(2020-04-12). UK pledges £200 million to WHO and charities in aftermath of Trump's threat to freeze US financial support for watchdog. rt.com 
In a move that Washington may interpret as a snub by one of its closest allies, the UK has gotten its checkbook out for the World Health Organisation, just days after Donald Trump threatened to cut the watchdog's funding. | The UK announced on Sunday that it is pledging £200 million ($248 million) to the WHO and various charities in a bid to stop a second wave of Covid-19 hitting Britain. | "Coronavirus does not respect country borders, so our ability to protect the British public will only be effective if we strengthen the healthcare systems of vulnerable developing countries too," International Develop…
(2020-04-12). Russia records over 2,000 new Covid-19 cases in a SINGLE day. rt.com 
Since Saturday, 2,186 more people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing Russia's total coronavirus tally to 15,770, according to the government's emergency team in charge of containing the growing epidemic. | The new figure drastically ups the curve, as only 1,667 new cases were recorded across the country the day before. | The bulk of the newly infected — 1,306 and 278 respectively — are in Moscow and the surrounding region, where the authorities have recently introduced electronic permits to control people's mobility amid the quarantine. St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, has repor…
(2020-04-12). The Week We Should Not Forget for Our Own Sake. zcomm.org Corporate control left us totally unprepared and defenseless against pandemics that our public health officials, scientists, and yours truly warned about for years…
(2020-04-12). COVID-19 SF DPH Healthcare Workers Under Attack, Health & Safety, Racism & Retaliation. indybay.org The COVID pandemic is being used to violate union contracts and retaliate against whistleblowers. This pandemic is also hitting Black workers and their families even more heavily. There is also no enforcement by Governor Newsom's Cal-OSHA which has fewer than 200 inspectors for 18 million workers.
(2020-04-12). Wood Pellet Plant in Mendocino County Threatens Public Health. indybay.org Community members assert ongoing and uncorrected hazardous pollution being emitted from the Mendocino Forest Products wood pellet production plant in Calpella, Mendocino County, California.
(2020-04-12). Mayo Clinic expert says be diligent, patient when COVID-19 guidelines change. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Guidelines to help slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are in place across the U.S. Dr. Stacey Rizza, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic, says it's important to be diligent in following the current health guidelines and recommendations, especially as they continue to change. "I want to remind everyone that sometimes we …
(2020-04-12). Iran records 1,675 new cases, 117 deaths on Sunday. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 12 (MNA) — Iran's Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Iran has risen to 4,474 with 71,686 confirmed cases.
(2020-04-12). Reporting Your Neighbors for Violating Stay-At-Home Orders. indybay.org David Cole, national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated: "All kinds of constitutional liberties are being constrained right now. They are restricted because there's a reason to restrict them. In a time like this, you have to defer substantially to public health experts." But does this mean that we should be ratting-out our neighbors for violating COVID-19 stay-at-home orders?>
(2020-04-12). Mayo Clinic Q&A: Plan for healthy meals, fewer trips to the grocery store during pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: During the COVID-19 outbreak, I'm trying to limit trips to the grocery store. But I want to continue to eat healthy meals. What foods should I consider stocking up on, knowing that I probably won't be buying anything fresh for a couple of weeks? ANSWER: Most people are in the habit of …
(2020-04-12). Rouhani urges people to follow protocols as gov. eases restrictions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 12 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that some of the restrictions will ease as of Saturday, April 18, calling on the Iranian people to observe the health protocols to fight the outbreak.
(2020-04-12). Tips for connecting to Mayo Clinic using Patient Online Services. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Telehealth is becoming more important as a way of delivering health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Video appointments are one form of telehealth that is seeing an increased usage. Patients also can take advantage of the telehealth offerings available through patient portals. Mayo Clinic's patient portal, Patient Online Services, offers its patients several …
(2020-04-12). 'Iran studying possibility of COVID-19 as biological warfare'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 12 (MNA) — Head of Health Department of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran said comprehensive studies are underway to address the possibility of biological warfare behind the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
(2020-04-12). Iran produces COVID-19 antibody rapid test kit: Health Min. spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 12 (MNA) — Spokesperson for the Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sun. that the country has developed COVID-19 rapid test kits based on antibody detection, adding that the kits will hit the market soon.
