Beirut blast: Death toll rises to 157; French President Macron urges independent probe
Two days after a massive explosion ripped through Lebanon’s capital city Beirut, the death toll has climbed to 157, while the total number of injured people soared to 5,000, according to data released by Lebanon’s health ministry. The casualty figure is expected to rise further as dozens of victims are still missing after the blast, […]
Covid-19 vaccine tracker, August 6: First vaccine might not be the best, says Bill Gates
While optimistic about a Coronavirus vaccine being ready by early next year, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, now a philanthropist backing several global public health initiatives, has said that the first vaccine might not be the best one. In an interview with Bloomberg agency, Gates said more effective vaccines might take a little longer to develop and would become available […]
Massive explosion in Lebanon’s Beirut, hundreds injured
A massive explosion shook Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Tuesday, wounding a large number of people and causing widespread damage, reported Reuters and other international news agencies. The country’s health minister, Hamad Hasan, said there was a large number of wounded in a blast at the city’s port, according to local broadcaster LBC. Al Mayadeen television said hundreds […]
Anxious WHO implores world to ‘do it all’ in long war on Covid-19
The World Health Organization warned on Monday that there might never be a “silver bullet” for Covid-19 in the form of a perfect vaccine and that the road to normality would be long, with some countries requiring a reset of strategy. More than 18.14 million people around the world are reported to have been infected […]
Groundwork in China for virus origin probe complete, says WHO
The World Health Organization’s mission in China laying the groundwork for an investigation into the animal origins of the coronavirus pandemic has concluded, the UN health agency said Monday. “The WHO advance team that travelled to China has now concluded their mission to lay the groundwork for further joint efforts to identify the virus origins, […]
BCG vaccine can control spread: Study
Countries where people have been mandatorily immunised with the Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccine to prevent childhood tuberculosis reported fewer Covid-19 infections as well as deaths in the first month of their outbreak, according to a new, peer-reviewed study that offers fresh insight into why some countries such as India may be doing better than some […]
Covid-19 vaccine tracker, August 3: Why so many vaccines are being developed
According to the latest list of the World Health Organisation, at least 165 vaccines for novel Coronavirus were being developed across the world. There are possibly more, but still in the early stages, and not listed by WHO. Those that are listed have all entered at least the pre-clinical trials stage. Some of them are in the […]
Covid-19 vaccine tracker, July 31: Oxford, Johnson & Johnson vaccines prevent infection in monkeys
A vaccine candidate being developed by Oxford University in association with AstraZeneca was able to “prevent” the Coronvirus infection in monkeys, a new study published in the Nature journal has said. Another study in the same journal said even the vaccine being developed by Johnson and Johnson was able to achieve similar results. Detailed findings of animal trials […]
UN leaders to meet virtually; Trump might attend in person
The annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations is going virtual this year for the first time in its 75-year history because of the COVID-19 pandemic except for the likely personal appearance by President Donald Trump. “We’re hoping that President Trump will actually be speaking in person in the General Assembly,” Kelly Craft, the US ambassador […]
Donald Trump calls for ‘delay’ to 2020 presidential election amid claims of voting fraud
US President Donald Trump is for the first time floating a “delay” to November’s presidential election, alleging that “increased mail-in voting will result in fraud”. “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. […]
