Health

PUTRAJAYA, June 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) –The number of new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia returned to a single digit figure today, with just six infections reported, bringing the total number of positive cases to 8,535, while a new cluster was detected in Kidurong near Bintulu, Sarawak.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 70 patients have recovered and were allowed to be discharged today, bringing the cumulative figure to 8,070 cases or 94.6 per cent of the total cases.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Industry trade events organiser, Informa Markets has urged the government to consider reopening the borders for business travellers from countries which have managed to contain the COVID-19 spread.

Its ASEAN Business group managing director M Gandhi said the implementation of “travel bubble” for international business travellers will help to stimulate the Malaysian economy.

SINGAPORE, June 21 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Singapore mosques will resume Friday prayers and daily congregational prayers on June 26, with a maximum of 50 congregants per session at each mosque, said Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS).

In its website, MUIS said it will continue to adopt a cautious and phased approach to ensure the mosques remain safe, and in full compliance with national guidelines.

GENEVA, June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating, with Thursday’s 150,000 new cases the highest in a single day, and nearly half of them in the Americas, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

“The world is in a new and dangerous phase,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from WHO headquarters in Geneva. “The virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly, and most people are still susceptible.”

ATHENS, June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Greece announced another extension of the coronavirus lockdown on its teeming migrant camps, hours after some 2,000 people protested in central Athens to mark World Refugee Day and denounce the government’s treatment of migrants.

The migration ministry said confinement for residents of reception and identification centres across the country would be extended to July 5. It was due to have ended on Monday.

Greece was quick to introduce strict confinement measures on migrant camps on March 21 and imposed a more general lockdown on March 23.

ROCKVILLE (Maryland, US), June 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US National Institutes of Health said it has halted a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

The study found that hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump has frequently touted a possible treatment, did not provide any benefit to the patients, even though it did no harm, NIH said in a statement.

WELLINGTON, June 21 (NNN-XINHUA) – New Zealand reported two new cases of COVID-19 today, making the total case number to 1,161 in the country, Ministry of Health said in a statement.

As with the five other cases reported last week, the two new cases were recent arrivals from overseas and both were detected within the managed isolation facilities, said the Ministry of Health.

Sunday’s first case was the child of the couple announced on Saturday as cases who have recently arrived from India. The child was under two years old.

New Delhi, Jun 19 (PTI) The superintendent of Tihar Central Jail number 4 has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

He complained of fever on June 4 and has been on leave since then.

He got tested for the virus on June 11 and the report came positive two days later, a senior jail official said.

"He is fine now, but will continue to remain in home quarantine till June 27, Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said.

RABAT, June 20 (NNN-MAP) – Morocco, on Friday, reported 539 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day increase so far, taking the number of infections in the country, since Mar 2, to 9,613.

The Ministry of Health said, 457 new cases were found in industrial units, specialised in packaging strawberries in the agricultural town of Lalla Mimouna, near the northern city of Moulay Bousselham.

The whole region was placed under quarantine on Friday, with more than 20 agro-industrial units closed, according to local media.

LONDON, June 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The virus alert level across Britain has been lowered from four to three, after a steady decrease in COVID-19 cases in the country, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Britain’s Chief Medical Officers, reviewed the evidence and agreed that COVID-19 alert level should move from level four to level three, according to a statement released Friday by the department.