Wearing black attire, the flamenco, salsa, ballet, tap and even hip-hop dancers sat on the square in front of the Catalan regional government building and broke out into different dances demanding that they be allowed to teach and practice again.

Spanish dance schools protest virus restrictions

Spanish forward Alvaro Morata and midfielder Koke earned an international call up for their good performances in recent matches for their respective clubs. Spain will play a friendly against the Netherlands and Nations League games with Germany and Switzerland.

Spanish forward Alvaro Morata and midfielder Koke earned an international call up for their good performances in recent matches for their respective clubs. Spain will play a friendly against the Netherlands and Nations League games with Germany and Switzerland. Koke's uncapped Atletico team-mate Marcos Llorente was also selected by coach Luis Enrique as was goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga despite losing his place in the Chelsea team. Morata has been in a great form since returning to Juventus on loan from Atletico. the 28-year-old has scored six times in seven appearances. Last time he donned Spain's red jersey was back in November 2019. "Since he has returned to Juventus, you can see a different player," said Luis Enrique. "His numbers indicate it, with improved displays, so it's a pleasure to have Alvaro again. "In terms of confidence, in terms of what he does and his performances, (the current Morata) is much better than the previous one." Spain squad Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United/ENG), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea/ENG), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao) Defenders: Sergi Roberto (Barcelona), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Pau Torres (Villarreal), Inigo Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), Jose Gaya (Valencia), Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham/ENG), Eric Garcia (Manchester City/ENG) Midfielders: Fabian Ruiz (Napoli/ITA), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City/ENG), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Koke, Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Sergio Canales (Betis) Forwards: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig/GER), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ansu Fati (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Manchester City/ENG), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal), Adama Traore (Wolves/ENG), Alvaro Morata (Juventus/ITA) (Inputs from AFP)

Spain announces its squad for upcoming fixtures: Morata earns a call-up

Climate change activists and members of the Extinction Rebellion group took to the streets on Wednesday (November 4) to demand the protection of biodiversity.

Extinction Rebellion activists glue themselves to ground, demand biodiversity protection

The United States on Saturday recorded the world's highest daily COVID-19 cases with over 1 lakh new cases recorded in the country.&nbsp;

The exact cases count in the United States stood at 9,158,275 as of Sunday. The number of confirmed virus-related death reached 230,732, according to data provided by John Hopkins University.

The global count of confirmed coronavirus cases has surpassed 46 million on Sunday, according to data provided by the University.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. The biggest number of cases so far have been registered in the United States, India, and Brazil.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States on Saturday recorded the world's highest daily COVID-19 cases with over 1 lakh new cases recorded in the country. The exact cases count in the United States stood at 9,158,275 as of Sunday.

The United States on Saturday recorded the world's highest daily COVID-19 cases with over 1 lakh new cases recorded in the country. The exact cases count in the United States stood at 9,158,275 as of Sunday. The number of confirmed virus-related death reached 230,732, according to data provided by John Hopkins University. The global count of confirmed coronavirus cases has surpassed 46 million on Sunday, according to data provided by the University. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. The biggest number of cases so far have been registered in the United States, India, and Brazil. (With inputs from agencies)

US records world's highest daily COVID-19 cases

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 46 million people, with 12 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 46,312,467 confirmed coronavirus cases.

The death count has also surged to 1,198,000.

The US, the worst-hit country, has 9,158,275 cases. It is followed by India, which has 8,184,082.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 46 million people, with 12 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019.

The deadly Covid-19 across the world has now infected more than 46 million people, with 12 lakh people succumbing to the virus that was first reported in late December 2019. According to Johns Hopkins University, the world has witnessed a total of 46,312,467 confirmed coronavirus cases. The death count has also surged to 1,198,000. The US, the worst-hit country, has 9,158,275 cases. It is followed by India, which has 8,184,082. The World Health Organization (WHO) had declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. (With inputs from agencies)

Global coronavirus cases exceed 46 million; death toll at 1,198,000

A team of doctors from the Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under the AYUSH Ministry has found that Ayurveda interventions like Ayush kwatha and Fifatrol tablets can be effective in treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 infection in a "very short period" with "complete regression of symptoms".

Use of four Ayurveda interventions-- Ayush kwatha, Sanshamanivati, Fifatrol tablets and Laxmivilasa rasa not only improved the condition of COVID-19 patient but also turned the rapid antigen test negative within six days of treatment, according to a case report published in the journal of AIIA -- ''Ayurved Case Report'' in October.

Presently, there is no specific cure for the disease that has infected over 44.7 million people and claimed 1.17 million lives world over.

Citing the case of a 30-year-old male health worker infected with coronavirus, the report said his infection was managed with Samshamana therapy that included oral administration of Ayush kwatha, Sanshamani vati, Fifatrol tablets, and Laxmivilasa rasa.

The patient, a resident of Delhi, after testing positive for COVID-19 was advised home quarantine.He reported with predominantly moderate symptoms of the infection, and the management approach was personalised and holistic in nature incorporating diet, lifestyle, and Samshamana aushadha (pacifying treatment) along with Satvavajaya chikitsa (psychotherapy).

"The mentioned treatment plan was effective in the symptomatic relief (fever, dyspnea, anorexia, fatigue, anosmia, and dysgeusia) as well as in the resolution of viral load, as the patient tested negative in the RAD for COVID-19 within six days of intervention and RT-PCR test was also done on day 16, which was reported negative," the study said.

Herbal drug Fifatrol developed by AIMIL Pharmaceutical helps fight infection, flu and cold. It has immunity strengthening herbs like guduchi, sanjeevini ghanvati, daruharidra, apamarga, chirayata, karanja, kutaki, tulsi, godanti (bhasam), mrityunjaya rasa, tribhuvana kriti rasa and sanjivani vati.

Ayush Kwatha is a combination of four medicinal herbs commonly used in every Indian kitchen - basil leaves (tulsi), cinnamon bark (dalchini), Zingiber officinale (sunthi), and krishna marich (Piper nigrum).

Sanshamani Vati (also called guduchi ghana vati) is an ayurvedic herbal formulation used for all types of fevers.

Laxmivilas Ras is a traditional herbomineral medicine that mainly contains Abhrak Bhasma and cures cough, cold and rhinitis. It soothes the throat and sinuses.

The report has been authored by Dr Sisir Kumar Mandal, Dr Meenakshi Sharma, Dr Charu Sharma, Dr Shalini Rai and Dr Anand More from the AIIA.

"The present case study proved the efficacy of Ayurveda interventions in mild-to-moderate case of COVID-19 infection in a very short period with complete regression of symptoms," the report said.

“The treatment was personalised, holistic, and purely based on Ayurvedic principles, and no conventional medicines were used. With this case study, it can be inferred that Ayurveda has vast potential to address COVID-19 and such other pandemics; a large sample-sized, multi-center randomized and controlled clinical studies are the need of the hour," the report added.

A team of doctors from the Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under the AYUSH Ministry has found that Ayurveda interventions like Ayush kwatha and Fifatrol tablets can be effective in treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 infection in a "very short period" with "complete regression of symptoms".

