Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 88 WHO 17 Apr 2020
• WHO Emergencies Press Conference on coronavirus disease outbreak - 17 April 2020 WHO 17 Apr 2020
• WHO Director-General Thanks Custodian of Two Holy Mosques for Kingdom's Contribution of $500M to Support International Efforts to Combat COVID-19 SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current president of the G20 for the Year 2020, contribution of $500 million to support international efforts to combat the outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19)

United States

• Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing | April 17, 2020 The White House 17 Apr 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Approves American Samoa Disaster Declaration The White House 17 Apr 2020
• Corps of Engineers Takes On 28 COVID-19 Bed Facilities DoD News 17 Apr 2020 -- The Army Corps of Engineers is on Day 35 of building 28 alternate-care facilities with about 15,800 beds, Army Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, said today.
• Army Ramps Up COVID-19 Testing DoD News 17 Apr 2020 -- With nearly 1,000 soldiers now tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Army is continuing to ramp up its testing efforts, particularly for new recruits at training posts.
• Trump unveils guidelines to reopen economy disrupted by pandemic People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled guidelines for a phased reopening of parts of the U.S. economy disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• COVID-19 cases in U.S. top 650,000: Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 650,000 by 4 p.m. local time on Thursday (2000 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• New York state extends business shutdown, school closure to May 15 People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Governor of the U.S. state of New York Andrew Cuomo on Thursday said the state's non-essential businesses shutdown and school closure will be extended to May 15 in an effort to keep reducing the infection rate of COVID-19.
• Navy Conducting Public Health Outbreak Investigation on USS Theodore Roosevelt NNS 17 Apr 2020 -- As the US Navy continues to work to fully understand the outbreak onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are planning to conduct a COVID-19 public health outbreak investigation with volunteers from the crew.
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 17 Apr 2020
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 17 Apr 2020
• NY Governor Fires Back at Trump VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- New York's governor fired back Friday at criticism from President Donald Trump over whether the state had requested too much federal help to fight the coronavirus.

