Coronavirus

First coronavirus death in Belgium

Belgium’s health ministry reported on Wednesday the first coronavirus death in the country, Belga news agency said citing a statement. The government statement said the patient was 90 years…

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Red Cross, UNICEF and WHO issue guidance to protect children and support safe school operations

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidance to help protect children and schools from transmission of the COVID-19…

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Covid-19 Malta Bulletin – 10th March 2020

Update : A Maltese man has been confirmed as the sixth Coronavirus CoVid-19 case in Malta. The ma was tested postive and he got the virus after being abroad in the…

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UN warns COVID-19 likely to cost economy $1 trillion during 2020

Apart from the tragic human consequences of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic, the economic uncertainty it has sparked will likely cost the global economy $1 trillion in 2020, the UN’s trade…

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Thailand cancels visa on arrival for 18 countries, Malta included, due to spread of coronavirus

Thailand on Wednesday cancelled the grant of visa on arrival for 18 countries and visa exemption for three others to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the country’s interior minister…

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No evidence that food is a source or transmission route for coronavirus – EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced that it is closely monitoring the situation regarding the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is affecting a large number of countries across…

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UN addresses school disruptions, suspends public access to New York HQ

In an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, classrooms have been shuttered across the world, causing a record number of students to miss school, the UN Educational, Scientific…

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Slovenia to close border with Italy, Bosnia bars entry from coronavirus-hit countries

Slovenia plans to close its border with Italy for non-commercial traffic to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Marjan Sarec said. He did not say when the decision would…

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UK interest rate cut to help economy during outbreak

The Bank of England has cut interest rates and announced help for businesses in an emergency move to provide support amid the coronavirus crisis. Hours before the chancellor Rishi…

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Paraguay suspends public schools for 15 days due to coronavirus

Paraguay has suspended public school sessions and large-scale public events for 15 days due to coronavirus, Health Minister Julio Mazzoleni said in a televised address. Two cases of the…

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Costa suspends all Mediterranean cruises till April 3

Costa Crociere has decided to suspend all Mediterranean cruises until April 3 following new measures introduced by the Italian government to contain the spread of coronavirus, the company said in…

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Manchester City v Arsenal postponed after some players come in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

Tonight's Premier League game between Manchester City and Arsenal has been postponed "as a precautionary measure" due to the coronavirus outbreak. The decision to postpone came after it emerged that…

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South Korea reports jump in coronavirus cases, China’s cases rise on infections from abroad

China reported an uptick in new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, reversing four straight days of fewer new cases, driven by infected individuals arriving from abroad. Mainland China had 24…

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Turkey confirms first coronavirus case

A Turkish citizen with high fever and cough symptoms was diagnosed with the coronavirus following tests, making him the country’s first confirmed diagnosis, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said early…

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Troops sent to New York to contain coronavirus spread

New York's governor has announced that troops will be sent into a town north of the city in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The National Guard…

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Italy passes 10,000-infections mark, 62 cases of coronavirus in Sicily

The Italian Civil Protection Head and Coronavirus Emergency Commissioner Angelo Borrelli announced that the total number of people to have been infected with the coronavirus in Italy has crossed the…

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EU to invest €25 billion in parts of the European economy worst hit by the epidemic

Europe's leaders on Tuesday moved to assert control over their initially haphazard response to the fast-spreading coronavirus epidemic, announcing an array of measures aimed at containing the disease, blunting an…

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UK Health minister diagnosed with Coronavirus

Health minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries says she has been diagnosed with coronavirus. She is the first MP in the UK to be diagnosed with COVID-19, as the virus…

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Italian Doctor says people are underestimating Coronavirus threat because of a war in panic

A doctor on the front line of Italy’s fight against coronavirus has described the epidemic as a “disaster” and warned the public is underestimating the threat posed by the disease…

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Libya warned of direct threat from imminent Co-Vid 19 outbreak

