With concerns over the omicron variant grips the world, The UK recorded over a hundred thousand cases in 24 hours, the highest number of cases since the pandemic began.

Omicron: The UK records over 100,000 COVID-19 cases for the first time in the last 24 hours

A laboratory in the Czech Republic has discovered a new strain of the coronavirus, biologist Omar Sery said on Twitter.

"Thanks to the sequencing of samples from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, our laboratory discovered a hitherto undescribed mutation of the spike protein," Sery said, employed at the Elisabeth Pharmacon lab, on Sunday.

The epidemiologist explained that the new mutation does not appear to be more contagious, and Covid-19 vaccines should be effective against it.

"Fortunately, the mutation is in a position that should not affect the binding of antibodies or cellular receptors," Sery said on Twitter.

The Czech Republic has confirmed over 1.5 million coronavirus cases. More than 173,000 are current active cases. The country's Covid-19 death toll stands at 24,800.

A laboratory in the Czech Republic has discovered a new strain of the coronavirus, biologist Omar Sery said on Twitter. "Thanks to the sequencing of samples from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, our laboratory discovered a hitherto undescribed mutation of the spike protein," Sery said, employed at the Elisabeth Pharmacon lab, on Sunday.

A laboratory in the Czech Republic has discovered a new strain of the coronavirus, biologist Omar Sery said on Twitter. "Thanks to the sequencing of samples from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, our laboratory discovered a hitherto undescribed mutation of the spike protein," Sery said, employed at the Elisabeth Pharmacon lab, on Sunday. The epidemiologist explained that the new mutation does not appear to be more contagious, and Covid-19 vaccines should be effective against it. "Fortunately, the mutation is in a position that should not affect the binding of antibodies or cellular receptors," Sery said on Twitter. The Czech Republic has confirmed over 1.5 million coronavirus cases. More than 173,000 are current active cases. The country's Covid-19 death toll stands at 24,800.

Czech lab discovers new coronavirus mutation

There are a few perils attached with being a pro-China lawmaker in a room full of honest speakers. First, you get hurt at the slightest mention of the most popular name given to the deadly virus of the year. And second, you walk out - virtually, because, virus.

By that measure, Hong Kong's Executive Council member Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee cannot be really blamed for her (over)reaction at the WION Global Summit on Wednesday.

The audience at the summit were in for a surprise when the mention of "Wuhan virus" rattled Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee&nbsp;so much that she staged a walkout from the session -- when&nbsp;Michael Tsai, former defence minister of Taiwan, was speaking at the summit's second session&nbsp;The Post-Pandemic World Order.

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Hong Kong's Executive Council member <a href="https://twitter.com/ReginaIplau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ReginaIplau</a> stages a walk-out at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> after objecting to the term 'Wuhan Virus'. 
 
Watch the full clip below. <a href="https://t.co/CAwKAqW6bA">pic.twitter.com/CAwKAqW6bA</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374661013610532864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Regina had started with a broadside against the West for not paying enough attention to the outbreak of Sars-CoV2.

"We in Hong Kong are lucky because the number of cases are relatively low. In fact we had done pretty well initially and then, we suffered the second and the third wave. We have effectively curbed the spread of the virus. The pandemic led to leadership crisis, especially by the developed region, like the US and Europe. First, Trump refused to believe it was a pandemic. And that's why we still have a lot of Americans&nbsp;who think Covid-19 is a hoax," she said.

"The so-called leaders of the free world are not helping the other part of the world by helping them with vaccines. China is helping with vaccines while Russia is sharing the technology. Because of this lack of leadership and cooperation, it will take long before we can overcome this pandemic."

The mood was set. It was anti-West&nbsp;and pro-China.

But then came Tsai,&nbsp;who started with a bang. His first sentence had the words ''Wuhan Virus'', enough to rattle the otherwise composed Regina.

"Let me begin how nations failed in this pandemic -&nbsp;Covid-19 or you may call it the Wuhan virus..." Tsai began.

Regina interrupted, "I beg your pardon. I don't think you should refer to the virus as Wuhan virus. I'll leave this talk if you again use this term."

Tsai conceded defeat. And chose another way to put forth his thoughts.

He said, "Taiwan as a nation....."

Regina interrupted again, "I am sorry I'll have to leave this talk. Taiwan is not a nation. It's a renegade province of the People's Republic of China..."

That was all for her. She stood up and began to walk.