China

• Wuhan Raises Coronavirus Numbers, Fueling Doubts VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- China said Friday more people have died in Wuhan in its COVID-19 crisis than originally thought, fueling doubts about the accuracy of the country's coronavirus death toll.
• Wuhan Raises Coronavirus Death Toll Amid International Criticism Radio Free Asia 17 Apr 2020 -- Authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday raised the official death toll, where the coronavirus epidemic emerged last year, by 50 percent.
• China revises up death toll in Wuhan by 1,290, up 50% Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- The city of Wuhan in central China has revised its official death toll of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
• Full text of Wuhan's notification on revising numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, deaths People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The Wuhan municipal headquarters for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic prevention and control on Friday issued a notification on revising the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and fatalities in the city.
• Full Text: Questions and Answers on the Revisions to the Numbers of Confirmed Cases and Fatalities of COVID-19 in Wuhan People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- An official of the Wuhan municipal headquarters for COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control on Friday answered relevant questions about the revisions to the numbers of confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 in Wuhan.
• Wuhan rectifies death toll following conventional post-epidemic review Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- The city of Wuhan has corrected its COVID-19 death toll to 3,869 on Friday, an increase of 1,290 compared with its previous figure, after local government altered its counting method, which analysts said reflects the Chinese government's spirit of seeking truth from facts and respect for every deceased life during the pandemic.
• Wuhan revises figures of confirmed COVID-19 cases, deaths People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The city of Wuhan in central China on Friday revised its numbers of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) confirmed cases and deaths.
• US Warned Israel of Coronavirus Outbreak in China in November, but 'Nothing Was Done' - Report Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- An earlier ABC News report stated that US intelligence officials had warned the military and White House about the spread of a coronavirus outbreak in China as far back as late November 2019, with the Pentagon denying the "product/assessment" existed.
• China's Foreign Ministry Rejects Claims of Coronavirus Outbreak Cover-Up Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- US President Donald Trump as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have openly questioned China's integrity and the accuracy of the data Beijing provided regarding the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. China has strongly denied such allegations.
• Respect for life is the basic logic behind revision of COVID-19 data People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The command centre for the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province and the previous epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, released a notification regarding the revision of the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths on Friday.
• WHO Says China's Revised Coronavirus Toll Attempt to 'Leave No Case Undocumented' Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- Earlier, US President Donald Trump tweeted that China's coronavirus death toll is much higher than it was previously reported and exceeds that of the US.
• UK, France scapegoat China for epidemic losses, but cooperation still mainstream: expert Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- Some politicians in Europe have tried to make China a scapegoat to ease public disappointment over the continuously worsening pandemics in their own countries and contain China's global influence, experts told the Global Times on Friday, following reports that British foreign minister and French president had criticized China over the epidemic.
• Chinese premier says China ready to stand together with Sudan in COVID-19 fight Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday that the Chinese people are ready to stand together with the Sudanese people in their fight against COVID-19, and offer support and assistance within its capacity.
• Xi-Putin call shows joint stance against politicizing pandemic Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- Top leaders of China and Russia spoke on the phone on Thursday night, communicating on epidemic prevention and control and setting a fundamental tone for China-Russia ties amid challenging time marked with uncertainties. Such extremely strong mutual understanding and support to address each other's core concerns shown by the top leaders of the two countries also indicated China-Russia ties are the most stable and solid bilateral relationship between major powers, analysts said.
• 18 officials held accountable in Harbin for nosocomial, cluster COVID-19 infections Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- Heilongjiang prompted accountable mechanism towards officials to strictly prevent epidemic spread. Harbin, the capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, recently reported cluster COVID-19 infections and nosocomial infections involving two hospitals and six nurses. The findings add pressure to the province, which is already busy with preventing and controlling imported cases at Suifenhe port.
• China donates testing kits, thermometers to help Lebanon fight COVID-19 Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- China on Thursday donated 3,000 PCR testing kits and 200 manual thermometers to Lebanon to help the country fight against COVID-19.
• China cancels about 40 COVID-19 clinical trials as epidemic ebbs Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- About 40 COVID-19-related clinical trials have been terminated in China, including those for Gilead Sciences' antiviral drug remdesivir, mainly because China has curbed the rising trend of the epidemic in just two weeks and most patients have been cured and discharged from hospitals, China's top respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan said.
• Asymptomatic cases not uncommon: Chinese experts Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- Chinese researchers have revealed a high rate of silent coronavirus (COVID-19) carriers after studying a cluster infection case related to a supermarket in East China, where 24 people were infected.
• China cracks down on profiteers reselling melt-blown fabric for medical masks Global Times 17 Apr 2020 -- In response to organized criminal activities that involved reselling melt-blown fabric to reap large gains, Chinese authorities have cracked down on 42 profiteers involved in 20 cases, with the amount reaching 34.45 million yuan ($4.87 million).
• China takes people's rights to life, health as top priority amid COVID-19 People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The Chinese government is always people-centric and puts people's lives and health as its top priority. Such value practiced by China in the COVID-19 pandemic well explained to the international society the importance laid by China on people's right to life and right to health, as they are universally recognized basic human rights.
• Xi holds phone talks with Putin on COVID-19 pandemic People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, spoke over phone on Thursday night, reaffirming mutual support in the fight against COVID-19 and rejecting politicization of the pandemic.
• Int'l community strives for economic normality as data shows steep downturn amid COVID-19 People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- A run of newly-released economic data on both status quo and outlook for the year have unnerved the world, as a global economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic seems to linger.
• Chinese mainland reports 82,692 overall confirmed COVID-19 cases as Wuhan revises figures: official People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The overall confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland by Thursday was updated to 82,692, as the city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province revised its figures on Friday morning, said an official on Friday.
• Over 2,400 prosecuted for epidemic-related crimes in China People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- China's procuratorial organs prosecuted 2,416 suspects in 1,980 criminal cases related to the COVID-19 epidemic by Thursday, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Friday.
• China's Heilongjiang reports 11 new confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Thursday reported three new locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and eight new imported confirmed cases, the provincial health commission said Friday.
• Factbox: China's fight against novel coronavirus outbreak People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China:
• Shanghai reports no increase in COVID-19 cases People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Shanghai's municipal health commission said Friday that no domestic cases and imported cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in the municipality on Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 26 new confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Friday that it received reports of 26 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland Thursday, of which 15 were imported.
• China's Hubei reports no increase in COVID-19 cases People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- No new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in central China's Hubei Province Thursday, local health authority said Friday.
• China stresses differentiated epidemic control measures at community level People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- China has released a guideline on community-based prevention and control against the COVID-19 epidemic, ordering targeted and precise measures according to the specific risk level of the epidemic situation.
• China won't restrict exports of anti-coronavirus supplies: official People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- China has not and will not restrict exports of supplies needed to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic, a Chinese commerce official said Thursday.
• Beijing reports three import-related COVID-19 cases People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Beijing reported three new cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) related to an imported case on Wednesday, a local health official said Thursday.
• "Mobile hospital" arrives in China's border city People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- A "mobile hospital" was recently put into use in the city of Suifenhe, at the China-Russia border in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, to assist local medics in treating COVID-19.
• Military medics leave Wuhan after fulfilling anti-virus duties PLA Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Military medics sent to assist in Wuhan's fight against the novel coronavirus have fulfilled their missions and returned home, according to Xinhua News Agency.
• China donates medical aid to Tunisia PLA Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- China donated a batch of medical aid to Tunisia's Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.

