GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Spraying disinfectant on the streets, as practised in some countries, does not eliminate the new coronavirus and even poses a health risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday. In a document on cleaning and disinfecting surfaces as part of the response to the virus, the WHO says spraying can be ineffective. “Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces, such as streets or marketplaces, is… not recommended to kill the […]
Health
From hospital to home, on the virus front line with medics around the world
by AFP video journalists in bureaus around the world Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — From the hospital ward and the distress of patients dying, to the home front full of fear of infecting their own families, medical workers face gut-wrenching daily decisions more than ever in the fight against the coronavirus. AFPTV journalists followed doctors, nurses, ambulance staff and caregivers on the front line of the virus in Paris, Beirut, Stockholm, Sao Paulo, […]
Zinc-hydroxychloroquine found effective in some COVID-19 patients: study
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine has shown mixed results against the coronavirus in early studies, but a new paper out of New York suggests combining it with the dietary supplement zinc sulfate could create a more effective treatment. The research by the NYU Grossman School of Medicine was posted on a medical preprint site on Monday, meaning it hasn’t yet been peer reviewed. Records of about 900 COVID-19 patients were reviewed […]
Shanghai Disneyland reopens after three-month coronavirus closure
by Dan Martin / LAN Lianchao Agence France-Presse SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — Shanghai Disneyland reopened on Monday following a more than three-month coronavirus shutdown as China moves nearer to normality and Walt Disney Co. seeks to plug the flow of red ink caused by the pandemic. The theme park in China’s most populous city is the first of the entertainment conglomerate’s six main Disney resorts around the world to reopen, but does so under the shadow […]
Pandemic gives fresh momentum to digital voice technology
by Rob Lever Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) — In a world suddenly fearful of touch, voice technology is getting a fresh look. Voice-activated systems such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri have seen strong growth in recent years, and the virus pandemic could accelerate that, analysts say. Voice assistants are not only answering queries and shopping, but also being used for smart home control and for a range of business and […]
Anti-viral drug trio found to shorten COVID-19 illness in mild cases: study
by Kelly MACNAMARA Agence France Presse Researchers in Hong Kong have found that patients suffering milder illness caused by the new coronavirus recover more quickly if they are treated with a three-drug antiviral cocktail soon after symptoms appear. Authors of the study, published in the Lancet on Friday, described the findings as “early but important”. They called for larger-scale research on critically-ill patients to ascertain if the drug combo could be a viable treatment for […]
Recovery from coronavirus may not confer immunity, warn experts
by Amélie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS Agence France Presse Even as virologists zero in on the virus that causes COVID-19, a very basic question remains unanswered: do those who recover from the disease have immunity? There is no clear answer to this question, experts say, even if many have assumed that contracting the potentially deadly disease confers immunity, at least for a while. “Being immunized means that you have developed an immune response against a virus such that […]
Canada says immigrants welcome after pandemic
Eagle News — Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, spoke to a group of immigration lawyers stating that once the pandemic is over, Canada will remain open to immigrants. “Immigration is an economic driver that we rely on” says Mendicino. He also says that immgration is the key to economic recovery in Canada. Mendicino further explains that the need for people to migrate to Canada helps with population. “Canada’s birth rate is too low. There just […]
Test equipment found to be contaminated; 40 cases yielded false positives
Eagle News — A second test found all 40 of the newly suspected COVID-19 cases in Yala on Sunday turned out to be false positives, as the public health ministry has decided to run another test. The Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) however, wants to run a third test through the Department of Medical Sciences. Sources said there are several factors potentially contributing to false positives. Including the possibilities that the equipment had […]
Brazilian Amazon mayor pleads for world help on virus
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — The mayor of Manaus, the biggest city in the Amazon rainforest region, asked world leaders Tuesday for help fighting the novel coronavirus, which has brought his city’s health system to the brink of collapse. Manaus is the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, which has been devastated by the pandemic. Mayor Arthur Virgilio sent video messages and letters pleading for funds and medical equipment to 21 world leaders, […]
COVID-19 lockdown risks 1.4 million extra TB deaths: study
by Patrick GALEY Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — The global lockdown caused by COVID-19 risks a “devastating” surge in tuberculosis cases, with nearly 1.4 million additional deaths from the world’s biggest infectious killer by 2025, new research showed Wednesday. TB, a bacterial infection that normally attacks patients’ lungs, is largely treatable yet still infects an estimated 10 million people every year. In 2018, it killed around 1.5 million people, according to the World […]
Virus model sees near-doubling of US deaths
WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) — A prominent US pandemic model on Monday significantly increased its coronavirus death forecast after parts of the country began reopening. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) now foresees 134,475 deaths by August 4, up from 72,433 projected in an April 29 estimate. On Monday the United States had recorded around 68,000 deaths linked to COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Previously criticized for being too […]