WION Executive Editor&nbsp;Palki Sharma&nbsp;requested her to stay, but she left, as Tsai smiled and continued.

The walkout, however, did not stop Tsai from speaking his mind.

"To talk about China, I think China has to take the responsibility for not informing about the pandemic in time. I would suggest that the WHO has to do a little bit more. I appeal that China has to respect human rights. Everyone in the world has to have concern for human rights in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang. We would also appeal to China and the Communist leadership in Beijing to stop their aggression towards Taiwan, Japan, etc in the South China Sea."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/respect-human-rights-and-dignities-taiwans-former-defence-minister-to-china-at-wion-global-summit-372787">Also read |&nbsp;'Respect human rights and dignities': Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China at WION Global Summit</a>

"Why China has to do that? Setting up missile against those countries? China sends their fighter jets almost everyday and their submarines in the South China Sea are causing disturbance in the Asia Pacific, and therefore, we appeal to China to stop their missile, threatening the countries in the region."

The novel coronavirus is believed to have originated in Wuhan in China, and people - loathing on Beijing for not doing enough to stop the spread of the virus - have since been calling it the 'Wuhan virus', much to the chagrin of the Chinese.

The WHO also recently conducted a probe to find out more about the origins of the virus, but did not give any satisfactory reasoning for its&nbsp;rapid spread.

The deadly virus has so far infected almost 125 million people across the world, killed over 2.5 million and has cost the world as many as $16 trillion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-wion-global-summit-leaders-make-way-for-bidens-peace-initiatives-372783">Also read |&nbsp;At WION Global Summit, leaders make way for Biden's peace initiatives</a>

&nbsp;

There are a few perils attached with being a pro-China lawmaker in a room full of honest speakers. First, you get hurt at the slightest mention of the most popular name given to the deadly virus of the year.

There are a few perils attached with being a pro-China lawmaker in a room full of honest speakers. First, you get hurt at the slightest mention of the most popular name given to the deadly virus of the year. And second, you walk out - virtually, because, virus. By that measure, Hong Kong's Executive Council member Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee cannot be really blamed for her (over)reaction at the WION Global Summit on Wednesday. The audience at the summit were in for a surprise when the mention of "Wuhan virus" rattled Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee so much that she staged a walkout from the session -- when Michael Tsai, former defence minister of Taiwan, was speaking at the summit's second session The Post-Pandemic World Order. Hong Kong's Executive Council member @ReginaIplau stages a walk-out at #WIONGlobalSummit after objecting to the term 'Wuhan Virus'. Watch the full clip below. pic.twitter.com/CAwKAqW6bA — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × Regina had started with a broadside against the West for not paying enough attention to the outbreak of Sars-CoV2. "We in Hong Kong are lucky because the number of cases are relatively low. In fact we had done pretty well initially and then, we suffered the second and the third wave. We have effectively curbed the spread of the virus. The pandemic led to leadership crisis, especially by the developed region, like the US and Europe. First, Trump refused to believe it was a pandemic. And that's why we still have a lot of Americans who think Covid-19 is a hoax," she said. "The so-called leaders of the free world are not helping the other part of the world by helping them with vaccines. China is helping with vaccines while Russia is sharing the technology. Because of this lack of leadership and cooperation, it will take long before we can overcome this pandemic." The mood was set. It was anti-West and pro-China. But then came Tsai, who started with a bang. His first sentence had the words ''Wuhan Virus'', enough to rattle the otherwise composed Regina. "Let me begin how nations failed in this pandemic - Covid-19 or you may call it the Wuhan virus..." Tsai began. Regina interrupted, "I beg your pardon. I don't think you should refer to the virus as Wuhan virus. I'll leave this talk if you again use this term." Tsai conceded defeat. And chose another way to put forth his thoughts. He said, "Taiwan as a nation....." Regina interrupted again, "I am sorry I'll have to leave this talk. Taiwan is not a nation. It's a renegade province of the People's Republic of China..." That was all for her. She stood up and began to walk. WION Executive Editor Palki Sharma requested her to stay, but she left, as Tsai smiled and continued. The walkout, however, did not stop Tsai from speaking his mind. "To talk about China, I think China has to take the responsibility for not informing about the pandemic in time. I would suggest that the WHO has to do a little bit more. I appeal that China has to respect human rights. Everyone in the world has to have concern for human rights in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang. We would also appeal to China and the Communist leadership in Beijing to stop their aggression towards Taiwan, Japan, etc in the South China Sea." Also read | 'Respect human rights and dignities': Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China at WION Global Summit "Why China has to do that? Setting up missile against those countries? China sends their fighter jets almost everyday and their submarines in the South China Sea are causing disturbance in the Asia Pacific, and therefore, we appeal to China to stop their missile, threatening the countries in the region." The novel coronavirus is believed to have originated in Wuhan in China, and people - loathing on Beijing for not doing enough to stop the spread of the virus - have since been calling it the 'Wuhan virus', much to the chagrin of the Chinese. The WHO also recently conducted a probe to find out more about the origins of the virus, but did not give any satisfactory reasoning for its rapid spread. The deadly virus has so far infected almost 125 million people across the world, killed over 2.5 million and has cost the world as many as $16 trillion. Also read | At WION Global Summit, leaders make way for Biden's peace initiatives

