(2020-04-22). FROM THE FIELD: Migrants use digital 'fab labs' to address Djibouti health protection shortages. news.un.org With Djibouti's health system under enormous strain from the COVID-19 pandemic, young migrants in the country are using 3D-printers to make face shields, and ease the shortfall inside medical facilities.
(2020-04-22). San Leandro Police Execute Black Man in Walmart. indybay.org As white nationalists gather across the country wielding assault rifles in protest of public health mandates with no response from police, people of color experiencing apparent mental health crises continue to be shot and killed because of egregious and brutally racist law enforcement practices.
(2020-04-22). 'We did not get a cent': Palestinian diplomat says US 'lying' about promised $5mn aid package to hospitals facing Covid-19. rt.com 
The Palestinian envoy to France said Washington lied about sending millions in aid to beleaguered hospitals in Gaza and the West Bank, insisting the funds were earmarked for favored NGOs unlikely to spend a dime on healthcare. | In a tweet last week, Washington's ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, claimed the US would provide $5 million to "Palestinian hospitals and households to meet immediate, life-saving needs in combating Covid-19," while congratulating the US for being the "world's top humanitarian donor." | I'm very pleased the USA is providing $5M for Palestinian hospitals and households to meet imme…
(2020-04-22). Thousands of UK healthcare workers given inaccurate Covid-19 tests, minister admits. rt.com 
UK healthcare workers were given flawed Covid-19 tests, a government minister has admitted, meaning frontline staff may have returned to work carrying the deadly virus. | Junior health minister Helen Whately told Sky News on Wednesday that NHS staff have been informed that their coronavirus tests were "not up to scratch" and results may not be accurate. They have now been offered a new test. | At least 100 frontline health workers have died from Covid-19, according to the most recent figures. Defending the serious error, Whately claimed it was all part of a "normal process when you are using a test for an illn…
(2020-04-22). Lockdown reveals fresh air and cleaner rivers in India. thecanary.co 
India's extended lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak has shut down schools, workplaces, industries, transport, and forced people to stay home.It also led to an unexpected bonus in the country with six out of 10 of the world's most polluted cities: cleaner air.India accounts for the highest pollution-related deaths in the world with more than two million people every year, according to a December 2019 report by the Global Alliance of Health and Pollution.On 25 March, the first day of the lockdown, the average PM 2.5 levels decreased by 22% and nitrogen dioxide — which comes from burning fossil fuels [m…
(2020-04-22). Number of Covid-19 cases exceeds 10,000 in Poland, which plans to re-open hotels in May. rt.com 
The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus in Poland rose to 10,034 on Wednesday. The death toll among the country's population of 38 million had reached 404, the health ministry tweeted. | On Monday, the government started to relax some of the restrictions that have been imposed during the outbreak. Hotels may be allowed to re-open in May as part of a second phase, Reuters quoted government spokesman Piotr Muller as saying on Wednesday. | "The opening of hotels should be decided in May, including hotels at the seaside," Muller told state broadcaster TVP Info.
(2020-04-22). First Covid-19 deaths in US occurred WEEKS EARLIER than previously thought. rt.com 
People in the US were dying of the novel coronavirus weeks before authorities officially reported the first death linked to the disease, new data published in Santa Clara County, California reveals. | Autopsies performed on two people who died at home on February 6 and February 17 show that their tissues were infected with Covid-19, Santa Clara health authorities said in a The fi…
(2020-04-22). UK coronavirus deaths may have reached 41,000, study finds. thecanary.co 
Deaths linked to coronavirus (Covid-19) in the UK may have already reached 41,000, according to new analysis.The Financial Times estimate is more than double the latest total announced by the Department of Health, which stood at 17,337 at 5pm on 20 April.The government's figure is based almost entirely on the deaths of hospital patients who tested positive for Covid-19.Differences in reporting mean this total can include a small number of deaths outside hospital that occurred in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.The Financial Times has used separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)…
(2020-04-22). US reports 2,700+ coronavirus deaths in 24 hours in its 2nd biggest single-day spike as it prepares to reopen economy. rt.com 
The United States has reported over 2,700 new Covid-19 fatalities in the space of a single day, AFP reported, citing data from Johns Hopkins University. The daily death toll surged as the country is gradually easing lockdowns. | Some 2,751 American deaths on Tuesday marked one of the deadliest days yet in the global health crisis, which has claimed the lives of some 44,845 people in the US alone. Still the top hotspot for the coronavirus, the US will soon surpass 825,000 cases, more than several of the next worst-hit nations combined. | The spike in fatal cases in the US comes as 20 states — comprising ne…
(2020-04-22). India suspends Covid-19 antibody tests as accuracy concerns grow. rt.com 
The Indian government has ordered a pause in coronavirus-antibody testing owing to accuracy concerns, health officials said on Wednesday. As India's tally of cases nears 20,000, this will complicate the fight against the epidemic. | India trails many countries in conducting the standard swab tests to determine the presence of Covid-19 because of limited testing equipment and protective gear for medical workers. | Earlier this month, health authorities approved blood tests for coronavirus antibodies as a faster way to bolster the screening effort, and ordered half a billion testing kits from China. However, Dr…
