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ROME (Reuters) – The situation in Europe, where coronavirus infections are surging, is “serious and alarming” and the bloc must be more efficient with testing, contact tracing, vaccine and quarantine policies, the EU Council President said. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – Professor Philippe Juvin, a leading member of Paris’ Georges-Pompidou hospital, told RTL radio on Wednesday that France had to accept a new, national lockdown to tackle a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus. Read full story

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision on whether or not to enforce a state of emergency to curb Covid-19 should be referred to health and safety experts, instead of politicians and Constitutional experts, says PAS president Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Hadi Awang. Read full story

BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 14,964, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday. Read full story

PATNA, India: Millions of Indians turned out to cast ballots in a state election Wednesday in the world’s biggest vote since the coronavirus emerged, with booths packed out and many ignoring government advice on wearing masks and social distancing.

October 28, 2020 3:20 PM There were no new cases in the community and none from workers’ dormitories.

KYIV (Reuters) – The number of daily coronavirus deaths in Ukraine jumped to 165 from the previous record of 141 fatalities registered on Oct. 21, the national security council said on Wednesday. Read full story

Hong Kong’s top orchestra is consulting stakeholders – including its own musicians – as part of a review of its infection control measures at rehearsals and performances after a clarinettist tested positive for the coronavirus last week, triggering mass quarantining.More than 90 members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra who performed on the same stage […]

Hong Kong confirmed five new Covid-19 infections on Saturday, with just a single local case, as a government health adviser urged private clinics to step up testing of suspected carriers to avoid a fourth wave of the disease.Professor Yuen Kwok-yung also suggested bars and pubs could be allowed to operate past midnight if patrons were […]

In recognition of World Sight Day 2020, the UN Friends of Vision, the Permanent Missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh and Ireland to the United Nations, organized a high-Level event entitled ‘2020 and Beyond: Accelerating Vision for Everyone’. The event was aimed at bringing awareness and global attention to blindness and vision impairment, as well as discussion with […]

SEREMBAN: The Immigration Academy in Port Dickson will be turned into a treatment centre for Covid-19 cases, says Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. Read full story

(Reuters) – French drugmaker Sanofi SA and Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline plan to make 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate available to the vaccine allocation plan co-led by GAVI and the World Health Organization. Read full story

KOTA KINABALU: Disinfection works is being conducted at the Lintas commercial area near here, following a new Covid-19 cluster – Cluster Lintas – as announced by the Health Ministry on Tuesday (Oct 28). Read full story

The number of people allowed to sit together in Hong Kong bars and restaurants will increase from Friday and beaches will reopen next week in a further relaxation of social-distancing measures, as the city on Tuesday recorded five new Covid-19 cases.From Friday, six people can be seated to a restaurant table, up from four, while […]

The government reported 13 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, among arrivals from eight countries.

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to agree at a meeting with leaders of the states on Wednesday to close all restaurants and bars from Nov. 4 in a bid to curb coronavirus infections but keep schools and nurseries open, newspaper Bild reported. Read full story

KOTA KINABALU: Kepayan Prison is doing its best to observe Covid-19 standard operating procedure, especially on physical distancing in a limited space, says Sabah Prison spokesperson Nora Musa. Read full story

LAS VEGAS/WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) – President Donald Trump will hold two campaign rallies on Wednesday in the battleground state of Arizona, where polls show him narrowly trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden, as the White House race heads into its final six-day stretch. Read full story

MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s tally of coronavirus cases stood less than 10,000 away from the grim milestone of 8 million, as 43,893 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, data from the federal health ministry showed. Read full story

While traditional retailers are struggling to survive by scaling down or shutting their Hong Kong stores, vending machines are enjoying something of a boom.Some shopping mall and office landlords are slashing the rent they charge operators to install their machines in prominent areas, because they enable transactions without physical contact and draw traffic.Vending machines selling […]

The coronavirus pandemic has brought countries to a standstill. In many places, as countries reopen, Covid-19 cases are on the rise. Follow here for the latest.

The government of Laos has said it expects economic growth of 3.3 percent this year despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith confirmed the prediction when addressing the opening ceremony of the 10th session of the 8th legislature of the National Assembly yesterday. During his speech, he highlighted the economic difficulties […]

TOKYO: All Nippon Airways said on Tuesday that it would retire more than a tenth of its mostly Boeing fleet and delay two aircraft orders to help rein in costs and survive a collapse in air travel caused by coronavirus travel restrictions.

Hong Kong was facing just two new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, as the city’s health minister defended the government’s easing of social-distancing rules described by some as being inconsistent.A medical source said both cases were traceable, and officials cancelled the daily press briefing, suggesting the infections were either imported or the origins were known.The figures, […]

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Melbourne’s shops, restaurants and hotels opened for business on Wednesday after a four month coronavirus lockdown, with happy customers enjoying alfresco eating in the spring sunshine and shopkeepers hoping for big sales to make up for lost revenue. Read full story

The coronavirus pandemic has brought countries to a standstill. In many places, as countries reopen, Covid-19 cases are on the rise. Follow here for the latest.

With Honduras just becoming the 50th nation to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Americans need to understand that national security can only be achieved by the total elimination of all nuclear weapons across the globe, writes Ira Helfand. “Our survival and that of our children depends on it.”