A team of doctors from the Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under the AYUSH Ministry has found that Ayurveda interventions like Ayush kwatha and Fifatrol tablets can be effective in treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 infection in a "very short period" with "complete regression of symptoms". Use of four Ayurveda interventions-- Ayush kwatha, Sanshamanivati, Fifatrol tablets and Laxmivilasa rasa not only improved the condition of COVID-19 patient but also turned the rapid antigen test negative within six days of treatment, according to a case report published in the journal of AIIA -- ''Ayurved Case Report'' in October. Presently, there is no specific cure for the disease that has infected over 44.7 million people and claimed 1.17 million lives world over. Citing the case of a 30-year-old male health worker infected with coronavirus, the report said his infection was managed with Samshamana therapy that included oral administration of Ayush kwatha, Sanshamani vati, Fifatrol tablets, and Laxmivilasa rasa. The patient, a resident of Delhi, after testing positive for COVID-19 was advised home quarantine.He reported with predominantly moderate symptoms of the infection, and the management approach was personalised and holistic in nature incorporating diet, lifestyle, and Samshamana aushadha (pacifying treatment) along with Satvavajaya chikitsa (psychotherapy). "The mentioned treatment plan was effective in the symptomatic relief (fever, dyspnea, anorexia, fatigue, anosmia, and dysgeusia) as well as in the resolution of viral load, as the patient tested negative in the RAD for COVID-19 within six days of intervention and RT-PCR test was also done on day 16, which was reported negative," the study said. Herbal drug Fifatrol developed by AIMIL Pharmaceutical helps fight infection, flu and cold. It has immunity strengthening herbs like guduchi, sanjeevini ghanvati, daruharidra, apamarga, chirayata, karanja, kutaki, tulsi, godanti (bhasam), mrityunjaya rasa, tribhuvana kriti rasa and sanjivani vati. Ayush Kwatha is a combination of four medicinal herbs commonly used in every Indian kitchen - basil leaves (tulsi), cinnamon bark (dalchini), Zingiber officinale (sunthi), and krishna marich (Piper nigrum). Sanshamani Vati (also called guduchi ghana vati) is an ayurvedic herbal formulation used for all types of fevers. Laxmivilas Ras is a traditional herbomineral medicine that mainly contains Abhrak Bhasma and cures cough, cold and rhinitis. It soothes the throat and sinuses. The report has been authored by Dr Sisir Kumar Mandal, Dr Meenakshi Sharma, Dr Charu Sharma, Dr Shalini Rai and Dr Anand More from the AIIA. "The present case study proved the efficacy of Ayurveda interventions in mild-to-moderate case of COVID-19 infection in a very short period with complete regression of symptoms," the report said. “The treatment was personalised, holistic, and purely based on Ayurvedic principles, and no conventional medicines were used. With this case study, it can be inferred that Ayurveda has vast potential to address COVID-19 and such other pandemics; a large sample-sized, multi-center randomized and controlled clinical studies are the need of the hour," the report added.

Ayurveda interventions can be effective in treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19: AIIA

Spain’s prime minister on Saturday condemned a series of violent protests in cities across the country against restrictions imposed to curb the surge of COVID-19 after a six-month state of emergency came into effect this week.

Riot police shot blank bullets to try to disperse scores of protesters who were setting fire to rubbish bins in Madrid’s main thoroughfare Gran Via.

Meanwhile, demonstrators pelted police with rocks and other projectiles in Barcelona in a second night of disturbances in Spain’s second-largest city.

In the northern Spanish city of Logroño, about 150 people attacked police with stones, set fire to containers and looted shops, police reported. Riot police were drafted in to quell disturbances in Haro, in the wine-growing region of La Rioja.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/portugal-reimposes-partial-lockdown-in-most-of-the-country-339375" hreflang="en">Portugal reimposes partial lockdown in most of the country</a>

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: “Only from responsibility, unity and sacrifice will we be able to defeat the pandemic that is devastating all countries. Violent and irrational behavior by minority groups is intolerable. It is not the way.”

On Friday, about 50 demonstrators attacked police with stones in Barcelona, set rubbish containers on fire and looted shops. Fourteen people were arrested and 30 injured.

Earlier, local police said about 1,500 hotel and restaurant workers took part in a peaceful demonstration against restrictions imposed under the state of emergency which they claim will threaten their jobs. All bars and restaurants have been closed in the Spanish region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, until November 13.

Similar disturbances happened in the cities of Burgos, Vitoria, Santander, Valencia and Zaragoza on Friday.

Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19, this week imposed a state of emergency until early May, giving regions legal backing to decide curfews and restrict travel to try halt the rise of coronavirus infections.

Like other European countries, Spain has resorted to increasingly drastic measures to curb infections, although less stringent than those adopted by Germany or France.

Spain’s prime minister on Saturday condemned a series of violent protests in cities across the country against restrictions imposed to curb the surge of COVID-19 after a six-month state of emergency came into effect this week.

Spain’s prime minister on Saturday condemned a series of violent protests in cities across the country against restrictions imposed to curb the surge of COVID-19 after a six-month state of emergency came into effect this week. Riot police shot blank bullets to try to disperse scores of protesters who were setting fire to rubbish bins in Madrid’s main thoroughfare Gran Via. Meanwhile, demonstrators pelted police with rocks and other projectiles in Barcelona in a second night of disturbances in Spain’s second-largest city. In the northern Spanish city of Logroño, about 150 people attacked police with stones, set fire to containers and looted shops, police reported. Riot police were drafted in to quell disturbances in Haro, in the wine-growing region of La Rioja. Also read| Portugal reimposes partial lockdown in most of the country Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted: “Only from responsibility, unity and sacrifice will we be able to defeat the pandemic that is devastating all countries. Violent and irrational behavior by minority groups is intolerable. It is not the way.” On Friday, about 50 demonstrators attacked police with stones in Barcelona, set rubbish containers on fire and looted shops. Fourteen people were arrested and 30 injured. Earlier, local police said about 1,500 hotel and restaurant workers took part in a peaceful demonstration against restrictions imposed under the state of emergency which they claim will threaten their jobs. All bars and restaurants have been closed in the Spanish region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, until November 13. Similar disturbances happened in the cities of Burgos, Vitoria, Santander, Valencia and Zaragoza on Friday. Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19, this week imposed a state of emergency until early May, giving regions legal backing to decide curfews and restrict travel to try halt the rise of coronavirus infections. Like other European countries, Spain has resorted to increasingly drastic measures to curb infections, although less stringent than those adopted by Germany or France.

Protesters against COVID-19 restrictions clash with police in Spanish cities

COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed new wave of poverty in Spain. The demands for food banks has now grown immensely in the last few months in the country.

Rise in poverty adding pressure on food banks on Spain

Overflowing with aging cats who lost their owners to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barcelona's cat sanctuary El Jardinet dels Gats has launched an online campaign to get them adopted.

Catalan cat shelter gets smart to help COVID orphans

Barcelona police deployed 160 officers overnight as a new curfew came into effect on Sunday (October 25) evening from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.. Public squares, parks and beaches were empty, except a few who were approached by police.

Barcelona police patrol streets to enforce nighttime curfew

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new state of emergency on Sunday in an effort to curb soaring coronavirus infections, imposing local nighttime curfews and banning travel between regions in certain cases.

The measures go into force from Sunday night and will require all regions except the Canary Islands to impose a nighttime curfew and limit the number of people allowed to meet to six.

"We are living in an extreme situation ... it is the most serious health crisis in the last century," he told a news conference following a cabinet meeting.

Spain imposed one of the toughest lockdowns early on in the pandemic and then relaxed curbs over the summer.

But like many other European countries it has seen a second wave hit in recent weeks, and now has one of the highest numbers of infections in Western Europe. Total cases rose to 1,046,132 on Friday, while the death toll is nearing 35,000.

The state of emergency will need parliamentary approval to last beyond 15 days. Sanchez asked for parliament to approve its extension up to May 9.

A growing number of regions had been calling on the government to implement the measure.

Catalonia was one of the first regions on Sunday to use the new legislation to impose a curfew, which will take effect at 10 p.m. on Sunday. Establishments open to the public will have to close at 9 p.m.