'Wuhan virus' and the travails of being a pro-China Hong Kong lawmaker

Viruses similar to the strain that causes Covid-19 can survive on commonly-worn fabrics for up to three days, a new research has found.

For the study, scientists at De Montfort University in Leicester looked at how coronavirus behaves on three fabrics commonly used in the healthcare industry.

Researchers said the materials, commonly used in healthcare uniforms, posed a transmission risk. The results showed polyester posed the highest transmission risk, with the virus still present after three days and with the ability to transfer to other surfaces.

On 100% cotton, the virus lasted for 24 hours, while on polycotton, the virus only survived for six hours.

The study saw droplets of a model coronavirus called HCoV-OC43, which has a very similar structure and survival pattern to that of SARS-CoV-2, added to polyester, polycotton and 100% cotton, BBC reported.

The scientists then monitored the stability of the virus on each material for 72 hours.

The study also looked at the most reliable wash method for removing the virus from 100% cotton fabric. Only when detergent was used and the temperature increased to above 67°C was the virus was completely eliminated.

The study also found there was no risk of cross-contamination when clean items were washed with those that had traces of the virus on.

(with inputs)

Viruses similar to the strain that causes Covid-19 can survive on commonly-worn fabrics for up to three days, a new research has found. For the study, scientists at De Montfort University in Leicester looked at how coronavirus behaves on three fabrics commonly used in the healthcare industry.

Viruses similar to the strain that causes Covid-19 can survive on commonly-worn fabrics for up to three days, a new research has found. For the study, scientists at De Montfort University in Leicester looked at how coronavirus behaves on three fabrics commonly used in the healthcare industry. Researchers said the materials, commonly used in healthcare uniforms, posed a transmission risk. The results showed polyester posed the highest transmission risk, with the virus still present after three days and with the ability to transfer to other surfaces. On 100% cotton, the virus lasted for 24 hours, while on polycotton, the virus only survived for six hours. The study saw droplets of a model coronavirus called HCoV-OC43, which has a very similar structure and survival pattern to that of SARS-CoV-2, added to polyester, polycotton and 100% cotton, BBC reported. The scientists then monitored the stability of the virus on each material for 72 hours. The study also looked at the most reliable wash method for removing the virus from 100% cotton fabric. Only when detergent was used and the temperature increased to above 67°C was the virus was completely eliminated. The study also found there was no risk of cross-contamination when clean items were washed with those that had traces of the virus on. (with inputs)

Coronavirus survives three days on fabric, study finds

The novel coronavirus has, of late, gained an ability to mutate. And has become a bane for the entire human race.

It's the 29th of January, and a total of 58 countries have reported mutated strains of the virus.

In Brazil, researchers have discovered patients with two different strains of the virus.

In the United States, first cases of the South Africa strain have been discovered. And in the United Kingdom, experts say, the vaccine may not be that effective on foreign strains.

The mutations are spreading, and infections are rising. And new challenges are emerging with each passing day.

Here's a report.

BRAZIL

In Brazil, researchers have discovered patients with two different strains of the virus. The patients -- both in their 30s were infected -- with the first variant in November.

They have simultaneously tested postive for the second variant.

The symptoms were mild, and the patients did not require hospitalisation. But scientists say the cases underscore the many variants that could be circulating in Brazil.

They add their co-existence in the same body could speed-up mutations of other variants.

USA

In the United States, cases of the South Africa variant have been detected for the first time. They were reported in two adults from South Carolina -- with no travel history and no connection to each other.

