TIG Post

Tag: Coronavirus

  • New coronavirus can survive on surfaces for hours – Study

    The novel coronavirus can survive on surfaces or in the air for several hours, according to a US-government funded study published Tuesday.

    Scientists found that the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease had similar levels of viability outside the body to its predecessor that caused SARS.

    This means that factors like greater transmission between people with no symptoms might be why the current pandemic is far greater than the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003.

    The new paper was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and carried out by scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), University of California, Los Angeles and Princeton.

    The new coronavirus was detectable for up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel, and for up to 24 hours on cardboard.

    The team used a nebulizer to simulate a person coughing or sneezing, and found that the virus was detectable for three hours in the air.

    The study was first posted on a medical pre-print website last week before it was peer-reviewed, and attracted much attention, including some criticism from scientists who said that it may have overstated the airborne threat.

    The virus is predominantly transmitted by respiratory droplets and in this form it is viable for only a few seconds after a person coughs or sneezes.

    Critics questioned whether a nebulizer accurately mimicked a human cough or sneeze.

    The team behind the NEJM study performed similar tests on the SARS virus, finding the two viruses behave similarly.

    But their similar viability fails to explain why the novel coronavirus pandemic has infected close to 200,000 people and caused almost 8,000 deaths, while the SARS epidemic infected about 8,000 and killed nearly 800.

    “This indicates that differences in the epidemiologic characteristics of these viruses probably arise from other factors, including high viral loads in the upper respiratory tract and the potential for persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 to shed and transmit the virus while asymptomatic,” wrote the researchers.

    SARS-CoV-2 is the technical name for the new coronavirus.

    The findings affirm guidance from public health professionals regarding social distancing, avoiding touching the face, covering your cough or sneeze, and frequently disinfecting objects using cleaning sprays or wipes.

    Source: France24

  • Coronavirus: Allow workers to work from home, grant them leave TUC to employers

    The Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on employers to grant leave to staff who are parents and need to stay home to care for their children until schools reopen.

    This follows the closure of schools by the government in the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country.

    The Government has also been forced to place a ban on all public gatherings to prevent further spread of the disease while businesses and other workplaces continue to operate but observe safety procedures.

    Ghana has so far recorded seven confirmed cases of COVID-19.

    The TUC in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Yaw Baah on Monday, 16 March 2020 encouraged “all unions to work closely with their employers to put in place the necessary measures or arrangements to ensure that workers are fully protected from this deadly virus.”

    The Union also urged “all employers to grant leave to workers who need to be home to care for their children until schools re-open. We would also like to appeal to employers to allow workers who can work from home to do so to minimise interactions at workplaces.”

    The TUC also commended the government on efforts it is making to “protect all Ghanaians and foreign residents in the country” and drew its “attention to the prisons because we all know that our prisons are overcrowded.”

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Ola Michael blasts Lilwin and Kwaku Manu, tells them this is not the turn for stupid jokes

    Ghanaian movie producer, Michael Ola has rebuked Kwadwo Nkansah Lilwin and Kwaku Manu for joking about the coronavirus pandemic.

    In a post sighted by Zionfelix.net, the outspoken movie producer shared photos of the two actors using inappropriate materials as nose masks.

    He condemned their actions and stated that this is not the time for such jokes.

    Ola wrote: “THIS IS NO TIME FOR STUPID JOKES. In the film industry, there are producers, directors, actors and the general crew. If we allow some of these actors to produce because they have no one to call them for a shoot, this is the likely nonsense we will get.

    “Producers struggle to gather money for the productions we have been witnessing and Yes, they are all Indie producers. Most of the crew are very educated and know what to do and what not to do. This is not a time to joke when people are dying in numbers across the world. This is time for Civic responsibilities but the question needs to be asked; these two, how much do they know about the coronavirus?”

    He added: “You can only teach what u know but if you are empty, you obviously get occupied by stupid jokes. There is time for everything, this is definitely not a time for the worthless jokes and politics! Together we can win this fight against the devilish COVID -19. Shalom.”

    Source: zionfelix.net

  • Trump favors direct payments to Americans as Senate weighs coronavirus aid bill

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration pushed lawmakers to send money directly to Americans to counter the economic toll of the coronavirus outbreak, as the Senate weighed a multibillion-dollar emergency bill passed by the House of Representatives.

    Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was poised to meet with Senate Republicans to discuss a plan to send checks to Americans affected by the crisis, and Trump told reporters the payments could amount to $1,000.

    The Republican president’s tone on the coronavirus pandemic has changed sharply in the past few days. After initially playing down the threat of the outbreak that has spread rapidly across the United States, killing at least 95 people, his administration has begun pushing for urgent action to stem the disease’s economic toll.

    The administration was talking about a new stimulus package of around $850 billion, one U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    It would be the third coronavirus aid plan to be considered by Congress just this month. Trump signed the first $8.3 billion package to battle the coronavirus on March 6.

    The House over the weekend passed a second measure that would require paid sick leave for some workers and expand unemployment compensation, among other steps, including nearly $1 billion in additional money to help feed children, homebound senior citizens and others.

    McConnell: ‘anxious’ to approve House measure

    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said his chamber is “anxious” to approve the House measure, a move that could take place on Tuesday.

    “The Senate will not adjourn until we have passed significant and bold new steps, above and beyond what the House passed,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.

    Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, however, warned that cutting the payroll tax – one of Trump’s favored proposals – “may be premature and the wrong response” to fighting the impact of the coronavirus on the economy. Even some Senate Republicans were not enamored of cutting the payroll tax.

    Members of both political parties were talking about large amounts of additional money to help blunt the impact of the fast-spreading disease. The outbreak has killed more than 7,500 people worldwide, caused massive disruptions to daily life across the country and hammered the U.S. stock market that Trump has long touted as a barometer of his administration’s performance.

    Trump, Mnuchin discuss potential third aid bill

    An administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, early Tuesday said the White House wanted $500 billion in a payroll tax cut, a $50 billion bailout for airlines struggling from plummeting demand, and $250 billion for small business loans.

    But when Trump and Mnuchin spoke at midday, their emphasis had shifted; both men noted that a payroll tax cut would take longer.

    Schumer has talked of spending $750 billion on things like expanding unemployment insurance, bolstering the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor and funding emergency childcare for healthcare workers.

    In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement laying out what she wanted to see in a third coronavirus aid package, including refundable tax credits for self-employed workers and ensuring that sick workers can get longer-term leave if needed.

    “During negotiations, the Democratic House will continue to make clear to the administration that any emergency response package must put families first, before any aid to corporate America is considered,” Pelosi said.

    Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican ally of Trump, expressed concerns about the size of the proposed third-phase bill, which he said could take the Senate days or even weeks to deliberate.

    Republican Senator Mike Braun, another White House ally, said the first priority should be to help small-business employees hit by the outbreak through the unemployment insurance system rather than through the House tax credit and sick leave mandate. He said larger stimulus issues, including a payroll tax cut, can wait.

    “I don’t think it’s wise to spend our money on so-called stimulus, like a payroll tax cut. I think it is a good idea to spend money stabilizing the economy,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican. “The economy’s not the problem, the disease is the problem. When we restrain the disease, the economy will bounce back, in my opinion, probably quickly.”

    Source: reuters.com

  • European Union seals borders amid virus fight

    The European Union will ban travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days in an unprecedented move to seal its borders amid the coronavirus crisis.

    The measure is expected to apply to 26 EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. UK citizens will be unaffected.

    The ban came as deaths continued to soar in Italy and Spain, and France began a strict lockdown.

    Europe has been badly hit by the virus, which has killed 7,500 globally.

    Meanwhile, the Euro 2020 football competition has been postponed by a year.

    The virus has infected more than 185,000 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

    The travel ban will affect all non-EU nationals from visiting the bloc, except long-term residents, family members of EU nationals and diplomats, cross-border and healthcare workers, and people transporting goods.

    Free travel is a cherished principle within the European border-free Schengen area. But in recent days many countries have unilaterally imposed full or partial border shutdowns in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

    This prompted the commission to propose that the bloc act in a more unified fashion and restrict entry to the union as a whole, at the urging of French President Emmanuel Macron.

    The measures were agreed in a video-summit between EU leaders on Tuesday afternoon and will now have to be implemented by member states.

    “They said they will immediately do that,” said EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference. “This is good, so that we have a unanimous and united approach [where] the external borders are concerned.”

    The UK and the Republic of Ireland – which is part of the EU but not Schengen – will be invited to join the measure.

    It was also crucial that the EU “unblocks the situation” with regards to closed internal borders, Mrs Von der Leyen said, because “too many people are stranded”.

    In France, citizens who leave home must now carry a document detailing the reasons why, with fines for transgressors to be set at €135 ($150; £123).

    It comes after President Macron put the country on a war-footing, ordering the population to stay at home and only go out for essential trips.

    The number of confirmed cases in France grew by more than 16% on Tuesday, reaching 7,730, The death toll rose to 175, with 7% of the dead aged under 65.

    More than 2,500 people are being treated in hospital, including 699 in intensive care.

    In Britain, where the death toll is 71, people have been told to avoid social contact, work from home if they can and avoid all non-essential foreign travel.

    The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has unveiled a financial package worth £330bn ($400bn) to ease the burden caused by the virus, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged people to avoid pubs, clubs and cafes.

    Meanwhile, the government’s chief scientific adviser said it would be a “good outcome” if 20,000 or fewer people died of the virus in the UK.

    The latest set of Brexit talks has also been delayed.

    The number of confirmed cases in Spain has soared by 2,000 to 11,178. Authorities there are maintaining a partial lockdown on 47 million people.

    It is now the European country worst-affected after Italy.

    At midnight Spain began stopping cars crossing its borders from France and Portugal. Only Spanish nationals, residents and cross-border workers were being allowed to the country.

    Italy, which has registered the most cases outside China at more than 31,500, announced another surge in deaths on Tuesday, from 2,150 to 2,503. The country remains in lockdown.

    The government meanwhile is set to renationalise flag carrier airline Alitalia with a rescue package worth $670m (£550m).

