News of virus

China's Sinovac to donate vaccine jabs for Copa América

13-04-2021 15:11 South American footballers will be given the Chinese Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine ahead of the Copa América that starts in June, following donation of 50,000 doses.

Global pandemic

Uruguay, once Covid haven, suffers record infections and deaths

09-04-2021 15:25 Uruguay is grappling with one of the world’s highest Covid infection rates, with scores killed weekly, schools shut and a confused and weary population searching for answers.

Global pandemic

Venezuela claims sanctions blocking vaccine purchases

08-04-2021 11:48 Venezuela's foreign minister claims that without economic sanctions against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, the country would already have purchased all 30 million coronavirus vaccines it needs.

Global pandemic

Brazil's Bolsonaro snubs new lockdown calls

08-04-2021 11:44 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro doubled down on his opposition to lockdown measures to contain Covid-19 Wednesday, as experts warned a largescale stay-at-home was "absolutely necessary" to slow a deadly surge of the coronavirus.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

IMF projects stronger 2021 growth amid pandemic rebound

06-04-2021 11:01 IMF forecasts that recession-hit Argentina's economy will grow by 5.8% this year, with global GDP expected to rebound 6% overall.

SEMANA SANTA

Pope Francis urges vaccines for poor in Easter message

04-04-2021 09:04 Pope Francis urged Catholics to remain hopeful in his Easter Sunday address, calling vaccines an "essential tool" in ending the pandemic and urging their swift rollout to the world's poorest countries.

PRESIDENT TESTS POSITIVE

PCR test confirms President Alberto Fernández has Covid-19

03-04-2021 16:47 PCR test confirms Alberto Fernández has been infected with Covid-19; President says he's "fine" during radio interview, hails Sputnik vaccine.

COVID-19 VACCINATION

Vaccination plan advances but with difficulties, as second wave nears

03-04-2021 07:57 Confirmed cases now total 2.37 million, with more than 56,000 fatalities. To date, more than four million vaccines have been given.

PRESIDENT TESTS POSITIVE

President Alberto Fernández in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19

03-04-2021 00:45 President Alberto Fernández has gone into isolation with suspected Covid-19 and is awaiting the result of a PCR test to confirm if he has the virus or not.

Global pandemic

Chile, Bolivia, close borders, Peru locks down in Covid battle

02-04-2021 02:59 Virus surges in Latin America – Chile closes all borders for the month of April; Bolivia shutters frontier with Brazil; Peru goes into Easter lockdown.

Global pandemic

Chile closes borders for April as Covid cases rise

01-04-2021 15:11 With new virus variants, believed to be more contagious, spreading across the continent, cases have been soaring in Chile despite its vaccination drive.

Coronavirus pandemic

Argentina tightens Covid measures as new virus variants arrive

31-03-2021 14:47 National and regional governments tighten health and sanitary measures against Covid-19 amid concerns over the arrival of new variants of the virus in the country.

Global pandemic

More than 80% of intubated Covid patients die in Brazil

31-03-2021 10:27 More than 80% of Covid-19 patients who have to be intubated in Brazil have died since the start of the second wave of infections ravaging the country, according to researchers.

Global pandemic

WHO chief urges lab leak probe as leaders eye pandemic treaty

30-03-2021 13:56 The United States and 13 allies on Tuesday jointly voied concern over a World Health Organization-backed report on the origins of Covid-19 and urged China to provide "full access" to experts.

BRAZIL UNDER BOLSONARO

Bolsonaro overhauls cabinet as Covid surges in Brazil

29-03-2021 21:28 While speculation had been swirling that Bolsonaro was about to fire foreign minister Ernesto Araujo, who faced criticism for the government's problems securing more Covid-19 vaccines, many of the other changes came as a surprise.

CHILEAN POLITICS

Chile president proposes delaying election on new constitution

29-03-2021 19:28 Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on Sunday proposed delaying elections that will choose a commission to rewrite the country's dictatorship-era constitution, due to a surge in Covid-19 infections.

