COVID-19 not yet a pandemic, says UN health agency chief

Feb 25, 2020, at 10:35 am

New York/IBNS: While a sudden increase in new cases of COVID-19 is of concern, the spread of coronavirus is not yet a pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

China reports 508 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, 71 new deaths

Feb 25, 2020, at 10:28 am

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: Chinese health authority said Tuesday it received reports of 508 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 71 deaths on Monday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Fourth coronavirus related death reported in Italy

Feb 24, 2020, at 11:40 pm

Rome/Sputnik: Italy’s northern Lombardy Region has registered the third death from the new coronavirus, officially called COVID-19, which brings the total number of dead in Italy to four, Lombardy’s Councilor for Welfare Giulio Gallera said on Monday.

Over 760 coronavirus cases registered in South Korea, seven deaths reported - KCDC

Feb 24, 2020, at 10:21 am

Seoul/Sputnik: The number of people infected with the new coronavirus has gone up 763 in South Korea, with seven deaths from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) registered in the country, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

Climate change takes toll on Zimbabwe’s natural habitat, UN deputy chief observes

Feb 24, 2020, at 10:06 am

New York/IBNS: Alongside the human population, Africa’s animals are suffering greatly from the effects of climate change, which United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina Mahommed saw first-hand on Sunday in Zimbabwe.

Magnitude 5.6 earthquake registered off Southern Kuril Islands – Russian seismologists

Feb 24, 2020, at 09:47 am

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk/Sputnik:: A 5.6-magnitude earthquake has occurred off the Kuril Islands, a representative of the Sakhalin regional branch of the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GS RAS) told Sputnik.

Ten new migratory species protected under global wildlife agreement

Feb 23, 2020, at 06:10 pm

New York/IBNS: Asian elephants, jaguars and great Indian bustards were among 10 new species added to a global wildlife agreement on Saturday.

Death toll from Coronavirus in Mainland China surpasses 2,440 : Health Commission

Feb 23, 2020, at 08:35 am

Beijing/Sputnik: The death toll from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has gone up to 2,442 in mainland China, with the total number of registered cases standing at 76,936 according to the country’s National Health Commission.

First fatality of coronavirus disease registered in Italy – Reports

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:58 pm

Rome/Sputnik/UNI:  The first fatal case of the coronavirus disease, officially called COVID-19, has been registered in Italy, media reported.

S Korea confirms 142 more cases of COVID-19, 346 in total

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:56 pm

Seoul/Xinhua/UNI:  South Korea confirmed 142 more cases of the COVID-19 on Saturday, raising the total number of infections to 346.

Chinese leader thanks Microsoft founder for taking action against COVID-2019

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:53 pm

Beijoing/Sputnik/UNI:  Chinese President Xi Jinping has written a thank-you letter to Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his spouse, Melinda, for their support of the global efforts against the COVID-2019 disease outbreak.

Xinjiang railway resumes operation after 5.1-magnitude quake

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:52 pm

Urumqi/Xinhua/UNI:  Service on a pivotal railway has resumed after a 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Friday night.

Peng Yinhua: Wuhan doctor dies of coronavirus before wedding

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:49 pm

Wuhan/Xinhua/UNI: At a meeting room-turned memorial hall at a Wuhan hospital, doctors and nurses wrote down their memories of Peng Yinhua on three notebooks before rushing back to treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

China's Liaoning, Gansu lower coronavirus response level

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:45 pm

Lanzhous/Shenyang/Xinhua/UNI: The two Chinese provinces of Liaoning and Gansu have lowered their emergency response from first-level to third-level after having reported no new coronavirus case.

Wuhan to complete nucleic acid tests for all elderly care institutions by Feb. 28

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:40 pm

Wuhan/Xinhua/UNI: Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, will conduct nucleic acid tests for all elderly care institutions by Feb. 28 as some confirmed and suspected cases were reported in the facilities, local authorities said Saturday.

