Tag: Epidemics
White House renews virus briefings: ‘Bringing back the pros’
WASHINGTON (AP) — As many as 90,000 Americans are projected to die from the coronavirus in the next four weeks, the Biden administration warned...
The Latest: WH: Need 500M shots to vaccinate all over 16
WASHINGTON — White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients says it’s essential that Congress pass President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill to keep the...
UK’s Johnson hopes schools in England can reopen on March 8
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated Wednesday that the coronavirus lockdown in England will remain in place until at least March...
Auschwitz survivors mark anniversary online amid pandemic
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Jewish prayer for the souls of the people murdered in the Holocaust echoed Wednesday over where the Warsaw ghetto...
Asia Today: South Korea adds 559 cases, highest in 10 days
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has reported 599 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 10 days, as health workers scramble to slow...
Lawrence Wright’s ‘The Plague Year’ to release in June
NEW YORK (AP) — One of the first book-length inside accounts of the coronavirus pandemic will be coming out in June.
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Shoah survivors to get vaccine on Auschwitz liberation day
VIENNA (AP) — Hundreds of Holocaust survivors in Austria and Slovakia were poised to get their first coronavirus vaccination Wednesday, acknowledging their past suffering...
The Latest: India vaccinates 2 million health workers
NEW DELHI — India has vaccinated 2 million health workers in less than two weeks and recorded 12,689 new coronavirus positive cases in the...
California discloses math behind easing stay-at-home order
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s health director on Tuesday revealed the math behind the state's calculation that it was safe to lift all remaining...
UK eyes traveler quarantine as virus toll passes 100,000
LONDON (AP) — Britain's official death toll in the coronavirus pandemic passed 100,000 on Tuesday, a dreaded milestone reached as the government considered imposing...
VIRUS TODAY: US vaccine appointments canceled amid shortages
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.:
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COVID-19 variant brings new dimension to Europe’s pandemic
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — In the first week of December, Portugal’s prime minister gave his pandemic-weary people an early Christmas gift: restrictions on gatherings...
UK passes 100,000 coronavirus deaths as outbreak still rages
LONDON (AP) — More than 100,000 people have died in the United Kingdom after contracting the coronavirus, a year into Europe's deadliest outbreak, figures...
Unwanted virus milestone: UK’s civilian dead now tops WWII’s
LONDON (AP) — There are no warning sirens, nor a rush for shelter. No neighborhoods of collapsed rubble with bodies buried inside from Nazi...
UK’s ‘tsunami’ of grief as coronavirus deaths pass 100,000
LONDON (AP) — For nine months, Gordon Bonner has been in the “hinterlands of despair and desolation” after losing his wife of 63 years...
Merkel: pandemic shows German weaknesses, need to cooperate
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel conceded that the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted significant shortcomings in her country as she told the World...
Citing pandemic, Greece bans protests for a week
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s center-right government on Tuesday imposed a weeklong ban on public protests attended by more than 100 people, angering left-wing...
Asia Today: Taiwan quarantines 5,000 after hospital cluster
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Health authorities in Taiwan are quarantining 5,000 people while looking for the source of two new coronavirus cases linked to...
Indonesia’s confirmed coronavirus cases exceed 1 million
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s confirmed coronavirus infections since the pandemic began crossed 1 million on Tuesday and hospitals in some hard-hit areas were...
Mexican president works from isolation after virus test
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador worked from isolation Monday, a day after announcing that he tested positive for COVID-19,...
The Latest: Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to fall
AUSTIN, Texas — The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Texas continues to fall from record highs as the state nears the end of...
China pushes conspiracy theories on COVID origin, vaccines
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese state media have stoked concerns about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, despite rigorous trials indicating it is safe. A government spokesperson...
CDC publishes paper on NFL’s efforts to play 2020 season
The NFL partnered with the Centers for Disease Control to share its extensive work to reach the Super Bowl on time during a pandemic-altered...
VIRUS TODAY: US numbers fall but new strains cause concern
Here’s what’s happening Monday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.:
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EU proposes more travel restrictions to stop virus variants
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's executive body proposed Monday that the bloc's 27 nations impose more travel restrictions to counter the worrying spread...
