Covid-19: Peru passes 100,000 cases, 3,000 dead

LIMA, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Peru has become the second Latin American country after Brazil to reach 100,000 coronavirus cases, according to health ministry figures. The number of dead from COVID-19 has also passed 3,000, with only Brazil and Mexico having suffered more. Both cases and deaths have tripled since…

Mali: 20 dead in road accident, 11 seriously injured

BAMAKO, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Twenty people have been killed and 11 seriously injured after a minibus and a lorry collided in the south of Mali, the country’s transport ministry said on Wednesday. The accident occurred on Tuesday at 8 pm on a major road linking the capital Bamako with…

Covid-19: Bolivian health minister held for corruption over ventilators – police chief

LA PAZ, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bolivia’s health minister has been arrested on suspicion of corruption related to the over-priced purchase of ventilators to fight COVID-19, the police chief said. Marcelo Navajas was detained by police in La Paz, Colonel Ivan Rojas said, a day after interim President Jeanine Anez…

Cuba seeks delay in debt repayment to 2022: diplomats

HAVANA, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba has asked the Paris Club of major creditors for a delay in repaying its debt until 2022, citing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its economy. In a letter sent to 14 Paris Club countries to whom Cuba owes money including Britain, Canada,…

Covid-19 deaths top 325,000 worldwide

PARIS, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 325,000 people worldwide have died from the novel coronavirus, three-quarters of them in Europe and the United States, since it broke out in China in December. The virus has killed 325,232 people in 196 countries and infected 4,943,050, according to the tally based…

Covid-19: Brazil recommends chloroquine to treat mild cases

Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro BRASILIA, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil’s health ministry recommended using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat even mild cases of COVID-19, a treatment President Jair Bolsonaro has pushed for despite a lack of conclusive evidence of their effectiveness. New federal guidelines released by the ministry recommend doctors…

Covid-19: Pres Trump says US topping world virus cases is ‘badge of honour’

WASHINGTON, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump has argued it is “a badge of honor” that the US has the world’s highest number of confirmed Covid-19 infections. “I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better,”…

Covid-19: Spain tightens mask rules for all older than five

Only children under six and people with health issues are exempted from the law MADRID, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Wearing masks is being made compulsory in Spain both indoors and out in public if social distancing is not possible. Only children under six and people with health issues are exempt…

Covid-19: South Africa coronavirus deaths ‘to soar’ in coming months, warns scientists

Miners are among the key workers who have been allowed to carry on PRETORIA, May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 40,000 people could die with coronavirus in South Africa by the end of the year, scientists have warned. The projections were made by a group of academics and health experts…

Burkina Faso: Two soldiers, five volunteers killed in Burkina attack

A Burkina Faso soldier on patrol OUAGADOUGOU,  May 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two Burkina Faso soldiers and five civilian defence volunteers were killed during an ambush on a military patrol in the restive north of the country, security sources said. The attack occurred on Monday as soldiers from the military detachment…