The manufacturing production index (MPI) dropped a smaller-than-expected 2.75% in September from a year earlier due mainly to lower production of cars, petroleum and sugar amid the coronavirus pandemic, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.

Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines’ coronavirus task force has approved the entry of foreign investors to the South-east Asian nation starting from November 1, the presidential spokesman said on Friday (October 23). Foreigners with investment visa from Philippine agencies would now be allowed entry, after the country imposed travel curbs in February to stem […]

Intellasia East Asia News Flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases is a pre-requisite for a firm economic recovery in Asia Pacific as the region is seen posting its most severe economic contraction in generations this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. In a virtual press briefing on Asia Pacific Regional Economic Outlook, IMF acting […]

Laos is expected to launch a fast-track immigration program this week that will allow Chinese nationals to enter the country with shorter quarantine times. Vice-Chairman of the National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control and Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Phouthone Meuangpak, said on Wednesday that several new measures will be employed to facilitate travel […]

Cambodia confirmed one new imported case of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number of infections in the kingdom to 287, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a press statement. The post Cambodia detects 1 new COVID-19 case, 287 in total appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.

Intellasia East Asia News Editor’s Note: This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines. The two countries stand together in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and enjoy cooperation in fields including investment and technology. Due to growing geopolitical rivalry in the South China Sea, bilateral […]

Intellasia East Asia News The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country is now at 365,799 after the Department of Health reported Friday 1,923 new infections, with 91 percent of them occurring in the last 14 days. This is the fourth consecutive day that the number of new cases hovered below 2,000. Davao City […]

President Donald Trump’s final sprint to shore up states he won four years ago led him Tuesday into the epicenter of America’s quickening viral surge in Wisconsin, as the state’s record single day spikes in Covid-19 cases and deaths crystalized his administration’s failures that could end his political career.

Those playing trumpets and oboes are more likely to spread airborne diseases, while the risk in playing a bass clarinet, involved in a recent Covid-19 infection that resulted in the quarantine of more than 90 members of Hong Kong’s top orchestra, is slightly lower, according to a US study.The infection of a musician in the […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number […]

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries were making steady progress in tackling tuberculosis (TB), with a 9% reduction in incidence seen between 2015 and 2019 and a 14% drop in deaths in the same period. High-level political commitments at global and national levels were delivering results. However, a new report from WHO shows that […]

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday predicted a “tough winter” in the face of a second wave of COVID-19 infections engulfing much of the country, and called it a horrific national tragedy as deaths topped the 10,000 mark. Read full story

OKCHEON, South Korea (Reuters) – As the coronavirus pandemic began sweeping through South Korea late in February, doctor Nam Ha-jong received an order to report overnight to Daegu, a city that was to become the epicentre of infections. Read full story

KOTA KINABALU: Before Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, Seventen Malingka could make as much as RM400 a day driving passengers as a Grab driver. Read full story

Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines’ health ministry on Saturday recorded 2,057 new coronavirus infections and 19 additional deaths. In a bulletin, the ministry said total confirmed cases have increased to 367,819 while deaths have reached 6,934. The Philippines has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. https://in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-philippines-cases/philippines-reports-2057-new-coronavirus-cases-19-more-deaths-idINKBN2790BO

Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines’ coronavirus task force has approved the entry of foreign investors to the South-east Asian nation starting from November 1, the presidential spokesman said on Friday (October 23). Foreigners with investment visa from Philippine agencies would now be allowed entry, after the country imposed travel curbs in February to stem […]

SYDNEY: Australia’s coronavirus hotspot of Victoria state reported two new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday after posting no infections in the previous two days, as state capital Melbourne emerged from more than three months of a hard lockdown. Read full story

The White House included ending the coronavirus pandemic on a list of the Trump administration’s science and technology accomplishments, despite nearly half a million Americans tested positive for Covid-19 in just the last week.

The Department of Disease Control has begun urgently investigating whether a French woman patient who tested positive for Covid-19 was allowed to pass on the infection to two others staying in the same quarantine facility as her.

October 28, 2020 5:00 AM SINGAPORE – Mr Marcus Yeo had to join the job hunt in April, when his family-owned establishment Baystro Buddies had to shut due to Covid-19 restrictions.

LONDON (Reuters) – A first-of-its-kind study using satellite images to count fresh graves and analyse burial activity in Yemen has estimated the death toll there from COVID-19 or COVID-related causes is far higher than official government figures suggest. Read full story

Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines recorded 2,223 newly reported coronavirus infections and 43 additional deaths on Sunday. The country’s total confirmed cases had climbed to 370,028, while its death toll had risen to 6,977, the health ministry said in a bulletin. The Philippines has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Southeast […]

Intellasia East Asia News Lian town mayor Isagani Bolompo, 68, passed away Saturday evening after testing positive from COVID-19, a report said. Lian police said that Bolompo was rushed to Western Medical centre last October 17 for an illness. He was later transferred to the Lung centre of the Philippines but succumbed to death after […]

