Blogroll

France's health minister on Saturday said people should not use anti-inflammatory drugs if they have coronavirus-like symptoms because it could worsen their condition.

The death toll from coronavirus infections in Iran rose on Saturday to 611, up nearly 100 from a day earlier, state TV said, while Tehran's governor-general denied plans to impose a lockdown on the capital.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev agreed in a phone call on Saturday to temporarily halt air and land travel between the two countries, excluding cargo, Turkey's communications directorate said.

An 82-year-old woman who previously suffered from emphysema died at a Manhattan hospital of COVID-19, becoming New York state's first coronavirus-related death, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday.

Health authorities in England announced on Saturday a further 10 deaths caused by coronavirus, almost doubling the number of fatalities in Britain since Friday.

Taiwan will from Saturday require travelers from countries in Europe's Schengen border-free travel zone as well as Britain and Ireland to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to control the spread of the coronavirus, its government said.

Indonesian Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has been hospitalized in Jakarta after he contracted coronavirus, a senior government official told a news conference on Saturday.

A Hindu group hosted a cow urine drinking party on Saturday as they believe it wards off the coronavirus, as many Hindus consider the cow sacred and some drink cow urine believing it has medicinal properties.

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the Netherlands rose by 155 to 959, Dutch health authorities said on Saturday.

The Philippines reported on Saturday an additional 34 confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing total to 98 ahead of the implementation of quarantine measures in the capital Manila.

Rwanda has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Malaysia reported 41 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, most linked to a religious event on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur that was attended by about 10,000 people from several countries.

Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma has pledged to donate two million protective masks for distribution across Europe, with a first consignment arriving in Belgium late on Friday.

Abu Dhabi announced on Saturday it was shutting major tourism and cultural venues, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum and the Ferrari World theme park, from March 15-31, as Arab states in the Gulf stepped up measures against coronavirus.

When Congo announced its first coronavirus case, all the details from the health ministry about the patient were wrong, drawing a rebuke from the president and highlighting the challenges the huge African country will face if the virus spreads.

The United States will suspend travel from certain European countries for 30 days beginning at midnight on Friday as part of an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The mayor of the southern Spanish city of Seville said on Saturday Holy Week processions would be canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus is not as bad as the seasonal flu. President Donald Trump is not worried about having had direct exposure to the virus. The United States is in far better shape than other countries.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will deliver a statement on the coronavirus economic relief bill currently under consideration in her chamber at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT), her office said.

Namibia is the latest in a growing list of sub-Saharan African countries to report their first cases of coronavirus.