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Coronavirus live news: Swedish royals self-isolating after positive test; Germany extends partial lockdown Coronavirus live news: Swedish royals self-isolating after positive test; Germany extends partial lockdown
(about 1 hour later)
Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia ‘have light flu symptoms’; Merkel warns restrictions may last until next year; Ukraine reports record daily case riseSweden’s Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia ‘have light flu symptoms’; Merkel warns restrictions may last until next year; Ukraine reports record daily case rise
As the coronavirus leaves many people housebound and many Americans sit to feast for Thanksgiving, the World Health Organization says people need to get more active, insisting that up to 5 million deaths worldwide could be avoided each year if people would run, walk and simply move more.
The UN health agency, launching updated guidelines on sedentary behaviour, is pointing to figures that one in four adults — and four in five adolescents — don’t get enough physical activity, a situation that’s complicated by the Covid-19 crisis that has shut up many people indoors.
It recommends at least 2-1/2 hours of “moderate to vigorous aerobic activity” for adults per week, and an hour per day for kids and teens. A lack of physical activity leads to extra health care costs of $54 billion per year, plus another $14 billion in lost productivity, WHO said.
French winter sports resorts are free to open for the Christmas holiday season, the prime minister, Jean Castex, said on Thursday, but ski lifts will have to remain shut.
President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday that coronavirus risks made it “impossible” to allow winter sports to resume quickly, adding he hoped restrictions could be lifted in January.
France’s 350 ski resorts have been up in arms over the decision, saying the weeks around Christmas and new year are crucial for their survival as they account for up to a quarter of their annual revenues.
Castex said mountain holidays were still on the cards but downhill skiing – by far the most popular pastime for crowds of French and foreign skiers in Alpine and Pyrenees resorts – was effectively ruled out.
“Naturally, everybody is free to travel to resorts to enjoy the clean air of our beautiful mountains, and the shops which will be open, although bars and restaurants won’t be,” Castex told a news conference.
National math and reading tests used to track US students’ knowledge in those subjects are being postponed until 2022 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) said.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as “the nation’s report card”, previously had been planned to be held at the beginning of 2021 for hundreds of thousands of fourth- and eighth-graders.
“I have determined that NCES cannot at this time conduct a national-level assessment in a manner with sufficient validity and reliability to meet the mandate of the law,” the NCES commissioner, James Woodworth, said on Wednesday. “I was obviously concerned about sending outsiders into schools and possibly increasing the risk of Covid transmission,” he added.
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Thousands of volunteers are flocking to research hospitals across Pakistan to join final-stage clinical trials of a Chinese-made vaccine for the coronavirus.Thousands of volunteers are flocking to research hospitals across Pakistan to join final-stage clinical trials of a Chinese-made vaccine for the coronavirus.
It is the first time Pakistan has participated in such a trial, which comes amid a string of positive vaccine announcements by Western pharmaceutical companies this month.It is the first time Pakistan has participated in such a trial, which comes amid a string of positive vaccine announcements by Western pharmaceutical companies this month.
The vaccine is being developed by CanSinoBio and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China.The vaccine is being developed by CanSinoBio and the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology China.
“I have volunteered myself for a noble cause that will help humanity,” said a volunteer at Islamabad’s Shifa hospital, where hundreds of participants are being paid about $50 for their trouble.“I have volunteered myself for a noble cause that will help humanity,” said a volunteer at Islamabad’s Shifa hospital, where hundreds of participants are being paid about $50 for their trouble.
Others should “step forward and take part in this noble cause which will save lives”, he added.Others should “step forward and take part in this noble cause which will save lives”, he added.
For years, China has focused much of its attention in Pakistan on mammoth development projects, bankrolling the construction of roads, power plants and a strategic port.For years, China has focused much of its attention in Pakistan on mammoth development projects, bankrolling the construction of roads, power plants and a strategic port.
Beijing has now tapped one of its closest allies to participate in the vaccine trials, despite Pakistan’s chequered history with inoculation campaigns.Beijing has now tapped one of its closest allies to participate in the vaccine trials, despite Pakistan’s chequered history with inoculation campaigns.
The coronavirus has killed at least 1,422,951 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Thursday.The coronavirus has killed at least 1,422,951 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Thursday.