The cases have put the focus on America's capacity to detect emerging strains.

Health experts are worried -- they are asking americans to be more vigilant.

Dr Brannon Traxler, South Carolina Interim Director of Public Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), to this end, said, "The arrival of Covid-19, of any variant in South Carolina, including this one, is yet another reminder that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over and we all must be more vigilant about taking the prevention steps that we know work."

BRITAIN

In the United Kingdom, Novavax has declared that its vaccine is 89 per cent effective on the highly contagious 
variant detected in the country. But the South African strain is also spreading in the UK.

Notably, the vaccine is not really effective when it comes to this strain.

Paul Heath, chief investigator of the UK Novavax trial from St George's, University of London, to this end, said, "Now, not quite as effective as it is against the UK variant and it may therefore mean that modifying the spike protein or indeed adding a separate component to the vaccine will now be considered and Novavax are now doing that, and that may be the answer to deal completely with, for example, the South African variant."

As the coronavirus continues to mutate, many virologists are looking at ways to help them get ahead of the virus. And we shall wait.

The novel coronavirus has, of late, gained an ability to mutate. And has become a bane for the entire human race. It's the 29th of January, and a total of 58 countries have reported mutated strains of the virus.

The novel coronavirus has, of late, gained an ability to mutate. And has become a bane for the entire human race. It's the 29th of January, and a total of 58 countries have reported mutated strains of the virus. In Brazil, researchers have discovered patients with two different strains of the virus. In the United States, first cases of the South Africa strain have been discovered. And in the United Kingdom, experts say, the vaccine may not be that effective on foreign strains. The mutations are spreading, and infections are rising. And new challenges are emerging with each passing day. Here's a report. BRAZIL In Brazil, researchers have discovered patients with two different strains of the virus. The patients -- both in their 30s were infected -- with the first variant in November. They have simultaneously tested postive for the second variant. The symptoms were mild, and the patients did not require hospitalisation. But scientists say the cases underscore the many variants that could be circulating in Brazil. They add their co-existence in the same body could speed-up mutations of other variants. USA In the United States, cases of the South Africa variant have been detected for the first time. They were reported in two adults from South Carolina -- with no travel history and no connection to each other. The cases have put the focus on America's capacity to detect emerging strains. Health experts are worried -- they are asking americans to be more vigilant. Dr Brannon Traxler, South Carolina Interim Director of Public Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), to this end, said, "The arrival of Covid-19, of any variant in South Carolina, including this one, is yet another reminder that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over and we all must be more vigilant about taking the prevention steps that we know work." BRITAIN In the United Kingdom, Novavax has declared that its vaccine is 89 per cent effective on the highly contagious variant detected in the country. But the South African strain is also spreading in the UK. Notably, the vaccine is not really effective when it comes to this strain. Paul Heath, chief investigator of the UK Novavax trial from St George's, University of London, to this end, said, "Now, not quite as effective as it is against the UK variant and it may therefore mean that modifying the spike protein or indeed adding a separate component to the vaccine will now be considered and Novavax are now doing that, and that may be the answer to deal completely with, for example, the South African variant." As the coronavirus continues to mutate, many virologists are looking at ways to help them get ahead of the virus. And we shall wait.

How coronavirus mutations are changing the pandemic

The novel coronavirus was reportedly found on ice cream produced in eastern China. This has prompted a recall of cartons from the same batch. Most of the 29,000 cartons in the batch had yet to be sold.

There was, however, no indication anyone had contracted the virus from the ice cream. The Daqiaodao Food Co., Ltd. in Tianjin was still sealed and its employees were being tested for the coronavirus, a city government statement said.&nbsp;

The Independent reported that over 1,600 employees of Tianjin Daqiaodao Food Company have been placed under quarantine and are being tested for Covid-19. Of them, the test results of 700 employees have come negative.

The city of Tianjin falls adjacent to Beijing.

The government said 390 cartons sold in Tianjin were being tracked down and authorities elsewhere were notified of sales to their areas. The ingredients included New Zealand milk powder and whey powder from Ukraine.

The authorities say that the coronavirus survived in ice cream because of the cold temperature. They say the virus reached the ice cream through an infected person.

The Chinese government has anyway always suggested Covid-19, first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, came from abroad, and did not originate in their country.

Meanwhile, Mainland China reported 109 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday, two-thirds of them in a northern province, and no deaths.

