france24--2020-05-14--Burundi expels top WHO official ahead of presidential vote

Burundians wash their hands as a preventive measure against the coronavirus after crossing the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 18 , 2020 .
Burundi is expelling the national head of the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) and three members of his team during a presidential election campaign that has gone ahead despite health risks from the coronavirus pandemic .
The government confirmed on Thursday that a May 12 letter from the foreign ministry was sent to WHO country head Walter Kazadi Mulombo and three others of the UN body 's health experts , ordering them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a successor to President Pierre Nkurunziza , whose government has been repeatedly accused of rights abuses and has previously expelled other representatives of international bodies , is due on May 20 .
Bernard Ntahiraja , the foreign affairs assistant minister , confirmed the WHO officials had been declared `` persona non grata '' but did not give reasons .
The head of a regional disease control body , John Nkengasong , called the expulsions `` unfortunate '' and criticised the decision to hold elections during a health crisis .
`` We have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmit , '' said Nkengasong , head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) which is a branch of the African Union bloc .
`` It will be extremely difficult for the country to overcome the virus .
Cases have increased in countries that went ahead and held elections , '' he added at a news conference in Ethiopia .
During Burundi 's election campaign , large crowds have been gathering despite strict lockdowns and social-distance rules elsewhere in Africa and around the world .
There was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expulsions , though one official , speaking on condition of anonymity , said the four people appeared to be `` victims of bad management '' of the Covid-19 disease by Burundi .
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi said in a statement that it `` deeply regretted the recent decision by the government to declare persona non grata the country representative of WHO and three of its experts '' .
The investigators , tasked by the United Nations Human Rights Council with probing alleged violations and abuses in the country since 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities ' decision not to apply WHO recommendations on physical distancing `` to prevent the spread of the coronavirus during the electoral campaign '' .
Burundi has so far reported a relatively low caseload of the Covid-19 disease : 27 infections and one death .
But there are suspicions the real situation may be worse .
Léonce Ngendakumana , a presidential candidate for the opposition FRODEBU party , regretted the WHO team 's expulsion .
`` The country alone wo n't be able to contain the pandemic , '' he told Reuters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in power since the end of a civil war in 2005 that killed 300,000 people in the East Africa nation of 11 million .
His ruling CNDD-FDD party is fielding Evariste Ndayishimiye , a retired army general who heads the military affairs office of the presidency and is strong favourite to win .
His foremost opponent is opposition party CNL 's candidate Agathon Rwasa , a deputy chairman of the National Assembly and another former rebel leader .
The other three expelled WHO officials were field epidemiologist Jean Pierre Mulunda Nkata , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Daniel Tarzy .
In 2018 , Burundi expelled UN investigators looking into allegations of rights abuses .
The United Nations has previously accused security personnel and a ruling party militia of orchestrating gang rapes , torture and killings .

Burundi is expelling the national head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and three members of his team during a presidential election campaign that has gone ahead despite health risks from the coronavirus pandemic.
Burundians wash their hands as a preventive measure against the coronavirus after crossing the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 18, 2020.
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The government confirmed on Thursday that a May 12 letter from the foreign ministry was sent to WHO country head Walter Kazadi Mulombo and three others of the UN body's health experts, ordering them out by Friday.
The vote for a successor to President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose government has been repeatedly accused of rights abuses and has previously expelled other representatives of international bodies, is due on May 20.
Bernard Ntahiraja, the foreign affairs assistant minister, confirmed the WHO officials had been declared "persona non grata" but did not give reasons.
The head of a regional disease control body, John Nkengasong, called the expulsions "unfortunate" and criticised the decision to hold elections during a health crisis.
"We have to collectively deny the virus any space to transmit," said Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which is a branch of the African Union bloc.
"It will be extremely difficult for the country to overcome the virus. Cases have increased in countries that went ahead and held elections," he added at a news conference in Ethiopia.
During Burundi's election campaign, large crowds have been gathering despite strict lockdowns and social-distance rules elsewhere in Africa and around the world.
There was no formal reaction from the WHO to the expulsions, though one official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the four people appeared to be "victims of bad management" of the Covid-19 disease by Burundi.
WHO recommendations ignored
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi said in a statement that it "deeply regretted the recent decision by the government to declare persona non grata the country representative of WHO and three of its experts".
The investigators, tasked by the United Nations Human Rights Council with probing alleged violations and abuses in the country since 2015, also voiced their concerns about the authorities' decision not to apply WHO recommendations on physical distancing "to prevent the spread of the coronavirus during the electoral campaign".
Burundi has so far reported a relatively low caseload of the Covid-19 disease: 27 infections and one death. But there are suspicions the real situation may be worse.
Léonce Ngendakumana, a presidential candidate for the opposition FRODEBU party, regretted the WHO team's expulsion. "The country alone won't be able to contain the pandemic," he told Reuters.
Nkurunziza, an ex-rebel leader, has been in power since the end of a civil war in 2005 that killed 300,000 people in the East Africa nation of 11 million.
His ruling CNDD-FDD party is fielding Evariste Ndayishimiye, a retired army general who heads the military affairs office of the presidency and is strong favourite to win.
His foremost opponent is opposition party CNL's candidate Agathon Rwasa, a deputy chairman of the National Assembly and another former rebel leader.
The other three expelled WHO officials were field epidemiologist Jean Pierre Mulunda Nkata, health sector coordinator Ruhana Mirindi Bisimwa, and Daniel Tarzy.
In 2018, Burundi expelled UN investigators looking into allegations of rights abuses. The United Nations has previously accused security personnel and a ruling party militia of orchestrating gang rapes, torture and killings.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--Small museums welcome first visitors as France's lockdown eases

Culture is among the sectors hit hard globally by the coronavirus pandemic .
In France , museums across the country @ @ @ @ @ lockdown began in March .
The largest and most celebrated , including the Louvre and @ @ @ @ @ n't due to reopen until the summer .
But as France begins to ease confinement @ @ @ @ @ cultural venues are allowed to open their doors .
Lockdown easing comes as a breath @ @ @ @ @ Giacometti Institute , a small museum tucked away in Paris 's 14th arrondissement .
The @ @ @ @ @ the works of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti , has a maximum capacity of just 10 @ @ @ @ @ locked down , the museum is booked solid for its reopening on Friday .
FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ Amine Baba Aissa and Jean-Emile Jammine report .
To watch , click on the video @ @ @

Culture is among the sectors hit hard globally by the coronavirus pandemic. In France, museums across the country closed their doors when the lockdown began in March. The largest and most celebrated, including the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, aren't due to reopen until the summer. But as France begins to ease confinement measures this week, small cultural venues are allowed to open their doors.
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Lockdown easing comes as a breath of fresh air for the Giacometti Institute, a small museum tucked away in Paris's 14th arrondissement. The 350-square metre space, featuring the works of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, has a maximum capacity of just 10 visitors. After two months locked down, the museum is booked solid for its reopening on Friday.
FRANCE 24's Jonathan Walsh, Amine Baba Aissa and Jean-Emile Jammine report. To watch, click on the video player above.
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france24--2020-05-15--No proof Russian hackers targeted Merkel, says Russia's Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday rejected German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's accusations that Russian hackers had spied on @ @ @ @ @ have passed .
Not a single concrete fact has been provided , '' Lavrov said @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's RBK media group .
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday rejected allegations by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russian hackers had spied on her.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) attend their joint press conference after their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, on January 11, 2020.
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"Five years have passed. Not a single concrete fact has been provided," Lavrov said in a live interview with Russia's RBK media group.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Merkel voiced frustration that Russia was targeting her in hacking attacks as she tried to build a better relationship with Moscow.
She said she had concrete proof of the "outrageous" spying attempts.
Lavrov charged that Berlin had decided Moscow was guilty even though "there are no facts in relation to Russia".
"They suddenly said in the Bundestag... that all of this is outrageous and it had been done by Russians."
German media reported that data from Merkel's email account was among information copied by hackers in 2015 in an attack that also targeted the Bundestag.
Reports in German media have named the suspect as Dmitry Badin, who is also wanted by the FBI for other cyberattacks, including those targeting the Democrats during the 2016 US presidential election.
Merkel raised the spectre of new sanctions against Russia if the rogue activity did not stop, adding that the attacks "pained" her.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--Worldwide coronavirus death toll rises to more than 300,000

Journalist Daniela Taiocchi leafs through an edition of the newspaper L'Eco di Bergamo in which 10 pages of obituaries have been published due to the high number of deaths from the coronavirus disease , in Bergamo , Italy , on May 12 , 2020 .
Global coronavirus deaths passed 300,000 on Thursday as infections approached 4.5 million , according to a Reuters tally , with the United States responsible for more than a quarter of all fatalities .
The United Kingdom and Italy accounted for another 10-11 % each , while France and Spain accounted for 9 % each .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just four months is now equal to about three-quarters of the number of people who die annually from malaria , one of the world 's most deadly infectious diseases .
And while the current trajectory falls far short of the 1918 Spanish flu , which infected an estimated 500 million people and killed at least 10 % of patients , public health experts worry the available data is underplaying the true impact of the pandemic .
The first COVID-19 death was reported on Jan. 10 in Wuhan , China .
It took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass 100,000 but just a further 16 days to reach 200,000 , according to the Reuters tally of official reports from governments .
It took 19 days to go from 200,000 to 300,000 deaths .
The grim milestone of 300,000 deaths was reached as a U.S. government whistleblower said the United States could face `` the darkest winter '' of recent times if it does not improve its response to the pandemic .
`` Our window of opportunity is closing , '' Rick Bright , the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. House of Representatives panel .
`` If we fail to improve our response now , based on science , I fear the pandemic will get worse and be prolonged , '' Bright , who said he was removed from the post for raising concerns about preparedness , told the panel .
He has been re-assigned to another government job .
The United States has reported more than 85,000 deaths from the new coronavirus .
The United Kingdom and Italy have reported more than 30,000 fatalities each , and France and Spain have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims the sixth highest death toll with a much lower 13,149 fatalities , but its casualty rate is climbing quickly .
It has reported an average of almost 700 new cases each day over the past week .
The death tolls across Asia and the Middle East have been significantly lower despite heavily populated nations and often lower standards of health care , raising concerns among health experts that the true numbers are far higher .