China tackles pandemic with mass construction once again
Beijing (AP) — A sprawling quarantine center with more than 4,000 rooms is being thrown up in northern China in response to a COVID-19...
The Latest: Hong Kong ends lockdown in Kowloon neighborhood
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s government on Monday morning ended an unprecedented lockdown after testing thousands of residents living in an area that had...
Mexico’s president says he’s tested positive for COVID-19
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and that the symptoms are mild.
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Israel targets flights, religious scofflaws, as virus rages
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel will be closing its international airport to nearly all flights, while Israeli police...
Center-right incumbent wins Portugal’s presidential election
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s president was returned to office for a second term with a resounding victory Sunday in an election held amid...
Fourth Zimbabwean Cabinet member dies of COVID-19 in surge
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Four Zimbabwean Cabinet ministers have died of COVID-19, three within the past two weeks, highlighting a resurgence of the disease...
The Latest: New virus clusters hit China’s north provinces
BEIJING — A Chinese city has brought 2,600 temporary treatment rooms online as the country’s north battles new clusters of coronavirus.
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Wuhan returns to normal as world still battling pandemic
WUHAN, China (AP) — A year ago, a notice sent to smartphones in Wuhan at 2 a.m. announced the world's first coronavirus lockdown, bringing...
Biden’s early approach to virus: Underpromise, overdeliver
WASHINGTON (AP) — It's a proven political strategy: Underpromise and overdeliver.
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Tunisia extends curfew, ban on protests as virus cases jump
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia is extending its virus curfew and banning demonstrations as it tries to stem a rapid rise in infections and...
Denmark suspends Dubai flights amid doubts over virus tests
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark has temporarily suspended all flights from the United Arab Emirates for five days after suspicion arose that the coronavirus...
Biden’s early approach to virus: Underpromise, overdeliver
WASHINGTON (AP) — It's a proven political strategy: Underpromise and overdeliver.
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The Latest: Arizona COVID-19 cases down despite high rate
PHOENIX -- Health officials say the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Arizona are declining despite the state having the worst infection rate...
Pfizer to supply 40M COVID-19 shots for poor countries
Pfizer on Friday committed to supply up to 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine this year to a World Health Organization-backed effort to...
UK chief scientist says new virus variant may be more deadly
LONDON (AP) — There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death .than...
Fauci unleashed: Doc takes ‘liberating’ turn at center stage
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci is back.
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German virus death toll tops 50,000 even as infections sink
BERLIN (AP) — The death toll from the coronavirus in Germany has passed 50,000, a number that has risen swiftly over recent weeks even...
The Latest: Shanghai locks down 2 major hospitals over cases
BEIJING — Shanghai has imposed lockdowns on two of China’s best-known hospitals after they were linked to new coronavirus cases.
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Fauci unleashed: Doc takes ‘liberating’ turn at center stage
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci is back.
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5 killed in blaze at Indian producer of COVID-19 vaccine
PUNE, India (AP) — At least five people were killed in a fire that broke out Thursday at a building under construction at Serum...
Biden’s US revives support for WHO, reversing Trump retreat
GENEVA (AP) — The United States will resume funding for the World Health Organization and join its consortium aimed at sharing coronavirus vaccines fairly...
Vaccinations urged for Southern California dockworkers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Port executives, union leaders and elected officials are pushing for dockworkers to become eligible for coronavirus vaccinations to prevent a...
Dubai halts live entertainment amid surge in virus cases
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai's tourism department Thursday announced an immediate halt to all live entertainment at hotels and restaurants, a day...
Lebanon extends lockdown into February as virus numbers rise
BEIRUT (AP) — Authorities in Lebanon on Thursday extended a nationwide lockdown by a week, to Feb. 8, amid a steep rise in coronavirus...
Portugal shuts schools, blames variant for COVID-19 surge
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s government on Thursday ordered the closure of schools for two weeks amid a surge in COVID-19 infections that the...
