Do not scapegoat Muslims, says Pompeo

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo urged the international community on Thursday to avoid scapegoating Muslims during Ramazan for the coronavirus outbreak. “In this sacred season, already reshaped by the pandemic, scapegoating of certain religious groups, including Muslims, has increased with the spread of Covid-19,” said the chief US diplomat in his Ramazan message. […]

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Malaria deaths could double, warns WHO

GENEVA: The new coronavirus pandemic could severely disrupt access to anti-malaria nets and drugs in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, warning that malaria deaths risked doubling if efforts are not urgently scaled up. The UN health agency called on countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 95 per cent of all the […]

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Heat, humidity and injecting disinfectants — Trump offers more thoughts on fighting the virus

The White House is pitching emerging research on the benefits of sunlight and humidity in diminishing the threat of the coronavirus as US President Donald Trump — who has been encouraging states to move to reopen their economies — questions if “injecting disinfectants” would help. Past studies have not found good evidence that the warmer […]

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Mystery of India’s lower death rates seems to defy coronavirus trend

Parts of India have recorded dramatic falls in mortality rates after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the new coronavirus, suggesting there has not been an undetected surge in virus-related deaths. All over the world, mortality rates are being scrutinised to determine the true impact of the coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year […]

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North Korea media silent on Kim’s whereabouts as speculation on health rages

North Korean state media on Wednesday made no mention of leader Kim Jong Un’s health or whereabouts, a day after intense international speculation over his health was sparked by media reports he was gravely ill after a cardiovascular procedure. North Korean media presented a business as usual image, carrying routine reporting of Kim’s achievements and […]

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Autopsies reveal US virus deaths weeks before first reported fatality

Two people who died in California in early and mid-February were confirmed as coronavirus cases — weeks before the first reported Covid-19 fatality in the United States, it emerged on Wednesday. Autopsies on the two individuals who died at home on February 6 and February 17 showed they had succumbed to Covid-19, the Santa Clara […]

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India suspends coronavirus antibody tests after questions over reliability

India has ordered a pause in testing for antibodies to the coronavirus because of concerns over the accuracy, the country’s health officials said on Wednesday, complicating the fight against the pandemic as its tally of cases nears 20,000. India trails many countries in conducting the standard swab tests to determine the presence of the novel […]

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Iran says military satellite launched amid US tensions

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced they had successfully launched the country’s first military satellite on Wednesday, at a time of fresh tensions with US forces in the Gulf. The United States alleges Iran’s satellite programme is a cover for its development of missiles, while the Islamic republic has previously insisted its aerospace activities comply with its […]

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Hydroxychloroquine has no benefit for Covid-19 patients, but higher death rate: study

A malaria drug widely touted as a potential cure for Covid-19 showed no benefit against the disease over standard care — and was in fact associated with more deaths, the biggest study of its kind showed on Tuesday. The US government-funded analysis of how American military veterans fared on hydroxychloroquine was posted on a medical […]

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