Hospitals in Brazil’s main cities are reaching capacity, health officials have warned, as the country recorded the world’s highest COVID-19 death toll over the past week, triggering tighter restrictions on Thursday in its most populous state. Intensive care wards for treating COVID-19 patients have reached critical occupancy levels over 90% in 15 of 27 state capitals, according to biomedical center Fiocruz. In Porto Alegre, the largest city in southern Brazil, there are no free intensive care units (ICUs), and occupancy has also hit 100% in two other state capitals, Fiocruz reported. The Health Ministry on Wednesday reported a record 2,286 deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, as new infections rose by 79,876. With more than 270,000 deaths, Brazil’s pandemic death toll over the past y...
Sri Lanka has spent around $570,000 on COVID-19 precautionary measures in schools around the country, state media reported on Monday. The Minister of Education, Gamini Peiris, said this in Colombo. Peiris was quoted in state-owned Daily News as saying that sets of equipment have been provided to schools in order to protect the health of children ahead of classes restarting in the New Year. He said that schools would be reopened in isolated areas on Jan. 11 following consultation with health officials. The minister said that teachers and ministry officials would meet between Jan. 4 to 11 to discuss the implementation of health and safety protocols. So far, Sri Lanka had recorded 44,774 cases, 213 deaths and 37,252 recovered. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Ev...
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, M.A. Adamu, has ordered 24/7 water-tight security arrangement and proactive high visibility patrols in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ahead of the Christmas and New Year Celebrations. The IGP gave the directives to all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Zonal and State Commands nationwide to ensure a peaceful celebration. The IGP equally directed the Strategic Officers to ensure massive deployment of intelligence and other operational assets of the Force particularly on major highways, airports, railway stations, recreational centres, motor – parks, places of worship, financial institutions, amongst others. They are also to ensure that personnel deployed are adequat...
Qatar will host the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 from February 1 to 11, 2021, after it was postponed earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six continental confederations, as well as the host nation’s league champions, will compete in the tournament, which will be held across three FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums — Ahmad Bin Ali, Khalifa International and Education City. The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, inaugurated just last week on December 18, will stage the opening match between Qatari champions Al Duhail and Auckland City of New Zealand on February 1, and the final will be played at Education City Stadium on February 11. Joining the two teams will be European champions and German side FC Bayern Munich, CONCACAF champions Tigres UANL from Mexico, Al Ahly SC, Egyptian side and winners ...