    Germany, which has had more than 6,000 cases and 13 deaths, banned religious services and told people to cancel any domestic or foreign holiday travel.

    Venues including clubs, bars, leisure facilities, zoos and playgrounds will be closed. Schools are already shut.

    Ireland could have 15,000 cases of coronavirus before the end of March, saidPM Leo Varadkar. In a St Patrick’s Day address, he warned of “significant and lasting” economic damage, and said the emergency could last into the summer. The government has already closed pubs, schools and universities.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Europe struggles with ‘socio-economic tsunami’ caused by coronavirus

    Italy’s prime minister on Tuesday declared coronavirus was causing a “socio-economic tsunami” as European leaders agreed to seal off external borders, but many countries thwarted solidarity by imposing frontier curbs of their own.

    “The enemy is the virus and now we have to do our utmost to protect our people and to protect our economies,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after the second videoconference in a week of the European Union’s 27 leaders.

    “We are ready to do everything that is required. We will not hesitate to take additional measures as the situation evolves.”

    Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose country has been hardest hit by a global health crisis now centred in Europe, said no nation would be left untouched by the “tsunami”.

    He called for special “coronavirus bonds”, or a European guarantee fund, to help member states finance urgent health and economic policies, an Italian government source said.

    Rome has issued similar calls for joint EU funding during previous crises, usually running into opposition from the bloc’s most powerful economy and paymaster, Germany.

    Asked about Conte’s proposal, Chancellor Angela Merkel said euro zone finance ministers would continue discussing ways to help their economies cushion the impact, but no decision has been made.

    “These are initial discussions and there have been no decisions by the finance ministers,” said Merkel. “I will talk to (Finance Minister) Olaf Scholz so that Germany continues to take part (in the discussions). But there are no results regarding this.”

    The EU has scrambled to find a coherent response to the outbreak, with countries imposing their own border checks in what is normally a zone of control-free travel, limiting exports of medical equipment or failing to share key data swiftly.

    The national leaders agreed on Tuesday to close the external borders of most European countries for 30 days and establish fast-track lanes at their countries’ frontiers to keep medicines and food moving.

    Ireland will not join the travel ban on Europe’s borders, von der Leyen said, because the United Kingdom – which left the EU in January – was not either. Despite Brexit, the two have an obligation to preserve an open border on the island of Ireland.

    Should Ireland go with the majority of European countries while the UK stays away, it would mean erecting controls on the sensitive border with Northern Ireland, something sides sought to avoid at all cost in three years of tortuous Brexit divorce talks.

    Damaged unity

    France went into lockdown on Tuesday to contain the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus and Belgium announced it would follow suit, as the death toll in Italy jumped above 2,000, European banks warned of falling incomes and pummelled airlines pleaded for government aid.

    The EU’s executive European Commission warned member states that this was just the beginning of the crisis and Germany said it would run for “months rather than weeks”, diplomats said.

    Alarmed by the unilateral border restrictions being imposed in a bloc that prizes the free movement of people, French President Emmanuel Macron had pressed for the decision to close Europe’s external borders to foreigners.

    “That was meant to convince European countries to drop internal and unilateral border moves. But it’s hard to see anyone doing it,” an EU diplomat said, adding the move was largely symbolic as the virus was already within.

    Indeed, tensions over borders still abounded across the EU, with three Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – criticising Poland for blocking their citizens in transit from returning home.

    Portugal and Spain on Tuesday notified Brussels that they have introduced controls on Europe’s internal borders, bringing the total taking such measures to at least 12 countries.

    Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary have not formally informed the EU about such moves despite pursuing them, meaning the real number is likely higher.

    The EU has also moved to repatriate Europeans stranded abroad as airlines cut flights. Von der Leyen said nearly 300 Austrian and other European nationals were flown back from Morocco to Vienna on Tuesday.

    Their border control steps aside, the EU leaders have come together on a “whatever it takes” approach to cushioning the economic blow from the pandemic, including by relaxing limitations on state aid.

    The bloc’s antitrust chief proposed allowing governments to offer grants or tax advantages of up to 500,000 euros ($550,000) to ailing companies, though some EU countries want Brussels to go further.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Venezuela asks IMF for $5 billion to tackle coronavirus

    President Nicolas Maduro’s government has requested $5 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in Venezuela, where 33 cases have been reported so far.

    “We come up to your honorable organism to request your assessment, regarding the possibility of granting Venezuela a financing facility for $5 billion from the Emergency Fund of the Rapid Financing Instrument (IFR), resources that will contribute significantly to strengthen our detection and response system ” reads the letter signed by Maduro.

    Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza published the letter on his Twitter account on March 17.

    “President Nicolas Maduro has formally requested financing for $5 million to the International Monetary Fund to strengthen the response capacity of our health system during the Covid-19 contingency. Another timely action to protect the people,” Arreaza wrote.

    It is the first time Venezuela turns to the International Monetary Fund in almost 20 years. In 2007, Former President Hugo Chavez announced the country was withdrawing from the IMF because he believed it served U.S. interests, but the decision to withdraw was not materialized.

    In January last year, the IMF suspended activity with Venezuela because of the political crisis in which it is immersed.

    The letter, dated March 15th, 2020, is addressed to the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, and mentions the “hard and unexpected battle the world is facing today against the outbreak of the new coronavirus”.

    “Only under the spirit of solidarity, brotherhood and social discipline we will be able to overcome the situations that come our way, and we will know how to protect the life and well being of our people,” it adds.

    Maduro has placed the country in quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and has suspended all work and school activities.

    “I want to announce that starting Tuesday, March 17, Venezuela will enter into social quarantine, the entire country, the 23 states and the capital district, all into social quarantine, into collective quarantine,” Maduro said on Monday. He confirmed 16 new coronavirus cases, reaching a total of 33.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • US coronavirus death toll surpasses 100, with case in every state

    West Virginia’s governor said on Tuesday night that the state has reported its first positive case of coronavirus, meaning all 50 US states now have confirmed cases.

    Governor Jim Justice said the confirmed case was detected in the state’s Eastern Panhandle, an area close to Washington, DC. He did not immediately disclose the county where the illness occurred.

    In a televised address, he also ordered bars, restaurants and casinos to close, except for carry-out food services.

    “We knew it was coming. We’ve prepared for this and we shouldn’t panic. We should be cautious and we should be concerned, but we should not panic,” Justice said. “We should go ahead and try to live our lives as best we can.”

    Death toll surpasses 100

    The confirmation of the West Virginia case came as the death toll across the US passed the 100 mark on Tuesday after Washington state reported six new fatalities, bringing the country’s total to 103.

    Washington has experienced the most deaths, with 54. Thirty of those deaths were connected with a nursing home in a Seattle suburb.

    New York on Tuesday reported more confirmed cases than Washington state for the first time. New York has topped 1,300 cases, while Washington was just over 1,000.

    For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover in several weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness, including pneumonia.

    Worldwide, the coronavirus has infected more than 184,000, according to the World Health Organization. More than 7,500 people have died as a result of the virus.

    More than 80,000 have recovered from the virus, according to John Hopkins University.

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • White House, Fed rolling out big plans to save US economy

    US President Donald Trump is drawing up a massive emergency spending package while the Federal Reserve opens the financing floodgates to contain growing economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic.

    After downplaying the severity of the outbreak for weeks, Trump on Tuesday called for bipartisan support to rush out immediate cash payments to American families.

    “We don’t want people losing jobs and having no money to live,” Trump said at a White House press conference, adding that the package “is a substantial number. We are going big.”

    With businesses shutting down nationwide due to the spreading pandemic, Americans need “cash now,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the White House.

    “We are looking at sending checks to Americans immediately… I mean now, in the next two weeks,” he said.

    He warned Republican senators on Tuesday morning that the pandemic could drive US unemployment to 20 percent, a Republican Senate source told CNN.

    That would be double the worst point of the financial crisis about a decade ago.

    Speaking on Capitol Hill, Mnuchin said the package could surpass $1 trillion, in addition to $300 billion in deferred tax payments, making it among the largest federal emergency plans ever and far surpassing assistance during the 2008 global financial meltdown.

    The package would include up to $500 billion in direct payments and up to $500 billion for small businesses, according to media reports, as well as the full $50 billion the airline industry has requested.

    Mnuchin said that, for airlines, “this is worse than 9/11,” with travel virtually ceased.

    And while Republicans balked at a large stimulus package in 2008, over concerns about the government deficit, Mnuchin told reporters “this is not the time to worry about it.”

    “Congress right now should be worried about American workers and small businesses.”

    The independent Congressional Budget Office last month said the deficit is expected to swell this year to more than $1 trillion and remain above that level for a decade as government debt balloons.

    The talk of stimulus cheered battered Wall Street indices, with the Dow closing the day up 5.2 percent after Monday saw its worst drop since 1987.

    Flooding the markets

    The US central bank in the past two weeks has moved aggressively to boost confidence and keep financial markets and the US economy from seizing up due to fear and a shortage of cash, acting far more quickly than it did during the 2008 turmoil.

    The Fed on Sunday slashed the benchmark borrowing rate to zero, ramped up purchases of Treasury debt, and repeatedly made massive cash infusions into financial markets.

    In its latest move Tuesday, the Fed unveiled two new credit facilities to help ensure households and businesses stay afloat.

    “By ensuring the smooth functioning of this market, particularly in times of strain, the Federal Reserve is providing credit that will support families, businesses, and jobs across the economy,” the Fed said in a statement.

    One mechanism is aimed at providing short-term funding to major financial institutions so they can push cash out to businesses and households.

    The other would allow companies to roll over commercial debt and repay investors.

    The more than $1 trillion market for commercial paper “is critical to the plumbing of the financial system” and will allow firms to continue paying their bills and their workers, said economist Mickey Levy of Berenberg Capital Markets, who applauded the moves.

    Though slow to react over a decade ago, “this time is very likely to be far different, as the Fed’s aggressive action is expected to achieve quicker results, even as the acute stage of the pandemic generates deep economic contraction,” Levy said in an analysis.