At least 60,427,590 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 38,532,900 are now considered recovered.At least 60,427,590 cases of coronavirus have been registered. Of these, at least 38,532,900 are now considered recovered.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.
On Wednesday, 12,351 new deaths and 635,138 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on the latest reports, the countries with the newest deaths were the United States with 2,439 new deaths, followed by Mexico with 858 and Italy with 722.On Wednesday, 12,351 new deaths and 635,138 new cases were recorded worldwide. Based on the latest reports, the countries with the newest deaths were the United States with 2,439 new deaths, followed by Mexico with 858 and Italy with 722.
The United States is the worst-affected country with 262,283 deaths from 12,778,254 cases. At least 4,835,956 people have been declared recovered.The United States is the worst-affected country with 262,283 deaths from 12,778,254 cases. At least 4,835,956 people have been declared recovered.
After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 170,769 deaths from 6,166,606 cases, India with 135,223 deaths from 9,266,705 cases, Mexico with 103,597 deaths from 1,070,487 cases, and the United Kingdom with 56,533 deaths from 1,557,007 cases.After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Brazil with 170,769 deaths from 6,166,606 cases, India with 135,223 deaths from 9,266,705 cases, Mexico with 103,597 deaths from 1,070,487 cases, and the United Kingdom with 56,533 deaths from 1,557,007 cases.
The state premier of Thuringia on Thursday announced a first mass test for children in the district of Hildburghausen, Germany’s coronavirus hotspot, to find out to what extent they contribute to a rapid surge in infections. The east German district saw a record 603 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, more than four times Germany’s average incidence of 140, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. “We will now conduct the first mass test for children and young people, who can be tested for free, starting next Tuesday,” Bodo Ramelow told broadcaster ARD. “Then we will know for the first time: how safe are schools and kindergartens?” The Hildburghausen district of 63,000 inhabitants introduced a regional lockdown that is stricter than the one in force in the state of Thuringia on Wednesday. Unlike most of Germany, kindergartens and schools have been closed and people are only allowed to leave their flats if they have a good reason. Violations can be punished with fines of up to 25,000 euros ($29,775). The lockdown is in place until 13 December. Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed with leaders of the 16 federal states on Wednesday night to extend and tighten national measures against the coronavirus until at least Dec. 20 but ease rules over the Christmas holidays to let families and friends celebrate together. However, another extension into January is seen as likely. While many Germans support the government’s measures, there are also a number of opponents. After police clashed with thousands of demonstrators in Berlin a week ago, around 400 people gathered in the city of Hildburghausen on Wednesday night to protest the new restrictions.The state premier of Thuringia on Thursday announced a first mass test for children in the district of Hildburghausen, Germany’s coronavirus hotspot, to find out to what extent they contribute to a rapid surge in infections. The east German district saw a record 603 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, more than four times Germany’s average incidence of 140, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. “We will now conduct the first mass test for children and young people, who can be tested for free, starting next Tuesday,” Bodo Ramelow told broadcaster ARD. “Then we will know for the first time: how safe are schools and kindergartens?” The Hildburghausen district of 63,000 inhabitants introduced a regional lockdown that is stricter than the one in force in the state of Thuringia on Wednesday. Unlike most of Germany, kindergartens and schools have been closed and people are only allowed to leave their flats if they have a good reason. Violations can be punished with fines of up to 25,000 euros ($29,775). The lockdown is in place until 13 December. Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed with leaders of the 16 federal states on Wednesday night to extend and tighten national measures against the coronavirus until at least Dec. 20 but ease rules over the Christmas holidays to let families and friends celebrate together. However, another extension into January is seen as likely. While many Germans support the government’s measures, there are also a number of opponents. After police clashed with thousands of demonstrators in Berlin a week ago, around 400 people gathered in the city of Hildburghausen on Wednesday night to protest the new restrictions.
Over in Greece military C-130 transport planes have begun airlifting patients stricken with Covid-19 from Drama, in the north of the country, to Athens as the government announced that a nationwide lockdown would be extended until December 7th.Over in Greece military C-130 transport planes have begun airlifting patients stricken with Covid-19 from Drama, in the north of the country, to Athens as the government announced that a nationwide lockdown would be extended until December 7th.
