TIG Post

Tag: Coronavirus

  • Another coronavirus wedding Doctor gets married with only 5 people in attendance

    In this era of COVID-19, everything is changing and we all have to change with it.

    Large gatherings are banned therefore if you have to hold a function, you have to make do with as little a group as possible.

    Weddings in this era also have to follow the same formula we are seeing weddings without friends and family in attendance all over the world.

    We are now in the era of the coronavirus wedding, and a Ugandan doctor and her fiance also held one of their own.

    The couple got married with only five people in attendance in total the bride and groom, a groomsman, a matron and the priest.

    It was a simple affair and everyone went their way in peace.

    Some photos from the event below…

     

    Source: GhanaCelebrities.Com

  • Coronavirus: Carmakers answer pleas to make medical supplies

    Car firms are answering calls from governments to help make more ventilators and face masks to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.

    On Monday, Fiat began converting one of its car plants in China to start making about one million masks a month.

    The carmaker wants to start production in the coming weeks, wrote its chief executive Mike Manley in an email.

    Other major car firms are looking at ways they can shift manufacturing towards ventilators.

    General Motors, Ford and Tesla in the US have all pledged their support to offer resources to make more ventilators, along with Japanese carmaker Nissan and Formula 1 teams in the UK.

    Major car plants in the US, Europe and Asia have halted production to try to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. But they are still pledging to help make ventilators and other vital medical equipment.

    US President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday: “Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go-ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! Go for it auto execs, let’s see how good you are?”

    It came after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it had reduced barriers in the medical device approval process to help speed up the production of ventilators.

    “Medical device makers can more easily make changes to existing products, such as changes to suppliers or materials, to help address current manufacturing limitations or supply shortages,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.

    “Other manufacturers, such as auto makers, can more easily repurpose production lines to help increase supply.”

    However, some experts have warned that carmakers may not find it easy to switch production.

    Jens Hallek, head of a ventilator manufacturer Hamilton Medical, told Wired the materials and the components needed to build a ventilator “highly specific” and require “specialized know-how”.

    “These are extremely sensitive machines with not only a lot of hardware but also a lot of software. If one of the components does not work correctly, the whole machine shuts down and cannot be used anymore,” he said.

    Former US Defense Department officials told the Washington Post that it could take more than a year for carmakers or aerospace factories to start making ventilators.

    Meanwhile, Tesla boss Elon Musk said he had bought 1,255 ventilators from China and had them shipped to Los Angeles.

    ‘Fully focused’

    Last week, Formula 1 teams in the UK said they hoped to find “a tangible outcome in the next few days” to help increase the supply of medical equipment. Working with the government and health authorities, F1 said it had experts in design, technology and production capabilities who could help out.

    Nissan is part of a consortium, including sports car firm McLaren and aerospace company Meggitt, looking to develop a new medical ventilator. “We are fully focused on the project,” McLaren said in a statement, but warned of the “limited time and scale of the challenge”.

    Indian billionaire Anand Mahindra said his company, The Mahindra Group, would begin work immediately to explore how its factories could make ventilators. The conglomerate is the world’s largest tractor maker and India’s biggest electric vehicle manufacturer, according its website.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Italian consortium to produce half of country’s mask requirement

    A consortium of Italian textile and fashion companies will soon be able to produce half of the amount of masks the country needs to face the coronavirus outbreak, the national commissioner for the emergency said on Tuesday.

    “In 96 hours a consortium of Italian producers will convert and start the production of masks, and will give our system the ammunition that we need in order to fight this war and avoid our total dependence on imports,” Domenico Arcuri told reporters.

    He said Italy had a monthly requirement of 90 million masks and that the goal was to become self-sufficient in mask production in 8 weeks.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Dua Lipa moves album release forward after it leaks online

    Dua Lipa has announced she is bringing the release date of her new album forward after it leaked online.

    Future Nostalgia will come out a week early, on Friday 27 March, said the star in a tearful Instagram live.

    But the Brit award-winner said she had mixed feelings about releasing new music during the coronavirus outbreak.

    “I’ve been a little bit conflicted about whether it’s the right thing to do during this time because lots of people are suffering,” she said.

    “I’m not sure if I’m even doing the right thing,” she continued, “but I think the thing we need the most at the moment is music, and we need joy and we need to be trying to see the light.

    “I hope it makes you smile and I hope it makes you dance and I hope I make you proud.”

    The star also announced the postponement of her world tour amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    “I tried to hold out for as long as possible but I can see that, at the moment, things aren’t changing and for the safety of everyone around us, we really need to be careful and cautious,” said the star.

    She added that new dates for the UK and European legs of the tour would be published on Tuesday, and all tickets would be honoured for the new dates.

    Speaking from her home in London, the star frequently wiped away tears and apologised for getting emotional.

    “I’ve been welling up a little bit, just a lot over the past couple of weeks, just with the uncertainty and everything,” she explained.

    Future Nostalgia is the follow-up to Lipa’s self-titled debut album, which earned her two Brit Awards and the Grammy for best new artist.

    One of 2020’s most highly-anticipated pop albums, it leaked in full over the weekend. It is not known whether this prompted the decision to move the release date forward, although it seems likely, given the potential impact of a pirated version on streams and sales.

    Lipa also announced that the album’s third single Break My Heart – which samples INXS’s Need You Tonight – would premiere on Wednesday with a new video.

    Government criticised After announcing the news, she spent half an hour answering questions from fans on everything from her Netflix recommendations (she went for the crime drama Ozark) to whether she has any pets (yes, two baby goats called Funky and Bam Bam).

    But she also implored fans to stay indoors and help slow the spread of coronavirus, noting that her co-writer Andrew Watt had diagnosed positive for the disease.

    She urged people to “go on his social media and read a little bit about how scary this is,” so they won’t be complacent about falling ill.

    “You might think you’re young and you won’t be so affected by the virus [but] I know a lot of young people that do have it and have struggled with it,” said the 24-year-old.

    “I don’t think we should be so small-minded. It really does affect you and we really just need to look after each other.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Spain transforms ice rink into makeshift mortuary to cope with deaths

    Madrid’s ice rink has been hastily transformed into a makeshift mortuary as Spanish authorities scrambled on Tuesday to cope with soaring numbers of deaths and new infections from the coronavirus.

    The first hearse arrived on Tuesday at Madrid’s ice rink, which was transformed into a makeshift mortuary, as Spanish authorities scrambled to deal with a rising death toll from the coronavirus.

    Health workers accounted for nearly 14 percent of Spain’s total reported coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, up from 12 percent the previous day, according to data presented by health emergency chief Fernando Simon at a news conference.

    Some 5,400 health care workers have been diagnosed with the virus, Simon said.

    Europe’s second-worst hit country

    Spain is Europe’s second-worst hit country after Italy, with 2,696 deaths and nearly 40,000 confirmed cases. Overnight Monday, 6,600 cases of infection and more than 500 deaths were reported, the sharpest daily increase since the start of the crisis.

    Authorities said facilities could not cope and agreed to transform the Palacio de Hielo mall, home to an Olympic-sized ice rink, into a morgue.

    Footage from Reuters TV showed vehicles at the building cordoned off by police officers in masks.

    The military disinfected 179 nursing homes on Monday and plan to clean another 96 on Tuesday, officials said.

    The state prosecutor has opened an investigation after Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the army had found unattended bodies at nursing homes. She did not say what had caused their deaths.

    In the southern region of Andalusia, the mayor of a small town pleaded for help after reporting 38 of 42 residents at the local nursing home had tested positive for the virus, along with 60% of staff.

    “The virus doesn’t kill people … what’s killing people is the system,” Rafael Aguilera, mayor of Alcala del Valle told a news conference.

    “Our seniors need a permanent solution now. We need oxygen, ambulances and hospitals,” he said in a video posted on the town’s Facebook page. “A person died in our arms because we couldn’t get hold of oxygen.”

    Most Madrid, Barcelona airport terminals to be closed

    While Madrid long accounted for around half of Spain’s coronavirus cases, new data published on Tuesday showed it now had just under a third of the total, in a sign that the epidemic is spreading throughout the country.

    Spanish airport operator Aena said it would close most terminals at Madrid and Barcelona’s main airports as air traffic plummeted due to travel restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the virus.

    Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos said traffic through Aena’s airports had fallen by 82% since the state of emergency was enforced on March 14.

    Foreign Minister ?Arancha Gonzalez Laya told Cadena Ser Catalan radio station the government was working to return Spaniards who were travelling abroad at the time of the outbreak and have struggled to fly home.

    Around 1,200 people were brought back last weekend and the government is in touch with airlines for the return of Spaniards from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, Indonesia and the Philippines, she said.

    Source: France24

  • Instagram steps up effort to curb Coronavirus disinformation

    Instagram said Tuesday it was ramping up efforts to promote reliable content about the Coronavirus pandemic and stop the spread of misinformation on the image-centric social network.

    The move by the Facebook-owned service with more than one billion users worldwide comes amid a scramble by social networks to deliver verified information and stamp out hoaxes.