China's death toll stands at 4,653 out of 88,227 total cases.

The novel coronavirus was reportedly found on ice cream produced in eastern China. This has prompted a recall of cartons from the same batch. Most of the 29,000 cartons in the batch had yet to be sold.

The novel coronavirus was reportedly found on ice cream produced in eastern China. This has prompted a recall of cartons from the same batch. Most of the 29,000 cartons in the batch had yet to be sold. There was, however, no indication anyone had contracted the virus from the ice cream. The Daqiaodao Food Co., Ltd. in Tianjin was still sealed and its employees were being tested for the coronavirus, a city government statement said. The Independent reported that over 1,600 employees of Tianjin Daqiaodao Food Company have been placed under quarantine and are being tested for Covid-19. Of them, the test results of 700 employees have come negative. The city of Tianjin falls adjacent to Beijing. The government said 390 cartons sold in Tianjin were being tracked down and authorities elsewhere were notified of sales to their areas. The ingredients included New Zealand milk powder and whey powder from Ukraine. The authorities say that the coronavirus survived in ice cream because of the cold temperature. They say the virus reached the ice cream through an infected person. The Chinese government has anyway always suggested Covid-19, first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019, came from abroad, and did not originate in their country. Meanwhile, Mainland China reported 109 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday, two-thirds of them in a northern province, and no deaths. China's death toll stands at 4,653 out of 88,227 total cases.

City in China reports coronavirus found on ice cream, thousands of boxes seized

New strain now wreaking havoc across the world. While children have mostly been safe from the virus all this, while this new mutation is more likely to infect them, according to experts.

'Children more likely to contract the new strain of novel coronavirus', says WHO

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world.

The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday said it detected and isolated the living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen cod(large marine fish) in Qingdao.

No new clusters of cases were, however, found after the tests conducted on about 11 million population of Qingdao, where a new cluster of COVID-19 cases were reported recently.

The finding was made during an investigation to trace the source of recent infections reported in the city. It has proved that contact with packaging contaminated by living novel coronavirus could lead to infection.

It is the first time in the world that living novel coronavirus has been isolated from the outer packaging of cold-chain food, the statement said.

Xinhua news agency said the risk of cold-chain food circulating in China's market being contaminated by the novel coronavirus is very low, citing recent nucleic acid test results for samples taken from the business.

A total of 2.98 million samples had been tested across the country's 24 provincial-level regions by September 15, including 670,000 taken from cold-chain food or food packaging, 1.24 million from working staff and 1.07 million from the environment.

Only 22 samples from cold-chain food or food packaging tested positive for the virus, the CDC said.

In July, China suspended imports of frozen shrimp after the deadly virus was found on packages and the inner wall of a container.

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world.

China has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao. The country's health authority described this as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday said it detected and isolated the living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen cod(large marine fish) in Qingdao. No new clusters of cases were, however, found after the tests conducted on about 11 million population of Qingdao, where a new cluster of COVID-19 cases were reported recently. The finding was made during an investigation to trace the source of recent infections reported in the city. It has proved that contact with packaging contaminated by living novel coronavirus could lead to infection. It is the first time in the world that living novel coronavirus has been isolated from the outer packaging of cold-chain food, the statement said. Xinhua news agency said the risk of cold-chain food circulating in China's market being contaminated by the novel coronavirus is very low, citing recent nucleic acid test results for samples taken from the business. A total of 2.98 million samples had been tested across the country's 24 provincial-level regions by September 15, including 670,000 taken from cold-chain food or food packaging, 1.24 million from working staff and 1.07 million from the environment. Only 22 samples from cold-chain food or food packaging tested positive for the virus, the CDC said. In July, China suspended imports of frozen shrimp after the deadly virus was found on packages and the inner wall of a container.

Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging for the first time in China

China said on Wednesday that US&nbsp;Health Secretary Alex Azar has performed the "worst in the world" in controlling the novel coronavirus, rejecting criticism of China made by Azar during a three-day trip to Taiwan this week.

Azar attacked China's response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday saying that if such an outbreak had emerged in Taiwan or the United States it could have been "snuffed out easily".

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing the epidemic in the United States was "out of control" and the blame lay with Azar.

"He ignored millions of Americans suffering from the virus and went to Taiwan to put on a political show," Zhao said.

"His behaviour proves once again that in the eyes of US&nbsp;politicians, American lives mean nothing when compared with their selfish political gains," he said.

