreak of Covid-19 that has infected at least 1,563 people and claimed 10 lives in the country.

    “Saudi Arabia is fully ready to serve pilgrims and Umra seekers in all circumstances,” Mr Banten told state TV. “But under the current circumstances, as we are talking about the global pandemic, from which we have asked God to save us, the kingdom is keen to protect the health of Muslims and citizens.”

    “So we have asked our brother Muslims in all countries to wait before concluding contracts [with tour operators] until the situation is clear.”

    He added that the Hajj and health ministries had been inspecting hotels currently being used to accommodate people who had been undertaking Umra before the suspension and then been told to self-isolate or been unable to return home.

    The minister also said that, for the time being, people who had purchased Umra visas and that could not be used would be refunded the cost.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus cradle Wuhan partly reopens after lockdown

    The city in China where the coronavirus pandemic began, Wuhan, has partially re-opened after more than two months of isolation.

    Crowds of passengers were pictured arriving at Wuhan train station on Saturday.

    People are being allowed to enter but not leave, according to reports.

    Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, saw more than 50,000 coronavirus cases. At least 3,000 people in Hubei died from the disease.

    But numbers have fallen dramatically, according to China’s figures. On Saturday the province reported 54 new cases emerging the previous day – which it said were all imported.

    As it battles to control cases coming from abroad, China has announced a temporary ban on all foreign visitors, even if they have visas or residence permits. It is also limiting Chinese and foreign airlines to one flight per week, and flights must not be more than 75% full.

    In other global developments: Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread rapidly in other countries around the world.

    · More than 600,000 infections have been confirmed globally and almost 29,000 deaths, according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 136,000 patients have recovered

    · The death toll in Spain has exceeded 5,000, after it reported 832 more fatalities in the past 24 hours. Spain is the world’s worst hit country after Italy

    · The US now has the highest number of confirmed infections at 104,000

    · South Korea says that for the first time it now has more people who have recovered from the virus than are still infected. It reported 146 new cases on Saturday, taking the total to 9,478 – of whom 4,811 have been released from hospital

    · Russia and Ireland are among the latest countries to bring in new restrictions to try to slow the spread of the virus. In Russia, shopping centres, restaurants and cafes have been ordered to close. In Ireland, people will have to stay at home with limited exceptions for the next two weeks

    · In the UK, frontline National Health Service staff in England will begin being tested this weekend to see if they have coronavirus

    What signs are there of Wuhan reopening? The virus is thought to have originated in a seafood market in Wuhan that “conducted illegal transactions of wild animals”.

    The city’s 11 million residents have been shut off from the rest of the world since the middle of January, with roadblocks around the outskirts and drastic restrictions on daily life.

    But roads reopened to incoming traffic late on Friday, according to Reuters news agency.

    And state media said the subway was open from Saturday and trains would be able to arrive at the city’s 17 railway stations.

    Nineteen-year-old student Guo Liangkai, who arrived back in the city after three months, told Reuters: “First of all, it makes me very happy to see my family.

    “We wanted to hug but now is a special period so we can’t hug or make any actions like these.”

    All arrivals in Wuhan have to show a green code on a mobile app to prove that they are healthy.

    Officials say restrictions on people leaving the city will be lifted on 8 April, when domestic flights are also expected to restart.

    The virus emerged in China in December and more than 3,300 people there have died from the infection – but both Italy and Spain now have higher death tolls.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Russia’s top coronavirus doctor who met Putin tests positive

    The head of Moscow’s main coronavirus hospital who met with President Vladimir Putin a week ago has tested positive, he said Tuesday, as the Kremlin announced the Russian leader’s health was fine.

    Last Tuesday Denis Protsenko met with the Russian leader who inspected the Kommunarka hospital while wearing a bright yellow hazmat suit. But the 67-year-old Putin was also seen talking to Protsenko without any protective gear.

    Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov swiftly told Russian news agencies that Putin took regular tests and there was no reason to worry about his health.

    “Everything is fine,” Peskov said.

    Protsenko said he tested positive but “felt quite well”.

    Posting a picture of himself wearing a mask and green scrubs on Facebook, he said he self-isolated in his office and would continue to work.

    Protsenko has become a high-profile figure on the frontlines of Russia’s fight against COVID-19, posting daily on Facebook to inform Russians about his hospital’s work and patients.

    Over the past 24 hours Russian authorities have reported 500 new cases — the biggest daily increase so far — bringing the total tally to 2,337 cases and 17 fatalities.

    Most have been registered in Moscow, which has become the epicentre of the outbreak in Russia.

    Since the start of the pandemic, the Kremlin has started measuring temperatures of people attending events with the president, asking journalists feeling unwell to stay home.

    Observers say the Russian strongman appears to be exceptionally conscious of risks to his health.