Global coronavirus deaths passed 300,000 on Thursday as infections approached 4.5 million, according to a Reuters tally, with the United States responsible for more than a quarter of all fatalities.
Journalist Daniela Taiocchi leafs through an edition of the newspaper L'Eco di Bergamo in which 10 pages of obituaries have been published due to the high number of deaths from the coronavirus disease, in Bergamo, Italy, on May 12, 2020.
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The United Kingdom and Italy accounted for another 10-11% each, while France and Spain accounted for 9% each.
The number of deaths linked to COVID-19 in just four months is now equal to about three-quarters of the number of people who die annually from malaria, one of the world's most deadly infectious diseases.
And while the current trajectory falls far short of the 1918 Spanish flu, which infected an estimated 500 million people and killed at least 10% of patients, public health experts worry the available data is underplaying the true impact of the pandemic.
The first COVID-19 death was reported on Jan. 10 in Wuhan, China. It took 91 days for the death toll to pass 100,000 but just a further 16 days to reach 200,000, according to the Reuters tally of official reports from governments. It took 19 days to go from 200,000 to 300,000 deaths.
The grim milestone of 300,000 deaths was reached as a U.S. government whistleblower said the United States could face "the darkest winter" of recent times if it does not improve its response to the pandemic.
"Our window of opportunity is closing," Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, testified to a U.S. House of Representatives panel.
"If we fail to improve our response now, based on science, I fear the pandemic will get worse and be prolonged," Bright, who said he was removed from the post for raising concerns about preparedness, told the panel. He has been re-assigned to another government job.
Whistleblower Rick Bright, testifying to a Senate committee, talked about a January email he received informing him that the N-95 mask supply was ‘completely decimated’ with the message ‘we are in deep shit, the world is’ https://t.co/QkegO8mW7H pic.twitter.com/y0pN5stXye — Reuters (@Reuters) May 14, 2020
The United States has reported more than 85,000 deaths from the new coronavirus. The United Kingdom and Italy have reported more than 30,000 fatalities each, and France and Spain have reported more than 27,000 each.
Brazil claims the sixth highest death toll with a much lower 13,149 fatalities, but its casualty rate is climbing quickly. It has reported an average of almost 700 new cases each day over the past week.
The death tolls across Asia and the Middle East have been significantly lower despite heavily populated nations and often lower standards of health care, raising concerns among health experts that the true numbers are far higher.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-15--Race to prevent Covid-19 'nightmare' in Rohingya camps as first case detected

Emergency teams raced Friday to prevent a coronavirus `` nightmare '' in the world 's largest refugee settlement after the first confirmed cases in a sprawling city of shacks housing nearly a million Rohingya .
There have long been warnings the virus could race like wildfire through the cramped , sometimes sewage-soaked alleys of the network of 34 camps in southeast Bangladesh .
Most of the refugees have been there since around 750,000 of the Muslim minority fled a 2017 military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar for which its government faces genocide charges at the UN 's top court .
Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday two refugees had tested positive .
But the World Health Organization ( WHO ) later said one case was a Rohingya man , and the other was a local man who lived nearby .
Mahbubur Rahman , the chief health official in the local Cox 's Bazar district , said news of the infections had sparked `` panic '' in the camps .
The 35-year-old Rohingya man , who lives in Kutupalong -- the largest of the camps -- also sparked a manhunt at one point after he fled before police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are worried .
He can spread the disease in the camps , '' community leader Abdur Rahim told AFP .
Rahim said the man is believed to have been infected in a hospital in a nearby town where he took his injured brother for treatment .
WHO spokesman Catalin Bercaru told AFP that `` rapid investigation teams '' were being deployed .
Rahman said an entire block in one camp , housing around 5,000 people , was shut off , and that all contacts of the men were being traced and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We have locked down the block , barring anyone from entering or leaving their homes , '' he said .
Rahman , the health official , said they would ramp up coronavirus testing to `` at least '' 100 per day from just five to 10 at present .
Bercaru said that since February , the entire health sector had been `` working round the clock '' to increase capacity for testing , isolation and treatment , as well as to train health workers and talk to communities .
The UN refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment centres were being established locally , and that up to 1,900 intensive care beds , five quarantine centres , and 20 isolation facilities were planned .
Humanitarian groups would also help with visits by health workers to people inside the camps plus home deliveries of food and fuel .
`` We call on additional international solidarity and support to ensure an adequate response for this particularly vulnerable population , '' a UNHCR statement said .
In early April authorities had locked down Cox 's Bazar -- home to 3.4 million people including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases .
Bangladesh restricted traffic in and out of the camps and forced aid organisations to slash manpower by 80 percent .
The country of 168 million people is under lockdown and had seen a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in recent days , with almost 19,000 and 300 deaths as of Thursday .
Senior US official Sam Brownback , who has visited the refugees said it was inevitable the virus would reach the `` incredibly crowded '' camps and spread `` very rapidly '' .
Daniel Sullivan from Refugees International called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario '' .
Shamim Jahan at Save the Children said there was the `` very real prospect that thousands of people may die '' , with `` no intensive care beds '' in the camps .
Bangladesh has also been criticised for cutting the internet in the camps , which has restricted access to reliable information and spread false rumours .
`` I have been calling on the Bangladeshi government to give internet access .
It just seems to me ludicrous that they 're not , '' Brownback told reporters in Washington .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to Myanmar -- where army operations persist in Rakhine state -- many of the refugees have in desperation tried to escape in rickety vessels .
Last month around 60 died in a boat stranded at sea for two months after being denied entry by Malaysia and Thailand because of coronavirus restrictions , survivors said .

Emergency teams raced Friday to prevent a coronavirus "nightmare" in the world's largest refugee settlement after the first confirmed cases in a sprawling city of shacks housing nearly a million Rohingya.
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There have long been warnings the virus could race like wildfire through the cramped, sometimes sewage-soaked alleys of the network of 34 camps in southeast Bangladesh.
Most of the refugees have been there since around 750,000 of the Muslim minority fled a 2017 military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar for which its government faces genocide charges at the UN's top court.
Local health coordinator Abu Toha Bhuiyan initially said on Thursday two refugees had tested positive.
But the World Health Organization (WHO) later said one case was a Rohingya man, and the other was a local man who lived nearby.
Mahbubur Rahman, the chief health official in the local Cox's Bazar district, said news of the infections had sparked "panic" in the camps.
The 35-year-old Rohingya man, who lives in Kutupalong -- the largest of the camps -- also sparked a manhunt at one point after he fled before police found him around four hours later.
"We are worried. He can spread the disease in the camps," community leader Abdur Rahim told AFP.
Rahim said the man is believed to have been infected in a hospital in a nearby town where he took his injured brother for treatment.
WHO spokesman Catalin Bercaru told AFP that "rapid investigation teams" were being deployed.
Rahman said an entire block in one camp, housing around 5,000 people, was shut off, and that all contacts of the men were being traced and would be brought to isolation centres.
"We have locked down the block, barring anyone from entering or leaving their homes," he said.
#COVID19 has entered into the worlds largest refugee camp in Bangladesh. It houses about 1 million Rohingya, who live in at least 1.6x the population density of pax aboard Diamond Princess. Experts fear 1000s may die. My video from my last visit there to Cox’s Bazaar #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/C5arHT0PzT — Michael Bociurkiw (@WorldAffairsPro) May 14, 2020
Rahman, the health official, said they would ramp up coronavirus testing to "at least" 100 per day from just five to 10 at present.
Bercaru said that since February, the entire health sector had been "working round the clock" to increase capacity for testing, isolation and treatment, as well as to train health workers and talk to communities.
The UN refugee agency said that 12 severe respiratory infection treatment centres were being established locally, and that up to 1,900 intensive care beds, five quarantine centres, and 20 isolation facilities were planned.
Humanitarian groups would also help with visits by health workers to people inside the camps plus home deliveries of food and fuel.
"We call on additional international solidarity and support to ensure an adequate response for this particularly vulnerable population," a UNHCR statement said.
'Thousands may die'
In early April authorities had locked down Cox's Bazar -- home to 3.4 million people including the refugees -- after a number of COVID-19 cases.
Bangladesh restricted traffic in and out of the camps and forced aid organisations to slash manpower by 80 percent.
The country of 168 million people is under lockdown and had seen a rapid rise in coronavirus cases in recent days, with almost 19,000 and 300 deaths as of Thursday.
Senior US official Sam Brownback, who has visited the refugees said it was inevitable the virus would reach the "incredibly crowded" camps and spread "very rapidly".
Daniel Sullivan from Refugees International called it the "realisation of a nightmare scenario".
Shamim Jahan at Save the Children said there was the "very real prospect that thousands of people may die", with "no intensive care beds" in the camps.
No internet, many rumours
Bangladesh has also been criticised for cutting the internet in the camps, which has restricted access to reliable information and spread false rumours.
"I have been calling on the Bangladeshi government to give internet access. It just seems to me ludicrous that they're not," Brownback told reporters in Washington.
With little prospect of being able to return to Myanmar -- where army operations persist in Rakhine state -- many of the refugees have in desperation tried to escape in rickety vessels.
Last month around 60 died in a boat stranded at sea for two months after being denied entry by Malaysia and Thailand because of coronavirus restrictions, survivors said.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--The last emperor of Ethiopia: Haile Selassie's legacy remains divisive