    “People who search for information related to the Coronavirus or COVID-19 on Instagram will start to see an educational message connecting them to resources from the World Health Organization and local health ministries,” Instagram said in a blog post.

    “We are working quickly to make this available globally over the coming weeks.”

    Instagram said it would also add “stickers” that signify verified Coronavirus information and would remove content about health claims “unless posted by a credible health organization.”

    The social network also said it would offer links to donations for nonprofit organizations and offer tips for social distancing.

    The initiative follows similar efforts by Facebook on its core social platform as well as on its Messenger and WhatsApp services and by other platforms such as YouTube and Twitter.

    More than two billion people use at least one of Facebook’s “family” of applications daily.

    Source: France24

  • Iran rejects ‘foreign’ help as virus death toll nears 2,000

    Iran ruled out “foreign” help on the ground to deal with the coronavirus pandemic after an offer from a France-based medical charity, as the country’s death toll from the contagion neared 2,000.

    “Due to Iran’s national mobilisation against the virus and the full use of the medical capacity of the armed forces, it is not necessary for now for hospital beds to be set up by foreign forces, and their presence is ruled out,” Alireza Vahabzadeh, adviser to Iran’s health minister, said on Tuesday.

    Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Sunday it planned to send a nine-member team and equipment to set up a 50-bed hospital, stirring opposition from ultra-conservative circles in the Islamic Republic who alleged MSF staff would serve as “spies”.

    Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour earlier said a record 1,762 new cases were confirmed in Iran over the past 24 hours with 24,811 people infected.

    He announced 122 new deaths from the virus, raising the official toll to 1,934 in one of the world’s worst-hit countries.

    MSF said on Tuesday it did not understand a decision by Iranian authorities to cancel a mission it had prearranged to set up a facility to fight coronavirus in Isfahan.

    “We are surprised to learn that the deployment of our treatment unity is cancelled,” Michel-Olivier Lacharite, who is in charge of Medecins Sans Frontieres crisis response team, said in a statement.

    He said the group had been given prior approval and were ready to set up the 50-bed unit at the end of the week. He said they were still ready to deploy on Iran or elsewhere on the region.

    Stay home

    Iran has the fifth-highest official death toll from the coronavirus after Italy, China, the US and Spain but, unlike those countries, it has yet to impose any lockdown on its citizens.

    On the contrary, the country is celebrating its two-week Persian New Year holiday when the country’s roads fill with people visiting family.

    Despite the authorities’ appeals for people to stay home and the closure of shopping and leisure centres, many people have taken to the roads as usual this year.

    Jahanpour, however, announced when government offices reopened on Tuesday, many civil servants will be working from home.

    “Only around a third of government staff are authorised to work in the office and only for administrative tasks vital to the public,” he said, adding all offices would practise “social distancing”.

    The country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged Iranians to follow state instructions “so that Almighty God will put an end to this calamity for the Iranian people, for all Muslim nations and for all mankind”.

    ‘Sanctions should be eased’

    On Tuesday, the UN rights chief called for any sanctions imposed on countries like Iran facing the new coronavirus pandemic to be “urgently re-evaluated” to avoid pushing strained medical systems into collapse.

    Iran has been under crippling US sanctions in connection with its nuclear programme.

    “At this crucial time, both for global public health reasons, and to support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended,” UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said.

    Even before the pandemic, she pointed out that human rights reports had repeatedly emphasised the impact of sectorial sanctions on access to essential medicines and medical equipment in Iran, including respirators and protective gear for healthcare workers.

    Bachelet’s office stressed more than 50 Iranian medics had died since the first COVID-19 case was detected in the country five weeks ago.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Coronavirus leaves English cricket facing uncertain season

    Despite the early spring chill, English cricketers would normally be turning their thoughts to outdoor practice. Instead, they face a prolonged period in limbo.

    The impact of the coronavirus means there will be no sound of leather on willow and no hardy supporters wrapped up in woollies braving the bitter early-season conditions.

    Last week the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that no professional cricket would be played before May 28 at the earliest.

    The traditional County Championship, comprising four-day first-class matches, has long had to co-exist with a range of other limited-overs, or white-ball, formats.

    And this season the plan was to throw the Hundred into the mix, with a cast of high-profile overseas stars including Australia Test captain Steve Smith.

    ECB chiefs were hoping the Hundred — a 100 balls-per-side tournament featuring eight new franchises, all with men’s and women’s teams — would attract a new audience.

    Former England captain Nasser Hussain has suggested the Championship, much less lucrative for the counties than the Twenty20 Blast, could be scrapped in an unprecedented peacetime move in response to the shortened season.

    “One thing the ECB will have to do is prioritise the financial decisions in all this — Test match cricket, white-ball cricket,” he told Sky Sports.

    “Maybe the purist will just have to suck it up this summer with the County Championship. These are the decisions the ECB will have to make with their stakeholders and their partners.”

    The first-class Championship is the proving ground for the five-day Test format but is often played in front of sparse crowds.

    Income from white-ball cricket, plus broadcast and commercial revenues from international matches helps keep the 18 first-class counties afloat.

    Short season

    The immediate focus is on options for cricket in June including the three-Test series against West Indies, the Twenty20 Blast and the England Women’s schedule against India.

    Pakistan are also due to play three Tests later in the English summer and Australia have been booked in for several limited-overs matches.

    The ECB is modelling a series of options to start the season in June, July or August as it scrabbles for a solution to a shortened summer.

    “Alongside our partners in the game, we continue to plan against a number of scenarios for the cricket season,” an ECB spokeswoman told AFP.

    “It is difficult for us to be sure of what outcomes the game might be expected to deal with.

    “These could include the possibility of playing matches behind closed doors, or potentially postponing or cancelling further elements of the season.”

    Durham chief executive Tim Bostock said if the season were reduced to just two months, it would be better to launch the Hundred next year.

    “It’s pretty clear international cricket comes first then after that it’s the (Twenty20) Blast and the Hundred. That’s where the revenue is,” Bostock told Talksport radio afte talks between the counties and the ECB.

    “Tom Harrison (ECB chief executive) has been really pragmatic. I certainly get the impression if we get a two-month season the pragmatic view would be what’s the point of launching this competition now? Let’s launch it properly next year. I think we’re all on the same page.”

    Reigning county champions Essex have suggested regional games between neighbouring teams as a way of keeping first-class cricket going if the usual two-division format has to be abandoned.

    “Spectators and members would love that and it would also give us some four-day cricket to support England’s Test series in a very tight schedule,” Essex chief executive Derek Bowden told Sky Sports.

    Source: AFP

  • Trump wants US reopened by Easter as virus cases mount

    President Donald Trump Tuesday said Tuesday he “would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go” in less than three weeks as the U.S. recorded 600 coronavirus deaths and state officials warn the worst is yet to come.

    “I would love to have it open by Easter,” Trump said during a Fox News town hall meeting, The holiday is celebrated April 12 this year — 19 days from Tuesday. “I think it’s possible. Why isn’t it? We’ve never closed the country before and we’ve had some pretty bad flus and we’ve had some pretty bad viruses, and I think it’s absolutely possible.”

    The U.S. economy has nosedived as the coronavirus pandemic has spread within its borders, with all three stock indices recording major losses following all-time highs earlier this year. The losses have been fueled, in large part, by efforts to limit travel and individual interactions with businesses to rein in the virus known as COVID-19.

    “We have to get our country back to work,” Trump said as he braces for re-election in November’s nationwide polls.

    “This cure is worse than the problem,” he added, referring to measures being implemented in states that include business closures and orders for residents to remain at home.

    Trump’s assessment came just hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned virus cases in his state are “spiking” with the worst to come.

    “The apex is higher than we thought, and the apex is sooner than we thought. That is a bad combination of facts,” Cuomo said during a televised news conference, warning the height of new infections could be reached in two to three weeks.

    The number of hospital beds that will be required at the height of infections in New York state has been raised from 110,000 to 140,000 as the rate of new infections doubles roughly every three days, Cuomo said, warning that the virus is spreading like a “bullet train.”

    “That is a dramatic increase in the rate of infection,” he warned. “We’re not slowing it and it is accelerating on its own.”

    New York currently has nearly, 25,700 confirmed coronavirus, according to official state data.

    That is about 10 times as much as California and Washington states, Cuomo said, imploring federal authorities to prioritize resources, including vital medical equipment like ventilators, for his state.

    There are over 49,700 confirmed coronavirus cases, and 600 deaths in the U.S., according to a list being compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • Guardiola donates €1m to help fight coronavirus in Spain

    Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made a donation of €1m (£918,000) to help fight coronavirus in Spain.

    Spaniard Guardiola – a former manager of Barcelona, and is currently with his family at his home in the city – has made his donation to the Medical College of Barcelona and the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation.

    Spain is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe with more than 2,696 people dead and nearly 40,000 infected.

    It will go towards buying medical equipment and protective material for hospital staff in Catalonia.

    “Pep Guardiola has made a donation of one million euros to the Fundacio Angel Soler Daniel for the acquisition and supply of health equipment to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic,” the Foundation said in a statement.