The Madrid region had already limited the number of people who could meet inside homes to six, as well as banning the mixing of different households overnight.

The decree will serve as a legal framework to implement a new warning system of levels, similar to the ones already applied in countries such as Germany and France.

According to the level of risk, travelling between regions could be banned if a regions decides, except for justified reasons such as working. Movement could also be restricted within regions in localised lockdowns.

Most of the regions are already above the parameters to be considered at the highest level of risk. 
&nbsp;

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new state of emergency on Sunday in an effort to curb soaring coronavirus infections, imposing local nighttime curfews and banning travel between regions in certain cases.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new state of emergency on Sunday in an effort to curb soaring coronavirus infections, imposing local nighttime curfews and banning travel between regions in certain cases. The measures go into force from Sunday night and will require all regions except the Canary Islands to impose a nighttime curfew and limit the number of people allowed to meet to six. "We are living in an extreme situation ... it is the most serious health crisis in the last century," he told a news conference following a cabinet meeting. Spain imposed one of the toughest lockdowns early on in the pandemic and then relaxed curbs over the summer. But like many other European countries it has seen a second wave hit in recent weeks, and now has one of the highest numbers of infections in Western Europe. Total cases rose to 1,046,132 on Friday, while the death toll is nearing 35,000. The state of emergency will need parliamentary approval to last beyond 15 days. Sanchez asked for parliament to approve its extension up to May 9. A growing number of regions had been calling on the government to implement the measure. Catalonia was one of the first regions on Sunday to use the new legislation to impose a curfew, which will take effect at 10 p.m. on Sunday. Establishments open to the public will have to close at 9 p.m. The Madrid region had already limited the number of people who could meet inside homes to six, as well as banning the mixing of different households overnight. The decree will serve as a legal framework to implement a new warning system of levels, similar to the ones already applied in countries such as Germany and France. According to the level of risk, travelling between regions could be banned if a regions decides, except for justified reasons such as working. Movement could also be restricted within regions in localised lockdowns. Most of the regions are already above the parameters to be considered at the highest level of risk.

Spain announces new state of emergency as COVID infections soar

Spain was bracing for a new national state of emergency to allow the imposition of curfews as its regions on Saturday pushed for action to slow surging virus cases.&nbsp;

In the face of growing calls for a legal framework to allow regional chiefs to impose tougher restrictions, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's cabinet was to hold a special meeting on Sunday to decide on the matter.&nbsp;

The calls came just days after Spain registered more than one million virus cases, becoming the sixth country in the world to pass the grim milestone -- and the first in the European Union.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-mouthwash-will-not-save-you-from-the-coronavirus-337700">Also read|&nbsp;No, mouthwash will not save you from the coronavirus</a>

So far, nine of Spain's 17 autonomous regions have formally requested that the government declare a national state of emergency which would enable them to impose a curfew -- a measure increasingly applied across Europe.

Spain used such powers in the spring to enforce one of the world's tightest lockdowns, and a similar measure has been in force in Madrid for the past fortnight -- although only to impose movement restrictions on the capital and various nearby towns.

That measure ended just before 1500 GMT when new regional restrictions came into force, including a ban on all gatherings, in public and private, of people who don't live in the same household between midnight and 6:00 am.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polands-president-andrzej-duda-tests-positive-for-covid-19-337644">Also read|&nbsp;Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, tests positive for COVID-19</a>

"They probably should have done this a long time ago or taken other steps like restricting the number of people taking public transport or going to work," 22-year-old student Patricia Vazquez told AFPTV.&nbsp;

"In Spain, the restrictions are different in each region. In Madrid, if you look at how the infections are evolving, it seems like they're not taking the necessary steps," agreed Eduardo Debiasi, 48, who works in marketing and said more should be done.&nbsp;

A growing consensus

Elsewhere, Castilla and Leon announced its own curfew without waiting for a government declaration, banning movement between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, while Valencia is to bring in a similar ban in on Sunday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-thrives-in-karabakhs-bomb-shelters-337692">Also read|&nbsp;Coronavirus thrives in Karabakh's bomb shelters</a>

Catalonia also said it would implement a curfew as soon as a national emergency was declared and admitted the option of a new stay-at-home order was also under consideration.

Although the government can impose an emergency for up to a fortnight, it would need parliamentary approval to extend it -- not a given for a the leftwing coalition.

So far, none of the regions run by the rightwing opposition Popular Party (PP) have requested a national emergency, mirroring the party's ongoing bitter standoff with the Sanchez government over its handling of the pandemic.&nbsp;

But for now, the government seems to have secured enough support to push through any future extension without relying on the PP, with backing from the centre-right Ciudadanos and Basque and Catalan separatist parties -- together accounting for 37 seats.

The latest figures show the virus has claimed nearly 35,000 lives in Spain and infected 1,046,132 people, although antibody tests suggest a figure of more than three million.&nbsp;

Spain was bracing for a new national state of emergency to allow the imposition of curfews as its regions on Saturday pushed for action to slow surging virus cases.

Spain was bracing for a new national state of emergency to allow the imposition of curfews as its regions on Saturday pushed for action to slow surging virus cases. In the face of growing calls for a legal framework to allow regional chiefs to impose tougher restrictions, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's cabinet was to hold a special meeting on Sunday to decide on the matter. The calls came just days after Spain registered more than one million virus cases, becoming the sixth country in the world to pass the grim milestone -- and the first in the European Union. Also read| No, mouthwash will not save you from the coronavirus So far, nine of Spain's 17 autonomous regions have formally requested that the government declare a national state of emergency which would enable them to impose a curfew -- a measure increasingly applied across Europe. Spain used such powers in the spring to enforce one of the world's tightest lockdowns, and a similar measure has been in force in Madrid for the past fortnight -- although only to impose movement restrictions on the capital and various nearby towns. That measure ended just before 1500 GMT when new regional restrictions came into force, including a ban on all gatherings, in public and private, of people who don't live in the same household between midnight and 6:00 am. Also read| Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, tests positive for COVID-19 "They probably should have done this a long time ago or taken other steps like restricting the number of people taking public transport or going to work," 22-year-old student Patricia Vazquez told AFPTV. "In Spain, the restrictions are different in each region. In Madrid, if you look at how the infections are evolving, it seems like they're not taking the necessary steps," agreed Eduardo Debiasi, 48, who works in marketing and said more should be done. A growing consensus Elsewhere, Castilla and Leon announced its own curfew without waiting for a government declaration, banning movement between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, while Valencia is to bring in a similar ban in on Sunday. Also read| Coronavirus thrives in Karabakh's bomb shelters Catalonia also said it would implement a curfew as soon as a national emergency was declared and admitted the option of a new stay-at-home order was also under consideration. Although the government can impose an emergency for up to a fortnight, it would need parliamentary approval to extend it -- not a given for a the leftwing coalition. So far, none of the regions run by the rightwing opposition Popular Party (PP) have requested a national emergency, mirroring the party's ongoing bitter standoff with the Sanchez government over its handling of the pandemic. But for now, the government seems to have secured enough support to push through any future extension without relying on the PP, with backing from the centre-right Ciudadanos and Basque and Catalan separatist parties -- together accounting for 37 seats. The latest figures show the virus has claimed nearly 35,000 lives in Spain and infected 1,046,132 people, although antibody tests suggest a figure of more than three million.