(2020-04-22). Spain may start easing lockdown in 2nd half of May — PM Sanchez. rt.com 
The Spanish government aims to begin winding down the coronavirus lockdown in the second half of May, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday. Restrictions could be reintroduced if the epidemic worsens again in one of the worst-hit nations. | With the world's second-highest number of infections, more than 200,000, and Europe's second-highest death toll, 21,282, Spain has imposed one of the severest lockdowns, Reuters said. The country has taken a few tentative easing steps, including allowing some workers to return from last week and giving permission for children to go outside from next weekend, but mo…
(2020-04-22). Hosing down corona: WATCH Russian troops disinfect military training center in Serbia. rt.com 
Russian troops who arrived in Serbia to help the country fight its coronavirus epidemic have already disinfected some 80 sites in the Balkan nation. A fresh video has caught them in action. | Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defense showed a string of khaki-colored Kamaz trucks veering into the training compound in the city of Pozarevac. After disembarking, the servicemen in full protective gear sprayed the buildings' interiors with a disinfectant. | The soldiers worked hand-in-hand with Serbian chemical defense troops, who took it upon themselves to decontaminate an area adjacent to the training…
(2020-04-22). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Critical care units prepare for COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org An intensive care unit (ICU) is a special unit in a hospital where patients who are very ill can be under constant supervision by their health care team. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed ICU and critical care units in hot spots where the virus had spread widely. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Daniel Brown, …
(2020-04-22). Blame the Covid-19 failure on your governments, not on China. indybay.org The anti-Chinese narrative is based on false statements and serves to distract people from the failure of neoliberalism. Build hospitals and make health care universal! Cut military spending in half! Testing, not imprisonment, abuse and neglect!
(2020-04-22). France and COVID-19: Incompetence and Conceit. counterpunch.org On December 31, 2019, the Chinese government informed the World Health Organization of an epidemic of animal origin in Wuhan, reporting similarities to SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, originally appearing in 2002 in the province of Guangdong) and to MERS-CoV (Middle East Repiratory Syndrome, originally appearing in Saudi Arabia in 2012). On January 12, Chinese scientists shared the completely sequenced genome of this new coronavirus with the entire international scientific community.
(2020-04-22). What to do when anxiety affects your sleep. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org While anxiety around COVID-19 may be affecting your sleep, getting a good night's sleep is key to protecting your health. In these days where there is high anxiety around COVID-19, getting your sleep isn't easy. But a good night's sleep is a key factor in maintaining your health and protecting your immune system. "Sleep is …
(2020-04-22). Baykeeper's Healthy Bay Challenge. indybay.org You can participate anywhere and anytime until May 31, 2020!
(2020-04-22). Donald Trump's Governor Problem. counterpunch.org Things are getting dizzy in the White House on what, exactly, is being done to "open the economy". Cranky advocates for the financial argument over the restrictions of public health have been attempting to claw back some ground. As Jonathan Chait puts it, "The anti-public health faction either believes the dangers of the coronavirus have
(2020-04-22). COVID-19: Will social distancing be the new normal? A Mayo Clinic expert discusses what the future might look like. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org As some states look toward relaxing restrictions and social distancing measures, such as stay-at-home orders, new projections suggest social distancing may need to continue through 2022. Researchers predict that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, will return every winter, and that prolonged or intermittent social distancing strategies could limit the strain on health care systems. …
(2020-04-22). Beaumont Health lays off 2,500 and eliminates 450 jobs in Metro Detroit. wsws.org Michigan's largest health care provider, Beaumont Health, announced the layoff of 2,475 employees and the permanent elimination of 450 positions at its Detroit-area facilities.
(2020-04-22). Report offers insight into China's COVID-19 response. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) — China Daily published a bilingual report on Tuesday detailing China's measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak to provide health workers and officials around the world a reference and glimpse into the country's herculean effort to overcome the epidemic.
(2020-04-22). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Managing stress and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes to daily life, and disrupted normal routines at work, at school, and at home. Physical isolation can negatively affect mental health, and constant news coverage can bring fear and anxiety about the disease. How can you best cope in these uncertain times? On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. …
(2020-04-22). US safety agencies bow to corporations as workers file record number of complaints. wsws.org The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has reportedly received 3,000 complaints related to the pandemic, with state agencies receiving many times more.
