South Africa to clear Covid lockdown criminal records

More than 340,000 people were convicted of breaking some of the world's toughest lockdown restrictions. More »

Scientists see downsides to top COVID-19 vaccines from Russia, China

(This August 31 story is refiled to add dropped word founding to Ertl’s title in paragraph 13) By Allison Martell and Julie Steenhuysen TORONTO/CHICAGO (Reuters) – High-profile COVID-19 vaccines developed in Russia and China share a potential shortcoming: They... More »

ECB’s De Guindos sees a strong rebound of euro zone economy in third-quarter

MADRID (Reuters) – The euro zone economy has experienced a strong recovery in the third quarter even though the most recent incoming data in August have been less robust, European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said on Tuesday. “In the third quart... More »

Some Russian teachers fear back-to-school shots of ‘Sputnik V’ COVID vaccine

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A small independent Russian teachers’ union is urging members not to be coerced into accepting shots of the “Sputnik V” coronavirus vaccine which is to be mandatory for military personnel. Moscow clinics last week began receiving supplies of... More »

Explainer: How common cold viruses are being used in vaccines from Russia, China

(Reuters) – The modified common cold viruses behind high-profile COVID-19 vaccine candidates from China’s CanSino Biologics (6185.HK) and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute have been studied for decades, but are still not widely used. The following are some details o... More »

French companies will have a week to adopt new face mask rules: minister

PARIS (Reuters) – French companies will have around a week to adopt new, strict rules on the compulsory wearing of face masks in the workplace to curb the spread of COVID-19, employment minister Elisabeth Borne said on Tuesday. Borne told LCI TV that staff wor... More »

Brazil’s Bolsonaro says nobody will be forced to have coronavirus vaccine

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has consistently downplayed the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, said on Monday that nobody will be forced to have the vaccine against the pandemic once it is developed. The comments come after ... More »

Australia’s COVID-19 deaths in virus hotspot fall to two-week low

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s second-most populous state Victoria, the epicentre for COVID-19 infections in the country, on Tuesday reported its lowest rise in virus-related deaths in two weeks as a second-wave outbreak eases. Victoria said five people died f... More »

New Jersey and California allow indoor dining to resume, with limits

(Reuters) – New Jersey and California on Monday took a big step toward letting businesses resume their pre-pandemic lives, by allowing restaurants to begin limited indoor dining, as coronavirus cases abated nationwide even as some new hotspots emerged. Most st... More »

Mainland China reports 10 new COVID-19 cases vs 17 a day earlier

BEIJING (Reuters) – Mainland China reported 10 new COVID-19 cases on Aug. 31, down from 17 reported a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Tuesday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that all new cases were imported infections in... More »

U.S. Senate’s McConnell eyes revamped coronavirus relief bill, Mnuchin tells Fox Business

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration and Senate Republicans have been in regular contact over possible coronavirus relief measures and the Senate’s top Republican will “hopefully” unveil a new bill next week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said o... More »

Mexico records 3,719 new coronavirus cases, 256 more deaths

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s health ministry on Monday reported 3,719 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections and 256 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 599,560 cases and 64,414 deaths. The government has said the real number... More »

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate begins late-stage U.S. study

(Reuters) – AstraZeneca Plc said on Monday it has begun enrolling adults for a U.S.-funded, 30,000-subject late-stage study of its high profile COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Trial participants will receive either two doses of the experimental vaccine, dubbed AZD... More »

CABEI approves $400 million loan to Central American nations for vaccine

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) has approved a $400 million loan to seven regional nations and the Dominican Republic for the acquisition and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine, the bank said in a statement... More »

Spain reports more than 23,000 new COVID-19 cases since Friday

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain has registered more than 23,000 new COVID-19 cases since Friday, health emergency chief Fernando Simon told a news conference on Monday, suggesting the infection rate had declined slightly from an Aug. 21 peak. Health ministry data sho... More »

Opening up without control of COVID-19 is recipe for disaster, says WHO

GENEVA (Reuters) – Countries with significant active spread of coronavirus must prevent amplifying events, as opening up without the virus being under control would be a “recipe for disaster”, the World Health Organization said on Monday. WHO director-general ... More »

Algeria approves more measures to ease coronavirus lockdown

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian authorities said on Monday they will carry out further measures to ease a coronavirus lockdown from Sept. 1, including lifting a ban on some cultural activities such as reopening museums and libraries. Nurseries would also be reope... More »