Spain braces for national emergency to allow curfews

The United States of America (USA) is facing a continued COVID-19 public health challenge through the winter and half million Americans could die from COVID-19 by the end of February next year, according to a study by University of Washington. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-joe-biden-pledges-free-covid-vaccine-for-everyone-in-the-us-if-elected-337576">Also read | US election 2020: Joe Biden pledges free Covid vaccine for ‘everyone’ in the US if elected</a>

According to estimates from a modelling study by researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation with few effective COVID-19 treatment options and no vaccines yet available the Covid situation going to be dangerous in coming months.

"We are heading into a very substantial fall/winter surge," said IHME director Chris Murray, who co-led the research.

He said the projections, as well as the real-life current evidence of rising infection rates and deaths, showed there is no basis to "the idea that the pandemic is going away," adding: "We do not believe that is true."

US President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 221,000 Americans so far, has become the top election issue for him and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Polls have shown that Americans trust Biden more than Trump to handle the crisis.

The IHME study forecast that large, populous states such as California, Texas and Florida will likely face particularly high levels of illness, deaths and demands on hospital resources.

"We expect the surge to steadily grow across different states and at the national level, and to continue to increase as we head towards high levels of daily deaths in late December and in January," Murray said.

The modelling study, which mapped out various scenarios and their projected impact on the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States, found that universal mask-wearing could have a major impact on deaths rates, potentially saving 130,000 lives.

Current mask use in the United States varies widely. While some states, like New York, set strict rules on when to wear masks, others have no requirements. The issue has become political, in which some supporters have taken their cues from Trump, who is often seen without a mask and has repeatedly questioned their usefulness.

"Expanding mask use is one of the easy wins for the United States ... and can save many lives," Murray said.

Meanwhile, the worldwide number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has surpassed 42 million, Johns Hopkins University says.

The exact number of the coronavirus cases stood at 42,020,333 as of 21:40 GMT on Friday. More than 1.14 million people have died of the disease, the university added.

&nbsp;The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. The biggest number of cases so far have been registered in the United States, India and Brazil.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States of America (USA) is facing a continued COVID-19 public health challenge through the winter and half million Americans could die from COVID-19 by the end of February next year, according to a study by University of Washington.

The United States of America (USA) is facing a continued COVID-19 public health challenge through the winter and half million Americans could die from COVID-19 by the end of February next year, according to a study by University of Washington. Also read | US election 2020: Joe Biden pledges free Covid vaccine for ‘everyone’ in the US if elected According to estimates from a modelling study by researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation with few effective COVID-19 treatment options and no vaccines yet available the Covid situation going to be dangerous in coming months. "We are heading into a very substantial fall/winter surge," said IHME director Chris Murray, who co-led the research. He said the projections, as well as the real-life current evidence of rising infection rates and deaths, showed there is no basis to "the idea that the pandemic is going away," adding: "We do not believe that is true." US President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 221,000 Americans so far, has become the top election issue for him and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Polls have shown that Americans trust Biden more than Trump to handle the crisis. The IHME study forecast that large, populous states such as California, Texas and Florida will likely face particularly high levels of illness, deaths and demands on hospital resources. "We expect the surge to steadily grow across different states and at the national level, and to continue to increase as we head towards high levels of daily deaths in late December and in January," Murray said. The modelling study, which mapped out various scenarios and their projected impact on the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States, found that universal mask-wearing could have a major impact on deaths rates, potentially saving 130,000 lives. Current mask use in the United States varies widely. While some states, like New York, set strict rules on when to wear masks, others have no requirements. The issue has become political, in which some supporters have taken their cues from Trump, who is often seen without a mask and has repeatedly questioned their usefulness. "Expanding mask use is one of the easy wins for the United States ... and can save many lives," Murray said. Meanwhile, the worldwide number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has surpassed 42 million, Johns Hopkins University says. The exact number of the coronavirus cases stood at 42,020,333 as of 21:40 GMT on Friday. More than 1.14 million people have died of the disease, the university added. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. The biggest number of cases so far have been registered in the United States, India and Brazil. (With inputs from agencies)

More than half a million people in the US may die of coronavirus by February: Study 

When 99-year old Florentina Martin caught the coronavirus in September, her grand-daughter's greatest fear was not that the disease would kill her, but that she would end up alone in an emergency ward.

Spanish grandma, 99, gets back to computer games after beating COVID-19

Spain is the Coronavirus hotspot in Europe but amid the spiral in case count there are stories of survival & stories of inspiration. One such example is a 99-year-old COVID-19 survivor from Madrid. Watch the report to know more.

99 year old Floretina Martin beats COVID-19 in Madrid

Spain, on Wednesday, became the first Western European country to record more than one million coronavirus cases as the country recorded&nbsp;16,973 cases.

The total number of cases in the country are now nearly&nbsp;1,005,295 cases, while the death toll rose by 156 to 34,366.

Spain's&nbsp;Health Minister Salvador Illa calling for stricter measures said that the pandemic is out of control in several parts of the country, and the second wave has now started.&nbsp;“The second wave is a reality. In many areas of our country, the epidemic is out of control,” Illa told a local radio.

“I insist we have to take drastic measures, as do several regions,” he added.

A lot of areas in the country are now thinking of imposing localised curfews, just like France's model.

As of now, a two-week&nbsp;long lockdown has been imposed in Madrid and the surrounding areas, with several restaurants and other public areas shutting down again on a temporary basis.

He also talked about the possibility of a rise in cases with the onset of the winter season.&nbsp; “We are at the doorstep of winter, when most activities are carried out indoors, when probability of virus contagion is higher. We cannot lower our guard,” he said.

“The horizon we have been discussing with technicians from the ministry and European colleagues is of five to six very hard months.”

While daily deaths have been hovering around 100 - a far cry from the peak of nearly 900 registered in late March - hospital admissions have jumped 20% nationwide, triggering warnings that some non-urgent surgeries may need to be postponed.

Spain, on Wednesday, became the first Western European country to record more than one million coronavirus cases as the country recorded 16,973 cases. The total number of cases in the country are now nearly 1,005,295 cases, while the death toll rose by 156 to 34,366.

Spain, on Wednesday, became the first Western European country to record more than one million coronavirus cases as the country recorded 16,973 cases. The total number of cases in the country are now nearly 1,005,295 cases, while the death toll rose by 156 to 34,366. Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa calling for stricter measures said that the pandemic is out of control in several parts of the country, and the second wave has now started. “The second wave is a reality. In many areas of our country, the epidemic is out of control,” Illa told a local radio. “I insist we have to take drastic measures, as do several regions,” he added. A lot of areas in the country are now thinking of imposing localised curfews, just like France's model. As of now, a two-week long lockdown has been imposed in Madrid and the surrounding areas, with several restaurants and other public areas shutting down again on a temporary basis. He also talked about the possibility of a rise in cases with the onset of the winter season. “We are at the doorstep of winter, when most activities are carried out indoors, when probability of virus contagion is higher. We cannot lower our guard,” he said. “The horizon we have been discussing with technicians from the ministry and European colleagues is of five to six very hard months.” While daily deaths have been hovering around 100 - a far cry from the peak of nearly 900 registered in late March - hospital admissions have jumped 20% nationwide, triggering warnings that some non-urgent surgeries may need to be postponed.

Spain becomes first European country to cross 1 million COVID-19 cases

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week.

Authorities in the northern region of Castile and Leon announced they would seal off the city of Burgos and nearby Aranda de Duero to all but essential travel from Tuesday night after infection rates in the area surpassed 500 cases per 100,000 people.

"We are in circumstances similar to those of March or April," Burgos Mayor Daniel de la Rosa told state broadcaster TVE, recalling the beginning of the pandemic, when many Spaniards were confined to their homes to stop the spread.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/spain-imposes-new-restrictions-in-catalonia-amid-virus-surge-in-europe-334549" hreflang="en">Spain imposes new restrictions in Catalonia amid virus surge in Europe</a>

Aragon, which was at the centre of several outbreaks linked to migrant agricultural workers over summer, introduced capacity limits at bars and restaurants and banned the sale of alcohol in shops between 10 pm and 8 am.