(2020-04-12). Mayo Clinic Minute: Blood donations in demand. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Healthy adults are being asked to make an appointment to donate blood to help meet the ongoing demand for blood products. Dr. Justin Kreuter, a transfusion medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic, says donating blood is safe, and one blood donation can potentially save up to three lives. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/ASSzPwnf2ow Journalists: Broadcast-quality …
(2020-04-12). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: CDC recommends wearing cloth masks in public. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that Americans wear wearing cloth masks in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. The CDC considers cloth masks an additional, voluntary public health measure. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, a …
(2020-04-12). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 update. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org On today's Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, shares the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Poland discusses antibody testing, immunity, and how the scientific and research communities are collaborating to fight this disease. Click the player below: Mayo Clinic Q&A is available …
(2020-04-12). COVID-19 expert answers questions about the do's and don'ts of social distancing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Countries, states and cities are encouraging people to stay home and practice social distancing by implementing various restrictions to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Some areas have implemented certain restrictions, such as stay-at-home orders. The rules vary in different areas, which is why Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, an infectious diseases expert, says it's important that …
(2020-04-12). Science Saturday: The importance of antibody testing in addressing COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If there's one thing the world has learned so far in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's the important role of testing for the disease. The ability to know who has the virus and who doesn't provides critical information for people and entire regions. Early testing involved collecting cells from the back of the …
(2020-04-12). How does COVID-19 affect the heart? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The effects of COVID-19 on the lungs are well-known. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, more information is becoming available about the role the virus, called SARS-CoV-2, has on the heart. "Individuals with known cardiovascular disease are at an increased risk of more severe complications from respiratory viral illnesses, including the flu and COVID-19," says Dr. …
(2020-04-12). COVID-19: Mayo Clinic expert answers questions about masks after CDC updates its recommendation. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending people wear nonmedical cloth masks while in public to decrease the risk of COVID-19 transmission from person to person. The cloth masks should: Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.Be secured with ties or ear loops.Include multiple layers of fabric.Allow for breathing …
(2020-04-12). England's Coronavirus Death Toll Rises by More Than 600 in 24 Hours. sputniknews.com The day before, health officials reported that the coronavirus death toll in English hospitals rose over the past 24 hours by 823 to a total of 8,937.
(2020-04-12). Spain's Coronavirus Death Toll Rises to 16,972 – Health Ministry. sputniknews.com According to the World Health Organisation, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases globally has exceeded 1.6 million, with more than 99,000 deaths.
(2020-04-12). 'It's Going to be the Toughest Decision': Trump on Reopening the Virus-Hit Economy. sputniknews.com The Russia investigation and the impeachment trial may have been problematic for Trump, but the pandemic marked the first non-political — and arguably the most real — crisis of his presidency. There is now a fine line between public and economic health, and Trump is facing a difficult choice of when to cross it.
(2020-04-12). Tech Expert on Apple & Google's Plan to Track Coronavirus: 'We Can't Underestimate Privacy Risks'. sputniknews.com Software developers have been increasingly throwing their weight behind the efforts of governments and health authorities as they accelerate efforts to find ways of slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, to save lives, protect people and get economies up and running amid the fallout from the pandemic.
(2020-04-12). 'America Needs to Laugh!' Netizens Applaud Remotely-Produced SNL Show Amid COVID-19. sputniknews.com The continuing spread of the coronavirus respiratory disease has triggered protocols involving lockdowns and social distancing as many have been forced to work from home; the television industry has also been hit by the crisis.
