Health

26 Mar 2020; MEMO: Egypt hopes to turn public schools into hospitals and isolation areas for coronavirus patients, in the event of an increase in the number of infection cases, the Egyptian Information Minister, Osama Heikal, announced yesterday.

26 Mar 2020; MEMO: Turkey is to help Tunisia in its battle against the coronavirus outbreak, a senior official of Ennahda Movement revealed on Wednesday.

The Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamist movement, Noureddine Al-Arbawi, told Arabi21.com that Ennahda leader Rachid Al-Ghannouchi spoke with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to agree on the assistance. Al-Arbawi pointed out that Turkey’s help will be coordinated by the ministers of health of both countries.

Mangaluru, Mar 26 (PTI): The district Wenlock hospital in the city will be turned into a dedicated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Dakshina Kannada district-in- charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said on Thursday.

Addressing reporters here, he said the 250-bed super speciality wing at Wenlock would be converted to a dedicated hospital to treat coronavirus patients in view of the prevailing situation.

Surat, Mar 25 (PTI) Over 5,500 persons, mostly textile traders and their employees, were asked to stay in home quarantine on Wednesday after a 62-year-old man who worked in a textile market tested positive for coronavirus.

All those who came in contact with the COVID-19 patient could have been infected, and therefore they were asked to isolate themselves at home for 14 days, said Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani.

Kolkata, Mar 25 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday sought a Rs 1,500 crore package from the Centre to support the state government's efforts to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to reporters through video-conference from the state secretariat, Banerjee said the Centre should provide a special package as the state is finding it difficult to do "everything" with its "limited resources".

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia’s King Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Queen Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah are observing a 14-day quarantine after seven staff from the royal palace, Istana Negara, tested positive for COVID-19.

Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, in a statement, said Their Majesties had also undergone the COVID-19 tests, but their results came out negative.

JERUSALEM, Mar 26 (NNN-MA’AN) – A total of 439 people in Israel have been tested positive for the COVID-19, on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,369, the Ministry of Health said.

Of the 392 patients being treated in hospitals across Israel, 39 are in serious condition and 64 in moderate condition.

ADDIS ABABA, Marc h 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 4,000 prisoners will be released in Ethiopia as the government continues to take measures to control the spread of Coronavirus.

The country’s attorney general said that prisoners convicted of minor offences and women with babies were among those who would be freed.

Foreigners charged with involvement in with smuggling and drug trafficking would also be released and deported to their countries of origin.

MADRID, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed the official figure from China, becoming the second highest in the world.

The number of deaths rose by 738 in 24 hours – a daily record – to 3,434, higher than the 683 announced in Italy.

By comparison, China has officially reported 3,285 deaths, while Italy – the worst affected country – has 6,820.

Spain’s rate of infection has increased by a fifth and almost 27,000 people are being treated in hospital.

ROME, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 680 people have died from coronavirus in Italy in the last 24 hours, the Civil Protection Agency said, as concerns grew that the disease was spreading more towards the south of the country.

The death toll increased by 683 on Wednesday. That was lower than a spike of 743 on Tuesday but more than the totals of the previous two days and the third highest daily tally since the outbreak emerged in northern regions on Feb 21.