Year: 2020

With the death toll soaring past 300,000 this year and a quarter of humanity now infected, the pandemic shows no signs of abating as it spreads invisibly throughout vulnerable communities.   Yet unlike the novel coronavirus, this disease is preventable, curable and centuries-old: tuberculosis.   On the occasion of Staff…

Women live longer than men across the world and scientists have by and large linked the sex differences in longevity with biological foundation to survival. A new study of wild mammals has found considerable differences in life span and aging in various mammalian species.  Among humans, women’s life span is almost 8% on average longer than men’s life span. But among wild mammals, females in 60% of the studied species have, on…

Austria will massively expand coronavirus testing in coming days to locate and isolate infected people and avoid an Italian-like overload of its health system, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday.   The Alpine republic with a population of 8.8 million has tested around 28,400 people…

The European Space Agency (ESA) has noted a positive effect of the world-wide coronavirus outbreak, saying satellite data is showing reduced air pollution in areas hardest hit by the virus.The agency says a space observation satellite detected significantly lower levels of the air pollutant nitrogen…

At a time of isolation, people in many European cities hit hard by the new coronavirus are taking at least a minute each night to come together in gratitude.They stand at open windows or on balconies in Rome, Madrid, Paris, Athens and Amsterdam, singing, cheering…

Health authorities say Spain has registered a daily record increase in its daily virus infections and deaths.  Spain announced 6,584 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, bringing the overall total to 39, 673. The number of deaths also jumped by a record number of 514 to 2,696.…

Health experts say Nigeria isn’t likely to meet the United Nations’ 2030 tuberculosis eradication target, as the nation still accounts for the highest fatality rate from the disease in Africa. Officials say they’re trying to address major factors like inadequate awareness and funding by offering free screening and treatment.  For VOA, Timothy Obiezu has more from Abuja as the world marks Tuberculosis Day on March 24.…

The American Cancer Society says one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime and one in 41 will die from it. Several news studies offer hope that these number could decrease with early and accurate diagnosis.  A new study based on a randomized controlled trial on 300 prostate…

At a time of great uncertainty, even the seasons seem scrambled. Christmas lights in springtime?  Wrapped around a tree trunk in Colorado, fashioned into a heart in Alabama and hung high over Main Street in a New Hampshire town, holiday lights are going back up. As…

Now that the restaurant where he works full time in the Washington suburb is closed, server Gerardo Espiell, 23, plans to move back in with his mother and sister to make ends meet. Together, he’s hopeful they can make the mortgage.  “Honestly, it’s kind of crazy,” he says. “I’m…

As the coronavirus infects more people around the world, conservationists are warning of the risk to another vulnerable species: Africa's endangered mountain gorilla.  Congo's Virunga National Park, home to about a third of the world's mountain gorillas, is barring visitors until June 1, citing "advice…

Millions of Americans are under orders Saturday from their state and local governments to stay home, venturing out only for essential needs, including trips to pharmacies, supermarkets, and gas stations, and solo exercise.California and New York residents have been ordered to stay home to help…

Cuba, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, said Friday it will not allow any foreign tourists to enter the country, beginning Tuesday.  The ban will be in effect for 30 days. The drastic measure is being initiated in an effort to prevent any more COVID-19 cases,…

The coronavirus global death toll has surpassed 11,000 and infected more than 260,000 people worldwide, according to health officials.More than 10,200 new cases were reported Friday in Europe, which World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week had become the epicenter of…

The global death toll for the coronavirus pandemic as it spreads around the world has surpassed 10,000 people.  COVID-19 has infected more than 244,500 people.    In the United States, California Governor Gavin Newsom Thursday ordered the 40 million residents of the west coast state to stay home as part of the battle against the disease.   Newsom issued the mandate following the…

Twenty thousand years ago, humans lived in grassy tundras near the Arctic Circle. Trees were scare in these cold, dry regions, so Ice Age hunters could not build campfires using wood.  Instead, these hardy humans made campfires by burning the bones of the big animals they hunted. …

With the coronavirus pandemic alarming the global community, South Sudan is grappling with another potentially fatal viral infection: measles. Last year, more than 4,700 people were affected due to low immunization coverage. Chika Oduah reports from the South Sudan capital, Juba. ...

Massachusetts    State officials are promising a significant increase in Massachusetts' capacity to test for the coronavirus. Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said Thursday the state aims to administer 3,500 tests a day by the beginning of next week.   Gov. Charlie…

The Las Vegas airport was running Thursday with reduced operations after an air traffic controller tested positive for the new coronavirus, temporarily closing the airport's control tower, the Federal Aviation Administration said.Airplanes coming into McCarran International Airport were being guided by by other nearby air…

Phones have been ringing off the hook lately for Brian Edwards, a sales manager of a small medical supply company in California.  And he has to say “No” to all the people who called.Edwards used to buy tens of thousands of facemasks from China. But…

Shejirina Moni sits beside her children in front of their makeshift home in a shanty community in South Sudan's capital Juba. Six of her children have died of various illnesses. She’s got three left.“The first one died at nine months. Another one died at the…