Month: April 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
World short of six million nurses: WHO
News Business Article
GENEVA: As COVID-19 captures global headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday (Apr 7) that the world needs nearly six million nurses. The UN’s health agency along with partners Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) underscored in a report the crucial role played by nurses, who make up more than half
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Commentary: Social distancing works, even if it doesn’t immediately show results
News Business Article
ANN ARBOR, Michigan: The last few weeks have brought previously unimaginable changes to the lives of people throughout the United States. Americans everywhere are waking up to a new reality in which they can’t go to work or school outside the home and they have to stay six feet away from others. Advertisement Advertisement More than
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Commentary: China billionaires a force to be reckoned with in global COVID-19 fight – and more
News Business Article
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana: Less than a month after China confirmed the emergence of what soon became the new coronavirus pandemic, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba pledged US$144 million in medical supplies for Hubei province and its capital city Wuhan. Soon after that Jan 29 announcement, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, Alibaba’s founder, said he was giving away
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
France started including data from nursing homes last Thursday, which partially explains why the official number of deaths has more than doubled since Wednesday. The health ministry data showed that 605 people died from COVID-19 in hospitals in the last 24 hours – a new daily record – taking hospital fatalities to 6,494. The figure represented a 10% increase, up from 6% on Sunday and 9% on Saturday. Nursing homes deaths also rose 10% to 2,417, bringing the total to 8,911, an increase of 10% on Sunday’s tally. A total of 7,072 serious coronavirus cases were being treated in intensive care units, Veran added, a rise of just 1.3% from Sunday, giving the French health system small but much-needed relief.
News Business Article
PARIS: France’s coronavirus figures on Monday (Apr 6) showed that the rate of increase in fatalities – now at almost 9,000 – sped up again after several days of slowing, while the increase in people needing intensive care continued to decelerate. The total number of cases, combining hospital and nursing home statistics, increased by 5,171
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Italy injects record US$430b into pandemic-hit economy
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ROME: Italy on Monday (Apr 6) unveiled a record 400 billion euro (US$430 billion) stimulus to help businesses hurt by a month-long national lockdown that is like to run on for many more weeks. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the nation to be patient in the face of a pandemic that has now officially claimed 16,523
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Solidarity Budget: Singapore spends another S$5.1b to save jobs, protect livelihoods amid impending circuit breaker rules
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Another S$5.1 billion has been earmarked to help Singapore weather the COVID-19 crisis in a third support package announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday (Apr 6). Called the Solidarity Budget, it is aimed at saving jobs and protecting livelihoods during the four weeks when schools and non-essential businesses have to
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
66 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore; 2 new clusters at Little Gems Preschool and Kranji Lodge
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 66 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (Apr 6), bringing the national total to 1,375, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update. One of the new cases is imported and the remaining cases are locally transmitted. Twenty-four more patients have been discharged, taking the total number of people who have fully recovered to
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
US coronavirus deaths top 10,000: Johns Hopkins tracker
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: More than 10,000 people have died of coronavirus complications in the United States since the outbreak began in late January, Johns Hopkins University said on Monday (Apr 6). The Baltimore-based school, which has been keeping a running tally of global coronavirus numbers, said there are at least 347,003 confirmed infections in the US with 10,335
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
COVID-19: Italy’s daily toll rises to 636, but new cases fall sharply
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ROME: Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 636 on Monday (Apr 6), more than 100 higher than the previous daily tally of 525, the Civil Protection Agency said, but the number of new cases fell sharply. The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb 21 came to 16,523, the
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
After COVID-19, Southeast Asia strongly favours crackdown on wildlife trade
News Business Article
BANGKOK: The coronavirus pandemic has generated overwhelming support for the closure of markets selling illegal wildlife across Southeast Asia, an epicenter of the multi-billion-dollar trade, the World Wildlife Fund said in a public opinion poll on Monday (Apr 6). About 93 per cent of about 5,000 people surveyed by WWF in March across three Southeast
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Italian regions testing for signs of coronavirus immunity
News Business Article
PADUA, Italy: Authorities in northern Italy have begun testing health workers for antibodies that may help identify individuals with immunity to the coronavirus as they look for ways to ease the lockdown imposed a month ago to contain the epidemic. On Monday (Apr 6), the northeastern region of Veneto, which saw one of Italy’s earliest
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 7, 2020
Changi Airport Terminal 2 to suspend operations for 18 months amid COVID-19 pandemic
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 will suspend operations for 18 months from May 1, as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact the aviation sector, Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan announced in Parliament on Monday (Apr 6). Airlines currently operating at the 30-year-old terminal will be relocated to the airport’s other three terminals, Mr Khaw said. Singapore Airlines will
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 6, 2020
Solidarity Budget: S$600 cash support for all adult Singaporeans, other cash payouts to be brought forward to June
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: All adult Singaporeans aged 21 and above will receive a one-off Solidarity Payment of S$600 in cash, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced on Monday (Apr 6). For the majority of Singaporeans who have provided their bank account details to the Government, the Solidarity Payment will be credited directly into their bank accounts
Commentary: Has COVID-19 made e-commerce and online shopping the new normal?
SINGAPORE: As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on worldwide, a new digital normal seems to be emerging from the disruption to regular routines and behaviours. People are working remotely, and attending classes and religious services online. Even annual mass sporting events are adapting to this new normal. People are organising their own virtual runs, where runners