COVID-19 often goes undiagnosed in hospital workers- virus may impair heart functions

(Reuters) – The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. COVID-19 often undiagnosed in frontline hospital workers A high ... More »

Lone revellers brighten Notting Hill’s empty streets on carnival day

LONDON (Reuters) – Notting Hill Carnival, a highlight of the British summer, may have been cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a couple of colourful individuals on Monday were determined to bring some festival spirit to west London’s quie... More »

Japan’s Toshimaen amusement park closes after 94 years, to make way for Harry Potter

TOKYO (Reuters) – A popular Tokyo amusement park on Monday closed its doors for the last time after being in business for more than nine decades, with part of the site set to make way for a “Harry Potter” theme park. Toshimaen amusement park, which opened in 1... More »

Indians seek out fortune tellers to fight COVID-19 blues

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – In his golden-hued office, decked out with peacock feathers and crystal balls, Indian mystic healer and astrologer Sanjay Sharma is busy offering his clients a peek into their future as the COVID-19 pandemic has muddied their present. “Ri... More »

Payment holiday parachute might COVID-proof government bonds, top fund says

LONDON (Reuters) – The option of a one-time payment holiday during times of intense crisis might enable countries to pandemic-proof their bonds, a prominent debt fund believes. Economic fallout from COVID-19 has triggered a record number of sovereign defaults ... More »

COVID-19 scary? Japan group offers coffins, chainsaws for stress relief

TOKYO (Reuters) – Finding the pandemic scary? A Japanese group is trying to take people’s minds off COVID-19 – by putting them in coffins surrounded by chainsaw-wielding zombies. Customers this weekend in Tokyo can lie in a 2-metre (6 1/2-foot) windowed box, l... More »

Coronavirus crisis threatens to unravel Japanese artist’s kimono ambitions

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi fought through sexism and suspicion from traditional kimono artisans to establish a globally known brand that sold hundreds of her original garments every month – until the coronavirus devastation hit. Takahas... More »

Russia reports nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia reported 4,892 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, pushing its tally so far to 927,745, the fourth largest in the world. Authorities said 55 people had died across the country in the last 24 hours, increasing Russia’s offici... More »

Czech reported coronavirus cases exceed 20,000

PRAGUE (Reuters) – The Czech Republic’s overall number of coronavirus cases rose above 20,000, as the country tries to contain regional hotspots of the virus. As of Aug. 16, there were 20,012 cases in the country of 10.7 million, with 121 new cases found on Su... More »

Lebanon needs two-week lockdown after COVID-19 spike, health minister says

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon should be locked down for two weeks after a spike in COVID-19 infections, the caretaker government’s health minister was quoted as saying on Monday. “We declare today a state of general alert and we need a brave decision to close (th... More »

China grants country’s first COVID-19 vaccine patent to CanSino: state media

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s vaccine specialist CanSino Biologics Inc has won a patent approval from Beijing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad5-nCOV, state media reported, citing documents from the country’s intellectual property regulator. It is the first ... More »

Back to the paddy fields. COVID smashes Indian middle-class dreams

DUTTA NAGAR, India (Reuters) – Until late March, Ashish Kumar was helping to make plastic boxes for Ferrero Rocher praline chocolates and the plastic spoons tucked inside Kinder Joy eggs to scoop out the milky sweet cream inside. With a diploma in plastic moul... More »

Malaysia’s Penang halts medical tourists after arrivals from Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s northern state of Penang has barred entry by overseas visitors seeking medical treatment until it finalises new health and safety procedures in light of the coronavirus crisis, the chief minister said on Monday. Authorities ... More »

Australian state premier apologises for cruise ship failures after COVID-19 spike

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The leader of Australia’s New South Wales state apologised on Monday for failing to stop people carrying the novel coronavirus from disembarking from a cruise ship in Sydney in March, triggering what was at the time Australia’s worst outbrea... More »

Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 561 to 224,014 – RKI

BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 561 to 224,014, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by one to 9,232, the tally showed. Source: htt... More »

New Zealand new wage subsidy scheme expected to cost $333 million

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Monday that the new wage subsidy scheme is forecast to cost about NZ$510 million ($333.80 million) and cover 470,000 jobs. The scheme was announced last week after New Zealand locked... More »

Britain encourages at-risk groups to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine trials

