Health

JAKARTA, May 20 (NNN-ANTARA) – The Indonesian capital, Jakarta, which is hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, on Tuesday, decided to prolong a large-scale social restriction as the number of virus infections spikes in the country.

Jakarta’s governor, Anies Baswedan, announced that, the partial lock-down is extended for another 14 days until June 4.

The governor of the city urged citizens to obey the rules on the restriction, to rein the virus spread in the capital of 10 million people.

BEIRUT, May 20 (NNN-NNA) – The Lebanese cabinet agreed on Tuesday, to end the academic year for schools and cancel official exams, amid increases in COVID-19 infections in the country.

Students will take no official exams but continue their online education until the end of this month, it said.

Meanwhile, all students will pass their classes with certificates issued by their schools as proposed by Education Minister, Tarek Majzoub.

ADDIS ABABA, May 20 (NNN-ENA) – The number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across Africa rose from 84,634 Monday afternoon, to 88,172 as of Tuesday afternoon, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The continental disease control and prevention agency, which noted that the virus has so far spread into 54 African countries, also disclosed that some 33,863 people, who have been infected with the COVID-19, have recovered across the continent as of Tuesday afternoon.

Kolkata, May 18 (PTI) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a slew of lockdown relaxations and said her government would not impose night curfew in West Bengal as proposed by the Centre.

Extending the coronavirus lockdown till May 31, Banerjee said street vendors, salon and parlour owners would be allowed to reopen the shops from May 27.

Mumbai, May 18 (PTI) Residents of some housing societies in suburban Ghatkopar here on Monday came out on a road demanding that the quarantine centre for coronavirus cases be shifted from Cama Lane locality, police said.

The 150-bed facility was set up in a building located in front of residential buildings.

Many residents came out on streets outside their buildings in evening for their demand.

"Members of some four to five residential societies opposed the facility at a time when people should help each other," said local ML Parag Shah of the BJP.

New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) Spitting at workplace will be punishable with fine, the Personnel Ministry has said, citing the national directives for COVID-19 management.

In an order issued to all central government departments, it has asked their heads to ensure strict compliance of this and other directives in this regard.

Malappuram(Ker), May 19 (PTI) In the first case of relapse of Covid-19 infection in Kerala, a nine-month pregnant nurse, who returned from Kuwait recently after recovering from the disease, has tested positive once again here.

The 34-year-old Alappuzha native had returned to India on May 13 after she managed to get a ticket on board one of the special flights arranged by the central government under the 'Vande Bharat mission " to bring back stranded Indians from the gulf and other countries.

Bhagalpur, May 19 (PTI) Nine migrant labourers were killed on Tuesday when the truck carrying them overturned in an attempt to avert a head-on collision with a bus in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, police said.

The incident took place around 6 am on National Highway-31 near Ambho Chowk, Naugachhia Superintendent of Police Nidhi Rani said.

The workers, all males, had started their journey on bicycles six days ago from Kolkata and they might have boarded the truck somewhere en route, the officer said.

Mumbai, May 19 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced categorization of various areas into red and non-red zones for the purpose of allowing or restricting business and other activities in view of coronavirus pandemic.

The government on Tuesday issued new guidelines which would come into effect from May 22. During the earlier phases of lockdown, the state (as other parts of the country) were divided into red, orange and green zones.

PARIS/BERLIN, May 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France and Germany are proposing a €500bn European recovery fund to be distributed to EU countries worst affected by Covid-19.

In talks via video link, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed that the funds should be provided as grants.

The proposal represents a significant shift in Merkel’s position.

Macron said it was a major step forward and was “what the eurozone needs to remain united”.