B2014

Baby in Cagayan placed in 'batya' as family evacuates due to flood

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 07:57:00 +0000

A three-month-old baby was kept safe in Lal-lo, Cagayan after she was placed in a tub or "batya" by her parents as they evacuated from their home due to the flooding after Typhoon Ulysses' onslaught.

Ayla Erin T. Agnes was wide-eyed and awake as her parents, Romelyn and Raffy Tabalno, crossed a flooded area in Bagumbayan at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12.

The residence of the Tabalnos got flooded after Ulysses brought heavy rains on Thursday.

While evacuating, the couple used a tub for their baby as a mode of transportation to cross the chest-deep floodwaters.

Aside from Baby Ayla, the Tabalnos also have another child aged one year and eight months.

Due to the widespread flooding, Cagayan was placed under a state of calamity on Saturday, Governor Manuel Mamba said. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News

LA Lakers 2020 NBA World Champions

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 01:59:00 +0000

La Lakers

Online Earthquake Drill Fails

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 00:37:00 +0000

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council held an online national simultaneous earthquake drill amid the COVID-19 threat.

However, according to Ivan Mayrina’s Friday report on “24 Oras,” the earthquake drill did not go as planned due to a technical glitch right at the moment when the siren was about to go off.

“Minsan nagfi-freeze ‘yong screen kasi I guess dahil sa internet connection,” NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal explained.

Timbal, meanwhile, assured the public that the NDRRMC will try to improve the activity to instill preparedness among the public amid the health crisis.

He added that the threat of earthquakes is still there despite the national health emergency.

PHIVOLCS officer-in-charge Renato Solidum also said this is the best time to prepare for natural disasters.

“Ngayong nasa GCQ tayo, iyo’y magandang pagkakataon para balikan at pag-isipan ang paghahanda ng bawat isa, ng bawat pamilya para sa lindol,” he said.

“Dapat maglaan ng personal protective equipment katulad ng mask sa ating mga go-back at mga alcohol o disinfectant,” Solidum added.

— Ma. Angelica Garcia/DVM, GMA News

Bong Revilla’s plan

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 08:34:00 +0000

Not enough? Filipinos question Bong Revilla’s plan to give away tablets to students on his birthday

Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr‘s involvement in the controversial pork barrel scam reemerged anew after he announced that he will be giving away tablets to students for distance learning.

The lawmaker in a Facebook video uploaded Tuesday said that he will hand out 10-inch tablets to students as part of his educational program Karunungan Ating Palaguin (KAP) in celebration of his upcoming 54th birthday on September 25.

Revilla said that he will begin the initiative on September 20 which will be launched via KAP’s Family Game Show.

“Ito po ‘yung programa natin para makatulong tayo sa mga kabataan, mamimigay po tayo ng tablet at kung sino ‘yung mga first 1,000 na kabataan na matutulungan natin. Tapos may mga regalo pa tayo sa mga sponsors, mga kaibigan natin,” he said.

“Maging isa sa daan-daang mabibiyayaan ng 10-inch tablet para sa pag-aaral,” part of one of his Facebook posts reads.

The senator also revealed that proceeds from his social media pages and YouTube accounts, which he said have been earning due to its monetization, would be used for the planned raffle in his giveaway.

“Simula po nung nagkaroon ako ng Facebook page, in fact, na-monetize na po ‘to, malaki-laki na rin ‘yung kinikita natin. At ‘yun po ay idadagdag din natin sa mga ipapa-raffle natin. Malaki na rin ‘yun, I think more than 10,000 dollars,” Revilla said.

He urged the public to follow his accounts for updates on the initiative aimed to help students with distance learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Revilla’s tablet donation initiative was well-received by Filipinos but some of them perceived it to be insufficient, given his involvement in the pork barrel scam where he plundered millions of pesos under alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Napoles‘ scheme.

“Kulang po ‘yan senator. 20,000+ tablets dapat ang bigay niyo. Para maibalik niyo ‘yung pera ng mga tao,” a Facebook user wrote in response to his announcement of giving away tablets for the students.

“1k lang, dapat buong Cavite para mas makinabang maraming kabataan (diyan) sa nasasakupan niya!” wrote another online user in reference to the lawmaker’s home province.

“How about giving back the P124.5 million plundered money instead? Mas madami mabibiling tablets,” said another Filipino with an eyeroll emoji.

“Dapat kada-barangay na lang po bigyan,” a Facebook user commented.

“Make it 5k, sisiw lang po ‘yan sa ninakaw niyo po,” wrote another online user.

Actress Bela Padilla previously reminded the lawmaker that his plundered money “can buy 1,245,000 face masks” after the latter urged the government to give away free face masks and face shields before.

Revilla last month urged the health department and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to distribute the protective gear for the coronavirus disease without charge but it was criticized instead.

“124.5M can buy 1,245,000 face masks. #justsaying,” Padilla tweeted then.

Revilla’s plunder case

Revilla was accused of misusing P517 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund and funneling it to bogus non-government organizations in the 2010s, along with former senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada.

He was detained for four years and was able to walk free in December 2018.

Revilla returned to the Senate a year after, which he partly attributed to the virality of his campaign video that showed him doing the “budots” dance routine.

His plunder case might have been dismissed but the Ombudsman prosecutors urged the anti-graft court to issue a writ of execution that would compel him to pay P124.5 million in civil liability.

Revilla’s camp, however, asserted that he was not criminally liable and should not be sought to pay the amount.

PNP-IAS files raps vs. 9 cops involved in Jolo shooting incident

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 05:11:00 +0000

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan on Monday bared that the Internal Affairs Service has already filed administrative and criminal complaints against cops involved in the Jolo, Sulu shooting incident in June.

"The PNP, through the Internal Affairs Service, has formally filed admin cases against nine PNP personnel who are respondents in the criminal case for murder and planting of evidence filed by NBI in connection with the death of four Philippine Army personnel," Cascolan said at a press briefing.

Cascolan also said administrative complaints have been filed against the three superiors of these nine policemen for gross neglect of duty.

"'Yung three immediate officers will also be called here. I believe they're already en route to Crame," Cascolan said.

The nine policemen involved in the shooting incident are under the restrictive custody of the PNP in Camp Crame. Cascolan said summons had been served against the cops last week.

Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation filed four counts of murder and planting of evidence against the nine cops involved and recommended the filing of neglect of duty against three local police officers.

