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HEALTH-VIRUS-WORLD
Coronavirus: Latest global developments
PARIS, Jan 12, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the
coronavirus crisis:
– Malaysia emergency –
Malaysia’s king declares a nationwide state of emergency and parliament is
suspended, with critics saying the measures are a bid by the government to
cling to power.
– China seals off city –
Chinese authorities seal off a city of almost five million people and
impose strict travel restrictions to quash clusters near Beijing.
– Lebanon lockdown –
Beirut imposes a total nationwide lockdown for an 11-day period and
introduces new travel restrictions.
– Court’s Trump cure –
An Argentinian judge compels a clinic to administer chlorine dioxide
disinfectant to a Covid-19 patient at the demand of his stepson in a case
medical doctors are calling a “scandal”.
US President Donald Trump sparked dismay last year by suggesting injecting
disinfectant as a possible cure for the virus.
– Riot infection –
Two members of the US Congress have tested positive, with one saying she
believed she had been exposed to it during last week’s storming of the
Capitol by Trump supporters.
– Oxford vaccine –
AstraZeneca and Oxford University formally apply for EU approval for their
vaccine, with a decision expected by January 29.
– New variant –
Japan is working to isolate and analyse a new variant detected in four
people who arrived from Brazil.
– S. Africa extends restrictions –
President Cyril Ramaphosa extends restrictions and places curbs on land
border traffic as Africa’s worst-affected country grapples with an
unprecedented surge.
– NYC speeds jab rollout –
New York opens several vaccination centres and relaxes criteria after some
hospitals reported that they were having to throw away vials that had expired
because they couldn’t find people to vaccinate.
– Negligence suit –
Canada’s federal police launch an investigation into a work-related virus
death after the victim’s family accused his employer, a meat packing plant,
of criminal negligence.
– No blame, China –
The World Health Organization insists the international investigation into
the pandemic’s origins, set to start this week in China, was not looking for
“somebody to blame”.
– More than 1.9 million dead –
The pandemic has killed more than 1,945,473 million people worldwide,
according to a tally compiled by AFP using official sources and information
from the WHO.
The US is the country most affected with more than 376,283 deaths,
followed by Brazil (203,580), India (over 151,327), Mexico (134,368) and
Britain (81,960).
– Sports floored –
Formula One’s Australian and Chinese grands prix are postponed.
A second one-day international cricket match between Ireland and the
United Arab Emirates is called off after four more home players test
positive.
Two more US NBA basketball games are postponed bringing the total to four
in the virus-shortened 2020-21 season.
A rugby season-opening clash featuring All Blacks stars Beauden Barrett
and Kieran Read is scrapped after dozens of people test positive in Japan’s
Top League.
India’s former badminton world number one Saina Nehwal is among four
international players who have tested positive at the Thailand Open.
– Gorillas positive –
At least two gorillas at California’s San Diego Zoo test positive after
coughing and sneezing, the first known instance of natural transmission to
great apes.
– Man on a leash – Canadian police fine a Quebec woman Can$1,500
(US$1,175) after she tried to skirt restriction rules by walking with a man
on a leash telling authorities when confronted “that she was walking her
dog”.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1818 hrs