    Source: France24

  • Turkish, US presidents agree on efforts to combat virus

    The presidents of Turkey and the U.S. agreed that the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak could only be won through global solidarity and cooperation, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the ongoing virus pandemic, as well as bilateral relations and regional developments, said the Turkish Directorate of Communications.

    The leaders agreed to take the necessary steps to share best practices and data on controlling the various effects of the pandemic.

    In a statement, White House’s Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said the two leaders “agreed to work closely together on the international campaign to defeat the virus and bolster the global economy.”

    Besides discussing regional and bilateral issues, the two leaders also agreed “it is more important now than ever for” conflict-hit countries, particularly Syria and Libya, to adhere to cease-fires amid the pandemic.

    In Turkey, more than 10,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 while 168 people died.

    In the U.S., over 3,000 people died of the virus, with 163,429 infected.

    After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the virus has spread to at least 179 countries and regions, according to the U.S-based Johns Hopkins University database.

    The data shows the confirmed number of cases worldwide has surpassed 809,600, with the death toll over 39,500 and more than 172,800 recoveries.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • Coronavirus death toll in France surges past 3,500

    The new coronavirus killed an additional 499 people in France on Tuesday as it continues to take a devastating toll on the country, said the health authorities.

    The death toll surged to 3,523 and a total of 52,128 cases of infection were recorded, according to the Health Ministry.

    The French National Assembly observed a moment of silence midday for all those who perished in the pandemic.

    In the morning hours, President Emmanuel Macron visited a factory producing medical masks to both show support and announce an additional €4 billion ($4.4 billion) to fund the production of masks, respirators, and supplies.

    The production of masks will reach 15 million per week by end of April, Macron promised.

    The factory Macron visited, PME Kolmi-Hopen, is the largest of four companies in France producing surgical and filtering face masks. They are operating round-the-clock to meet the demand.

    An Air France cargo plane also landed at Paris-Vatry Airport on Tuesday carrying 10 million masks purchased from China for nationwide use. Additional medical supplies were also on board.

    After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the virus has spread to at least 179 countries and regions, according to the U.S-based Johns Hopkins University database.

    More than 826,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide, with the death toll over 40,700 and over 174,000 recoveries.

    Despite the severity of the virus, most people experience mild symptoms and recover in due time.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • Coronavirus: 13-year-old boy dies – London hospital trust

    A 13-year-old boy who tested positive for coronavirus has died, a London hospital trust has said.

    Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, from Brixton in south London, died in King’s College Hospital early on Monday. He is thought to be the youngest person to have died with the virus in the UK.

    A spokesman for the trust said the boy’s death had been referred to the coroner, but gave no further details.

    As of 17:00 BST on Monday, the number of UK deaths was 1,789.

    The latest figures saw a daily increase of 381 – the biggest rise so far.

    Ismail’s family said they were “beyond devastated” by his death, in a statement released by a family friend.

    They said he had no apparent underlying health conditions and tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, a day after he was admitted to hospital.

    BBC health correspondent Nick Triggle said it was rare for teenagers to become seriously ill after being infected with coronavirus.

    “Just 0.3% of those who show symptoms require hospital care and 0.006% die – in other words, two out of every 30,000 infections among this age group will not survive,” he said.

    “But it does happen, as this distressing case shows.”

    Ismail’s family said he was admitted to the hospital in south London after he had begun showing symptoms and having difficulties breathing.

    “He was put on a ventilator and then put into an induced coma but sadly died yesterday [Monday] morning,” they said.

    “To our knowledge, he had no underlying health conditions. We are beyond devastated.”

    Mark Stephenson, college director at Madinah College, in south-west London, where Ismail’s sister works as a teacher, has set up a fundraiser to raise money for the funeral costs.

    A statement on the page said Ismail died “without any family members close by due to the highly infectious nature of Covid-19”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: UK considers virus-tracing app to ease lockdown

    A coronavirus app that alerts people if they have recently been in contact with someone testing positive for the virus “could play a critical role” in limiting lockdowns, scientists advising the government have said.

    The location-tracking tech would enable a week’s worth of manual detective work to be done in an instant, they say.

    But the academics say no-one should be forced to enrol – at least initially.

    UK health chiefs have confirmed they are exploring the idea.

    “NHSX is looking at whether app-based solutions might be helpful in tracking and managing coronavirus, and we have assembled expertise from inside and outside the organisation to do this as rapidly as possible,” said the tech-focused division’s chief Matthew Gould.

    Instant alerts

    The study by the team at the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute and Nuffield Department of Medicine was published in the journal Science.

    It proposes that an app would record people’s GPS location data as they move about their daily lives. This would be supplemented by users scanning QR (quick response) codes posted to public amenities in places where a GPS signal is inadequate, as well as Bluetooth signals.

    If a person starts feeling ill, it is suggested they use the app to request a home test. And if it comes back positive for Covid-19, then an instant signal would be sent to everyone they had been in close contact with over recent days.

    Those people would be advised to self-isolate for a fortnight, but would not be told who had triggered the warning.