On June 29, the soldiers were tracking suicide bombers when the shooting incident happened. They were flagged down by cops in Barangay Walled City despite identifying themselves as members of the military.

The military personnel were instructed to go to the police station for further verification of their identities.

According to a police report, the shooting incident, which then Army chief and now Armed Forces chief General Gilbert Gapay branded as murder, happened when the soldiers allegedly escaped and pointed their weapons at the police officers.

The police officers involved in the incident however could not pinpoint who made the first shot between their group and the four members of the Philippine Army who were killed. —KG, GMA News

ABS-CBN shuts down sports department

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 09:35:00 +0000

ABS-CBN Sports will cease to exist effective Aug. 31 as a result of the non-renewal of the network’s franchise by the House of Representatives last week.

The network’s head of Integrated Sports Dino Laurena confirmed the sad news in a post on his personal Facebook page on Thursday, describing it as “The Final Buzzer” for their sports division.

“And so ends this journey… I made the painful announcement to our beloved Sports team today. I’ve been on this road before and I can assure, it is not something I will swear even on people I don’t like. It’s heart-wrenchingly painful,” read Mr. Laurena’s post.

On Wednesday, ABS-CBN released a statement that it will be implementing a retrenchment program covering its subsidiaries as well effective Aug. 31, 2020, following Congress’ non-renewal of its franchise.

ABS-CBN said that while it hurts to implement the retrenchment program, it was something it had to do to keep the company going.

Over 70 regular employees from the sports division are expected to be let go, including members of its TV production and online team. Also affected by the retrenchment are independent personnel (cameramen and crew) and talents like game commentators and show hosts.

ABS-CBN’s S+A channel has been home to a number sports leagues in the country, namely the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Also shown on the channel are events of international mixed martial arts group ONE Championship.

Aforementioned leagues said they were weighing their options in the aftermath of Congress’ thumb-down of ABS-CBN’s application for renewal.

The NCAA and the PVL still have live contracts with ABS-CBN, while the UAAP’s contract ended last May 31. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

DOH Secretary Duque, binawi ang deklarasyong na-flatten na ang curve ng COVID-19 cases sa Pilipinas

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 10:49:00 +0000

Hindi komedyante si Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, pero nagawa niyang patawanin ang marami dahil sa kanyang pahayag na nagtagumpay ang ating bansa na patagin ang kurba ng COVID-19 pandemic mula pa noong Abril 2020.

Hindi rin kontrabida sa pelikula at sa teleserye si Duque, pero sumiklab ang poot ng marami sa ating mga kababayan dahil sa kanyang sinabi sa isang online pre-State of the Nation Address forum ngayong hapon, July 15.

"We have successfully flattened the curve since April," deklara ng DOH secretary.

"The metrics for arriving at that conclusion of flattening the curve is actually, one, the case doubling time of the COVID-19 infection has actually become longer."

Ang mga pinakawalang salita ni Duque tungkol sa COVID-19 situation sa ating bansa ang dahilan para batikusin siya nang todo.

Muli ring nabuhay ang panawagang bumaba na siya mula sa puwesto na kanyang mahigpit na kinakapitan.

Walang gustong maniwala sa pahayag ni Duque dahil patuloy na tumataas ang kaso ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa.

As of today, July 15, umabot na sa 58,850 ang bilang ng kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas. Kasama sa bilang na ito ang 1,614 na namatay at 20,976 na gumaling.

Pagkatapos tumanggap ng mga masasakit na puna dahil sa kanyang deklarasyong napatag na ang kurba ng COVID-19 cases sa bansa, binawi ni Duque sa pamamagitan ng mga tweet ang kanyang mga naunang pahayag.

Pahayag niya: "I would like to clarify my statement made earlier during the Pre-SONA on flattening the curve.

"Our case doubling time in April passed the 3 day doubling time mark; NOW, July 15 - it is at 8 days CDT (past the 7-day doubling time mark). Read more at pep.ph

Breast Massage Health Benefits That Will Surprise You

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 06:04:00 +0000

A breast massage might seem like a taboo concept but it is essential to early diagnosis of breast cancer. About 70 percent of breast cancer cases were detected in women under 50 through self-examinations, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Breast massage has been a part of ayurvedic therapeutic practices. Abhyanga is a breast massage that has roots in ayurveda. It involves gentle massaging of the breasts in circular motions with herbal oil.

In Western culture this may be frowned upon so it makes more sense to massage your own breasts for the health benefits that it provides. Use gentle pressure with the first four fingers starting from the nipple and then move your hands to the outer part of the breast. Doing this a few times is useful for the following reasons:

Removes Toxins

Lymphedema is the buildup of excess fluid in the network of vessels near the breastbone and collarbone. Breast massage can prevent the accumulation of waste in the chest region and the arms. However, the evidence to prove this is limited. A review done in 2013 said that 10 randomized controlled trials could not prove the positive effect of stimulating the breasts on lymphedema specifically.

Cancer Detection

Cancer is often detected when a hard lump or overgrown tissue is felt with bare human hands manually. The earlier the diagnosis, the more chances of recovering and preventing the disease from spreading to other parts of the body. However, majority of lumps turn out to be benign.

Improves Circulation

Breast massage could remove blockages and toxins due to bras, scars and sedentary lifestyles. "A breast massage can improve circulation and aid in detoxing. The breasts are part of the lymphatic system, which moves toxins and unwanted materials through the body," Torrie Thompson, lead health coach at Modern Holistic Health, said.

Alleviates Stress

Breast massages help release feel-good hormones similar to all massages that leave the recipient feeling good and therefore reducing stress. "Oxytocin is one of our feel-good hormones that is also released from breastfeeding and hugging," Thompson said.

Soothes Sore Muscles

Sore muscles affect the breasts as well after a rigorous workout doing push-ups and pull-ups. Breast massage could reduce strain on the muscles under the breast tissues.

For people who have had surgery and breast cancer recently, they should be extra careful and consult with a doctor before massaging the breasts.

Ron Jeremy pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault charges

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 23:52:00 +0000

After declaring his “innocence” on Twitter, Ron Jeremy officially pleaded not guilty to multiple felony sex crimes, Yahoo Entertainment can confirm. The former adult film star, who appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday, remains in custody. His bail was previously set at $6.6 million.