In what has become the most evident sign yet of the strain now being placed on overstretched hospitals in the region, health authorities took the step this morning of moving gravely ill people to intensive care wards in the Greek capital. Local media reported the patients were transferred in isolation capsules aboard the aircraft. Patients have also been airlifted from Rhodes island to Crete and Andros to Athens, the latter in a Super Puma helicopter.In what has become the most evident sign yet of the strain now being placed on overstretched hospitals in the region, health authorities took the step this morning of moving gravely ill people to intensive care wards in the Greek capital. Local media reported the patients were transferred in isolation capsules aboard the aircraft. Patients have also been airlifted from Rhodes island to Crete and Andros to Athens, the latter in a Super Puma helicopter.
Mounting pressure on the nation’s already fragile health system is such that the head of the Panhellenic Medical Association sounded the alarm Thursday. “Numbers have accelerated very quickly in very little time,” said Dr Athanasios Exadaktylos, noting that of the 1,902 fatalities recorded since the start of the pandemic, 1,257 had occurred since 1 November. “And [as a result] another danger has become clear: that if all the wards the country has at its disposal are occupied by patients suffering from Coronavirus then patients with other ailments may find themselves in difficulty … patients suffering from other ailments may die.”Mounting pressure on the nation’s already fragile health system is such that the head of the Panhellenic Medical Association sounded the alarm Thursday. “Numbers have accelerated very quickly in very little time,” said Dr Athanasios Exadaktylos, noting that of the 1,902 fatalities recorded since the start of the pandemic, 1,257 had occurred since 1 November. “And [as a result] another danger has become clear: that if all the wards the country has at its disposal are occupied by patients suffering from Coronavirus then patients with other ailments may find themselves in difficulty … patients suffering from other ailments may die.”
Greece has registered just under 100,000 infections but since the autumn has seen a surge in cases prompting the government to impose a nationwide lockdown as of November 6th.Greece has registered just under 100,000 infections but since the autumn has seen a surge in cases prompting the government to impose a nationwide lockdown as of November 6th.
Asked if he thought curbs on movement should be lifted, Exadakytlos echoed government officials saying he believed the lockdown should be extended saying “it should have been imposed earlier.”Asked if he thought curbs on movement should be lifted, Exadakytlos echoed government officials saying he believed the lockdown should be extended saying “it should have been imposed earlier.”
Greece will extend its nationwide lockdown until 7 December as Covid-19 cases continued to surge across the country, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday. Greece has registered a total of 97,288 Coronavirus cases and 1,902 deaths, with the hardest-hit area being northern Greece. Hospitals are operating at almost full capacity, according to health ministry data.Greece will extend its nationwide lockdown until 7 December as Covid-19 cases continued to surge across the country, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday. Greece has registered a total of 97,288 Coronavirus cases and 1,902 deaths, with the hardest-hit area being northern Greece. Hospitals are operating at almost full capacity, according to health ministry data.
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Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and his wife, Princess Sofia, are self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, the royal palace said Thursday.
Carl Philip, the 41-year-old son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and Sofia, 35, “have light flu symptoms” and are recuperating at home in Stockholm with their two young children, the palace said in a statement.
The king and queen, as well as Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel, will all be tested as a precaution, it said.
According to the tabloid Aftonbladet, the royal family gathered for the funeral of the queen’s brother last week, but they all tested negative for the virus before attending that ceremony.
Sweden is known for its softer approach to the coronavirus pandemic, never locking down to the same extent as other countries. As of Wednesday, it had recorded a total of 230,514 cases of Covid-19 and 6,555 deaths.
Early in the pandemic Princess Sofia donned scrubs and began doing shifts as a healthcare assistant at the Sophiahemmet hospital in Stockholm, which she has continued to do part-time.
Here’s a roundup of the latest key developments:
The R rate in France has fallen to 0.65, as the health minister, Olivier Véran, said the country is on course to continue lifting restrictions. Véran predicted that France would reach a target of reducing daily infections to 5,000 by the second week of December.
Russia has registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from coronavirus for the second time in less than a week. Health officials reported 25,487 new infections, bringing the national total to 2,187,990 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
Germany will probably have to stick with measures to dampen the coronavirus pandemic into January, says Angela Merkel. “Given the high number of infections, we assume that the restrictions which are in place before Christmas will continue to be valid until the start of January, certainly for most parts of Germany,” the chancellor told parliament.