Global pandemic

In Brazil, Covid is increasingly hitting the young

23-03-2021 10:10 There are fewer wrinkles and less grey hair among patients in Brazil's intensive care units as the country reels from a surge in Covid-19 that is increasingly hitting people under 60.

POVERTY & THE PANDEMIC

Thousands march through Buenos Aires to demand food aid, jobs

19-03-2021 00:57 Thousands of people marched in Buenos Aires on Thursday to demand food aid as the economy has battled the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

St Patrick's Day

Beer and loathing: Irish mourn another St Patrick's Day lockdown

17-03-2021 12:37 For the second year in succession, Dublin's normally raucous St Patrick's Day celebrations have been cancelled by coronavirus curbs.

Global pandemic

Under fire, Brazil's Bolsonaro tones down on Covid

17-03-2021 10:26 With Brazil registering record daily death tolls from Covid-19, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is changing his traditionally pandemic-sceptic tune.

Global pandemic

Bolsonaro changes health minister again, as Brazil's Covid cases surge

16-03-2021 09:19 Bolsonaro to appoint cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga as health minister, the fourth to hold the post during the pandemic, as the country's health system staggers amid surging Covid-19 cases.

Coronavirus pandemic

Government extends health emergency for rest of 2021

12-03-2021 15:47 Alberto Fernández's government rolls over health emergency for the coronavirus pandemic until end of 2021.

FOOTBALL

Without fans, South American clubs lose more at home

08-03-2021 14:24 AFP analysed clubs' results across three first-division seasons in three countries – Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay – and found their home performance declined when fans were barred from stadiums because of Covid-19.

International football

CONMEBOL postpones World Cup qualifiers over travel constraints

07-03-2021 08:12 CONMEBOL postponed two rounds of 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled later this month because of Covid-19 quarantine rules affecting European-based players and the threat of clubs refusing to release their international stars.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Formosa: IACHR, UN, opposition concerned by police response to protests

06-03-2021 08:18 UN, IACHR and opposition express concern and criticism, after provincial police officers deploy tear gas and fire rubber bullets against protesters in Formosa rejecting return to strict Covid-19 isolation measures.

Global pandemic

Amid virus, a shadow pandemic for domestic abuse sufferers

05-03-2021 02:08 From Argentina to Singapore, virus-induced confinement has caused an increase in violence cases and their severity and made it more difficult to report abuses and help victims, activists say.

Global pandemic

Cities in Brazil tighten restrictions amid record Covid surge

04-03-2021 13:53 Brazil's Health Ministry has recorded an average of more than 1,300 Covid-19 fatalities per day over the past week, the worst yet for the hard-hit country of 212 million people.

Poverty

UN: Pandemic pushed LatAm extreme poverty to 20-year high

04-03-2021 13:41 Number of poor people in the region rose by 22 million in 2020 to 209 million. ECLAC calls for "new welfare state."

Global pandemic

Vaccine delays threaten economies hardest hit by pandemic

23-02-2021 12:24 Latin America and the Caribbean, the region where the coronavirus caused the worst economic destruction and more than a quarter of the world’s deaths, is now falling victim to a slow inoculation campaign.

Global pandemic

All over by summer? UK eyes return to normal by end of June

22-02-2021 13:50 British PM Boris Johnson outlines a "gradual and cautious" approach to lifting curbs in England, starting with the return of students to schools from March 8, and non-essential retail from April 12.

Global pandemic

Israel's 'green badge' plan to open services to vaccinated stirs concern

17-02-2021 14:36 Israel unveils "green badge" plan to re-open services to those fully inoculated, stirring controversy about unequal access for those who opt out of the jabs.

Coronavirus pandemic

Covid-19 shots on the market or in development

17-02-2021 13:56 With several Covid-19 vaccines either being rolled out or under trial, here is a rundown of the various stages of their development.

