Health

DHAKA, May 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two Rohingya refugees have tested positive for coronavirus in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, officials say.

These are the first confirmed cases among refugees in Cox’s Bazaar, where around one million Rohingyas are encamped, a government doctor said.

Officials said that those infected were now being treated in isolation.

About 1,900 other refugees are now being isolated for tests.

The Rohingyas in the crowded camps of Cox’s Bazar have been living under lockdown since March 14.

WASHINGTON, May 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five US sailors have been evacuated with coronavirus from an aircraft carrier despite extensive screening as the warship prepares its return to sea following a major outbreak, a US official confirmed.

After testing positive but asymptomatic, the five spent two weeks in quarantine in Guam where the nuclear-powered USS Theodore Roosevelt is docked, the official said.

After each registered negative twice in subsequent tests, they were permitted back aboard the ship.

MANILA, May 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Over 140,000 people were forced into cramped shelters as a powerful typhoon hammered the Philippines on Friday, compounding the nation’s battle with the coronavirus pandemic.

Typhoon Vongfong has dumped heavy rains since it roared ashore on Thursday, with hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in its path on the coast or in flimsy homes.

The storm hit as tens of millions of Filipinos are hunkered down at home against the coronavirus, but at least 141,700 have had to flee because of the powerful storm, disaster officials said.

SINGAPORE, May 15 (NNN-CNA) — A new COVID-19 test that can rapidly assess if a person has been previously infected with the coronavirus is now available to hospitals in Singapore.

Launched on Friday, the cPass serology test detects antibodies – formed by the body to fight off infections – in the blood or serum of patients.

Indore (MP), May 13 (PTI) A Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) plane carrying 123 Indians, stranded in Kuwait amid the coronavirus lockdown, landed at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport here on Wednesday night.

Airport Director Aryama Sanyal said the aircraft (flight number 1461) landed here at 7.57 pm.

Health check-up of all the passengers was being carried out and their luggage was being sanitised, she said.

Mumbai, May 13 (PTI) The buses of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ferried nearly 73,000 migrant labourers in the last five days, it said on Wednesday.

It operated 1,200 buses on Wednesday and ferried 27,528 migrants, most of whom were on the way to the Maharashtra's borders, heading for northern states.

The MSRTC is offering them free bus ride upto the state borders.

Transport Minister Anil Parab appealed that migrant labourers should travel by MSRTC buses, avoiding risky modes of travel.

Mumbai, May 14 (PTI) A 45-year-old police naik, who had tested positive for COVID-19, succumbed to the infection in neighbouring Navi Mumbai on Thursday, an official said.

The deceased policeman was posted at Shivajinagar police station and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital for the last few days, the official said.

So far, six policemen from Mumbai and one each from Pune, Solapur city and Nashik Rural have died of coronavirus, he said, adding that over 1,000 policemen were infected in Maharashtra.

PARIS, May 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France on Wednesday reported a drop in coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours compared with previous days, as its overall toll passed the 27,000 mark.

The new deaths brought the total toll in hospitals and nursing homes from the pandemic in France to 27,074, the health ministry said.

But the ministry also acknowledged a counting error has revised down the toll in nursing homes by 15 people from the day earlier, adding it did not yet have a toll from nursing homes for Wednesday.

BRASILIA, May 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil registered a record number of new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, surpassing France’s tally to become the sixth-worst hit country, as the coronavirus sends the economy towards its worst year since at least 1900.

The government confirmed 11,385 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its total count to 188,974 cases of the coronavirus since the outbreak began. Early on Wednesday, France revised its total number of confirmed and suspected cases down 0.3 per cent to 177,700.

SANTIAGO, May 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chile ordered a mandatory total quarantine for the capital Santiago’s seven million people after authorities reported a 60 per cent spike in coronavirus infections in 24 hours, dealing a stunning blow to hopes the economy would soon reopen.

“The most severe measure I must announce is a total quarantine in Greater Santiago,” the location of 80 per cent of the country’s 34,000-plus confirmed cases, Health Minister Jaime Manalich said.