Considered by some to be the greatest moderniser of Ethiopia , Haile Selassie is also the man who let his people starve to death during several major famines .
The story of Selassie , who was overthrown in a 1974 coup , was consigned to the dustbin of history for years before renewed interest in 2019 .
Our reporters retraced his controversial legacy .
`` King of kings '' , `` Conquering lion of the tribe of Judah '' , `` Light of the World '' … During his reign , there was no shortage of superlatives to describe Haile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to legend , of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba .
Today , 45 years after his death , the emperor is still considered by many to be one of the greatest modernisers of Ethiopia .
At the helm of the country for more than 40 years , Selassie carved out an anti-colonial image during his victory over the invasion of Mussolini ’ s forces in 1937 .
With help from the UK , he allowed his country to preserve its independence .
Despite being militarily occupied for five years by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African country never to have been colonised .
The emperor also shaped Ethiopia through his reforms : he is responsible for the University of Addis Ababa , as well as the creation of Ethiopian Airlines .
But his greatest achievement remains the decision to build the headquarters of the Organisation of African Unity , now known as the African Union , in the Ethiopian capital .
Selassie is still considered one of the founding fathers of the pan-African organisation .
The man and the myth His aura even extends far beyond Africa .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , seeing in Selassie the reincarnation of Jesus Christ .
Meanwhile , singer Bob Marley immortalised his 1963 speech to the UN , denouncing the atrocities of the Italian fascists , in the song `` War '' in 1976 .
But the last emperor of Ethiopia also has a dark side , which his critics are keen to point out .
He is the man of the terrible famines of 1958 , 1966 and 1973 .
The memory of his sumptuous birthday party costing $ 35 million , while his population was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legacy .
His inaction caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people , before leading to his downfall .
Driven from power on September 12 , 1974 by the Marxist-Leninist Derg junta , led by Colonel Mengistu , the emperor died shortly afterwards in unexplained circumstances .
The memory of Selassie , consigned to the dustbin of history by the Communist dictatorship , suddenly returned to the fore in 2019 .
A statue of him was inaugurated at the African Union headquarters , in Addis Ababa , as a tribute .
Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him during the opening to the public of the historic Imperial Palace , the seat of all governments for more than a century , which was previously reserved only for elites .
As for his former apartments , currently being renovated thanks to French aid , they too should soon become accessible .
Just as Emperor Selassie and his policies divided Ethiopia over the past 80 years , the myth of this multi-faceted emperor continues to fascinate more than ever .

Considered by some to be the greatest moderniser of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie is also the man who let his people starve to death during several major famines. The story of Selassie, who was overthrown in a 1974 coup, was consigned to the dustbin of history for years before renewed interest in 2019. Our reporters retraced his controversial legacy.
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"King of kings", "Conquering lion of the tribe of Judah", "Light of the World"… During his reign, there was no shortage of superlatives to describe Haile Selassie I – a direct descendant, according to legend, of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Today, 45 years after his death, the emperor is still considered by many to be one of the greatest modernisers of Ethiopia.
At the helm of the country for more than 40 years, Selassie carved out an anti-colonial image during his victory over the invasion of Mussolini’s forces in 1937. With help from the UK, he allowed his country to preserve its independence. Despite being militarily occupied for five years by the Italians, Ethiopia is the only African country never to have been colonised.
The emperor also shaped Ethiopia through his reforms: he is responsible for the University of Addis Ababa, as well as the creation of Ethiopian Airlines. But his greatest achievement remains the decision to build the headquarters of the Organisation of African Unity, now known as the African Union, in the Ethiopian capital. Selassie is still considered one of the founding fathers of the pan-African organisation.
The man and the myth
His aura even extends far beyond Africa. The Rastafarian movement born in Jamaica idolises him, seeing in Selassie the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, singer Bob Marley immortalised his 1963 speech to the UN, denouncing the atrocities of the Italian fascists, in the song "War" in 1976.
But the last emperor of Ethiopia also has a dark side, which his critics are keen to point out. He is the man of the terrible famines of 1958, 1966 and 1973. The memory of his sumptuous birthday party costing $35 million, while his population was starving to death, has spoiled his legacy. His inaction caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people, before leading to his downfall. Driven from power on September 12, 1974 by the Marxist-Leninist Derg junta, led by Colonel Mengistu, the emperor died shortly afterwards in unexplained circumstances.
The memory of Selassie, consigned to the dustbin of history by the Communist dictatorship, suddenly returned to the fore in 2019. A statue of him was inaugurated at the African Union headquarters, in Addis Ababa, as a tribute. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also paid tribute to him during the opening to the public of the historic Imperial Palace, the seat of all governments for more than a century, which was previously reserved only for elites. As for his former apartments, currently being renovated thanks to French aid, they too should soon become accessible.
Just as Emperor Selassie and his policies divided Ethiopia over the past 80 years, the myth of this multi-faceted emperor continues to fascinate more than ever.
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france24--2020-05-15--UN reports 'significant progress' on Yemen ceasefire amid rising COVID-19 cases

Security men wearing protective masks stand on a street during a 24-hour curfew amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus , in Sanaa , Yemen , on May 6 , 2020 .
The U.N. envoy for Yemen reported “ significant progress ” in negotiations toward a nationwide cease-fire in the war-torn country on Thursday , but warned of stark challenges as coronavirus spreads at an unknown rate across the Arab nation .
Martin Griffiths urged Yemen ’ s warring sides — the internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels who control the capital and most of the country ’ s north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian and economic measures needed to move peace efforts forward and help the country counter the virus .
Griffiths spoke to the U.N. Security Council in a video briefing , saying that steps to allow medical supplies and personnel to reach vulnerable people are “ now a very , very urgent priority.
” He did not elaborate on progress in peace talks .
Despite Saudi Arabia 's unilateral cease-fire declaration last month , the conflict has escalated and a declaration of self-rule over the south by Yemen ’ s separatists reopened a dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 86 cases of the virus , including 13 deaths .
The internationally recognized government and WHO have criticized the rebels for their lack of transparency , as just two cases , including one death , have been recorded in territory under their control .
With the drastic spike in cases over the last 10 days across far-flung provinces , Ramesh Rajasingham , the U.N. 's acting assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs , warned that community transmission has taken off .
He said it is shocking that in the midst of a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 31 of the 41 major U.N. programs in Yemen will start closing down in the next few weeks if more funding isn ’ t secured , including COVID-19 response teams and feeding centers for severely malnourished children .
“ That means many more people are likely to die , ” he said , appealing for an additional $ 2 billion to cover essential activities from June through December .
Saudi Arabia and the United Nations will host a virtual pledging conference on June 2 , and Rajasingham urged the Saudis and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other donors to pledge and quickly pay .
Rajasingham said Yemeni civilian casualties rose again in April , with 177 civilians killed or injured .
Griffiths said he remains extremely concerned about the battle in Marib , heavy fighting in Bayda and Dhale governorates , and cease-fire violations in Hodeida , where the country ’ s main port is located .
Fierce clashes erupted this week in the southern province of Abyan between Saudi-backed government troops and separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates .
The fighting between the two sides — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has added another layer to the complex civil war .
The Security Council later reiterated support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ’ call for a cease-fire in Yemen and expressed concern at fighting between the government and the Houthis and the slow pace of negotiations toward a cease-fire .
Members also called on the government and southern separatists “ to deescalate military tensions ” and engage on a peace deal brokered by the Saudis — and on the separatists “ to reverse any actions challenging the legitimacy , sovereignty , unity or territorial integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially in the southern port city of Aden , “ face outbreaks of COVID-19 and other diseases believed to include malaria , cholera , and dengue and others.
” “ Deaths are rising daily , but nobody knows exactly why because the health system is so ill-equipped to diagnose and treat people , ” he said .
Aden ’ s local government reported 70 deaths on Wednesday and 76 the day before -- a five-fold daily increase from the first week of May .
The causes of death were unspecified .
Save the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some of the deaths in the unusual surge in fatalities could be from COVID-19 , the illness caused by coronavirus .
It said many Aden hospitals and clinics have closed and in those still open , some staff refuse to work because of severe shortages of protective equipment .
The group ’ s Yemen director , Mohammed Alshamaa , says aid workers have witnessed many desperate patients “ breathing heavily or even collapsing ” and being denied entry to hospitals .
Aden and its surroundings have recently been hit by torrential rains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that carry dengue and chikungunya , which can cause fevers and respiratory symptoms similar to COVID-19 .
“ Aden is an example of the horrors that face Yemen , ” Griffiths said , pointing also to the city ’ s damaged infrastructure , serious power outages and long-deteriorating public services “ now at a breaking point.
” Rajasingham , the humanitarian official , pointed to an April 6 attack by armed men who threw grenades at the guards of an isolation center at a Dhale hospital , adding that “ fear of stigma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek medical care when they need it.
” As for refugees , asylum-seekers and migrants , he said , “ stigma is already a grave concern .
”

