People wearing face masks walk in the Central area of Hong Kong, south China, July 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
- Hong Kong to launch massive free COVID-19 testing
- Africa's confirmed cases pass 1 mln mark
- Turkey's flag carrier requires COVID-19 tests for all travellers to Germany
BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
- - - -
HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Friday that a mass screening for COVID-19 will be launched and any resident can take the free testing voluntarily.
The large-scale testing covering millions of people in Hong Kong will be conducted with the support of the central government and is scheduled to take place within two weeks, she told a press conference.
- - - -
People wearing face masks are seen in Rabat, Morocco, on July 25, 2020. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua)
ADDIS ABABA -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday revealed that the number of COVID-19 cases across the African continent has exceeded 1 million.
The Africa CDC, a specialized healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union Commission, said in its latest situation update that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the continent rose to 1,007,366 as of Friday afternoon.
- - - -
DHAKA -- Bangladesh's COVID-19 cases rose to 252,502 on Friday with 2,851 new cases reported, and deaths from the virus increased to 3,333.
Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing on Friday that "2,851 new COVID-19 positive cases and 27 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh."
- - - -
Customers wearing face masks shop at a supermarket in Ankara, Turkey, on Aug. 6, 2020. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
ISTANBUL -- Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) announced on Friday that all passengers travelling from Turkey to Germany would be required to take COVID-19 tests.
"Our passengers who do not submit negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test results taken within 48 hours prior to arrival in Germany will not be allowed on board," the THY said on its Twitter account.
- - - -
ACCRA -- Ghana has confirmed 455 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total case count to 40,097 on Friday morning, the latest update from the Ghana Health Service said.
The total recovered and discharged cases increased to 36,638, as officials discharged 254 more patients who had completed their period of treatment.
- - - -
A paramedic takes a swab sample from a man for COVID-19 test in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, August 4, 2020. (Photo by Mardi/Xinhua)
JAKARTA -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,473 within one day to 121,226, with the death toll adding by 72 to 5,593, the health ministry said on Friday.
According to the ministry, 1,912 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 77,557. ■