Intellasia East Asia News Australian company Vaxine Pty Ltd has expressed interest in conducting a clinical trial of its coronavirus vaccine candidate in the country, the Department of Science and Technology said Monday. DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Pena said the biotechnology firm based in Australia has informed the department that it is willing to […]

Intellasia East Asia News The Department of Health reported 1,607 new COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the cumulative number of infections in the country to more than 371,000. To date, 371,630 people have had COVID-19 in the Philippines. Active cases rose to 36,333, comprising 9.8 percent of the total cases in the country. The areas with […]

Intellasia East Asia News Health officials added 14,944 recoveries in its latest mass recovery Sunday, to go with 2,223 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. Breaking the department’s streak of consecutive days that the number of new cases fell below 2,000, this brings their totals to 328,036 recoveries and 370,028 coronavirus cases recorded since the […]

The death rate among the sickest Covid-19 patients could be lowered by treating them using blood plasma with high levels of antibodies donated by those who have recovered from the virus, a local infectious diseases expert has said.Out of 50 critically ill patients across the city who received convalescent plasma treatment, only 11 mostly elderly […]

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s coronavirus hotspot of Victoria state reported two new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday after posting no infections in the previous two days, as state capital Melbourne emerged from more than three months of a hard lockdown. Read full story

Intellasia East Asia News Prudence in stimulus spending must be observed by Southeast Asia and neighbouring advanced economies to ensure debt levels are kept in check, a recommendation from regional economists that reflects the Duterte administration’s fiscally-controlled recovery strategy. While inevitably coronavirus spending would lead to higher deficits and debts, economists at Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research […]

Intellasia East Asia News The Philippine stock market finished flat yesterday as market investors remained cautious again because of the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, Europe and in most parts of the world. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Composite index finished at 6,491.19, up 7.13 points or 0.11 percent. On the other hand, […]

Intellasia East Asia News The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines will continue to increase, reaching almost 500,000 by the end of next month, a member of the University of the Philippines OCTA Research team said today. “Right now, the rough estimate is between 450,000 to 480,000 by end of November, that’s the total […]

Intellasia East Asia News Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he would favour a government-to-government deal for the purchase of coronavirus vaccines to prevent the risk of corruption, adding that Manila would not beg other nations for access to vaccines. The Philippines, with its more than 108 million people and among the highest number […]

Intellasia East Asia News Metro Manila will remain under general Community Quarantine status until November 30 along with other areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte announced in a recorded address aired Tuesday morning. In a portion of the weekly meeting with the government’s coronavirus crisis panel, Duterte bucked the possibility of the […]

BRUSSELS, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The government of Belgium’s Flemish Region on Tuesday announced additional measures against the COVID-19, at the end of an extraordinary council of ministers. Read full story

OTTAWA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Canada hit another grim milestone on Tuesday as the country’s death toll of COVID-19 reached 10,001, according to CTV. Read full story

A senior Trump administration official recently tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from a diplomatic trip to Europe, according to a State Department official familiar with the matter.

BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez on Tuesday said he was confident that by March of next year there will be a set of vaccines to effectively combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Read full story

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Read full story

Get the latest update in the numbers of Covid-19 in Malaysia and related information here! Read full story

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health (MoH) reported on Tuesday that a French woman tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the kingdom to 288. The post French woman tests positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Cambodia appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.

Older Americans are better than younger adults at following the recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new survey.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Israel’s Ministry of Health reported 873 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 311,724. Read full story

RIGA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Latvian ministers on Tuesday approved a strategy proposed by the Health Ministry to better curb the spread of COVID-19 and prevent an overload of the national health system. Read full story

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — New York City’s economic development strategy once made it thrive, but now drags its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic behind the rest of the country’s, as more than 1 million residents are out of work, and the unemployment rate is nearly double the national average, reported The New York […]

PARIS, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in France jumped by 523 to 35,541, the largest daily rise since end April, confirming the worsening of the epidemic situation which has forced the government to consider “difficult decisions” to halt the epidemic resurgence. Read full story

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — California was added to New York state’s COVID-19 travel advisory list, the total number of which now reached 41 states and territories, the state government said on Tuesday. Read full story

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — U.S. stocks closed mixed on Tuesday as investors continued to worry about the country’s soaring COVID-19 infections. Read full story

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said has announced that the impact of Covid-19 has caused about the loss of 300,000 jobs, mainly in the tourism and garment industries. The post PM: Covid-19 has led to loss of 300,000 jobs in Cambodia appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.

Hongkongers are more afraid of being made redundant during the coronavirus pandemic than their counterparts in other major jurisdictions, according to the results of a new survey.The study by C|T Group, a London-based research and campaign consultancy firm, found that fear had led to a declining sense of happiness and well-being among the city’s residents.More […]

A drug commonly used to treat stomach ulcers has shown promise in preventing the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus from replicating in an animal model, a study by Hong Kong’s top university has found.The findings of the research, led by University of Hong Kong (HKU) scientists and published in Nature Microbiology on Wednesday, could provide a new and […]

A member of Hong Kong’s top orchestra has been infected with Covid-19, and 100 musicians quarantined, raising fears about the risk of exposure to a concert audience that included the city’s leader and home affairs chief – although officials quickly dismissed those concerns on Tuesday.Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, and Secretary for Home Affairs […]