Indian advises citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Singapore

Feb 22, 2020, at 04:20 pm

New Delhi/IBNS: The Cabinet Secretary chaired a high-level meeting to review the status, actions taken and preparedness of States/UTs regarding management of Novel Coronavirus (COVID19), here on Saturday.

Man arrested for poaching endangered snow leopards in Mongolia

Feb 21, 2020, at 07:14 pm

Ulan Bator/Xinhua: Mongolian police have arrested a man involved in poaching endangered snow leopards, the country's Ecological Police Department (EPD) said Friday.

Simple urine test could improve early detection of bladder cancer – WHO study

Feb 21, 2020, at 06:01 pm

New York/IBNS: A new study conducted by researchers from the United Nations health agency revealed that bladder cancer mutations can be detected in urine up to 10 years before clinically diagnosing the disease.

Coronavirus death toll in mainland China reaches 2,236, over 75,000 infected – Authorities

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:41 pm

Beijing/Sputnik/UNI:  The number of people, who have been infected with a new coronavirus across mainland China, has reached 75,465, with 2,236 patients having died, the National Health Commission said on Friday.

COVID-19 cases confirmed in east China prison

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:40 pm

Jinan/Xinhua/UNI:  A total of 207 infection cases of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, have been confirmed in an east China prison, according to a press conference held by the Shandong provincial government Friday morning.

Coronavirus-hit Hubei greenlights 23 virus-related research projects

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:27 pm

Wuhan/Xinhua/UNI: Central China's Hubei Province, the center of COVID-19 outbreak, launched 23 projects on the research of the novel coronavirus, the provincial science and technology department said.

S Korea confirms 100 more cases of novel coronavirus, 204 in total

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:16 pm

Seoul/Xinhua/UNI: South Korea on Friday confirmed 100 more cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), raising the total number of infections to 204.

Gujarat: Lion found dead in sanctuary area of east Gir forest

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:15 pm

Amreli/UNI: The body of an 12 year old lion was found from the Tulsishyam range of Eastern Gir forests in Khambha taluka in Amreli district on Friday.

Gujarat: Farmer attacked, injured by leopard

Feb 21, 2020, at 04:12 pm

Junagadh/UNI: A farmer was attacked and injured by a wild leopard while he was working in his farm in Sankhda village under Una taluka of Gir Somnath district in Gujarat on Friday.

Women sitting on bike trampled to death by wild elephants in Jharkhand's Latehar

Feb 19, 2020, at 08:21 pm

Latehar/UNI: A group of wild elephants caught a woman who was travelling on a motorcycle and trampled her to death in Aurajharia forest located in East Chipadohar Forest region falling under the Palamu Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand.

Japan confirms 3 new Coronavirus cases, including country's youngest patient - Reports

Feb 18, 2020, at 04:55 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Three additional people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Japan, and they are located in the western prefecture of Wakayama, the national NHK broadcaster reported on Tuesday, citing local health officials.

Mainland China's death toll from coronavirus outbreak rises to 1,868

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:33 am

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The death toll in mainland China from the novel coronavirus outbreak has increased by 98 over the past 24 hours and has reached 1,868, the Chinese state health committee said on Tuesday.

Protecting migratory species in a rapidly changing world

Feb 18, 2020, at 10:02 am

New York/IBNS: Many animals – including birds, fish and mammals – migrate along set routes in search of food or breeding grounds. How best to protect them in a rapidly changing world is the focus of a major UN wildlife meeting which opened in Gandhinagar, India, on Monday.

Assam: Stray out rhino from Kaziranga creates panic among villagers in Biswanath

Feb 17, 2020, at 08:08 pm

Guwahati/IBNS: A full-grown one-horned rhinoceros created panic among the villagers in Assam’s Biswanath district on Monday morning.

Russian national confirmed infected with COVID-19 on quarantined Diamond Princess: Embassy

Feb 17, 2020, at 05:15 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: A Russian national aboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise liner has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Russian embassy in Japan confirmed on Monday.