1 month ago
1 WHO chief says coronavirus is "not tired", urges vigilance
The general public may be tired of the new coronavirus but should remain on high alert, the chief of the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.
"We may be tired of Covid-19 but it is not tired of us. European countries are struggling but the virus has not changed significantly, nor the measures to stop it," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the Paris Peace Forum.
Reuters
Brazil says Chinese vaccine trial can resume after suspension
Brazil health regulator Anvisa on Wednesday allowed resumption of late-stage Brazilian clinical trials for China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine, which had been suspended due to a study subject's death that was registered in Sao Paulo as a suicide.
Brazilian medical institute Butantan said in a statement it would restart trials later on Wednesday.
The decision to suspend the trial - one of Sinovac's three large late-stage studies - was criticised by the trial organisers, who said the move had taken them by surprise and that there had been no need to stop the study as the death had no relation to the vaccine.
Sinovac, in a statement said: "We are confident in the safety of the vaccine, fully understand and appreciate Anvisa's strict supervision and timely resumption of the clinical studies."
Reuters
ICU beds full as Covid surges in Indian capital, weekend festival a worry
Delhi's 20 million residents celebrate their biggest festival, Deepavali or Diwali, this weekend. Despite a ban, thousands of fireworks are likely to be set off, increasing already bad air pollution and raising the risk posed by Covid-19.
The capital reported 8 593 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, its highest daily tally yet. The average pollution reading was 299 on Thursday on a scale of 500, where any number above 300 is classified as very poor and can cause respiratory illnesses.
ICU facilities in the city are in such short supply that some hospitals are squeezing more beds into existing wards ahead of the weekend.
"We are firefighting because Diwali is looking like a super spreader event in front of us and the public just doesn't see the threat," said a senior health department official in Delhi, declining to be named.
Reuters
Argentina's president, ministers in preventative isolation after coronavirus contact
The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, and several of his ministers began preventative isolation after coming in close contact with an official infected with coronavirus, the government said in a statement late on Wednesday.
Fernández tested negative for Covid-19 but will nonetheless remain in isolation, the statement said. His foreign and interior ministers, as well as the Minister of Women, Gender and Diversity are still awaiting the results of their respective tests.
The president and his ministers had met with Secretary for Strategic Affairs of the Presidency, Gustavo Béliz, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier today, the statement said.
Argentina is among the countries hardest hit by Covid-19. It has logged 1.27 million cases of the disease and 34 531 deaths.
Reuters
Ukraine President Zelensky hospitalised due to Covid-19
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was hospitalised after he contracted coronavirus earlier this week, a presidential official said on Thursday.
"He first went home, but decided to move to Feofania (hospital). To accurately isolate and not expose anyone," a presidential spokesperson told Reuters.
"There are better conditions for patients. Nothing serious," she said referring to the president's health.
Zelensky said on Monday he tested positive for coronavirus. Three other top officials, including the finance minister, the defence minister and Zelensky's top aide were also reported to be infected.
Reuters
German Covid-19 distancing rules to remain for a long time - RKI
Rules to slow spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany will remain for a long time but new infection numbers can be brought down if "we pull ourselves together", the head of the country's Robert Koch institute for infectious diseases (RKI) said on Thursday.
The number of undetected cases has likely grown over the past weeks, Lothar Wieler added at a virtual news conference.
Reuters
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