    In addition, the test subject’s workplace and their transport providers could be told to carry out a decontamination clean-up.

    “The constrictions that we’re currently under place [many people] under severe strain,” said the paper’s co-lead Prof Christophe Fraser.

    “Therefore if you have the ability with a bit more information and the use of an app to relax a lockdown, that could provide very substantial and direct benefits.

    “Also I think a substantial number of lives can be saved.”

    To encourage take-up, it is suggested the app also acts as a hub for coronavirus-related health services and serves as a means to request food and medicine deliveries.

    The academics note that similar smartphone software has already been deployed in China. It was also voluntary there, but users were allowed to go into public spaces or on public transport only if they had installed it.

    One of the ethics specialists involved in the Oxford study said he did not think similar arrangements would be appropriate in the UK, but added that private enterprises might still impose restrictions.

    “My favourite restaurant might ask me to show that I was low-risk before allowing me into a crowded place, and I think that would be a perfectly reasonable price to pay for this step towards returning to normal life,” Prof Michael Parker told the BBC.

    He added that employers might also be justified in requiring staff to use the app if they worked “in an old people’s home, with vulnerable groups or [were based] in very crowded places”.

    And while he said that the general public should not be compelled to use the app to begin with, he did not rule this out if the majority failed to do so.

    “The key question is – does it require everyone to do it for it to be effective?” Prof Parker explained.

    “It’s not essential that everyone does… but perhaps a high proportion of the population needs to.

    “This is a really unusual situation where lives are at risk, so there is a case to be made to make at least some actions compulsory – but there would need to be a really clear case for that and careful oversight.”

    Extended range

    The paper adds that the app could be updated to tackle the pandemic more aggressively if required.

    For example, it says, the stay-at-home alerts could be expanded to second or even third-degree contacts.

    And while the paper advocates the app being used in conjunction with home tests, Prof Fraser said his team was currently exploring whether it would still be effective if it relied on people using a questionnaire or 111 helpline advisers to diagnose the condition.

    He acknowledged some people might be wary of using the service, but hoped they would do so to “save a lot of lives”.

    “We already have tracking apps on our phones for more trivial tasks – the reason we have live traffic information is because we allow the people that provide the mapping service to track us,” he said.

    “What we’re suggesting here is essentially sharing anonymised information [to] put to good use.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Pandemic pranks off the table on April Fools’ Day

    It may be the global day for pranks but with the world under assault from the deadly coronavirus pandemic many governments on Wednesday were warning against virus-themed April Fools’ jokes; some even threatening jail.

    The April 1 tradition sees families, web users and corporations embrace practical jokes.

    But few are in the mood as the global death toll mounts and billions remain under some form of lockdown.

    One K-pop star who joked on Instagram that he had tested positive for coronavirus faced a backlash at home and abroad.

    Jaejoong, a member of popular band JYJ, formerly TVXQ said he had been infected and hospitalised.

    Worried fans left countless messages wishing him a speedy recovery.

    But about an hour later he updated the post, revealing it was a prank and adding he wanted to “raise awareness”.

    “Although it may have been too much as an April Fools’ joke, a lot of people worried for me,” he wrote. “I’ll receive any punishment due to this post.”

    Many, including his own fans, lambasted the post, calling it inappropriate and not funny.

    “Please have some respect. People out there are suffering,” wrote one fan.

    Threats of jail

    The coronavirus outbreak has already been accompanied by a deluge of online misinformation, making it harder for governments to keep their citizens safe.

    Some are now threatening jail for virus pranks.

    Taiwan, which has been held up as a model for how to tackle an outbreak, warned people who spread false rumours that they may face up to three years in jail and a $100,000 fine.

    “On April Fools’ Day we can exercise our sense of humour if we have to but we can’t make jokes on the pandemic to avoid breaking the law,” President Tsai Ing-wen posted on Facebook alongside a photo of one of her cats.

    “I wish everybody not only a humorous but also healthy and safe April Fools’ Day.”

    Thailand was taking a similarly hard line, threatening up to five years in jail.

    “It’s against the law to fake having COVID-19 this April Fools’ Day,” the government said on Twitter.

    “There may be people who do not have good intentions… who may use April 1 or April Fools’ Day and assume they will not face legal action,” Krissana Pattanacharoen, deputy national police spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday.

    In India, where disinformation, especially on WhatsApp remains a pervasive problem, politicians made similar appeals.

    “The state govt won’t allow anyone to spread rumours/panic on #Corona,” tweeted Maharashtra state’s home minister Anil Deshmukh.

    “We urge citizens to verify information and only share messages from trusted sources and not fall for fake news,” Pranay Ashok, a spokesman for Mumbai Police, told AFP, adding that anyone found spreading fake news would be prosecuted.

    Many well-known brands with a prior track record of jumping on the annual bandwagon were steering clear of the tradition this year.