    ‘Bigger, stronger, better’

    Mnuchin presented the stimulus plan to Senate Republicans, but it is unclear when it will be ready for a vote.

    Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, current and former Democratic presidential candidates, warned that any bailout to airlines must come with strings attached, including a $15 hourly wage for workers.

    Trump again acknowledged that the economy could be headed for a recession but said it would come back strongly once the virus is defeated.

    “We’re going to take care of it, we’ll be bigger, stronger and better than ever before,” the president said.

    Source: France24

  • IMF rejects crisis-hit Venezuela’s request for $5 bn virus aid

    The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday rejected economically devastated Venezuela’s request for a $5 billion loan to help it cope with the onslaught of coronavirus on the country that an aid agency warned is as prepared as war-torn Syria.

    President Nicolas Maduro made the request earlier Tuesday but, in a statement hours later, the Washington-based institution indirectly cited a dispute over Maduro’s leadership in denying his petition.

    In a letter to IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, Maduro said a $5 billion loan from the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) “will contribute significantly to strengthening our detection and response systems.”

    It was the country’s first loan request to the IMF since 2001.

    “Unfortunately, the Fund is not in a position to consider this request,” because there is “no clarity” on international recognition of the country’s government, the Washington-based institution said in a statement.

    “As we have mentioned before, IMF engagement with member countries is predicated on official government recognition by the international community, as reflected in the IMF’s membership. There is no clarity on recognition at this time,” the statement said.

    More than 50 countries including the United States have not recognized Maduro for more than a year, after switching allegiance to opposition leader Juan Guaido who declared himself acting president.

    Guaido branded Maduro a usurper over the president’s 2018 re-election in polls widely seen as fraudulent.

    But US sanctions and other international pressures have failed to dislodge Maduro, who is backed by Venezuela’s creditors China and Russia and retains the support of the powerful military.

    Five years of crisis

    The RFI from which Maduro sought the assistance is a mechanism by which all IMF member countries can get financial assistance without the need to have a full-fledged economic program in place.

    Venezuela’s health system is in tatters after five years of economic and political crisis that has sent millions of people fleeing for lack of basic staples.

    “We hardly have five percent of the medicine stocks we need,” Douglas Leon Natera, head of the Venezuelan Medical Federation, told AFP earlier.

    Jan Egeland, general secretary of the Norwegian Refugee Council, placed Venezuela in the same category as war-torn Syria and Yemen in its preparedness.

    Like those countries, “there will be carnage” when the virus reaches parts of Venezuela given that “health systems have collapsed,” warned Egeland.

    The country has 33 reported coronavirus cases, according to John Hopkins’ global tally, and Maduro has ordered a lockdown in the capital Caracas and six other states.

    “At this crucial moment and aware of the high level of contagion of this disease, we will continue to take rapid and vigorous measures” to stop the advance of the pandemic, Maduro wrote in his letter to Georgieva.

    “We are convinced that in permanent coordination with the WHO (World Health Organization) and the support among the countries of the world, we will be able to overcome this difficult situation.”

    The country has banned flights to and from Europe, as well as Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic. It has also suspended school and university classes as well as sports events.

    Source: AFP

  • Caf confirms CHAN 2020 postponement over coronavirus

    The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has postponed next month’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) over concerns around the coronavirus pandemic.

    The fate of the tournament, for African players based in their own leagues, had been in doubt after defending champions Morocco pulled out, while host nation Cameroon had already asked Caf for a delay.

    It had been set to run between 4-25 April.

    Caf said their emergency committee had decided to postpone the CHAN “until further notice.”

    This was because of two key reasons:

    – That the crisis is “not yet stabilized” in Africa and it is difficult to forsee how it will develop;

    – The increasing difficulty of travel across the continent.

    The president of CHAN’s local organising committee had already said he believed a postponement would be “the most sane decision”.

    “Human life hasn’t got a price,” said Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.

    “This is a tournament many African football lovers look forward to but the severity of the current health crisis makes it tough for us to host now.”

    At least 30 African nations have reported cases of coronavirus so far, including over half of the 16 teams – which includes Cameroon itself – who are earmarked to contest this year’s CHAN.

    “We were heading towards a situation where we could end up with only four teams in the CHAN,” said Kombi, who is also Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education.

    “The health crisis has triggered logistical problems and even if countries were willing to come, it would be impossible for them to travel to Cameroon as borders have been closed.

    “For precautionary reasons, we think the most sane decision is to postpone CHAN.”

    Caf has recently postponed this month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but the African Champions League final and Confederation Cup final, both due to played at the end of May, are still scheduled to go ahead.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • TV presenter KMJ goes off air for 14 more days

    After leaving his seat for the United Kingdom, Joy Prime TV presenter Kpekpo Maxwell Justice (KMJ) is back to Ghana and has announced he will not be on air for the next 14 days as he follows a directive that citizens who return from their foreign travels should quarantine themselves for a period of 14 days as part of measures to try curb the spread of coronavirus.

    “I will be staying off all major activities including hosting my TV show; Showbiz Now which airs on Joy Prime, Multi TV and also on DSTV channel 281,” a statement issued on Tuesday read.

    “While others may be scared of the stigmatization that comes with this decision, I believe this is the right thing to do as a responsible public figure to ensure that people around me are safe. This will also help me thoroughly access my health as I may have come into contact with persons who may have the virus or not during my stay in the UK, filming my documentary.”

    Declared pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus has killed more than 7,000 people, sickened over 115,000 and spread to 75 countries and regions worldwide.

    Ghana is currently faced with six confirmed cases of the widespread virus, with over 150 people having had contact with the affected persons being observed.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, issued a directive that all outdoor events including funerals, church activities and naming ceremonies, be suspended. Schools have also been asked to close down temporarily for a period of 4 weeks.

    These, according to Akufo-Addo, forms part of precautionary measures to fight the virus and prevent any more spread after the 6 confirmed cases in Ghana.

    Did Bill Gates predict coronavirus pandemic in 2015?

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Nigerian doctors go on strike amid coronavirus outbreak

    Doctors in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, have gone on an “indefinite strike” over delayed pay and unsafe working conditions.

    The announcement came just after Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, confirmed a third case of Covid-19.

    The president of the Abuja branch of the doctor’s association, Roland Aigbovo, said it was a “difficult decision”.

    But members had not been paid their salary for two months despite repeated “warnings and ultimatums”, he said.

    The problems stem from a new payroll system introduced by the authorities in Abuja.

    Other health workers at government-run hospitals in the city were also affected by the pay dispute and would be joining the strike in 48 hours if their demands were not met, Mr Aigbovo said.

    Nigeria reported sub-Saharan Africa’s first case of coronavirus in February.

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Rev Obofour speaks about president Akufo-Addos ban on churches

    The leader and founder of Anointed Palace Chapel (APC), Reverend Obofour has reacted to a directive by President Akufo Addo to ban public gatherings which include church services in Ghana following the outbreak of coronavirus.

    In a video sighted by Zionfelix.net, Rev Obofour said he will adhere to the directive implemented because he values human life.

    Commanding a huge crowd, the Man of God stated he should be the first to adhere to measures to protect people.

    Rev Obofour revealed a mega crusade which was to be held at Takoradi and Tamala has been postponed.

    According to him, all church activities which fall within the four weeks ban on public gatherings have been cancelled.

    He said members will be updated on a new decision they will be taken.

    Rev Obofour emphasized that he is a good citizen so it is important to obey the laws of the land.

    The APC leader has therefore declared a national prayer via three times church services on his television.

    He urged Christians, Muslims and everybody to pray hard to save the world.

    Source: zionfelix.net

  • Chinese billionaire Jack Ma donates masks, test kits to all countries in Africa

    Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, says he will donate masks, test kits and protective suits to all countries in Africa to help the continent in its fight against the novel coronavirus.

    Ma’s foundation will donate at total of 1.1 million testing kits, six million masks, and 60,000 protective suits and face shields.

    They will also work with local medical institutions on the continent to provide online training material for coronavirus clinical treatments.

    “The world cannot afford the unthinkable consequences of a COVID-19 pandemic in Africa,” he said in a statement tweeted Monday.

    Africa has so far confirmed more than 300 cases, Egypt being the hardest hit with 110 cases.

    The items will be delivered to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will oversee the distribution of the supplies to other African countries, Ma said.

    On Friday, the billionaire founder of Alibaba said he would donate 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million face masks to the United States.

    He has also shared his plans to give to Europe as well as Iran.”Now it is as if we were all living in the same forest on fire.

    As members of the global community, it will be irresponsible of us to sit on the fence, panic, ignore facts, or fail to act. We need to take action now,” Ma said.

  • Coronavirus: 350 contacts traced so far Ghana Health Service

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has disclosed that a total of a hundred and ninety-nine (199) more contacts have been traced from the six (6) confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, bringing the total to 350.

    This was disclosed by the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service on their Twitter handle, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

    “A total of six cases have been confirmed so far with no local transmission. 350 contacts have been identified for these cases. Follow up for these contacts have commenced.”

    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.

     

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Nigeria records third coronavirus case

    A third case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Nigeria.

    “The case is a Nigerian who returned to Lagos from UK and developed symptoms during her 14-day self-isolation,” the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced.

    One of the previous two coronavirus cases in Nigeria later tested negative.

    “The second confirmed case who was a contact of the index case, has tested negative twice consecutively, has cleared the virus and was discharged to go home on 13th of March 2020,” the centre announced earlier.

    The only other active one is that of an Italian who travelled to Nigeria on a business trip.

    Aside from the first case, a total of 48 people have been screened for the virus in eight States, as of March 15.

    Globally there have been over 184, 000 cases and over 7,182 deaths.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • “Send medical officers to various houses in Ghana to test for coronavirus” Shatta Wale advises

    Ghanaian reggae dancehall king, Chares Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known in showbizness as Shatta Wale has dropped an intelligent idea on how government of Ghana can combat the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.

