Coronavirus

Indonesian village uses 'ghosts' for distancing patrols

Kepuh village, on Java Island, started deploying the patrols at night last month.

In Indonesian folklore, ghostly figures known as "pocong" are said to represent the trapped souls of the dead.

Indonesia so far has about 4,500 cases and 400 confirmed virus deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

But there are fears, according to experts, that the true scale of the infection across the country is much worse.

Guam confirms another Covid-19 case

Five people have died from coronavirus in Guam.

Governor Lou Leon Guerro said one case was reported as clinically diagnosed.

But she said out of 33 samples recently tested, zero cases were confirmed positive.

58 people people have recovered from the virus in the US territory.

     

Tonga extends State of Emergency in response to COVID-19

The extension was announced over the weekend to be effective from Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020.

Government Notice:

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by sections 36 and 37 of the Emergency Management Act 2007 and in recognition of –

A    the declaration made by the World Health Organization of Novel Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) as a global pandemic which is accelerating;

Marshall Islands feeling economic hit of Covid-19

The Ministry of Finance estimated a 25 percent shortfall in collections against projections for March, with worse likely to come.

"The number that I'm providing now is very rough," said Finance Secretary May Bing Thursday.

"But when we looked at our figures for FY2020, our collection in March is way below budgeted/expected figures and may continue the trend in coming months."

She estimated the March tax shortfall at 25 percent.

"We do anticipate a decrease in collection as activities within the private sector are clearly challenged," Ms Bing added.

New Caledonia extends Covid-19 lockdown

The decision was announced after talks involving medical experts, the French High Commission, the government and the customary Senate.

The extension was the second time that a week had been added to the original lockdown declared on 19 March.

From 20 April the emergency measures will be changed, with details of what will be eased to be announced in the course of next week.

The customary Senate had been in favour of extending the restrictions for longer while some leaders in the mainly Kanak Loyalty Islands province asked for the terms of confinement to be relaxed.

Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish in hospital with Covid-19 coronavirus

Dalglish was admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment of an infection which required intravenous antibiotics.

The 69-year-old former Celtic and Scotland footballer was routinely tested for coronavirus after being admitted.

"Unexpectedly, the test result was positive but he remains asymptomatic," the Dalglish family said.

Dalglish won the Scottish league title four times before moving to Liverpool in 1977. At Liverpool, his honours included eight league Championships as a player and manager and three European Cups.

PNG opens Covid-19 centre

The facility had been made possible by the PNG Sports Foundation.

Called the National Response Centralised Facility and run by Dr Gary Nou, it will serve Gul, Central and the National Capital District, but also be on standby for other PNG provinces.

The Post Courier newspaper reported the hospital had 76 beds, and was staffed with 13 doctors, 20 nursing officers and 20 community health workers.

PNG has two confirmed cases of Covid-19 but the country's ability to test for the virus was limited.

     

New York has more cases of coronavirus than any country

The state's confirmed caseload of Covid-19 jumped by 10,000 on Thursday to 159,937, placing it ahead of Spain (153,000 cases) and Italy (143,000).

China, where the virus emerged last year, has reported 82,000 cases.

The US as a whole has recorded 462,000 cases and nearly 16,500 deaths. Globally there are 1.6 million cases and 95,000 deaths.

While New York state leads the world in coronavirus cases, its death toll (7,000) lags behind Spain (15,500) and Italy (18,000), though it is more than double the official figure from China (3,300).

French Polynesia curfew extended to 29 April

The French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain made the announcement at a briefing with the French Polynesian president Edouard Fritch.

The curfew, which was first declared on 27 March, applies between 8pm and 5am.

Mr Sorain said the restrictions were needed because of the steady but slow progression of the virus which to date has infected 51 people in French Polynesia.

He said an Air Tahiti Nui airliner chartered by the French government was due to return from Paris at the weekend, bringing in 25 tonnes of medical supplies.

EU to redirect funds for pandemic response in Pacific

The bloc's ambassador to the Pacific, Sujiro Seam, said 15 Pacific states and four territories would be eligible for the support.

The money will be redirected from existing EU-funded programmes in the Pacific.

Mr Seam said the money would help strengthen countries' preparations, the capacity of their health systems and mitigate the pandemic's socioeconomic impact.

A detailed support programme for the Pacific will be announced "in the coming days".