    “The fundraising campaign led by the Official College of Doctors of Barcelona and managed through the Foundation, is aimed at obtaining cash donations from doctors who are members of the college and the general population to buy health equipment which is currently lacking in hospitals in Catalonia.

    “It will also help to finance the alternative 3D production of respirator masks and other protective items for health workers.”

    Source: skysports.com

  • Coronavirus: Ashley Young offers advice on avoiding disease

    Former Manchester United captain and Italy-based Ashley Young has offered his advice on staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The 34-year-old former England international now plays for Inter Milan in the heart of Europe’s worst-affected region.

    With Italy currently suffering in the grip of the pandemic, Young outlined a series of measures those of us in the United Kingdom should follow.

    He opened with: “Hi everyone, just wanted to share my thoughts given I’m currently living in Italy, the epicentre of the virus.”

    Football in Italy has been suspended until at least April 3 and the country is in lockdown.

    Young went on to detail how supermarkets pose the biggest threat to catching the virus, and explained the safest methods of buying and paying for food.

    He advised wearing masks or scarves and gloves and explained what to do if you need to get into a lift – “stand on opposite sides and face the wall – don’t breathe outwards towards that stranger”.

    The former Watford and Aston Villa player said: “This may sound harsh but treat everybody that’s not in your household as if they have the virus, you just don’t know!!!”

    Source: skysports.com

  • Coronavirus: First person injected with trial vaccine – WHO

    The World Health Organization says that at least 20 coronavirus vaccines are currently in development in the global race for a cure.

    The first human trial, by the Boston-based biotech firm Moderna, is already underway.

    “Going from not even knowing that this virus was out there, which we then identified it as being a cause of infection in China in January, to have any vaccine that we can actually initiate a clinical trial in about two months is unprecedented,” said Dr Lisa Jackson, the Kaiser Permanente investigator leading the first human trial.

    This extraordinary speed is thanks in large part to early Chinese efforts to sequence the genetic material of the virus that caused COVID-19.

    China shared that information in early January, allowing researchers around the world to replicate the virus and study how it invades human cells and infects people.

    Jennifer Haller was the first person to be injected with the trial vaccine. “Everybody is feeling so helpless right now,” Haller said. “And I realised that there was something that I could do to help, and I’m excited to be here.”

    Experts say it could still take about 18 months for any potential vaccine to become available to the general public.

    Last week, China also approved the start of clinical trials on a vaccine.

    Source: Aljazeera.com

  • Coronavirus: I have not stepped out of my door in Italy – Agyemang Badu

    Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has shed light on the challenges of life in Italy in the wake of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

    The world has almost been brought to a standstill by the disease, also known as Covid-19, which has infected over 334,981 people and killed 14,652.

    Italy, where the 29-year-old plays club football for Hellas Verona on loan from Udinese, has been the most affected nations in terms of fatalities, having recorded 5476 deaths so far.

    “As I speak I have not step foot out of my door since March 6, it is very worrying out here,” he told Ghana Television on Monday night from Italy.

    “Just last week my foodstuffs got finished and I had to call my physiotherapist to bring me some.

    “Everywhere is closed, the only place you can go is work, hospital and maybe the supermarket.”

    Like many social activities and like in many other countries, the Italian national league has been halted as part of the measures to enhance social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

    The lockdown is still being observed. In Ghana, two deaths have been recorded so far from 27 infections.

    All social gatherings including sporting and religious events have been banned temporarily, amid reports of an imminent lockdown.

    Source: Goal.com

  • Rashid Sumaila stuck in Kuwait over coronavirus pandemic

    Qadsia SC defender Rashid Sumaila has been left stranded in Romania amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world.

    The 27-year-old has been unable to travel to his native Ghana following a nationwide curfew in the Asian country.

    The Ghana international is among a number of foreign nationals who are stuck in the country following the new directive.

    Jordanian Uday Al-Saifi, Palestinian Uday al-Dabbagh, Nigerian James and with Brazilian Lucas Gaoqio are presently locked up in the country, unable to travel to their respective countries.

    Football activities have grind to a halt amid the pandemic which has claimed several lives in the world.

    Kuwait has recorded 176 cases of coronavirus.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Coronavirus: US lawyer sues China for $20 trillion, says virus was cooked as a biological weapon

    A conservative lawyer has filed a class-action lawsuit against China for the coronavirus pandemic, pushing an unsubstantiated claim that the Chinese government developed the virus as an illegal biological weapon to unleash on the world.

    Mr Larry Klayman and his group Freedom Watch filed the complaint in federal court in Texas seeking at least $20 trillion from the Chinese government because of its “callous and reckless indifference and malicious acts.”

    Researchers and public health experts have repeatedly shot down the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus was man-made, with studies showing it originated as an animal virus that eventually jumped to humans. Nonetheless, the claim has gained traction on the right, with conservative media figures seizing upon it to advocate for a more aggressive U.S. posture toward China.

    The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Klayman, Freedom Watch and Buzz Photos, a Texas company that specializes in high school sports photography. Klayman said the school closures and sports cancellations have led Buzz Photos to close and brought it to the brink of bankruptcy. According to the lawsuit, the company lost roughly $50,000 last weekend alone and has been forced to lay off workers.

    “There is no reason why the American taxpayer should, contrary to the establishment in Washington, D.C., have to pay for the tremendous harm caused by the Chinese government,” Klayman said in a statement. “The Chinese people are a good people, but their government is not and it must be made to pay dearly.”

    The lawsuit claims that this variation of the coronavirus was created by the Chinese government as a biological weapon and released by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, located in Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated.

    “Although it appears that the COVID-19 virus was released at an unplanned, unexpected time, it was prepared and stockpiled as a biological weapon to be used against China’s perceived enemies, including but not limited to the people of the United States,” the complaint states.

    A former federal prosecutor, Klayman founded conservative legal group Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch. He is representing George Zimmerman in a $100 million lawsuit against Trayvon Martin’s family, prosecutors and others, and conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi in a suit against longtime Trump ally Roger Stone.

    While the coronavirus outbreak originated in China, it has since spread to more than 150 countries. In the U.S., the number of reported cases has topped 9,400 and the death toll is 152.

    States and the federal government have taken steps designed to limit the number of new cases, including by closing schools, cancelling large gatherings and ordering restaurants, bars and theatres to shutter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also recommended gatherings be restricted to no more than 10 people.

    To combat the economic effects of the coronavirus, President Trump signed into law earlier this month an $8.3 billion package to assist with the government’s response. On Wednesday, he signed a coronavirus relief measure that provides free testing and paid leave for certain workers.

    Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are now working on a third package that could provide cash payments to Americans, small business loans and assistance to the airlines and other affected industries.

    The Trump administration has sought to link the coronavirus to China, arguing the Chinese government covered up the outbreak and silenced doctors who tried to sound the alarm. Mr. Trump has called it the “Chinese virus” and Republican lawmakers have referred to it as the “Wuhan virus.”

    “China tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers,” Mr. Trump told reporters yesterday when asked why he calls the coronavirus the “Chinese virus.” “That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.”

  • WHO sees potential of U.S. becoming new coronavirus epicenter

    The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was seeing a “very large acceleration” in coronavirus infections in the United States which had the potential of becoming the new epicenter.

    Asked whether the United States could become the new epicenter, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters: “We are now seeing a very large acceleration in cases in the U.S. So it does have that potential.”

    Source: reuters.com

  • Spain’s coronavirus death toll jumps 514 in 24 hours

    The coronavirus death toll in Spain has jumped by 514 in a single day, as the situation in the country quickly worsens.

    Official figures show that 2,696 people have now died in the country and close to 40,000 are infected.

    About 5,400 health care workers are among those confirmed cases.

    Spain is the worst affected country in Europe after Italy, which has recorded more than 6,000 deaths so far.

    While cases were mostly concentrated in Madrid, Catalonia and the Basque Country, infection numbers are growing in other regions.

    Castilia-La Mancha and Castilla y Leon, which border the capital, have seen a big jump in cases. Both regions have large elderly populations.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Ghanaian Times: Let not fear and panic determine the fight against coronavirus

    Many people are living in fear. Others are panicky because of the scare-provoking coronavirus that is spreading like wild fire across the world.

    To put it bluntly, we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, with cities and even entire countries shut down. Some countries have already been affected widely by coronavirus and recording unprecedented fatalities while others are preparing to combat what may come.

    In Ghana, the panic button was triggered at the weekend when the Ghana Health Service announced that the confirmed cases of the coronavirus have jumped from 16 to 19 or is it 21?

    Before then, there were speculations that the country was going into lockdown because of the rise in the number of confirmed cases and that triggered some panic buying in Accra.

    Some markets and shops suddenly saw many people buying stuff because of the expected announcement of a lockdown. Fortunately that speculation was dispelled before the President addressed the nation to announce further measures against the dreaded disease.

    But the fear and panic among the citizenry is clear for everyone to see, particularly as we all watch the headlines and wonder, “What is going to happen next?”