Germany’s Merkel points to variant risk as infections drop
BERLIN (AP) — Germany is seeing a promising decline in new coronavirus infections, but must take "very seriously” the risk posed by a more...
EXPLAINER: What’s next for WHO after US takes steps to stay
GENEVA (AP) — The Biden administration has taken quick steps to keep the United States in the World Health Organization and reinforce financial and...
Mobile labs take vaccine studies to diverse neighborhoods
NEW YORK (AP) — Lani Muller doesn’t have to visit a doctor’s office to help test an experimental COVID-19 vaccine — she just climbs...
California: OK to use Moderna vaccine after illness reports
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California on Wednesday said it’s safe to resume using a batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccine after some people fell ill...
The Latest: Sri Lanka reopens tourism after 10-month closing
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka is welcoming tourists again after keeping the doors closed to visitors for nearly 10 months due to the...
Some COVID-19 mutations may dampen vaccine effectiveness
Scientists are reporting troubling signs that some recent mutations of the virus that causes COVID-19 may modestly curb the effectiveness of two current vaccines,...
United Airlines posts $1.9 billion loss in pandemic-laden 4Q
United Airlines said Wednesday that it finished one of the worst years in its history by losing $1.9 billion in the last three months...
New CDC director takes over beleaguered agency amid crisis
NEW YORK (AP) — As the coronavirus swept across the globe last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sank into the shadows,...
Portugal sets records in one of world’s worst virus surges
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s new daily COVID-19 cases jumped to more than 14,600 to set a new national record Wednesday, as the country...
Dutch propose curfew to rein in virus; will ban more flights
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of...
Biden’s first act: Orders on pandemic, climate, immigration
In his first official acts as president, Joe Biden is signing executives orders on a broad range of issues, from the coronavirus pandemic to...
An inauguration unlike any other amid a pandemic, unrest
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inauguration Day for President-elect Joe Biden will look unlike anything the nation has seen before as the scars of COVID-19 and...
California sees hopeful signs as counties fight for vaccines
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Vaccine supply issues continued to plague California on Tuesday even as other indicators about the spread of the coronavirus showed...
The Latest: Hawaii says scarcity hinders vaccination efforts
HONOLULU — Hawaii’s leaders say limited supply is the main thing constraining distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in the state.
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Biden marks nation’s Covid grief before inauguration pomp
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours from inauguration, President-elect Joe Biden paused on what might have been his triumphal entrance to Washington Tuesday evening to mark...
‘Shameful’: US virus deaths top 400K as Trump leaves office
As President Donald Trump entered the final year of his term last January, the U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Not to...
Plunged into virus ‘dark winter,’ Biden must lead US out
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden predicted he would take office amid a “dark winter,” and the outlook is only getting bleaker.
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‘Pharma Bro’ Shkreli loses 2nd bid for early prison release
NEW YORK (AP) — That’s another no for the “Pharma Bro.”
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Germany to extend virus shutdown until mid-February
BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that Germany is extending its pandemic restrictions, including the closure of schools and stores, until mid-February...
‘We know this is real’: New clinics aid virus ‘long-haulers’
NEW YORK (AP) — COVID-19 came early for Catherine Busa, and it never really left.
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‘Little old West Virginia’ sets pace on vaccine rollout
KENOVA, W.Va. (AP) — Griffith & Feil Drug has been in business since 1892, a family-owned, small-town pharmacy. This isn't its first pandemic.
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Panel: China, WHO should have acted quicker to stop pandemic
GENEVA (AP) — A panel of experts commissioned by the World Health Organization has criticized China and other countries for not moving to stem...
Polling booths go to voters in Portugal’s pandemic election
MONTIJO, Portugal (AP) — Local councils in Portugal sent out teams Tuesday to gather votes from people in home quarantine and from residents of...
Biden picks transgender woman as assistant health secretary
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to...
AP-NORC poll: Virus, economy swamp other priorities for US
WASHINGTON (AP) — Containing the coronavirus outbreak and repairing the economic damage it has inflicted are the top priorities for Americans as Joe Biden...
Asia Today: China sees virus outbreaks across its northeast
BEIJING (AP) — China was dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast on Tuesday, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans ahead of next...