Azar was the highest-level US&nbsp;official visit to Taiwan in four decades and it came after a sharp deterioration of relations between the United States and China over a range of issues including trade, Hong Kong and the coronavirus.

The Trump administration has repeatedly criticised China for trying to cover up the coronavirus outbreak, first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, and prevaricating on information sharing.

China denies the accusations.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping had soured over the outbreak, and that they had not spoken in a long time.&nbsp;

China condemned his trip.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has vowed to bring it under its rule, by force if necessary. Zhao said on Wednesday that Beijing condemns any official ties between the US&nbsp;and self-governed Taiwan.

The United States has the highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the world and Trump has come under scathing attack from critics at home for not taking what he calls the "China virus" seriously enough.

China has reported 84,737 confirmed cases with 4,634 deaths.

Taiwan has been praised by health experts for its early and effective steps to control the outbreak, with only 480 infections and seven deaths. 
&nbsp;

China said on Wednesday that US Health Secretary Alex Azar has performed the "worst in the world" in controlling the novel coronavirus, rejecting criticism of China made by Azar during a three-day trip to Taiwan this week.

China said on Wednesday that US Health Secretary Alex Azar has performed the "worst in the world" in controlling the novel coronavirus, rejecting criticism of China made by Azar during a three-day trip to Taiwan this week. Azar attacked China's response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday saying that if such an outbreak had emerged in Taiwan or the United States it could have been "snuffed out easily". Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing the epidemic in the United States was "out of control" and the blame lay with Azar. "He ignored millions of Americans suffering from the virus and went to Taiwan to put on a political show," Zhao said. "His behaviour proves once again that in the eyes of US politicians, American lives mean nothing when compared with their selfish political gains," he said. Azar was the highest-level US official visit to Taiwan in four decades and it came after a sharp deterioration of relations between the United States and China over a range of issues including trade, Hong Kong and the coronavirus. The Trump administration has repeatedly criticised China for trying to cover up the coronavirus outbreak, first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, and prevaricating on information sharing. China denies the accusations. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping had soured over the outbreak, and that they had not spoken in a long time. China condemned his trip. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has vowed to bring it under its rule, by force if necessary. Zhao said on Wednesday that Beijing condemns any official ties between the US and self-governed Taiwan. The United States has the highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the world and Trump has come under scathing attack from critics at home for not taking what he calls the "China virus" seriously enough. China has reported 84,737 confirmed cases with 4,634 deaths. Taiwan has been praised by health experts for its early and effective steps to control the outbreak, with only 480 infections and seven deaths.

China denounces US health chief's criticism over virus as 'political show'

Novel coronavirus was found in the packaging of imported frozen seafood that arrived from the port city of Dalian, China, a Reuters report said quoting a local government on Tuesday.

Novel coronavirus was found in the packaging of imported frozen seafood that arrived from the port city of Dalian, China, a Reuters report said quoting a local government on Tuesday. Dalian recently battled a surge of coronavirus cases. The virus was found on the outer packaging of frozen seafood bought by three companies in Yantai, a port city in eastern Shandong province, the report added. The Yantai city government said in a statement the seafood was from an imported shipment that landed at Dalian but did not say where it originated. Also read: China stands accused of manufacturing the COVID-19 virus In July, customs officers in Dalian, a major port in the northeastern province of Liaoning, found the coronavirus in the packaging of frozen shrimps imported from Ecuador, following wich China suspended imports from three Ecuadorean shrimp producers. The novel coronavirus is believed to have emerged in a market that sold seafood and wildlife in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. It has since spread around the world, causing thousand of fatalities and a major economic contraction. Some of the seafood that the three Yantai companies bought had been processed for export, while the rest had been kept in cold storage and has not entered the market, the Yantai government said. Also read: China's war on Wuhan virus has a new foe: Second wave of COVID-19 When asked if any of the processed seafood had been exported, a member of staff at a coronavirus outbreak response unit in Yantai declined to elaborate, referring Reuters to the Yantai city government statement. Authorities had sealed off the goods, the city government said. Everyone who handled the goods was under quarantine and have tested negative for the coronavirus, it said. The latest outbreak of coronavirus in Dalian city started in late July, with the first case working at a seafood processing company. By Aug. 9, Dalian has reported a total of 92 cases. (With inputs from Reuters)

Novel coronavirus found on frozen seafood in China

Sri Lanka's ruling party Sunday cancelled all rallies ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections and delayed the international airport's reopening over a surge in virus cases, reported news agency AFP.