(2020-04-22). Kazakhstan: Hospital workers demand resignation of government official over spread of COVID-19. wsws.org Hospital workers demanded that the city's chief public health officer, who accused medical workers of being responsible for the spread of the virus, be removed from office.
(2020-04-22). COVID-19: What to do if you develop symptoms while away from home. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org In many areas of the U.S. and around the world, people are being told to stay home and avoid travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, travel restrictions may not apply to employees of critical industries, such as trucking, public health professionals, financial services, and food supply. So what should someone do if they develop …
(2020-04-22). Iran records 1,194 new cases, 94 deaths on Wednesday. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) — The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 85,996, of whom 5,391 have lost their lives to the deadly virus, according to Iran's Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Wednesday.
(2020-04-22). Stephen Hawking's ventilator donated to NHS to help coronavirus patients. thecanary.co Stephen Hawking's ventilator has been donated to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge to help treat patients with coronavirus. | The physicist, who had motor neurone disease, died in 2018, aged 76. | His daughter, Lucy Hawking, said: "Our father received brilliant, dedicated and compassionate medical care from both Royal Papworth and Addenbrooke's Hospitals in Cambridge. | "As a ventilated patient, Royal Papworth was incredibly important to my father and helped him through some very difficult times. | "We realised that it would be at the forefront of the Covid-19 epidemic and got in touch with some of our old…
(2020-04-22). Prescribing an overdose: A chapter in the opioid epidemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn.
(2020-04-22). The Origin of Plagues: From Mao to Trump. counterpunch.org On July 1, 1958, the ruler of China, Mao Tse-tung, said farewell to the god of plagues. Mao's celebration was short lived. The god of plagues has been ravaging China and the rest of the world to this day of the existential corona pandemic in 2020.
(2020-04-22). University Jihad studies on COVID-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 22 (MNA) — With the outbreak of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, in the country, the Research Center for Modern Technologies of Ibn-e Sina University Jihad, in addition to conducting specialized tests on the samples of this disease, has conducted research studies by experts in Virology to detect vaccine of the disease.
(2020-04-22). Podcast: COVID-19 vaccine development, patient data and isolation diaries. imperial.ac.uk In this edition: We hear from researchers working on a COVID-19 vaccine and with patient samples, and how students are coping in isolation.
(2020-04-22). Imperial COVID-19 vaccine team secures £22.5 million support. imperial.ac.uk The UK government will provide £22.5 million to fast-track Imperial's development of a coronavirus vaccine.
(2020-04-22). Cuban Drug to Strengthen Natural Immunity in Trial Phase. globalresearch.ca Given the threat posed by the new coronavirus, it is encouraging to learn that trials are underway in Cuba of a vaccine to strengthen innate immunity, to help reduce the risk of infectious agents entering the human body. | The new …
(2020-04-22). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: How contact tracing can fight the spread of COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Contact tracing is a used to slow community spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. Contact tracing is the process of finding and reaching out to the people who have been in contact with an infected person. Then close contacts of a person who might have COVID-19 can be isolated or quarantined to lessen further spread …
(2020-04-22). COVID-19: Mayo Clinic expert on what it's going to take to reopen the US. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Image Courtesy: April 19, 2020 U.S. map / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Widespread stay-at-home efforts have forced many businesses to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. As talk of reopening the economy ramps up across the U.S., Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic COVID-19 expert, answers questions about what it's going to take to …
(2020-04-22). Infographic: Understanding COVID-19 testing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org For the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information and COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.