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Monday urged elderly people and volunteers from Black and Asian minority groups to sign up to a COVID-19 vaccine trial registry to boost efforts to find a working vaccine against the disease that offers protection against higher r... More »

Nishikori tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of U.S. Open

(Reuters) – Japan’s Kei Nishikori said on Sunday he had tested positive for COVID-19 while in Florida – just two weeks ahead of the U.S. Open that begins in New York on Aug. 31. The 30-year-old former world number four has been staying at the IMG Academy in Br... More »

London’s Notting Hill Carnival goes from street party to screen festival

LONDON (Reuters) – This year’s Notting Hill Carnival will swap the streets of West London for computer screens around the world, as the event turns online-only due to the coronavirus pandemic, streaming hours of music and performance. Held at the end of August... More »

Remove masks, celebrate freedom: fashion grannies return to Beijing street ‘catwalk’

BEIJING (Reuters) – Four famous amateur model grandmothers took off their masks during a saunter down the streets of Beijing on Thursday to demonstrate life returning to normal as the COVID-19 pandemic eases. Glamma Beijing, a group of four women who met durin... More »

Humanity versus disease showcased as London’s Science Museum reopens doors

LONDON (Reuters) – Exhibits showcasing humanity’s battle with infectious disease will greet visitors recently emerged from coronavirus lockdowns when London’s Science Museum re-opens its doors next week after its longest closure since World War II. “Medicine: ... More »

20,000 paper birds help fund COVID-19 units at Belgium hospital

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A flock of 20,000 multicoloured origami birds has been installed in a cathedral in Brussels, Belgium, as part of a fundraising artwork that has paid for two COVID-19 units at a local hospital. Suspended from the ceiling of the medieval Cat... More »

Trump signs coronavirus relief orders after talks with Congress break down

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (Reuters) – President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Saturday partly restoring enhanced unemployment payments to the tens of millions of Americans who lost jobs in the coronavirus pandemic, as the United States marked a grim milestone... More »

Factbox: Tax cuts, reduced unemployment benefits: What’s in Trump’s coronavirus executive orders

(Reuters) – After failing to reach a deal with the U.S. Congress for a fresh round of coronavirus pandemic relief, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at pumping up America’s pandemic-hit economy. The orders are likely to face some... More »

Hong Kong reports 69 new coronavirus cases as local transmissions stay high

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday, of which 67 were locally transmitted, as authorities battled to contain a resurgence of the virus over the last six weeks. Since late January, over 4,000 people have been infected in ... More »

Coronavirus accelerates European utilities’ digital drive

MILAN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – When COVID-19 plunged Italy into lockdown, it was decision time at the Verampio power station. The control room, which runs a fleet of hydroelectric plants across the Piedmont region, hard hit by the pandemic, had to be secured to k... More »

Indonesia reports 1,687 new coronavirus cases, 42 more deaths

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing its total to 127,083, data from government’s COVID-19 task force showed. The Southeast Asian country also added 42 new deaths, taking that total to 5,765, data showed. Sourc... More »

Russia reports more than 5,100 new coronavirus cases

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian authorities confirmed 5,118 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, pushing the national case tally to 892,654, the fourth largest in the world. The official death toll rose to 15,001 after authorities said in their daily coron... More »

Australia says COVID-19 outbreak shows signs of peaking

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia recorded its biggest one-day rise in COVID-19 deaths on Monday although a slowdown in new cases gave hope that a second wave of new infections in the state of Victoria may have peaked. Nineteen people had died from the virus, all i... More »

Germany’s confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 436 to 216,327: RKI

BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 436 to 216,327, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by one to 9,197, the tally showed. Source: htt... More »

Mexico reports 52,298 total coronavirus deaths, 480,278 accumulated cases

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s health ministry reported on Sunday 4,376 new confirmed coronavirus infections and 292 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 480,278 cases and 52,298 deaths. Officials have said the real number of infected ... More »

Brazil registers 3,035,422 confirmed cases of coronavirus, total deaths rise to 101,049

(Reuters) – Brazil reported 23,010 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 572 deaths from the disease caused by the virus in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Sunday. Brazil has registered 3,035,422 cases of the virus since the pandemic began, and... More »

UK COVID-19 daily death count could be scrapped: Telegraph

(Reuters) – The UK’s official COVID-19 daily death count could be scrapped following an investigation into Public Health England’s method of counting the toll, The Telegraph newspaper reported. The conclusions of the investigation, which was ordered by Health ... More »