Given the similar coronavirus prevalence rates in Singapore and Hong Kong and their proven capacities for testing and contact tracing, there are “no better two geographies” that can start a travel bubble in a bid to revive their stalled economies.This was the reaction of health care expert Dr Jeremy Lim to Thursday’s official announcements that […]

Conversations about Covid-19 have become the norm around Hong Kong dinner tables with no end in sight to the public health crisis, but a new study suggests sharing too much information on the pandemic can have a negative impact on family relationships.A University of Hong Kong survey commissioned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s SMART […]

How to make positive and sustainable change with digital health investments With the right approach and effective investment, digital health interventions can be successful long-term solutions that help to improve the health and well-being of the people they were designed to reach. A new guide has been launched by WHO today to help ensure that […]

On 24 September 2020, the Friends of the Task Force met in the margins of the high-level segment of the 75thsession of the United Nations General Assembly. Participants included Member States, UN agencies and non-State actors. The meeting was co-hosted by the Government of the Russian Federation and the World Health Organization, and co-sponsored by […]

Special edition cover of the classic song “We Are Family’ will be accompanied by a worldwide viral video starring celebrities, frontline health heroes, leaders and members of the public singing together in a show of solidarity and support for addressing present and future global public health needs, including COVID-19. Launching today, the #WeAreFamily video campaign […]

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The United Nations on Tuesday canceled all in-person meetings at its New York headquarters for the rest of the week after five people in Niger’s U.N. mission were infected with the novel coronavirus. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – President Emmanuel Macron will give a televised address on Wednesday evening, his office said, as French authorities explore fresh restrictions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Read full story

October 28, 2020 5:00 AM Two more individuals admitted yesterday to being part of a gathering in June that flouted safe distancing measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

October 28, 2020 5:00 AM Mr Marcus Yeo had to join the job hunt in April, when his family-owned establishment Baystro Buddies had to shut due to Covid-19 restrictions.

October 28, 2020 5:00 AM The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is trialling less-invasive methods of collecting samples for Covid-19 testing and tests with rapid results as more training resumes.

October 28, 2020 5:00 AM Students will be getting the results of national examinations online and in smaller venues in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

ROME, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Italy’s COVID-19 epidemiological curve is on a marked upward trend and must be brought back down before the situation sparks tougher measures, National Institute of Health (ISS) President Silvio Brusaferro warned during a press conference on Tuesday. Read full story

WARSAW, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — A researcher with the University of Warsaw on Tuesday warned of the imminent scarcity of hospital beds if the country’s daily COVID-19 cases stand at a rate of 17,000 per day. Read full story

First lady Melania Trump focused on the Covid-19 pandemic in her first solo campaign event of 2020 and blasted Democrats for allegedly politicizing the pandemic.

ROME (Reuters) – Italy approved a package of measures on Tuesday to support businesses hit by new restrictions aimed at reining in the coronavirus, hours after daily infections hit a new record high and COVID-19-related deaths jumped. Read full story

OTTAWA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday called on Canadians to continue following the health advice as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened in the country. Read full story

October 28, 2020 12:00 AM The current pandemic will be recorded in our history books as an unprecedented event, challenging our norms, habits and lifestyles.

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday called on people to stay home for holidays in order to eschew group activities as a precaution against highly infectious COVID-19. Read full story

(Reuters) – The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has submitted applications to the World Health Organization for an Emergency Use Listing and prequalification of its coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund said on Tuesday. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – The number of COVID-19 patients in French intensive care units could reach in two weeks the same level as during the peak of the first wave in April without new measures, the government spokesman said on Tuesday. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – French hospitals’ intensive care units will be saturated with COVID-19 patients by November 11 if nothing is done to stop the epidemic in France, the French prime minister told lawmakers in a meeting behind closed doors, according to participants. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – France reported 523 new deaths from coronavirus over the past 24-hours, the highest daily toll since April 22, health ministry data showed. Read full story

RIGA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The Latvian government on Tuesday decided to boost testing capacity by 60 percent to try to stem the unrelenting spread of COVID-19 in the country, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins told the press following an extraordinary cabinet sitting. Read full story

TIRANA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The Albanian Health Ministry on Tuesday reported seven deaths caused by COVID-19 infection in the last 24 hours, a record high number for the country since the start of the pandemic in March. Read full story

AMMAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Jordan on Tuesday reported 3,800 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily spike in the country so far, raising the tally to 58,855. Read full story

SKOPJE, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Minister of Interior of North Macedonia Oliver Spasovski has tested positive for COVID-19, the Media Information Agency (MIA) reported on Tuesday. Read full story

LONDON, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 367 to 45,365, the highest daily increase since May, according to official figures released Tuesday. Read full story

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Nearly 800,000 children in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, according to a new report of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association. Read full story

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — COVID-19 cases have increased 70 percent in one week in Sweden, sparking the country to impose more restrictions in more regions, Swedish Television (SVT) on Tuesday quoted Anders Tegnell, a state epidemiologist, as saying at a press conference of the Public Health Agency of Sweden. Read full story

BELGRADE, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Serbia has registered a record 1,000 new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour span, the country’s Health Ministry confirmed in a press release on Tuesday. Read full story

