International

World has ‘window of opportunity’ to halt virus spread: WHO chief

by Nina LARSON GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The dramatic measures taken by China to rein in the deadly new coronavirus outbreak have prevented significant spread abroad, providing a “window of opportunity” to halt transmission, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. But the UN health agency’s chief also called for greater solidarity, accusing some governments of wealthy countries of being “well behind” in sharing data on virus cases. “While 99 percent of cases are in China, […]

Hong Kong sees first virus death as more countries confirm local transmission

by Laurent THOMET BEIJING, China (AFP) — Three more Asian countries confirmed coronavirus infections on Tuesday among citizens who had not traveled to China, as Hong Kong reported its first death from the disease and millions more people in Chinese cities were ordered to stay indoors. The toll in mainland China soared to 425 after 64 more people died, the biggest single-day tally since the first fatalities emerged last month. More than 20 countries have […]

Persons recovering from nCov-2019 increase; more than 700 recoveries exceed 427 virus deaths as of Feb. 4

Data based on John Hopkins University live dashboard on nCoV-2019 global cases as of Feb. 4, 2020 Screenshot of live virus dashboard of the John Hopkins University analyzing and collating data on novel coronavirus cases worldwide. (Screenshot as of Feb. 4 data at 8:15 p.m./Courtesy John Hopkins University) (Eagle News) – There are increasingly more persons who are recovering from the 2019 novel coronavirus or 2019-nCOv than those who died from the virus that has […]

Traveller from Thailand confirmed as S.Korea’s new virus case

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean woman who recently visited Thailand was confirmed Tuesday as having the deadly new virus sweeping China, Seoul’s health authorities said. The virus first appeared in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and has infected more than 20,000 people, killing 425 and spreading to more than two dozen countries. The latest confirmed case brought South Korea’s total number of patients to 16. She is a 42-year-old Korean woman […]

S.Africa says rhino poaching down 23 percent last year

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa recorded a 23 percent drop in the number of rhinos killed by poachers last year, official figures showed Monday. In 2019, 594 rhino were slaughtered for their horns, down from 769 killed in 2018. Poaching is fueled by the demand for rhino horn in Asia, where it is coveted as a traditional medicine or an aphrodisiac, and can fetch up to $60,000 per kilogram. South Africa, home to […]

Death toll due to 2019-nCoV hits 427; confirmed cases now at 20,613 mostly in China

  (Eagle News) – The death toll from the novel coronavirus has risen to 427, almost all in China, except for two cases outside the mainland – from the Philippines and Hong Kong. This came about as the total confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV hit 20,613. Most of these are in China with 20,423 cases. Based on the information collected by the John Hopkins University, there were also more than 660 virus recoveries so far, […]

Hong Kong confirms death of patient with coronavirus; becomes 2nd place outside China to report nCoV death

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong on Tuesday become the second place outside of the Chinese mainland to report the death of a patient being treated for a new coronavirus that has so far claimed more than 400 lives. Medical authorities confirmed a 39-year-old man who was being treated for the virus died on Tuesday morning. The man was a resident of Hong Kong who had travelled last month to Wuhan, the Chinese […]

China opens virus hospital built from scratch in under two weeks

    BEIJING, China (AFP) — Coronavirus patients arrived Tuesday at a Chinese field hospital built from scratch in under two weeks at the frontline of the outbreak, state media said, following a round-the-clock construction marathon that became a national social media sensation. The 1,000-bed facility was built to relieve hospitals swamped with patients in Wuhan, the city in Hubei province at the epicentre of the national health emergency that has killed more in China […]

North Africa football stadiums double as political arenas

  by Hamza Mekouar Agence France-Presse CASABLANCA, Morocco (AFP) — From Casablanca to Algiers via Tunis, the chants belted out across football stadiums echo young North African fans’ frustrations not connected to the highs and lows of the beautiful game. Chants of “F’bladi delmouni!” (“Oppressed in my country!”) at the demonstrations that have been commonplace in Algeria since last year originated on the noisy terraces manned by the ultras of Morocco’s Raja Casablanca. The song of […]

China admits ‘shortcomings’ in virus response

  by Jing Xuan Teng and Beiyi Seow Agence France-Presse   BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s top leadership has admitted “shortcomings and difficulties” in its response to the coronavirus outbreak, as state media said a new hospital built at breakneck pace began receiving patients in the epicenter of the crisis. Sixty-four new deaths were confirmed on Tuesday — surpassing Monday’s record to post the new biggest daily increase since the virus was detected late last year […]

Israel says Netanyahu discusses ‘normalization’ with Sudan’s leader

by Guillaume Lavallee with Michael O’Hagan in Entebbe Agence France-Presse JERUSALEM, Undefined (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Sudan’s leader Monday to discuss normalizing ties, his office said, a potentially landmark step that caught Khartoum by surprise and was denounced by the Palestinians. Netanyahu’s office said he met Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of the ruling sovereign council in fast-changing Sudan, in the Ugandan city of Entebbe. Israel remains technically at war with Sudan, which […]

36 evacuated from China to France show virus symptoms: minister

  AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France (AFP) — Thirty six people aboard an evacuation flight from China that landed in France on Sunday showed symptoms of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 360 people, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said. In all, 254 people arrived in France from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the deadly virus was first detected, on the second such flight. “About 20 people who presented symptoms have stayed on the tarmac” at Istres […]