Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has banned flights to and from India following the high COVID- 19 infections and deaths in the Asian country. India has so far recorded more than 18 million cases of COVID-19 with over 208,000 deaths. The country is also in a crisis with …
Read More »Africa at risk of COVID-19 resurgence amid laxity
Complacency and disregard for public health measures could trigger a new wave of Covid-19 infections Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Many African countries are at high risk of COVID-19 resurgence amid lax adherence to containment measures combined with low vaccination and testing, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO …
Read More »BioNTech/Pfizer seek approval for COVID-19 vaccine use in adolescents
Berlin, Germany | Xinhua | German biotechnology company BioNTech and U.S. company Pfizer have submitted a request to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the approval of an extension of their COVID-19 vaccine use in adolescents aged 12 to 15, the two companies announced on Friday. The submission was based on …
Read More »Gulu task force seeks UGX 186M to intensify COVID-19 risk awareness
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The COVID-19 risk and communication committee is seeking 186 Million Shillings funding to intensify public sensitization campaigns against the epidemic in the wake of the infections surge. A survey conducted by the committee reveals that only 15 per cent of Gulu’s 500,000 population put on …
Read More »EU lawsuit against AstraZeneca might be hard to prove, say experts
Rome, Italy | XINHUA | The European Union (EU) announced this week it was suing pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for breach of contract amid major delivery shortfalls, a case that legal analysts said could be hard to prove. A spokesman for the European Commission told Xinhua Wednesday that AstraZeneca had indicated …
Read More »‘Indian COVID-19 variant in Kampala’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has detected the Indian COVID-19 variant in Kampala. According to officials from the Ministry of Health, the variant also referred to as -B.1.617 was detected from travelers returning from Indian. The variant was picked up after the travelers …
Read More »U.S. Fed keeps interest rates near zero as recovery picks up
Washington, USA | XINHUA | The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged at the record-low level of near zero, as economic recovery gathers momentum on COVID-19 vaccination progress and strong fiscal support. “Amid progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators of economic activity and …
Read More »Pre-flight COVID tests, daily checks for Tokyo Olympics athletes
Two COVID-19 tests before flight to Japan
Daily tests
Only follow activities outlined in activity plan
Social-distance with outsiders, 1 meter
Use Games vehicles only
Eat only in locations where COVID-19 countermeasures in place
All other Games participants tested daily for three days …
India suffering calamitous surge of COVID-19 cases, int’l community extending help
Beijing, China | XINHUA | Over the past week, India has been reporting more than 300,000 new COVID-19 cases each day, while medical oxygen is running out and patients are still waiting for treatment in overloaded hospitals. The international community has pledged assistance for India, with many countries agreeing to …
Read More »Construction of OPD at Katabi health centre III resumes
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The construction of an Outpatients Department at Katabi Health Centre III in Entebbe municipality has resumed. Entebbe Municipal contracted Skylight General Services Ltd to construct the OPD at 200 Million Shillings. Construction of the OPD was halted last month after the municipal council …
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