Europe

• Almost half of crew on French aircraft carrier fleet have COVID-19 Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- France's Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly says more than 1,000 of the sailors on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier fleet have tested positive for the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
• French Military Launches Inquiry After 1,081 Aircraft Carrier Members Test Positive for COVID-19 Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- With France's coronavirus death toll reaching 18,681, according to the latest figures compiled by John Hopkins University, the country has become one of the worst-hit globally by the ongoing pandemic, and it now seems that France's navy could be emerging as an infection hotspot.
• WHO warns "eye of storm" as some European countries start to ease anti-virus measures People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge on Thursday described the continent as being in the "eye of the storm" as some European countries start to reopen over signs of a slowing in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Report suggests Europe's COVID-19 deaths may be much higher than official figures Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- A British daily has published a report suggesting that deaths from the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe may be much higher than official figures.
• UK extends lockdown for at least three weeks to fight COVID-19 People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The British government announced on Thursday that the current restrictive measures that aim to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus will remain in place for "at least three weeks".
• UK Announces Coronavirus Task Force But Warns Vaccine Could Take 'Months' Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the United Kingdom, the government has implemented measures to combat the ongoing crisis, including additional funding for the manufacturing of a vaccine.
• Health Expert: Britain Responded Too Slowly to Virus Outbreak VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- A public health professor said Friday the British government responded too slowly to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the nation could see as many as 40,000 deaths before the pandemic is over.
• German Health Minister Says Coronavirus Now 'Manageable' VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Germany's health minister said Friday the COVID-19 outbreak in that country has become manageable, because the number of patients who have recovered from the virus is greater than the number that are newly infected.
• Dutch deaths April 6-12 2,000 higher than normal -statistics agency SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- Deaths in the Netherlands in the week of April 6-12 were around 2,000 higher than in an average week, national statistics agency CBS said today.
• Swiss coronavirus death toll climbs to 1,059, positive tests top 27,000 SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- The Swiss death toll from the new coronavirus has reached 1,059 people, the country's public health agency said today, rising from 1,017 on Thursday. The number of people showing positive tests for the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus increased to 27,078 from 26,732, it said
• Virus outbreak in Germany can now be controlled, says health minister SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- The outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Germany is now "manageable" thanks to the measures put in place to contain the virus' spread, Health Minister Jens Spahn says.
• Spain's number of coronavirus cases rises to 188,068 on Friday SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Spain rose to 188,068 today, the country's head of health emergencies Fernando Simon said at a news conference.

Russia

• Meeting on construction and repurposing of medical institutions in the regions President of Russia 17 Apr 2020 -- Vladimir Putin held a meeting, via videoconference, on the construction and repurposing of medical institutions to treat patients with the coronavirus infection in the Russian regions.
• Medvedev Sees COVID-19 Response Measures in Big Russian Cities as Tough Yet Adequate Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- The measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 that are currently in place in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other big cities across Russia are tough but adequate for the existing situation, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has said in his first interview with Sputnik held through a teleconference.
• Locked Up During Lockdown: Russia's Prison Inmates Anxious As Coronavirus Crisis Unfolds RFE/RL 17 Apr 2020 -- In February, Irina's son - who is serving a term in a prison in Novosibirsk Oblast - fell seriously ill. Despite a persistent cough and a steady fever, he was unable to see a doctor for days. And when he did, the prison pharmacy was empty and the doctor was unable to give him anything.
• Russia sends 1st medical aid shipment to Syria to help it combat COVID-19: Ministry Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- Syria says it has received the first shipment of medical aid from Russia to help Damascus curb the current COVID-19 pandemic in the Arab country.