RABAT, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Morocco registered 3,988 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the tally of infections in the North African country to 203,733, the health ministry said in a statement. Read full story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A political adviser to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is suspected of sparking an outbreak of the coronavirus on his team that sidelined a senior official days before the presidential election, according to a current White House official and a former official familiar with the matter. Read full story

The World Health Organization invites independent film-makers, production companies, NGOs, communities, students, and film schools from around the world to submit their original short films to the 2nd Health for All Film Festival. Launched in 2020, the festival aims to recruit a new generation of film and video innovators to champion global health issues.  The […]

At the occasion of the World Health Summit 2020 and the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, a new book has been launched that calls on world leaders and politicians to unite in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other threats to health and the global economy. Health: A Political Choice – Act Now, Together is the […]

Accurate pregnancy dating and quality care combined with the steroids are key to survival The results of a new clinical trial, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that dexamethasone—a glucocorticoid used to treat many conditions, including rheumatic problems and severe COVID-19— can boost survival of premature babies when given to pregnant […]

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Nearly half a million people in the United States have contracted the novel coronavirus in the last seven days, according to a Reuters tally, as cases and hospitalizations set fresh records in hot spots in the Midwest. Read full story

Richard Curtis and Forest Whitaker, Sustainable Development Goals advocates appointed by the United Nations, write that the human race has never had to face a set of challenges like we do right now. But together, guided by the SDGs, we believe we can overcome them.

by Xinhua writer Xia Lin Read full story

NICOSIA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Three ministers of the government of Cyprus have been placed in COVID-19 isolation after coming into contact with a confirmed coronavirus case, an official statement said on Tuesday. Read full story

VIENTIANE, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The Lao government predicted that the country’s economy will grow by 3.3 percent in 2020 despite fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read full story

Hong Kong recorded six new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, as residents who feared they may have been exposed to the coronavirus queued up to be tested at a temporary facility.The new cases all came from traceable sources, officials said, and involved three locally transmitted infections and three imported from India.There were also several preliminary positive […]

The coronavirus could kill 1,000 residents and leave tens of thousands sick this winter if holes in Hong Kong’s defences are not plugged, an infectious disease expert has warned, as the city recorded seven new Covid-19 cases on Sunday.Professor Yuen Kwok-yung made his chilling prediction on a radio programme, as he said the city was […]

Two Hong Kong schools with adjoining campuses were forced to temporarily close their doors on Monday after a student was confirmed with Covid-19, while health authorities contested a medical expert’s claim the city was already experiencing a fourth wave of infections.Two more residents from the Home of Treasure, a care facility for the disabled in […]

Orchestral musicians must test negative for the coronavirus before performing in public under a proposal being discussed by Hong Kong officials, after an infection within one of the city’s top ensembles triggered mass quarantining.The talks on introducing the mandatory screening of concert musicians emerged on Wednesday as a medical source revealed a handful of new […]

Hong Kong is in the grip of an alarming rise in the number of young people struggling with emotional distress and suicidal thoughts during the coronavirus pandemic, sparked by school closures, feelings of isolation, family arguments, and uncertainty over the future, local charities have warned.Three health organisations said they were turning their focus on services […]

Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on Hongkongers’ mental health, former justice minister Wong Yan-lung has said, while urging the government to prioritise resources to tackle the burgeoning crisis.In an exclusive interview with the Post during Mental Health Month, the chairman of the government’s advisory committee on the issue said the pandemic had delayed a […]

The Hong Kong orchestra that made headlines for being quarantined en masse after one of its musicians contracted Covid-19 has said it will consider not performing again until health authorities issue clear guidelines for avoiding a repeat of the current situation, sources say.The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra was at the centre of a Covid-19 scare […]

Vice President Mike Pence did not attend Monday night’s White House swearing-in ceremony for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett because he was adhering to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, an administration official told CNN.

Former President Barack Obama on Tuesday offered blistering criticism of President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that administers Wikipedia, announced today a collaboration to expand the public’s access to the latest and most reliable information about COVID-19.  The collaboration will make trusted, public health information available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license at a time when countries face continuing resurgences […]

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The Belgian government will convene on Friday to decide on a potential new national lockdown with the country now suffering the highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 citizens, according to official data. Read full story

If you’re in a coronavirus hotspot, watch out — the White House coronavirus task force coordinator might be visiting and reinforcing some sharp lessons.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Only a share of the European Union population can be inoculated against the new coronavirus before 2022, should an effective vaccine be available, EU officials said in an internal meeting, as governments remain split on vaccination plans. Read full story

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the worst financial crisis in the history of the airline industry. But when the health crisis is over, airlines’ financial problems will probably continue for years.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has ordered the control and capability of public health action in Sabah be enhanced to curb the spread of Covid-19 immediately. Read full story

October 27, 2020 11:21 PM SINGAPORE – Raffles City Shopping Centre, Bugis Junction and the Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski were added on Tuesday (Oct 27) to the list of places visited by infectious Covid-19 patients.