The Libyan National Center for Disease Control said Coronavirus started to pose a direct threat to the country, warning of its imminent outbreak in Libya. In a statement on Tuesday,…

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Lack of beds and medical supplies, force doctors choose who to cure and let go

In Lombardy, the wealthy region at the heart of Italy's coronavirus outbreak, a shortage of beds and medical supplies is forcing doctors to make increasingly difficult choices. As the number…

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EU will do everything needed to slow Coronavirus spread – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Tuesday evening after a conference call with EU leaders on the coronavirus outbreak, saying that European nations will do everything that is…

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Spain steps up efforts to avoid Italian scenarios

The scenario in Spain with regard to the coronavirus has changed. By Tuesday afternoon there were more than 1,648 infections, some hospitals in Madrid were overwhelmed with patients, at least…

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Cyprus closes down schools, ban mass gathering and lock down hospitals after first CoVid-19 cases confirmed

After becoming the last EU country to report confirmed cases of COVID-19, Cyprus has followed the example of other countries in the bloc and closed down schools, banned mass gatherings…

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Brexit might compromise UK’s ability to secure coronavirus vaccine quickly and cheaply

Brexit may have yet another unintended consequence — compromising the country’s ability to secure a coronavirus vaccine quickly and cheaply. According to POLITICO the current best estimates put the delivery date…

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Belgium’s PM advices people to work from home and cancel any non-urgent meetings

Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès said Tuesday that all events involving more than 1,000 people will be canceled as part of measures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus. Schools…

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Total number of infected people surpasses 10,000 mark, 631 dead in Italy

There are 8,514 coronavirus patients in Italy, 529 more than yesterday, while the total number of infected people - including the victims and the recovered - exceeded ten thousand: 10,149.…

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CNN decides to call Co-Vid 19 a pandemic

Starting Monday, the CNN decided to start using the term pandemic to describe the current coronavirus outbreak. The CNN argues that the decision was not taken lightly, and although it…

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UK confirms sixth death from Coronavirus

A sixth patient has died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, NHS England said. More soon

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Ryanair cancels all its flights to, from and within Italy

Ryanair has cancelled all of its flights to, from and within Italy amidst coronavirus outbreaks in the country. Italy is currently on lockdown as the Italian government looks to contain…

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European Parliament President Sassoli in preventive self-isolation after returning from Italy

The President of the European Parliament David Sassoli said he is in self-isolation at his Brussels home as a precaution after returning from virus-hit Italy. "Parliament will continue to work to…

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Italy’s celebrities urge people to stay home

Italy's social media campaign #iorestoacasa gains momentum as the country battles a Coronavirus outbreak. A growing number of Italian celebrities are joining doctors, nurses and politicians in urging Italians to…

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Surge in deaths in Spain leads to government to take more measures as it admits that the situation has changed

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Spain, authorities in Madrid – one of the main infection points in the country – have ordered all education centers…

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Albania cancels flights and ferries to Italy until April 3

Albania's government has shut down schools for two weeks and cancel flights and ferries to Italy until April 3. Just before midnight, the health ministry said a 28-year-old man and…

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Malta launches an international COVID-19 Helpline

In view of the global spreading of COVID-19, the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs wishes to inform that while there is no reason for alarm, Maltese citizens should follow…

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Israel- Anyone coming from abroad should self-quarantine for 14 days

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that anyone entering the country from abroad —Israeli citizens and foreign nationals alike — must self-quarantine for 14 days. Those foreign nationals who…

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Malta stops all access by air and sea from Italy except for cargo

All flights to and from Italy have been stopped with immediate effect. The government’s decision was announced by PM Abela who also said that the Catamaran service between Malta and…

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Malta & COVID -19 – This is not business as usual

We find ourselves at a point today where our immediate neighbours, and the world as a whole potentially face one of the most serious episodes in living memory. Not for…

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All of Italy to be placed under lockdown conditions – Giuseppe Conte

