Covid-19: Minister sets death toll higher than official figures – in Russia’s Dagestan

MAKHACHKALA (Dagestan, Russia), May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The health minister of Dagestan has revealed that 40 frontline healthcare workers have died in the Russian republic since the start of the outbreak, which he called a tragedy.Officially, just 27 people have died of the virus there, but Dzhamaludin Gadzhiibragimov said 657…

Covid-19: Brazil overtakes Spain and Italy as new cases grow

The real number of infections may be far higher in Brazil due to a lack of testing, health experts say BRASILIA, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil has overtaken Spain and Italy to become the country with the fourth largest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the world. Officials reported 14,919…

Covid-19: Top US Trump trade adviser bashes CDC for ‘really let the country down’ on virus testing

President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Pete Navarro WASHINGTON, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro blamed the federal public health agency for COVID-19 testing failures that “set us back.” Navarro knocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over its response to the…

Impoverished Burundi, battered by violence and coronavirus, gears up for Wednesday elections

Burundi’s outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza BUJUMBURA, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Burundi will have its first competitive presidential election on Wednesday May 27 since the civil war erupted in 1993, but simmering political violence and fears that campaign rallies could accelerate the spread of the coronavirus have already marred the campaign.…

Covid-19: Namibian president cuts ministers’ perks in virus fight

President Hage Geingob WINDHOEK, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Namibian president Hage Geingob announced cost-cutting measures to save up to 200 million Namibian dollars as the country battles with the impact of the novel coronavirus. So far, the virus has infected 16 people with 14 recoveries and zero deaths. It has also…

Covid-19: Eritrea officially virus-free with 100% recoveries, zero deaths

ASMARA, May 18 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Eritrea has officially declared itself virus-free after all 39 patients successfully recovered from COVID-19. A Ministry of Health statement said the 39th patient had been discharged from hospital as of Sunday. As of May 8, there were only two active cases, one of which was…

Covid-19: Madagascar records first death as COVID-ORGANIC delivered to Ghana, Nigeria

MAPUTO, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Madagascar has recorded its first coronavirus death, local media have reported. According to reports, a 57-year-old medical officer at a hospital in the city of Toamasina, died Saturday night. Taskforce spokeswoman Hanta Danielle Vololontiana disclosed in a televised statement that the victim had underlying conditions…

Somalia blast kills regional governor

MOGADISHU, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An explosion in Somalia has killed at least four people including a regional governor. The bomb blast in Galkayo is widely thought to have been detonated by militant group al-Shabaab, which is very active in the area. In recent years it has killed numerous officials…

Zimbabwe’s drought-hit Bulawayo limits tap water to just a day a week

HARARE, May 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe’s second biggest city of Bulawayo limited access to tap water to just one day a week as reservoir levels fall to dangerously low levels amid the country’s worst drought in years. After a devastating drought in 2019 and patchy rains this year, water shortages…

Covid-19: London streets to go car-free to encourage walking and cycling amid social distancing restrictions

 Experts say it is crucial to encourage walking and cycling as physical distancing is impossible on crowded transport LONDON, May 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cars will be banished from miles of streets in central London to encourage more walking and cycling and help public transport cope with social distancing restrictions, the…