Global pandemic

UN urges global Covid vaccine plan, warns of dangerous inequity

17-02-2021 13:42 Secretary-General António Guterres sounds alarm that just 10 nations have administered 75% of Covid-19 vaccine doses so far – and 130 countries have had none at all.

Covid-19 vaccine

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner latest to receive Russian vaccine

25-01-2021 15:16 Vice-president becomes latest high-profile politician to receive Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19.

Valeria Pacheco, AFP

Brazil's late and rocky start on vaccinations fuels public ire

25-01-2021 08:26 Brazil's newly launched vaccination campaign against Covid-19 has gotten off to a late and rocky start – as the country is hammered by a second wave of the disease, it is already close to running out of vaccine, syringes and other vital equipment.

Global pandemic

Colombia will expel foreigners caught partying as Covid-19 spreads

19-01-2021 08:50 Colombian immigration officials announced Monday that foreign nationals caught taking part in underground parties in violation of a ban on social gatherings during the pandemic will be expelled from the country.

Global pandemic

Argentina detects first case of British coronavirus variant

16-01-2021 16:24 Argentina has detected its first case of a British-identified coronavirus variant that appears to be more infectious, authorities said Saturday.

Global pandemic

UK to ban South American, Portugal arrivals over Brazil virus strain

14-01-2021 15:47 Britain bans all arrivals from South America, Panama, Cape Verde and Portugal over fears of importing a new coronavirus variant from Brazil.

Working from home

Pandemic-driven shift to home work carries risks, UN says

13-01-2021 23:47 Issues facing home workers and their employers need greater attention, including better safeguards and more awareness of the rights and risks involved, warns United Nations.

Coronavirus pandemic

Scientists prove that Covid-19 survivors’ plasma could reduce deaths

13-01-2021 16:43 Study led by Argentine scientists concludes blood plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients can reduce chances of patient’s becoming seriously sick from virus.

Coronavirus pandemic

Argentine judge orders chlorine dioxide be given to Covid patient

11-01-2021 16:28 Outrage as judge compels private clinic to administer chlorine dioxide to a coronavirus patient in a case medical doctors have labelled "a scandal."

Global pandemic

UK PM Johnson orders new lockdown, closes schools in England

04-01-2021 17:23 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced new strict coronavirus restrictions, closing schools and ordering a third national lockdown for England.

Global pandemic

Chile reports Latin America's first detected case of new virus strain

29-12-2020 16:24 Health authorities responded to the news by announcing that from December 31, everyone arriving in Chile would have to spend 10 days in quarantine.

HUNT FOR VACCINE

BioNTech: plucky German upstart wins Covid-19 vaccine race

02-12-2020 15:36 A small German biotech firm, started by a husband and wife team with Turkish roots, has created the first authorised vaccine for use in the Western world to help end the coronavirus pandemic.

HUNT FOR VACCINE

Government wants to begin Covid-19 vaccinations in January

24-11-2020 22:07 Government plans to start its massive vaccination programme in January, as long as the vaccines are ready available, says Health Minister Ginés González García.

Global pandemic

Pandemic inflames gender violence against women

23-11-2020 15:58 No country has been spared the coronavirus epidemic, nor the scourge of domestic violence, which has surged during lockdowns as the day marking such violence approaches on Wednesday.

HUNT FOR VACCINE

Pfizer says Covid-19 vaccine 90% effective in Phase 3 trial

09-11-2020 09:05 A vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections in ongoing Phase 3 trials, the companies announced Monday.

FROM WHERE I STAND

An election for the soul of America

31-10-2020 08:43 With both the Democratic and Republican candidates in the United States declaring that this election is a battle to save “the soul of America,” it is time to ask where the soul lies.

by Robert Cox

Coronavirus pandemic

Maradona self-isolating at home due to Covid-19 risk

27-10-2020 18:19 Maradona began self-isolating Tuesday after a person he works closely with showed symptoms of Covid-19. River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo also goes into quarantine.