    As a matter of fact, the coronavirus, or COVID-19, is inciting panic mainly for a number of reasons. It is a new virus, meaning no one has immunity, and there is no vaccine. Its novelty means that scientists are not sure yet how it behaves. They have little history about it and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already labelled the virus as a pandemic.

    The global reach of the virus has led countries into taking measures that are unprecedented in recent history: schools are closing, borders; land, sea, air are being closed, sports teams are not playing games, entertainment and large gatherings have been postponed and banned in some instances.

    Although these preventive actions are for good reason, they can also partly explain why people are getting worried and unnerved.

    The daily reports of recorded deaths and the fact that the health workers and hospitals in the most affected countries are overwhelmed stoke fears, and make people more worried than we need be about contracting the virus.

    But health experts are assuring everyone that there is no need to panic or fear. And argue that there are important, very basic things that people could do to stay safe and even if they contract the virus, can recover.

    Those include self-isolating and monitoring your temperature if you get sick; washing your hands regularly with soap under running water; and staying away from large gatherings like churches or market places.

    These are some of the things that the health experts recommend that we do to reassert a sense of control over our fears, without overreacting and risking contributing to public panic and anxiety.

    Above all, health experts say it is crucial not to let panic take over our decision-making and rational thought processes. Otherwise, the price to pay could be much greater than the threat the virus poses.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Bank of Ghana asks banks to seek approval before payment of dividends

    The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has asked banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) to seek its approval in writing before the declaration and payment of dividends.

    The move is to prevent banks from using funds from the reduction in the Bank’s reserve requirements and the conservation buffer.

    The BoG, as part of efforts to combat the economic impact of the coronavirus, cut its benchmark interest rate by 150 points, announced a reduction in the Banks’ reserve requirements to eight percent from 10 percent and also lowered the conservation buffer to 1.5 percent from three percent, which effectively cut the capital-adequacy ratio to 11.5 percent from 13 percent.

    “Banks and specialized deposit-taking institutions are to refrain from declaring and paying dividends or making other distributions to shareholders for the 2019 financial year unless the Bank of Ghana is satisfied that the institution is not relying on the additional liquidity released by the policy measures,” the BoG said in a statement.

    It also asked the banks to comply and not to use liquidity gained from the eased capital rules to buy government securities and warned that failure could lead to sanctions.

    “The Bank of Ghana shall monitor banks and SDIs’ financial dealings on a weekly basis, to ensure full compliance with the above directives. Failure to comply with this Notice shall attract sanctions in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Bank and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act,” it added.

    Source: GNA

  • Thailand reports 106 new coronavirus cases and three deaths

    Thailand has recorded 106 new coronavirus cases and three more deaths, a health official said on Tuesday.

    The country now has 827 cases and 4 fatalities since the outbreak began.

    The three deaths were patients who had other health complications, including a 70-year-old man who had tuberculosis, a 45-year-old man who had diabetes and a 79-year-old man who had health problems, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a Public Health Ministry spokesman, said.

    Since the start of the outbreak, 57 patients have recovered and gone home, while 766 are still being treated in hospitals.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Italy sees second successive drop in virus deaths

    Italy reported a second successive drop in daily deaths and infections from a coronavirus that has nevertheless claimed more than 6,000 lives in a month.

    The Mediterranean country has now seen its daily fatalities come down from a world record 793 on Saturday to 651 on Sunday and 601 on Monday.

    The number of newly declared infections fell from 6,557 on Saturday to 4,789 on Monday.

    The top medical officer for Milan’s devastated Lombardy region appeared on television smiling for the first time in many weeks.

    “We cannot declare victory just yet,” Giulio Gallera said.

    “But there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

    Italy’s National Health Institute (ISS) chief Silvio Brusaferro was more guarded.
    “These are positive numbers but I do not have the courage to firmly state that there is a downward trend,” the medical expert told reporters.

    Germany announced on Monday that it had accepted the Italian government’s request to care for some of the sick, with six patients to be transferred to hospitals in Dresden and Leipzig, in the eastern state of Saxony.

    Italians will desperately hope that weeks of living under a lockdown in which even a jog in the park was eventually banned was the price worth paying for beating back the new disease.

    Saturday’s record toll was followed by a late-night address to the nation in which Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the additional closure of “non-essential” factories.

    His government also banned travel to help a country that turned into the new epicentre of the pandemic last week get through a critical stretch in which restrictions are supposed to finally show results.

    “Now more than ever, everyone’s commitment is needed,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza said after Monday’s figures came out.

    Italy’s toll now stands at 6,077 more than that of China and third-placed Spain combined.

    Nerves starting to fray

    Italy has sacrificed its economy and liberties by closing and banning almost everything to halt the spread of a virus the government views as an existential threat.

    The nation has rallied around its exhausted doctors and tried to deal with life under a state of emergency with humour and grace.

    Entire city blocks have organised balcony parties with nightly DJs. There have been singalongs and synchronised rounds of applause.

    But Italians’ nerves were clearly starting to fray and the pushback on social media against the ever-changing rules and tightening regulations was getting strong.

    Twitter posts went viral ridiculing mayors and regional chiefs who threatened to jail joggers and fine people for walking their dogs too far from their homes.

    The government’s new partial ban of seemingly random industries added to an air of confusion in the face of a disease Conte has called Italy’s biggest disaster since World War II.

    Auto part makers were allowed to stay open but steel mills were shut. News stands could still operate but book stores could not.

    Decision time

    The reality is that Conte’s team is running out of things to close or ban.
    Other nations are also watching the Italian numbers to see if Conte’s ban everything tactics work.

    Italy is on the frontline of a war against a disease being fought by means that currently restrict freedoms and devastate economies.

    Some are starting to openly ask if this price is too high — even as the global death toll soars.

    Officials pleaded with the nation of 60 million people accustomed to celebrating life outdoors deep into the night to sacrifice individual liberties for the common good for two weeks.

    Serie A side Napoli on Monday delayed the resumption of training, while international wine fair Vinitaly held annually in Verona was further postponed until next year.

    The initial restrictions placed on the northern epicentre of the pandemic around Milan expired on Sunday and the national measures are set to end on Wednesday.

    Conte indicated last week that he might need to extend the restrictions indefinitely.

    His decision is expected within days.

    “If everyone and I stress everyone respects our bans, we will emerge from this very difficult test first,” Conte said on Monday.

    Source: AFP

  • Turks fight coronavirus with secret weapon

    In Turkey, sprinkling hands with cologne has long been a ritual for a visit to the barber, a meal at a restaurant or even a trip on the bus.

    It is seen as a symbol of hospitality, as well as an aid to hygiene, in a country that sets great store by both.

    Now Turkish cologne — found in almost every household, either in the fridge or a closet — is seeing unprecedented demand as a weapon in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

    Many Turks believe cologne, which has a high alcohol content, is effective in keeping hands and faces clean and thus warding off the risk of COVID-19.

    Long queues could be seen outside cologne shops in Istanbul’s busy spice market, in the historic Eminonu district, in early March before Turkey announced its first confirmed case.

    Now shops and pharmacies have put up signs reading “cologne sold out”.

    People are commonly seen sprinkling cologne into their hands in the middle of the street, while taxi drivers offer doses to their clients.

    An association in the northwestern city of Izmit is delivering free cologne as well as bread to the elderly, local media reported.

    Selling out

    Eyup Sabri Tuncer, a leading traditional cologne maker, said it has received tens of thousands of orders in recent weeks.

    “In order for a healthy delivery to the customers… we have temporarily suspended further online orders,” company official Atilla Ariman told AFP.

    Bottles of cologne have flown off the shelves since Health Minister Fahrettin Koca urged Turks to use the liquid as an alternative hand sanitiser against the virus.

    One user, Ilyas Gocdu, said he is using cologne three times more than before. “I believe it is more effective against germs as it contains alcohol,” he said.

    Demand is so great that a black market has developed for both cologne and other hand sanitisers, with Istanbul police raiding a manufacturing plant last week to confiscate products made “unhealthily”.

    Announcing his government’s economic stimulus package last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said face masks as well as cologne would be handed out free to people aged 65 and over.

    Turkey has so far recorded 37 coronavirus-related deaths and 1,529 cases.

    ‘A good hand sanitiser’

    Is the belief that cologne is effective against coronavirus grounded in science?

    Professor Bulent Ertugrul, board member of the Turkish Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, said alcohol can destroy the outer membrane of the coronavirus.

    “As alcohol is a good solvent, it destroys this lipid envelope,” he told AFP.

    Ertugrul said the best protection against the new coronavirus is washing one’s hands after contact with the environment.

    But he added: “If soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitiser that is at least 60 percent alcohol can help.”

    Cologne fits the bill, he said.

    “As we know, cologne contains at least 70 percent alcohol,” he said.

    “That’s why it is a good hand sanitiser against COVID-19.”

    Source: AFP

     

  • US shuts down website over Coronavirus fraud

    The US Department of Justice announced on Sunday it had shut down a website claiming to sell a Coronavirus vaccine, in its first act of federal enforcement against fraud in connection with the pandemic.