Regional health chief Sira Repolles said she was "very close" to imposing restrictions on movement in the regional capital Zaragoza.

And Catalonia, which last week ordered a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants, told 24-hour businesses they must shut at 10 p.m. and cannot reopen until 7 a.m.

Spain's decentralised political system leaves the handling of the pandemic largely up to the regions, although the central government can intervene, as it did on Oct. 9 by declaring a state of emergency in Madrid to reimpose a partial lockdown on several million people in and around the capital.

Despite the increasingly severe clampdown, Spain has added nearly 38,000 cases since Friday, bringing the nationwide total up to 974,449. The death toll jumped by 217 to 33,992.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/spain-invokes-state-of-emergency-over-madrid-lockdown-as-europe-grapples-with-virus-334020" hreflang="en">Spain invokes state of emergency over Madrid lockdown as Europe grapples with virus</a>

Health emergency chief Fernando Simon warned the daily infection rate was increasing after a brief period of stability last week.

"It's likely that in winter if we don't take great care with precautionary measures the infection rate will increase again," he told a news conference.

Neighbouring France has nearly 900,000 cases and could also surpass 1 million this week.

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week.

Several Spanish regions toughened their coronavirus restrictions on Monday, seeking to curb a second wave of contagion that looks set to drive the country with Western Europe's highest case load above one million infections this week. Authorities in the northern region of Castile and Leon announced they would seal off the city of Burgos and nearby Aranda de Duero to all but essential travel from Tuesday night after infection rates in the area surpassed 500 cases per 100,000 people. "We are in circumstances similar to those of March or April," Burgos Mayor Daniel de la Rosa told state broadcaster TVE, recalling the beginning of the pandemic, when many Spaniards were confined to their homes to stop the spread. Also read: Spain imposes new restrictions in Catalonia amid virus surge in Europe Aragon, which was at the centre of several outbreaks linked to migrant agricultural workers over summer, introduced capacity limits at bars and restaurants and banned the sale of alcohol in shops between 10 pm and 8 am. Regional health chief Sira Repolles said she was "very close" to imposing restrictions on movement in the regional capital Zaragoza. And Catalonia, which last week ordered a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants, told 24-hour businesses they must shut at 10 p.m. and cannot reopen until 7 a.m. Spain's decentralised political system leaves the handling of the pandemic largely up to the regions, although the central government can intervene, as it did on Oct. 9 by declaring a state of emergency in Madrid to reimpose a partial lockdown on several million people in and around the capital. Despite the increasingly severe clampdown, Spain has added nearly 38,000 cases since Friday, bringing the nationwide total up to 974,449. The death toll jumped by 217 to 33,992. Also read: Spain invokes state of emergency over Madrid lockdown as Europe grapples with virus Health emergency chief Fernando Simon warned the daily infection rate was increasing after a brief period of stability last week. "It's likely that in winter if we don't take great care with precautionary measures the infection rate will increase again," he told a news conference. Neighbouring France has nearly 900,000 cases and could also surpass 1 million this week.

Spain's regions tighten COVID-19 measures as 1 million case milestone looms

Waving flags from cars and honking horns, thousands protested on Monday (October 12) against a partial lockdown imposed on Madrid to contain one of Europe's worst coronavirus outbreaks as they took to the streets waving national flags during National Day celebrations.

Waving Spanish flags, Madrid residents protest against lockdown

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s. Spanish conquest of Latin America including Mexico had wiped out indigenous population and religion. Spanish Conquistadors, who were Catholic, equated the local relgion to devil worship and destroyed cultural symbols, book, places of worship etc. There were widespread killings. The local Aztec Empire soon fell.

"The Catholic Church, the Spanish monarchy and the Mexican government should make a public apology for the offensive atrocities that Indigenous people suffered," the letter from the Mexican president states.

In the same letter, Obrador has requested the Vatican to lend some ancient and pre-Hispanic Mexican and colonial-era documents.

One of the three codicies, or books, requested is the Codex Borgia, an especially colorful screen-fold book spread across dozens of pages that depicts gods and rituals from ancient central Mexico.

It is one of the best-preserved examples of pre-conquest Aztec-style writing that exists, after Catholic authorities in colonial-era Mexico dismissed such codicies as the work of the devil and ordered hundreds or even thousands of them burned in the decades following the 1521 conquest.

In the letter, Lopez Obrador requests the Vatican return the Codex Borgia, two other ancient codicies as well as its maps of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan for a one-year loan in 2021.

The Vatican has not yet responded to the request, but its museums and archives have in the past lent out various manuscripts and works of art after similar requests from other countries.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s. Spanish conquest of Latin America including Mexico had wiped out indigenous population and religion. Spanish Conquistadors, who were Catholic, equated the local relgion to devil worship and destroyed cultural symbols, book, places of worship etc. There were widespread killings. The local Aztec Empire soon fell. "The Catholic Church, the Spanish monarchy and the Mexican government should make a public apology for the offensive atrocities that Indigenous people suffered," the letter from the Mexican president states. In the same letter, Obrador has requested the Vatican to lend some ancient and pre-Hispanic Mexican and colonial-era documents. One of the three codicies, or books, requested is the Codex Borgia, an especially colorful screen-fold book spread across dozens of pages that depicts gods and rituals from ancient central Mexico. It is one of the best-preserved examples of pre-conquest Aztec-style writing that exists, after Catholic authorities in colonial-era Mexico dismissed such codicies as the work of the devil and ordered hundreds or even thousands of them burned in the decades following the 1521 conquest. In the letter, Lopez Obrador requests the Vatican return the Codex Borgia, two other ancient codicies as well as its maps of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan for a one-year loan in 2021. The Vatican has not yet responded to the request, but its museums and archives have in the past lent out various manuscripts and works of art after similar requests from other countries. (With inputs from Reuters)

Mexico asks Pope to apologise for atrocities during Spanish conquests

Watch today in 'Today Tonight': Spanish govt declares 15 days state of emergency to curb COVID-19 spread. Watch this video to know more.

Today Tonight: Spanish govt declares 15 days state of emergency to curb COVID-19 spread

LONDON — As the coronavirus stampeded across Europe and the United States this spring, governments made their depleted citizens a tantalizing promise: Soon, legions of disease detectives would hunt down anyone exposed to the virus, confining them to their homes and letting everyone else get on with their lives.

Nearly eight months on, as a web of new infections spreads across Europe and the United States, that promise has nearly evaporated.

Despite repeated vows by Western nations to develop “world-beating” testing and tracing operations, those systems have been undone by a failure of governments to support citizens through onerous quarantines or to draw out intimate details of their whereabouts. That has shattered the hope of pinpoint measures replacing lockdowns and undermined flagging confidence in governments.

Beholden to privacy rules, Western officials largely trusted people to hand over names to contact tracers. But that trust was not repaid, in large part because governments neglected services that were crucial to winning people’s cooperation: a fast and accurate testing system and guarantees that people would be housed, fed and paid while they isolated.

“Public health leaders fell in love with the idea of contact tracing as an important tactic — and it is — but that’d be like if you’re going into war and were just talking about the tanks,” said Brian Castrucci, president of the de Beaumont Foundation, a public health charity in Maryland.