    Shatta Wale, on Monday night went on facebook live to add up an idea to what the government already has and it would be of great help should it be taken up. In a bid to combat the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana, the dancehall king suggested that the government deploys medical doctors and nurses to various houses in Ghana to test it citizens for the virus since a person may have and refuse to tell for the fear of being abandoned by family and friends.

    He went on to advice fans and followers on the safety measures they should follow in other to stay alive and not get killed by the virus which has already infected 6 people in the country. He advised people on the use of sanitizers, constant washing of hands under running water and desist from hanging out or attending any form of social gathering.

    Watch the video below:


    Source: ghgossip.com

  • “Bhimnation, Sarknation and Shatta movement are together in fighting coronavirus” Shatta Wale

    Dancehall King Shatta Wale has disclosed that his camp (Shatta Movement), Bhimnation and Sarknation which are owned by colleague dancehall artiste, Stoneboy and Sarkodie respectively are together in fighting the deadly coronavirus in Ghana.

    He took to social media to make this public through his facebook handle where he went live, advising the fans and followers of various artiste to come together to fight the deadly coronavirus pandemic which has taken over the world since it broke out in China in January.

    He went on to advice people to follow and respect the health measures put in place to curb the virus. He charged them to constantly wash their hands, keep distance from people wether a victim or not and stay indoors.

    Watch the video below:

    Source: ghgossip.com

  • Coronavirus: Louis Vuitton owner to start making hand sanitiser

    Louis Vuitton owner LVMH will use its perfume production lines to start making hand sanitizer to protect people against the coronavirus outbreak.

    The luxury goods maker says it wants to help tackle a nationwide shortage of anti-viral products across France.

    “These gels will be delivered free of charge to the health authorities,” LVMH announced on Sunday.

    France has now seen 120 deaths from the coronavirus as the pandemic spreads.

    “LVMH will use the production lines of its perfume and cosmetic brands… to produce large quantities of hydroalcoholic gels from Monday,” LVMH said in a statement.

    The factories normally produce perfume and makeup for luxury brands like Christian Dior and Givenchy.

    The French luxury conglomerate also owns well-known brands such as champagne maker Moet & Chandon, watchmaker Tag Heuer and jeweller Bulgari.

    “LVMH will continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary, in connection with the French health authorities,” the company said.

    France has closed its restaurants, cafes and non-essential stores in an effort to combat the virus, which has infected an estimated 165,000 people and killed more than 6,000 worldwide.

    Governments across the world have called on manufacturers to help make products that are running low during the virus outbreak.

    UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to ask UK engineering firms on Monday to shift production to build ventilators for the NHS.

    In China, at the peak of its coronavirus outbreak in February, electronics giant Foxconn switched some of its production from Apple iPhones to make surgical masks.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Germany latest country to close borders

    Germany has become the latest country to close borders as European nations try to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

    Its borders with France, Austria and Switzerland were shut on Monday morning, except for commercial traffic.

    France is considering more stringent lockdowns, with its health chief saying the situation is “deteriorating fast”.

    Latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures list 164,000 confirmed cases and 6,470 deaths worldwide.

    However, last week it said Europe was now the “epicentre” of the virus and urged governments to act aggressively to control the spread of the Covid-19 disease.

    Leaders of the G7 nations are to hold a video conference on Monday to discuss a joint response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Central banks around the world, including the US Federal Reserve and those in the UK, Japan, Canada, and Switzerland have cut interest rates and taken other measures to try to curb the economic turmoil, but stock markets in Asia and Europe still fell.

    The EU’s Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said a recession was now expected, with a 2-2.5% negative growth.

    Airlines are also continuing to slash flights as demand slumps.

    Why and how has Germany acted?

    Germany had tried to resist closing its borders, to try to keep the Schengen agreement on free travel between European countries working, but traffic crossing the borders with the three neighbors and also Luxembourg will now be restricted to goods and work commuters.

    The aim is to stem the spread of the virus but also to curtail cross-border panic-buying, German media reported.

    Only the borders with the Netherlands and Belgium are as yet unaffected.

    Schools in Germany were closed on Monday, while Berlin over the weekend shut all clubs, bars, and fitness centers. Large gatherings nationwide are banned.

    One of the most powerful states, Bavaria, declared an emergency, closing all leisure facilities and restricting the activities of restaurants and cafes.

    German tourism giant TUI said on Monday it was suspending most of its operations and asked for state aid.

    Germany now has close to 5,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 12 deaths.

    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas responded to reports that US President Donald Trump wanted to buy exclusive access to a potential vaccine developed by a German biotech firm, saying: “We cannot allow others to seek exclusive results.”

    What are the other restrictions in Europe?

    Germany’s neighbors such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark have already closed borders or introduced severe restrictions.

    But there are a vast amount of travel restrictions inside many countries.

    Spain and Portugal have agreed to restrict tourism travel over their shared border, allowing only goods and workers to cross.

    Spain imposed a partial lockdown on its 47 million inhabitants on Saturday, as part of a 15-day state of emergency. People are barred from leaving home except for buying essential supplies and medicines, or for work.

    It is also considering closing all its borders and expects the 15-day emergency period will be extended.

    Portugal has a state of alert, although its confirmed cases of 112 are far below Spain’s 5,753, according to WHO figures.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Mahama chides government for not addressing coronavirus’s economic impact

    Flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama has rebuked the government for failing to address COVID-19’S economic impact on the country.

    According to Mr. Mahama, government did not address the wide-reaching economic impact of the pandemic. Adding governments around the world make bold moves to protect their economies and that Ghanaians are expecting the government of Ghana to respond rapidly to this challenge.

    Mr. Mahama called on government to government to publish its plans to protect the economy following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

    The further President also stated that government must publish a comprehensive plan on how it intends to deal with this emergency with these recorded cases in the country which claiming lots of lives around the world.

    Mr Mahama added that it is also necessary for the government to publish a statement to Parliament on the expected impact on the economy on the distraction of COVID-19 on the global supply chain and international travels.

    John Mahama in a Facebook live address today March 16 2020 called on government to publish its plans to protect the economy following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

    ” This is a national issue and my party and I are ready to support the efforts of government in the fight of this disease. I call on the government to publish a comprehensive plan on how it intends to deal with measures of this across the country. If possible a statement must be published to parliament on the expected impact of the distraction of pandemic on the global supply chain and international travel. A comprehensive budget review to parliament may be necessary subsequently”.

    Again, Mr Mahama said government to ensure the provision of isolation centres in all regions across the country to contain the spread of Coronavirus across the country.

    Mr Mahama also outlined measures Ghanaians must adhere to minimize any risk of transmission during this period.

    Source: primenewsghana.com

  • Coronavirus: Most airlines could be bankrupt by May 2020, $50bn bailout needed

    Global aviation is shutting down because of the coronavirus outbreak and travel restrictions designed to contain it, and many airlines will need government bailouts within weeks or face bankruptcy.

    Airlines across the world are grounding planes, laying off workers and scrambling to preserve cash as measures to contain the outbreak prompt flight bans and wipe out global travel demand.
    The three biggest global airline alliances, oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance, urged governments to “evaluate all possible means” to assist the industry. They represent more than 58 of the world’s leading carriers. Some European airlines have already issued urgent appeals for help.
    According to CAPA Centre for Aviation, a consultancy, most airlines in the world will be bankrupt by the end of May unless governments intervene. “Coordinated government and industry action is needed — now — if catastrophe is to be avoided,” the firm said in a report published Monday. “Cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded, and what flights there are operate much less than half full,” it added.
    Everything travelers need to know about coronavirus
    The scale of the deepening crisis was underscored Monday when Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier, Ryanair (RYAAY), said that it will ground most of its fleet over the next seven to 10 days.
    “In those countries where the fleet is not grounded, social distancing restrictions may make flying to all intents and purposes, impractical, if not, impossible,” the airline said, adding that it now expected to reduce seat capacity by 80% for April and May, and could not rule out complete grounding of its fleet of 470 planes.
    “The demand for international air travel is essentially non-existent,” Scandinavian Airlines said Sunday.
    Lufthansa (DLAKY), which owns national carriers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium, said the group’s airlines are in discussions with their respective governments about “receiving active government support should this become necessary.” One of its subsidiaries, Austrian Airlines, is temporarily suspending all flights starting March 19.

    Sweeping capacity cuts

    Most of the world’s biggest airlines have announced dramatic reductions to schedules and have idled hundreds of planes. Employees have been asked to take voluntary unpaid leave, while senior executives take pay cuts, in the face of the worst aviation crisis in history.
    American Airlines (AAL) said Saturday it would reduce its international capacity by three quarters between March 16 and May 6. United Airlines said it will be cutting capacity in half for April and May, while Delta (DAL) is reducing capacity by 40% in the next few months — the largest cut in the company’s history. Delta is down to just one flight a day on five European routes.
    Governments are now facing calls from airlines for financial assistance.
    The US airlines’ trade group made an appeal for a federal bailout worth about $50 billion on Monday.
    It is a stunning reversal from less than a week ago when top executives at an investor conference on March 10 insisted they were not counting on a federal help. But that was before President Donald Trump banned travel from most of Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as a sharp decline in domestic air travel in the United States.
    Virgin Atlantic, which has asked staff to take two months unpaid leave, said in a statement Monday that the United Kingdom’s aviation sector alone will need government support of between £5 billion and £7.5 billion ($6.1 billion and $9.2 billion).
    Heavily indebted budget carrier, Norwegian Air said Friday that it needed urgent help from government to strengthen its cash position. “We welcome the fact that the government has decided to remove aviation taxes in Norway, but sadly, this is not enough as we’re in a very demanding situation at the moment,” it said in a statement, asking government to ramp up its response.
    The company said Monday that it will “gradually cancel” most of its flights and temporarily lay off 90% of its workforce, or about 7,300 people.
    “European aviation faces a precarious future and it is clear that coordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives,” Johan Lundgren, CEO of low-cost carrier EasyJet (ESYJY)said in a statement Monday.
    The International Air Transport Association said last week that airlines will need “emergency measures to get through the crisis,” urging governments to consider extending lines of credit, reducing infrastructure costs and easing taxes.
    IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac has previously raised the possibility of direct government bailouts for airlines, similar to what took place in the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when the US federal government approved $5 billion in direct support and $10 billion in loan guarantees for the industry.
    Tens of thousands of airline jobs are at risk as travel plunges
    Labor unions on both sides of the Atlantic are pleading for governments to step in. United’s pilots union said Sunday there will be a “call to action” this week to ask the US administration to help, while Britain’s pilots union said without “significant government support now there may not be a UK aviation industry left.”
    There are about 460,000 jobs in the US airline industry, according to the Labor Department, and most of these are well paid with healthy benefits.
    Britain’s biggest labor union on Monday appealed to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to implement an “urgent comprehensive financial package” to cover worker pay and extend loans to airlines and airports, or “tens of thousands of jobs” would be at risk.
    When deciding on which carriers to prioritize, governments in Europe will need to consider which airlines play a vital function in the economy, Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska said Monday. These are more likely to be the legacy carriers than budget airlines, which are focused mostly on leisure travel, he added.
    British Airways parent, IAG (ICAGY) was unlikely to approach government for support, given its strong cash position, Roeska said.
    CAPA Centre for Aviation said the nature of the crisis required a global, coordinated response but said it believed that was unlikely to happen.
    “It will consist mostly of bailing out selected national airlines. If that is the default position, emerging from the crisis will be like entering a brutal battlefield, littered with casualties,” the firm said.
    — Eoin McSweeney and Chris Isidore contributed reporting.