The U.N. envoy for Yemen reported “significant progress” in negotiations toward a nationwide cease-fire in the war-torn country on Thursday, but warned of stark challenges as coronavirus spreads at an unknown rate across the Arab nation.
Security men wearing protective masks stand on a street during a 24-hour curfew amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus, in Sanaa, Yemen, on May 6, 2020.
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Martin Griffiths urged Yemen’s warring sides — the internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels who control the capital and most of the country’s north — to quickly resolve their differences over humanitarian and economic measures needed to move peace efforts forward and help the country counter the virus.
Griffiths spoke to the U.N. Security Council in a video briefing, saying that steps to allow medical supplies and personnel to reach vulnerable people are “now a very, very urgent priority.”
He did not elaborate on progress in peace talks. Despite Saudi Arabia's unilateral cease-fire declaration last month, the conflict has escalated and a declaration of self-rule over the south by Yemen’s separatists reopened a dangerous new front.
Griffiths to #UNSC: We have seen significant progress on negotiations, particularly with the ceasefire, which responds to the calls of Yemenis.
Differences remain on some of the humanitarian & economic measures, all of which I believe to be necessary&overdue." — @OSE_Yemen (@OSE_Yemen) May 14, 2020
Yemen has so far reported 86 cases of the virus, including 13 deaths. The internationally recognized government and WHO have criticized the rebels for their lack of transparency, as just two cases, including one death, have been recorded in territory under their control.
With the drastic spike in cases over the last 10 days across far-flung provinces, Ramesh Rajasingham, the U.N.'s acting assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, warned that community transmission has taken off.
He said it is shocking that in the midst of a pandemic, relief money is running out and that 31 of the 41 major U.N. programs in Yemen will start closing down in the next few weeks if more funding isn’t secured, including COVID-19 response teams and feeding centers for severely malnourished children.
“That means many more people are likely to die,” he said, appealing for an additional $2 billion to cover essential activities from June through December.
Saudi Arabia and the United Nations will host a virtual pledging conference on June 2, and Rajasingham urged the Saudis and the United States to turn pledges into cash and other donors to pledge and quickly pay.
#COVID19 changed the face of the world—but the starting point is not the same everywhere.
People in #Yemen need your help. Donate generously. Donate today➡https://t.co/FxJrcH4f1S#ramadankareem pic.twitter.com/KdpuJbFnrA — OCHA Yemen (@OCHAYemen) May 14, 2020
Rajasingham said Yemeni civilian casualties rose again in April, with 177 civilians killed or injured. Griffiths said he remains extremely concerned about the battle in Marib, heavy fighting in Bayda and Dhale governorates, and cease-fire violations in Hodeida, where the country’s main port is located.
Fierce clashes erupted this week in the southern province of Abyan between Saudi-backed government troops and separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates. The fighting between the two sides — nominally allies in the Saudi-led coalition — has added another layer to the complex civil war.
The Security Council later reiterated support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for a cease-fire in Yemen and expressed concern at fighting between the government and the Houthis and the slow pace of negotiations toward a cease-fire.
Members also called on the government and southern separatists “to deescalate military tensions” and engage on a peace deal brokered by the Saudis — and on the separatists “to reverse any actions challenging the legitimacy, sovereignty, unity or territorial integrity of Yemen.”
Griffiths said people, especially in the southern port city of Aden, “face outbreaks of COVID-19 and other diseases believed to include malaria, cholera, and dengue and others.”
“Deaths are rising daily, but nobody knows exactly why because the health system is so ill-equipped to diagnose and treat people,” he said.
Aden’s local government reported 70 deaths on Wednesday and 76 the day before -- a five-fold daily increase from the first week of May. The causes of death were unspecified.
Save the Children suggested in a statement on Thursday that some of the deaths in the unusual surge in fatalities could be from COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus. It said many Aden hospitals and clinics have closed and in those still open, some staff refuse to work because of severe shortages of protective equipment.
The group’s Yemen director, Mohammed Alshamaa, says aid workers have witnessed many desperate patients “breathing heavily or even collapsing” and being denied entry to hospitals.
STATEMENT: Surge of deaths due to covid-like symptoms spreading in #Aden, southern #Yemen.
Hospitals close & health staff lack PPE.
Read more -> https://t.co/LFPmQESJmo pic.twitter.com/1eUrHuQFLi — Save the Children Yemen (@SaveChildrenYE) May 14, 2020
Aden and its surroundings have recently been hit by torrential rains, becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry dengue and chikungunya, which can cause fevers and respiratory symptoms similar to COVID-19.
“Aden is an example of the horrors that face Yemen,” Griffiths said, pointing also to the city’s damaged infrastructure, serious power outages and long-deteriorating public services “now at a breaking point.”
Rajasingham, the humanitarian official, pointed to an April 6 attack by armed men who threw grenades at the guards of an isolation center at a Dhale hospital, adding that “fear of stigma may also be leading fewer people to seek medical care when they need it.”
As for refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, he said, “stigma is already a grave concern.”
(AP)
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france24--2020-05-14--How to adapt to new normal? WHO warns Covid-19 'may never go away'

How to adapt to new normal ?
WHO warns Covid-19 'may never go away' Long after lockdown has been lifted @ @ @ @ @ social distancing , warns the World Health Organization .
In a week that 's seen @ @ @ @ @ dampen the mood in countries like France where confinement has been eased , the panel @ @ @ @ @ Picard asks about testing , contact tracing and whether national interests are hampering the race @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine against the coronavirus .

How to adapt to new normal? WHO warns Covid-19 'may never go away'
40:00 THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24
Long after lockdown has been lifted, everybody may still be social distancing, warns the World Health Organization. In a week that's seen new outbreaks of the virus dampen the mood in countries like France where confinement has been eased, the panel of FRANCE 24's François Picard asks about testing, contact tracing and whether national interests are hampering the race to find effective remedies and a vaccine against the coronavirus.


france24--2020-05-15--Inauguration for Israel unity government postponed over cabinet picks

The planned inauguration on Thursday of an Israeli unity government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been postponed until Sunday , an official statement said , in last-minute wrangling over cabinet appointments .
Under a coalition agreement with his former election rival , centrist Benny Gantz , Netanyahu would serve as prime minister for 18 months before the former armed forces chief replaces him .
Their power-sharing deal ends more than a year of political deadlock in which three inconclusive elections were held and Netanyahu was indicted in three criminal cases on corruption charges he denies .
Gantz agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give Netanyahu more time to allocate cabinet posts to members of his Likud party , a joint statement said .
Their pact split Gantz 's centrist party , Blue and White .
He cited the coronavirus crisis as a main reason for reneging on campaign promises not to partner with a prime minister under a corruption cloud .
The unity agreement would leave Netanyahu in power throughout a trial due to begin on May 24 , the first such proceedings against a sitting Israeli prime minister , enabling him to maintain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he has termed a political witch-hunt .
It also opens the way for the right-wing Netanyahu to move ahead with a pledged de facto annexation of territory in the occupied West Bank - land that the Palestinians seek for a state and which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war .
Netanyahu has set July 1 as a starting point for cabinet discussions on his plan to extend Israeli sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank .
He has given no stated deadline for implementing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinians who have urged international sanctions against Israel in response , would be certain to heighten tensions in the West Bank and Gaza that could ignite violence and draw international outrage .
On an eight-hour visit to Israel on Wednesday , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper that West Bank territorial steps were an Israeli decision that Netanyahu had a right to make .
Pompeo noted , however , that the issue was complex and required coordination with Washington , which has formed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out new territorial lines in the West Bank under a Middle East peace plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in January .
That proposal envisages the vast majority of West Bank settlements being incorporated into `` contiguous Israeli territory '' .