    Google, a company renowned for its elaborate annual stunts, told its employees it would “take the year off from that tradition out of respect for all those fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to an internal email obtained by Business Insider.

    James Herring, from London-based PR agency Taylor Herring, had the following warning.

    “Tip for any PR agencies planning an April Fools Day stunt,” he wrote last week on Twitter. “Just. Don’t.”

    Source: France24

  • Wimbledon set to be cancelled for first time since WWII

    Wimbledon looks certain to be scrapped for the first time since World War II by tournament chiefs on Wednesday as the coronavirus wreaks further havoc on the global sporting calendar.

    The cancellation of the only grasscourt Grand Slam tournament at the All England Club would leave the tennis season in disarray after the French Open was controversially moved and all events cancelled until June 7.

    Wimbledon, in leafy southwest London, is due to run for two weeks from June 29, with Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep set to defend their singles titles.

    A decision to scrap the tournament is widely expected, with the world struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 840,000 people worldwide and killed over 40,000.

    Lead-up tournaments in the short grasscourt season are also likely to be scrapped following talks on Tuesday, understood to have involved Wimbledon chiefs and the game’s governing bodies.

    Organisers had earlier ruled out playing the Grand Slam behind closed doors and postponing the event would also create its own problems.

    Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker on Tuesday pleaded for tournament chiefs to wait longer before making a decision.

    “I really hope Wimbledon will wait until the end of April for decision!” he tweeted. “The tourney is first week of July… patience is a virtue.”

    But former women’s world number one Amelie Mauresmo, the 2006 Wimbledon champion, said the 2020 season would probably need to be scrapped.

    “I think that we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season,” she tweeted.

    The cancellation of Wimbledon could mean multiple champions Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Venus Williams have played at the All England Club for the final time.

    Federer and Serena will be nearly 40 by the time of the 2021 championships and Venus will be 41.

    Serena, beaten in last year’s final by Halep, is stuck on 23 Grand Slam singles titles — agonisingly one away from equalling Margaret Court’s record.

    The conditions required to play on grass in England mean a postponement is impractical and a date later in the summer or early autumn would mean much shorter evenings.

    “Each week that passes, you get less and less light to play the tournament,” doubles specialist Jamie Murray told the BBC.

    American giant John Isner, who won the longest-ever tennis match over three days at Wimbledon in 2010, said the scrapping of the tournament would be a “tough pill to swallow”.

    “We may have to come to grips with the fact that we may not be playing Wimbledon this year,” he told ESPN on Tuesday.

    “Wimbledon sort of has to be played this (same) time of year,” Isner said.

    “With that surface, the event, it seems, has to be played this time and there’s a good chance it won’t be.”

    The French Tennis Federation provoked widespread anger with its unilateral decision to move the French Open from its original May 24 start date to begin on September 20.

    That puts the start only one week after the planned date of the US Open men’s final.

    Source: France24

  • Al Qadsiya agrees contract exetension with Ghana’s Rashid Sumaila

    Kuwaiti giants Al Qadsiya have agreed to extend Ghana defender Rashid Sumaila’s contract for another year.

    The defender has been in scintillating form for the Yellow Castles since arriving from a loan spell in Serbia with Red Star Belgrade.

    The management of the club together with coach Pablo Franco has been impressed with the swashbuckling defender’s form this season, rewarding him with a contract extension.

    The former Asante Kotoko defender joined Al Qadsiya in 2015 from South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns and has since been one of the best foreign players in Kuwait.

    Al Qadsiya is second on the league table the same on points with leaders Kuwait SC.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Midfielder Joseph Paintsil handed permission to travel to native Ghana amid coronavirus crisis

    Racing Genk midfielder Joseph Paintsil has been permitted to travel to Ghana but remains unclear if he will be allowed into the West African nation due to the shutdown of the country’s airspace over the Coronavirus pandemic.

    The 22-year-old has been told he can fly out to Africa next week after the Belgian side permitted their foreign players to return to their home countries.

    But it remains to be seen if the Ghana youth star will be allowed into the country following a shutdown of the country’s airspace.

    The Ghana government has shut down the airspace and closed borders as a measure to contain the deadly coronavirus which has affected over 100 citizens.

    Over 1,000 Ghanaians have been placed under mandatory quarantine since arriving in the country.

    It appears impossible that the midfielder will be allowed to travel to his native country due to the directive from President Nana Akufo-Addo.

    This means Paintsil may as well stay in Belgium as scientists battle to find a vaccine for the virus which has wreaked havoc globally.

    Several countries including Ghana are currently under lockdown amid a global crisis that threatens humanity.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Ghana football season facing cancellation for second year running

    The Ghana football season is facing a second cancellation for the second year running amid the coronavirus pandemic wrecking havoc across the world.

    The 2019/20 season is facing an imminent termination as the world struggle to find a vaccine to cure the deadly virus.