Just as important, officials overlooked the impact of raging mistrust in government and a thicket of conspiracy theories about the virus’s spread. Fearful of plunging themselves or their friends into a painful period off work, infected patients have handed over a paltry number of contacts and often flouted self-isolation rules. Contact tracers are struggling to reach people who test positive and being rebuffed once they do.

In theory, countries were to build mass testing programs that would provide quick diagnoses. Then a group of tracers would find others who had crossed paths with the infected person and tell them to stay home.

Elected officials presented the system as a critical bridge between lockdown and a vaccine, allowing them to contain small outbreaks without shutting down large parts of society. But construction of that bridge has been rocky, at best.

The West’s public health systems have not matched the success in parts of East Asia where the fear of epidemics became more ingrained after outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Following those outbreaks, places like Taiwan and South Korea built robust tracing systems and legal frameworks for limiting civil liberties during an epidemic. Some contact tracers have used cellphone and credit card data to identify people who were potentially exposed.

But in Europe and the United States, which have largely relied on the public to provide information and follow quarantine rules voluntarily, the response has been spotty.

The West also ran up against the blunt fact that contact tracing, while useful in containing limited cases, has become overwhelmed by a new explosion of infections. In the past week, Europe has averaged about 60,000 new daily cases, while the United States is registering more than 40,000.

“The track and trace system is unrealistic and useless,” said Mahmoud Salamon, 27, a recent business school graduate on a visit to Brighton, on England’s south coast, where a testing center at a stadium was recently closed for the start of soccer season. He said he distrusted restaurants or stores with his personal information.

In Taiwan, an infected person names more than 15 contacts on average, and tracers often interview patients in person, trying to extract details about secret jobs or marital affairs. But the picture in Europe is far different, and the low level of cooperation has startled public health experts.

In Spain, where hospitals are struggling with a new rush of cases, contact tracers identify, on average, only three contacts for each known case. In France, the figure has fallen below three.

Yet even those numbers are higher than in the United States. In New York City, each infected person hands over an average of 1.1 other names.

In England, people are neither handing over many contacts — about five, on average — nor following the rules. In a survey of about 32,000 Britons, less than 1 in 5 who reported coronavirus symptoms said they had stayed home. Of those alerted that they had been close to an infected person, only 1 in 10 said they had complied with orders to self-isolate.

“It suggests there is some degree of skepticism in the population to engagement,” said professor Christophe Fraser of the University of Oxford, an adviser to the government’s tracing program, referring to the proportion of known cases — a fifth — who handed over no other names.

Crucially, many Western governments have failed to cushion the financial and psychological blow of self-isolation by guaranteeing people tests or giving them enough money to weather two weeks without work.

People self-isolating and unable to work in England were eligible for just 13 pounds, or $16.70, per day until the government increased the payments this past week.

“You need to have the trust of people for this to work, and trust comes by whether you’re going to take care of me,” said Dr. Jason Wang, a Stanford University professor of health policy who has studied Taiwan’s coronavirus response. “If I’m sick, are you going to help me or just quarantine me? Are you going to get me tested on time?”

With tests results lagging in many countries, contact tracers cannot get ahead of the virus. In Paris, people wait up to a week to get testing appointments and results. England recently recorded a backlog of nearly 200,000 untested lab samples, making it impossible to track the virus through newly reopened schools.

Danielle Lennon, who lives in hard-hit northeastern England, sat in a mile-long line of idling cars for almost an hour to get her 7-year-old daughter tested, only for someone to announce that the testing center was closed.

“The government has kind of lost the general public on this, through incompetence,” she said.

Some elected leaders have blamed recalcitrant citizens for undermining contact tracing. Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently said the problem was that Britain was “a freedom-loving country.”

But the evidence for such claims is thin. Some countries have successfully tracked the virus despite people’s resistance, in large part by investing in chronically underfunded health departments, epidemiologists said.

In Germany, people said they would refuse to hand over names to contact tracers at double the rate of Britons, according to a poll by Imperial College London. Even so, the country has largely kept a small uptick in new infections under control.

Beyond Germany’s strong testing program, said Ralf Reintjes, a professor of epidemiology at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the country also responded to the pandemic by pouring money into its roughly 400 local public health offices, which had long conducted contact tracing for communicable diseases.

England, by contrast, awarded a 108 million British pound ($138 million) contract to an outsourcing company, putting the fate of contact tracing in the hands of ill-trained call center workers.

Gerry, a former nurse who asked not to be fully identified because she was barred from speaking publicly, said she had quit her job as a more senior contact tracer in England because so few people either picked up the phone or helped her track cases.

Western countries have been slow to introduce mobile contact tracing apps like those used in parts of Asia, which notify users who have spent time near an infected person. Even if only 15% of people download them, they can reduce infections by 8% and deaths by 6%, according to research by Fraser, the Oxford professor.

But the dissonance of countries asking people to take personal and professional risks in handing over contacts’ names, while at the same time scarcely supporting those who do, makes tracking the virus a difficult order.

“We say we’d like you to quarantine for the good of your neighbors, but in doing so, potentially your kids starve and you lose your home,” Castrucci said. “That’s bad math.”

LONDON — As the coronavirus stampeded across Europe and the United States this spring, governments made their depleted citizens a tantalizing promise: Soon, legions of disease detectives would hunt down anyone exposed to the virus, confining them to their homes and letting everyone else get on with their lives.

