Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Latvia approaches 400

Riga/Sputnik/UNI:  The number of cases of the coronavirus in Latvia has increased by 22 over the past 24 hours, which brings the total toll of those infected to 398, the Latvian Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Tuesday.

Chinese mainland sees local COVID-19 cases dwindled to under 1,500

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: The confirmed cases of indigenously-transmitted novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Chinese mainland has decreased to below 1,500, with 510 patients suffering from severe symptoms, said Mi Feng, the spokesperson for the National Health Commission, Tuesday.

Qatar distributes 10 mln USD to Gaza's poor families to fight COVID-19 epidemic

Gaza/Xinhua/UNI: Qatar on Tuesday started distributing 10 million U.S. dollars to 100,000 poor families in the Gaza Strip to help them fight COVID-19 epidemic.

Bangladesh COVID-19 cases rises to 51

Dhaka/UNI:  Confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Bangladesh rose to 51 as the country on Tuesday recorded two more infections.

S Africa records 1,353 coronavirus cases with 5 deaths

Cape Town/Xinhua/UNI: South Africa has recorded 27 new cases of COVID-19, bringing its total confirmed cases to 1,353.

US headed for 'painful' two weeks: Donald Trump on COIVID-19 situation

Washington/IBNS/Xinhua/UNI: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday alerted his nation that the countrymen should brace for "painful" weeks ahead.

‘Immediate nationwide ceasefire’ needed for all-out effort to counter COVID-19 in Syria

New York/IBNS: Syria is at “high risk” of being unable to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Monday, reiterating calls for a “complete, immediate nationwide ceasefire” to enable an all-out-effort to counter the march of the new coronavirus.

Russia registers 500 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Russia has registered 500 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, which brings the total number of cases in the country to 2,337, the country's operational headquarters for preventing the spread of coronavirus said in a statement on Tuesday.

Vietnam to close border gates with Laos, Cambodia to prevent spread of COVID-19

Hanoi/Xinhua/UNI: Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that it will close its border gates and border crossings with Laos and Cambodia starting from Wednesday in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

UN helps Pacific prepare for COVID-19 pandemic, warns that children are ‘hidden victims’

New York/IBNS: United Nations agencies are working together to provide vital support to Pacific Island countries as they rally to combat COVID-19 outbreaks across the region.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020, warns World Bank

Washington/Sputnik/UNI/IBNS: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

COVID-19 stoking xenophobia, hate and exclusion, minority rights expert warns

Combatting the COVID-19 pandemic must also include stamping out what one independent human rights expert has called the “darker sides” of the disease: verbal and physical attacks against Chinese and other minority communities, and excluding them from access to healthcare.

Covid-19: Hindus, Christians denied food supplies in Pakistan

Islamabad/IBNS: The world is unitedly trying to beat the COVID-19 outbreak and the disease has even extended its killer arms in Pakistan but for the administration in the South Asian nation religious discrimination still remains a top priority with reports emerging that Hindus were denied food supplies by the authority which they said were meant for the Muslims, media reports said.

Imran Khan government's slow approach exposed as COVID 19 grips Pakistan

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistani government is failing to implement proper measures to curb the spread of the deadly disease and with clerics refusing to close their mosques, the situation of COVID-19 outbreak in the South Asian country is escalating further every day.

UNGA president supports UN $2bln COVID-19 response plan

United Nations/Sputnik/UNI:  The United Nations' $2 billion appeal to fight the coronavirus in some of the most vulnerable countries is a "good, timely call," UNGA President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told Sputnik.