    Lawsuits had been filed against the site coronavirusmedicalkit.com, which claimed to sell vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel Coronavirus, when in fact there is no such vaccine, the Justice Department said in a statement.

    A Texas federal judge on Saturday ordered the site to shut down, according to the statement. Its homepage, however, was still accessible as of Sunday evening.

    “Due to the recent outbreak for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the World Health Organization is giving away vaccine kits. Just pay $4.95 for shipping,” read a statement on the homepage.

    It was followed by a place to leave bank account information to pay shipping fees.

    The Justice Department did not specify how many people fell victim to the scam, but the investigation is ongoing to identify who is behind the fraud and how much money was stolen.

    The intervention by the federal judiciary system is part of ongoing efforts by US authorities to combat the spread of misinformation that has blossomed since the start of the pandemic.

    Attorney General Bill Barr last week urged federal prosecutors to make stopping misinformation a priority and called US civilians to report all such abuses to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

    He also warned citizens against a variety of scams including selling fake treatments online, imitating emails from the WHO or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intended to collect personal data, and asking for donations for imaginary organizations.

    Simultaneously, the US judicial system is on the warpath to combat price gouging of products such as hand sanitizer or hygienic masks.

    More than 33,000 people have been infected by the Coronavirus in the US, and 416 have died, according to a tracker managed by Johns Hopkins University.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Global stocks fall again despite coronavirus action

    European stock markets have taken further hits over fears of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

    London’s FTSE 100 index sank more than 4%, while main indexes in Frankfurt and Paris were down more than 3%. Earlier, Asian stock markets had fallen sharply.

    Crude oil prices have also dropped as economies around the world come to a virtual standstill.

    There are concerns that policymakers are struggling to ease the impact of an impending global recession.

    The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the world will take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

    Angel Gurría, OECD secretary general, told the BBC the economic shock was already bigger than the financial crisis and it was “wishful thinking” to believe that countries would bounce back quickly.

    Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: “We really are in the thick of a global crisis and markets are showing little sign of optimism as the new trading week gets underway.

    “Events are moving so fast that it is difficult for investors to truly understand what’s going on with businesses.”

    In Asia, the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell by nearly 5%, while China’s Shanghai Composite lost 2.4%.

    New Zealand’s main share index started the day down by more than 10%, but recovered some ground to close 7.6% lower.

    The ASX 200 in Sydney dropped more than 7% in early trading and closed down 5.6% at the end of the trading session

    In India, where a 14-hour curfew was announced, its Sensex index fell 10%, triggering a “circuit breaker” and a 45-minute trading halt. It continued its slide to fall 12%.

    “It would be a brave, or foolish, man to call the bottom in equities without a dramatic medical breakthrough,” said Alan Ruskin from Deutsche Bank.

    Brent crude oil futures fell by more than 5%, taking the price to below $26 a barrel, as the closure of businesses and mass travel bans around the world hit demand for energy.

    It comes as fears are growing over what authorities around the world can do to combat the effect of the sharp slowdown in global economic activity.

    In the US, senators have failed to pass a motion to advance stimulus legislation worth almost $2 trillion to help the world’s biggest economy deal with the impact of the pandemic, after congressional Democrats said it would be too generous to big business.

    At the same time countries around the world have announced new measures to slow the spread of the virus, including ordering people to stay at home and closing down bars and restaurants.

    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned “tougher measures” could be introduced if people do not take the government’s coronavirus advice seriously.

    Germany has expanded curbs on social interactions to try to contain the outbreak, banning public gatherings of more than two people

    Australia is shutting down non-essential services as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country.

    US stocks have already fallen by around a third since the middle of last month, while even areas of investment normally seen as safe havens, such as the bond market, are under stress as hard-hit funds are forced to sell good assets to cover losses elsewhere.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghana Tourism Authority closes down beaches

    The Ghana Tourism Authority has ordered all beaches to be closed to the public until further notice.

    The decision taken is on the back of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s suspension of public gatherings to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the country.

    In a press release sighted by GhanaWeb, it noted that “the GTA with the support of the National Security and the Ghana Police Service will begin the patrols of the beaches from Tuesday, March 24, 2020 to ensure compliance with the closure order.”

    The Authority further entreated the general public to cooperate with government to fight the virus by adhering to the order and the precautionary measures outlined by the President weeks ago.

    About coronavirus

    Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

    Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

    Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

     

    Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

    Read below the statement

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: New York warns of major medical shortages in 10 days

    The coronavirus outbreak in New York will get worse, with damage accelerated by shortages of key medical supplies, the city’s mayor has said.

    “We’re about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages,” Bill de Blasio said on Sunday. “If we don’t get more ventilators people will die.”

    New York state has become the epicenter of the outbreak in the US and accounts for almost half of the country’s cases.

    There are now 31,057 confirmed cases nationwide, with 390 deaths.

    On Sunday, the state’s Governor Andrew Cuomo said 15,168 people had tested positive for the virus., an increase of more than 4,000 from the previous day.

    “All Americans deserve the blunt truth,” Mr de Blasio told NBC News. “It’s only getting worse, and in fact April and May are going to be a lot worse.”

    New York now accounts for roughly 5% of Covid-19 cases worldwide.

    On Friday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the state which gave it access to billions of dollars of federal aid.

    However, Mr de Blasio has continued to criticise the administration for what he views as an inadequate response.

    “I cannot be blunt enough: if the president doesn’t act, people will die who could have lived otherwise,” he said. “This is going to be the greatest crisis, domestically, since the Great Depression,” he added, referring to the economic crisis of the 1930s.

    Speaking at a news conference at the White House on Sunday, Mr Trump said he had also approved a major disaster declaration for Washington state and would approve a similar measure for California.

    “This is a challenging time for all Americans. We’re enduring a great national trial,” he said.

    President Trump also said a number of medical supplies were being sent to locations nationwide, as well as emergency medical stations for New York, Washington and California, the worst-hit states.

    Doctors across New York have reported depleted medical supplies and a lack of protective gear for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the outbreak.

    Warnings of such shortages have reverberated across the country as other state governors have pleaded with the federal government to make more supplies available.

    In California, officials instructed hospitals to restrict coronavirus testing. Meanwhile, a hospital in Washington state – once the centre of the US outbreak – said it could run out of ventilators by April.

    And on Sunday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said states were “competing against each other” for virus supplies.

    “We need millions of masks and hundreds of thousands of gowns and gloves,” he said. “We’re getting just a fraction of that. So, we’re out on the open market competing for these items that we so badly need.”

    An almost $2 trillion (£1.7 trillion) emergency stimulus bill intended to blunt the punishing economic impact of the pandemic failed to pass the US Senate on Sunday.

    The bill got 47 votes, falling short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber.

    Democrats raised objections to the bill with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer saying it had “many, many problems”. Democrats accused Republicans of wanting to bail out big businesses.

    Talks between Democrats and the White House are continuing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: South Korea reports lowest number of new cases in four weeks

    South Korea has reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases since infection rates peaked four weeks ago, fuelling hope Asia’s worst outbreak outside China may be abating.

    The country recorded 64 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 8,961 with 111 deaths.

    But health officials warn against complacency, saying the country still faces a long war against the infection.

    Europe is currently at the center of the pandemic.

    Italy reported 651 new deaths on Sunday, bringing the total there to 5,476, while Spain added another 462 deaths in the past 24 hours for a total of 2,182.

    In New York, the city mayor warned of a worsening outbreak, with damage accelerated by shortages of key medical supplies.

    And the expectation that the battle against the virus will be a long one was reinforced by news from Japan that its prime minister has admitted for the first time that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games could be postponed.

    How different is South Korea’s approach?

    Nearly 20,000 people are tested every day for coronavirus in South Korea, more people per capita than anywhere else in the world.

    The country has created a network of public and private laboratories and provides dozens of drive-through centers where people with symptoms can check their health status.

    South Korea developed its approach after an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) in 2015, when 36 people died in the country, which had the second-largest number of Mers cases after Saudi Arabia.

    Mers forced the country to reassess its approach to infectious diseases and its Centres for Disease Control set up a special department to prepare for the worst, a move which appears to have paid off.

    Laws on managing and publicly sharing information on patients with infectious diseases changed significantly after Mers and could be seen in action this year when the government used phone alerts to tell people if they were in the vicinity of a patient.

    This weekend, the government stepped up preventative action by sending out emergency alerts urging people to stay away from places which encourage mass gatherings such as churches, karaoke rooms, nightclubs and gyms.

    It also asked religious leaders to check the temperature of followers and keep them at least two metres apart during any services they deemed necessary.

    A number of churches are now facing legal action after violating the guidelines.

    Why is South Korea fearing a new wave?

    The country has seen two waves of infections, Yonhap news agency reports, the first beginning on 20 January with the first confirmed case, and the second with mass infections among a religious group.

    Now there are fears that imported cases could fuel the third wave.

    The government plans to install around 20 phone booth-style test facilities inside Incheon Airport to speed up the process of testing all arrivals from Europe.