It is now widely recognized that in Africa, the Covid-19 pandemic is on a different trajectory than much of the rest of the world, including the West. While relatively low levels of testing obscure the full picture, death rates have been significantly lower; health systems, while sometimes strained, have not been overwhelmed; and the latest […]

John Bjorkman, a beloved father, grandfather and lifelong educator in De Smet, South Dakota, passed away this week at age 66, more than one month after he tested positive for coronavirus. He spent most of the past month in and out of hospitals.

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to find out later on Tuesday if he will be able to play in the highly anticipated Champions League clash against Barcelona and Lionel Messi

More affordable coronavirus testing is necessary to boost tourism between Hong Kong and Singapore as the two Asian financial hubs have agreed to form a travel bubble exempting residents from quarantine requirements, industry representatives said on Friday.Hong Kong’s travel agencies also urged the city government to speed up talks of reopening the borders with their […]

Hong Kong health officials are battling to control the spread of a potentially fatal drug-resistant superbug they believe has swept through the city’s public hospitals and elderly care homes because of the coronavirus.On Friday, Dr Raymond Lai, the Hospital Authority’s chief infection control officer, called the outbreak worrying, and said he was working to stop […]

The government’s third-quarter GDP report, released this Thursday, is expected to show the economy partially rebounded from coronavirus lockdowns in the summer months. But economists warn, it’s not as impressive as it may sound.

At least 7,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Los Angeles County, public health officials announced Monday, and according to officials, a rise in cases is strongly linked to private and public gatherings for sports events.

ROYAL Selangor Golf Club will suspend all sporting activities with effect from Wednesday (Oct 28) for a deep sanitisation process at all their facilities. Read full story

The death of Merle Bonagua, a domestic worker from the Philippines who had worked for 18 years in Hong Kong, has highlighted the often daunting hurdles migrant workers face in getting health care in the city since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, advocates and other domestic workers say.Bonagua, 52, died of ovarian cancer on […]

Hong Kong recorded eight new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, with social-distancing rules – including the four-person limit on public gatherings – set to remain in force for another week.The extended measures will last till next Thursday, as leading microbiologist and government adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung made fresh calls for the mandatory testing of people with […]

The Trump administration is set to announce as early as this week that Medicare and Medicaid will cover out-of-pocket costs for a potential coronavirus vaccine that is granted emergency use authorization, according to a person familiar with the matter.

KUALA LUMPUR: Frustrated with a months-long political power struggle during the coronavirus pandemic, Malaysians have praised King Al-Sultan Abdullah for rejecting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request on Sunday to impose emergency rule.

Hospitals across the nation are yet again dealing with capacity issues as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to climb.

BARCELONA (Reuters) – Overflowing with aging cats who lost their owners to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barcelona’s cat sanctuary El Jardinet dels Gats has launched an online campaign to get them adopted. Read full story

Deadly wildfires are wreaking havoc on California, Oregon and Washington forcing tens of thousands of people into shelters amid the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s how you can help.

The twenty-sixth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened and opened by the WHO Deputy Director-General on 14 October 2020 with committee members attending via video conference, supported by the WHO Secretariat.  Dr Zsuzsana Jakab in opening remarks on behalf of Dr […]

Thousands of prints by the street artist STIK, which were intended to be distributed as a gift to London residents after months of hardship during the coronavirus pandemic, have been stolen, police said on Tuesday.

October 27, 2020 8:34 PM Such tests are suited for large-scale events where faster turnaround is critical, including at BMT graduation parades.

KOTA KINABALU: More than 70% of the inmates from in the Kepayan Prison cluster have been screened as of Tuesday (Oct 27), says Datuk Masidi Manjun. Read full story

The economic fall out of the Covid-19 pandemic is driving up food insecurity across America. Here is how you can get help if you are facing food insecurity today.

Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons are getting new drive-thrus to boost sales in the coronavirus age.

WITH the country recording 1,228 new cases on Monday (Oct 26), the highest daily Covid-19 infections to date, parents are anxious about sending their children to school. Read full story

LONDON (Reuters) – Global emissions from fuel consumption likely peaked last year, as power demand has fallen this year due to coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions, research by Bloomberg Energy Finance said on Tuesday. Read full story

Hong Kong is adding France and Russia to its list of countries deemed at high risk of Covid-19, requiring arrivals from the two nations to test negative for the coronavirus before departure and to quarantine in a hotel upon landing.Authorities also banned flights operated by Air India from New Delhi and an Indian airline jointly […]

Hundreds of private doctors in Hong Kong are already grappling with flu vaccine shortages amid an unprecedented demand before the winter influenza season and a predicted fourth Covid-19 wave, the medical profession has warned.Officials had vowed to help practitioners secure some extra shots if they were taking part in the government inoculation effort, Medical Association […]

You can access the original press release by clicking here.  

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc sent a video message to a teleconference of health ministers from the Western Pacific region hosted by World Health Organisation on Wednesday, with a focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

PETALING JAYA: Volunteers from NGOs wanting to help with the Covid-19 situation in Sabah should coordinate with the Health Ministry. Read full story

LONDON (Reuters) – People recovering from COVID-19 may suffer significant brain function impacts, with the worst cases of the infection linked to mental decline equivalent to the brain ageing by 10 years, researchers warned on Tuesday. Read full story

Masks must be worn in all public areas and bars and restaurants should close overnight, officials say.

