Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Italy’s coronavirus toll shoots back up, but medics see hope
News Business Article
ROME: Italy’s daily COVID-19 death toll shot back up Tuesday, but more evidence emerged that the coronavirus infection rate is slowing thanks to a painful national lockdown. Health officials across the ravaged Mediterranean country are pouring over every new piece of data to see whether two weeks of bans and closures have made a dent in
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
COVID-19: Singapore expands contact tracing teams to prepare for surge in cases
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: To prepare for an “expected surge” in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks, Singapore has increased the number of teams for contact tracing from three to 20, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament on Wednesday (Mar 25). “We can trace up to 4,000 contacts each day, and will continue to scale up our
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Singapore scientists plan to start testing COVID-19 vaccine this year: Gan Kim Yong
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School are working with international partners to develop a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine, with plans for tests to start this year. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament on Wednesday (Mar 25) that the Duke-NUS Medical School has teamed up with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and other
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Sufficient capacity in healthcare system amid COVID-19 outbreak, but Singapore cannot be complacent: Gan Kim Yong
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: While Singapore has sufficient capacity in its healthcare system to handle the COVID-19 outbreak, the country cannot be complacent and needs to preserve its buffer capacity, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Wednesday (Mar 25). Addressing Singapore’s COVID-19 situation in Parliament, he said that with a significant number of imported cases from returning
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Singapore firms have begun resuming operations in China as COVID-19 outbreak eases: Chee Hong Tat
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The COVID-19 outbreak in China is “stabilising with a progressive return to normalcy”, said Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat on Wednesday (Mar 25). Many companies across China have gradually resumed their operations, while data from mid-March showed that around 80 per cent of Chinese workers have returned to
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Indians scramble for supplies as three-week coronavirus lockdown begins
News Business Article
NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Indians crowded grocery stores and chemists on Wednesday (Mar 25) in a struggle for essential items after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a total lockdown for three weeks to fight a coronavirus pandemic, one of the toughest such measures worldwide. India’s tally of 536 cases and 10 deaths is dwarfed by China, Italy
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
US Congress, negotiators reach deal on US$2 trillion COVID-19 aid package
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: US senators and Trump administration officials have reached an agreement on a massive economic stimulus bill to alleviate the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, White House official Eric Ueland said early on Wednesday (Mar 25). “We have a deal,” Ueland told reporters after days of negotiations on the package, expected to be worth US$2
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Indonesia’s health system on the brink as coronavirus surge looms
News Business Article
JAKARTA: Indonesia has a significant deficit in hospital beds, medical staff and intensive care facilities as health experts warn that it is primed to become a new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data reviewed by Reuters. Health experts say Indonesia faces a surge in coronavirus cases after a slow government response masked the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
COVID-19: Singapore, Malaysia discuss protocols for transferring symptomatic travellers
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia discussed entry screening measures and protocols for transferring symptomatic passengers detected at their respective checkpoints in a virtual meeting on Tuesday (Mar 24). The second Singapore-Malaysia Joint Working Group meeting, which was held via video-conference, saw both sides giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in their respective countries. Advertisement Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Stop the clock: Japan awakes to reality of Tokyo Games postponement
News Business Article
TOKYO: Japan awoke on Wednesday (Mar 25) to the deflating reality that the Olympics they had hoped to host in Tokyo this summer were now probably 16 months away after the coronavirus crisis forced organisers into an unprecedented postponement. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Japanese government finally succumbed to intense pressure from athletes and
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Industry races to meet demand for ventilators
News Business Article
PARIS: Manufacturers are on a mission to produce desperately needed medical ventilators for the coronavirus pandemic, even if it means converting assembly lines now making auto parts. Along with a shortage of masks and gloves, the spread of COVID-19 to almost every corner of the globe has highlighted a great need for specialised machines that help
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
Australian charged over ‘prank’ coronavirus cough on police
News Business Article
SYDNEY: An Australian man has been charged over a “prank” in which he coughed on a police officer on purpose while pretending he was infected with the new coronavirus as a friend filmed the incident, authorities said. The man, aged 21, went into a police station at Coffs Harbour, a coastal city about 525km north of
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 25, 2020
One third of humanity under COVID-19 lockdown
News Business Article
NEW DELHI: India’s billion-plus population went into a three-week lockdown on Wednesday (Mar 25), with a third of the world now under orders to stay indoors, as the coronavirus pandemic forced Japan to postpone the Olympics until next year. Financial markets soared after a catastrophic month as the US Congress looked set to pass a
Commentary: Parents, working from home need not be a hair-splitting experience
Commentary Commentary While the desire for parents working from home may be to stick to routine working hours, some flexibility may be essential, says Ruchi Sinha. A woman working from home. (Photo: Pixabay) 25 Mar 2020 12:37PM(Updated: 25 Mar 2020 12:40PM) Bookmark ADELAIDE: It’s hard enough juggling a job with parenthood when you’ve got young