Trump says he is signing executive order for payroll tax holiday

(Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he is signing an executive order providing a payroll tax holiday for Americans earning less than $100,000 a year. Speaking to reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump said the tax holiday would be effe... More »

Trump vows to suspend U.S. payroll tax after coronavirus aid talks with Congress break down

WASHINGTON/BEDMINSTER, N.J. (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to unilaterally suspend payroll taxes and extend expired coronavirus unemployment benefits after negotiations with congressional Democrats on a broad pandemic aid package collapsed on Fr... More »

Swapping shorts for thermals, ‘I’m A Celebrity’ moves to UK from Australia

LONDON (Reuters) – British broadcaster ITV will this year hold its reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here” in a ruined English castle in winter instead of the heat of the Australian jungle, as COVID-19 restrictions make global travel all but imp... More »

Convalescent plasma lowers COVID-19 death risk- exposure to common cold may limit disease severity

(Reuters) – The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Convalescent plasma lowers COVID-19 death risk Infusions o... More »

Special Report: COVID opens new doors for China’s gene giant

SYDNEY (Reuters) – As countries scramble to test for the novel coronavirus, a Chinese company has become a go-to name around the world. BGI Group, described in one 2015 study as “Goliath” in the fast-growing field of genomics research, is using an opening crea... More »

Long-term complications of COVID-19 signals billions in healthcare costs ahead

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Late in March, Laura Gross, 72, was recovering from gall bladder surgery in her Fort Lee, New Jersey, home when she became sick again. Her throat, head and eyes hurt, her muscles and joints ached and she felt like she was in a fog. Her dia... More »

Vietnam says early August ‘decisive’ in containing coronavirus

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam is in the midst of a “decisive” fight against the novel coronavirus, its premier said on Monday, focusing on the city of Danang where infections have appeared in four factories with a combined workforce of 3,700. Vietnam, widely prais... More »

There may never be a ‘silver bullet’ for COVID-19, WHO warns

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization warned on Monday that, despite strong hopes for a vaccine, there might never be a “silver bullet” for COVID-19, and the road to normality would be long. More than 18.14 million people around the world are report... More »

Vietnam says it has no plans for widespread lockdown

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam has no plans for a widespread lockdown and will only put areas considered epicentres under strict quarantine, the government’s spokesperson said on Monday. “We will only implement social distancing in areas considered virus epicentres... More »

Vietnam reports 21 new coronavirus infections

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam reported 21 more novel coronavirus infections late on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 642. All of the new cases are linked to Danang, the new coronavirus epicentre where Vietnam more than a week ago detect... More »

Hong Kong reports 80 new coronavirus cases, slight drop from previous highs

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported 80 new coronavirus cases on Monday, dropping below 100 infections for the first time in 12 days, as a team of Chinese officials began preparations for widespread testing in the global financial hub, which has seen a res... More »

Next big COVID-19 treatment may be manufactured antibodies

(Reuters) – As the world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine, the next big advance in battling the pandemic could come from a class of biotech therapies widely used against cancer and other disorders – antibodies designed specifically to attack this new virus. Developme... More »

Russia to deliver COVID-19 drug to South Africa, Latam countries: wealth fund

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has signed deals to supply South Africa and seven Latin American countries with an anti-viral drug Russian authorities have approved to treat COVID-19, its sovereign wealth fund said on Monday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF... More »

Congressional Democrats, White House still at impasse over coronavirus bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top Democrats in Congress are not close to a deal with the White House to pump more money into the U.S. economy to ease the coronavirus’ heavy toll, both sides said on Saturday, after an essential lifeline for millions of unemployed ... More »

U.S. coronavirus ‘extraordinarily widespread,’ White House experts say

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is in a new phase of the novel coronavirus outbreak with infections “extraordinarily widespread” in rural areas as well as cities, White House coronavirus experts said on Sunday. Coronavirus cases continue to surge in s... More »

Patriots’ McCourty slams league for attempt to change opt-out deadline

(Reuters) – New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty said it is an “absolute joke” that the National Football League (NFL) was looking to bring forward a deadline for players to opt out of the upcoming season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under an agreement ... More »

White House says not optimistic on near-term deal for coronavirus relief bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Sunday he was not optimistic on reaching agreement soon on a deal for the next round of legislation to provide relief to Americans hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m not optimistic ... More »

