Monday, March 16th, 2020
Coronavirus: every day counts
By Khalid bin Majeed Coronavirus has thrown the entire world in a tailspin, forcing the world capitals to declare national emergencies, quarantine hundreds of thousands of people, slap international travel restrictions, padlock their educational institutions, put off international sports events, allocate big sums of money to fight off the deadly infection and manipulate the flow of information. The gory tentacles of the infection, which has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization [WHO], has almost choked the global food, non-food, and oil supply chains, knocked the bottomRead More
Azerbaijan issues travel warning to citizens on spread of coronavirus
BAKU, MAR 16 – Taking into account that COVID-19 infection is widespread in the world and urgent measures are being taken in this regard on a global scale, including the declared state of emergency in some countries, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry strongly recommends citizens to refrain from foreign visits and carry out these visits only in cases of urgent need. “We ask our citizens to familiarize themselves with the information provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in this regard and to follow the WHO recommendations in order to protect themselvesRead More
Germany says virus vaccine research not for sale
Germany’s foreign minister said on Monday the rights to coronavirus vaccine research were not for sale, following reports Donald Trump wanted the US to buy exclusive access to a potential vaccine developed by a German biotech firm. The comments, made in an interview to media group Funke, come as scientists raced to develop a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus that has killed some 6,000 people, seen millions placed under lockdown and devastated global markets. “German researchers play a leading role in drug and vaccine development and we cannot allow others toRead More
China visit meant to express solidarity, learn from Covid-19 tackling experience: Alvi
ISLAMABAD, MAR 16 (DNA) – President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said his visit to China was meant to express solidarity on Covid-19 epidemic and also learn from Chinese experience to effectively handle the situation. “The way, China has fought the Coronavirus is an example for the world and Pakistan would also like to get an input about it,” the president told media at Nur Khan Air Base, prior to his departure to China on a two-day official visit. President Alvi said his delegation, comprising Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PlanningRead More
In a first, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports 15 cases of coronavirus
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 15 cases of the coronavirus for the first time on Monday, taking the country’s tally to 136. Nineteen individuals who arrived in the province via the Taftan border crossing were tested on Monday, KP Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said on Twitter. Of them, he said, 15 tested positive for the virus. Jhagra said these patients were being well looked after at a quarantine facility in Dera Ismail Khan. Related: Coronavirus live updates: What you need to know in Pakistan So far, Sindh has reported the highestRead More
President Alvi arrives in Beijing on two-day visit to China
BEIJING, March 16 – President Dr. Arif Alvi arrived Monday on a two-day visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The President is accompanied by a Pakistani delegation including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and senior officials. The President was warmly welcomed by Chinese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Han Changfu, Pakistan Ambassador to China, Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi and other senior officials of the Chinese government and Pakistan Embassy Beijing. A smartly turned out contingent ofRead More