Daily Archives: March 24, 2020


Robots Rise to Battle Against Coronavirus

They are known as “Little White Snails,” self-driving street sweepers that for several years cleaned up parks and other public places across China. Kids liked them. Now the 4-foot-high sweepers are keeping humans safe. After the outbreak in China, over 200 Little White Snails were enlisted to fight the spread of the virus. They have been deployed to hospitals in China to clean and disinfect, said Mike Jellen, chief commercial officer, at Velodyne Lidar, the U.S. company that works with Idriverplus, the maker of the sweepers. “They’re spraying vast amounts of disinfectant,” said …


Europeans Sing Praises of Health Workers from their Windows

At a time of isolation, people in many European cities hit hard by the new coronavirus are taking at least a minute each night to come together in gratitude.They stand at open windows or on balconies in Rome, Madrid, Paris, Athens and Amsterdam, singing, cheering and applauding even though they know their intended audience is too busy to listen.The adulation is for the doctors, nurses and other health care workers putting themselves at risk on the front lines of the pandemic that is forcing most residents to stay home. A …


COVID-19 Kills Cameroon Saxophone Legend 

Cameroon is mourning the loss of legendary saxophonist and singer Manu Dibango, who died of COVID-19 in France. Family members and lovers of his music have been visiting the iconic musician’s relatives in his country of origin to express their condolences.Family members and fans of music icon Manu Dibango have been weeping at his Douala residence in Cameroon since news of the 86-year-old’s death broke Tuesday morning.  Thirty-year-old Olive Njock, speaking through a messaging app from Douala, says Africa has lost a talent and peace maker. She says she feels devastated …


Austria Bets on Mass Testing to Manage Coronavirus Spread

Austria will massively expand coronavirus testing in coming days to locate and isolate infected people and avoid an Italian-like overload of its health system, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday.   The Alpine republic with a population of 8.8 million has tested around 28,400 people so far with nearly 4,900 cases and 28 deaths confirmed.   It was one of the first European countries to put severe restrictions on movement and close shops and schools in response to the developments in neighboring Italy and a strong increase in coronavirus infections …


Aussie’s Message to Olympians: Don’t be Discouraged, Adjust

Patty Mills for Prime Minister. In a statesman’s-style address, the San Antonio Spurs guard delivered a message to Olympians and to his fellow Australians who are dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.With the NBA season suspended, and serious travel restrictions in play, Mills posted a video on social media from his home in Texas, “where we’ve been self isolated for the past almost two weeks,” to respond to the Australian Olympic Committee’s advice to its athletes to prepare for the Tokyo Games being delayed to 2021.Sitting on a …


Bodies On Ice Rink as Spain Sees Record Infections, Deaths

Health authorities say Spain has registered a daily record increase in its daily virus infections and deaths.  Spain announced 6,584 new coronavirus infections Tuesday, bringing the overall total to 39, 673. The number of deaths also jumped by a record number of 514 to 2,696.   “This is the tough week,” Fernando Simón, the head of the Spanish health emergency coordination center, said at a daily briefing.  Simon also said some 5, 400 health workers were infected. …


Africa’s Jazz Great Manu Dibango Dies in France of Virus 

Renowned jazz man Manu Dibango, to many the beloved “Papy Groove” who served as an inspiration and pioneer in his art, died on Tuesday with the coronavirus, his official Facebook page announced. He was 86. The saxophonist who inspired what is known as “world music” was recently hospitalized with an illness “linked to COVID-19,” his official Facebook page said last Wednesday, adding that he was “resting well and calmly recovering.” The announcement did not say where he had been hospitalized, but Dibango, who was born in Cameroon, was known to live in …


Nigeria Health Authorities, Partners Conduct Free TB Testing and Treatment

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


New Studies Offer Hope in Battling Prostate Cancer

The American Cancer Society says one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime and one in 41 will die from it. Several news studies offer hope that these number could decrease with early and accurate diagnosis.  A new study based on a randomized controlled trial on 300 prostate cancer patients in Australia has found that a molecular imaging technique is more accurate than conventional medical imaging that uses CT (computed tomography) and bone scan.  Prostate cancer is treated by surgery to remove the prostate or by intensive radiotherapy that targets the tumor.  Doctors often use CT and bone scans to determine …