PUTRAJAYA: Elections in the country should be put on hold for the time being as the Covid-19 situation is still at a severe stage, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. Read full story

Belgium is on the brink of a coronavirus disaster as a top health official warned that the country could run out of intensive care beds in as little as two weeks.

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional is heartened by the King’s acknowledgement of the success of the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and is grateful for the solidarity shown by all its component parties and Perikatan-friendly parties, says Datuk Seri Azmin Ali. Read full story

Protesters have clashed with police in northern Italy, as demonstrations erupted across the country Monday night over government restrictions aimed at quelling a second wave of Covid-19.

The coronavirus pandemic has forever changed the microchip industry, kicking its consolidation into high-gear as people rely more on massive data centers to host their video conferences and other productivity services. Capping off a year of massive change for semiconductors, AMD agreed to buy rival chipmaker Xilinx in a $35 billion deal.

“We must not give up.” That was the message from WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who warned Monday that ditching efforts to control the pandemic, as suggested by a senior Trump official, was dangerous.

ROME (Reuters) – European governments prepared on Tuesday to introduce new restrictions to try to curb a growing surge of coronavirus infections across the continent and provide economic balm to help businesses survive the pandemic. Read full story

Mae Sot is free of the novel coronavirus while the risk of transmission is slim on Koh Samui, where a French woman is the sole Covid-19 case, the Disease Control Department announced on Tuesday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Those issued compounds for not complying with proper face mask-wearing standard operating procedures (SOPs) have the right to go to court to have it re-examined. Read full story

PUTRAJAYA: “Weekend” husbands and wives are allowed to travel to meet up with their spouses who live in areas under the conditional movement control order (MCO), says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Read full story

JAKARTA (Reuters) – For months, by Zoom calls and then by jet, Indonesian ministers and officials scoured the world for access to a vaccine for the coronavirus that Southeast Asia’s biggest country is struggling to control. This month, their campaign paid off. Read full story

In August, Russian state media rolled out the red carpet for a bombshell announcement — President Vladimir Putin, from his residence outside Moscow, unveiled what he said was the world’s first registered coronavirus vaccine, meant to bring Russia closer to the end of a devastating pandemic.

(Reuters) – Fear of the novel coronavirus has cast some Americans into an unfamiliar role: litigants in an unprecedented wave of court battles over voting procedures. Read full story

(Reuters) – In the early days of what became a historic public health crisis, the novel coronavirus was, in the lexicon of U.S. politics, a “blue state” problem – centered in East and West Coast areas, particularly New York and New Jersey, that voted against President Donald Trump in 2016. Read full story

KUCHING: Kuching is now a Covid-19 red zone again after 16 new local transmissions were reported in the district Tuesday (Oct 27), says Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah. Read full story

PETALING JAYA: Out of the 230 Covid-19 clusters that have been reported since the start of the pandemic, about 30% are linked to the workplace, says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. Read full story

MELBOURNE: Melbourne on Tuesday achieved what elated residents called the “double donut” — two days of no new coronavirus cases — as bars in Australia’s second city readied for a midnight reopening after a gruelling months-long lockdown.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia recorded 835 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday (Oct 27), with Sabah showing a reduction in its daily total with 517 cases. Read full story

October 27, 2020 6:08 PM SINGAPORE – A virtual trade show for office supplies will be launched on Wednesday (Oct 28) as the Covid-19 pandemic puts a halt on exhibitions and trade fairs.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

October 27, 2020 5:55 PM SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) – Some users are allegedly breaking open their TraceTogether tokens, removing the battery and even swapping the QR code with that of another device.

SEREMBAN: Government and private sector events will not be allowed to be held in Nilai, which has been placed under a conditional movement control order (MCO) until Nov 10, says Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. Read full story

Hong Kong’s private doctors were urged on Thursday to be alert to patients with possible Covid-19 symptoms and test them, as more than 60 per cent of infections recorded in the past week have been locally transmitted.Health experts had debated over whether patients with mild symptoms should be forced to receive coronavirus tests, with a […]

Hong Kong men face a higher infection rate and are less alert to Covid-19 symptoms than women, according to university research.Male patients were also more likely to be diagnosed later because of lower awareness, said one of the researchers, Dr Martin Wong Chi-sang, a professor at the school of public health at Chinese University (CUHK).The […]

Hong Kong officials are facing calls to tighten Covid-19 rules on travellers from India after they accounted for most of the city’s 17 new infections on Saturday, despite repeated flight bans imposed on its national carrier.A government source said talks were ongoing with India’s representatives in Hong Kong to reduce the risk of infected passengers […]

Hong Kong has completed preparatory work on a “health code” necessary for cross-border travel with mainland China and Macau, its health minister revealed on Sunday, as the city recorded four new Covid-19 infections.In a video on her Facebook page, Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the progress on the code opened […]

Hong Kong recorded 15 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, as the city’s health minister prepared to meet private doctors to discuss how to compel people with mild symptoms to get tested for the coronavirus.All but one of the latest infections were imported, while the local case involved close contact with a previous patient, marking the […]

