Category: News

China now makes 200 million face masks a day which is more than twenty times the amount it made at the start of February. The leap has been spurred by the outbreak of a new coronavirus. The masks include the lightweight ones that people like to wear in the hope of protection against coronavirus as well as the heavy-duty N95 masks used by health-care workers. But that’s still not nearly enough to meet local demands as well as global orders. So a scramble is now underway in China. Mask factories…

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As Italy grapples with the coronavirus outbreak, misinformation about how to respond to the virus is also spreading. We’ve been looking at some of the stories that have gone viral in the country, and whether there’s any truth in them. 1. The Military are on the Streets of Italy A video which was posted on Twitter, showing military vehicles on the streets, was watched more than 250,000 times. It originally said the vehicles were in the southern city of Foggia, but it later corrected this to Palermo in Sicily. This…

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Coronavirus is emerging in more countries around the world and there’s currently no known cure. Unfortunately that hasn’t stopped a slew of health advice, ranging from useless but relatively harmless, to downright dangerous. We’ve been looking at some of the most widespread claims being shared online, and what the science really says. 1. Garlic as Health Advice Lots of posts that recommend eating garlic to prevent infection are being shared on Facebook. The WHO (World Health Organization) says that while it is “a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial…

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Health minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus. Ms Dorries said she has been self-isolating at home, – Labour MP Rachael Maskell said she has since been told to do the same as she had met Ms Dorries the Health minister. The Department of Health said Ms Dorries the Health minister first showed symptoms on Thursday – the same day she attended an event hosted by the prime minister. Six people with the virus have died in the UK, which has a total of 382 cases.…

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As the US east coast wakes up, here’s a quick recap on the situation in the country. Speaking about coronavirus infections, The number of people infected has passed 1,000 with new cases reported on both sides of the country, rather than just the west coast where the earliest outbreak took place. Dozens of cases have been linked to a conference held at a hotel in Boston in February. Other clusters have emerged nursing homes around Seattle in Washington state. In one of the most drastic moves so far, gatherings of…

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Beijing has ordered everyone returning to the city to go into quarantine for 14 days or risk punishment in the latest attempt to contain the deadly new coronavirus disease or coronavirus infection , state media report. Residents were told to ” self-quarantine or go to designated venues to quarantine ” after returning to the Chinese capital from holidays. The measure came as Egypt confirmed the first coronavirus case in Africa. Over 1,500 people have died from the virus, which originated in Wuhan city. The notice on Friday from Beijing’s virus…

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At least 170 people have died as a result of the outbreak of a new human coronavirus disease or infection. The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus symptoms in humans or signs of coronavirus in China has risen to 7,711 and infections have been reported in at least 15 other countries. But not only has the virus spread, so too has misinformation. Numerous conspiracies have appeared since the outbreak – not to mention dubious health advice. The BBC Monitoring team has been taking a look at where these have…

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With viral misinformation about the deadly coronavirus in China spreading rapidly online, some doctors and scientists have taken to social media to fight back against false reports. At least 213 people have died as a result of the outbreak of the new virus, which has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). The number of confirmed cases in China has reached almost 10,000 and infections have been reported in at least 18 other countries, surpassing the epidemic of Sars – severe acute respiratory syndrome – in…

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People in Singapore are thanking healthcare workers on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak with handwritten notes for Valentine’s Day. Singapore through the coronavirus symptoms has reported 50 cases of the virus, and the government has stepped up measures to detect and contain its spread. Some people, including school children, have been using social media to share their messages of love and support, to help boost the morale of medical professionals. Wally Tham is one of the people behind the Facebook group @StandUpForSG, a page dedicated to Singapore’s social…

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Still on the Indonesia floods crisis, Tens of thousands forced into shelters after floodwaters submerge entire neighborhoods in Jakarta and satellite cities. The death toll from floods and landslides in Indonesia has risen to at least 66 people, as the country’s authorities warned residents of more heavy downpours in the coming days. Entire neighborhoods in the capital Jakarta and its satellite cities, home to about 30 million people, were submerged last week by floodwaters that forced tens of thousands into temporary shelters.  “Five days after the floods, 66 people have…

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