    The new entry procedures started on Sunday. So far 152 people have arrived in the country showing symptoms of the virus and they are awaiting their test results.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Germany bans groups of more than two to curb virus

    Germany has expanded curbs on social interactions to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak, banning public gatherings of more than two people.

    In a televised address, Chancellor Angela Merkel said “our own behaviour” was the “most effective way” of slowing the rate of infection.

    The measures included closing hair, beauty and massage studios. Other non-essential shops had already been shut.

    Shortly afterwards, Mrs Merkel’s office said she would quarantine herself.

    A doctor who vaccinated her on Friday against pneumococcus, a pneumonia-causing bacteria, had tested positive for coronavirus. The chancellor, 65, will be tested regularly in the next few days and work from home, her spokesman said.

    Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has so far confirmed 18,610 cases and 55 deaths from Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.

    People will not be allowed to form groups of three or more in public unless they live together in the same household, or the gathering is work-related. Police will monitor and punish anyone infringing the new rules.

    Restaurants will now only be allowed to open for takeaway service. All restrictions apply to every German state, and will be in place for at least the next two weeks.

    “The great aim is to gain time in the fight against the virus,” said Mrs Merkel, urging citizens to keep contact outside their own household to an absolute minimum and to ensure a distance of at least 1.5m (5ft) from another person when in public.

    Italy, the worst-hit European country, reported 651 new deaths on Sunday, bringing the total there to 5,476, according to the government. The figure is the second-worst daily total but less than that announced on the previous day.

    The number of confirmed cases in the country – where people have been largely confined to their homes for two weeks – has risen from 53,578 to 59,138, the lowest rise in percentage terms since the outbreak began.

    Earlier, President Sergio Mattarella said he hoped the rest of the world could learn from Italy’s troubles. He said citizens across the European Union needed to feel the bloc was taking concrete action to combat the virus.

    Meanwhile, Spain registered its worst figures so far after 394 people died in a single day, bringing the national total to 1,720. Officials said the number of new daily registered cases, like Italy, had also fallen from Saturday to Sunday.

    The government is seeking to extend the state of emergency until 11 April, a step that needs to be approved by parliament. The measure introduced on 14 March bars people from all but essential outings.

    “We’re at war,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, a day after warning that “the worst is yet to come”. Also on Sunday, the government announced it would restrict entry at air and sea ports for most foreigners for the next 30 days.

    Source: bbc.com

  • The city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio warned that “people will die who could have lived otherwise”

    At least 23 people have died in one of Bogotá’s largest jails after what the authorities are calling a mass breakout attempt amid rising tensions over coronavirus.

    Colombia’s Justice Minister Margarita Cabello said 83 inmates were injured during a riot at La Modelo prison.

    Inmates at prisons across the country held protests on Sunday against overcrowding and poor health services during the coronavirus outbreak.

    The justice ministry is investigating.

    Ms Cabello said 32 prisoners and seven guards were in hospital. Two guards are in a critical condition.

    She said the violence was a coordinated plan with disturbances reported across 13 of the country’s prisons.

    Denying claims of unsanitary conditions amid fears of a coronavirus breakout, she said: “There is not any sanitary problem that would have caused this plan and these riots.

    “There is not one infection nor any prisoner or custodial or administrative staffer who has coronavirus.”

    She said prisoners had run amok and some would be charged with attempted murder, and damage to property.

    A large number of relatives gathered outside the gates of La Modelo prison to await news of their loved ones. They said they had heard of shots being fired after the security forces arrived.

    Videos posted to social media showed inmates setting fire to mattresses.

    The country’s 132 prisons have an 81,000-inmate capacity but house more than 121,000 prisoners, according to figures from the justice ministry.

    So far, there have been 231 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Colombia and two people have died.

    The country is set to begin a nationwide quarantine from Tuesday which is expected to last 19 days. It will restrict residents’ movements with the exception of medical staff, security forces and pharmacy and supermarket staff.

    People over the age of 70 have been told to stay indoors until the end of May.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: New York warns of major medical shortages in 10 days

    The coronavirus outbreak in New York will get worse, with damage accelerated by shortages of key medical supplies, the city’s mayor has said.

    “We’re about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages,” Bill de Blasio said on Sunday. “If we don’t get more ventilators people will die.”

    New York state has become the epicentre of the outbreak in the US and accounts for almost half of the country’s cases.

    There are now 31,057 confirmed cases nationwide, with 390 deaths.

    On Sunday, the state’s Governor Andrew Cuomo said 15,168 people had tested positive for the virus., an increase of more than 4,000 from the previous day.

    “All Americans deserve the blunt truth,” Mr de Blasio told NBC News. “It’s only getting worse, and in fact April and May are going to be a lot worse.”

    New York now accounts for roughly 5% of Covid-19 cases worldwide.

    On Friday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the state which gave it access to billions of dollars of federal aid.

    However, Mr de Blasio has continued to criticise the administration for what he views as an inadequate response.

    “I cannot be blunt enough: if the president doesn’t act, people will die who could have lived otherwise,” he said. “This is going to be the greatest crisis, domestically, since the Great Depression,” he added, referring to the economic crisis of the 1930s.

    Speaking at a news conference at the White House on Sunday, Mr Trump said he had also approved a major disaster declaration for Washington state and would approve a similar measure for California.

    “This is a challenging time for all Americans. We’re enduring a great national trial,” he said.

    President Trump also said a number of medical supplies were being sent to locations nationwide, as well as emergency medical stations for New York, Washington and California, the worst-hit states.

    Doctors across New York have reported depleted medical supplies and a lack of protective gear for healthcare workers on the frontlines of the outbreak.

    Warnings of such shortages have reverberated across the country as other state governors have pleaded with the federal government to make more supplies available.

    In California, officials instructed hospitals to restrict coronavirus testing. Meanwhile, a hospital in Washington state – once the centre of the US outbreak – said it could run out of ventilators by April.

    And on Sunday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said states were “competing against each other” for virus supplies.

    “We need millions of masks and hundreds of thousands of gowns and gloves,” he said. “We’re getting just a fraction of that. So, we’re out on the open market competing for these items that we so badly need.”

    An almost $2 trillion (£1.7 trillion) emergency stimulus bill intended to blunt the punishing economic impact of the pandemic failed to pass the US Senate on Sunday.

    The bill got 47 votes, falling short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber.

    Democrats raised objections to the bill with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer saying it had “many, many problems”. Democrats accused Republicans of wanting to bail out big businesses.

    Talks between Democrats and the White House are continuing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Alderweireld donates electronic tablets to hospitals

    Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld is donating “dozens” of electronic tablets to hospitals to help sick people keep in contact with family and friends.

    The 31-year-old, who recommitted his future to Spurs earlier this season, wants to help people feel less alone during the coronavirus pandemic and while football is postponed for the foreseeable future.

    In a video address on his personal Twitter page, the Belgium centre-back said: “I hope everyone is following the government measures to stop the further thread of coronavirus

    “This virus creates many needs, especially the lack of person contact.

    “People that are sick can’t see their friends or family, so my plan is to buy dozens of tablets to give to hospitals and nursery homes, so people can video chat with their loved ones and friends, to get through this tough period.

    “In the next days and weeks, I’m trying to get those tablets to places where they can help. I hope anyone that can spare, or give, or do something to help a little bit the people in need, to see family and friends, because it will help a lot. We stay together strong.”

    His team-mate Lucas Moura spoke of his worry for his parents back home in Brazil, who he could be unable to see for some time, but stressed the need to stay positive and follow the government’s guidelines.

    “Yes, I speak to them every day, just saying the same things, to stay at home, to take care,” he said. “Of course, I am worried about my parents because for older people, it’s worse. I think about them all the time.

    “I’ve never seen a situation like this. It’s strange for everyone, different for everyone, but we need to stay positive, follow the rules, stay at home and like I said, I’m sure we will pass this and come back to normal.”

    Source: skysports.com

  • Coronavirus: Olympic doubts grow as Canada withdraws athletes

    The 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo have been thrown into further doubt after Canada became the first major country to withdraw.

    Their announcement came shortly after the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, admitted for the first time that the games could be postponed.

    Meanwhile, the Australian team has said it was “clear” the games could not go ahead, and told its athletes to prepare for a 2021 games.

    The games are due to begin on 24 July.

    What did Canada say?

    The country’s Olympic and Paralympic committee said it had taken “the difficult decision” to withdraw after consulting athletes, sports groups, and the Canadian government.

    It then “urgently called” on the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, and World Health Organization, to postpone the games for a year.

    “While we recognise the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” their statement said.

    The Canadian later posted a message on Twitter saying: “Postpone today. Conquer tomorrow.”

    What did Shinzo Abe say?
    For weeks, Japanese officials have said the games will go ahead as planned.

    But, speaking in parliament on Monday, Mr Abe admitted for the first time that Tokyo 2020 may have to be delayed.

    “If it is difficult to hold (the games) in a complete way, a decision of postponement would be unavoidable as we think the athletes’ safety is paramount,” he said.

    But he insisted the games would not be cancelled altogether.

    The Olympics have never been postponed or cancelled in peacetime. The 1940 Olympics – which were called off because of World War Two – were due to be held in Tokyo.