The planned inauguration on Thursday of an Israeli unity government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been postponed until Sunday, an official statement said, in last-minute wrangling over cabinet appointments.
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Under a coalition agreement with his former election rival, centrist Benny Gantz, Netanyahu would serve as prime minister for 18 months before the former armed forces chief replaces him.
Their power-sharing deal ends more than a year of political deadlock in which three inconclusive elections were held and Netanyahu was indicted in three criminal cases on corruption charges he denies.
Gantz agreed to delay the government's swearing-in ceremony to give Netanyahu more time to allocate cabinet posts to members of his Likud party, a joint statement said.
Their pact split Gantz's centrist party, Blue and White. He cited the coronavirus crisis as a main reason for reneging on campaign promises not to partner with a prime minister under a corruption cloud.
The unity agreement would leave Netanyahu in power throughout a trial due to begin on May 24, the first such proceedings against a sitting Israeli prime minister, enabling him to maintain a powerful public pulpit in fighting back against what he has termed a political witch-hunt.
It also opens the way for the right-wing Netanyahu to move ahead with a pledged de facto annexation of territory in the occupied West Bank - land that the Palestinians seek for a state and which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
Netanyahu has set July 1 as a starting point for cabinet discussions on his plan to extend Israeli sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank. He has given no stated deadline for implementing the move.
Annexation, vehemently opposed by the Palestinians who have urged international sanctions against Israel in response, would be certain to heighten tensions in the West Bank and Gaza that could ignite violence and draw international outrage.
On an eight-hour visit to Israel on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper that West Bank territorial steps were an Israeli decision that Netanyahu had a right to make.
Pompeo noted, however, that the issue was complex and required coordination with Washington, which has formed a joint team with Israel to map out new territorial lines in the West Bank under a Middle East peace plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in January.
That proposal envisages the vast majority of West Bank settlements being incorporated into "contiguous Israeli territory".
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-15--Populism and the pandemic: The great divide in Brazil

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil , the populist president Jair Bolsonaro is refusing to sacrifice the economy for the sake of public health .
Just like him , his supporters downplay the crisis and denounce the `` coronavirus tyranny '' .
But local authorities have taken the lead and have adopted lockdown measures against the president 's advice .
Even in the favelas , the locals are afraid of Covid-19 and are doing what they can .
With 13 million people living in these cramped working-class neighbourhoods , the threat of a health disaster is only too real .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the Covid-19 pandemic reached Brazil , far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has constantly downplayed what he considers to be a `` little flu '' , denouncing the `` hysteria '' of the media and openly disregarding the recommendations of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
Part of the population and many key business leaders are encouraging Brazilians to keep working to save the country 's economy , siding with the head of state .
But the governors of the country 's 26 states have nonetheless taken the lead and adopted lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the state of Rio de Janeiro , already one of the worst affected , Governor Wilson Witzel imposed lockdown as early as mid-March .
A war-like operation is taking place in the city : eight field hospitals are currently being built in preparation for the peak of the pandemic , expected for the end of May .
Suspicions of corruption are already hanging over construction contracts and purchases of ventilators .
Meanwhile , Bolsonaro is calling for a `` return to normality '' and the re-opening of shops .
The populist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media channels of his Sunday walks , in which he goes to meet his supporters or street vendors in the capital Brasilia .
But many Brazilians would welcome a disciplined lockdown across the country .
In the crowded favelas for instance , most of the houses have only one room , for five to eight people ...
Inhabitants , and even local gangs , have started to take matters into their own hands and make sure people respect social distancing and hygiene rules .
> > Watch our Debate : Out of control @ @ @ @ @ @

Populist Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is refusing to sacrifice the economy for the sake of public health amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Like him, his supporters downplay the crisis and denounce a "coronavirus dictatorship". But local authorities have adopted lockdown measures against the president's advice. And in the cramped, working-class favelas, the locals are afraid of Covid-19 and are doing what they can to combat a potential health disaster. Our reporters in Brazil investigate.
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Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic reached Brazil, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has constantly downplayed what he considers to be a "little flu", denouncing the "hysteria" of the media and openly disregarding the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Part of the population and many key business leaders are encouraging Brazilians to keep working to save the country's economy, siding with the head of state.
But the governors of the country's 26 states have nonetheless adopted lockdown measures against the president’s advice. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, already one of the worst affected, Governor Wilson Witzel imposed lockdown as early as mid-March. A war-like operation is taking place in the city: eight field hospitals are currently being built in preparation for the expected peak of the pandemic at the end of May. Suspicions of corruption are already hanging over construction contracts and purchases of ventilators.
Many Brazilians would welcome a disciplined lockdown across the country. In the crowded favelas for instance, most of the houses have only one room for five to eight people. Inhabitants, and even local gangs, have started to take matters into their own hands to make sure people respect social distancing and hygiene rules.
At the same time, Bolsonaro is calling for a "return to normality" and the re-opening of shops. He regularly posts videos on his social media channels of his Sunday walks, in which he goes to meet his supporters or street vendors in the country's capital, Brasilia.
>> Watch our Debate: Out of control? Covid-19 in Bolsonaro's Brazil
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france24--2020-05-15--Ethnic minorities in UK, US pay hefty price in Covid-19 crisis

One of the many theories for why ethnic minorities may be more vulnerable to Covid-19 is because the jobs that are the most exposed to the coronavirus are held by people from this group .
Ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom and the United States face a far greater risk of dying from Covid-19 than their white peers , several recent studies suggest , with researchers pointing to a number of socio-economic inequalities as the possible culprits .
Does ethnicity play a role in the risk of dying from Covid-19 ?
According to studies from both the UK and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data is legal – it does .
But instead of being attributed to genetic denominators , researchers believe wider social injustices in the two countries may be to blame .
In a study published by Britain ’ s National Health Service ( NHS ) on May 7 , statistics showed that Covid-19 patients with an African or Caribbean background were four times more likely to die from the illness after being admitted to hospital than their white counterparts .
Similar findings were made among Brits of Asian descent , albeit to a somewhat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the University of Glasgow on April 30 , showed that aside from demonstrating a higher Covid-19 mortality rate , ethnic minorities in the UK also face an increased risk of contracting the coronavirus .
In the US , the infection rate has been three times higher in counties where people with African-American origin account for the majority of the population , an article published in the American Medical Association ’ s journal Jama stated in mid-April .
“ I was very surprised to see how much more dangerous the virus seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned out to be a very little studied and poorly understood aspect of this epidemic , ” Neeraj Bhala , a physician at the UK 's Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham and co-author of an article on the topic published in The Lancet medical journal , told FRANCE 24 .
Bhala dismissed genetic denominators as possible risk factors , noting that if that had been the case , Africa , for example , would have seen a much higher Covid-19 infection and mortality rate than it has .
The Glasgow study , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar social standing as their white British peers – in terms of both educational and income level – ran a higher risk of dying from Covid-19 , indicating that the underlying reasons may be more complex than just a question of rich versus poor .
“ What this shows us , above all , is that the usual indicators we look at are insufficient to understand this phenomenon , and that we need to have a clearer view of all the inequalities that ethnic minorities suffer , ” Charles Agyemang , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health at the Amsterdam Medical Centre and co-author of the Lancet article , said .
The NHS pointed to one possible explanation for the high death toll among ethnic minorities , noting that that they are heavily overrepresented in jobs that particularly expose people to the coronavirus , including as paramedics , nurses , and street maintenance workers .
These are jobs that can not be carried out at a distance from their homes , and many of the people working in these sectors have no choice but to use public transport which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The researchers FRANCE 24 spoke to also said that ethnic groups in the UK and the US may be more susceptible to the virus because of their living conditions .
“ More often , these populations live in small apartments in more densely populated areas than ‘ whites ’ do , and this makes social distancing more difficult , ” Agyemang explained .
Bhala also pointed to cultural differences , saying that some ethnic minorities are more likely to live in large households , gathering the whole family under the one and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher infection risk .
Another factor could be an unequal access to healthcare , “ especially in countries like the United States where health insurance is private '' , Agyemang said , adding that health insurances was expensive , and often only paid for by employers in sectors where ethnic minorities are underrepresented .
People who lack health insurance often put off seeing a doctor or going to the hospital for as long as possible .
Language may be another culprit , meaning that those who don ’ t speak the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ difficult to access reliable information concerning precautionary measures , forcing them to rely on hearsay and potentially exposing them to misinformation , ” Agyemang said .
Bhala said that the high death toll among ethnic minorities has underscored the “ urgent need to carry out large-scale studies to better understand the inequalities of the disease ” .
Society as a whole would benefit from these hidden risk factors being properly identified , he said , because it would also help authorities prevent the formation of disease clusters .
But in practice such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ethnicity-related data collection being illegal in countries like Germany and France .
Agyemang said that although the reasons for why ethnic minorities face a higher Covid-19 death toll than other groups may not yet be fully understood , the crisis has shone a very clear light on how many societies treat their ethnic minority groups .
“ It has highlighted the persistent inequalities that these populations endure , and shows that the measures put into place to deal with these problems are far from enough.
” A simple way to start , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure to provide their minorities with the proper information – that they can understand .
This article has been translated from the original in French .

Ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom and the United States face a far greater risk of dying from Covid-19 than their white peers, several recent studies suggest, with researchers pointing to a number of socio-economic inequalities as the possible culprits.
One of the many theories for why ethnic minorities may be more vulnerable to Covid-19 is because the jobs that are the most exposed to the coronavirus are held by people from this group.
Advertising Read more
Does ethnicity play a role in the risk of dying from Covid-19? According to studies from both the UK and the US – where the collection of ethnicity-related data is legal – it does. But instead of being attributed to genetic denominators, researchers believe wider social injustices in the two countries may be to blame.
In a study published by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) on May 7, statistics showed that Covid-19 patients with an African or Caribbean background were four times more likely to die from the illness after being admitted to hospital than their white counterparts. Similar findings were made among Brits of Asian descent, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree.
Another study, published by the University of Glasgow on April 30, showed that aside from demonstrating a higher Covid-19 mortality rate, ethnic minorities in the UK also face an increased risk of contracting the coronavirus.
In the US, the infection rate has been three times higher in counties where people with African-American origin account for the majority of the population, an article published in the American Medical Association’s journal Jama stated in mid-April.
Need more indicators
“I was very surprised to see how much more dangerous the virus seems to be for ethnic minorities, which has turned out to be a very little studied and poorly understood aspect of this epidemic,” Neeraj Bhala, a physician at the UK's Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham and co-author of an article on the topic published in The Lancet medical journal, told FRANCE 24.
Bhala dismissed genetic denominators as possible risk factors, noting that if that had been the case, Africa, for example, would have seen a much higher Covid-19 infection and mortality rate than it has.
The Glasgow study, however, showed that even those who had a similar social standing as their white British peers – in terms of both educational and income level – ran a higher risk of dying from Covid-19, indicating that the underlying reasons may be more complex than just a question of rich versus poor.
“What this shows us, above all, is that the usual indicators we look at are insufficient to understand this phenomenon, and that we need to have a clearer view of all the inequalities that ethnic minorities suffer,” Charles Agyemang, a professor of Global Migration, Ethnicity & Health at the Amsterdam Medical Centre and co-author of the Lancet article, said.
Risky jobs
The NHS pointed to one possible explanation for the high death toll among ethnic minorities, noting that that they are heavily overrepresented in jobs that particularly expose people to the coronavirus, including as paramedics, nurses, and street maintenance workers. These are jobs that cannot be carried out at a distance from their homes, and many of the people working in these sectors have no choice but to use public transport which increases their risks of contamination even more.
The researchers FRANCE 24 spoke to also said that ethnic groups in the UK and the US may be more susceptible to the virus because of their living conditions. “More often, these populations live in small apartments in more densely populated areas than ‘whites’ do, and this makes social distancing more difficult,” Agyemang explained.
Bhala also pointed to cultural differences, saying that some ethnic minorities are more likely to live in large households, gathering the whole family under the one and same roof, and thereby facing a higher infection risk.
Another factor could be an unequal access to healthcare, “especially in countries like the United States where health insurance is private", Agyemang said, adding that health insurances was expensive, and often only paid for by employers in sectors where ethnic minorities are underrepresented. People who lack health insurance often put off seeing a doctor or going to the hospital for as long as possible.
Language may be another culprit, meaning that those who don’t speak the country’s language well enough may find it “difficult to access reliable information concerning precautionary measures, forcing them to rely on hearsay and potentially exposing them to misinformation,” Agyemang said.
Start by informing them
Bhala said that the high death toll among ethnic minorities has underscored the “urgent need to carry out large-scale studies to better understand the inequalities of the disease”. Society as a whole would benefit from these hidden risk factors being properly identified, he said, because it would also help authorities prevent the formation of disease clusters. But in practice such studies may be difficult to realise, with ethnicity-related data collection being illegal in countries like Germany and France.
Agyemang said that although the reasons for why ethnic minorities face a higher Covid-19 death toll than other groups may not yet be fully understood, the crisis has shone a very clear light on how many societies treat their ethnic minority groups. “It has highlighted the persistent inequalities that these populations endure, and shows that the measures put into place to deal with these problems are far from enough.”
A simple way to start, he said, would be that countries make sure to provide their minorities with the proper information – that they can understand.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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france24--2020-05-15--Studies see ‘no benefit’ in hydroxychloroquine treatment for Covid-19 patients

Hydroxychloroquine tablets on sale at a pharmacy in New Delhi , India , on April 27 , 2020 .
Treating Covid-19 patients with the anti-inflammatory drug hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) had no positive effect and caused other health complications , two new studies showed Friday .
The drug has been touted by US President Donald Trump among others as a potential `` game changer '' , after initial studies in lab settings showed it may be able to prevent the virus replicating .
But several subsequent studies — including one funded by the US government —appear to have doused hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
In the first study released Friday , researchers in France monitored 181 patients hospitalised with pneumonia due to Covid-19 and who needed oxygen .
Eighty-four were treated with HCQ and 97 were not .
They found no meaningful difference between the groups for either transfer to intensive care , death within seven days or developing acute respiratory distress syndrome within 10 days .
`` Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for Covid-19 because of positive results from small studies , '' said the authors of the research , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19 who require oxygen , '' the authors added .
A second study saw researchers in China split 150 Covid-19 patients into two groups , one of which received HCQ .
After four weeks tests revealed similar rates of sustained infection among both groups , though adverse reactions to treatment were more common in the HCQ group .
Nor did the severity or duration of symptoms differ between each group .
Neither trial was placebo-controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical data .
Hydroxychloroquine has been used for decades to treat the autoimmune disorders lupus and rheumatoid arthritis , while its related compound chloroquine is used against malaria .
HCQ has been the subject of much debate in France , where “ maverick ” Professor Didier Raoult claimed to have successfully treated Covid-19 patients using a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin .
However , doctors have questioned the value of Professor Raoult ’ s study , saying it was poorly designed and based on too small a sample to offer hard evidence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency warned that there was no indication HCQ could treat Covid-19 and said some studies had seen serious and sometimes fatal heart problems in patients .

Treating Covid-19 patients with the anti-inflammatory drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had no positive effect and caused other health complications, two new studies showed Friday.
Hydroxychloroquine tablets on sale at a pharmacy in New Delhi, India, on April 27, 2020.
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The drug has been touted by US President Donald Trump among others as a potential "game changer", after initial studies in lab settings showed it may be able to prevent the virus replicating.
But several subsequent studies — including one funded by the US government —appear to have doused hopes that HCQ can help patients hospitalised with Covid-19.
In the first study released Friday, researchers in France monitored 181 patients hospitalised with pneumonia due to Covid-19 and who needed oxygen.
Eighty-four were treated with HCQ and 97 were not.
They found no meaningful difference between the groups for either transfer to intensive care, death within seven days or developing acute respiratory distress syndrome within 10 days.
"Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for Covid-19 because of positive results from small studies," said the authors of the research, published in the BMJ journal.
"However, the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19 who require oxygen," the authors added.
A second study saw researchers in China split 150 Covid-19 patients into two groups, one of which received HCQ.
After four weeks tests revealed similar rates of sustained infection among both groups, though adverse reactions to treatment were more common in the HCQ group.
Nor did the severity or duration of symptoms differ between each group.
Neither trial was placebo-controlled, generally considered the gold standard for clinical data.
Hydroxychloroquine has been used for decades to treat the autoimmune disorders lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, while its related compound chloroquine is used against malaria.
>> ‘Let hospitals decide,’ experts warn, as chloroquine hype triggers rush on pharmacies
HCQ has been the subject of much debate in France, where “maverick” Professor Didier Raoult claimed to have successfully treated Covid-19 patients using a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
However, doctors have questioned the value of Professor Raoult’s study, saying it was poorly designed and based on too small a sample to offer hard evidence of benefit.
Last month the European Medicines Agency warned that there was no indication HCQ could treat Covid-19 and said some studies had seen serious and sometimes fatal heart problems in patients.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--France records 104 new Covid-19 deaths as hospital numbers drop below 20,000

A Paris mural by street artist Ardif thanking the caregivers and workers on the Covid-19 front line .
France 's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 104 to 27,529 on Friday , the health ministry announced , as the number of patients in hospital and in intensive care units continued to drop .
Friday ’ s tally marks a significant decrease from the 351 deaths reported on Thursday , though that number included previously uncounted fatalities at care homes for the elderly .
France 's health ministry said in a statement that the number of people in hospital with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20,463 on Thursday , continuing an uninterrupted downward trend now in its fifth week .
The number of people in intensive care — a key measure of a health system 's ability to cope with the pandemic — also continued its downtrend , falling by 96 to 2,203 , from more than 7,000 in early April at the height of the crisis .
Both figures are welcome news for the government , which has begun lifting lockdown measures this week in an effort to revive a flagging economy .
The government has warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again if daily new infections rise above 3,000 .
On Friday , the number of infections increased by 563 to 141,919 , up 0.4 % and the ninth consecutive day that the case tally rose by about half a percentage point or less .
`` The Covid-19 epidemic is still active in France so we must remain cautious ( ... ) , '' the health ministry said .
Earlier on Friday , doctors in Marseille reported the country 's first fatality from a rare childhood disease that experts have linked to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest '' , said Fabrice Michel , head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille .
The boy , who tested positive for coronavirus , received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday .
In the last three weeks , several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition , Kawasaki 's disease .
Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children ( MIS-C ) , was first reported in Britain in late April .
There have been 125 reported cases in France between March 1 and May 12 , according to the country 's public health agency .
The patients ' ages ranged from one to 14 .

