Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The coronavirus is spreading fast beyond its China birthplace but sub-Saharan Africa, one of the world’s most vulnerable regions, has so far been almost spared — and experts want to know why. China reported a fresh spike in coronavirus infections on Sunday, while there …
Read More »Museveni speaks out on Coronavirus prevention
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has urged Ugandans to take precaution and protect themselves against the deadly COVID-19 alias coronavirus. In a message posted on twitter on Saturday afternoon, Museveni urged Ugandans to take personal precaution and mainly wash hands as a preventive measure, as …
Read More »WHO upgrades global risk of virus spread to ‘very high’
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The UN health agency on Friday upgraded the global risk from the new coronavirus to “very high”, saying the continued increase in cases and countries affected was “clearly of concern”. “We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of …
Read More »Nigeria confirms COVID-19 case, first in sub-Saharan Africa
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria on Friday announced the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa. The case is an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan earlier this week, Health Minister Osagie Ehanire said in a statement on Twitter. “The patient …
Read More »Why coronavirus could help save China’s endangered species
Paris, France | AFP | The novel coronavirus outbreak in China may end up saving one of the world’s most trafficked animals after Beijing announced a total ban on the sale and consumption of the pangolin. The scaly mammal — listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature …
Read More »Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims to Mecca over coronavirus
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended visas for visits to Islam’s holiest sites for the “umrah” pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggered by coronavirus fears that raises questions over the annual hajj. The kingdom, which hosts millions of pilgrims every year in the cities of Mecca …
Read More »‘Fear and panic’ as virus threatens Afghanistan, Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan | AFP | With porous borders, creaking hospitals and large illiterate populations, Afghanistan and Pakistan face a potentially devastating health crisis after the new coronavirus erupted in neighbouring Iran. Islamabad has closed official border crossings while Kabul has suspended all travel to the Islamic republic, which has reported …
Read More »Iran’s deputy health minister Harirchi says he has coronavirus
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran’s deputy health minister confirmed on Tuesday that he has tested positive for the new coronavirus, amid a major outbreak in the Islamic republic. Iraj Harirchi coughed occasionally and wiped sweat from his brow repeatedly during a news conference in Tehran on Monday with government …
Read More »China considers ‘complete ban’ on wildlife trade
Beijing, China | AFP | China’s top legislative committee on Monday began deliberating a proposal to ban all trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed responsible for the country’s deadly coronavirus outbreak. The official Xinhua news agency said the proposal was submitted to the Standing Committee of the …
Read More »Spread of coronavirus confirms WHO fears
Paris, France | AFP | The sharp rise in cases and the geographical spread of the coronavirus outside China confirm WHO fears over dealing with the crisis, experts warned Sunday as they appealed for ever greater vigilance. “There has been a profound shift in the direction that COVID-19 (new coronavirus) …
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