(2020-04-12). Turkey to send medical aid to Palestine. yenisafak.com Turkey will send medical aid to Israel and Palestine to help them battle coronavirus, the country's presidential spokesman said on Sunday."There was a demand for medical aid from Israel, and it will be completed within days. We will simultaneously send medical supplies to Palestine," Ibrahim Kalin told CNN Turk.Kalin said Armenia's medicine demand was also approved by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and it was currently in process by the Health Ministry.Ankara is helping multiple states to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. So far it has sent aid to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo…
(2020-04-12). Spain sees 619 more virus deaths as some plan return to work. yenisafak.com With 619 more deaths reported on Sunday, Spain's official coronavirus death toll reached 16,972, the Health Ministry announced.Sunday's death toll is significantly higher than the 510 additional deaths reported on Saturday, but down from a peak of 950 more than a week ago.Around 5,000 more people were also diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, bringing the total to 166,019. Of those confirmed cases, 62,391 people have recovered.While the rate of contagion has dropped significantly, Spain's health professionals are still at a high risk of contracting the virus. As of Saturday, nearly…
(2020-04-12). India's coronavirus tally tops 8,000. yenisafak.com A further 34 deaths from coronavirus were recorded in India in the last 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 273, authorities announced Sunday.The total number of COVID-19 cases in the South Asian country has risen to 8,356, according to the Ministry of Health.India has one of the lowest testing rates in the world. As per figures by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 179,374 samples from 164,773 individuals have been processed as of April 11. It has a population of over 1.3 billion. There are reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is considering to extend the 21-day lockdown imposed on March 25. Since…
(2020-04-12). Dutch coronavirus infections top 25,000, deaths rise to 2,737 deaths. yenisafak.com The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands has topped 25,000, health authorities said on Sunday, with the number of deaths rising by 94 to 2,737.The Netherlands' National Institute for Health (RIVM) reported 1,188 new infections over the past 24 hours, taking the total to 25,587.The rate of increase in infections and deaths has slowed for several days helped by social distancing measures.
(2020-04-12). Iran records nearly 4,500 coronavirus-related deaths. yenisafak.com With 117 more deaths from the new coronavirus, Iran's death toll rose to 4,474, a health official said on Sunday.Kianoush Jahanpour, a Health Ministry spokesman, told a live state TV broadcast that 1,657 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total infections to 71,686.Jahanpour said 43,894 people have recovered so far and been discharged from hospitals, while 3,930 patients are in critical condition.Since appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows that…
(2020-04-12). Congo records second Ebola death in days, says WHO. yenisafak.com Democratic Republic of Congo recorded a second Ebola death in days following more than seven weeks without a new case, the World Health Organization said on Sunday.Congo had been due on Sunday to mark an end to the second-deadliest outbreak of the virus on record, until a case was confirmed on Friday in the eastern city of Beni.The outbreak has killed more than 2,200 people since August 2018 in an area of the country where militia violence hobbled efforts to contain it.The latest victim was an 11-month-old girl, who was treated at the same health centre as the previous case, a 26-year-old electrician, said Boubac…
(2020-04-12). The | 'invisible enemy': What COVID-19 does to your body. yenisafak.com The world is on red alert against an unseen enemy, the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 1.77 million since its emergence in China's Wuhan in December.With a microscopic enemy in full swing, over half of the world's population has been ordered to stay indoors and maintain social distancing, while scientists have ramped up studies on treatments and vaccines to halt the spread of the respiratory disease.Scientific designer and animator Avesta Rastan detailed the effects COVID-19 has on our lungs, revealing the mechanics behind how the virus causes pneumonia in its victims, in a chart publish…
(2020-04-11). 'I'm sorry you feel that way' — UK Home Secretary Patel savaged for non-apology to NHS workers. rt.com 
As Britain's beleaguered healthcare workers fall ill with Covid-19, Home Secretary Priti Patel has said she's sorry they feel angry, but not for her government's role in equipment shortages. Her remark only fuelled further anger. | As the coronavirus death toll in the UK climbed to just under 10,000 on Saturday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed that 19 health workers have died after contracting the deadly virus. The workers themselves have blamed the government for failing to provide enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and have become increasingly angry since Hancock insisted on Friday that "ther…