France's death toll from the coronavirus rose by 104 to 27,529 on Friday, the health ministry announced, as the number of patients in hospital and in intensive care units continued to drop.
A Paris mural by street artist Ardif thanking the caregivers and workers on the Covid-19 front line.
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Friday’s tally marks a significant decrease from the 351 deaths reported on Thursday, though that number included previously uncounted fatalities at care homes for the elderly.
France's health ministry said in a statement that the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 infections fell again to 19,861 from 20,463 on Thursday, continuing an uninterrupted downward trend now in its fifth week.
The number of people in intensive care — a key measure of a health system's ability to cope with the pandemic — also continued its downtrend, falling by 96 to 2,203, from more than 7,000 in early April at the height of the crisis.
Both figures are welcome news for the government, which has begun lifting lockdown measures this week in an effort to revive a flagging economy.
The government has warned it will consider locking down the country again if daily new infections rise above 3,000. On Friday, the number of infections increased by 563 to 141,919, up 0.4% and the ninth consecutive day that the case tally rose by about half a percentage point or less.
"The Covid-19 epidemic is still active in France so we must remain cautious (...)," the health ministry said.
First death from rare childhood disease
Earlier on Friday, doctors in Marseille reported the country's first fatality from a rare childhood disease that experts have linked to the coronavirus.
The child died after a "neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest", said Fabrice Michel, head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.
The boy, who tested positive for coronavirus, received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday.
In the last three weeks, several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition, Kawasaki's disease. Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19.
The illness, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), was first reported in Britain in late April.
There have been 125 reported cases in France between March 1 and May 12, according to the country's public health agency. The patients' ages ranged from one to 14.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-15--We need funding, not medals, exhausted doctors tell France’s Macron

Health workers at the intensive care unit of Robert Ballanger hospital in Aulnay-sous-Bois , north of Paris , pictured on April 30 , 2020 .
French doctors faced off with President Emmanuel Macron at a leading Paris hospital on Friday , demanding more investment and a rethink of the country 's once-renowned public health system that found itself quickly overwhelmed by tens of thousands of coronavirus patients .
Macron acknowledged mistakes in reforming the national hospital system , which has faced years of cost cuts , leaving medical facilities in one of the world 's richest countries short of staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight the virus crisis .
“ For months I was asking for equipment , and we had only [ enough for ] three days to fight against the virus , '' Martin Hirsch , head of the Paris hospital network , told the French president .
As the virus raced across France in March and saturated several hospitals , Macron had to deploy the armed forces to build the country 's first-ever peacetime field hospital and move patients and doctors around in military transport jets and specially fitted high-speed trains .
The French @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and emergency room workers held strikes and protests for months last year demanding more hiring and funding after years of job losses .
Macron 's government announced a plan last year to address the growing concerns , and injected new money when the virus hit , but Macron acknowledged Friday : “ We undoubtedly made a mistake in the strategy.
” “ It was a great strategy , but we should have done it 10 years ago , ” he told frustrated staff at Pitié-Salpetrière Hospital .
Macron promised to launch a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still raging , without offering details .
“ Trust will only come if we move fast , ” he said .
'We ca n't go back like before' Macron met with an angry reception on a visit to the same hospital in February , as the president sought to show he was successfully managing the virus .
Leading neurologist Dr. Frédéric Salachas confronted Macron to describe how the virus crisis — which was just barely beginning — had already revealed weaknesses in French hospitals caused by years of budget cuts .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salachas told the president at the time .
“ But it remains to be seen whether we can count on you.
” The damaging exchange aggravated public frustration with Macron .
Apparently worried about a repeat scenario , Macron ’ s office did not allow any photographers or video or radio journalists to witness Friday 's hospital visit .
And no reporters at all were allowed when Macron met with union members to discuss their grievances .
As he sat around a table in a separate meeting with top doctors , the reception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go back to where we were before , ” said Thomas Similowski , head of the hospitals ’ medical commission , calling for a rethink of medical training , higher salaries across the board , and more flexibility to deal with new threats .
The French government has said it will pay bonuses of 500-1,500 euros to all health workers and promised a special “ medal of commitment ” to all those on the Covid-19 front line , but hospital staff have warned they will not settle for one-off consolation gifts .
Hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they need funding , ” said the pressure group Collectif inter-hôpitaux on Thursday .
French authorities say more than 27,000 people with the virus have died in hospitals and nursing homes , compared to about 7,000 in neighbouring Germany , which tested much more widely than France and entered the crisis with six times as many intensive care beds .

French doctors faced off with President Emmanuel Macron at a leading Paris hospital on Friday, demanding more investment and a rethink of the country's once-renowned public health system that found itself quickly overwhelmed by tens of thousands of coronavirus patients.
Health workers at the intensive care unit of Robert Ballanger hospital in Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, pictured on April 30, 2020.
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Macron acknowledged mistakes in reforming the national hospital system, which has faced years of cost cuts, leaving medical facilities in one of the world's richest countries short of staff, masks and breathing machines needed to fight the virus crisis.
“For months I was asking for equipment, and we had only [enough for] three days to fight against the virus," Martin Hirsch, head of the Paris hospital network, told the French president.
As the virus raced across France in March and saturated several hospitals, Macron had to deploy the armed forces to build the country's first-ever peacetime field hospital and move patients and doctors around in military transport jets and specially fitted high-speed trains.
The French hospital problems long predate the virus crisis, and emergency room workers held strikes and protests for months last year demanding more hiring and funding after years of job losses.
Macron's government announced a plan last year to address the growing concerns, and injected new money when the virus hit, but Macron acknowledged Friday: “We undoubtedly made a mistake in the strategy.”
“It was a great strategy, but we should have done it 10 years ago,” he told frustrated staff at Pitié-Salpetrière Hospital.
Macron promised to launch a new investment plan while the virus crisis is still raging, without offering details. “Trust will only come if we move fast,” he said.
'We can't go back like before'
Macron met with an angry reception on a visit to the same hospital in February, as the president sought to show he was successfully managing the virus. Leading neurologist Dr. Frédéric Salachas confronted Macron to describe how the virus crisis — which was just barely beginning — had already revealed weaknesses in French hospitals caused by years of budget cuts.
“You can count on us," Salachas told the president at the time. “But it remains to be seen whether we can count on you.”
President Emmanuel Macron pictured during his previous visit to the Pitié-Salpetrière hospital on February 27, 2020 © Martin Bureau, AFP
The damaging exchange aggravated public frustration with Macron. Apparently worried about a repeat scenario, Macron’s office did not allow any photographers or video or radio journalists to witness Friday's hospital visit. And no reporters at all were allowed when Macron met with union members to discuss their grievances.
As he sat around a table in a separate meeting with top doctors, the reception was firm.
“We cannot go back to where we were before,” said Thomas Similowski, head of the hospitals’ medical commission, calling for a rethink of medical training, higher salaries across the board, and more flexibility to deal with new threats.
The French government has said it will pay bonuses of 500-1,500 euros to all health workers and promised a special “medal of commitment” to all those on the Covid-19 front line, but hospital staff have warned they will not settle for one-off consolation gifts.
Hospitals “don’t need medals, they need funding,” said the pressure group Collectif inter-hôpitaux on Thursday.
French authorities say more than 27,000 people with the virus have died in hospitals and nursing homes, compared to about 7,000 in neighbouring Germany, which tested much more widely than France and entered the crisis with six times as many intensive care beds.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, REUTERS)
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france24--2020-05-15--Face masks could change ‘human communication’ in age of Covid-19

Face masks could change ‘ human communication ’ in age of Covid-19 Wearing face masks in public transport is now @ @ @ @ @ means to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
But will this alter our social @ @ @ @ @ creating a new mode of communication , but it also is a symbol of fear @ @ @ @ @ , psychiatrist and sociologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville , in an interview with FRANCE @ @ @ @ @ masks have also `` become very political '' in countries like the US , where @ @ @ @ @ entourage refuse to wear masks `` because they feel like they show weakness '' .