    What is the International Olympic Committee’s position?
    On Sunday, the IOC said it had given itself a deadline of four weeks to make a decision on the 2020 games.

    It said postponement was one “scenario”, but insisted that cancellation “would not solve any of the problems or help anybody”.

    In a letter to athletes, IOC president Thomas Bach said: “Human lives take precedence over everything, including the staging of the games…

    “At the end of this dark tunnel we are all going through together, not knowing how long it is, the Olympic flame will be a light at the end of this tunnel.”

    What do other countries and athletes say?
    On Monday, Australia told its athletes to prepare for an Olympics and Paralympics in the northern summer of 2021.

    “It’s clear the games can’t be held in July,” Australian chef-de-mission Ian Chesterman said.

    On Sunday, the head of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, wrote to Mr Bach to say holding the games in July was “neither feasible nor desirable”.

    USA Track and Field has called for a postponement, as has the competitors’ group Global Athlete.

    “As the pandemic gets worse and worse and there are more and more societal restrictions put in place, I think the call needs to be made now,” said British cyclist Callum Skinner, who fronts the Global Athlete.

    Source: Primenewsghana.com

  • Coronavirus: Cases in Africa pass 1,000

    Africa has seen its coronavirus cases pass the 1,000 mark this weekend. There are currently 1,198 confirmed cases of Covid-19, the continent’s Centre for Disease Control has announced.

    Uganda reported its first case last night after testing a passenger who had returned home from Dubai.

    The confirmation came hours after President Yoweri Museveni had announced several crowd control measures including banning of all flight operations starting midnight on Sunday.

    In neighbouring Rwanda, the government has announced that it may extend its 14-day lockdown which was imposed last week on Thursday.

    Rwanda has so far recorded 17 cases of Covid-19, the most in the East Africa region.

    In the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded its first Covid-19 related death after a doctor who had returned from France succumbed to the disease.

    The Africa CDC has also announced 108 patients have recovered after contracting the virus:

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghana’s Toku in self isolation in Denmark

    Ghanaian Youth international Emmanuel Toku is currently in self-isolation in Denmark following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the European nation.

    Speaking in an interview with Accra based Happy FM, the Youngster narrated the ordeal he is going through in Denmark due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

    According to the former Cheetah FC attacker, his football club has called off all training sessions and activities and the players are forced to stay home and practice self-isolation.

    Toku says that although Copenhagen, where he stays, is not on total lockdown, the entire place is usually inactive and he is mostly just playing video games for the most part of the day.

    The former Black Satellite skipper joined Danish side club BK Fremad Amager last summer after impressing with Ghana at the FIFA U17 world cup in India.

    Source: ghanaguardian.com

  • Mayor the Bass Prophet out with new single ‘Coronavirus’

    Ghanaian afro-pop musician Mayor the Bass Prophet has joined the likes of Shatta Wale, Edem, Wiyaala, Salma Mumin, Criss Waddle, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and other top celebrities to fight against the novel coronavirus.

    The pandemic has claimed thousands of lives across the world and it seems awareness is the major cure.

    This is why Mayor the Bass Prophet one of the exciting fast-rising stars in Ghana has released a new song called “Coronavirus” to sensitise his fans and Ghanaians in general.

    “Be hygienic, be safe and take all the necessary precautions seriously,” he said in a YouTube post. “Covid-19 is deadly, thus, stop doubting because it is real (especially Ghanaians and Africans).”

    He added: “Please, wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Wipe and sanitize your hands. Do not touch your face with bare hands or before taking your bath. Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. Please, avoid crowded areas.”

    The song talks about how the disease spreads, its effects on our health and how the world can come together to conquer it.

    Stream the full song below and share your candid views with us.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • ‘Our survival is in our own hands’- President Akufo-Addo urges social distancing and hygiene

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to practice social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols following the recorded cases of localized infections.

    He said: “the cases of localized infections require that we maintain strict self-discipline, and continue to practice prescribed social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols in all aspects of our daily lives.

    “We must wash our hands regularly, use alcohol-based sanitizers, stop shaking hands, and avoid unnecessary close body contact.

    “I am pleading with every one of you, comply with these measures. Our survival is in our own hands.”

    Meanwhile, Ghana’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 has increased to 21 and one fatality recorded.

    Also, the president announced that retired health professionals are going to be engaged in the fight against coronavirus.

    Source: Pulse.com.gh

  • Coronavirus: MP offers to drop reading materials for kids at homes

    With schools closed and people isolated at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is offering to drop reading materials at the doorstep of school children.

    The MP has launched a free house-to-house book delivery initiative to distribute thousands of books directly to the homes of all children in his constituency.

    Okudzeto Ablakwa explains that, the free books delivery is meant to help educate kids at home as schools are grappling with how to provide students with education due to the closures triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

    “The children will keep and own all books they receive,” he noted.

    Also, he called on parents to reach out to his outfit if their wards do not receive their share of the books.

    “Due to the closure of schools forced by the coronavirus pandemic, we have mobilized enough books for all pupils/students. Parents in North Tongu can call 024 650 7817 if books have not been delivered to their homes by 1pm on Wednesday”.

    The North Tongu MP expressed optimism that, this initiative will improve the home learning experience of children in his constituency.

    “Hope this initiative helps to improve the home learning experience of our wonderful kids; particularly for rural kids who do not have access to the fancy technological options available to their more urban counterparts”.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Coronavirus: GCB gives govt GHS100,000 to fight outbreak

    GCB has on Friday, March 20, given the government of Ghana an amount of GHS100,000 to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

    The Managing Director of GCB Bank, Mr. Anselm Ray Sowah, presenting the cheque to the health minister, said the bank is determined to protect staff and customers, hence the donation.

    He said: “as the only financial institution with offices and branches across all the 16 regions of Ghana with some of our branches and agencies located at the border towns or entry points, we seek to protect our staff, their dependents, our cherished customers and all Ghanaians from a diverse background across the nation.”

    “The Bank with Ghanaian heritage, we have been concerned with the confirmed cases in Ghana our motherland, Africa and the world at large. We are indeed not in normal times, but there is hope,” he said.

    For his part, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, thanked GCB for the donation.

    He said: “I am grateful to you MD, the Board, your staff and the Bank for such a gesture of immense support to enable us to fight the disease. We will get ourselves into a close relationship, partnership and eventually become friends.”

    “So, over the next few days and weeks, we are anticipating that we are going to have larger numbers of people who are already having the disease.

    ”The only thing that I can say now is the fact that we should all be listening to the guidelines and the advice that is coming from our professionals and those who are flying about bacterial and all our radio and television stations and people who are discussing COVID-19,” he added.

    Ghana has recorded sixteen cases of the infection.

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Juve’s Dybala tests positive for coronavirus

    Juventus and Argentina striker Paulo Dybala has tested positive for coronavirus.

    The 26-year-old forward is currently asymptomatic and is self-isolating at home.

    Dybala announced on Twitter that he and his partner Oriana Sabatini had both tested positive. He is the third Juve player affected after defender Daniele Rugani and midfielder Blaise Matuidi.

    Dybala wrote: “Hi everyone, I just wanted just to inform you that we have received the results for the Covid-19 test and both Oriana and I have tested positive.

    “Luckily we are in perfect conditions. Thanks for your messages.”

    A Juventus statement read: “Paulo Dybala has undergone medical tests that revealed a positive result for Coronavirus-COVID19.

    “He has been in voluntary home isolation since Wednesday 11 March.

    “He will continue to be monitored, following the usual regime. He is well and is asymptomatic.”

    Source: skysports.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghana coach Akonnor sends word of advice amid pandemic fears

    Ghana coach CK Akonnor is encouraging the use of hand sanitisers as the world fights against the coronavirus pandemic.

    The disease, also known as Covid-19, has become a global threat, having so far infected over 230,000 people and claimed nearly 10,000 lives.

    This has resulted in the suspension of almost all sporting and football competitions around the world, Ghana being no exception.

    “The coronavirus is here. There has been a lot of instructions about it. Let’s stick to it. One is to wash your hands and be clean, use your sanitisers very well and try as much as you can to be safe,” Akonnor said in a video posted by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on social media on Saturday.

    Regular hand-washing and sanitising have been said to be among the most effective ways of protecting against infection.

    In Ghana, the number of coronavirus case counts has risen from 16 as of Friday to 19 on Saturday.

    All public gatherings, including sporting and religious events, have been suspended as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

    Owing to the pandemic, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has cancelled March and April’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches, including Ghana’s double-header against Sudan scheduled for March 27 and 30.

    Akonnor had named a 23-man Ghana squad for the two games.

    The coach is among a series of Black Stars personnel to feature in the GFA’s social media campaign against the disease.

    Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, Reading full-back Andy Yiadom and Fiorentina midfielder Alfred Duncan have also featured in similar videos.

    Source: Goal.com

  • Seun O, is the alleged infected Coronavirus celebrity who attended the AMVCA

    The news of an infected coronavirus celebrity who attended the AMVCA gave goosebumps to attendees of the event as they wonder who the carrier of the virus was.

