Author: News Desk

Coronavirus patients around the world have been rushing to join remdesivir studies, an experimental drug that’s shown promise against some other coronaviruses, that opened in hospitals in the last few weeks, The Associated Press (AP) reported. Interest has been so great that the U.S. National Institutes of Health is expanding its study, which has nearly reached its initial goal of 440 patients. The drug’s maker, California-based Gilead Sciences, is quickly ramping up its studies, too. Gilead has given remdesivir to more than 1,700 patients on a case-by-case emergency basis, but more people ultimately will be helped if the company does…

A United Arab Emirates aid plane carrying approximately 10 tonnes of medical supplies was dispatched to Italy to assist the country in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, benefitting over 10,000 healthcare professionals. This initiative is part of the UAE’s commitment to cooperating with countries affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in order to bolster global efforts to curb the virus’ spread, UAE News Agency (WAM) reported. “Since its founding as a nation, the UAE has committed to extending assistance to countries and peoples in distress, and the COVID-19 crisis has affirmed the effectiveness of this approach. This is evidenced by efforts to…

A booth for testing COVID-19 has been set up in Bahrain’s leading private hospital. The Ministry of Health and the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) in association with Al Hilal Hospital and Medical centres have set up the booth at the hospital’s Muharraq Branch. Exclusively set up for the expatriate community, this is an initiative by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus. Residents who appear to show flu-like symptoms will be randomly tested. “Swab tests are done for expatriates who appear to have symptoms for the coronavirus. Those who have concerns can come in, register and get tested. The…

The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) General Command has announced a live ammunition firing in the southern-western zone and the western coast, from south of the Ras Al Matala to Ras Al Bar and five kilometers into the sea on April 7 from 7:30 am to 2 pm. The General Command cautioned citizens and residents to avoid the designated firing zone for safety reasons.

Director-General of Kuwait Municipality Ahmad Al-Manfouhi took a decision Monday to decrease commercial activities allowed in the country as part of the measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Speaking to the press during inspections of vehicle repair shops in Shuwaikh and Sharq areas, Al-Manfouhi indicated that activities allowed during the current circumstances were decreased from 17 to nine without specifying. Government entities are battling the spread of the coronavirus; therefore, the Municipality is working to reinforce the Kuwaiti authorities’ decisions in this regard, he affirmed. Al-Manfouhi said that 95 percent of car repair shops were abiding by…

Spanish-bought ventilators and other medical equipment held in Ankara by Turkish authorities will take off for Spain on Monday, Spanish foreign minister Arancha González Laya said in an interview with Spanish network Antena 3. The equipment is expected to be available for distribution among regional governments in Spain on Tuesday. The ventilators, produced by a company in Turkey, have been held by local authorities in Ankara since Friday. On Friday, the foreign minister said the ventilators would not arrive on time because “the Turkish government understands that they are a priority for the treatment of its patients.” However, Ankara said…

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre, Sheraa, has awarded its first Access Sharjah winner, ‘Little Thinking Minds’, a US$100,000 equity-free grant. ‘BoBu’, ‘Narrativa’, and ‘almentor.net’ in the second position, were presented with a $20,000 equity-free grant, said a press release issued by Sheraa on Monday. Sheraa dedicated the inaugural edition of the programme, which was launched in celebration of Sharjah World Book Capital 2019, to those working in the publishing and digital content sector. This was done to support the Emirate’s vision of investing in the knowledge industry, with a strong focus on embracing pioneering and innovation-driven efforts. Launched late last year,…

The youngest recovered coronavirus patient in Saudi Arabia, who is just weeks old, was transported home following his hospital stay, a video shared on social media shows. Khalid, only weeks old, was carried in a hospital crib and transported in an ambulance car to his family’s house in a town called al-Duwadimi in Riyadh province. The baby was only four days old when he was infected with COVID-19, local media reported. Saudi Arabia recorded 61 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the Kingdom to 2,463, according to data on the Ministry of Health’s website dedicated to…

Millions of Indians turned off their lights and lit up balconies and doorsteps with lamps, candles, and flashlights on Sunday, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to “challenge the darkness” spread by the coronavirus crisis. According to Reuters, Modi, who imposed a three-week-long nationwide lockdown on March 25, asked all citizens to turn out their lights for nine minutes at 9 p.m. local time on Sunday and to display lamps and candles in a show of solidarity. Modi’s call was met with a huge response, with many people lighting up their balconies. Others lit firecrackers, played musical instruments,…

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will declare a state of emergency on Tuesday, lasting for approximately one month, he announced Monday. Abe will hold a press conference on Tuesday to further explain the declaration. A different tactic: Abe says Japan’s state of emergency will differ from Western countries, adding that “basic economic activity” will continue, giving examples including public transportation and supermarkets. The Prime Minister’s advisory committee recommended that a state of emergency be declared for seven Japanese prefectures, including the Japanese capital of Tokyo and its second-largest city Osaka. The full list of prefectures affected is: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba,…