India

• Updates on COVID-19 India PIB 17 Apr 2020
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan holds video conference with Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Health Minister of Delhi, Medical Superintendents of various hospitals in Delhi and health officials of Union and Delhi Government India PIB 17 Apr 2020 -- Urges hospitals to attend to critical non-COVID-19 patients with equal compassion in a resolute fight against sickness
• GoM reviews current status, and actions for management of COVID-19 India PIB 17 Apr 2020 -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan emphasizes on delivering immediate solutions for meeting healthcare challenges regarding COVID-19; focuses on maintaining quality and standards in manufacturing
• Desperate Times: India Welcomes Used Ventilators from Overseas to Prepare for COVID-19 Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- The total number of coronavirus cases has crossed the 13,000 mark in India. As of now, the number of cured and discharged COVID-19 patients is much higher than the death toll. The country is now working to ensure that doctors, hospitals and patients get all the necessary help.
• Coronavirus Spread in India Sparks Intolerance Toward Minority Muslims VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- As the coronavirus outbreak spreads around the world and countries take various measures to contain it, the pandemic in India is causing an increase in incidents of COVID-19-related discrimination against the country's minority Muslims.

Pakistan

• IMF okays $1.3bn package to help Pakistan in fight against coronavirus IRNA 17 Apr 2020 -- A day earlier the International Monetary Fund (IMF) decided to give a one-year debt relief to Pakistan, the fund also approves 1.386 billion dollars disbursement to the country in fight against COVID-19 Pandemic.

Iran

• Iran on brink of containing virus in most provinces: Health Minister Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- Iran's Health Minister Saeed Namaki has said that Iran is on the brink of containing the COVID-19 outbreak in most of the country's provinces.
• COVID-19 kills 89 more in Iran: Official IRNA 17 Apr 2020 -- The head of Iran's Health Ministry's Public Relations Office said on Friday that 89 others died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Iran over the past 24 hours so that the country's total death toll grew to 4,958.
• Iran celebrates Army Day with COVID-19 aid convoys Press TV 17 Apr 2020 -- Iran has marked its annual National Army day by replacing usual parades with a COVID-19 aid march of military vehicles designed and packed with supplies to help assist the country's battle with the coronavirus.

Japan

• Japan Supports WHO During COVID-19 Pandemic VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Japanese President Shinzo Abe said Friday he absolutely would not think of reducing funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) at a time when it is leading the global fight against the COVID-19 virus.
• Japan's Abe declares nationwide state of emergency over COVID-19 People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday expanded the state of emergency beyond seven prefectures to the entire nation in an attempt to curb the COVID-19 outbreak.

Saudi Arabia

• Coronavirus' Developments Follow up Committee Holds 58th Meeting, Reasserts Committing to Directives Preventive of Pandemic Spread SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- Under the chairmanship of the Minister of Health Dr. Taufiq bin Fozan Al-Rabiah, the Coronavirus' Developments Tracing Committee held its 58th meeting. During the meeting, the committee reviewed relevant reports and developments and the virus pandemic situation, all over the world, as well as cases reported in the Kingdom.

Taiwan

• Taiwan records no new COVID-19 cases for third time this week CNA 17 Apr 2020 -- Taiwan reported no new daily confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus for a second consecutive day Friday and also for the third time this week, keeping the total number of those infected in the country at 395, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said that day.
• Medical mask deliveries to pharmacies on Sundays to end: CECC CNA 17 Apr 2020 -- Medical face masks will no longer be delivered to National Health Insurance Administration-contracted pharmacies or local government health centers on Sundays, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday.
• How an online post forewarned Taiwan about COVID-19 CNA 17 Apr 2020 -- When a warning of a mysterious virus sent by a whistleblowing Chinese doctor began filtering out of China at the end of 2019, it marked the starting point of the public phase of the COVID-19 epidemic.

North Korea

• Ruling Party Lecturers Admit COVID-19 is Spreading in North Korea, Contradicting Official Claims Radio Free Asia 17 Apr 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea have been telling citizens in public lectures that there were confirmed coronavirus cases within the reclusive country's borders as early as late March, contradicting Pyongyang's claims that it remains free of the epidemic that has spread to all of its neighbors, RFA has learned.