Sri Lanka's ruling party Sunday cancelled all rallies ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections and delayed the international airport's reopening over a surge in virus cases, reported news agency AFP. The South Asian country of 21 million lifted its coronavirus lockdown in late June after declaring there was no longer any community spread of the virus. But a surge in cases last week, including an outbreak at a drug rehabilitation centre last week that saw 253 patients test positive in a single night. "All public meetings where the president and the prime minister were due to attend today, tomorrow and the day after have been cancelled," President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party said in a statement. Rajapaksa's brother Mahinda is the country's prime minister. The party said all their candidates were also told to call off upcoming public gatherings ahead of the August 5 poll. Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said Sunday the international airport, which authorities had planned to reopen on August 1, would remain closed. "We have decided in the interest of safety and well-being of our citizens to put off the reopening of airports," he said. A repatriation programme that has brought home some 12,000 Sri Lankans from overseas so far would also be suspended, Ranatunga added. The elections were to be held on April 25, but were postponed twice before being rescheduled for August. The country has reported 2,605 cases with 11 deaths so far.

Sri Lanka cancels election rallies over surge in new virus cases

Iran said on Saturday that it ''cannot afford'' to shut down its sanction-hit economy despite record-high coronavirus death tolls and rising infections, according to AFP.

Iran said on Saturday that it ''cannot afford'' to shut down its sanction-hit economy despite record-high coronavirus death tolls and rising infections, according to AFP. Iran must continue "economic, social and cultural activities while observing health protocols", the report stated President Hassan Rouhani as saying during a televised virus taskforce meeting. "The simplest solution is to close down all activities, (but) the next day, people would come out to protest the (resulting) chaos, hunger, hardship and pressure," he added. Also read: Iran reports highest surge in COVID-19 cases in nearly two months The Islamic republic has been struggling since late February to contain the outbreak, the deadliest in the Middle East. Health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari reported Saturday that 188 people had died from the respiratory disease in the past 24 hours, raising the overall toll to 12,635. Iran's daily COVID-19 death toll has topped 100 since around mid-June, with a record single-day tally of 221 reported on Thursday. Lari also raised the country's caseload to 255,117, with 2,397 new infections recorded. Also read: Wedding party in Iran fuelled fresh surge in coronavirus cases, says Rouhani The outbreak's rising toll has prompted authorities to make wearing masks mandatory in enclosed public spaces and to allow the hardest-hit provinces to reimpose restrictive measures. Iran closed schools, cancelled public events and banned movement between its 31 provinces in March, but Rouhani's government progressively lifted restrictions from April to reopen its sanctions-hit economy. Iran has suffered a sharp economic downturn after US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear agreement in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions. The International Monetary Fund predicts Iran's economy will shrink by six percent this year. "It is not possible to keep businesses and economic activities shut down in the long-term," Rouhani said, emphasising that "the people will not accept this". Health Minister Said Namaki warned on Wednesday of a potential "revolt over poverty" and blamed US sanctions for the government's "empty coffers". (With inputs from AFP)

Cannot afford to shut down economy despite worsening virus outbreak: Iran

A team from WHO (World Health Organisation) will visit China next week to investigate the origins of the virus and its spread to human beings. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke in January about an agreement with China for sending a team of international experts "as soon as possible" to work on increasing the understanding of the outbreak.