(2020-04-22). When to seek emergency care during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org In an effort to reduce the burden on hospitals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to lower the risk of disease transmission, people are asked not to go to emergency rooms if they think they may have COVID-19 symptoms but otherwise feel okay. Instead, they're asked to call their primary care provider to discuss their …
(2020-04-22). Politicians debate lockdown as Spain sees 435 more deaths. yenisafak.com As Spain's politicians discuss what a partial return to normalcy could look like, the country registered another 435 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total official death toll to 21,717.More than 4,000 new cases were also confirmed, according to the Health Ministry. In total, 209,706 people have tested positive for the virus in Spain and nearly 86,000 people have recovered.Spain remains on a strict lockdown but the government announced that starting this weekend, some restrictions will be lifted on children who have been confined to their homes since March 14.Restrictions have previously been eased on non-essent…
(2020-04-22). Turkey repatriating nationals while fighting off virus. yenisafak.com Turkey is working hard to bring back its nationals stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic while working to stem its further spread, said the nation's vice president on Wednesday."Currently we have nearly 26,000 citizens who have applied [for evacuation] from 73 countries," Fuat Oktay told Anadolu Agency.Oktay said that upon their return to home soil, Turkish citizens coming from abroad are spending 14 days in quarantine at 87 student dormitories in 73 of Turkey's 81 provinces.On combating coronavirus, Oktay said: "With its health investments, and city hospitals, Turkey was confident [in fighting the virus]…
(2020-04-22). 'I | thought my lungs would explode': | Turkish survivor warns youth to take coronavirus seriously. yenisafak.com A 21-year old Turkish undergraduate who recovered from the coronavirus after being hospitalized for 10 days has warned his peers to heed the warnings of authorities and not be complacent.Even though Mehmet àñzàßetin is physically active, non-smoker and a healthy young man, he did not assume that he was immune or invincible against the deadly coronavirus and self-isolated to protect his family in Turkey's western province of Afyon.àñzàßetin's harrowing ordeal with the deadly disease began fourteen days after his arrival from Turkey's northwestern àáanakkale province when he started…
(2020-04-22). UK PM Johnson under fire over handling of coronavirus crisis. yenisafak.com Johnson initially refrained from approving the stringent controls that other European leaders imposed as the coronavirus spread, but he later closed down the country when projections showed a quarter of a million people could die in the United Kingdom.Since the lockdown, though, the government has given conflicting explanations of why it failed to join a European Union ventilator scheme and admitted there have been problems getting health workers enough protective equipment."Once we are through this crisis, there will of course need to be an independent inquiry to officially review the government's response to th…
(2020-04-22). Iran's coronavirus death toll nears 5,400. yenisafak.com With 94 new deaths reported in Iran, the death toll from coronavirus surged to 5,391, state media said on Wednesday. A total of 1,194 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total infections to 85,996, Iranian state TV reported Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour as saying. | Jahanpour said 63,113 people have recovered so far and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,311 patients are in critical condition. | The virus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions since emerging in China last December, with the U.S. and Europe now the hardest-hit areas. | There are…
(2020-04-22). India Passes Ordiance Stipulating Up to 7 Years in Jail to End Violence Against Health Workers. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): While some Indians are expressing gratitude for healthcare workers putting their lives on the line to treat the coronavirus, others are venting their anger and disappointment at them. Attacks have been carried out on COVID-19 paramedic teams in the field and doctors in hospitals across the country.
(2020-04-22). UK Foreign Minister Raab Takes Questions From MPs in Johnson's Stead – Video. sputniknews.com The UK Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed more than 120,000 cases of the coronavirus disease since the start of the outbreak, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 16,000 people.
(2020-04-22). Prince Charles Reveals He Watches Viral Videos During COVID-10 Lockdown. sputniknews.com The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, left self-isolation earlier this month after testing positive for the coronavirus on 25 March. As of 22 April, there are more than 124,000 registered cases of the virus in the United Kingdom, according to the World Health Organisation, and more than 16,000 fatalities.
(2020-04-22). #EarthDay: It Took Shutting Down Everything to Get Blue Skies Again – Indian Environmentalist. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The 50th Earth Day comes at a time when the world is hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdowns imposed by various countries to stop the spread of the highly contagious disease have yielded unintended benefits for the environment — pure air, cleaner rivers, and blue skies.
(2020-04-21). Anti-Immigrant Movement Has History of Politicizing Disease. splcenter.org COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is the latest disease the nativist movement has politicized to demonize immigrants.
(2020-04-21). Will America's Corruption End on a Ventilator or in a Mushroom Cloud? commondreams.org As we struggle to emerge from today's tragic pandemic, more and more Americans are understanding that healing our sick, corrupt political system is the vital key to a healthy and peaceful future. (Photo: Daily Express) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-04-21). [Commentary] SARS-CoV-2 pandemic expanding in sub-Saharan Africa: Considerations for COVID-19 in people living with HIV. thelancet.com In December 2019, a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, started a global pandemic of respiratory illness, termed COVID-19 [1]. The spectrum of COVID-19 has ranged from a mild, self-limiting respiratory tract illness to severe progressive pneumonia, multi-organ failure, and death [2]. Older patients and those with a weaker immune system appear to have a greater risk of death [3]. Thus far, the vast majority of deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in Italy, China, Iran, and Spain—all Northern hemisphere countries with good health care resources and a low HIV prevalence.
(2020-04-21). US: Nurses Protest Over Lack of Resources. telesurenglish.net The U.S. Nurses Union protested Tuesday in front of the White House. The health workers demonstrated in honor of the coworkers they lost due to the pandemic. They also demanded better biosafety resources. | RELATED: | According to Bonnie Castillo, Executive Director of the National Nurses Union (NNU), nurses are asking for better Personal Protection Equipment. Nurses will read aloud the names of those who lost their lives bec…