Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Australia sees deadliest day amid new wave of COVID-19 spread

australia

SYDNEY, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — Australia recorded its highest ever number of COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, as the outbreak continued to push up the hospitalization rates to record levels. A total of 74 COVID-19 related deaths were reported in the country’s three worst-hit states, including 36 from New South Wales (NSW), a record high number … Read more

Fiji reports 7 more COVID-19 deaths, 3rd wave death toll reaches 24

Fiji

SUVA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) — Fiji has recorded seven new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 24 since confirmation of the third wave of the pandemic. Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said on Thursday that five of the new deaths confirmed overnight were fully vaccinated but had pre-existing medical … Read more

Japan’s record extra budget to boost virus-hit economy

Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s parliament enacted a record supplementary budget worth over $300 billion on Monday as part of the measures to bolster the world’s third largest economy, as the pandemic threat drags on. The extra budget, larger than the total annual GDP of countries such as Colombia, Vietnam and Finland, will fund part of the massive virus … Read more

Stocks sink, oil tanks as new virus variant sparks panic

IEA

LONDON – Stock markets and oil prices plunged Friday over fears of a new coronavirus variant that scientists warn could be more infectious than Delta and more resistant to vaccines, potentially dealing a heavy blow to the global economic recovery. Haven investments the yen and Swiss franc rallied but the dollar floundered. US crude oil … Read more

Dutch return to partial lockdown as Covid surges

THE HAGUE – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday announced Western Europe’s first partial lockdown of the winter, with three weeks of Covid curbs on restaurants, shops and sporting events. Protesters set off fireworks in The Hague after Rutte unveiled the “annoying and far-reaching” measures following a record spike of infections to more than … Read more

Researchers develop new mask technology that could filter out viruses

Abu Dhabi Researchers are producing a technology that could allow masks to filter particular viruses, such as Covid-19 and the flu. Associate professor at Khalifa University, Dr Ammar Nayfeh and a team of academics and doctors are currently developing the new mask consuming nanotechnology. “The idea is to create specific fibres with certain bonds that … Read more

Vienna tightens coronavirus restrictions

vietnam corona

VIENNA – Austrian capital Vienna said Thursday it would tighten coronavirus restrictions to only allow those vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 to enter restaurants, go to hairdressers and attend bigger gatherings. The new rules come as the daily surge in cases nationwide hit a record high for 2021, at almost 8,600 infections. “The situation in all … Read more

WHO experts back booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised

Which vaccinations are helpful against the Covid-19 delta variant?

GENEVA – Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Monday that booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to moderately and severely immunocompromised people. After four days of talks last week, the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommended that such people should receive a third dose of a … Read more

Iceland halts Moderna jabs over heart-inflammation fears

European Regulator Recommends Moderna Vaccine Shots For 12- to 17-Year-Olds

REYKJAVIK – Iceland on Friday suspended the Moderna anti-Covid vaccine, citing the slight increased risks of cardiac inflammation, going further than its Nordic neighbors which simply limited use of the jabs. “As the supply of Pfizer vaccine is sufficient in the territory … the chief epidemiologist has decided not to use the Moderna vaccine in … Read more

Schools in Germany should resume normal classes: state ministers

schools in germany

BERLIN – Schools across Germany should maintain regular operations in 2021-2022 despite ongoing exposures to COVID-19 and its Delta variant, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Lander (KMK) said on Friday. It would take time to cope with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the KMK said, but … Read more

U.S. San Francisco to ease mask requirements for limited indoor settings

US corona

SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced on Thursday that so long as the cases and hospitalization rates remain stable or decline, indoor masking requirements will be lifted on Oct. 15 in certain, limited settings. This includes places where stable cohorts of fully vaccinated individuals gather, and where other safety measures are … Read more

The UK records another 39,851 coronavirus cases

uk corona

LONDON – Another 39,851 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 8,006,660, according to official figures released Wednesday. The country also recorded another 143 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 137,295. These figures only include the … Read more

Canada mandates Covid vaccine for travelers, federal workers

canada corona

OTTAWA – Canada’s federal bureaucrats, police, and soldiers, as well as domestic air and rail travelers will soon need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, officials announced Wednesday. The mandatory vaccine policy proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a recent election campaign covers an estimated 300,000 government employees. Some medical exemptions will be allowed, but … Read more

Pakistan reports over 1,600 new coronavirus cases

corona in pakistan

Pakistan has reported new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the daily tally has reached 1,664 while the positivity rate stands at 3.21%. 1,664 new coronavirus infections have appeared after 51,796 tests were taken over a period of 24 hours across the country, stated the latest statistics of the National Command and Operation … Read more

Punjab to boost Covid-19 vaccination drive in the province

corona in punjab

Punjab health authorities to boost the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the province. Punjab has decided to constrict restrictions to accomplish the aims set for Covid-19 inoculation in the province. Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Imran Sikandar Baloch stated that the wedding halls and marquees will particularly be reviewed on September 28 for amenability on … Read more

Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity rate below 4% for the third day, NCOC

corona sop

Pakistan has recorded a drop in its daily COVID-19 cases, as the country reported 1,757 new infections during the last 24 hours, stated the National Command and Operation Centre’s (NCOC) data. According to the data issued by NCOC, as many as 48,732 coronavirus tests were led in the last 24 hours across the country, of … Read more

Travel SOPS extended for inbound passengers till Oct 31, CAA

US travel

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has extended the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) for incoming passengers till October 31. A ban on travel to Pakistan from Category C countries will continue in place with the exclusion of passengers having a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the aviation regulator, stated the notification. However, the countries that are … Read more

US to re-open in November for international tourists

WTTC urges the United States to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine

The United States to re-open for air travelers from China, India, Britain, and many other European countries who have established COVID-19 vaccines in early November stated the White House. The White House plans to allow non-U.S. citizen travelers from countries who have been banned from the United States since early 2020 as it transfers to … Read more

Pfizer, BioNTech claim vaccines are safe for children aged 5-11

NCOC Issues Guidelines To Administer Pfizer Vaccine

Pfizer and BioNTech stated that their mutually manufactured coronavirus vaccine was safe and operational for children between the ages of 5 and 11. However, Pakistan is one of the countries to administer Pfizer-BioNTech inoculation to school children. In a united statement issued on Monday, both pharmaceutical companies stated: “In participants 5 to 11 years of … Read more

Cuba’a Abdala Covid-19 vaccine approved by Vietnam

vietnam corona

Vietnam has permitted Cuba’s Abdala vaccine for usage against the novel coronavirus, stated the government, as the Southeast Asian country is fighting its worst outbreak since the pandemic started. Abdala has become the eighth COVID-19 inoculation permitted for usage in Vietnam, which has one of the lowest vaccination ratio in the district, with only 6.3% … Read more

Abu Dhabi to remove COVID-19 testing requirement from the border

Attested COVID-19 vaccination certificate no more required to travel from Pakistan to UAE

Abu Dhabi has declared that it will eliminate the condition to get tested for COVID-19 before arriving at the emirate starting September 19, reported Emirates News Agency WAM. The development comes as the UAE declared a decline of 0.2 percent corona infection rate last week. “The committee will continue to monitor infection rates and urges … Read more

Pakistan receives 0.5 mln doses of Sputnik vaccine from Russia

sputnik V

Pakistan has received 0.5 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, stated the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The authority made the announcement on its official Twitter handle and stated that the vaccine will arrive on September 16 and has been handed over to the Ministry of National Health and Services, Regulations, and Coordination. Another … Read more

Free Pfizer booster shots for health workers in Sindh

Pfizer says to sell 10 mn Covid-19 treatments to US for $5.3 bn

According to a notification published by the health department of Sindh, free Pfizer coronavirus booster shots to all healthcare workers is to be provided in the province by the Sindh government. The notification by the department said that the healthcare workers were at greater risk of being affected by the virus and getting infested with … Read more

Businesses to remain open till 10 pm, Sindh govt

Punjab shops

In view of the decreasing cases of COVID-19 cases in Sindh, the provincial government on Wednesday eased some coronavirus-related restrictions. The Sindh Home Department, markets, shops, and other businesses are permitted to remain open till 10 pm with severe observance to COVID-19 SOPs across the province, stated the notification. Whereas, markets will remain closed on … Read more

NCOC to ease Coronavirus restrictions

Pakistan to start COVID vaccination of children aged 12 years and older

The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) has declared to ease constraints following the decline in the coronavirus cases amidst the fourth wave of pandemics. The meeting presided by Asad Umar, head of the National Command and Operations Center, revised the coronavirus condition in detail across the country and significant conclusions were made. Whereas, the … Read more

Travellers around the world are taking to the skies again

WTTC urges the United States to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine

Travellers are taking to the skies again, but the immediate future of air travel remains highly turbulent, according to OAG’s survey of 1,800-plus U.S. travellers in July and August. Domestic capacity in the U.S. is up 81% from June – August 2021, compared to the same period last year. The increase is being fuelled by … Read more

Saudi Arabia to donate $5.3 mln to poor countries for COVID-19 vaccines

saudi-arabia-coronavirus-outbreak

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said Saudi Arabia will donate $5.3 million (20 million riyals) to poor countries to provide COVID-19 vaccines to less established Muslim countries. The Kingdom’s donation will be protracted to 22 IOC member states. According to the OIC, Saudi Arabia also called on other Muslim nations to join the resourcefulness … Read more

Students aged 15 and above in Sindh to get vaccinated

Students In Pakistan Wakeup To Go To Schools Today

According to a notification issued by the Sindh Education Department that the school students aged 15 years and above will get vaccinated. The extent is being taken in acquiescence with the COVID-19 inoculation policy for students aged 15 years and above. Stated the notification. The education department has gratified school management to deliver the details … Read more