Stories for March 2021

Thursday, March 18th 2021 - 08:35 UTC
Brazil with record contagions and deaths, and a deal to purchase 100 million Pfizer doses

Brazil has reported a single-day record of 90,303 new cases of COVID-19, as the country continues to grapple with mounting coronavirus infections and deaths.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 09:50 UTC
EU regulatory body convinced that AstraZeneca vaccines benefits outweigh possible risks

The EU regulatory body is “fully convinced” that the vaccine's benefits outweigh possible risks. Global health experts have been under growing pressure to answer questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot. “There is ”no indication'' that AstraZeneca vaccines are the cause of blood clots reported in some shot recipients, the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) chief said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 09:50 UTC
Brazil: record 2,841 Covid-19 related deaths; Sao Paulo demands a national lockdown

Health officials in Sao Paulo, have called on the new health minister to consider imposing a national lockdown as coronavirus deaths continue to rise. On Tuesday Brazil recorded 2,841 Covid-related deaths - its highest ever daily total.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 09:09 UTC
Bolsonaro concerned with Bolivian ex-president Añez arrest and the overall situation

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday that the arrest of former interim Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez over the weekend seemed unreasonable, adding he sees the situation in Bolivia as a cause for concern.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 09:05 UTC
Brazilian economic activity recovers to pre-pandemic level

Brazilian economic activity rose sharply in January, a central bank index showed on Monday, indicating that Latin America’s largest economy has not only recovered all its pandemic-related decline but is now back to the size it was over five years ago.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 08:55 UTC
UK's overhaul of foreign and defense policy: Democracy is in retreat around the world, Minister Raab

Democracy is in retreat around the world, British foreign minister Dominic Raab will warn on Wednesday in a speech setting out the danger that autocratic regimes pose to global stability and prosperity.
Wednesday, March 17th 2021 - 08:39 UTC
Regular booster vaccines will be needed against Covid-19, because of mutations

Regular booster vaccines against the coronavirus will be needed because of mutations that make it more transmissible and better able to evade human immunity, the head of Britain's effort to sequence the virus' genomes said.
Tuesday, March 16th 2021 - 09:53 UTC
Argentina industrial output forecasted to increase 6% this year over 2020

Argentina's Ministry of Development and Production anticipated that the country's industrial output should grow more than 6% this year compared to 2020. Economist Matias Kulfas said he expected Argentina's economy as a whole to expand 5% to 6% during the year, based on preliminary data and depending on how the novel coronavirus and vaccination campaign evolves and its impact on growth.
Tuesday, March 16th 2021 - 09:53 UTC
WHO insists that AstraZeneca vaccine is safe; EU countries suspend jabs on isolated cases of blood clots

REUTERS – The World Health Organization's director-general said on Monday that systems meant to protect public health were working, as several countries suspended the use of the AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine to investigate possible side-effects.
Tuesday, March 16th 2021 - 09:40 UTC
Bolsonaro appoints his fourth Health minister, a cardiologist

With Covid-19 infections and deaths seeing in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro confirmed on Monday that he will appoint cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga as the replacement to health minister Eduardo Pazuello. This would be the third change for the position in less than a year.