Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 23, 2020
Merkel goes into quarantine after contact with infected doctor
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FRANKFURT: German chancellor Angela Merkel went into quarantine on Sunday (Mar 22) after coming into contact with a coronavirus-infected doctor shortly after announcing more curbs on social interaction to slow the spread of the disease. Merkel, 65, will continue her work from home and will submit to repeated tests over the next few days, her
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 23, 2020
Schools remain safe places for children, additional precautionary measures implemented: Ong Ye Kung
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SINGAPORE: Schools remain safe places for children and many “significant additional precautionary measures” have been implemented to safeguard the entire system, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Sunday (Mar 22). In a Facebook post a day before schools were due to reopen after the March holidays, Mr Ong said he had received many emails
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 23, 2020
COVID-19: MPs and political parties implement precautionary measures during community outreach
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SINGAPORE: Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Members of Parliament (MPs) and political parties are putting in place various precautionary measures as they continue outreach activities. These measures include safe distancing at meet the people sessions (MPS), eliminating handshakes as well as refraining from entering residents’ homes. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to CNA on Sunday (Mar 22), Jurong GRC MP Ang
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Scoot temporarily suspends flights to 49 destinations amid COVID-19 outbreak
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SINGAPORE: Scoot will “temporarily suspend” flights to 49 destinations as countries tighten border restrictions amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. In an announcement on its website, Scoot listed out the affected routes, with many of the flights between Singapore and China. Outside of Asia, Scoot flights to Greece and Germany are also affected. Advertisement Advertisement The suspension
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Emirates to suspend all passenger flights amid COVID-19 outbreak
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DUBAI: Emirates announced on Sunday (Mar 22) that it will “temporarily suspend” all its passenger operations from Wednesday in light of the COVID-19 outbreak that has forced countries to close their borders. The deadly coronavirus has caused the world to go “into quarantine”, affecting business for the airline, the chairman and CEO of the Emirates Group Sheikh Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum said. Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
COVID-19: Eight Singaporeans evacuated from Iran on flight arranged by Malaysia
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SINGAPORE: Eight Singaporeans were evacuated from Tehran on a flight arranged by Malaysia, said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Sunday (Mar 22). The Singaporeans arrived in Kuala Lumpur after boarding the flight arranged for Malaysian nationals. Advertisement Advertisement “Eight Singaporeans have safely arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Tehran, Iran, after boarding a repatriation
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
France appeals to workers as COVID-19 claims first doctor
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PARIS: The COVID-19 outbreak has claimed its first fatality among French medical personnel, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday (Mar 22), as the country prepares for an expected surge in cases. The minister, who paid tribute to front-line medical staff during an appearance on LCI television, also said the country was counting on workers
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Malaysia reports 123 new COVID-19 cases; national death toll at 10
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Sunday (Mar 22) reported 123 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national total to 1,306. Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah also confirmed that two patients had died on Sunday, bringing the national death toll to 10. Advertisement Advertisement The ninth death was 48-year-old man with a travel history to Turkey. The doctor,
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
More than 4,000 dengue cases in Singapore since start of 2020 as new virus strain emerges
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SINGAPORE: More than 4,000 dengue cases have been reported since the start of 2020 – about twice the number of cases seen within the same period a year ago. A key concern is the growing evidence of a sustained switch in the predominant dengue virus serotype, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a news release on
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
China embarks on clinical trial for COVID-19 vaccine
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BEIJING: China has started the first phase of a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine, records show, as the world’s scientists race to find a way to combat the deadly pathogen. It comes after US health officials said last week they had started a trial to evaluate a possible vaccine in Seattle. Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese effort
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Thailand reports its largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases
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BANGKOK: Thailand reported 188 new coronavirus infections on Sunday (Mar 22), its largest daily increase, taking the total to 599 cases, a senior health official said. The majority of the new infections are connected to a previous cluster of cases from a boxing stadium, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a Public Health Ministry spokesman, told a news conference
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Indonesia confirms 64 new coronavirus cases, 10 new deaths
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JAKARTA: Indonesia reported 64 new coronavirus cases and 10 new deaths, a health ministry official told reporters on Sunday (Mar 22), bringing the total number to 514 and 48 respectively. Nine coronavirus patients have recovered, health ministry spokesman, Achmad Yurianto said, bringing the total number of recoveries to 29. Advertisement Advertisement The Jakarta Post on Sunday
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Japan confirms 14 COVID-19 cases at medical centre: Report
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TOKYO: Japan’s Oita prefecture confirmed two new coronavirus infections at a medical centre on Sunday (Mar 22), bringing the total at the facility to 14 and making it a suspected cluster, Kyodo newswire said. Two female nurses who work at the Oita Medical Center, one in her 20s and another in her 50s, were confirmed
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 22, 2020
Indonesia turns athletes village to emergency hospital as COVID-19 cases rise
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JAKARTA: Indonesia has turned its “Athlete’s Village” built for the 2018 Asian Games into an emergency hospital with a capacity to hold more than 4,000 patients, authorities said on Sunday (Mar 22), as coronavirus cases and deaths in the country rose. Four out of 10 towers in the Athlete’s Village, located in the country’s capital