  • James Bond actress says she has coronavirus

    A former Bond girl has announced she has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

    Olga Kurylenko, who starred as Camille Montes opposite Daniel Craig in the 2008 James Bond film “Quantum of Solace,” shared the news Sunday on her official Instagram account.

    The Ukranian born star who rose from being a model to appearing on television and in movies including “Magic City” and “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” wrote that she is “Locked up at home after having tested positive for Coronavirus.”

    “I’ve actually been ill for almost a week now. Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms,” Kurylenko wrote in the caption of a photo which showed a partial view through a window. 

    “Take care of yourself and do take this seriously!”Hollywood has not been spared the pandemic sweeping the world.

    Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks announced last week that he and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, had been diagnosed with the virus.

    The pair were diagnosed while in Australia for work and have been quarantined in that country since.

     

    Source: CNN

  • Rise above partisanship in coronavirus fight Rex Omar urges Ghanaians

    Board chairman of Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) Rex Omar has called on Ghanaians to desist from politicizing the spread of coronavirus and rather rally behind President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government in the quest to fight coronavirus.

    Rex Omar opines that it will take a collective effort to free the country from infections, hence the need for all to, as a matter of urgency, adhere to directives from government.

    In a statement issued by the organization on Monday, March 16, 2020 GHAMRO admonished members who have returned from countries that have recorded cases of coronavirus to “engage in the voluntary test exercise and the mandatory self-quarantine of 14 days as instructed” by authorities.

    As government places a ban on public gatherings including entertainment events, GHAMRO in its release urged members to comply accordingly while stating that the body will “send bulk text messages to members on a very frequent basis, informing them of new and current information as released by the Ministry of Health on the virus and the accompanied needed health titbits.”

    Declared pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus has killed more than 5,000 people, sickened over 115,000 and spread to 75 countries and regions worldwide.

    Ghana is currently faced with six confirmed cases of the widespread virus, with over 150 people having had contact with the affected persons being observed.

    President Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, issued a directive that all outdoor events including funerals, church activities and naming ceremonies, be suspended.

    Schools have also been asked to close down temporarily for a period of 4 weeks.

    These, according to Akufo-Addo, forms part of precautionary measures to fight the virus and prevent any more spread after the 6 confirmed cases in Ghana.

    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.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti dies of coronavirus

    Vittorio Gregotti, an architect who helped renovate the 1992 Barcelona Olympic stadium, has died at the age of 92 after catching coronavirus.

    He died in a Milan hospital on Sunday. According to local media, he died of pneumonia after having contracted Covid-19.

    Gregotti also designed a housing estate in Shanghai, China and the Merassi stadium in Genoa for the 1990s World Cup in Italy.

    Fellow Italian architect Stefano Boeri described him as a “master of international architecture” who “created the story of our culture”.

    Gregotti’s wife Mariana Mazza remains in hospital in Milan.

    Source: BBC

     

  • Coronavirus: Liberia reports first case

    Liberia reported its first coronavirus case on Monday, a ministry official said.

    “I can confirm that we have a case and we are managing it,” said Chief Medical Officer Francis Kateh. He didn’t provide further detail on the patient’s identity.

    President George Weah is expected to make a speech later in the day.

    Source: BBC

  • ‘We’re giving churches their voices back’: Trump signs exec. order protecting religious freedom

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump marked the National Day of Prayer by signing an executive order designed to protect and promote religious liberty.

    “Today my administration is leading by example as we take historic steps to protect religious liberty in the United States of America,” the president, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence and his religious advisors, including Paula White, declared during Thursday’s signing ceremony.

    The long-awaited order effectively weakens the enforcement of an IRS rule barring churches and tax-exempt groups from being involved with politics (this addresses the Johnson Amendment).

    “We are giving churches their voices back,” Trump told those gathered in the White House Rose Garden. “No one should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors.”

    “Faith is deeply embedded into the history of our country, the spirit of our founding and the soul of our nation,” he said. “We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced anymore.”

    The order also declares that it’s a policy of the executive branch to protect and promote religious liberty.

    In addition, it promises regulatory relief to religious groups that have a moral objection to the contraception mandate in Obamacare.

    “Freedom is not a gift from government; freedom is a gift from God,” Trump noted, adding that no American should be “forced to choose between the dictates of the federal government and the tenets of their faith.”

    The majority of Trump’s religious advisory board was present for the solemn event, including Paula White, Southern Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress, evangelist Franklin Graham, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, South Carolina TV evangelist Mark Burns, and Faith and Freedom Coalition Chairman Ralph Reed.

    “It was a reunion more than anything,” the Black Christian News Network 1 quoted Bachmann. “For people of faith, there was so much trepidation about what would happen in this election. They really felt that if Mrs. Clinton had prevailed it would have spelled a diminution of the nation, the nation would have morally suffered.”

    Thursday’s order a much watered down version of the first draft of the order leaked early in the president’s term fails to specifically address religious persecution in the military or against individuals who practice their faith in all aspects of their lives, including the workplace.

    Even so, faith leaders wasted no time expressing their support for the executive action, while acknowledging more needs to be done.

    “President Trump deserves praise for applying an emergency brake on the government’s movement toward coercion and discrimination. There is much that is commendable in the executive order, even while there is much that is missing and that I pray will be soon addressed,” Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, CEO and president of National Religious Broadcasters, said in a statement.

    “Today’s action is a breath of fresh air and should be understood, I believe, as a first step toward righting the wrongs of recent years and reassuring people of faith that they are not second-class citizens,” he continued.

    Officials from the The Catholic Association echoed that sentiment.

    “Today’s executive order provides welcome relief to the Little Sisters of the Poor, who have been threatened with discriminatory government fines that would shut down their beautiful ministry of caring for the elderly poor,” said Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor for the The Catholic Association.

    “We applaud the Trump administration for taking an important step to protect conscientious objectors like the Little Sisters of the Poor who faced millions of dollars in fines for refusing to violate their deeply held beliefs,” Catholic Association senior fellow Ashley McGuire said.

    “However, there is more work to be done to restore broad protections for people of all faiths in health care, business, education, and countless other fields who face harassment, bullying, and lawsuits because of their faith,” she continued. “The American people want strong protections for religious liberty.”

    Source: CBNNews.com

  • Coronavirus: NPP National Women Organizer calls for 3 days fasting

    National Women’s Organizer of NPP, Madam Kate Gyamfua has appealed to all women in Ghana to fast for three days to ask God to heal the land of the deadly Corona Virus which has plagued several countries worldwide.

    She is proposing the fasting starts tomorrow, Tuesday, 17th March 2020, and ends on Thursday, 19th March 2020 from 6 am to 6 pm daily.

    Madam Gyamfua asked all women to “take inspiration from the Bible in Psalm 31 and pray to God” to help Ghana in these hard times.

    Speaking to a cross-section of the media in an interview, she also appealed to all and sundry to strictly adhere to proper hygienic standards to minimize the spread of the virus, especially as educational institutions have shut-down indefinitely and school-kids have been asked to stay at home.\

    The NPP National Women’s Organizer decried the practice by some Ghanaians to make political capital out of the pandemic, warning that the virus does not differentiate between members of the ruling NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    “…this is the time to rise above partisanship and politics…since the CODVID-19 does not discriminate in any way…we must all put our shoulder to the wheel to prevent its speed,” Kate Gyamfua stated.

     

    Source: peacefmonline.com

  • South African choir impresses with coronavirus song

    A song by a South African choir about how to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection is being shared widely online.

    The song by Ndlovu Youth Choir shares tips on hand-washing and other safety measures.

    It is sung mostly in isiZulu but the choir has translated some of the tips into English.

    The choir is famous for its animated performance at the 2019 finals of America’s Got Talent.

    South Africa has so far confirmed 61 cases of the virus.

    Source: bbc.com

     

     

  • Every Ghanaian must be given free electricity, water and allowance due to Coronavirus Efia Odo begs Akufo-Addo

    Actress Efia Odo has called for a package of free electricity, water and an allowance to be given to every Ghanaian household to help battle the coronavirus.

    As the virus has made its way to Ghana, government has started taking measures to help curb its spread.

    In an address to the country Sunday night, President Akufo-Addo announced all schools, churches and other places of public gathering have been closed down until further notice.

    With more Ghanaians expected to stay indoors now, Efia Odo says the government should help in paying for electricity and water bills.

    She added that every Ghanaian should be given an allowance.

    She took to social media to make her thoughts known.

    Check her post below…what do we think?

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    GIVE US FREE ! Free water free light and each household should get financial assistance.