Face masks could change ‘human communication’ in age of Covid-19
03:41
Wearing face masks in public transport is now compulsory in France as a means to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But will this alter our social interactions? “It's creating a new mode of communication, but it also is a symbol of fear,” says Jonathan Metzl, psychiatrist and sociologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, in an interview with FRANCE 24. Metzl says face masks have also "become very political" in countries like the US, where President Donald Trump and his entourage refuse to wear masks "because they feel like they show weakness".


france24--2020-05-15--Amazon says it plans to resume French operations from May 19

Online retailing giant Amazon is seeking to resume operations from Tuesday at its six warehouses in France that were temporarily closed in a labour dispute over working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic , it said on Friday .
Amazon `` is working on a progressive reopening from May 19 '' in France , it told AFP in a statement , after unions also said agreement had been reached on the conditions for resuming operations .
The online retailer had been locked in a battle with labour unions which said not enough was done to mitigate contagion risk for staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of orders amid the almost two month nationwide lockdown that ended on Monday and saw traditional shops shuttered .
The standoff had come under close international scrutiny , with Amazon closely watched worldwide over how it treats employees dealing with the surge of orders during virus lockdowns .
But staff unions said in a joint union statement that they and the management had `` agreed on the conditions for resuming the activity of the six warehouses located on French territory from May 19 . ''
`` The resumption will be gradual and based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
The precise conditions are due to be worked out at a meeting on Monday .
Last month , an appeals court upheld a ruling that sharply curtailed Amazon 's operations and ordered management to review safety measures .
The court said only digital products , office equipment , groceries , medical and personal care products could be delivered in the meantime .
But Amazon said it was impossible to comply with the order , and completely shut down the six sites from mid-April , though it maintained full pay for employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome of the resulting negotiation with Amazon was `` an important step in the adaptation of this company to the culture of our country , to its rules , and to the CFDT 's requirements for a sustainable and dignified workplace . ''

Online retailing giant Amazon is seeking to resume operations from Tuesday at its six warehouses in France that were temporarily closed in a labour dispute over working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, it said on Friday.
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Amazon "is working on a progressive reopening from May 19" in France, it told AFP in a statement, after unions also said agreement had been reached on the conditions for resuming operations.
The online retailer had been locked in a battle with labour unions which said not enough was done to mitigate contagion risk for staff.
Employees had needed to process a flood of orders amid the almost two month nationwide lockdown that ended on Monday and saw traditional shops shuttered.
The standoff had come under close international scrutiny, with Amazon closely watched worldwide over how it treats employees dealing with the surge of orders during virus lockdowns.
But staff unions said in a joint union statement that they and the management had "agreed on the conditions for resuming the activity of the six warehouses located on French territory from May 19."
"The resumption will be gradual and based on being voluntary," the statement added.
The precise conditions are due to be worked out at a meeting on Monday.
Last month, an appeals court upheld a ruling that sharply curtailed Amazon's operations and ordered management to review safety measures.
The court said only digital products, office equipment, groceries, medical and personal care products could be delivered in the meantime.
But Amazon said it was impossible to comply with the order, and completely shut down the six sites from mid-April, though it maintained full pay for employees.
The CFDT union said that the outcome of the resulting negotiation with Amazon was "an important step in the adaptation of this company to the culture of our country, to its rules, and to the CFDT's requirements for a sustainable and dignified workplace."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-05-15--Life after lockdown: Will the French kiss goodbye to 'la bise'?

Life after lockdown : Will the French kiss goodbye to 'la bise ' ?
As France slowly opens up after @ @ @ @ @ wondering about the long-term effects coronavirus is going to have on French society .
One @ @ @ @ @ bise or not to bise ? ''
The `` bise '' is the traditional French @ @ @ @ @ one or several kisses .
As health and hygiene dominate the post-lockdown headlines , Florence @ @ @ @ @ whether the French will kiss this cherished practice goodbye .
Also , what are the @ @ @ @ @ their cherished summer vacation ?
We take a closer look .

Life after lockdown: Will the French kiss goodbye to 'la bise'?
07:09 FRENCH CONNECTIONS © FRANCE 24
As France slowly opens up after the lockdown, many are wondering about the long-term effects coronavirus is going to have on French society. One big question is "to bise or not to bise?" The "bise" is the traditional French way of saying hello with one or several kisses. As health and hygiene dominate the post-lockdown headlines, Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula discuss whether the French will kiss this cherished practice goodbye. Also, what are the French going to do with their cherished summer vacation? We take a closer look.


france24--2020-05-15--Sewer science: How scientists hope to track Covid-19 through the world’s waste

The world 's sewers could be used to test for levels of Covid-19 in the general population , according to scientists .
Could the key to tracking the spread of Covid-19 lie in the world ’ s sewers ?
Scientists in the field of sewage surveillance , known as wastewater epidemiology , say testing human waste in sewer systems for Covid-19 could help detect and respond to new flare-ups of the virus .
Research in a number of countries has shown that Covid-19 can be detected in sewage , including a study in Paris by the city ’ s water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of the virus in the sewers and the number of infections in the city .
And as cities across the world emerge from lockdown , tracking the rate of Covid-19 in the sewers could provide an early warning if rates of infection begin to rise again .
“ Most people know that you emit lots of virus through respiratory particles and droplets in the lungs .
But actually what ’ s lesser known is that you actually emit more small viral particles in faeces than you do from the lungs .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Basically tracking people ’ s toilet movements , ” Davey Jones , professor of environmental science at Bangor University in Wales told Reuters .
The technique has already been used in the fight to eradicate Polio and track antibiotic resistance in livestock and could be a cheaper and quicker alternative to the mass testing of individuals to track Covid-19 .
“ We can just monitor the amounts of essentially dead virus in the wastewater and use that as a monitoring tool to basically work out how many people in the population have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether it ’ s on the rise or the fall , ” said Professor Davey .
“ [ And ] whether things like lockdown measures are working .
”

Could the key to tracking the spread of Covid-19 lie in the world’s sewers? Scientists in the field of sewage surveillance, known as wastewater epidemiology, say testing human waste in sewer systems for Covid-19 could help detect and respond to new flare-ups of the virus.
The world's sewers could be used to test for levels of Covid-19 in the general population, according to scientists.
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Research in a number of countries has shown that Covid-19 can be detected in sewage, including a study in Paris by the city’s water authority which found a direct correlation between levels of the virus in the sewers and the number of infections in the city.
And as cities across the world emerge from lockdown, tracking the rate of Covid-19 in the sewers could provide an early warning if rates of infection begin to rise again.
“Most people know that you emit lots of virus through respiratory particles and droplets in the lungs. But actually what’s lesser known is that you actually emit more small viral particles in faeces than you do from the lungs. So, basically we’re using that. Basically tracking people’s toilet movements,” Davey Jones, professor of environmental science at Bangor University in Wales told Reuters.
The technique has already been used in the fight to eradicate Polio and track antibiotic resistance in livestock and could be a cheaper and quicker alternative to the mass testing of individuals to track Covid-19.
“We can just monitor the amounts of essentially dead virus in the wastewater and use that as a monitoring tool to basically work out how many people in the population have contracted the disease. And essentially, whether it’s on the rise or the fall,” said Professor Davey. “[And] whether things like lockdown measures are working.”
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france24--2020-05-15--France records first child fatality from rare disease linked to Covid-19

La Timone hospital in Marseille , in southern France , where the child 's death was announced on Friday .
A nine-year-old boy has died in France from a rare disease believed to be linked to coronavirus , his doctor said on Friday , the first such death in the country as similar child fatalities are being investigated in New York and London .
The child died after a `` neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest '' , said Fabrice Michel , head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for coronavirus , received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday , the doctor told AFP .
In the last three weeks , several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition , Kawasaki 's disease .
Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19 .
A London children 's hospital said on Wednesday that a 14-year-old boy with no underlying health conditions had died from the disease and had tested positive for the new coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Tuesday that three children in the state had died and more than 100 cases were being investigated .
The illness , which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children ( MIS-C ) , was first reported in Britain in late April .
`` Healthcare providers who have cared or are caring for patients younger than 21 years of age meeting MIS-C criteria should report suspected cases to their local , state , or territorial health department , '' said the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflamed organs that cause severe illness requiring hospitalisation , a confirmed active or recent coronavirus infection , and the absence of other plausible causes .
Doctors treating children with the disease have reported symptoms including rashes , abdominal pain , conjunctivitis and a red or swollen tongue .
There have been 125 reported cases in France between March 1 and May 12 , according to the country 's public health agency .
The patients ' ages ranged from one to 14 .
Inflammation of blood vessels and cardiac damage are `` much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to Covid-19 compared with classic Kawasaki disease , France 's public health agency said Thursday .
Michel , the paediatric doctor in Marseille , stressed that the disease is rare .
Children should see a doctor if they have fever for more than two days and associated symptoms , he said .

A nine-year-old boy has died in France from a rare disease believed to be linked to coronavirus, his doctor said on Friday, the first such death in the country as similar child fatalities are being investigated in New York and London.
La Timone hospital in Marseille, in southern France, where the child's death was announced on Friday.
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The child died after a "neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest", said Fabrice Michel, head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.
The boy, who tested positive for coronavirus, received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday, the doctor told AFP.
In the last three weeks, several countries have reported cases of children affected by an inflammatory disease with symptoms similar to those of a rare condition, Kawasaki's disease. Scientists believe it is linked to Covid-19.
A London children's hospital said on Wednesday that a 14-year-old boy with no underlying health conditions had died from the disease and had tested positive for the new coronavirus.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday that three children in the state had died and more than 100 cases were being investigated.
The illness, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), was first reported in Britain in late April.
"Healthcare providers who have cared or are caring for patients younger than 21 years of age meeting MIS-C criteria should report suspected cases to their local, state, or territorial health department," said the CDC.
The criteria include fever, multiple inflamed organs that cause severe illness requiring hospitalisation, a confirmed active or recent coronavirus infection, and the absence of other plausible causes.
Doctors treating children with the disease have reported symptoms including rashes, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis and a red or swollen tongue.
There have been 125 reported cases in France between March 1 and May 12, according to the country's public health agency. The patients' ages ranged from one to 14.
Inflammation of blood vessels and cardiac damage are "much more pronounced" in cases suspected of being linked to Covid-19 compared with classic Kawasaki disease, France's public health agency said Thursday.
Michel, the paediatric doctor in Marseille, stressed that the disease is rare. Children should see a doctor if they have fever for more than two days and associated symptoms, he said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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