Sudan’s last democratically elected prime minister, Sadiq al-Mahdi, has died after a coronavirus infection. Mahdi, 84, who was overthrown in a military coup in 1989 had been taken to hospital in the United Arab Emirates three weeks ago.
Bars and restaurants in Tokyo have been asked to close early for the next three week. The governor, Yuriko Koike, said places serving alcohol, including karaoke venues, should close by 10pm from Saturday until 17 December.
South Korea reports highest cases since March. South Korea has reported its highest daily number of Covid-19 cases since March, despite the recent introduction of stricter social distancing measuresin Seoul and other virus hotspots. The country reported 583 infections on Thursday, the first time they had topped 500 since 6 March.
Global cases surpassed 60m, according to researchers at both Johns Hopkins University. According to Reuters, the pace of new infections is accelerating and the United States is reporting its worst numbers of hospitalisations.
Authorities in Sicily asked Cuba’s government to send to the region about 60 health operators, including doctors and nurses, as hospitals are struggling with a shortage of medical personnel during the second wave. The request was filed this week to the Italian embassy in Cuba and consists of intensive care specialists, nurses, anaesthetists, resuscitators, virologists and pneumologists, the Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported.
The Americas reported more than 1.5m cases in the last seven days; the highest weekly number since the start of the pandemic, the World Health Organization regional branch PAHO said. The rapid surge of infections in the US continued and cases accelerated in countries of North, Central and South America, PAHO said. In Canada, infections were rising particularly among the elderly and indigenous communities.
The daily death toll in the US reached 2,157 – one person every 40 seconds. It was the first time since May that deaths had passed 2,000 in 24 hours.
Iran recorded its worst daily caseload, with the health ministry reporting 13,843 new infections. That pushed the national tally to 894,385 in the Middle East’s worst-hit country. The ministry’s spokeswoman, Sima Sadat Lari, told state TV the death toll rose by 469 in 24 hours to 46,207.
France’s health minister, Olivier Véran, has said the country’s target of 5,000 new daily Covid-19 cases could be reached by the second week of December, allowing the lifting of restrictions to continue.
Daily infections currently stand at 16,282.
During a news conference detailing how France’s second national lockdown is about to be gradually unwound, Véran also said the reproduction rate of the disease had fallen to 0.65.
Véran said: “The epidemic is not behind us. We must not relax our vigilance, and we will succeed.”
Hungary plans no further restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus, Reuters reports citing Gergely Gulyás, the chief of staff to the prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
Health officials have reported a steady rise in new cases and the number of deaths, but Gulyás told a press briefing that the government would look at infections data next week again to review its decisions.
Kenyan lorry drivers are facing 60km queues at the border with Uganda because of Covid health checks, Reuters reports.
Before the virus, the Kenyan driver Joseph Kimani used to reckon with a five-hour wait to cross from there into Uganda with his cargo of diesel.
Now the queue on the Kenyan side, which he and other drivers say extends for upwards of 60km (37 miles) and can take five days to clear.
“The queues have been growing longer and longer,” Kimani said, blaming the delays mainly on coronavirus-related health checks.
To cross over, drivers need to show a negative coronavirus test taken in the previous 14 days. Failing that, they must submit to testing at the border and wait two days for the result.
“I don’t even get time to see my family. I eat what I get on the road. I live in this vehicle,” he said.
Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has vowed to do “everything” to save jobs and the economic potential of Polish entrepreneurs.
He outlined a package worth up to 40bn Polish zloty (£7.9bn) for businesses.
Russia has registered record numbers for daily infections and deaths from coronavirus for the second time in less than a week, AFP reports.
Health officials reported 25,487 new infections, bringing the national total to 2,187,990 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, the fifth-highest caseload in the world.
Health authorities also reported 524 deaths, raising Russia’s total fatalities from Covid-19 to 38,062.
It was the second time since Saturday that the country had registered record increases for both cases and deaths.
Despite the surge, which Vladimir Putin last week described as “alarming”, Russia has not imposed the kind of lockdowns seen in some parts of Europe.
Authorities in many regions have required mask-wearing in public spaces and limited the number of in-office workers, but have not reintroduced the strict stay-at-home order put in place in the spring.
Russia has registered a much lower virus fatality rate than other badly hit countries, raising concerns that authorities are downplaying the severity of the health crisis.