    A post shared by Efia Odo (@efia_odo) on

    Source: GhanaCelebrities.Com

  • Kenyan nurses at coronavirus ward begin go-slow protest

    Kenyan nurses at a coronavirus isolation ward have started a go-slow to protest against lack of protective gear and poor training.

    Mbagathi hospital in the capital, Nairobi, is one of the facilities with isolation wards for treatment of patients infected with the virus.

    The Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako has told the BBC that the nurses will only report back to work after training on how to handle patients and provision of protective gear.

    “Nurses are the most exposed workers in hospitals. With no protective equipment gear how are they supposed to protect themselves at the workplace and their families too when they go back home?,” Mr Panyako questioned.

    The hospital is holding 22 people who came into contact with the first confirmed case, according to the Daily Nation newspaper.

    Two of the contacts, who tested positive, have since been moved to Kenyatta National Hospital – the country’s top referral hospital – where the first confirmed patient is being treated.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Video: Fear no coronavirus, God will protect us; just adhere to the safety precautions Martha Ankomah

    Ghanaian actress Martha Ankomah has asked Ghanaians not to be scared of the COVID-19 pandemic but trust that it shall soon be over.

    In a video she posted on her Facebook page, after her church service on Sunday, Martha Ankomah said God will care for Ghanaians and Christians for that matter, hence they should allay their fears with the outbreak.

    Here is the Video

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Martha Ankomah (@marthaankomah) on

    Source: www.ghgossip.com

  • Coronavirus panic stops iYES event in Kumasi

    The organizers of the International Youth Empowerment Summit (iYES) have called off the 2020 edition in Kumasi off following the confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana.

    Only one session of the 2-day event was held on Friday, March 14, 2020, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

    Patrons defied all odds to make the first session a huge success as they attended in their numbers.

    However, the organizers of the event adhering to the safety regulations cancelled the other session which was to be held on Sunday, March 15, 2020.

    The founder of iYES, Pastor Brian Amoateng in a video obtained by Owen Ghana, thanked participants and everyone for making the event a success. He revealed that the one-day of impact means a lot to him.

    Pastor Brian hinted that the Accra edition of the International Youth Empowerment Summit (iYES) will take place in August.

    Over the years, iYES has created a platform for the youth to acquire practical expertise as Christian in the corporate world.

    The summits are to groom, equip and polish participating youth as well as provide the opportunity for networking in spirit-filled ambiance.

    Source: Owen Ghana, Contributor

  • 11 Coronavirus precautionary measures for trotro users

    1. The moment you sit in the trotro, SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    2. After taking your change/ balance from mate, SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    3. After opening a window, SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    4. Some one gets down and you happen to climb in and out of the trotro, SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    5. Someone coughs or sneezes, COVER YOUR FACE.

    6. You eventually Alight at your destination, SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    7. Insist all WINDOWS BE OPENED.

    8. Beware any time you touch the seat in front of you and SANITIZE YOUR HANDS.

    9. AVOID BUYING.

    10. When out of the trotro, WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND RUNNING WATER at the next available place you find a sink or running water.

    11. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE, SANITIZE BEFORE YOU DO.

    Source: campus360gh.com

  • Coronavirus: Why close down churches but leave nightclubs open? President questioned

    Some Ghanaians are wondering why the President has banned church gatherings for the next four weeks, but has said that nightclubs and other businesses can go on and operate in spite of the coronavirus.

    Last night, as part of drastic measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, banned nearly all public gatherings but exempted businesses that entail gatherings such as nightclubs, instructing such businesses to observe enhanced hygiene practices.

    “All Universities, Senior High Schools, and basic schools, i.e. public and private schools, will be closed Monday, 16th March, 2020, till further notice. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, has been tasked to roll out distance learning programmes. However, BECE and WASSCE candidates will be allowed to attend school to prepare for their examinations, but with prescribed social distancing protocols…

    [But] Establishments, such as supermarkets, shopping malls, restaurants, night clubs, hotels and drinking spots, should observe enhanced hygiene procedures by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands” the President stated.

    But some Ghanaians are critical of the president following these directive allowing nightclubs to operate while churches have been banned.

    Below are some social media reactions to the directive

    Source: mynewsgh.com

  • Man claims to have found cure for Coronavirus, ready for it to be tested VIDEO

    A young man has come out to claim to have found the cure of the deadly coronavirus which has become a world headache.

    The World Health Organization has classified the disease as pandemic due its widely spread and nature.

    As at 16th March, 2020, Ghana had recorded 6 (six) confirmed cases of the coronavirus which was made known by the Ministry of Information.

    Due to the scary nature of the disease, a lot of panic has be caused since the announcement of the cases.

    But amidst this fear, a young man has stormed the offices of Multimedia claiming he has found a cure for the disease.

    In a video sighted online, the young man was seen being interrogated by morning show host Captain Smart.

    The man was seen holding a bottle which had some sort of substance in it, which he claimed to be the cure for the disease.

    Watch video below;

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    HOT VIDEO — Man claims to have God-given coronavirus herbal vaccine.

    A post shared by Hitz 103.9 FM (@hitz1039fm) on

    Source: Ghbase.com

  • Central banks unveil emergency measures as coronavirus death tolls rise in Europe

    The US Federal Reserve and other central banks unveiled emergency measures to prop up the coronavirus-battered global economy, as the three worst-hit European countries recorded their deadliest days of the pandemic.

    The virus has upended society around the planet, with governments imposing restrictions rarely seen outside war-time, including the closing of borders, home quarantine orders and the scrapping of public events.

    After the COVID-19 pandemic began in China late last year, Europe has in recent weeks emerged as the biggest flashpoint and the death toll on the continent surged over the weekend.

    Italy on Sunday announced 368 deaths over the previous 24 hours, the worst single-day toll for any country of the crisis and far exceeding the deadliest day in China recorded in February.

    Spain and France registered 183 and 29 new deaths respectively on Sunday, also their worst one-day tolls.

    Globally, there have been more than 6,400 confirmed deaths from the virus.

    With the virus infecting nearly every sector of the global economy, concerns are growing the world will be catapulted into a damaging recession, leading to stock markets enduring horror losses and wild swings.

    The US Fed attempted to stem the panic with drastic measures announced before Asian markets opened on Monday, slashing its key interest rate to virtually zero in its second emergency rate cut in less than two weeks.

    “What’s happened with the Fed is phenomenal news,” US President Donald Trump said Sunday at a regular briefing of his coronavirus task force. “I can tell you, I’m very happy.”

    But markets were less euphoric, the futures markets on the Dow Jones Index predicting another sharp move downwards and Asian stocks starting the day on the back foot.

    “The good news is that the targeted fiscal response will become more aggressive. The bad news is that all the world’s major economies will continue to effectively lock down any normalcy of economic activity for weeks if not months,” said AxiCorp’s Stephen Innes.

    China on Monday provided more evidence of COVID-19’s dire economic impacts, announcing factory output had contracted for the first time in nearly 30 years.

    Industrial production shrank 13.5 percent in January and February, the government said, which was when China was enduring its most severe travel curbs and quarantine orders to contain the virus.

    Stocking up on weed

    Normal life is at a standstill in much of western Europe, with France ordering all non-essential businesses closed and Spain banning people from leaving home except to go to work, get medical care or buy food.

    Despite Trump’s insistence there is enough food to last through the pandemic, panic-buying has been seen around the world as people stock up on essentials fearing a lengthy period of enforced quarantine.

    Larry Grossman, manager at a Manhattan supermarket, said he had never seen anything like it in 40 years.

    “I have been through Hurricane Sandy… through 9/11, I have never seen shopping like this,” he told AFP, as he restocked the store’s empty shelves.

    New York’s mayor has ordered schools, bars and restaurants in the Big Apple to shut but is allowing take-out food.

    In the Netherlands, cannabis smokers aiming to keep calm and carry on queued up outside Dutch “coffee shops” on Sunday after the government ordered their closure to beat the outbreak.

    “For maybe for the next two months we’re not able to get some weed so it should be nice to at least have some in the house,” said Jonathan outside a “coffee shop” in The Hague.

    ‘Really upset’

    There was pandemonium at several airports as travellers scrambled to get home with countries increasingly slamming shut their borders to prevent the virus spreading.

    In the US, passengers complained of massive queues as staff battled with new entry rules and stipulations on medical screening, leading some to worry they were exposing themselves to the virus in the crowds.

    Joanna, a British student in Cyprus, said she was scrambling to get home, fearful of further restrictions on movement.

    “I think if I stayed here and if it was a lockdown, I think I would be really upset, the fact that I could not go home and see my family,” she told AFP.

    There were continuing signs of improvement in China, with only four new cases recorded in Wuhan — where the virus was first detected in December — although imported cases rose.

    And there have been heartwarming scenes around the world as people attempt to lift spirits.

    In Switzerland, where cases nearly doubled to 2,200 Sunday, Geneva residents applauded, whistled and rang bells from their balconies and windows to thank health workers on the frontline.

    Images of Italians singing from their balconies have also gone viral and the choir of Stockholm’s Katarina church decided to livestream their performances online.

    “People need something to cling on to, I think, and something to listen to,” said chorister Birgitta.

    Source: France24

  • Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine

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    The governments of Germany and the United States are wrestling over the German-based company CureVac, which is working on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, reported German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

    The prominent German media outlet reported, citing unnamed sources, that US President Donald Trump was offering large sums of money to German scientists working on a vaccine. He wanted to secure exclusive rights to their work, the newspaper reported.

    However, in a news release, the company on Sunday rejected “any claims on a possible sale of the company or its technology.”

    The Welt am Sonntag had quoted an anonymous German government source as saying that Trump was doing everything he could to secure a vaccine for the United States, “but only for the US.”

    On Sunday, the head of CureVac’s biggest investor said that an exclusive contract with the US was out of the question.

    “We want to develop a vaccine for the whole world and not individual countries,” the chief executive of dievini Hopp Bio Tech Holding, Christof Hettich, told the Mannheimer Morgen newspaper, echoing a similar statement in the company’s press statement.