On Tuesday, Jeremy was charged with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth in separate incidents dating back to 2014. In total, he was charged with eight counts of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual battery.

In court on Friday, Jeremy’s attorney said his client “never, in his life, had sex with a female through force or duress,” per the Los Angeles Times. Authorities have received 25 new complaints of sexual misconduct against Jeremy this week since his arrest made news.

Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson said it is “certainly possible” the new claims could lead to additional charges, according to the Times, revealing the allegations ranged from groping to overt acts of sexual violence.

Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Jeremy’s lawyer for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

A message posted on the entertainer’s official Twitter account on Tuesday denied wrongdoing. “I am innocent of all charges,” the tweet read. “I can’t wait to prove my innocence in court!”

Prosecutors claim Jeremy, 67, forcibly raped a 25-year-old woman at a home in West Hollywood in May 2014. He’s accused of sexually assaulting two women, ages 33 and 46, on separate occasions at a West Hollywood bar in 2017. He allegedly forcibly raped a 30-year-old woman at the same bar in July 2019. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office noted it investigated another incident involving the porn star from 2016 but declined the case due to insufficient evidence.

Jeremy faces a possible maximum sentence of 90 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged.

Shortly after his arrest, Jeremy was dropped by his manager. “We hope that these allegations against [Ron] are not true, but if they are, we hope that he is prosecuted,” Dante Rusciolelli told Yahoo Entertainment over email.

Sexual misconduct and assault allegations dogged Jeremy for years and he has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. After Rolling Stone laid out his troubling history with women in a 2017 article, Jeremy told the magazine he “never raped anyone.”

Jeremy's next court appearance is Aug. 31.

Source: Yahoo.com

PBA coaches ask fans to pray, be patient

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 01:59:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra assistant coach Olsen Racela asked for more patience and prayers from fans who are longing to see the PBA back in action soon.

“For the PBA fans, konting pasensya lang po,” Racela said during Saturday night’s PBA Kamustahan podcast.

“I know sila Commissioner (Willie Marcial) and the board are doing their best para makabalik ang PBA pero konting pasensya lang po. Sinisiguro nila na maayos na ang lahat bago nila ibalik ang PBA,” he added.

“In the meantime, magdasal po tayo sana matapos na itong pandemic para sa ikabubuti ng lahat,” he appealed.

The pro league is awaiting government approval for its “new normal” protocols.

Conditions permitting, the PBA hopes to resume its Season 45 Philippine Cup by October at the latest.

Racela’s sentiments were echoed by Columbian coach Johnedel Cardel and assistant coaches Topex Robinson of Phoenix, Johnny Abarrientos of Magnolia, Danny Ildefonso of Alaska, and Rommel Adducul of Blackwater.

The former PBA greats talked about their transition to coaching and various influences as they perform their current jobs.

Ildefonso fondly remembered his earliest – and probably most successful pupil – as a skills coach – reigning league MVP June Mar Fajardo.

“Si June Mar napakasarap turuan. Unlike ibang players, open talaga siya, gusto niya talagang matuto,” said Ildefonso, the two-time MVP who mentored a young Fajardo in 2012 in his last season with Petron.

Ildefonso shared this mentorship actually started even before the Cebuano jumped over to the PBA.

“Bago pa siya dumating ng Manila, tinuturuan ko na siya. Kasi pag bumababa siya, malayo niya tinatanggap ang bola eh,” he said.

“Sabi ko, hindi ka yayaman dyan, 6’9, 6’10 ka, sabi ko alam mo nasaan ang pera? Doon sa ilalim ng goal, doon mo kunin,” he added.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/

Sara: Pa is hard to love

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 01:52:00 +0000

DAVAO CITY , Philippines – For presidential daughter and Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, President Duterte is “hard to love” when it comes to his children.

But Sara credits her father, who is now 75 years old, for instilling the importance of education in his children.

She said she is “very grateful” for her father who was “very strict” when it came to their education, which eventually paved the way for her becoming a lawyer.

“I’m very grateful for my father. He is hard to love and he is not soft as a father. Yes, he is strict when it comes to education,” Sara said in the Visayan dialect in an interview with dxDC on Father’s Day yesterday.

“But now that I’m already a lawyer at 42, I appreciate what my father did before, because if not for his scolding me, if not for his anger, maybe I would not be a lawyer at all,” she said.

Aside from Sara, Duterte has two other children with his first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman – Congressman Paolo and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian.

The President also has a daughter, Veronica, with his partner Cielito “Honeylet” Avancena.

“The lesson on the importance of education — he was so particular and very strict about education so that anything you do that he considers to be something that would ruin your education, he will really get mad,” Sara said.

She is touted to seek the presidency in 2022 when the term of her father as president ends.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/

Who was George Floyd? The 'gentle giant' who was trying to turn his life around

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sat, 30 May 2020 21:20:00 +0000

George Floyd's death has sparked protests across the US, with demonstrators desperately calling for an end to police violence.

Mr Floyd was an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes as he told them "I can't breathe".

He moved to Minneapolis after being released from prison and was known as a "gentle giant" who was trying to turn his life around.

The 46-year-old was born in North Carolina and lived in Houston, Texas, when he was younger but moved to Minneapolis several years ago to find work, according to his lifelong friend, Christopher Harris.

He was known to loved ones as "Big Floyd" and was the father to a six-year-old daughter who lives in Houston with her mother, Roxie Washington.

Ms Washington told the Houston Chronicle he was a good father while they were raising their daughter, Gianna, together.

He also left behind a girlfriend, Courteney Ross, who said she was "heartbroken" over his death.

"Waking up this morning to see Minneapolis on fire would be something that would devastate Floyd," she told the Star Tribune.

"He loved the city. He came here [from Houston] and stayed here for the people and the opportunities."

Mr Floyd was a talented athlete who particularly excelled in football and basketball at school.

One of Mr Floyd's former classmates, Donnell Cooper, said he had a "quiet personality but a gentle spirit".

According to Ms Washington, he did not finish school and began making music with a hip-hop group called the Screwed Up Click.

After he struggled to find work in Houston, he left the city for Minneapolis.

There, he worked two jobs, one driving trucks and another as a security guard at Latin American restaurant Conga Latin Bistro.

A Conga customer, Jessi Zendejas, said in a Facebook post that Mr Floyd "loved his hugs from his regulars", according to the Star Tribune.

