Covid-19: WHO donates PPEs to Ghana’s Health Ministry

ACCRA, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Thursday, presented about 21,080 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to Ghana’s Ministry of Health (MOH), to complement Government’s efforts to effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The items were made up of 10,000 hand gloves, 9,000 medical masks,…

Covid-19: Ghana sends SOS cash requests to IMF

Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister WASHINGTON/ACCRA, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed that the Ghana government, has sent a special request for money to help the country address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.A statement issued by the IMF’s Communications Department said “Last week, the…

Covid-19: London hospitals facing ‘tsunami’ of virus patients – NHS official

LONDON, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hospitals in the British capital are being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, the head of an organisation representing bosses in the state-run National Health Service said. The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said that London hospitals had seen an “explosion of demand… in seriously…

Covid-19: Iraq extends nationwide curfew until April 11

BAGHDAD, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Iraqi government said that it will extend a countrywide lockdown it imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic until April 11. Schools, universities, shopping centres and other large gathering places will remain closed, as will the country’s international airports. Authorities have confirmed that at…

Covid-19: Iran reports 157 new deaths, imposes intercity ban

TEHRAN, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iran announced 157 new deaths from coronavirus, raising the official number of fatalities to 2,234, as it slapped a ban on intercity travel to try to curb the spread. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour also said that 2,389 new cases have been confirmed in the…

Covid-19: Nine doctors die from coronavirus in Philippines

MANILA, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nine doctors have died in the Philippines from the coronavirus, the country’s top medical association said, as hospitals were overwhelmed and medics complained about a lack of protection on the frontlines. The announcement of the doctors’ deaths heightened fears that the scale of the health…

Covid-19: Russia to shut cafes, shops in ‘unprecedented’ measure

MOSCOW, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian capital Moscow will close cafes, shops, parks and other non-essential services for one week starting Saturday, its mayor said, in an “unprecedented” move to fight the spread of coronavirus. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a non-working week from March 28 to April 5…

Covid-19: More than 250,000 declared cases in Europe

On the roof of this building, a Greek artist displays graffiti urging people to stay home and to wear a mask. PARIS, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of declared coronavirus cases in Europe topped 250,000, more than half of which are in Italy and Spain. The number of recorded…

Covid-19: Spain death toll tops 4,000

MADRID, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Spain’s coronavirus death toll surged above 4,000 on Thursday but the increase in both fatalities and new infections slowed, leaving officials hopeful a nationwide lockdown is starting to curb the spread of the disease. A total of 655 deaths were recorded in the country in…

Covid-19 pushes 3.3 mn to claim US jobless benefits

WASHINGTON, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic sparked an explosion of Americans filing for unemployment benefits, surging to 3.3 million last week — the highest number ever recorded, the Labor Department reported. The normally routine report is at the frontlines of the economic crisis…