Viruses, including the pandemic SARS-CoV-2, are known for their ability to mutate all the time – and often this has little or no impact on the risk posed to people. Russia’s plan to roll-out its “Sputnik-V” Covid-19 vaccine even before full trials show how well it works is prompting concern […]
Healthcare
Investigators are trying to determine whether the threat is credible, the FBI said in a statement. At least two federal buildings in Portland have been closed and the FBI is investigating after a car bomb threat was made, the officials said Friday. The threat, which was received Thursday, warned of […]
SEOUL: South Korea warned today of tighter novel coronavirus restrictions as new outbreaks appeared, including one linked to a church where more than 300 members of the congregation have been infected but hundreds more are reluctant to get tested. The outbreak linked to the Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul is […]
BRASILIA: Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa today said it had approved stage 3 clinical trials for a potential Covid-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical subsidiary Janssen. Brazil is the second-worst hit country for coronavirus cases and deaths after the United States, leading many companies to seek out clinical trials […]
MANILA: Coronavirus cases in Asia-Pacific countries are now being driven by people under the age of 50 who may not know they are infected, the World Health Organisation said today, warning of a “new phase” in the pandemic. Many have mild or no Covid-19 symptoms and risk infecting the elderly […]
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had reached a deal with Swedish-British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to receive the Covid-19 vaccine it is developing with Oxford University. Australia has secured access to a “promising” coronavirus vaccine, the prime minister announced Tuesday, saying the country would manufacture it and offer free doses […]
MANILA: The World Health Organization said on Tuesday (Aug 18) it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of whom were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. WHO officials said this month the proportion […]
WELLINGTON: New Zealand today ruled out the possibility that a coronavirus outbreak in its biggest city of Auckland came from frozen food items or freight, as it reported 13 new cases. Investigations suggested the virus had not come through chilled services or material arriving from overseas at an Americold cold-storage […]
LONDON: The British government was forced yesterday to abandon its policy for grading exams that were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic after protests by students and warnings that it threatened the career prospects of the most disadvantaged pupils. England’s exam regulator said it would accept at face value assessments […]
MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday eased the strict coronavirus lockdown in and around the capital Manila as his government promised a “refreshed” approach to fighting Covid-19 that includes intensified testing. Duterte, in a televised address, said there was a need to reopen the economy with small and medium enterprises […]