    The Ghana Premier League has been suspended indefinitely amid the global pandemic and with no end in sight, it appears this season could be well over.

    The Ghana FA will race against time to finish the calendar on time if the situation is not resolved latest by April.

    The Premier League and lower tier leagues have been put on ice as the shutdown begins to bite.

    If the league is cancelled, it will be the second time running that the season failed to complete.

    The 2018/2019 league season was terminated over a a documentary by controversial journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas which revealed alleged widespread corruption in the game.

    The Anas exposé brought football on its knees, leaving Congress- the highest decision-making body of the FA to officially confirm its cancellation.

    Ghana football has suffered in the past two seasons and appears another cancellation is on the horizon.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • GHALCA boss Kudjoe Fianoo disagrees with player salary cut

    President of the Ghana League Clubs Association, Kudjoe Fianoo does not agree with calls to slash players salaries due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

    The ex-Ashantigold C.E.O believes the salaries players take in the local league is meager to even think of slashing it.

    “In calling for slashing of players salaries in our diaspora, we are all aware of the amount payed players which some of them are even owed for months,” said Kudjoe Fianoo on Kumasi FM.

    “Will club executives even have the courage to say this to their players in this situation?,” he quizzed.

    “I have held talks with the GFA president to know the next line of action in this situation. The welfare of the players is very important and we will find a possible solution to it,” he added.

    Kudjoe Fianoo believes it’s too early to call for the cancellation of the 2019/20 season amidst the growing cases of the COVID-19.

    “It is too early to call for the termination of the league, our situation is different from other countries calling for the cancellation of their league season due to Covid-19,” he said.

    “Ours is very critical considering how the momentum had build in bringing the love back after the Anas exposè. This is not the time to talk about terminating it,we must consult all stakeholders which is ongoing.”

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Ghana FA to switch transfer window as FIFA considers extension over coronavirus

    Ghana FA is facing the prospect of changing the timing of its transfer window for domestic football as FIFA is harbouring the thought of extending some transfer periods because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The world governing body has proposed the idea that the upcoming European summer transfer window could be extended to the end of the year.

    According to a report from today’s paper edition of the Milano based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the idea could become a reality.

    This will also have an impact on the Ghanaian transfer window as it could also be moved by FIFA because of the suspension of league matches in the country.

    The report details how the World Leagues Forum has asked for more flexibility, with the European Club Association asking for a permanent transfer window.

    Each country would be able to choose their own rules, with FIFA continuing to play the role as the supervisor.

    The idea is still only an idea for the time being, the report continues and will need to be further discussed before any concrete theory is created.

    There would also have to be changes to other aspects of the transfer market, such as loan deals with buy options or obligations to buy attached.

    Inter have multiple players on loan, such as Mauro Icardi, who could benefit from the extended window.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Amazon workers threaten strikes over virus gear

    Pressure is building on Amazon and other delivery firms to improve protections for workers worried about getting infected with coronavirus.

    Some US workers at Amazon and US food delivery firm Instacart are threatening strikes, and have accused the firms of not providing proper protections.

    US senators have also written to Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to express concerns.

    The companies have said they are taking extra precautions, amid booming demand for delivery services due to the virus.

    “We are going to great lengths to keep the buildings extremely clean and help employees practice important precautions such as social distancing and other measures”, an Amazon spokesman said in a statement.

    “Those who don’t want to work are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options and we support them in doing so”.

    Amazon said it had adjusted its practices, including increasing cleaning of its facilities and introducing staggered shift and break times.

    Mr Bezos earlier this month addressed the worries in an open letter to staff, thanking them for their work.

    The company, which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers in the US to help address the surge in orders, has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world, including $2 per hour in the US and £2 per hour in the UK, where staff have been told to work overtime.

    However, US lawmakers have questioned Amazon over reports of shortages of protective and cleaning supplies, as well as its sick leave policies.

    The firm earlier faced strikes by workers in France and Italy and has been hit by legal complaints over the issues in Spain, according to a global alliance of unions coordinated by UNI Global Union.

    Source: bbc.com

  • US in good shape to meet virus ‘peak’ – Trump

    Donald Trump has said the US will be in “a very good shape” in terms of the number of ventilators available by the time the coronavirus outbreak peaks.

    The president said at least 10 US companies were now making the medical devices, and some might be exported.

    The virus can cause severe respiratory issues as it attacks the lungs. Ventilators help keep patients breathing.

    The US has more than 160,000 confirmed virus cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.

    New York City is the worst-hit place in America, with nearly 800 confirmed fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    The US last week became the country with the most reported cases, ahead of Italy and China.

    Speaking at Monday’s Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House, Mr Trump said: “We have now 10 companies at least making the ventilators, and we say go ahead because, honestly, other countries – they’ll never be able to do it.”

    Asked whether there would be enough ventilators for all patients in the US who needed them during a predicted peak in infections in two weeks’ time, Mr Trump responded: “I think we going to be in a very good shape.”