"[He] would be mad if you didn't stop to greet him because he honestly loved seeing everyone and watching everyone have fun," she said.

In a post on a GoFundMe page, Mr Floyd's sister, Bridgett, said he would "give you the shirt off his back".

His friend, Oscar Smallwood, wrote on Facebook: "The gentle giant has gained his wings, didn't get that chance to say I Love you!"

According to court documents, Mr Floyd was charged in 2007 with armed robbery in a "home invasion". He was sentenced to five years in prison after a plea deal in 2009.

In a recent video on social media, he spoke out against gun violence, saying: "Our young generation is clearly lost".

On Monday, he was pinned to the ground by police officer Derek Chauvin while being arrested for allegedly using a fake $20 note in a shop.

In footage of the arrest, Mr Floyd can be heard saying he could not breathe, before he is seen being lifted on to a stretcher and into an ambulance.

He died in hospital.

Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, while three other officers involved in the incident were sacked.

Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter

A former owner of Minneapolis's El Nuevo Rodeo bar said both Mr Floyd and Chauvin had been employed as security guards at the venue at the same time.

Maya Santamaria told KSTP-TV the police officer worked off-duty outside the club and does not know if the pair knew each other, but there would have been occasions when they were working on the same night.

She claimed Chauvin often overreacted and used pepper spray on people, saying "he had a real short fuse and he seemed afraid".

Source: https://www.msn.com/

Chinese medical experts say PH is at risk of not being able to cut COVID-19 source

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 07:40:00 +0000

- Several medical experts from China arrived in the Philippines to share knowledge and expertise

- A few days after conducting assessment, they already disclosed their findings to the public

- They said that the country is at risk of being unable to completely cut the source of the infection

- They also gave a suggestion that could reduce the infection rates and increase the recovery rates

The medical experts from China who came to the Philippines one week ago have already disclosed their findings on the country’s situation amid COVID-19 pandemic.

KAMI learned that according to Weng Shangeng, the head of the 12-man Chinese team, the Philippines is at risk of not being able to cut off the source of the infection.

He also told CCTV Asia Pacific that many of the Filipino patients are still on self-quarantine because of limited beds and facilities.

Read more at https://www.msn.com/

Trump announces 'halt' in US funding to World Health Organization amid coronavirus pandemic

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 08:42:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration will "halt" U.S. funding to the World Health Organization as it conducts a review of the global organization's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have deep concerns about whether America's generosity has been put to the best use possible,” the president said in a Rose Garden press conference. “The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion."

Trump has accused the organization of not moving quickly enough to sound the alarm over COVID-19 and of being too China friendly. He has attacked the agency for advising the U.S. against banning travel from China to other parts of the world amid the outbreak."And the World – WHO – World Health got it wrong," the president told reporters at the White House last week. "I mean, they got it very wrong. In many ways, they were wrong. They also minimized the threat very strongly and – not good."

Trump has previously said he was considering cutting WHO funding, but on Tuesday he accused the organization of "severely mismanaging and covering up" the spread of the coronavirus after the initial outbreak in Wuhan,China.

The U.S. paid $893 million to the WHO during its two-year budget window, according to the organization's website. That money represents about 15% of the WHO's budget.

Established in 1948, the WHO is an autonomous organization that works with the United Nations and is considered part of the U.N. system.

During Tuesday's briefing, the president asked whether it was appropriate to freeze WHO's funding in the middle of a pandemic that has claimed more than 125,000 lives worldwide with over 2 million cases confirmed, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

"This is an evaluation period, but in the meantime, we're putting a hold on all funds going to World Health," Trump said.

Trump said the review would last between 60 and 90 days. He said the administration would "channel" the money into other areas to combat the coronavirus outbreak, but declined to provide any specifics.

The American Medical Association was quick to criticize the president's move and urged him to reconsider his decision.

"During the worst public health crisis in a century, halting funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) is a dangerous step in the wrong direction that will not make defeating COVID-19 easier," AMA President Patrice A. Harris said in a statement.

Harris added that battling a pandemic requires international cooperation and data.

"Cutting funding to the WHO - rather than focusing on solutions - is a dangerous move at a precarious moment for the world," she said.

Leslie Dach, chair of the pro-Obamacare group Protect Our Care and the former global Ebola coordinator for the Department of Health and Human Services, called the decision an attempt to shift blame for the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.

"This is nothing more than a transparent attempt by President Trump to distract from his history downplaying the severity of the coronavirus crisis and his administration’s failure to prepare our nation," she said. "To be sure, the World Health Organization is not without fault but it is beyond irresponsible to cut its funding at the height of a global pandemic. This move will undoubtedly make Americans less safe."

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/

49 alleged purveyors of fake news, scammers nabbed amid COVID-19 scare -PNP Anti Cybercrime Group

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 08:26:00 +0000

A total of 49 alleged purveyors of fake news and online scam have been arrested amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group said Wednesday.

Data from the PNP-ACG showed that from March 9 to April 13, a total of 24 cases have been filed against those who allegedly spread false information and those who were supposedly involved in face mask scam.

PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said these cases were inclusive of all COVID-related fake news, ranging from violation of data privacy to illegal selling and hoarding of merchandise.

The police organization has been warning the public about the proliferation of fake news during the health crisis. According to the PNP, those who spread fake news could be charged for violating Republic Act 10175 or the Anti-Cybercrime Law.

In line with this, Banac clarified rumors being spread online and on text messages about the supposed standardization of salary pension.

Banac said, according to PNP Retirement and Benefits Administration Service, there was no directive on the rumored standardization of salary pensions retirees and their alleged 29% increase.

“Our cybercops will be in full gear to address this continuing struggle against fake news proliferators and online scammers in the time of deadly contagion," he said.

"We will arrest these cybercriminals to stop their illegal activities online that may cause harm, confusion, and panic among our people,” he added.—AOL, GMA News

Virus fears hit world's oldest profession

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:29:00 +0000

"Being a prostitute has always been a good option in times of crisis... until this one," says Bruno, a sex worker who fears catching the deadly coronavirus at a time when those in his trade are more vulnerable than ever.

One of approximately a million sex workers in the United States, Bruno -- not his real name -- has stopped taking clients in the past month as the once-in-a-century pandemic arrived in America.

Like most legal trades, demand for the 33-year-old's services has plummeted with much of the country staying home under lockdown.

But Bruno, who is based in the Los Angeles area, started in this business about two years ago precisely because he couldn't get a steady job that paid well.

Now his savings are rapidly dwindling -- and unlike most unemployed workers, Bruno is not eligible for federally approved relief.

Despite his health concerns over a pandemic that has killed more than 14,000 people in the US, Bruno is considering returning to work.

"I'm going to have to take the risk, it's the only way I can make money," he said.

Demand has already fallen by around 80 percent, he said -- but a handful of clients are still contacting him.

Bruno already considers his job to be high-risk because of potential exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.

"I'm surprised that, with this virus going around, people still want to take the danger," he admitted.

Returning is not a decision he takes lightly.

"How can I be sure the person is taking care of themselves?" he asked.

- 'The only way' -

Small businesses hit by the crisis seeking emergency loans, according to government guidelines, may not sell "products or services... of a prurient sexual nature."

"Our government's unwillingness to recognize sex work as a non-criminal venue of employment means that many workers are quickly being pushed into a state of financial desperation," wrote Molly Simmons, a New York sex worker, on the Huffington Post.

The situation, she warned, may force sex workers to "accept clients they know aren't safe and risk an assault or rape because they need to feed themselves or their children or keep the electricity on."

The Desert AIDS Project, an NGO specializing in HIV-AIDS in California, has published recommendations for sex workers during the pandemic.

"When negotiating services, prices, and laying ground rules, cover off on coronavirus too," it advises, suggesting other measures such as protective gloves.

Other organizations have promoted ways for sex workers to avoid physical meetings altogether during the pandemic.

Advocacy groups COYOTE and BAWS have called on clients to make donations or pay in advance for post-crisis services.

Some sex workers have emulated pornographic actors by making a living from home via webcam appearances and connecting with clients by phone calls or messaging.

Bruno has friends who already do this and earn up to $3,000 a month.

But he is wary of that route, which risks exposing his identity.

"I'm not criticizing it, but I'm not getting into it," he said. "I don't want my financial difficulties to cost me my privacy."

Source: yahoo

Where's the P275-B? Duterte says COVID-19 response fund not yet onhand?

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:47:00 +0000

President Rodrigo Duterte hit back at critics who have been demanding a breakdown of the P275-billion coronavirus response fund, stressing that the amount is yet to be collected by the government.

At a briefing in Malacañang aired late Wednesday night, the president claimed the P275 billion is not cash on hand since it is yet to be collected in the second, third, and fourth quarters of the year.

“Wala pa ‘yang pera na ‘yan dito… ‘Yung budget na pinapatakbo natin was prepared last year but COVID-19 was not included in that budget,” he explained.

#NasaanAng275Billion was among the hashtags that trended on Twitter in March as netizens made resounding calls for a breakdown of the COVID-19 response fund.

Congress had approved a P275-billion package in March under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act to support some 18 million low-income households affected by the enhanced community quarantines that stalled the economy.

“Kung magsabi kayo, ‘Saan na ‘yung pera namin na P300 billion,’ wala pa po ‘yan. Kokolektahin pa po ‘yan,” Duterte said.

“Masunod ba ‘yung koleksyon mo? Hindi. Ang ekonomiya, patay,” he added.

During his tirade, Duterte said he was looking at selling off government assets to raise funds for COVID-19 response.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said that the budget deficit is seen to widen to 5.3 percent, while at least 1.2 million Filipinos are expected to temporarily become unemployed due to the coronavirus menace.

Duterte called on landlords to temporarily stop collecting rent from their tenants, citing reports of people who were kicked out of their homes for being unable to pay their dues amid the crisis.

“Nagmamakaawa ako sa inyo, ‘wag ninyong pilitin ang mga tao… kasi talagang mageengkwentro tayo. Hindi talaga ako papayag. ‘Wag niyo akong pilitin to go against the law,” he warned. --JST, GMA News

Duterte 'inclined' to extend COVID-19 quarantine to April 30

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 02:03:00 +0000

President Rodrigo Duterte is "inclined" to extend the enhanced community quarantine currently in place over Luzon to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a televised address on Monday night, Duterte said government was looking to extend the quarantine to last until April 30.

"We are inclined to extend the lockdown up to April 30. Tingnan natin after that," Duterte said.

"In the meantime, magdo-double time kami doon sa tinatawag ninyong middle class," Duterte said. —JST, GMA News

Is Chloroquine a cure for COVID-19?

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 18:26:00 +0000

The drug chloroquine has generated buzz on social media for supposedly being a cure for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In the Philippines, netizens celebrated the recovery of Patient 358, who claimed in a Facebook post that hydroxy chloroquine was among the medicines given to him for COVID-19.

Infectious diseases expert Dr. Rey Salinel said chloroquine contains the chemical compound quinine, which is used to treat heart ailments.

“‘Pag-umiinom ang pasyente ng chloroquine ginagawa niyang... alkaline ang blood pH [level] para hindi ito conducive makapasok sa cell ng mga COVID patient,” he explained.

“Mas gusto ng mga doktor ibigay ito sa mga malalang pang condition katulad ng mga intensive care unit patients at mga intubated o naka-respirator na patient.”

However, Salinel stressed that the drug may cause complications in the heart, kidney, and liver.

The Department of Health likewise cautioned the public against the use of off-label drugs such as chloroquine, which are not recommended for self-medication.

Watch this Stand for Truth report by Manal Sugadol to learn more about the drug. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News

11 to 100,000: What went wrong with coronavirus testing in the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 23:09:00 +0000

“We have it totally under control.” — President Trump, in an interview, on Jan. 22

“We're in great shape in our country. We have 11, and the 11 are getting better. ” — Trump, in remarks, on Feb. 10

“You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country.” — Trump, in a news conference, on Feb. 25

“It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — Trump, in remarks, on Feb. 27

“Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.” — Trump, in remarks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, March 6

When the first U.S. case of the novel coronavirus was confirmed, President Trump assured the American people that the situation was “totally under control.” Cabinet officials, the vice president and the president repeated that refrain throughout February. By the end of that month, as global financial markets and the American public started to quiver, Trump held firm: “You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country.”

With the clarity of hindsight, it is obvious the situation was very much not under control. In reality, a lack of testing gave a false picture of how many people across the country were infected.

Through government documents, testimony, news reports and interviews, The Fact Checker video team has reconstructed events that left the government blind to the virus’s spread, and examined how those errors opened the door for 11 confirmed cases to balloon to more than 100,000 in less than six weeks.

The Facts

The novel coronavirus was first detected in early December in Wuhan, China. Chinese officials reported the pneumonia-like disease to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the end of December, but neglected to mention growing evidence that the virus could spread by human-to-human transmission through airborne droplets.

Still, China’s previous failures to be forthcoming about public health crises meant that public health officials elsewhere already were wary of its government’s official statements. As reports of the mysterious virus increased, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Americans against traveling to China and activated an emergency management tool used to direct operations, deliver resources and share information.

Despite the alarm bells and increased intelligence briefings, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar struggled to get Trump’s attention for weeks.

January: Make the test

One of the first things that any government needs to track and manage any disease’s spread is the ability to test for it. Because covid-19 is a disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus, that meant developing a new test.

China developed its own test. The WHO adopted a test from German researchers and published testing protocols in mid-January. Those protocols could be adopted by other countries to produce their own tests or countries could use tests provided by the WHO. The CDC publicly shared the details of the test it designed on Jan. 24 — three days after the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Washington state.

The CDC’s decision to develop its own test is not unusual. “The CDC will develop their own test that is suited to an American health-care context and the regulations that exist here,” Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, explained. “That’s how we normally would do things. A lot of countries don’t have the capabilities that we have here. And so they need to rely on the WHO to provide tests to them. We don’t have to do that in the United States.”

Even though the United States had cases in the single digits in late January, some public health officials were increasingly worried. Luciana Borio, the former head of medical and biodefense preparedness at the National Security Council, and Scott Gottlieb, who led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from May 2017 to April 2019, wrote a prescient op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, warning that if the virus is widespread, “the CDC will struggle to keep up with the volume of screening. Government should focus on working with private industry to develop easy-to-use, rapid diagnostic tests that can be made available to providers.” Borio told NPR on Jan. 30: “The most important and effective way to control epidemics is to identify patients who are infected, exposed to the virus, and isolate them.”

In other words, the government needed to prepare to test Americans on a large scale.

But the government did almost the exact opposite of what Borio and Gottlieb proposed. CDC issued narrow guidance on which patients qualified for a test — only those with recent travel to Wuhan or those who had come into contact with an infected person.

On Jan. 31, Azar declared a “public health emergency,” announcing travel restrictions — including barring noncitizens who had recently visited China from entering the United States — in an effort to curtail the virus’s spread inside the country. The declaration triggered emergency testing protocols, which increased restrictions on which labs could make a coronavirus test. Any lab would be required to acquire an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA to perform testing for covid-19. The FDA granted the CDC the first EUA.

The overall plan was simple. The CDC would use the science it had developed for the test, do the bulk of the testing, and distribute test kits to qualified state labs. This would safeguard against potential bad results and ensure an accurate count.

The EUA requirement meant that other labs, including sophisticated labs that developed tests based on the genetic sequence available and that under normal circumstances could have begun testing, were not able to do so until they received special permission.

February: Distribute the Test

On Feb. 2, Gottlieb tweeted, “Since CDC and FDA haven’t authorized public health or hospital labs to run the tests, right now #CDC is the only place that can. So, screening has to be rationed. Our ability to detect secondary spread among people not directly tied to China travel is greatly limited.”

The conundrum Gottlieb described quickly amplified. The CDC-manufactured kits were sent to state labs on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7. Some labs had problems with the test. By Feb. 12, the CDC announced that the test was providing inconclusive results. By then, the United States had reported 11 cases.

The low case count dampened concern among some in the administration. And Trump touted those comparatively low numbers on Feb. 10: “We’re doing great in our country. … We only have 11 cases, and they’re all getting better.”

By then, a self-perpetuating cycle had formed. Few people qualified to be tested, and even if they did qualify, the CDC was essentially the only place that could do those tests. (A total of 12 other labs received EUAs by late February.) That meant relatively few tests were performed, and thus few people tested positive for the virus.

By Feb. 16, the CDC and state public health labs tested nearly 1,600 specimens. As a rule of thumb, two specimens are required per person, meaning that in total, only about 800 people had been tested. That’s roughly 2.4 tests per million people in the United States. In contrast, South Korea, which found its first case on the same day as the United States, had tested nearly 8,000 people, or 154.7 tests per million.

“The testing issue was not something that any single agency could resolve,” Konyndyk said. “CDC had their piece of it, which was their own test, but CDC didn’t have the authority to tell other private labs: Go ahead. You’ve got a green light. FDA had to do that.”

The New York Times reported that Azar was “unable” to get either the CDC or the FDA to “speed up or change course.” Moreover, he “had been at odds for months with the White House over other issues” and was communicating primarily with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, who was in the process of being forced out.

Azar testified that he intended to implement a pilot program, adding coronavirus surveillance to the existing flu surveillance networks on Feb. 13. But it never came to fruition. There were not enough tests to make it happen.

By the following week, it became clear to local public health officials that the virus had spread in communities and become endemic in other countries. Public health labs, frustrated by their inability to test, became frantic. Still, the FDA warned labs not to test — regardless of whether protocols they planned to use came from the WHO or the CDC or had been developed in-house. On Feb. 24, state public health labs made an unusual plea for the agency to open testing.

That same day, Trump tweeted, “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.”

The next day, Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters: “Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in the United States. It’s not a question of if this will happen, but when this will happen, and how many people in this country will have severe illnesses.”

One section of Messonnier’s remarks was especially stark: “I had a conversation with my family over breakfast this morning, and I told my children that while I didn’t think that they were at risk right now, we as a family need to be preparing for significant disruption of our lives.”

According to news reports, Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was growing concerned about the slow pace of testing. But Trump’s cheery assessments continued. On Feb. 27, he said, “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.”

March: A new strategy

Two days later, on Feb. 29, the FDA lifted restrictions on labs, issuing a new set of significantly less restrictive protocols. On March 3, the restrictions on who qualified for a test were dissolved. At that point, 13 people in the United States were recorded as having died of covid-19.

Still, tests were hard to come by. Five days after both restrictions were removed, the United States reported 518 cases and had completed 3,099 tests, according to the Covid Tracking Project. That is roughly 9.5 tests per million people. South Korea had 7,314 cases after performing 188,518 tests, or 3,682 tests per million. Yet, Trump claimed on March 6 that “anybody that needs a test gets a test.”

As of March 28, exactly four weeks after the FDA loosened the rules for testing, the United States still performed only 2,250 tests per million — two-thirds of what South Korea did almost three weeks earlier. The death toll in the United States was 2,198 — and climbing rapidly.

South Korea’s death toll that day was 144, a rate of 3 per million people. The rate for the United States was more than double — 7 per million people.

Konyndyk put the failure simply: “The reason [the lack of testing] has been such a damaging shortcoming in the U.S. response is it basically left us blind to the spread of the virus in our country for about six or seven weeks.”

The White House, the CDC and other federal agencies did not respond to requests for comment.

The Bottom Line

The president spent nearly two months issuing confusing and contradictory signals — leaving the bureaucratic machine of the U.S. government to chart the course for the coronavirus response.

The CDC designed its own test. The FDA picked a conservative testing strategy, allowing labs to use only the CDC test. When those tests failed, neither a new strategy nor a new test was available for more than two weeks. Azar failed to push the agencies to change direction, and the president didn’t intervene.

Even then, widespread testing was not immediately available. It’s not just the number of tests that are the problem — it’s getting the materials to do the tests and the personal protective medical equipment for providers to give those tests. That means we may never have a true count of how many Americans contracted the virus.

The missteps that went unmanaged were ignored by leaders at the highest level of government and allowed cases to go undetected, contributing to the spike in the virus’s spread.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/

'I conquered coronavirus': Diabetic teacher, 26, tells how she battled back to health

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 23:03:00 +0000

A teacher who has diabetes and a debilitating lung and liver condition, has spoken out after battling back to health from Covid-19.

Sarah Hall, who had her 26th birthday while suffering last week, gave her harrowing account.

Her symptoms started when she started to feel more tired than usual, and freezing cold, before the tell-tale cough arrived.

She started self-isolating and gradually felt more dizzy and struggled to breath.

She told the Telegraph: "I struggled to breathe and felt constantly dizzy – I felt like I was about to pass out, but I tried to keep calm, drink plenty of water and keep as busy as I could.

"By Friday I think I’m feeling better. I’m not coughing as much, my breathing is steadier and my fever isn't as erratic...oh how wrong I am!

"Friday afternoon and I’m sweating. The first sign that I’m not over this. Then – bam! I flop on the couch. Black out. Vomiting. Coughing fit. Stop breathing for a second.

"Over the next few hours I fluctuate quite rapidly between feeling better to feeling horrendous. By the end of the day I’ve been sick four times and I’ve had multiple dizziness or black out episodes."

Unsure if she should go to hospital and take up a space, she called 111, who confirmed her symptoms.

She was told she would have to wait about 10 hours for an ambulance, but eventually was driven to the hospital by her boyfriend.

Sarah was diagnosed with covid-19, and given fluids before eventually being discharged and is recovering at home.

She added: "By day seven of the virus I felt better and the symptoms started to lessen. My birthday was ruined though – I couldn't blow out candles!

"It's not pleasant but I have a lung condition as well as diabetes and I conquered the virus."

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/

Coronavirus: Thai king self-isolates in Alpine hotel with harem of 20 women amid pandemic

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 22:38:00 +0000

Thailand’s controversial king has been self-isolating in a luxury hotel in the Alpine resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen with his entourage.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, is said to have booked out the entire Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl after the four-star hotel received “special permission” from the district council to accommodate his party.

The 67-year-old king’s entourage included a “harem” of 20 concubines and numerous servants, reported German tabloid Bild. It is unclear if his four wives are living in the hotel with the rest of the group.

Guesthouses and hotels in the region were ordered to close due to the coronavirus crisis, but a spokesperson for the local district council said the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl was an exception because “the guests are a single, homogenous group of people with no fluctuation”.

However, 119 members of the entourage had been reportedly sent back to Thailand on suspicions they contracted the highly contagious respiratory disease.

News of Vajiralongkorn’s apparent self-isolation in a luxury location was met with anger by tens of thousands of Thai people, who risked breaking the country’s lèse-majesté laws by criticising him online.

Under the laws, anyone who insults or criticises the monarchy could be imprisoned for up to 15 years.

But a Thai hashtag which translated to “Why do we need a king?” appeared 1.2 million times on Twitter within 24 hours after an activist claimed Vijaralongkorn was travelling on holiday in Germany while the outbreak continued to spread across Thailand.

The Thai Ministry of Public Health announced on Saturday 109 new cases in the country, bringing the total number of infections to 1,245.

Activist Somsak Jeamteerasakul, who lives in exile in France, posted a series of Facebook posts that claimed Vajiralongkorn was flying from Switzerland to various points in Germany from early March out of “boredom”.

Mr Jeamteerasakul is a vocal critic of Thailand’s monarchy and lèse-majesté laws, and said in one post: “[Vajiralongkorn will] let the Thai people worry about the virus. Even Germany is worried about the virus [but] it’s none of his business.”

The Thai king has not made a public appearance in his home country since February, reported The Times.

His reign in Thailand began in 2016 after the death of his father, Bhumibol. Although there is no way to gauge his popularity among Thais because of severe lèse-majesté laws, it is believed he is not as well-loved as his father, who ruled for over 70 years.

Source: msn news

N Korea fires more missiles than ever amid coronavirus pandemic

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 10:14:00 +0000

North Korea has fired two suspected ballistic missiles into the ocean off its east coast - according to South Korea and Japan - the latest in a flurry of weapon launches that Seoul decried as "inappropriate" amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Two "short-range projectiles" were launched from the coastal Wonsan area on Sunday, and flew 230 kilometres (143 miles) at a maximum altitude of 30 kilometres (19 miles), South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported.

"In a situation where the entire world is experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19, this kind of military act by North Korea is very inappropriate and we call for an immediate halt," the JCS said in a statement, according to Yonhap news agency.

Japan's Ministry of Defense said they appeared to be ballistic missiles, and they did not land in Japanese territory or its exclusive economic zone.

"Recent repeated firings of ballistic missiles by North Korea is a serious problem to the entire international community including Japan," a ministry statement said.

Pyongyang is yet to issue a statement on Sunday's weapons launches.

They would be the eighth and ninth missiles launched in four rounds of tests this month, and the most missiles ever fired in a single month by North Korea, according to a tally by Shea Cotton, senior researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

"Coming this early in the year, the only time we've seen tests this frequently were in 2016 and 2017, both of which were huge years for North Korea's missile program," he said in a post on Twitter.

All of the missiles fired so far this year have been small, short-range weapons, such as the KN-24 fired during the last launch on March 21.

Some experts say the latest launches were likely designed to shore up unity and show that leader Kim Jong Un is in control in the face of United States-led sanctions and the global pandemic.

Kim "wants to show he rules in a normal way amid the coronavirus (pandemic) and his latest weapons tests were aimed at rallying unity internally, not launching a threat externally," Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, told The Associated Press. "North Korea doesn't have time now to spare for staging (external threats)."

North Korea has been engaged in an intense campaign to prevent the spread of the virus that has infected more than 660,000 worldwide.

It has called its campaign a matter of "national existence" but has steadfastly denied there has been a single virus outbreak on its soil. Many foreign experts question that claim, warning an epidemic in North Korea could be dire because of its chronic lack of medical supplies and poor health care infrastructure.

A week ago, North Korea said US President Donald Trump sent a personal letter to Kim, seeking to maintain good relations and offering cooperation in fighting the outbreak. A North Korean state media dispatch did not say whether Trump mentioned any of the latest weapons tests by the North.

United Nations Security Council resolutions bar North Korea from testing ballistic missiles, and the country has been heavily sanctioned over its missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

In the past, North Korea has typically conducted military drills, including tests of its ballistic missiles, in March as the wintry weather turns warmer. For the previous two years, however, it had avoided such springtime launches amid denuclearisation talks with the US.

Those talks have since stalled after the US president turned down Kim's calls for broad sanctions relief in exchange for a limited denuclearization step during their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019.

Pyongyang set a unilateral deadline for Washington to offer fresh concessions by the end of 2019, and in late December Kim declared his country no longer considered itself bound by moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

Source: msn.com

China to lift lockdown in Wuhan, Hubei province as coronavirus case numbers ease

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 10:04:00 +0000

Chinese authorities say they will lift a two-month lockdown in most of Hubei province, where the coronavirus pandemic originated, as the number of cases eases.

The Hubei Health Commission announced it would lift curbs on outgoing travellers starting on March 25, provided they had a health clearance code.

The provincial capital Wuhan, where the virus first appeared and which has been in total lockdown since January 23, will see its travel restrictions lifted on April 8.

Hubei has seen almost no new infections for more than a week.

Wuhan residents will soon be allowed to leave with a health tracking code, a QR code, which will have an individual's health status linked to it.

Read more at https://www.abc.net.au/

Malaria and arthritis drugs touted as potential coronavirus 'cure', triggering pharmacy rush

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 09:53:00 +0000

Pharmacists are being ordered not to dispense two drugs touted as a potential "cures" for coronavirus.

The directive came after Australian pharmacies saw a rush of people presenting scripts for the drugs hydroxychloroquine — sold as Plaquenil — and chloroquine from their GPs, or asking to buy it over the counter.

Demand skyrocketed following a press conference by US President Donald Trump last week, in which he touted the drugs as a "game changer" — comments based on a World Health Organisation report labelling the drugs a "potentially useful" preventative and curative treatment for COVID-19.

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia president Chris Freeman said Australian pharmacies had seen unprecedented demand for the medications, creating a shortage for patients who actually needed them.

He said while there were "positive signals" from the drugs in the fight against coronavirus he called on people not to "buy into the hype".

"I think the worst thing that could happen is people start using these medicines in the hope it will prevent the virus, and then relax on other measures to prevent [it]," he said.

Both drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis — a disease where patients can spend years trialling drugs until they find one that is right for them.

If too much pressure is put on supplies, potential shortages will mean patients who miss out on their regular drugs may experience painful flare-ups, experts say.

Dr Freeman has asked pharmacists to keep their supplies of hydroxychloroquine safe, and pharmacists have written to the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) to ask their members to stop prescribing it.

The Australian Medical Association backed the pharmacists' call.

AMA committee member Chris Moy told the ABC the drugs were not widely used in Australia and warned regulation may be needed to limit their supply to the patients who actually needed them.

"There's only some limited evidence of (COVID-19) benefits, in conjunction with other drugs," Dr Moy said.

So, do they work?

In laboratory tests chloroquine has been found to be effective against some viruses such as chikungunya, dengue, and influenza.

But the WHO report, released earlier this month, said in studies with animals and in randomised controlled trials with humans the medication had been largely disappointing against COVID-19.

Medical experts say the advantage of chloroquine — approved for inflammatory conditions and the suppression and treatment of malaria — is that it is relatively safe, has few side effects and is cheap to produce.

David Paterson, from the University of Queensland, said chloroquine, along with an older HIV medication, had been found to kill coronavirus in laboratory tests.

"There's certainly positive signals either this [HIV drug] or this anti-malaria drug actually work really well against COVID-19," Professor Paterson said.

"We know that in the test tube and in the patients they have studied so far they've been able to recover and there's no more evidence of virus in [their] system."

His team at the Centre for Clinical Research hopes to start human trials in as little as three months.

Clinical trials in patients are also underway in China, the US, UK and Spain.

Scientists are also investigating whether hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine might be useful as a preventative treatment.

Up to 20,000 international healthcare workers will be recruited and given a small daily dose of chloroquine for three months.

Dodgy prescriptions

Dr Freeman said the rush for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, and the number of prescriptions in the system, were part of a disturbing trend.

"Unfortunately we're seeing some pretty non-evidence based practice at the moment," he said.

"We're seeing doctors prescribing for other doctors and their families. We're even seeing dentists prescribing to the community outside the context of dental work.

"We're seeing other non-medical prescribers like nurse practitioners starting to prescribe some of these things."

Dr Freeman is calling on pharmacists to only dispense the drugs to patients they know require them.

"If a patient has been coming into the pharmacy for quite a while and has been using those medicines in the past, then they are able to get a supply of that medicine," he said.

"We're calling all prescribers to stop prescribing these in the short term until we have some more evidence on whether these medicines are effective in these conditions and are safe to do so.

"We need to go back to what we were doing previously and make sure clinical trials are conducted to make sure these things are effective before we start using them."

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/