Health

New Zealand marks 100 days of virus elimination

Wellington, Aug 9 (AP/PTI) New Zealand on Sunday marked 100 days since it stamped out the spread of the coronavirus, a rare bright spot in a world that continues to be ravaged by the disease.

Life has returned to normal for many people in the South Pacific nation of 5 million, as they attend rugby games at packed stadiums and sit down in bars and restaurants without the fear of getting infected. But some worry the country may be getting complacent and not preparing well enough for any future outbreaks.

Brazil makes grim milestone - 100,000 deaths from COVID-19

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 9 (AP/PTI) Brazil surpassed a grim milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday night, and five months after the first reported case the country has not shown signs of crushing the disease.

The nation of 210 million people has been reporting an average of more than 1,000 daily deaths from the pandemic since late May and reported 905 for the latest 24-hour period.

India: Union Minister Arjun Meghwal says tested positive for COVID-19

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to AIIMS here.

The minister of state for heavy industries and parliamentary affairs said after developing COVID-19 symptoms he was tested twice and found positive in the second report.

However, he said his health is fine.

India: COVID-19 situation in Delhi under control: Kejriwal

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the COVID-19 situation in Delhi is under control and the recovery rate is improving.

Speaking at the inauguration of a hospital in Ambedkar Nagar, he said in case the situation takes a turn for the worse, the government is fully prepared to deal with it.

"The hospital was conceived in 2013. It is a 600-bed hospital. We are inaugurating the first 200 beds which will be used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients," Kejriwal said at the launch event.

India: Record 64,399 new COVID cases; 861 deaths

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) With a highest single-day spike of 64,399 cases, India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past 21 lakh (2.1 million) on Sunday, while the death toll climbed to 43,379 with 861 more fatalities, the Health Ministry said.

The number of recoveries surged to 14,80,884 with record 53,879 more people recuperating in the past 24 hours, taking recovery rate to 68.78 per cent,. The case fatality rate has dropped 2.01 per cent, according to the ministry data.

Palestinian child detainee in Israel prison infected with coronavirus

08 Aug 2020; MEMO: A Palestinian child prisoner in an Israeli jail has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P).

The 15-year-old from Al-Jalazoun Refugee Camp in the West Bank city of Ramallah was detained less than two weeks ago and taken to Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, southern Israel, for interrogation, according to Iyad Misk, an attorney with the rights group.

India records 61,537 new COVID-19 cases, 933 deaths in a day

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) With India registering 61,537 more cases, the coronavirus tally reached 20,88,611 on Saturday, while 14,27,005 people have so far recuperated from COVID-19 pushing the recovery rate to 68.32 per cent, the Union health ministry said.

The death toll due to the disease rose to 42,518 with 933 fresh fatalities being reported in a day, data updated at 8 am showed.

Pro-Russia vaccine misinfo finds home in US Facebook groups

CHICAGO (AP) — A false report claiming five Ukrainians had died after taking an American-made coronavirus vaccine spread in just a matter of days from a small Kremlin-friendly website to an audience of thousands in U.S.-based Facebook groups.

Russian media outlets picked up the claim, and soon social media users in the U.S. were sharing screenshots and links to those articles — all as 30,000 Americans were preparing to roll up their sleeves for shots of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine late last month.

India: Over 60,000 Covid cases in a day for 1st time

New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Registering over 60,000 cases in 24 hours for the first time, India's COVID-19 tally galloped past 20 lakh (2 million) on Friday, while the number of recoveries surged to 13.78 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The coronavirus infection tally had crossed 19 lakh just two days ago.

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