Hong Kong recorded another eight Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, all with traceable sources of infection.The Centre for Health Protection said all but one were imported, with the local case involving a 66-year-old male resident at the Home of Treasure disabled care facility in Kwai Chung, which had already recorded 19 related cases.The imported infections were […]

PUTRAJAYA: The National Security Council (NSC) will study proposed standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be in place for the Batu Sapi by-election, with strict measures to be in place due to raging Covid-19 cases in Sabah, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Read full story

HSBC is speeding up its mammoth restructuring plan as the bank continues to grapple with ongoing headaches, from ultra-low interest rates and geopolitical tensions to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

PUTRAJAYA: The enhanced movement control order (MCO) enforced on the Penang Remand Prison and officers’ quarters have been extended for another 14 days as Covid-19 positive cases are still being detected there, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Read full story

WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on Tuesday for mass protests over abortion rights to be halted, saying those attending were disregarding “massive risks” from the resurgent coronavirus pandemic. Read full story

Doctors say Covid-19 is now rampant in the refugee camps of Idlib, north-west Syria.

PUTRAJAYA: An area in Kuching, Sarawak, will be placed under an enhanced movement control order (MCO) starting Wednesday (Oct 28), following an increase in the number of Covid-19 positive cases there. Read full story

PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic reported 10,273 new COVID-19 cases on Monday as it faces one of Europe’s biggest surges in infections, according to health ministry data,. Read full story

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s main medicines regulator gave the go-ahead on Tuesday for human clinical trials on raloxifene, a generic osteoporosis drug that researchers hope may also help reduce COVID-19 symptoms and make patients less infectious. Read full story

BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of coronavirus cases is rising exponentially and Germany will likely have 20,000 new daily infections at the end of the week, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Tuesday. Read full story

After months of suspended classes and stunted social lives amid the ongoing pandemic, children and teens are Hong Kong’s unhappiest people this year, a survey has found.Working on a scale of zero to 10, the non-profit group HK.WeCARE has determined the city’s overall happiness index this year to be 6.16, a tiny increase from last […]

TOKYO: Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc on Tuesday said it will retire more than a tenth of its mostly Boeing Co fleet and delay two aircraft orders to help rein in costs and survive a collapse in air travel caused by coronavirus travel restrictions. Read full story

SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who is being treated for the novel coronavirus at home after testing positive, called on Bulgarians to observe anti-viral measures and keep safe as daily infections hit a record on Tuesday. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – Gilles Pialoux, an infectious diseases specialist at the Tenon hospital in Paris, urged the government on Tuesday to impose a new national lockdown to tackle a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Read full story

GEORGE TOWN: The University of Wollongong Malaysia KDU (UOW Malaysia KDU) will stop face-to-face classes temporarily in both of its campuses in the state in light of the spike in Covid-19 virus. Read full story

PARIS (Reuters) – France should get ready for “difficult decisions” on new measures to tackle the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said on Tuesday ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the pandemic. Read full story

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Tuesday countries must take complete and effective action against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and work closer together. Read full story

In just one week, the fall surge in Covid-19 infections added nearly half a million cases to the national total.

Hongkongers will be able to join local tours of up to 30 people each and wedding ceremonies of no more than 50 guests starting from Friday, officials revealed on Tuesday, as five new Covid-19 cases were recorded.But while Hong Kong’s leader said the city had not met the criteria necessary to relax social-distancing measures further, […]

Nine passengers arriving on a Nepal Airlines flight and a returning resident who twice tested negative during quarantine were among Hong Kong’s 11 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, prompting authorities to ban the carrier yet again, just four days after it completed a two-week suspension.Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable […]

Hong Kong’s four new coronavirus infections on Friday were all traceable, as larger tour groups and wedding ceremonies resumed in the city.The latest infections pushed the city’s Covid-19 case tally to 5,284, with 105 related deaths.Friday’s cases involved three imported infections from Pakistan, India and the United States, while the sole local patient, a 29-year-old […]

Mainland China’s return to growth will help the Hong Kong economy recover from its battering by the coronavirus, according to the city’s financial chief, who predicted a “significant improvement” to third-quarter performance and exports in September.But achieving that progress depended on how well Hong Kong contained the spread of Covid-19, a fight that had already […]

In just six months, the world’s largest randomized control trial on COVID-19 therapeutics has generated conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of repurposed drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. Interim results from the Solidarity Therapeutics Trial, coordinated by the World Health Organization, indicate that remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens appeared to have little or no […]

October 27, 2020 3:40 PM The imported cases had been placed on stay-home notices on arrival in Singapore.

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is back after undergoing Covid-19 treatment and quarantine more than two weeks ago. Read full story

Special series aims to advance women’s health and gender equality. Progress on gender equality has been made in all 12 key areas identified in the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on Women – but for millions of girls and women around the world today, this visionary agenda is still far from reality. The […]

As the novel coronavirus pandemic spreads and impacts the entire planet, many countries have issued entry and travel restrictions, including Việt Nam.

Spain and Italy should be added to Hong Kong’s list of high-risk countries for Covid-19, a top medical expert said, as the city recorded eight new coronavirus cases on Monday – all of them imported.Hong Kong is growing increasingly concerned about protecting itself in the face of a rapidly worsening pandemic situation in Europe, with […]