Concern is rising in parts of the world over the new COVID-19 variant EG-5, which has also been called Eris. It has become the dominant variant in the United States, which led to the World Health Organisation classifying it as a variant of interest. This classification means that Eris has genetic changes that give it an advantage over other variants. However, experts say EG-dash-5 does not pose a substantial threat. […]
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says it is concerned by the high number of influenza transmissions since the start of May this year. The NICD says its surveillance programme that monitors flu transmissions in all the nine provinces in the country, compared flu levels year on year, and this year’s transmission rate is higher than average. It has called on those with comorbidities to be extra cautious. According […]
A World Health Organization official on Tuesday described the COVID-19 pandemic as “one big wave” and warned against complacency in the northern hemisphere summer since the infection does not share influenza’s tendency to follow seasons. WHO officials have been at pains to avoid describing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases like those in Hong Kong as “waves” as this suggests the virus is behaving in ways beyond human control, when in […]
All member nations of the World Health Organization (WHO) should support a proposed independent review into the coronavirus pandemic, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, further threatening strained ties with China. Australia has become one of Beijing’s most forceful critics over the handling of the spread of the coronavirus, with Morrison urging several world leaders to support an international inquiry into its origins and spread. Beijing has fiercely […]
Concerns have been raised over the World Health Organization's (WHO) future after US President Donald Trump announced a funding cut for the body amid the coronavirus pandemic. WHO is the leading United Nations body dealing with health issues, including the fight against the deadly coronavirus which has now infected more than two million people and killed more than 128,000 people worldwide. With Trump's decision on Tuesday, several WHO programmes, including […]
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged unity, as the agency comes under continued fire from US President Donald Trump. Speaking on Wednesday, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the WHO's work and called for an end to the politicisation of Covid-19. Mr Trump said he would consider ending US funding for the UN agency. He accused the WHO of being "very China-centric" and said they "really blew" […]
Countries around the world are increasingly adopting sweeping measures to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, including shutting down airports, imposing travel restrictions and completely sealing their borders. The outbreak of the coronavirus has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Below is a list of countries that have taken such measures in recent days. Travellers should visit government websites for updated information and more details. Algeria […]
Leaders from the European Union are promising to do "whatever it takes" to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, as Italy reported its biggest single-day death toll since the disease was first detected there last month. The 27 leaders of the EU met in a video conference after facing criticism they had been too slow to deal with the outbreak, which first emerged in China at the end of last year. "We […]
More than 900 people have now died in mainland China from the coronavirus that emerged in the central city of Wuhan at the end of last year as the World Health Organization (WHO) deployed an expert team to the country to investigate the outbreak. China's National Health Commission reported there were 97 new fatalities from the virus on February 9, making Sunday the deadliest day so far. The new fatalities […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