    Upon much research and chat interceptions, it is alleged that Seun O, a popular photographer is the infected celebrity who attended the program with the virus.

    Seun O, has come out publicly to confirm that the screenshot chat making rounds in the media space is about him as it has already been confirmed by his friend, Stella Dimoko who he confided in about his health. He added that he will be getting tested for the virus to confirm his state of health.

    He went on to share images of the NCDC who went over to check on the status of his health on his instastories.

    See images below:

    Source: ghgossip.com

  • Coronavirus: Tourism activities suspended at Wli waterfalls

    Tourism activities including meetings and visitations to the Wli Waterfalls in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region have been suspended until further notice due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic.

    The suspension also includes funeral and marriage ceremonies in the Wli Traditional Area for the next four weeks, unless it is a private burial service, which should not have more than 25 people in attendance.

    A statement signed by Togbega Lo I, Paramount Chief of Wli Traditional Area, said the 2020 Easter Monday and Tuesday activities had also been suspended with immediate effect as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    The Wli Waterfalls, which cascades from a height of about 80m, is mostly visited on holidays and festive occasions including Easter Mondays.

    In December 2019, more than 400 individuals and 30 groups of people both local and foreign, visited the Waterfalls in the Hohoe Municipality on Boxing Day.

    In a separate development, the Plant Quarantine Service of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture at Wli Border Post had directed for the confinement of ruminants at Wli Afegame and the Border.

    The directive was to safeguard public health, agriculture and the environment and tasked that “all stray and or estray ruminants or animals be kept in strict confinement without any excuse.”

    Source: GNA

  • “It turned my lungs to glass”- A COVID-19 patient speaks

    Coronavirus patient Kevin Harris tells Robin Meade about scary breathing “episodes” he says he had while fighting the virus.

    According to Kevin Harris, he did not know how he contracted the virus as all of his contacts have not shown symptoms of the disease.

    He says despite his good health status, the virus weakened his immune system, made normal breathing very laborious, and he was dizzy and vomiting most of the time.

    He, however, encouraged physical exercise as a way to help battle the virus.

    Watch the video below;

  • Coronavirus: Ghana likely to be on lockdown from Sunday – Bright Simons hints

    Bright Simons, Vice President of Imani Ghana has hinted of a national lockdown tomorrow March 22, 2020, by the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    In a tweet sighted by GhanaWeb, Mr Simons posited that the lockdown has been recommended to the president by the National Security Council as a measure to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

    “Highly placed sources: Ghana’s Prez advised by National Security Council to commence lockdown from tomorrow,” he tweeted this today March 21, 2020.

    Mr Simons added that though, the country needs drastic measures put in place, the government must not copy blindly from other countries who used the lockdown approach.

    “We all agree that these are unprecedented times. But this is not the time to copy blindly. “Lockdown” must mean very specific things in an African context. Nothing generic.

    Examples: 1. most emergency workers have no cars of their own 2. Ambulance service is sclerotic 3. So public transport is part of critical transit system. 4. Community pharmacies are major health outlets. 5. Radio stations are the functional emergency frequencies. #SmartPolicyPls,” his tweet reads.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • People in Ghana should start sending money to their people abroad in these hard times Kwaw Kese

    Coronavius is spreading so thick and fast. Here in Ghana, more cases of the new Coronavirus have been confirmed, and his makes a total of 19 cases so far.

    Hiphop act, Kwaw Kese wants people staying in Ghana to start sending money to their friends and families in Abroad like how people living in Abroad have been sending money down here too.

    Kwaw Kese tweets,

    “People in Ghana should start sending money to their people in abroad in these hard times Anaaa me tw3 “

    Source: ghgossip.com

  • Tracey Boakye drops a sneak peek of her plush bedroom as she educates her fans on COVID-19

    Many top celebrities in the country are gradually joining the campaign to use the local dialect to educate their fans about some of the preventive measures they can adapt to reduce any chance of coming into contact with coronavirus.

    The latest to join this education train is actress, producer and entrepreneur, Tracey Boakye.

    The mother of one in a video sighted on her Instagram page urged all her followers to be very careful out there as the cases recorded in Ghana keep increasing each and every day.

    She also urged them to wash their hands as often as possible and promised that she will soon go out with her team to distribute hand sanitizers and soaps once they find the most prudent way to go about it.

    Interestingly enough, the video was to educate her fans about the coronavirus disease, it also gave her followers a quick look at her bedroom in the big house she recently acquired in the capital after she produced her movie, Baby Mama.

    Watch the video below:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Tracey Boakye (@tracey_boakye) on

    Source: zionfelix.net

  • South Africa to build 40km fence along Zimbabwe border

    Authorities in South Africa have said they will build a 40km (25 miles) fence along its border with Zimbabwe to prevent undocumented migrants from entering and spreading coronavirus – even though the neighbouring country has no confirmed cases.

    The planned fence is to be erected on either side of the Beitbridge Land Port of Entry to “ensure that no undocumented or infected persons cross into the country,” Patricia de Lille, the public works minister, said in a statement on Thursday.

    As of Friday, South Africa has reported 202 confirmed cases of the virus and no deaths. President Cyril Ramaphosa has already ordered 35 of 53 land entry points closed.

    “This measure will … not be effective if the fences at the border are not secure, which in many places, they are not,” de Lille said in the statement.

    “All 40km of fence will be finished within one month. Local labour will be sourced by the contractor.

    “We are certainly not xenophobic. We have had thorough consultations with all the countries that are our neighbours. What is important for South Africa is to protect our own citizens and people coming into our country because at the border post now, you’ve got health inspectors and you’ve got environmental professionals and they are doing the testing and screening at the border. But if somebody just walks over the border, there are no such facilities,” she added.

    South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised country, has long sought to reduce irregular migration from Zimbabwe, which it sees as a threat to local jobs in a country with unemployment of around 30 percent.

    Countries around the world have been cancelling flights, banning travel from certain countries and tightening controls at borders to prevent the virus’s spread.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 209,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, the infection caused by the novel coronavirus, around the world.

    The virus has claimed the lives of at least 8,700, according to the UN health body.

    The outbreak reached Africa later than other continents, but at least 33 countries have now confirmed cases, with 13 reported deaths.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Coronavirus: The COVID-19 song by gospel artist Maame Regina you must listen to

    As the coronavirus spreads around the world forcing government officials to declare states of emergency, shutting down entertainment events and creating a trove of memes it has also sparked an unlikely new trend: catchy songs meant to educate but also make you sing and dance.

    Now, as cases of COVID-19 continue to grow outside China and Africa, different countries are pushing out songs urging people to take precautions.

    A gospel artist known as Maame Regina has composed a fine tune to educate the public to stay healthy.

    She is urging the government of Ghana to use her song as an awareness to educate the public.

    The song ends with a message urging listeners to take care and stay healthy: “Be careful across the world, my friend.”

    Watch the song below.

    Source: pulse.com.gh

     

  • Tunisia orders lockdown due to coronavirus, postpones loan repayments for poor

    Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday ordered a general lockdown, restricting public movement to counter the spread of the coronavirus.

    Speaking in a televised broadcast, Saied said he was asking the majority of people to stay at home and stop movement between Tunisian cities.

    The government later said in a statement the lockdown would come into force on Sunday and last until April 4.

    The announcement came a day after the tiny North African country registered its first coronavirus death. The southern Mediterranean country has reported 54 confirmed cases of coronavirus and one death.

    Mosques, cafés and markets have been closed, and the country’s land and maritime borders have also been shut with international flights suspended to try to contain the pandemic.

    Loan repayments for poor postponed

    Tunisian banks will postpone the repayment of loans by poorer citizens by six months to help alleviate the social and economic impact of the crisis, banking sources said.

    “There is no need for fear or panic, the state will be with you,” said Saied said in a televised broadcast.

    “I call on Tunisians to stay at home and to go out only to meet the most urgent needs… The state will provide food and vital services such as health and security.”

    Tunisia now expects an economic recession, prompting the central bank on Tuesday to cut its key interest rate by 100 basis points.

    Source: France24

  • Coronavirus: Algeria protests called off for first time in a year

    Algerian protesters have called off their weekly anti-government demonstrations for the first time in more than a year to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

    This would have been the 57th week in a row that Algerians came out onto the streets.

    Authorities banned the demonstrations, but opposition activists also urged supporters to stay inside.

    There have been at least 10 deaths and 90 confirmed virus cases in Algeria.

    Imprisoned activist Karim Tabbou was among the protest leaders who told demonstrators to suspend their marches, according to Reuters news agency.

    The protests began in February 2019 after the then president Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced he was going to seek a fifth term in office.

    As the protests grew, the 82-year-old scrapped his plans and stood down from power.

    But demonstrators continued to fill the streets every Friday, demanding the whole ruling regime stand down too and accusing them of widespread corruption.

    Some weeks, tens of thousands of people filled the streets of the capital Algiers.

    On Friday, Algiers’ streets were empty apart from police and journalists, Reuters reports.

    Source: bbc.com