Pelosi says she has no confidence in White House coronavirus adviser Birx

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday she does not have confidence in White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, linking her to disinformation about the virus spread by President Donald Trump. “I think the ... More »

Arizona congressman tests positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Representative Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, has tested positive for coronavirus but feels fine and has gone into isolation, he said in a statement on Saturday. Grijalva, 72, was told of the positive test by the attending physician... More »

Factbox: Coronavirus in Congress – 14 members have tested or been presumed positive

(Reuters) – At least 14 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate – seven Republicans and seven Democrats – have tested positive or are presumed to have had COVID-19 since the novel coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year, with Representativ... More »

Snazzy face mask fashion reaches Nairobi neighbourhood

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Most of us have accepted COVID-19 face masks as an inconvenient, albeit necessary, safety measure. For the style conscious like James Maina Mwangi, however, they are an unmissable fashion opportunity. Mwangi’s brightly coloured suits and ha... More »

VIP waxworks socially-distance outside London’s Madame Tussauds

LONDON (Reuters) – Madame Tussauds’ most famous figures led by example and formed a socially distanced queue outside the soon-to-be reopened wax museum on Thursday, with Queen Elizabeth leading the way followed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson then musi... More »

Japan’s renowned artists find inspiration from pandemic

TOKYO (Reuters) – Some of Japan’s best-known artists are finding new avenues of expression in areas such as online communication and the environment, as the novel coronavirus outbreak sparks ideas as radical as renaming the country’s “Reiwa” imperial era. Five... More »

U.S. coronavirus deaths rise by nearly 1,300 for first time since May

(Reuters) – U.S. deaths from the novel coronavirus rose by nearly 1,300 on Tuesday, the biggest one-day increase since May, according to a Reuters tally. California, Florida and Texas, the three most-populous states, reported one-day record spikes in deaths on... More »

Travel bans cannot be indefinite, countries must fight virus at home – WHO

GENEVA (Reuters) – Bans on international travel cannot stay in place indefinitely, and countries are going to have to do more to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus within their borders, the World Health Organization said on Monday. A surge of infection... More »

U.S. Republicans to unveil coronavirus aid proposal as time runs out on jobless benefits

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Republicans on Monday are expected to unveil a $1 trillion coronavirus aid package hammered out with the White House, a starting point for negotiations with Democrats as unemployment benefits that have kept millions of Americ... More »

Explainer: What’s at stake in the battle over U.S. unemployment benefits in Congress?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Enhanced unemployment benefits that the U.S. Congress authorized early in the coronavirus pandemic are due to expire at the end of July and thus far lawmakers have been unable to agree on a measure to extend them. Economists warn that co... More »

Australia posts daily virus record, more deaths expected

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Victoria state on Monday reported the country’s highest daily increase in coronavirus infections, prompting the authorities to warn a six-week lockdown may last longer if people continue to go to work while feeling unwell. The se... More »

Google to keep employees home until summer 2021 amid pandemic: WSJ

(Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Google will keep its employees home until at least next July, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai made the decision himself last week after debate ... More »

Decision on staging London Marathon 2020 delayed until next month

(Reuters) – A decision on whether this year’s London Marathon can be held has been pushed back until Aug. 7, the organisers said on Monday. The event, originally scheduled for April 26, was postponed to Oct. 4 after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the internat... More »

Merkel aide: Decision on mandatory coronavirus testing for holidaymakers likely soon

BERLIN (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff said health ministers would on Monday discuss the possibility of obliging returning holidaymakers to take a coronavirus test as he expressed concern about a rise in infections in Germany. “I think th... More »

Hundreds jam airport as evacuations from Vietnam’s Danang begin

HANOI (Reuters) – The airport in the central Vietnamese tourism hotspot of Danang was packed on Monday after three residents tested positive for the coronavirus and the evacuation of 80,000 people began. The Southeast Asian country is back on high alert after ... More »

Iran government spokesman tests positive for coronavirus

(Reuters) – Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei has been hospitalized with COVID-19, the Mehr news agency reported on Monday, the latest among several officials to have been infected with the new coronavirus. Iran has the Middle East’s highest number of re... More »

UK eyes France, Germany after slapping coronavirus quarantine on Spain

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is closely watching rises in coronavirus cases in other European destinations such as France and Germany after slapping a 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spain at the height of the summer vacation season. The imposition of a Bri... More »

Britain set to drop quarantine for Canary Islands and Balearics: The Sun

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain will drop its policy of requiring people returning from the Spanish Canary Islands or Balearics to quarantine for two weeks, the Sun newspaper said on Monday. On Saturday, Britain announced a 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spai... More »

The U.S. has more COVID-19 testing than most. So why is it falling so short?

