Day: April 8, 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
China reports 62 new COVID-19 cases, doubling from previous day
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BEIJING: Mainland China reported 62 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 on Wednesday (Apr 8), almost double from the 32 cases reported a day earlier, the National Health Commission said, as the number of infections from people arriving from abroad surged. Mainland China’s imported cases stood at 1,042 as of Tuesday, up 59 from day
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
Twitter’s Jack Dorsey pledges US$1 billion for COVID-19 relief effort
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SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter co-founder and chief executive Jack Dorsey said Tuesday he was committing US$1 billion of his personal fortune to coronavirus relief through his philanthropic fund. Dorsey said in a series of tweets that he would transfer his equity in his digital payments group Square to his limited liability corporation Start Small, contributing around
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
Russia ready to start testing coronavirus vaccines on humans in June
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MOSCOW: The head of a top Russian research centre told President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that his lab was ready to start human trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines in June. Rinat Maksyutov, head of the Vektor State Virology and Biotechnology Centre, said his facility proposed first-phase clinical trials of three vaccines from Jun 29, on 180
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
COVID-19: Trump says 110,000 ventilators will be added in coming weeks
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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Apr 8) that the federal government had 8,675 ventilators in a national stockpile available to states who need them while another 110,000 are to be delivered in coming weeks. “I don’t think we’ll need them,” the president said, referring to the ventilators, in a White House briefing. Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
UK PM Johnson, battling coronavirus, set for second night in intensive care
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LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was set to spend a second night in intensive care on Tuesday (Apr 8) to help his fight against a coronavirus infection, as his designated deputy said he would pull through because “he’s a fighter”. Johnson is receiving oxygen support but is stable, in good spirits and breathing without
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
COVID-19: 224 Singapore residents evacuated from Egypt on special repatriation flight
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SINGAPORE: More than 200 Singapore residents arrived in Singapore after they were evacuated from Egypt early Wednesday (Apr 8) morning. The group includes 211 students who were studying at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement. Advertisement Advertisement “224 Singapore residents have arrived safely in Singapore this morning
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
Parliament passes wide-ranging Bill to assist those unable to fulfil contractual obligations due to COVID-19 outbreak
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SINGAPORE: A wide-ranging Bill that among other measures aims to assist those unable to fulfil contractual obligations was passed in Parliament on Tuesday (Apr 7). It prohibits landlords from terminating a lease due to non-payment because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and protects those who have placed deposits for weddings. Advertisement Advertisement The Bill will be valid
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
‘Wuhan virus’ no more: US and China in truce
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WASHINGTON: Suddenly, it’s no longer the “Wuhan virus.” The United States and China have reached a truce in a vitriolic feud over the coronavirus pandemic, with the two powers each seeing at least a tactical interest in cooling down. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump, hardly known for the delicacy of his word choices, has dropped
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
North Korea testing, quarantining for COVID-19: WHO
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GENEVA: North Korea, one of only a handful of countries not to have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, has said that it continues testing and has more than 500 people in quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters on Tuesday (Apr 7). The WHO, which said it had been receiving “weekly updates” from the
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
France fourth country to pass the 10,000 coronavirus death toll
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PARIS: France has officially registered more than 10,000 deaths from coronavirus infections, making it the fourth country to cross that threshold after Italy, Spain and the United States. The rate of increase in the number of fatalities also rose on Tuesday (Apr 7) for the second consecutive day, official figures showed. Advertisement Advertisement Jerome Salomon,
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
US denies hijacking Chinese medical supplies meant for Brazil
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BRASILIA: The US ambassador to Brazil on Tuesday (Apr 7) denied reports that the US government took over Chinese supplies of medical equipment that were ordered by Brazil to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said last week China had ditched some Brazilian equipment orders when the US government sent more than 20 cargo
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
New York sees COVID-19 slowing despite record daily death toll
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NEW YORK: New York state, the US epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, is seeing some levelling out in the number of hospital patients, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday (Apr 7), a hopeful sign even as deaths there and in neighbouring New Jersey hit single-day highs. While the United States experienced its deadliest single day since the
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 8, 2020
British PM Johnson ‘stable’ in intensive care
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LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was battling the coronavirus in intensive care on Tuesday (Apr 7), raising deep concerns about his health as the country recorded its highest daily death toll. “The Prime Minister’s condition is stable and he remains in intensive care for close monitoring. He is in good spirits,” his official spokesman said
Commentary: Indonesia’s COVID-19 fight has deeper challenges
SINGAPORE: Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency on Mar 31. He also announced new regulation which allows regional governments and city authorities to restrict people’s movements and close non-essential services. Advertisement Advertisement This allows cities and provinces in Indonesia to implement stringent large-scale social distancing measures within