LONDON — As the coronavirus stampeded across Europe and the United States this spring, governments made their depleted citizens a tantalizing promise: Soon, legions of disease detectives would hunt down anyone exposed to the virus, confining them to their homes and letting everyone else get on with their lives. Nearly eight months on, as a web of new infections spreads across Europe and the United States, that promise has nearly evaporated. Despite repeated vows by Western nations to develop “world-beating” testing and tracing operations, those systems have been undone by a failure of governments to support citizens through onerous quarantines or to draw out intimate details of their whereabouts. That has shattered the hope of pinpoint measures replacing lockdowns and undermined flagging confidence in governments. Beholden to privacy rules, Western officials largely trusted people to hand over names to contact tracers. But that trust was not repaid, in large part because governments neglected services that were crucial to winning people’s cooperation: a fast and accurate testing system and guarantees that people would be housed, fed and paid while they isolated. “Public health leaders fell in love with the idea of contact tracing as an important tactic — and it is — but that’d be like if you’re going into war and were just talking about the tanks,” said Brian Castrucci, president of the de Beaumont Foundation, a public health charity in Maryland. Just as important, officials overlooked the impact of raging mistrust in government and a thicket of conspiracy theories about the virus’s spread. Fearful of plunging themselves or their friends into a painful period off work, infected patients have handed over a paltry number of contacts and often flouted self-isolation rules. Contact tracers are struggling to reach people who test positive and being rebuffed once they do. In theory, countries were to build mass testing programs that would provide quick diagnoses. Then a group of tracers would find others who had crossed paths with the infected person and tell them to stay home. Elected officials presented the system as a critical bridge between lockdown and a vaccine, allowing them to contain small outbreaks without shutting down large parts of society. But construction of that bridge has been rocky, at best. The West’s public health systems have not matched the success in parts of East Asia where the fear of epidemics became more ingrained after outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Following those outbreaks, places like Taiwan and South Korea built robust tracing systems and legal frameworks for limiting civil liberties during an epidemic. Some contact tracers have used cellphone and credit card data to identify people who were potentially exposed. But in Europe and the United States, which have largely relied on the public to provide information and follow quarantine rules voluntarily, the response has been spotty. The West also ran up against the blunt fact that contact tracing, while useful in containing limited cases, has become overwhelmed by a new explosion of infections. In the past week, Europe has averaged about 60,000 new daily cases, while the United States is registering more than 40,000. “The track and trace system is unrealistic and useless,” said Mahmoud Salamon, 27, a recent business school graduate on a visit to Brighton, on England’s south coast, where a testing center at a stadium was recently closed for the start of soccer season. He said he distrusted restaurants or stores with his personal information. In Taiwan, an infected person names more than 15 contacts on average, and tracers often interview patients in person, trying to extract details about secret jobs or marital affairs. But the picture in Europe is far different, and the low level of cooperation has startled public health experts. In Spain, where hospitals are struggling with a new rush of cases, contact tracers identify, on average, only three contacts for each known case. In France, the figure has fallen below three. Yet even those numbers are higher than in the United States. In New York City, each infected person hands over an average of 1.1 other names. In England, people are neither handing over many contacts — about five, on average — nor following the rules. In a survey of about 32,000 Britons, less than 1 in 5 who reported coronavirus symptoms said they had stayed home. Of those alerted that they had been close to an infected person, only 1 in 10 said they had complied with orders to self-isolate. “It suggests there is some degree of skepticism in the population to engagement,” said professor Christophe Fraser of the University of Oxford, an adviser to the government’s tracing program, referring to the proportion of known cases — a fifth — who handed over no other names. Crucially, many Western governments have failed to cushion the financial and psychological blow of self-isolation by guaranteeing people tests or giving them enough money to weather two weeks without work. People self-isolating and unable to work in England were eligible for just 13 pounds, or $16.70, per day until the government increased the payments this past week. “You need to have the trust of people for this to work, and trust comes by whether you’re going to take care of me,” said Dr. Jason Wang, a Stanford University professor of health policy who has studied Taiwan’s coronavirus response. “If I’m sick, are you going to help me or just quarantine me? Are you going to get me tested on time?” With tests results lagging in many countries, contact tracers cannot get ahead of the virus. In Paris, people wait up to a week to get testing appointments and results. England recently recorded a backlog of nearly 200,000 untested lab samples, making it impossible to track the virus through newly reopened schools. Danielle Lennon, who lives in hard-hit northeastern England, sat in a mile-long line of idling cars for almost an hour to get her 7-year-old daughter tested, only for someone to announce that the testing center was closed. “The government has kind of lost the general public on this, through incompetence,” she said. Some elected leaders have blamed recalcitrant citizens for undermining contact tracing. Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently said the problem was that Britain was “a freedom-loving country.” But the evidence for such claims is thin. Some countries have successfully tracked the virus despite people’s resistance, in large part by investing in chronically underfunded health departments, epidemiologists said. In Germany, people said they would refuse to hand over names to contact tracers at double the rate of Britons, according to a poll by Imperial College London. Even so, the country has largely kept a small uptick in new infections under control. Beyond Germany’s strong testing program, said Ralf Reintjes, a professor of epidemiology at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the country also responded to the pandemic by pouring money into its roughly 400 local public health offices, which had long conducted contact tracing for communicable diseases. England, by contrast, awarded a 108 million British pound ($138 million) contract to an outsourcing company, putting the fate of contact tracing in the hands of ill-trained call center workers. Gerry, a former nurse who asked not to be fully identified because she was barred from speaking publicly, said she had quit her job as a more senior contact tracer in England because so few people either picked up the phone or helped her track cases. Western countries have been slow to introduce mobile contact tracing apps like those used in parts of Asia, which notify users who have spent time near an infected person. Even if only 15% of people download them, they can reduce infections by 8% and deaths by 6%, according to research by Fraser, the Oxford professor. But the dissonance of countries asking people to take personal and professional risks in handing over contacts’ names, while at the same time scarcely supporting those who do, makes tracking the virus a difficult order. “We say we’d like you to quarantine for the good of your neighbors, but in doing so, potentially your kids starve and you lose your home,” Castrucci said. “That’s bad math.”

Contact tracing, key to reining in the virus, falls flat in the West

Medical residents interns (MIR) took to the streets of Barcelona on Tuesday (September 29) to demand better salaries and working conditions amid the coronavirus emergency in Spain.

Medical resident interns (MIR) demand "decent working conditions" after COVID emergency

The grassy slopes of the capital's Rome Park were a sea of red and yellow on Sunday morning after the flags were planted in rows, visible from the city's main circular road.

Thousands of Spain flags pay tribute to virus victims

Thousands of workers protested across Portugal on Saturday as they demanded higher wages and more government action to protect jobs currently being threatened by the pandemic.

Protests continue across Europe as global deaths near 1 million

Mattia Maestri, whose coronavirus case confirmed one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks was underway is now participating in a relay race.

He is taking part in a 180-kilometer (112-mile) relay race as a sign of hope after he himself recovered from weeks in intensive care.

Maestri, a 38-year-old Unilever manager, was tested positive on February 21.

Wearing a dark face mask, Maestri said the race was a “beautiful initiative” uniting the two virus-ravaged towns and the hard-hit swath of territory between them. He said he was thrilled to even be alive to participate.

“I feel very lucky,” he said at the starting line.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Globally, the coronavirus, which first originated in China’s Wuhan city in December last year, has claimed around 10 lakh lives and infected nearly 33 million people, with the US being the worst affected country, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mattia Maestri, whose coronavirus case confirmed one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks was underway is now participating in a relay race. He is taking part in a 180-kilometer (112-mile) relay race as a sign of hope after he himself recovered from weeks in intensive care.

Mattia Maestri, whose coronavirus case confirmed one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks was underway is now participating in a relay race. He is taking part in a 180-kilometer (112-mile) relay race as a sign of hope after he himself recovered from weeks in intensive care. Maestri, a 38-year-old Unilever manager, was tested positive on February 21. Wearing a dark face mask, Maestri said the race was a “beautiful initiative” uniting the two virus-ravaged towns and the hard-hit swath of territory between them. He said he was thrilled to even be alive to participate. “I feel very lucky,” he said at the starting line. Meanwhile, Globally, the coronavirus, which first originated in China’s Wuhan city in December last year, has claimed around 10 lakh lives and infected nearly 33 million people, with the US being the worst affected country, according to Johns Hopkins University data. (With inputs from agencies)

First coronavirus patient of Italy joins relay race as sign of hope 

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin.

“I’d personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue,” said Sergei Ryzhikov, the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October.&nbsp;

The space mission of the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which will leave for the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in October, will last 177 days, Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, the head of the crew, said on Thursday, though Roscosmos has said that the mission will last 186 days.

"According to the current plan, the duration of our expedition is 177 days. We are expected to return back [on Earth] on April 9 next year if nothing changes," Ryzhikov said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, More than 60 percent of Russian citizens are not ready to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus to be able to go abroad if vaccination becomes a mandatory condition for travel, according to the results of a recent poll by the travel service website, Tutu.ru.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin.

Russian cosmonauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said on Thursday it was too early to get a coronavirus vaccine touted by President Vladimir Putin. “I’d personally say that I would not get vaccinated because I tread very carefully on this issue,” said Sergei Ryzhikov, the 46-year-old leader of the next expedition to the ISS in October. The space mission of the next crew to the International Space Station (ISS), which will leave for the ISS aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur cosmodrome in October, will last 177 days, Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, the head of the crew, said on Thursday, though Roscosmos has said that the mission will last 186 days. "According to the current plan, the duration of our expedition is 177 days. We are expected to return back [on Earth] on April 9 next year if nothing changes," Ryzhikov said at a press conference. Meanwhile, More than 60 percent of Russian citizens are not ready to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus to be able to go abroad if vaccination becomes a mandatory condition for travel, according to the results of a recent poll by the travel service website, Tutu.ru. (With inputs from agencies)

Cosmonauts say not ready to try Russia’s virus vaccine

Spain has cash, but no ideas how to spend it amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Spain is facing an unlikely problem - how to spend billions of dollars in grants and loans from the European Union. Watch this report for more information!