    German Health Minister Jens Spahn told German public television that a takeover was not on the cards and that the ministry “has been in good talks with the company for the last two weeks.”

    Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the matter would be discussed in the government’s newly created crisis committee on Monday, while Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told German public TV that “Germany is nor for sale.”

     

    The company is based in the southwestern German city of Tübingen and works with the Paul Ehrlich Institute, linked with the German Health Ministry. It also has sites in Frankfurt and the US city of Boston.

    The company hopes to have an experimental vaccine developed by June or July, and then to get approval for testing on people. The research into several possible vaccines had begun and the two most promising would be chosen for clinical tests, CureVac co-founder and chief production officer Florian von der Mülbe told Reuters on Friday.

    Meeting with Trump

    Trump on Saturdaytested negative for the coronavirus after potentially being exposed to several cases.

    The COVID-19 outbreak, which started in China, has spread across the globe with more than 156,000 confirmed cases and 5,800 deaths. More than 70,000 people have recovered from the virus, which presents for most people as a mild to moderate illness, but can become a serious condition in others.

    On March 2, CureVac’s then-CEO Daniel Menichella attended a meeting at the White House to discuss coronavirus vaccine development with Trump and members of his coronavirus taskforce.

    On March 11, the company announced Menichella would be replaced by company founder Ingmar Hoerr, without giving a reason why.

    Source: dw.com

     

  • Coronavirus: GBA wants courts to suspend sitting

    The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is calling for the suspension of all court sittings for the next 14 days in the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country.

    In a statement dated Sunday, 15 March 2020 and signed by the GBA President, Tony Forson, the GBA said its National President has had “extensive consultations” with the Judicial Secretary regarding the “current heightened concerns about the coronavirus.”

    The GBA President was “apprised of all the preparations the Judicial Service has made to prevent the spread of the virus including the procurement and distribution of industrial sanitizers and ensuring that all the protocols announced are strictly observed.”

    It indicated that the GBA President intends to meet with the Chief Justice today, Monday, 16 March 2020 “to make a strong case for the suspension of court sittings for at least the next 14 days while contingency plans are made for limited court sittings taking into consideration the social distancing advice.”

    The GBA President, however, advised “all lawyers to remain calm and help in the education drive in their communities to assist people to understand the guidelines which have been put by the relevant authorities.”

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Brazil suspends football indefinitely

    The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the suspension of all national football competitions for an indefinite period, with president Rogerio Caboclo vowing to help fight the spread of coronavirus in Brazil.

    The announcement came in the wake of FIFA’s postponement of South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, which were scheduled for March 26 31, and affected all national competitions currently in progress and under the CBF’s supervision.

    A statement on the CBF’s official website explained that state football federations would have autonomy over their own competitions but underlined the importance of a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    “The Brazilian Football Confederation [CBF] decided to suspend, from this Monday, March 16, for an indefinite period, the national competitions under its coordination that are in progress: Copa do Brasil, Brazilian Women’s Championships A1 and A2, Championship Brazilian U-17 and Copa do Brasil U-20,” the statement said.

    “CBF will remain in permanent contact with the Ministry of Health, joining efforts so that the country and the sport overcome the great challenge in relation to the pandemic, hoping that, as soon as possible, we can return to normality.”

    The statement quoted Caboclo as saying: “We know and assume the responsibility of football in the fight against the expansion of COVID-19 in Brazil.”

    Brazil follows the lead of most nations around the world in suspending their football competitions in an effort to combat the coronavirus.
    Australia however declared on Monday that football in the country will continue with the A-League and W-League to be played behind closed doors.

    “The scale of football means that we have a key role to play in maintaining the health and wellbeing of Australians, as well as their families and the wider community,” FFA CEO James Johnson said, with Australia’s football governing body to review the situation for the upcoming finals series.

    “We are doing so by allowing people to play, in line with the current government position but with additional guidance to further improve social distancing at football fields around the country.

    “We have been working closely with our stakeholders, government health officials and our own chief medical officer to develop our policies for the whole of the game following the COVID-19 outbreak. The situation is subject to constant change, and further measures may be necessary in the future.

    “The decision to play the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2019-20 season, and the Westfield W-League 2020 Grand Final behind closed doors was made in consultation with the clubs and in accordance with the latest federal government advice.”

    Source: Goal.com

  • Sub-Saharan Africa braces for full-fledged virus outbreak

    After escaping mostly unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic, sub-Saharan Africa is bracing for the worst after its first outbreaks of the illness that has already engulfed China and Italy and spread to other parts of the globe.

    The region maintains one of the lowest rates of confirmed infections in the world, despite strong links to Europe and China – the original epicenter of the pandemic.

    Coronavirus has so far only been reported in thirteen sub-Saharan African countries and no deaths have yet been recorded.

    Almost all of the region’s 170-odd cases contracted COVID-19 abroad.

    But African leaders are now preparing for the outbreak to spread as doctors and experts fear it could only be a matter of time before the virus spirals out of control.

    South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa warned the outbreak could turn into a “national crisis” after the country confirmed its first case earlier this month.

    “We are going to be hit badly,” said Kenya’s tourism minister Najib Balala, who has set aside 500 million Kenyan Shillings ($4.9 million) for a “post-coronavirus” marketing campaign.

    More than 130,000 people have been infected and 5 000 killed by the novel virus since it was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

    Across the globe, governments have imposed travel restrictions and closed schools to help prevent the spread and world stock markets have plunged.

    Stemming the spread

    After a slow start, the number of coronavirus cases in Africa is creeping up.

    A Kenyan national tested positive for the virus this week after returning from the United States via London, bringing the first case of COVID-19 to East Africa.

    Guinea also detected its first case in a Belgian woman who recently arrived in the country.

    Five more people tested positive in Senegal, the worst-affected country in West Africa. All were family members of a man who is normally resident in Italy.

    Several African countries have been rolling out measures to prevent further contamination.

    Conferences, sporting events and concerts are being suspended one after the other.

    Kenya has temporarily banned major public gatherings and prison visits and stopped its national airline from flying to Rome.

    South Sudan suspended all direct flights to affected countries and Gabon is denying access to travelers coming from China, Italy and South Korea.

    In Rwanda, washing basins with soap and sanitizer have been placed on streets for commuters to use before boarding buses.

    Some schools were temporarily closed in Chad and Gabon.

    Places of worship have remained open for the time being, as well as most restaurants, bars and entertainment precincts.

    ‘Critical’ phase

    “We are at this very early phase where it is critically important that we contain the virus,” said Richard Friedland, head of South Africa’s largest private healthcare provider Netcare.

    “The key issue is with people living in informal settlements, in shacks… that (are) very difficult to self isolate,” he told AFP, warning that a spread to such areas could be “catastrophic” for the continent.

    To date South Africa is the only country in the region that has agreed to repatriate citizens from Wuhan, which has been placed under lockdown.

    More than 120 South Africans are expected to fly back to the country this weekend. All will be quarantined in a remote resort before being allowed to rejoin their families.

    South Africa, which has not yet imposed any restrictions, has detected 24 cases of coronavirus — the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “There is currently no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is widely circulating in the community,” said South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

    “However, based on the experience in other parts of the world it is highly likely that the status of COVID-19 transmission will change.”

    ‘New hotbed’

    The World Health Organisation and the African Union’s Centres for Disease Control have trained health workers and equiped more than 40 laboratories to test for the virus.

    Some experts believe West Africa could also benefit from experience acquired by tackling the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak, which killed some 11 300 people.

    But many countries on the continent are already crippled by ailing medical facilities and struggle to deliver basic healthcare.

    “The system itself is overstretched and inadequate to deal with a coronavirus epidemic,” said Zimbabwean doctor Norman Matara.

    He told AFP there were only eight functioning intensive care and two isolation units in the whole of Zimbabwe.

    “In the event of an epidemic, these are not enough to cater for all the country’s ten provinces,” Matara explained, adding that testing capacities were limited as materials were being kept in two cities.

    Some have started preparing for the worst. In Kenya’s capital Nairobi, panicked residents rushed to supermarkets after the first case was announced to stock their pantries.

    “I call on all my African colleagues to act together,” tweeted Senegal’s President Macky Sall on Friday.

    “Africa must not turn into a new hotbed for the illness.”

    Source: sierraleonetimes.com

  • Iran urges people to stay home as virus claims 113 lives

    Iran on Sunday urged its citizens to stick to guidelines and stay at home to stop the new coronavirus spreading, as it announced another 113 deaths from the outbreak.

    The latest death toll announced by the health ministry took to 724 the official number of people to have been killed by the disease since last month.

    People “should cancel all travel and stay at home so that we may see the situation improving in the coming days,” ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.

    Jahanpour also reported 1,209 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection, raising the total to 13,938.

    “The good news is that more than 4,590 of the overall confirmed cases have recovered” and the patients have been discharged from hospitals, he added.

    Tehran province had the highest number of new infections with 251 fresh cases.

    Khorasan Razavi province, home to the holy Shiite city of Mashhad, followed with 143 cases.

    “The cases there will probably increase,” the official said, calling on everyone to cease from travelling to the northeastern province.

    Mashhad’s Imam Reza shrine receives many devout Iranians every year, especially around the country’s New Year holidays which start on March 20.

    The outbreak in Iran is one of the deadliest outside of China, where the disease originated.

    Jahanpour called on Iranians to “take the coronavirus seriously” and especially be mindful of elderly relatives who are most vulnerable to the infection.

    Source: France24

  • Mauritania confirms first coronavirus case

    Mauritania has confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus, the country’s health minister said on Friday, adding to the growing number of cases in West Africa.

    In a televised statement, Health Minister Mohamed Nedhirou Ould Hamed said the case involved a foreigner who tested positive on Friday.

    “He was immediately isolated and the state has all the means at its disposal to take care of those suffering from the virus,” the minister said.

    A statement from the health ministry, also released on Friday, said the man was an expatriate who had flown into Mauritania from Europe on Monday.

    He isolated himself after a friend in Europe tested positive for the virus, the statement added.

    Health officials discovered he was feverish on Friday morning and he was confirmed positive for coronavirus later in the evening.

