Health & Science

Saturday, August 15th 2020 - 09:44 UTC
Spain closes nightclubs and bans drinking and smoking in outdoor public areas

Spanish authorities ordered the closure of nightclubs, banned drinking in outdoor public areas, and smoking when keeping a safe distance from people is impossible, among other measures imposed on Friday to try to stem a coronavirus resurgence.
Saturday, August 15th 2020 - 09:32 UTC
Argentina's social distancing extended until August 30; daily infections are above 7,000

Argentina extended until Aug 30 restrictions taken against the coronavirus, President Alberto Fernandez said on Friday, underlining that the country's lockdown would continue in its current form in and around capital city Buenos Aires.
Saturday, August 15th 2020 - 09:31 UTC
European Union agrees to buy 300 million doses of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine

The European Union has agreed to buy at least 300 million doses of AstraZeneca's potential COVID-19 vaccine in its first such advance purchase deal, which could weaken plans led by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a global approach.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:40 UTC
Peru with half a million coronavirus contagions and the highest death toll in the region

Peru surpassed half a million coronavirus cases and has the highest death toll in Latin America, according to Health Ministry data released on Thursday, as the government struggles to contain a recent surge in infections.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:34 UTC
WHO and USDA downplay risks of contracting coronavirus from food and food packaging

Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, local authorities said on Thursday, although the World Health Organization downplayed the risk of the virus entering the food chain.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:16 UTC
Virus resurfaces in NZ: Auckland lockdown extended for at least 12 days

New Zealand on Friday extended a lockdown of its largest city Auckland by at least 12 days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced, as authorities struggled with a growing new COVID-19 outbreak.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:56 UTC
UK imposes 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France, Netherlands, Spain, Malta and Belgium

The United Kingdom will impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France on Saturday because COVID-19 infection rates there are too high, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Thursday.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:50 UTC
China suspends poultry imports from a plant in Brazil following chickens' wings test positive for Covid-19

A sample of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus, the city government said on Thursday, raising fears that contaminated food shipments could cause new outbreaks.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:48 UTC
Israeli scientists at medical center develop Covid-19 instant saliva test

A newly developed saliva test aims to determine in less than a second whether or not you are infected with the novel coronavirus, Israel's largest medical centre said on Thursday.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:47 UTC
Caracas district governor and close ally of Maduro died of Covid-19

Dario Vivas, the governor of Venezuela's Caracas capital district and a strong ally of President Nicolas Maduro, died on Thursday of Covid-19 at 70 years old, officials said.