NATO

• Coronavirus response: second airlift brings 73 tons of medical supplies to Poland NATO 17 Apr 2020 -- An AN-124 cargo plane carrying around 73 tons of medical supplies from China landed in Wroclaw, Poland on Thursday (16 April 2020) to help the country's fight against COVID-19. The supplies, purchased by the Polish government, included 14 million masks, 300,000 protective suits and a machine to make masks.
• Coronavirus response: airlift brings medical supplies to Bulgaria NATO 17 Apr 2020 -- A military plane has delivered medical supplies – masks, suits and diagnostic kits – to Bulgaria in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The C-17 Globemaster transport plane landed at Sofia airport from China early on Friday (17 April 2020).

Other Countries

• Live COVID-19 updates: China firmly supports UN's leading role in fighting COVID-19 pandemic, Italy says WHO "essential" People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Global COVID-19 cases surpass 2.1 mln: Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 17 Apr 2020 -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide topped 2.1 million on Thursday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• Coronavirus economics: Debt-laden countries at risk, as financial markets screech to a halt UN News 17 Apr 2020 -- Economists and finance experts are warning that countries with "high" or "distressed" public debt levels are at risk of severe economic shocks amid the COVID-19 pandemic and calling for restructuring plans based on the principle of solidarity.
• COVID-19: Uzbekistan Bans Bicycles Except For 'Essential' Work; IMF Approves Emergency Aid For Pakistan RFE/RL 17 Apr 2020 -- The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 145,000 with over 2.1 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.
• Counted Out: Separatist-Held Areas Of Eastern Ukraine Don't Factor In Global Coronavirus Tally, But Face 'Considerable' Threat RFE/RL 17 Apr 2020 -- In a far corner of Eastern Europe lies a war-torn territory roughly the size of Belgium and occupied by around 4 million people where coronavirus cases aren't being counted in global tallies, yet health experts warn the situation there is bad and likely to grow worse.
• Kazakh Hospital A Coronavirus 'Hotspot' After Hundreds Of Staff, Patients Infected RFE/RL 17 Apr 2020 -- A hospital in Almaty -- the largest city in Kazakhstan -- has become the country's COVID-19 hotspot with nearly 200 health-care workers and many patients testing positive for the coronavirus.
• Senegal Reports 21 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 17 Apr 2020 -- Senegal Ministry of Health has reported here today 21 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections to 353 since March 2, 2020, the date of 1st COVID-19 case reported in Senegal.
• Africa Estimated to See 300,000 Novel Coronavirus Deaths This Year - UN Report Sputnik 17 Apr 2020 -- A new report from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) cites modeling that suggests somewhere between 300,000 to 3.3 million people in Africa could die from the COVID-19 novel coronavirus due to most of the continent's susceptibility for spreading the contagious disease.
• Coronavirus Is 'Break, Not Defeat', Iraqi Activists Say VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- We first met Ali Almikdam in late January. Along with thousands of others, he had been living in a tent in Baghdad's Tahrir Square for about four months, protesting the government.
• Kenya to Start Mass Testing for COVID-19 With New Equipment From China VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Kenya's health minister says the country has received masks, tubes, and other medical equipment from China that will enable the country to conduct wider testing for the coronavirus.
• Panama President Inaugurates New COVID-19 Hospital VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- A new Panama City, Panama, hospital will solely treat COVID-19 patients.
• Brazil's President Fires Health Minister Following Weeks of COVID-19 Disagreements VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta over disagreements about how to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
• Asian Media Battles Officials to Report on Coronavirus VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Media outlets covering the coronavirus pandemic in Asia are having to circumvent authorities to report about the disease—including the threat of being trolled online, or worse.
• 45-Minute COVID-19 Tests Aid Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities VOA 17 Apr 2020 -- Australia will start rapid coronavirus testing for more than 80 remote indigenous settlements. The 45-minute test will help authorities to monitor the spread of COVID-19 more efficiently in isolated areas where results can currently take up to 10 days.
• Cambodia's Senate Approves State of Emergency Law as UN Expert Warns of its Risks to Rights Radio Free Asia 17 Apr 2020 -- Legislation authorizing a state of emergency to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Cambodia risks violating the right to privacy, free speech, and peaceful assembly, a United Nations expert said Friday, as lawmakers gave their final approval of the bill.
• Ceasefire during COVID-19 pandemic essential, to safeguard 250 million children UN News 17 Apr 2020 -- The head of the UN children's fund UNICEF warned on Friday that 250 million children around the world living in the "waking nightmare" of conflict desperately need warring parties to stop fighting as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads.