Health

ISLAMABAD: With nine persons reported dead, among them a senior doctor, and 4,027 cases of Covid-19 recorded across the country on Sunday, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will meet on Monday (today) to deliberate on possible ways to curb the spread of the dreaded disease. The particularly bad situation obtaining in Karachi has not just hit the city’s …

PARIS: Thousands demonstrated in cities across France on Saturday against tighter restrictions on people not vaccinated against Covid-19, as parliamentary wrangling continued over the draft law. In the capital Paris, the largest single gathering set off from near the Eiffel Tower, called by fringe anti-EU presidential candidate Florian Philippot. Other demonstrations harked back to the 2018-19 “yellow jackets” protests against …

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson witnessed weekly drinking sessions by his staff throughout the pandemic, according to a report on Saturday that stoked fresh calls from his own party for the embattled leader to quit. Conservative MPs, many of whom were spending the weekend back in their home constituencies, say they are being deluged with messages from voters outraged …

WASHINGTON: The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminded the public on Saturday that masks offer the best protection against all Covid-19 variants. “Masking is a critical public health tool for preventing spread of Covid-19, and it is important to remember that any mask is better than no mask,” the primary US health agency said. In an interview …

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases after nearly five months and with positivity rate surging to 8.16 per cent, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday urged the provinces to review the situation and decide about placing restrictions on public gatherings, weddings, schools, restaurants and public transport. The situation has turned serious particularly in …

MELBOURNE: Australia said on Friday it will detain Novak Djokovic this weekend after again stripping him of his visa, in a dramatic setback to the tennis world number one’s goal of winning a record 21st Grand Slam. As time slips away before the Australian Open starts on Monday, the nine-time title holder heard in an emergency hearing that he will …

ISLAMABAD: As the country witnessed a surge in Covid-19 cases with positivity rate reaching 7.36 per cent, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday allowed all citizens over 18 years of age to get booster dose. In a tweet, the NCOC said: “In today’s NCOC session, age limit for booster dose has been further reduced. From tomorrow onwards, …

The Sindh government on Saturday decided that schools across the province will remain open even as the Omicron-driven fifth wave of Covid-19 spreads at an alarming rate. The decision to continue educational activities was taken in a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Covid-19 presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The meeting’s participants also decided …

The Australian government cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time on Friday, saying the world tennis No 1, unvaccinated for Covid-19, may pose a risk to the community. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used discretionary powers to again cancel Djokovic’s visa, after a court quashed an earlier revocation and released him from immigration detention on Monday. “Today I exercised my power under …

Hundreds of thousands of Hindu worshippers gathered on the banks of India’s Ganges river on Friday for a holy bath despite a 30-fold rise in coronavirus cases in the past month. Hindus believe a bath in the holy river on the January 14 Makarsankranti festival washes away sins. A large number of devotees were taking a dip in the sacred …