US ELECTION 2020

Final US presidential debate a brief interlude of normalcy in 2020 race

24-10-2020 12:12 Thursday’s second and final US presidential debate, it turns out, was actually a debate.

News of virus

China's Sinovac to donate vaccine jabs for Copa América

Uruguay, once Covid haven, suffers record infections and deaths

Venezuela claims sanctions blocking vaccine purchases

Brazil's Bolsonaro snubs new lockdown calls

IMF projects stronger 2021 growth amid pandemic rebound

Pope Francis urges vaccines for poor in Easter message

PCR test confirms President Alberto Fernández has Covid-19

Vaccination plan advances but with difficulties, as second wave nears

President Alberto Fernández in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19

Chile, Bolivia, close borders, Peru locks down in Covid battle

Chile closes borders for April as Covid cases rise

Argentina tightens Covid measures as new virus variants arrive

More than 80% of intubated Covid patients die in Brazil

WHO chief urges lab leak probe as leaders eye pandemic treaty

Bolsonaro overhauls cabinet as Covid surges in Brazil

Chile president proposes delaying election on new constitution

In Brazil, Covid is increasingly hitting the young

Thousands march through Buenos Aires to demand food aid, jobs

Beer and loathing: Irish mourn another St Patrick's Day lockdown

Under fire, Brazil's Bolsonaro tones down on Covid

Bolsonaro changes health minister again, as Brazil's Covid cases surge

Government extends health emergency for rest of 2021

Without fans, South American clubs lose more at home

CONMEBOL postpones World Cup qualifiers over travel constraints

Formosa: IACHR, UN, opposition concerned by police response to protests

Amid virus, a shadow pandemic for domestic abuse sufferers

Cities in Brazil tighten restrictions amid record Covid surge

UN: Pandemic pushed LatAm extreme poverty to 20-year high

Vaccine delays threaten economies hardest hit by pandemic

All over by summer? UK eyes return to normal by end of June

Israel's 'green badge' plan to open services to vaccinated stirs concern

Covid-19 shots on the market or in development

UN urges global Covid vaccine plan, warns of dangerous inequity

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner latest to receive Russian vaccine

Brazil's late and rocky start on vaccinations fuels public ire

Colombia will expel foreigners caught partying as Covid-19 spreads

Argentina detects first case of British coronavirus variant

UK to ban South American, Portugal arrivals over Brazil virus strain

Pandemic-driven shift to home work carries risks, UN says

Scientists prove that Covid-19 survivors’ plasma could reduce deaths

Argentine judge orders chlorine dioxide be given to Covid patient

UK PM Johnson orders new lockdown, closes schools in England

Chile reports Latin America's first detected case of new virus strain

BioNTech: plucky German upstart wins Covid-19 vaccine race

Government wants to begin Covid-19 vaccinations in January

Pandemic inflames gender violence against women

Pfizer says Covid-19 vaccine 90% effective in Phase 3 trial

An election for the soul of America

Maradona self-isolating at home due to Covid-19 risk

Final US presidential debate a brief interlude of normalcy in 2020 race

President extends curfew, shutters schools to curb Covid-19

Argentina’s peso mess is delivering windfall profits to brokers

Restrictions imposed as second wave slams Argentina

Vizzotti concerned by rising coronavirus cases and new strains

Guzmán discusses debt with Pope Francis at the Vatican

El médico que le hizo frente a Alberto Fernández: "Lo que está colapsada es la paciencia de la gente" | Perfil

Agustina Macri y Bernardita Barreiro formalizaron su relación y viajaron a Madrid

"Los chicos juegan a cambiarse los barbijos": mensaje de Alberto Fernández a un Trotta en apuros

Alberto Fernández anunció un bono de 15 mil pesos para la AUH y otros planes sociales

Claudio Belocopitt, harto de algunos disparates que dicen en su medio sobre la pandemia