Hundreds of people blocked traffic in the centre of Slovak capital Bratislava, protesting against a law that gives those who have had the COVID-19 vaccine easier access to public events and spaces, Slovak media reported on Thursday. The law, which requires people who haven’t been inoculated to take a test …
Read More »Iraq tops 1.6 million COVID-19 cases, as Delta variant surge
The Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed over 13515 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative count of confirmed cases since the emergence of the virus to 1603787. The Ministry said that 9401 patients had achieved full recovery from the virus, while 49 succumbed to its complications. Iraq …
Read More »Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine becomes less effective within six months: Study
The effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine dropped from 96 percent to 84 percent over six months, a new study funded by the companies showed. The study, published on Wednesday, showed that while the efficacy level of the Pfizer vaccine reached a peak of 96.2 percent within the first two …
Read More »France lashes out at being discriminated in UK quarantine rule
France said on Thursday it failed to understand why it was exempt from a new rule allowing fully-vaccinated European Union citizens to enter England without having to quarantine. From next week, travelers fully jabbed with a vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency …
Read More »COVID-19 could be ‘just a few mutations’ away from evading vaccines: CDC
COVID-19 could be just a few mutations away from evading existing vaccines that protect against the deadly virus, according to the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Read More »Olympics: Two Games-related COVID-19 cases hospitalized, say organizers
Two Games-related people from overseas with COVID-19 have been hospitalized but neither case is serious, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said on Thursday. The cases are the first known COVID-19 hospitalizations at the pandemic-hit Games, which is in its sixth day of competition and runs till August 8. Athletes and …
Read More »Coronavirus: Walt Disney World reinstates mask wearing rules amid surge in cases
Beginning July 30, Walt Disney World in Florida will begin requiring attendees to wear face masks, as the US state sees a rise in COVID-19 cases. The new rules will apply to all guests aged two and up while indoors and using public transport facilities in the park, regardless of …
Read More »Italy authorizes Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for teens
Italy approved the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children 12-17 years old. To date, over 31 million people in Italy — or 57.4 percent of the target population aged 12 and above — have already been fully immunized. Italy has authorized the Moderna Spikevax coronavirus vaccine for minors aged …
Read More »England to allow US, EU arrivals to skip quarantine if vaccinated starting August 2
England will allow fully vaccinated visitors from the European Union and the United States to arrive without quarantine from next week, the transport minister said on Wednesday, in a huge and long-awaited boost for airlines and travel companies. Britain’s travel industry has heavily criticized the government for being too slow …
Read More »Iraq sees over 13,000 new COVID-19 cases, 66 deaths.
The Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed over 13,000 COVID-19 cases and 66 deaths from its complications in the past 24 hours. The daily situation report issued by the Ministry said that 13,515 swabs have tested positive for the virus on Saturday, bringing the cumulative count of confirmed cases since the …
Read More »Severe COVID-19 could cause brain changes, increase risk of Alzheimer’s: Experts
New research studying COVID-19 patients has found that a severe infection could cause brain changes that increase an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Researchers from UT Health San Antonio have followed COVID-19 patients with long-term neurological symptoms for the past year, and are presenting their findings this week at the …
Read More »UK’s PM Johnson in talks with US on COVID-19 travel corridor
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is talking to the United States about a travel corridor, LBC radio said on Wednesday, quoting him as saying he wants US citizens to come to Britain “freely” as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. “We want people to be able to come from the US …
Read More »UNICEF official calls for closed schools due to COVID-19 to reopen ASAP
Schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic must reopen as soon as possible, the United Nations insisted on Tuesday, estimating that the education of more than 600 million children was at stake. “This cannot go on,” James Elder, spokesman for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), told reporters in Geneva. Read …
Read More »EU calls for quick return to ‘stability’ in Tunisia
The European Union on Tuesday called for a speedy return to political stability in Tunisia after the country plunged into turmoil following the president’s ousting of the prime minister. “The European Union is following developments in Tunisia with the greatest attention,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in …
Read More »Brussels says 70 pct of EU adults got at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday that 70 percent of adults in the bloc have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, 57 percent of over-18s are now fully vaccinated across the 27 nations, she said in a statement. “These figures put Europe among the …
Read More »Al-Kadhimi, Biden, agrees to end US combat mission in Iraq
US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Monday sealed an agreement formally ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq by the end of 2021, more than 18 years after U.S. troops were sent to the country. Coupled with Biden’s withdrawal of the last American forces in …
Read More »India to miss end-July vaccination target as Bharat Biotech lags in ramping up output
India will miss a target to administer over a half-billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of the month as Bharat Biotech — maker of its only approved homegrown shot — struggles to boost output, an analysis of government data showed on Monday. India has undertaken one of the world’s …
Read More »French parliament approves COVID passes despite protests
New legislation extends the use of health certificates in daily life, introduces mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers. France’s parliament has approved legislation to make COVID passes a key part of daily life and vaccinations mandatory for health workers amid a surge in infections across the country. Monday’s move means people …
Read More »Iraq’s Ministry of Health: Eid Al-Adha celebrations caused the unprecedented rise in Coronavirus infections
The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment said, on Monday, the Eid Al-Adha celebrations caused the unprecedented rise in Coronavirus infections. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Seif Al-Badr, said in a statement, “Today, the Ministry recorded the highest daily infection rate, with more than 12,000 cases,” adding that “this unprecedented rise is …
Read More »Iraq’s daily COVID-19 cases hit a new record of 12,180
The Iraqi Ministry of Health confirmed over 12,000 COVID-19 cases and 60 deaths from its complications in the past 24 hours. The daily situation report issued by the Ministry said that 12,180 swabs have tested positive for the virus on Saturday, bringing the cumulative count of confirmed cases since the …
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