    He said more than a million Americans had been tested for the virus, “more than any other country by far. Not even close”.

    He accused a reporter who pointed out that South Korea had tested proportionally more people when measured by population size of negativity.

    And he added that he should be congratulated on his administration’s progress in fighting the virus.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Spanish princess becomes first royal to die from coronavirus

    Spain’s Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma has become the first royal in the world to die from coronavirus, according to a statement from her brother, Prince Sixto Enrique.

    The princess, a distant cousin of King Felipe VI, was 86 and died in Paris on Thursday, her brother said.

    Her funeral was held in Madrid on Friday.

    As of Sunday a total of 2,606 people in France had died from coronavirus, France’s director-general of health, Jérôme Salomon, said, marking an increase of 292 deaths in 24 hours.

    France recorded a total of 40,174 confirmed cases of the virus Sunday, according to the French public health website. That’s 2,599 more cases than on Saturday, marking a 6.9% increase — a smaller rise than the past several days.

    Spain has also recorded a smaller percentage increase in case numbers in recent days. The country has recorded more than 80,000 cases and 6,803 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

    The British royal family has also been affected by the global pandemic.

    Prince Charles, first in line to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus on March 25. Charles, 71, is currently self-isolating.

    Source: edition.cnn.com

  • US in good shape to meet coronavirus ‘peak’ – Trump

    Donald Trump has said the US will be in “a very good shape” in terms of the number of ventilators available by the time the coronavirus outbreak peaks.

    The president said at least 10 US companies were now making the medical devices, and some might be exported.

    The virus can cause severe respiratory issues as it attacks the lungs. Ventilators help keep patients breathing.

    The US has more than 160,000 confirmed virus cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.

    New York City is the worst-hit place in America, with nearly 800 confirmed fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

    The US last week became the country with the most reported cases, ahead of Italy and China.

    What did Trump say?

    Speaking at Monday’s Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House, Mr Trump said: “We have now 10 companies at least making the ventilators, and we say go ahead because, honestly, other countries – they’ll never be able to do it.”

    Asked whether there would be enough ventilators for all patients in the US who needed them during a predicted peak in infections in two weeks’ time, Mr Trump responded: “I think we going to be in a very good shape.”

    He said more than a million Americans had been tested for the virus, “more than any other country by far. Not even close”.

    He accused a reporter who pointed out that South Korea had tested proportionally more people when measured by population size of negativity.

    And he added that he should be congratulated on his administration’s progress in fighting the virus.

    Mr Trump also repeated his allegations that some US state governors were “hoarding” critical medical equipment, and that items including face masks were being stolen from hospitals. He gave no evidence for either claim.

    Mr Trump said “challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days”, but that social distancing could save more than a million American lives.

    “We will have a great victory,” he added.

    Asked by a CNN correspondent whether his previous comments downplaying the threat of the outbreak were wrong, the president responded that they were “all true”.

    “I don’t want panic in the country. I could cause panic much better than even you,” he told the reporter.

    Mr Trump has been accused of slowness in implementing measures to stem the spread of the virus as he feared the economic impact could hurt his re-election prospects later this year.

    “The economy is number two on my list, we’re going to save a lot of lives,” he insisted.

    What’s the situation in the US?

    Nationwide guidelines being implemented by many states say citizens must continue to avoid non-essential travel, going to work, and eating at restaurants or bars. Gatherings are limited to groups of under 10 people.

    But stricter restrictions apply to millions in some of the worst-hit states.

    On Saturday residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were advised not to travel elsewhere within the country for 14 days.

    Non-essential gatherings in New York City are banned and most businesses are closed as the city faces more than 33,000 cases. Police can issue fines of $250-500 (£200-£400).

    In California, a “shelter in place” order remains.

    What about the shortage of equipment?

    Earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump accused hospitals in some states of “hoarding” ventilators, face masks and other critical medical supplies.

    “We do have a problem with hoarding… including ventilators. Hospitals need to release them – in some cases they have too many, they have to release medical supplies and equipment,” he said.

    Hospitals “can’t hold [ventilators] if they think there might be a problem weeks down the road”, he said, alleging that some were “stocked up”.

    The availability of ventilators is a major concern among health professionals as demand has surged. A number of states have warned that they will soon not have enough to treat patients suffering from Covid-19.

    Source: bbc.com

  • French Open postponed until September

    The French Open has been postponed until September due to the coronavirus pandemic, the French Tennis Federation confirmed on Tuesday.

    The Paris clay-court tournament – one of tennis’ four Grand Slam events – was scheduled to take place from May 24 to June 7, but is now slated to run from September 20 to October 4, dates that could cause significant disruption to the sport’s calendar.

    Wimbledon organisers say they “continue to plan” for the grass-court Grand Slam to go ahead, despite it being scheduled to start just three weeks after the original French Open final date.