(2020-04-11). NY's Cuomo pleases crowds with 'Hero Compensation Fund' for healthcare workers… after 9 years of hospital cuts. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched a fund to support sick healthcare workers and their families, but some blame him for the dire working conditions facing the state's caregivers after nine years of hospital budget cuts. | Cuomo announced the state is working on a "Covid-19 Heroes Compensation Fund" to support healthcare workers and their families who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus during his daily briefing on Friday. It was heralded by his growing Democratic fan club as a generous, thoughtful move from a politician who cares about the "frontline workers." | AAbsent from the lovefest was any…
(2020-04-11). Public backlash as star journo Ross Kemp allowed into Covid-19 ward, but visits remain off limits for mortals. rt.com 
Relatives and friends of Covid-19 patients aren't allowed to visit their loved ones in hospital. But celebrity journalist Ross Kemp and his camera crew are. Commenters on twitter are furious. | More than 78,000 cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been recorded in the UK, with more than 1,500 of these critical. Owing to the risk of transmission, the National Health Service (NHS) last week
(2020-04-11). Understanding vaccines during COVID-19. mronline.org 
Dr. Jo Anne Welsch, currently working on vaccine development for low and middle income countries at a global health organization, discusses how vaccines are developed and tested, and the implications of the process for the coronavirus.
(2020-04-11). Sanctions the best cure? Trump signs order laying out visa sanctions for countries that 'delay or deny' return of their citizens. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has signed an order envisioning penalties for foreign nations that are reluctant to take back their citizens or residents as the coronavirus ravages the US, citing "public health risks." | "Countries that deny or unreasonably delay the acceptance of their citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents from the United States during the ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 create unacceptable public health risks for Americans," the
(2020-04-11). Latest Covid-19 cultural casualty: Famed art & music festival Burning Man canceled. rt.com 
Burning Man, the flamboyant annual party held in the Nevada desert, will not take place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers have announced. Instead, a "virtual" event will be held. | The Burning Man Project said in a statement that the world-renowned festival has been canceled due to the "painful reality" of Covid-19. Organizers explained they were "heartbroken" but decided to call off the event in order to safeguard "public health and the well-being of our participants, staff and neighbors." | Burning Man 2020 was scheduled to take place in the Black Rock Desert of northern Nevada from Augus…
(2020-04-11). Unprecedented: US becomes 1st country to report 2,000+ Covid-19 deaths in SINGLE DAY, breaking global record. rt.com 
The US has counted more than 2,000 Covid-19 fatalities in the space of 24 hours, smashing all previous daily death tolls worldwide as the US outbreak shows little sign of abating, according to Johns Hopkins University. | On Friday, 2,108 new deaths were reported in the US, data gathered by Johns Hopkins shows, putting the US' total at over 18,600, just shy of Italy's death toll, the overall leader in fatalities globally. | After Thursday's casualty count saw a brief drop-off, deaths again surged on Friday, the country's deadliest day yet. | Though US President Donald Trump has stated that the US' epidemic is n…
(2020-04-11). First group of volunteers assembled as Russia prepares for human testing of Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
The initial human volunteers have been selected to test a Russian vaccine against the deadly new coronavirus in trials set to begin in late June. The project's chief developer is leading by example by taking his place among them. | Work on the biological preparation began in February at the Vector Institute, Russia's leading virology and biotechnology research center. It's based in Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia. Earlier in April, researchers announced that the vaccine had successfully passed trials on mice and ferrets, with preparations for human testing in full swing. | The first stage will see 60…
(2020-04-11). [World Report] Virtual health care in the era of COVID-19. thelancet.com Patients are under lockdown and health workers are at risk of infection. Paul Webster reports on how telemedicine is being embraced like never before.