Spain’s rising cases give pandemic hospital a second chance
MADRID (AP) — As soon as the lifeless body is silently pushed away on a stretcher, a cleaning battalion moves into the intensive care...
The Latest: China grapples with virus outbreaks in northeast
BEIJING — China is now dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans.
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California becomes first state to top 3 million virus cases
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California on Monday became the first state to record more than 3 million known coronavirus infections.
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WHO chief lambasts vaccine profits, demands elderly go first
GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization chief on Monday lambasted drugmakers' profits and vaccine inequalities, saying it’s “not right” that younger, healthier adults...
Asia Today: Philippine cases hit 500K amid vaccine struggles
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Coronavirus infections in the Philippines have surged past 500,000 in a new bleak milestone with the government facing criticism for...
China economy grows in 2020 as rebound from virus gains
BEIJING (AP) — China eked out 2.3% economic growth in 2020, likely becoming the only major economy to expand as shops and factories reopened...
Israel trades Pfizer doses for medical data in vaccine blitz
JERUSALEM (AP) — After sprinting ahead in the race to inoculate its population against the coronavirus, Israel has struck a deal with Pfizer, promising...
The Latest: Slovakia wants tests for nearly all in nine days
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia is launching a project to test almost all citizens for the coronavirus in nine days.
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UK aims to give 1st COVID-19 shot to all adults by September
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government plans to offer a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to every adult by September as the nation’s health...
The Latest: China reports a few new cases of COVID-19
BEIJING — China on Sunday reported 109 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, two-thirds of them in a northern province that abuts Beijing, and no deaths.
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Biden: We’ll ‘manage the hell’ out of feds’ COVID response
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to boost supplies of coronavirus vaccine and set up new vaccination sites to meet his...
Restaurants, bars scramble for propane amid pandemic winter
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — With coronavirus restrictions forcing bars and restaurants to seat customers outside in the dead of winter, many are scrambling...
Trump’s presidency not just a blip in US foreign policy
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden’s plan to scrap President Donald Trump’s vision of “America First” in favor of “diplomacy first” will depend on...
Amazon city scrambles to provide oxygen to COVID-19 patients
SAO PAULO (AP) — Doctors in the Amazon rainforest’s biggest city are having to choose which COVID-19 patients can breathe amid dwindling oxygen stocks...
The Latest: Mexico hits another record for COVID-19 cases
Mexico posted a record spike in coronavirus cases on Friday, with 21,366 newly confirmed infections, about double the daily rate of increase just a...
Biden: We’ll ‘manage the hell’ out of feds’ COVID response
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden pledged Friday to boost supplies of coronavirus vaccine and set up new vaccination sites to meet his...
Study: In pandemic era, older adults isolated but resilient
Since the pandemic’s descent, they have generally been viewed as among those at higher risk — older Americans, some of them medically vulnerable, figuring...
WHO cites human behavior more than variants as virus spreads
GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization's emergencies chief said Friday that the impact of new variants of COVID-19 in places like Britain, South...
UK toughens up borders over Brazil virus variant fears
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. moved Friday to toughen up its entry requirements beyond its surprise decision to ban travel from South America and...
Federal report says pandemic hit seafood industry hard
The coronavirus pandemic has taken away about a third of the commercial fishing industry's revenue, according to a federal report released on Friday.
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‘This is not a game’: Global virus death toll hits 2 million
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The global death toll from COVID-19 topped 2 million Friday, crossing the threshold amid a vaccine rollout so immense but...
China builds new quarantine center as virus cases rise
BEIJING (AP) — A city in northern China is building a 3,000-unit quarantine facility to deal with an anticipated overflow of patients as COVID-19...
Spain rejects virus confinement as most of Europe stays home
MADRID (AP) — While most of Europe kicked off 2021 with earlier curfews or stay-at-home orders, authorities in Spain insist the new coronavirus variant...
California urged to move inmates to front of vaccine line
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Attorneys representing California inmates are urging state and federal officials to advance about 1 of every 10 prisoners to the...