    “The whole world is affected by the public health crisis connected with COVID-19. In order to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in organising the tournament, the French Tennis Federation has made the decision to hold the 2020 edition of Roland-Garros from 20th September to 4th October 2020,” a statement from tournament organisers said.

    “Though nobody is able to predict what the situation will be on 18th May, the current confinement measures have made it impossible for us to continue with our preparations and, as a result, we are unable to hold the tournament on the dates originally planned.

    “In order to act responsibly and protect the health of its employees, service providers and suppliers during the organisation period, the FFT has chosen the only option that will allow them to maintain the 2020 edition of the tournament while joining the fight against COVID-19.

    Despite announcing the closure of the Wimbledon museum, shop, and community sports ground, the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club insist that plans remain in place for the tournament to begin on June 29.

    AELTC chief executive Richard Lewis said: “At the heart of our decision-making is our commitment to the health and safety of our members, staff, and the public, and we are grateful to the government and public health authorities for their advice and support.

    “While we continue to plan for The Championships at this time, it remains a continuously evolving situation and we will act responsibly, in the best interests of wider society.”

    Meanwhile, the French Open’s new date could create further problems, with it scheduled to start just a week after the completion of the usual final major of the year, the US Open, which would leave players an abnormally short amount of time to change surfaces and time zones.

    The proposed date also directly clashes with the Laver Cup, an annual men’s event, which Roger Federer was heavily involved in the creation of, that sees players from Europe take on a world team.

    It remains unclear whether tournament organisers sought the approval of the ATP and WTA (elite men’s and women’s tours) before announcing the change of date.

    Former British women’s No 1, Laura Robson, expressed her surprise at the move.

    Source: skysports.com

  • Global lockdown tightens as virus deaths mount

    Lockdowns aimed at halting the march of the coronavirus pandemic have extended worldwide as the US outbreak continued to accelerate with the death toll there passing 3,000.

    Despite slivers of hope in stricken Italy, tough measures that have confined two-fifths of the globe’s population to their homes are being broadened.

    Moscow and Lagos joined the roll call of cities around the world with empty streets, while Virginia and Maryland became the latest US states to announce stay-at-home orders, followed quickly by Washington DC.

    A US military medical ship steamed into New York, where it will relieve pressure on the city’s badly stretched health system. A field hospital set up in Central Park was due to go online later Tuesday.

    The scale and speed of the US pandemic continued to expand, with the death toll topping 3,000 out of 163,000 known infections — the highest case count for any single country.

    President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that authorities were ramping up distribution of desperately needed equipment like ventilators and personal protective gear.

    But he also offered a stark warning, saying “challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days” as he acknowledged a potential nationwide stay-at-home order.

    “We’re sort of putting it all on the line,” Trump said, likening the efforts against coronavirus to a “war.”

    The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world rose above 784,000, with 413,000 of those in Europe, which also has the lion’s share of the deaths, according to an AFP tally.

    World leaders — several of whom have been stricken or forced into isolation are still grappling for ways to deal with a crisis that is generating economic and social shockwaves unseen since World War II.

    Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed “closer cooperation” and addressed plunging oil prices in a Monday call, the Kremlin said.

    Putin’s government was getting to grips with its own outbreak, with the Russian strongman urging residents of Moscow to respect a lockdown that has closed all non-essential shops, and left Red Square deserted.

    Anna, a 36-year-old web designer, said the lockdown would be hard for her and her five-year-old daughter. “But I don’t want Arina to get sick,” she told AFP on her way to buy bread. “So of course we will observe the quarantine.”

    ‘Work continues’

    After weeks of a national lockdown in Italy, signs were emerging that drastic action could be slowing the spread of the disease.

    Even though the country’s death toll grew by 812 in 24 hours to 11,591, the number of infections climbed just 4.1 percent.

    “The data are better but our work continues,” said Giulio Gallera, the chief medical officer of Lombardy, Italy’s worst-hit region.

    Spain announced another 812 virus deaths in 24 hours, taking it past China, where the disease first emerged in December.

    Even with the US health system stretched, Trump said he was ordering some excess medical equipment be sent to Italy, France and Spain.

    ‘Nothing to eat’

    The lockdowns are causing hardship across the world but particularly in impoverished cities in Africa and Asia.

    Africa’s biggest city, Lagos, joined the global stay-at-home from Monday, with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari ordering a two-week lockdown for its 20 million people. The measures also apply to the capital Abuja.

    “Two weeks is too long. I don’t know how we will cope,” said student Abdul Rahim, 25, as he helped his sister sell food from a market stall.

    Impoverished Zimbabwe also began enforcing a three-week lockdown.

    “They need to be fed, but there is nothing to eat,” vegetable vendor Irene Ruwisi said in the township of Mbare, pointing at her four grandchildren. “How do they expect us to survive?”

    The shutdown has already put millions out of work and forced governments to rush through huge stimulus plans.

    Experts in Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, said the virus would shrink output there this year by up to 5.4 percent.

