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Post by Admin on Feb 15, 2020 19:49:50 GMT
Many more people may be forced to self-isolate as part of efforts to stop the coronavirus spreading in Britain, the head of NHS England has warned.
Sir Simon Stevens said more than 80 people discharged from quarantine on Thursday set an "important example".
Meanwhile, officials are tracing the contacts of the ninth person in the UK to test positive for the virus.
The woman went to hospital in an Uber, but Public Health England (PHE) said the driver is not at "high risk".
The new case - announced on Wednesday evening - is the first to be identified in London after she contracted the virus in China.
She "self-presented" at the A&E department of University Hospital Lewisham on Sunday 9 February, hospital chief executive Ben Travis said.
PHE said the Uber driver is "not considered high risk" because the journey was less than 15 minutes and there was not "close sustained contact".
Uber said it had temporarily suspended the driver's account "out of an abundance of caution". Asked if it would be compensating the driver for lost income, the company said: "We will be providing support to this driver."
GMB legal director Susan Harris said: "If Uber is genuinely concerned for his well-being - or for that of the public - they must make sure he receives payment during this enforced period of unemployment."
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Post by Admin on Feb 21, 2020 1:20:18 GMT
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new advisories on Wednesday for travelers going to Hong Kong and Japan in the wake of the deadly coronavirus spreading across the world.
The advisories are notably only a "level 1," a "watch," meaning travelers should exercise "usual precautions," unlike the "level 3" issued for China Jan. 27, which warns to "avoid nonessential travel." China's "level 3" advisory excludes Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. In the new Japan and Hong Kong advisories, the CDC specifically mentions it "does not recommend canceling or postponing travel."
The U.S. State Department, for its part, issued a level 4 travel advisory ("do not travel") – its most severe warning – for the entire country of China last month, one week after it did so for Hubei Province. It issued a "level 2" warning for Hong Kong last week to "exercise increased caution" amid the coronavirus outbreak. While embassies in Japan and South Korea have provided notices about coronavirus, the State Department advisory levels remain at a "level 1," aka "exercise normal precautions."
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Post by Admin on Feb 22, 2020 5:53:33 GMT
The country's open borders and interconnectedness as well as its pro-active approach to testing means it has reported one of the highest tallies outside mainland China - 50. "We are vulnerable, but we have to do everything that we can to contain that spread of the virus," says Lawrence Wong, co-chair of Singapore's task force on the coronavirus. But when a virus comes to Singapore it won't just affect this city. It can and has spread through Singapore to other countries around the world. The meeting that infected the world This became painfully obvious when one meeting held in a luxury hotel in mid-January spawned several coronavirus cases around the world. More than 100 people attended the sales conference, including some from China. About a week after that meeting, stories of confirmed coronavirus cases began popping up all over the world - from South Korea to Malaysia, the UK and even Spain. Singapore is at risk of spreading the virus precisely because it is a top destination for business meetings and international travellers. The city-state is a big draw for Chinese businesses too, given the close economic links between the two countries - 3.62m Chinese visitors came to Singapore in 2019, making up the largest group.
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Post by Admin on Mar 1, 2020 19:53:37 GMT
The Russian national gymnastics team has been dealt a blow after team bosses decided not to risk making the trip to Milwaukee, USA for a World Cup event due to coronavirus fears. The team will not be a part of the American Cup event in Wisconsin next weekend, and will also miss the World Cup event in Tokyo on April 4/5. It means the men's and women's teams are unlikely to secure an extra place in the Tokyo Olympic games. "Imagine, if someone sneezes on the plane, we will be left [in quarantine] for two weeks," said head coach Andrei Rodionenko. "Russia is doing the right thing, protecting its citizens. And we must protect our gymnasts." Senior national team coach Valentina Rodionenko explained that the long journey from Russia to the United States was a big factor in the decision to withdraw from the American Cup, with world champion Nikita Nagornyy and fellow star Lilia Akhaimova requiring a multi-stop trip to reach the tournament, which begins on March 7. "If even one person will be suspected (of carrying coronavirus), all the passengers will be quarantined, and that’s two weeks minimum," said Rodionenko "Imagine what it means for a gymnast to be quarantined for two weeks, while the European Championships are around the corner."
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Post by Admin on Mar 4, 2020 5:45:20 GMT
As the coronavirus continues to spread, and travel restrictions tighten, many artists have been canceling previously-scheduled concerts. Mariah Carey is the latest, postponing her show in Honolulu.
She uploaded a throwback photo performing in Hawaii to Instagram on Tuesday (Mar. 3), announcing the news. "Aloha Hawaii!! I'm so so sad to have to announce that I'm postponing my show to November," she wrote. "I was so excited to come back to Hawaii on my 'anniversary month' but evolving international travel restrictions force us to consider everyone's safety and well being."
"With that said, I am SUPER excited to be coming to Honolulu in November and perform my special All I Want for Christmas Is You & Hits extravaganza for the first time ever in Hawaii! I can't wait to see you! Stay safe!!" she concluded.
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