Tag: COVID-19

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:46 UTC

  Chilean army base in Antarctica detects 36 positive Covid-19 cases; Navy support vessel blamed

  

  A coronavirus outbreak with 36 positive tests was reported on Monday at a Chilean Army base in Antarctica, the only continent, up to now, free of the virus. The army's Monday release said that at the Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme base, following suspicions, swabbing testing was practiced in all personnel resulting in 36 positive cases, of which 26 belonging to the Army and ten to members of a contractor, doing maintenance work at the base.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:40 UTC

  WHO downplays the latest variant of coronavirus: it's part of the pandemic's evolution

  

  The World Health Organization cautioned against major alarm over a new, highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in Britain, saying this was a normal part of a pandemic’s evolution.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:38 UTC

  Brazil's trials indicate Chinese vaccine is effective, according to US media

  

  Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd's Covid-19 vaccine has shown to be effective in late-stage trials in Brazil, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people involved in the vaccine's development.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:15 UTC

  Argentine bishops: With Covid-19 taking lives and 50% poverty, it's no time to address abortion

  

  The president of the Argentine bishops’ conference called on lawmakers to “reflect” as they prepare to debate a bill that would legalize abortion in the South American country.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:08 UTC

  US Congress passes the US$ 900 billion plan to support families and businesses

  

  The US Congress voted on Monday on a US$900 billion plan to support families and businesses hit by the pandemic. Here are the main provisions included in the bipartisan legislation:

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:05 UTC

  Joe Biden receives Covid-19 Pfizer shot live on television; First Lady was also vaccinated

  

  United States president-elect Joe Biden received his first injected doses of the Covid-19 vaccine on live on television on Monday in an effort to boost confidence in its safety ahead of its wide distribution next year.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 07:49 UTC

  Following EU approval of Pfizer vaccine, Germany will begin immunization of the elderly on December 27

  

  Germany will begin its first coronavirus vaccinations in care homes for the elderly on Dec. 27, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Monday. He welcomed the approval of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech by the European Medicines Agency as a milestone in the fight against the pandemic.

• Monday, December 21st 2020 - 09:30 UTC

  Uruguayan Legislative approves limitation of right to assembly until 10 January

  

  The Uruguayan parliament passed a bill limiting the constitutional right of assembly and closing the borders, both temporarily as part of a package of measures to help contain a spiked of the coronavirus virus.

• Monday, December 21st 2020 - 08:55 UTC

  Argentina and Chile suspend flights from UK as of midnight Tuesday

  

  Argentina and Chile announced late Sunday that they are suspending flights from the UK after health officials in Britain confirmed that a new variant of the coronavirus was rapidly spreading in the country.

• Monday, December 21st 2020 - 08:54 UTC

  Covid-19 new mutant strain “out of control” in the UK

  

  British Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the new mutant strain of the coronavirus is “out of control” and suggested parts of England will be stuck in the new highest tier of restrictions until a vaccine is rolled out.