Covid-19: Virus surge puts South African hospitals under severe strain

The COVID-19 pandemic first peaked in Africa’s most industrialized economy in late July 2020 PRETORIA, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South African private hospital operators have warned that they are facing severe capacity constraints due to a resurgence in coronavirus cases.The COVID-19 pandemic first peaked in Africa’s most industrialized economy in late July…

Covid-19: Forty plus countries ban travel from UK

LONDON, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 40 countries have suspended travel from Britain in a bid to contain a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus. Scotland had already closed its border with the rest of the United Kingdom. Here are some of travel bans announced so far. FRANCE: France…

UK PM, EU chief held eleventh-hour talks on Brexit, Covid: EU source

BRUSSELS, Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen discussed Brexit and the coronavirus crisis in a phone call on Monday evening, an EU source said. The previously undisclosed conversation came as London and Brussels try to thrash out a last-gasp…

Covid-19: US administers first Moderna vaccines

HARTFORD (Connecticut, US), Dec 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A nurse at a hospital in Connecticut became one of the first people in the United States to receive the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Mandy Delgado, who works for Hartford Healthcare, was administered the shot around 11:40 am (1640 GMT), according to a live…

Afghanistan: Prison doctors among five killed in Kabul bombing

KABUL, Dec 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Four doctors who worked at an Afghan prison with hundreds of Taliban inmates were among five people killed Tuesday when a bomb attached to their car exploded, police said. The blast happened in a southern district of the city when the doctors were travelling to…

Covid-19: Tanzania to use local herbs instead of vaccine

Tanzanian President John Magufuli DAR ES SALAAM, Dec 22 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Tanzania has signalled that it is not intending to use any Covid-19 vaccine but instead will settle on local herbs for protection against the disease. A spokesman at the Ministry of Health Gerald Chamii said, “There are no plans…

Covid-19: Argentina and Chile suspend flights from UK as of midnight Tuesday

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 22 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Argentina and Chile announced that they are suspending flights from the UK after health officials in Britain confirmed that a new variant of the coronavirus was rapidly spreading in the country. Argentina has reported 41,813 deaths so far from COVID-19 while over 1.5 million…

Covid-19: Uruguayan Legislative approves limitation of right to assembly until Jan 10

MONTEVIDEO, Dec 22 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The Uruguayan parliament passed a bill limiting the constitutional right of assembly and closing the borders, both temporarily as part of a package of measures to help contain a spiked of the coronavirus virus. The bill was approved in the Lower House following a long…

Covid-19: Denmark faces the challenge of incinerating millions of minks which were hastily buried

COPENHAGEN, Dec 22 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Millions of minks will be dug up from mass graves in Denmark after some had resurfaced, prompting complaints from residents about possible health risks, the country’s government said. Denmark’s entire herd of some 17 million mink destined for the high-end fashion industry was ordered to…

Kenya: Crisis as doctors join striking healthcare workers

NAIROBI, Dec 22 (NNN-KBC) — Kenyan doctors have now joined striking health workers to down tools totally paralyzing service and public health institutions.  The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) announced the commencement of their strike Monday citing failure by the ministry of health to address their demands. This…