Russia’s federal statistics service has released data showing excess deaths of more than 117,000 year-on-year between March and September, indicating that virus fatalities could be much higher.
While Moscow saw the most new cases on Thursday, the second wave is hitting the country’s poorly funded regions the hardest.
Russia is pinning its hopes for controlling the pandemic on home-made vaccines, including the Sputnik V vaccine that researchers said Tuesday was 95% effective.
The jab will be provided free to Russian citizens and Moscow is looking to secure major international orders in the global race to supply vaccines.
Sudan’s last democratically elected prime minister, Sadiq al-Mahdi, who was overthrown in the 1989 military coup that brought Omar al-Bashir to power, has died after a coronavirus infection, Reuters reports.
Mahdi, 84, had been taken to hospital in the United Arab Emirates three weeks ago.
His moderate Umma party was one of the largest opposition parties under Bashir, and Mahdi remained an influential figure even after Bashir was toppled in April 2019.
Sudan’s transitional administration, which governs under a power sharing deal between the military and civilian groups, declared three days of mourning.
Last month, Mahdi’s family said he had tested positive for Covid-19. He was transferred to the UAE for treatment a few days later following a brief hospitalisation in Sudan.
In a statement, the Umma party said Mahdi would be buried on Friday morning in the city of Omdurman in Sudan.
Bars and restaurants in Tokyo have been asked to close early for the next three weeks as the city attempts to avoid a year-end surge in Covid-19 cases.
The governor, Yuriko Koike, said places serving alcohol, including karaoke venues, should close by 10pm from Saturday until 17 December.
Speaking to reporters she said:
Japan’s national and local governments do not have the legal powers to enforce business closures or European-style lockdowns. Businesses that comply will be eligible for a one-off payment of ¥400,000 (£2,900) from the metropolitan government.
The requested restrictions on opening hours are the first since the end of August, when Tokyo was confronted by a second wave of infections. Daily cases have been rising again in recent weeks, with 401 on Wednesday, following a record 537 last week. The city now has a total of 38,598 cases.
In addition to health ministry advice to avoid the “three Cs” - confined and crowded spaces, and close human contact - Koike has unveiled “five smalls” - precautions that should be taken when dining out.
Under these guidelines, people should eat in small groups, keep their meals brief, avoid eating from shared plates, talk quietly and observe established preventive measures such as mask wearing, hand sanitising and visiting only properly ventilated places. Koike has also asked people to avoid non-essential outings and to work remotely where possible.
Several parts of Japan have witnessed a surge in new infections, prompting the government this week to remove Sapporo and Osaka from a subsidised tourism campaign aimed at propping up regional economies during the pandemic.
Japan’s third wave has prompted warnings about the strain the rise in serious cases is placing on hospitals. Toshio Nakagawa, the president of the Japan Medical Association, said more beds were being taken up by patients with severe Covid-19 symptoms, forcing staff to scale down the treatment of other illnesses.
“We need to act urgently or we will face a nationwide crisis,” Nakagawa said, urging authorities to restrict business operations. “As medical professionals, we believe that vigorous disease prevention is also best for the economy.”
Japan has fared better than many other countries since the start of the pandemic. As of Wednesday, it had 135,400 cases and 2,001 deaths, the health ministry said.
Restrictive measures designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Germany will be in place until at least the end of December and possibly longer, the chancellor, Angela Merkel, has told parliament.
She said:
She confirmed that Germans will be allowed to congregate in groups of up 10 people over Christmas. But she urged the public to remember that there around 27 million vulnerable Germans who can’t be protected.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 22,268 to 983,588, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed on Thursday, while the death toll rose by 389 to 15,160.
Merkel said the number of Covid cases in Germany was “stagnating at a high – far too high – level”.
Late last night she agreed with leaders of Germany’s 16 federal states to extend and tighten the coronavirus lockdown until December 20, but ease rules over the Christmas holidays to let families and friends celebrate together.
Merkel’s chief of staff said rules limiting social contact might be needed for longer.
“We have difficult winter months ahead of us. This will continue until March,” Helge Braun told RTL television.
“After March, I am very optimistic because we will probably be able to vaccinate more and more people and it will be easier to keep infection rates low with the spring.”
Merkel said vaccines could arrive before Christmas.