    The health minister also promised, in his televised address, that the government would stop charter flights coming to Mauritania from France.

    The West African state of Guinea registered its first coronavirus case on Friday too.

    And Senegal, which shares a border with Mauritania, registered 11 new coronavirus infections on Friday, bringing its total number to 19.

    Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria have all also recently registered coronavirus cases.

    Gabon, which announced its first case earlier this week, said Friday it would close schools for two weeks and stop issuing tourist visas to areas hit by the pandemic.

    Source: sierraleonetimes.com

  • Rwanda confirms first case of coronavirus – health ministry

    Rwanda has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

    He had no symptoms on arrival but presented himself to a health facility on March 13, the ministry said. Rwanda joins a string of African nations to report the presence of coronavirus.

    Source: af.reuters.com

  • Coronavirus: Be on the alert Akwasi Agyeman to hotels

    The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Akwasi Agyeman has asked hotel operators to be on the alert and ensure that all guests are screened following the outbreak of the coronavirus in Ghana.

    Ghana has recorded her first two cases of coronavirus. The cases were confirmed on Thursday, March 12, 2020.

    They were brought in by two people who had returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. The cases were confirmed by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

    Health Minister, Dr. Kweku Agyemang-Manu, who broke the news at an emergency press conference on Thursday night said the two patients have been quarantined and are stable.

    Mr Agyeman expressed optimism that the measures outlined by the government will help forestall the spread of the infection in Ghana.

    He said: “The hospitality and tourism industry is very sensitive and any little spur of fear and panic would hit the industry badly.

    “We have already seen a certain trend over the last few weeks and its worrying but based on the reassuring that we have from the Ghana Health Service and especially given the strong statement by the President we feel emboldened with the educational drive within the industry.”

    “We are asking all hotels to ensure that in the hotel rooms these messages are boldly displayed and there are sanitised and other washing equipment that is available for people to wash their hands and avoid handshakes.”

    “Per the regulations that we have the staff has to have certain health certifications by the various assemblies and from now we are going to enforce that because they are the front liners and have to ensure they are safe.”

    “Coming at the very successful end of the year of return, this is the time that we are picking up the pieces for the beyond the return. As more countries put out travel restrictions and get infected, definitely the impact would be felt.”

    “We are monitoring, globally there have been a negative 63 percent cancellations of hotel flights and about 34 of hotel bookings and that tells you that we need to prepare.”

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • France to shut ‘non-essential’ public places – PM

    France on Saturday drastically stepped up its measures against the spread of the coronavirus, announcing the closure of all non-essential public places including restaurants and cafes from midnight (2300 GMT).

    “I have decided on the closure until further notice from midnight of places that receive the public that are non-essential to the life of the country,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told reporters.

    “This includes notably cafes, restaurants, cinemas and discos.”

    Top health official Jerome Salomon meanwhile announced that the death toll from COVID-19 had risen by 12 over the last day in France to 91, with the total number of infected standing at 4,500.

    Salomon added that France was from now at its highest sanitary alert level of stage three, which means that the virus is now circulating actively across French territory.

    He added that the number of those infected had doubled over the last 72 hours.

    Philippe said that the new measures were being adopted after the first measures announced in France to fight the virus were “imperfectly applied”.

    Places of worship would stay open but all services and ceremonies would have to be postponed, he said.

    Shops would also have to close with the exception of essential services like supermarkets and pharmacies, he added.

    Public transport would continue to run, but Philippe urged the French to “limit their movements” and avoid inter-city travel.

    But he insisted that despite the strict new rules, the first round of local elections would go ahead as planned on Sunday while “respecting strictly the guidelines of distancing”.

    “I know the French will show their calm, their civic mentality and their ability to obey the rules we have set out for their own security,” Philippe said.

    Later Saturday, the tiny principality of Monaco, which lies on the Mediterranean coast and borders France, announced similar measures.

    Non-essential public spaces would be closed until further notice, said a government statement. Food markets, pharmacies, petrol stations and banks would remain open.

    Source: France24

  • US-China trade truce at risk as virus hits global economy

    A hard-won trade war truce between the US and China is at risk as the coronavirus pandemic rocks the global economy, making it tough for Beijing to fulfil its commitments.

    The United States also faces huge disruptions from the deadly virus while a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Washington threatens to derail the phase-one deal that came after more than a year of escalating tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.

    In the pact signed in January, China agreed to buy $200 billion more in US goods over two years than it did in 2017 — before the trade war erupted and triggered tariffs on billions of dollars of two-way trade.

    But concerns are mounting that the conditions of the deal cannot be met as the world economy is threatened by governments taking drastic measures to contain the outbreak, including quarantines, travel bans and closures of public spaces.

    “(The coronavirus) is likely to be a huge distraction for both governments,” said Steve Tsang, head of the China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

    Global markets have plummeted, oil prices have slid, and the International Monetary Fund warned this week that 2020 growth will drop below last year’s 2.9 percent under “any scenario”.

    “I would be surprised if they can now fulfil the terms of the phase one deal,” said Tsang.

    Trade plunge

    Huge waves of business closures have not only disrupted China’s consumer spending and manufacturing but also the world’s supply chains.

    Companies told AFP the past year has brought disarray first from the trade war, then the virus outbreak.

    Qingzhou Ruiyuan Trading Company restarted importing soybeans from the United States this month, but sales were down at least 20 percent from last year, said the general manager surnamed Li.

    He was uncertain how quickly they would be able to boost business once the health crisis is over.

    “We’re affected by the epidemic, and the impact is rather big,” Li said, blaming a drop in domestic demand.

    “We can’t control the market.”

    China’s exports plummeted in the first two months of this year on the back of the new coronavirus, falling 17.2 percent from a year ago, while imports slipped 4.0 percent.

    The virus threatens “China’s import commitments as mandated by the phase one trade deal,” said Rory Green, economist at research firm TS Lombard.

    China has agreed to buy more US farm commodities and seafood, manufactured goods such as aircraft, machinery and steel, and energy products.

    But there are provisions “to allow a delay in compliance, and both nations are likely to accept this, given the global nature of the coronavirus outbreak,” Green added.

    “There is now no chance of China fulfilling its import targets within the timeframe set by the text of the agreement.”

    Distrust

    The US economy is also taking a hit from the virus, with the government introducing sweeping restrictions on arrivals from Europe and huge stock market falls.

    Diplomatic tensions between the US and China have also flared up during the outbreak.

    Washington ordered Chinese state-run media to cut the number of Chinese nationals employed in the United States after Beijing expelled three Wall Street Journal reporters.

    The two countries have also sparred over the pandemic, with a US ban on arrivals from China angering Beijing.

    More recently, Washington blamed Beijing for the disease and China — where the virus was first detected in December — promoted conspiracy theories that it started in the United States.

    “I doubt that either has considered fully the implications (that) the measures taken to counter the spread of the virus have for their bilateral relations,” said Tsang.

    But he said that given the upcoming US election, President Donald Trump was unlikely to highlight any failure by China to meet all the terms of the deal.

    Instead, Trump will use the agreement to score political points.

    But the trade war has fuelled distrust among farmers in both countries that could undermine the deal’s success.

    In the Federal Reserve’s latest “beige book” survey, some US farmers said purchases of agricultural goods by China had “not yet materialized” and expressed worries that the virus “would be used as an excuse for missing future trade targets”.

    Liu Lingxue, general manager of agricultural trading firm Guangzhou Liangnian, said her profits have fallen by at least a third during the virus outbreak.

    But she does not want to import sorghum and soybeans from the US.

    “We would first consider other countries that have been friendlier to China,” she said.

    Source: France24

  • Frontline health care providers should remain calm and professional

    The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called for all frontline health care providers to remain calm and professional in the wake of the confirmation of the first two cases of the flu-like coronavirus in the country.

    It asked that nurses and midwives should be alert in the conduct of their daily routine in all clinical settings, especially in the out-patient department and emergency units to identify suspected cases and to strictly adhere to universal precautions on infection prevention.

    This was contained in a press release jointly signed by the President of the Association, Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, and the General Secretary, David Tenkorang-Twum, and copied to the Ghana News Agency ( GNA ), in Accra.

    It underlined the need for the Health Ministry to provide the required logistics to deal with the virus and stop its spread at the designated treatment centres.

    Nursing and Midwifery Managers must also ensure that personal protective equipment were available for use by nurses and midwives working in isolated units in the designated treatment centres, it added.

    “In the event of unavailability of these logistics at the isolation centres, we strictly advice our nurses and midwives to protect their lives by removing themselves from that environment.”

    The Association urged everybody not to panic and to follow all preventive measures outlined by the Health Ministry.

    It pledged its support to the coordinated efforts to identify, manage, contain and prevent the spread of the virus.

    The virus has infected more than 130,000 people and left in excess of 5,000 dead.

    Source: GNA

  • 2 more Fiorentina players test positive for coronavirus

    Italian football club Fiorentina announced Saturday that its players Patrick Cutrone and German Pezzella tested positive for coronavirus.

    The club said that its physiotherapist Stefano Dainelli also contracted the virus after coming in contact with the players.

    “All 3 resulted positive and are in good health at their homes in Florence,” the club said on its website.

    Fiorentina confirmed Friday that Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic also tested positive for the virus.

    Italy has been the worst-affected in Europe by COVID-19 with more than 1,400 deaths.

    All domestic sports events in Italy have been suspended until April 3 and the entire country is under near-total lockdown.

    In a related development, the Serbian Football Federation confirmed Saturday that its president, Slavisa Kokeza tested positive for coronavirus.

    The federation said on its website that the president of the football organization is under medical observation after he was diagnosed with the COVID-19, adding that the “the football association is continuing its regular activities.”

    Serbia has reported 33 confirmed cases from the virus so far.

    After emerging in China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to over 135 countries and territories.

    The global death toll from the virus has crossed 5,300 with more than 142,000 cases confirmed worldwide, according World Health Organization, which has termed Europe as the new epicenter of the virus.

    A vast majority of those who get infected recover from the illness.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr