COVID-19

US to advise against travel to 80% of countries due to Covid-19

In a note to the media about its updated travel guidance, it said the pandemic continued to "pose unprecedented risks to travellers".

The current US "Do Not Travel" advisory covers 34 out of 200 countries.

Covid-19 has now claimed more than three million lives worldwide - more than half a million of them in the US.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the world was "approaching the highest rate of infection" so far, despite the global rollout of vaccination programmes.

Fiji records new Covid-19 community transmission and 2 border quarantine cases

One of the cases is classified as community transmission and the patient is the daughter of a hotel worker who was confirmed Covid-19 positive yesterday.

The hotel worker was based at a border quarantine facility.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong confirmed the second community transmission case in a press conference this afternoon.

“Due to her extensive exposure with the public, this hotel staff, and now her daughter, has been the central focus of our contact tracing,” Dr Fong said.

Delhi announces lockdown as India's cases surge

Government offices and essential services, such as hospitals, pharmacies and grocers, will be open during the lockdown, which starts on Monday night.

The city had imposed a weekend curfew, but reported its highest single-day spike so far on Sunday - 24,462 cases.

India has been reeling from a deadly second wave since the start of April.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the city had almost run out of beds at hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and that oxygen was in short supply.

Contact tracing underway in Vanuatu after new Covid-19 positive test result

Police officers and other officials who may have been exposed to the virus whilst handling the deceased body have undergone tests.

The deceased who was a crew member on a tanker was reported missing by his colleagues as the vessel sailed out of Port Vila over a week ago.

His body was found at Paradise Point by a search party.

At a press conference yesterday (Sunday), Prime Minister Bob Loughman Weibur announced the deceased was tested positive for Covid-19 after a post mortem examination.

Loughman announced a 3-day lockdown for Efate Island.

Covid-19 deaths pass three million worldwide

The milestone comes the day after the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world was "approaching the highest rate of infection" so far.

India - experiencing a second wave - recorded more than 230,000 new cases on Saturday alone.

Almost 140 million cases have been recorded since the pandemic began.

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Friday that "cases and deaths are continuing to increase at worrying rates".

He added that "globally, the number of new cases per week has nearly doubled over the past two months".

Former Italy Rugby World Cup captain dies after contracting Covid-19

Cuttitta had been hospitalised in Rome with Covid-19 and died on Sunday following complications from the virus.

The former prop played for the Italy side who stunningly beat Scotland in their first Six Nations match in 2000.

He was the Azzurri captain 22 times in 69 appearances from 1990-2000, including at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and went on to become a scrum coach for Scotland from 2009-15.

Born in Italy, Cuttitta and his twin brother Marcello Cuttitta – who also played for the national team – grew up in South Africa.

Covid-19 bans lifted in New Caledonia

The territory returned to its Covid-free status after a four-week lockdown, but still required people to wear masks in public places.

As of yesterday morning, mass gatherings were again allowed, clearing the way for churches to have services for the first time in five weeks.

Boarding schools have been able to receive students and re-open today.

On 7 March, a cluster of local Covid-19 cases was detected, prompting an immediate sharp lockdown.

A total of 63 infections were recorded since then but none in the past week.

Covid cancels Oceania Rugby U20 Trophy

The Samoa and Tonga Under 20 teams were scheduled to contest the title on 22 May but, following consultation with Lakapi Samoa and Tonga Rugby Union, Oceania Rugby said the game will not go ahead.

Competitions Manger, Wayne Schuster, said the ongoing travel restrictions, advice from health authorities and the continued challenge in hosting tournaments in the Covid-19 landscape were the main factors in their decision.

"Unfortunately rescheduling or postponing this year's event would also not be realistic under the current circumstances."

PNG University goes into covid lockdown

The lockdown at Lae's University of Technology started on Sunday after the deaths of two academics - one the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Gabriel Arpa.

Unitech's administration said the cause of their deaths is yet to be confirmed but both people had Covid-19 symptoms, The National newspaper reported.

Unitech said as an interim precaution, they had decided to suspend all classes for two weeks and impose a total lockdown.

Osaka requests cancellation of Olympic torch relay leg

The relay, due to reach Osaka in mid-April, is seen as the first major test of Games organisers' abilities to hold a large event under strict coronavirus curbs. It features 10,000 runners carrying the torch through all Japan's 47 prefectures.

The western metropolis of Osaka is grappling with a spike in coronavirus cases and the governor of Osaka prefecture has called for cancelling the leg that takes place in the city.