A team from WHO (World Health Organisation) will visit China next week to investigate the origins of the virus and its spread to human beings. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke in January about an agreement with China for sending a team of international experts "as soon as possible" to work on increasing the understanding of the outbreak. The novel coronavirus has killed over 500,000 people in the world and cases and deaths are increasing by the day. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, WHO told news agency ANI that a "thorough investigation" needs to be done into the origins of the virus. She said that the WHO has been working with the Chinese government for the visit. "A team is going to China next week to investigate the origins of the virus," Swaminathan told ANI. "What is needed now is a good investigation going back before December to find out where and how it jumped from animal to human. Was there any intermediate animal or not or it directly jumped from bat to humans which are also possible? Bats have been implicated in other viral diseases -- Nipah for example. It is possible it came directly. It is also possible that there was an intermediate animal-like in the case of SARS. That thorough investigation still needs to be done," she said. Dr Swaminathan said that the Chinese government had reported an outbreak of "typical pneumonia cases" from Wuhan on December 31. "Our WHO country office in China picked it up and on January 1, WHO activated its international mechanisms which we do as part of international health regulations whenever there's any new signal gets reported. It is conveyed to everyone so that the whole world knows about it," she said. Dr Swaminathan said that sequences show that the virus causing COVID-19 is very similar to bat viruses. "We do not know more than that in the sense where and how it originated. We know from the virus sequences that it is very similar to bat viruses. A lot of studies have been done in South-East Asia to show that bats have lots of coronaviruses. There are over 500 types of coronaviruses. There are also previous studies showing that populations living in southern China and even in other countries of South-East Asia have antibodies to coronaviruses," she said. The pandemic has grown to more than 10 million cases and has caused over 500,000 deaths across the world. (With inputs from ANI)

WHO team to visit China next week to probe origins of coronavirus

India records highest single day spike of nearly 20,000 coronavirus cases, 410 deaths India on Sunday recorded the highest single day spike of 19,906 novel coronavirus cases and 410 COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours.

India records highest single day spike of nearly 20,000 coronavirus cases, 410 deaths India on Sunday recorded the highest single day spike of 19,906 novel coronavirus cases and 410 COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours. India's total number of positive cases stand at 5,28,859 including 2,03,051 active cases, 3,09,713 cured/discharged/migrated and 16,095 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Also read: COVID 19: India crosses 5 lakh mark with highest single-day spike of 18,552 cases This is the first time since the pandemic hit India, the country has reported more than 19,000 fresh infections in a single day. India is the fourth worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States, Brazil and Russia. India crossed 5 lakh coronavirus cases on Saturday with Maharashtra and Delhi worst affected by the virus. An inexpensive, widely used steroid dexamethasone was included in the treatment protocols for COVID-19 patients in moderate to severe stages of illness among other therapeutic measures by the Union health ministry on Saturday.

India records highest single day  spike of nearly 20,000 coronavirus cases, 410 deaths

Bus travel in Myanmar has gone from cramped seats to first-class, private pod seating, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. As a social-distancing measure, local bus operator JJ Express has introduced cubicles in dozens of its buses where long-distance travellers sit with minimized contagion risk behind closed aluminum doors.

Myanmar bus launches private pod seats to discourage virus spread

Madrid-based Colombian actress and puppeteer Yohana Yara has been using her time in lockdown filming puppet shows on her balcony and creating an online fan base for her characters. She created a YouTube channel for her show "Leo the Lion and his Friends".

Locked-down puppeteer brings her characters to life in Madrid flat

As Chile reels from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, at least one business there is booming - the production of coffins. Coffin manufacturers are boosting production twice or three times over in a bid to keep pace with demand.

Coffin makers struggle to meet demand in Chile

One gym owner in Southern California found a unique solution to reopening during the pandemic: "workout pods" made from pipes and shower curtains.

California gym reopens with 'workout pods'

Inspired by the ghouls and monsters he usually encounters in his line of work, Filipino prosthetic makeup artist Rene Abelardo is warding off the coronavirus with style.

Philippine SFX makeup artist wards off virus with horror-inspired masks

A mobile barbershop in Myanmar is attempting to trim coronavirus fears by going door-to-door, offering customers haircuts at their doorsteps.

Myanmar barbershop on wheels trims virus worries by going door-to-door

Spain's Alhambra palace and fortress complex, considered Europe's jewel of Moorish architecture, reopened to visitors in Granada, southern Spain, on Wednesday (June 17) after being shut for three months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The Alhambra, Spain's jewel of Moorish architecture, reopens after three months

Electric bikes are starting to fill bike lanes in Paris as many commuters wary of taking the metro in the post-coronavirus lockdown period have resorted to two-wheel transport.

Paris sees spike in e-bike sales as virus lockdown winds down

After the coronavirus outbreak prompted the normally bustling streets of Mexico City to empty out, out-of-work musicians looking to make ends meet have been filling roadways with the melodies of their marimbas, trumpets and güiros.

Mexican street musicians bring melodies to people stuck at home

Forget hydroxychloroquine. Try tea of jambu, also know as the toothache plant, that villagers in the eastern Amazon believe will help you keep new coronavirus at bay.

Amazon villagers take herbal tea to fight COVID-19

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