All of Italy will be placed under the lockdown conditions thus far imposed upon the so-called “red zone” in the north of the country, the Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte…

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Fourth case of Coronavirus in Malta confirmed

The government of Malta has confirmed that a fourth patient was diagnosed with coronavirus in Malta. According to a statement issued by the government, the latest case involves a foreign national,…

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All domestic sports activities at all levels in Italy suspended

All domestic sporting activity at all levels in Italy has been suspended until 3 April at the earliest, the Italian national Olympic committee (CONI) has announced. Italy has been the…

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Death toll from Coronavirus in Italy reaches 463

The number of people to have died from coronavirus in Italy has jumped by almost 100 - to a total of 463. More than 300 of those are in the…

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Irish Government cancels St Patrick’s parade

The Irish Government has made the decision to cancel the St. Patrick's Day parade to be held in Dublin on Tuesday 17 March. It is the single largest parade in…

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UK reports fourth death as number of confirmed cases reaches 319

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commins that as of this morning there were 319 confirmed cases in the UK - this now includes a fourth confirmed death, he announces…

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Germany reports first two deaths from Coronavirus

The health ministry in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia said an 89-year-old woman died in the town of Essen and that another patient died in the badly affected region…

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WHO warns that the threat of the Coronavirus becoming a pandemic is now “very real”

The threat of coronavirus becoming a pandemic is now “very real”, the World Health Organisation has warned. The threat of a global pandemic is rising as the new coronavirus rapidly…

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Lufthansa reduces its flight capacity by 50%

Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the spread of Covid-19 and the resulting drastic decline in bookings as well as numerous flight cancellations Lufthansa Group decided to reduce the…

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Saudi to fine people who do not declare accurate health details on entry

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it would impose a fine of up to 500,000 riyals ($133,000) on those who do not declare correct health-related information at entry points. Saudi…

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Vietnam suspends visa-free travel for 8 European countries over coronavirus concerns

Vietnam on Monday decided to temporarily suspend visa-free travel for citizens from eight European countries amid growing concern over the coronavirus epidemic, its government said. The temporary suspension applied to…

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Giorgio Armani Makes Donation to Fight Coronavirus in Italy

Giorgio Armani has donated 1.25 million euros to a range of Italian hospitals and institutions involved in fighting the coronavirus spread in the country. The Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele…

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Photo Story: Sanitizing Gate used to fight coronavirus outbreak in Thailand

A woman wearing a protective mask walks through a 'Sanitizing Gate' at the entrance to a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, 09 March 2020. In order to combat the coronavirus…

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Trading in US shares resumes after sharp fall led to automatic halt in what is being dubbed as ‘Black Monday’

Trading in US shares has been suspended as sharp falls led to an automatic halt in the selling and buying of stocks. The day has been dubbed "Black Monday" by…

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Ferenc Liszt Intʼl in Budapest blocks flights from north of Italy

Ferenc Liszt International will stop accepting flights from Milan, Treviso, and Bergamo from Monday because of a lockdown there over the coronavirus, operator Budapest Airport said, according to a report…

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No new citizens in Denmark as coronavirus halts Danish naturalizations

The government in Denmark has asked mayors to suspend naturalization ceremonies, which since a law passed in 2018 require a mandatory handshake. In Denmark, which has reported 23 cases, it…

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Iran releases about 70,000 prisoners because of coronavirus outbreak

Iran has released approximately 70,000 prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, Iranian judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday, according to Mizan, the news site of the…

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Netanyahu appeals to European leaders for global effort to combat coronavirus

Researchers around the world must cooperate to improve the speed and ease of testing for COVID-19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video conference with seven European countries. “This…

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Violent protests in 27 Italian prisons over coronavirus fears

Violent protests broke out Monday in 27 Italian prisons against coronavirus restrictions with many inmates asking for an amnesty due to the virus emergency. Serious riots are taking place at…

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