(2020-04-11). [Editorial] Palliative care and the COVID-19 pandemic. thelancet.com Palliative care services are under-resourced at the best of times. The 2017 Lancet Commission on Palliative Care and Pain Relief described the widespread lack of access to inexpensive and effective interventions as a travesty of justice. And these are not the best of times. As health systems become strained under COVID-19, providing safe and effective palliative care, including end-of-life care, becomes especially vital and especially difficult.
(2020-04-11). [Perspectives] Helen Boyle: pioneer of early mental health treatment. thelancet.com In 1939, Helen Boyle gave her inaugural address as the first woman President of the Royal Medico-Psychological Association (later the Royal College of Psychiatrists). "Every general hospital is failing in its duty", she said, "if it does not have at least an outpatient department for nervous patients". When she began her career, psychiatric treatment for all but the wealthy was largely confined to public asylums. Boyle's had been one of the first voices raised in favour of early diagnosis and treatment for mental breakdown.
(2020-04-11). [World Report] Tsinghua University launches School of Public Health. thelancet.com The new school will focus on infectious diseases and aims to strengthen public health policy in China. Shawn Yuan reports.
(2020-04-11). [Obituary] Elizabeth Wurtzel. thelancet.com Author who wrote about mental health, and lawyer. Born July 31, 1967, in New York City, NY, USA, she died of metastatic breast cancer on Jan 7, 2020, in New York City, aged 52 years.
(2020-04-11). [Comment] Centring sexual and reproductive health and justice in the global COVID-19 response. thelancet.com Global responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are converging with pervasive, existing sexual and reproductive health and justice inequities to disproportionately impact the health, wellbeing, and economic stability of women, girls, and vulnerable populations. People whose human rights are least protected are likely to experience unique difficulties from COVID-19.1 Women, girls, and marginalised groups are likely to carry a heavier burden of what will be the devastating downstream economic and social consequences of this pandemic.
(2020-04-11). [Perspectives] Bills of Mortality: tracking disease in early modern London. thelancet.com In a plague year, the numbers are the narrative. "The Bill of Mortality, to all our griefs, is encreased 399 this week, and the encrease general through the whole city and suburbs, which makes us all sad", noted Londoner Samuel Pepys on Nov 9, 1665. Those who have been following the toll of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections and deaths in the news and on social media will know how Pepys felt. But what was the Bill of Mortality?
(2020-04-11). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19—bewilderment and candour. thelancet.com "This disease is unlike anything I have seen before. If you end up on ICU, you are potentially in real trouble. I have never seen anything like it before." These words were written by one intensive care physician working at a London teaching hospital. As deaths accumulate, the early message that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes mostly a mild illness has been shown to be dangerously false. One in five patients develop complications and are at grave risk. A further misunderstanding concerns age.
(2020-04-11). Will This Public Health Crisis Lead to a Voting Rights Crisis? truthout.org Welcome to Moyers on Democracy. | Bill's guest in this episode is the journalist David Daley. His best-selling first book, Ratf**ked — Why Your Vote Doesn't Count, showed how Republicans used gerrymandering to lock up control of many state and local government for years, possibly — decades — and remains their strategy. In his most recent book — Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy — he travels America to report on the grassroots activists devoted to voting r…
(2020-04-11). New People's Army fights COVID-19, Armed Forces of Philippines spreads lies. fightbacknews.org Over the past few days the Armed Forces of the Philippines (APF) has stepped up in its propaganda drive against the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People's Army (NPA) in a desperate attempt to discredit the ongoing public health and economic campaign of the people's army and the mass organizations to help the efforts to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. | According to an April 11, statement from Marco L. Valbuena, Information Officer, Communist Party of the Philippines, "The AFP's anti-NPA propaganda drive smacks of pure lies and accusations based solely on AFP-manufactured inf…