Blogroll

The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged, began lifting a two-month lockdown on Saturday by restarting some metro services and reopening borders, allowing some semblance of normality to return and families to reunite.

The sum of known coronavirus U.S. cases soared well past 100,000, with more than 1,600 dead, as weary doctors and nurses coping with shortages resorted to extremes ranging from hiding scarce medical supplies to buying them on the black market.

Indonesia's capital Jakarta announced a two-week extension of its state of emergency following the nationwide surge in coronavirus cases, its governor said on Saturday.

It has been only three months since reports first emerged from China of an unknown virus causing unusual cases of pneumonia, and scientists and public health experts already know more about it and how it works than at the same point in earlier outbreaks.

Three Korean coronavirus test-kit makers have won preliminary approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), paving the way for kits to be exported to the United States to help it battle the largest outbreak of the virus.

An Airbus plane landed in Spain on Saturday carrying a cargo of more than 4 million face masks from China, the European planemaker said, as countries race to source more protective gear as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Three Korean test-kit makers have won pre-approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, paving way for kits to be exported to the United States, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Australia stepped up enforcement of social distancing rules on Saturday to contain community transmission of the novel coronavirus, implementing fines, closing beaches and threatening stricter measures if people defy pleas to stay at home.

Thailand reported 109 new coronavirus cases and one death on Saturday, bringing the total to 1,245 infections and six deaths.

Doctors and nurses on the front lines of the U.S. coronavirus crisis pleaded on Friday for more protective gear and equipment to treat waves of patients expected to overwhelm hospitals as the sum of known U.S. infections climbed well past 100,000, with more than 1,600 dead.

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh said on Saturday it was working with the Saudi authorities to arrange repatriation flights to the United States on a commercial airline.

Four passengers have died on a cruise ship off the Pacific coast of Panama and more than 130 others aboard are suffering from influenza-like symptoms, at least two of whom have the coronavirus, the vessel's operator said on Friday.

Newlyweds Yadira Garza and Joel Gonzalez began their honeymoon cruise on the MS Zaandam with romantic strolls overlooking the sea, but have now spent days in a stuffy, cramped cabin as the ship goes on lockdown to contain coronavirus.

Australia stepped up enforcement of social distancing rules on Saturday to contain community transmission of the novel coronavirus, implementing fines, closing beaches and threatening stricter measures if people defy pleas to stay at home.

A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world's biggest producer said, after a coronavirus lockdown forced it to shut down production.

South Korea reported 146 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the highest number in a week, its disease control agency said on Saturday, with the country suffering a rise in imported cases from Europe and the United States during recent days.

Dr. Eric Anderson had just finished vacuuming his New Hampshire home early on Wednesday when the phone in his pocket buzzed with an unusual text message.

The U.S. military is watching coronavirus infection trends in Chicago, Michigan, Florida and Louisiana with concern as it weighs where else it may need to deploy, after boosting aid to New York, California and Washington, a top general said on Friday.

Microsoft Corp on Friday said it would sell its stake in AnyVision, an Israeli facial recognition startup, and said it no longer would make minority investments in companies that sell the controversial technology.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's U.S. subsidiary said on Friday it had donated 2.5 million hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets as a potential treatment for the rapidly spreading coronavirus.