(Reuters) – The United States might have more COVID-19 testing capacity than any other country. So why have we seen laboratories overwhelmed and many patients again waiting a week or more for results? At the heart of the crisis is a reliance by public and priv... More »

Hong Kong bans restaurant dining as it battles new wave of coronavirus

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong banned gatherings of more than two people on Monday, closed down restaurant dining and introduced mandatory face masks in public places, including outdoors, as it tries to rein in a new coronavirus outbreak. The measures, which ... More »

Emergent signs $174 million deal to make AstraZeneca’s potential COVID-19 vaccine

(Reuters) – Emergent BioSolutions Inc said on Monday it signed a $174 million agreement with AstraZeneca to develop and manufacture the British drugmaker’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate. AstraZeneca in June picked Emergent to help produce 300 million doses of its... More »

Trump team, Senate Republicans agree on coronavirus aid offer to Democrats

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top aides to U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday they agreed in principle with Senate Republicans on a $1 trillion coronavirus relief package — the party’s opening offer in negotiations with Democrats less than a week before enhan... More »

Kenya’s Cheruiyot ready to hunt for glory on the track again

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot, the 1,500 metres world champion, is hoping to return to competitive running next month after a hiatus caused by the coronavirus crisis. Cheruiyot, a three-time Diamond League winner, has targeted the Aug. 14 Monac... More »

As bankers return to the office, industry body warns of new risks of bad conduct

LONDON (Reuters) – Returning to the office will bring new challenges for banks and brokerages seeking to enforce good conduct by staff, after the bulk of their employees worked from home during the coronavirus pandemic, a financial markets industry body said o... More »

‘Apprehensive’ Murray mentally switched on for U.S. Open

(Reuters) – Britain’s Andy Murray is still feeling “apprehensive” about travelling to New York for the U.S. Open amid the COVID-19 pandemic but the former world number one says he is mentally preparing for the Grand Slam. The United States has the highest numb... More »

Norway quarantine is no obstacle for secret agent Ethan Hunt

OSLO (Reuters) – The Norwegian government will make an exception for Tom Cruise and his crew to shoot parts of a new “Mission: Impossible” movie in Norway this autumn without imposing quarantine requirements, a minister said on Friday. Production of the sevent... More »

Man parades down Oxford Street wearing nothing but mask

LONDON (Reuters) – A man strolled down central London’s most popular shopping street on Friday with only a mask to cover his nudity, leaving passerbys astounded, amused and shocked. As the man walked nonchalantly along Oxford Street, naked except for the light... More »

Gambling addiction spikes among South Korea’s work-from-home day traders

SEOUL (Reuters) – Day traders seeking help for gambling addiction have tripled in number in South Korea, as COVID-19 social distancing and working-from-home has freed up more time for online stock market trading, data showed. Retail investors, known locally as... More »

Multiple vaccine candidates show early promise- inhaled interferon helps severe COVID-19 patients

(Reuters) – The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Early tests of COVID-19 vaccines yield promising results R... More »

German abattoir scandal puts cooling systems under COVID spotlight

(This July 17 story corrects to show company name in 15th paragraph is Howatherm not Howarth) By Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) – A COVID-19 outbreak in Germany is forcing meatpacking plants to review infection risks posed by their cooling systems, placing t... More »

Malaysia considers making face masks compulsory in public

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia is considering making face masks compulsory in public following the emergence of 13 new coronavirus clusters since the government relaxed broad curbs on movement and businesses last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said ... More »

Afghan all-girls robotics team designs low-cost ventilator to treat coronavirus patients

HERAT (Reuters) – In the eastern Afghan city of Herat, 18-year-old high school student Somaya Faruqi adjusts a suction cap as she puts the finishing touches before unveiling a low-cost, lightweight ventilator created by her and six other young women. The all-f... More »

Indonesia reports second-highest daily increase in coronavirus deaths

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported on Monday its second-highest daily increase in coronavirus-related deaths with 96 fatalities, a day after registering a record daily jump in deaths, data presented by health ministry official Achmad Yurianto showed. The c... More »

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