Covid-19: Infections in Brazil’s Rio skyrocket: over 6,000% in 20 days

RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Health authorities in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have reported that the number of COVID-19 detections had increased 6,778% in less than a month, as the Omicron strain has already been detected locally. There were 18 COVID-19 positive results Dec 12…

Flurona (covid-19-influenza) cases detected in Peru; one patient dies

LIMA, Jan 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Peruvian Health authorities have reported the detection of three infections and also one death of flurona, the new portmanteau disease resulting from the overlapping of COVID-19 with influenza. The three cases were one child, one adult and an elderly man with comorbidities, according to Public…

First fatal victim of bird flu reported in UK

LONDON, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British health authorities Friday reported what seems to be the first fatal case in humans of the H5N1 variant of bird flu, which rarely infects humans, but when it does, it has a mortality rate of about 60%.  According to the UK Health Security Agency…

US racism: Life in jail for killers of Black American jogger

Travis McMichael, left, speaks with his attorney Bob Rubin, right, during the sentencing of his and his father Greg McMichael and neighbour, William “Roddie” Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, Brunswick BRUNSWICK (Georgia, US), Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three white men convicted of murdering African American jogger Ahmaud Arbery after…

UN Security Council to meet Wednesday on Sudan

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN Security Council will meet next Wednesday in an informal session to address the latest developments in Sudan as demonstrations against military rule in the African nation continue, diplomatic sources said.   The session will be behind closed doors, the sources said Friday,…

Nine bodies found on road in violent Mexican state

VERACRUZ (Mexico), Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nine bodies were found Friday on a road in eastern Mexico, officials said — the latest gruesome discovery in a country plagued by drug cartel-related violence.    The corpses were left on a highway in the municipality of Isla in the state of Veracruz,…

Covid-19: Omicron surge pushes US hospitalisations toward record high, 662,000 new cases

People wait in line to be tested for Covid-19 at Union Station in Los Angeles, California NEW YORK, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Covid-19 hospitalisations in the United States are poised to hit a new high, surpassing the record set in January of last year as the highly contagious Omicron variant…

Vaccine-sceptic French lawmaker dies after contracting Covid-19

Jose Evrard had expressed support on social media for protesters against Covid-19 curbs and health measures PARIS, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French lawmaker Jose Evrard, whose vaccine-sceptic far-right party had opposed government measures to control the spread of Covid-19, has died after contracting the coronavirus, the president of the parliament…

Liberian jails run out of food for inmates

MONROVIA, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — All 15 prison facilities in Liberia have this week run out of food for inmates. This has caused two prisons, including the main Monrovia Central Prison, to temporarily shut their doors to newcomers, prison officials have said. The situation is being blamed on a number…

Kenya: Record 82 political parties approved for 2022 elections

NAIROBI, Jan 8 (NNN-KBC) — A record 82 political parties have been approved by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to participate in the coming general elections slated for August. The commission has approved the political parties nomination rules for the 82 parties seven months to the elections. Addressing the…