    The World Bank warned the economic fallout from the pandemic could cause Chinese growth to shudder to a halt, and thrust millions of East Asians into poverty.

    Source: France24

  • Fortuna Dusseldorf ace Nana Ampomah donates to Dzorwulu Special School

    Ghanaian winger Nana Ampomah has made donations to the Dzorwulu Special School in Accra amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

    Ampomsah, who plies his trade with German Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf gave out 5 bags of rice, 2 bags of salt, 2 bags of Sugar, 10 cartons of Bel Aquah drinking water, 5 boxes of Indomie Noodles, 2 cartons of Milo and 2 cartons of Milk.

    He also donated 3 boxes of exotic hand sanitizers, 3 boxes of liquid antiseptic and 10 packs of toilet rolls to help protect the school against the Covid-19.

    His manager Prince Yusif made the presentation on his behalf to the School in Accra on Sunday.

    He made this donation barely 48 hours after he had donated health products to the Narh-Bita Hospital in Tema in bid to help fight against the deadly disease.

    The 27-year-old has made 16 appearances for Fortuna Düsseldorf, scored two goals and provided one assist in all competitions so far this season.

     

  • Majeed Waris makes coronavirus donation

    Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris has made donations of hand sanitizers and liquid soaps to the people of Lamashegu in the Northern Region.

    The Strassbourg striker donated health products to the people of his native town through his MajeedWaris Foundation as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

    The sanitizers and liquid soaps will be distributed to households in the Lamashegu community.

    “Due to the safety precaution, Majeedwaris foundation have donated hundreds of hand sanitizers and liquid soap to the assemble man in Lamashegu to help educate and prevent the spread of the virus,” the striker posted on his twitter handle.

    The French League has however been suspended due to the Coronavirus.

    Ghana has seen increasing cases of the COVID-19 in the last few days prompting top stars like Waris, Asamoah Gyan and Samuel Owusu to join the fight to help curb the crisis.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Werder Bremen express interest in Ghanaian youngster Christopher Antwi Adjei

    German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen have reportedly expressed interest in signing Ghanaian winger Christopher Antwi Adjei in the summer.

    The 26-year-old has been one of the standout players for SC Paderborn this season and has being attracting interest from several clubs following his impressive performances.

    According to the 90min.de, Antwi Adjei could be the ideal replacement for Milot Rasshica.

    His contract with Paderborn is set to expire in 2021.

    He has made 25 league appearances for SC Paderborn this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists in the process.

    The league is currently on suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic as part of precautionary measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

    Source: Footballghana.com

  • Syria reports first coronavirus death as fears grow that virus could spread

    Syria’s health ministry said on Sunday that a woman who died after being rushed to hospital for emergency treatment was found to have been infected by Coronavirus in the country’s first officially reported death from the disease.

    Syria also said its confirmed cases rose to nine from an earlier five cases, but medics and witnesses say there are many more. Officials deny a cover-up but have imposed a lockdown and draconian measures including a nationwide night curfew to stem the pandemic.

    The moves to shut businesses, schools, universities, mosques and most government offices, as well as stop public transport, have spread fear among war-weary residents.

    Several cities saw panic buying, with residents saying they saw food shortages and a surge in demand that pushed up prices ahead of the start of the curfew.

    The United Nations says the country is at high risk of a major outbreak because of a fragile health system devastated by a nine-year war and lack of sufficient equipment to detect the virus, alongside large numbers of vulnerable people.

    The World Health Organisation has warned that the country has a limited capacity to deal with a rapid spread of the virus.

    On Sunday, the army announced an end to a call-up of army reserves. It has already ended conscription in what military defectors said was an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus among the rank and file.

    The government also banned movement of people between governates. Security forces manned checkpoints around provincial cities and only allowed army vehicles and essential services to pass, witnesses said.

    Opposition figures and independent politicians point to Damascus’ strong ties with Iran, the worst affected country in the region, as a source of possible contagion.

    They say the virus is also being transmitted by members of Iranian-backed militias who are fighting alongside the Syrian army, as well as Shi’ite pilgrims who visit shrines in Syria.

    Western intelligence sources say Iran’s proxy Shi’ite militias continue to cross the Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria, where they have a strong presence across the country.

    Senior Syrian army officers have in recent days taken leave of absence and been ordered not to mingle with the Iranian-backed militias, military defectors say.

    Syrian officials said Damascus airport has halted commercial flights, and the government has also ordered the closure of its main border crossings with neighbouring states.

    Thousands of Shi’ite pilgrims have been arriving in Syria to visit the Sayeda Zainab shrine in Damascus, a neighbourhood that also houses the main headquarters of the Iranian-backed militias.

    Iraqi health officials confirmed on Sunday that returning Shi’ite pilgrims from Syria have tested positive for the coronavirus, raising concern that such travel could be a source for a wider spread of the disease.

    Source: reuters.com