Spain has cash, but no ideas how to spend it amidst the COVID-19 outbreak

Chinese virologist&nbsp;Dr Li-Meng Yan has claimed that the deadly coronavirus was developed in a government laboratory in Wuhan and also said that Chinese government was aware of the Covid-19 spread, in an interview with news channel WION.&nbsp; 
 
In an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Chinese virologist, who investigated the origin of the COVID-19 virus during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, said that she discovered a cover-up operation in Wuhan and said that the Chinese government knew about the spread of the virus before publicly acknowledging it.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-virologist-li-meng-yan-speaks-to-wions-palki-sharma-upadhyay-329504/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to Dr Yan the World Health Organization (WHO) is very much part of the cover up.

Wuhan wet market is just a smokescreen from the Chinese Communist Party, said Chinese virologist, on the origin of novel coronavirus. 
 
Dr Li-Meng Yan, who was a post-doctoral fellow in virology and immunology at Hong Kong School of Public Health said that she was muzzeled by her supervisors. 
 
Yan claims the Chinese government is now trying to tarnish her reputation through social media, conduct cyber-attacks on her and intimidate her family in China.

Earlier on September 14, Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan had claimed that COVID-19 was made in a Wuhan laboratory. Yan, who was associated with the Hong Kong School of Public Health, had been researching on the coronavirus for a long time. The Chinese virologist claimed that during her research she came across that coronavirus was developed in a laboratory in China.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan has claimed that the deadly coronavirus was developed in a government laboratory in Wuhan and also said that Chinese government was aware of the Covid-19 spread, in an interview with news channel WION.

Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan has claimed that the deadly coronavirus was developed in a government laboratory in Wuhan and also said that Chinese government was aware of the Covid-19 spread, in an interview with news channel WION. In an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Chinese virologist, who investigated the origin of the COVID-19 virus during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, said that she discovered a cover-up operation in Wuhan and said that the Chinese government knew about the spread of the virus before publicly acknowledging it. According to Dr Yan the World Health Organization (WHO) is very much part of the cover up. Wuhan wet market is just a smokescreen from the Chinese Communist Party, said Chinese virologist, on the origin of novel coronavirus. Dr Li-Meng Yan, who was a post-doctoral fellow in virology and immunology at Hong Kong School of Public Health said that she was muzzeled by her supervisors. Yan claims the Chinese government is now trying to tarnish her reputation through social media, conduct cyber-attacks on her and intimidate her family in China. Earlier on September 14, Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan had claimed that COVID-19 was made in a Wuhan laboratory. Yan, who was associated with the Hong Kong School of Public Health, had been researching on the coronavirus for a long time. The Chinese virologist claimed that during her research she came across that coronavirus was developed in a laboratory in China. (With inputs from agencies)

WION exclusive | Beijing tried to cover-up Wuhan virus and WHO is very much part of it: Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan

In an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Chinese virologist, who investigated the origin of the COVID-19 virus during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, will talk about the unequivocal evidence that the virus was not of natural origin. In this segment of WION, watch the full interview with Dr Li-Meng Yan at 7 PM today.

Dr Li-Meng Yan has specialised in virology and immunology at Hong Kong School of Public Health. She says she was one of the first scientists in the world to study the novel coronavirus.

In the article, “Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification rather Than Natural Evolution and Delineation of Its Probable Synthetic Route,” Dr Yan and her colleagues have offered a detailed description of how the virus was synthesized in laboratories controlled by China’s military.

Yan claims the Chinese government is now trying to tarnish her reputation, conduct cyber-attacks on her and intimidate her family in China.

In an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Chinese virologist, who investigated the origin of the COVID-19 virus during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, will talk about the unequivocal evidence that the virus was not of natural origin.

In an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Chinese virologist, who investigated the origin of the COVID-19 virus during the initial outbreak in Wuhan, will talk about the unequivocal evidence that the virus was not of natural origin. In this segment of WION, watch the full interview with Dr Li-Meng Yan at 7 PM today. Dr Li-Meng Yan has specialised in virology and immunology at Hong Kong School of Public Health. She says she was one of the first scientists in the world to study the novel coronavirus. In the article, “Unusual Features of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Suggesting Sophisticated Laboratory Modification rather Than Natural Evolution and Delineation of Its Probable Synthetic Route,” Dr Yan and her colleagues have offered a detailed description of how the virus was synthesized in laboratories controlled by China’s military. Yan claims the Chinese government is now trying to tarnish her reputation, conduct cyber-attacks on her and intimidate her family in China.

WION exclusive Straight Talk with Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan at 7 PM

Spain is facing an unlikely problem - how to spend billions of dollars in grants and loans from the European Union.

Gravitas: Spain is struggling to find ways to spend billions in crisis funds

Spain is fighting an odd crisis it's high on cash, but low on ideas. Spain does not know how to spend.

It's got 166 billion dollars in grants and loans is from the European Union recovery fund for the covid-19 crisis and the crisis is severe.

Spain's economy slumped 18.5% in the second quarter the second worst in the region after the UK. Spain's ailing economy will receive around 140 billion euros or $166 billion out of the EU's 750-billion-euro coronavirus recovery package.

This includes 43 billion Euros in grants in the next two years alone — this is equivalent to about 8% of Spain’s annual expenditure.

Spain needs concrete investment projects to rescue the economy coming in the way is a prolonged political paralysis.

The country has not been able to approve a full-year budget since 2016, so suddenly absorbing all that extra cash is a challenge. There are concerns over how to set up the machinery to take on this amount of liquidity and this by the way is cash that the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez fought hard for at an EU summit in July.

He has now put his office in charge and the economy minister is finalising a plan to be presented to Brussels by October 15.There are many countries that would love to be in Spain’s position.

In April when the pandemic began. Over 90 countries requested the international monetary fund for emergency funds and then, you have war-torn countries like Afghanistan and Yemen that have been combating covid-19 amid the raging conflicts. Spain's crisis sounds like a luxury.

(With inputs from agencies)

Spain is fighting an odd crisis it's high on cash, but low on ideas. Spain does not know how to spend. It's got 166 billion dollars in grants and loans is from the European Union recovery fund for the covid-19 crisis and the crisis is severe.

Spain is fighting an odd crisis it's high on cash, but low on ideas. Spain does not know how to spend. It's got 166 billion dollars in grants and loans is from the European Union recovery fund for the covid-19 crisis and the crisis is severe. Spain's economy slumped 18.5% in the second quarter the second worst in the region after the UK. Spain's ailing economy will receive around 140 billion euros or $166 billion out of the EU's 750-billion-euro coronavirus recovery package. This includes 43 billion Euros in grants in the next two years alone — this is equivalent to about 8% of Spain’s annual expenditure. Spain needs concrete investment projects to rescue the economy coming in the way is a prolonged political paralysis. The country has not been able to approve a full-year budget since 2016, so suddenly absorbing all that extra cash is a challenge. There are concerns over how to set up the machinery to take on this amount of liquidity and this by the way is cash that the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez fought hard for at an EU summit in July. He has now put his office in charge and the economy minister is finalising a plan to be presented to Brussels by October 15.There are many countries that would love to be in Spain’s position. In April when the pandemic began. Over 90 countries requested the international monetary fund for emergency funds and then, you have war-torn countries like Afghanistan and Yemen that have been combating covid-19 amid the raging conflicts. Spain's crisis sounds like a luxury. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid effect: Spain needs concrete investment projects to rescue the economy

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