Mideast's confirmed coronavirus death toll goes over 50,000
Dubai: The confirmed death toll from the coronavirus went over 50,000 in the Middle East on Thursday as the pandemic continues.
That's according to a count from The Associated Press, based on official numbers offered by health authorities across the region.
Those numbers still may be an undercount, though, as testing in war-torn nations like Libya and Yemen remains extremely limited.
The top UN official for Libya on Wednesday warned the coronavirus pandemic in the war-ravaged country appears to be spiraling out of control. Yemen's Houthi rebels, who hold parts of the nation, have refused to release virus statistics.
The hardest-hit nation remains Iran, which saw the region's first major outbreak. Over 21,900 people have died there from the virus, with over 380,000 confirmed cases and 328,000 recoveries.
Israel just recorded a record-high 3,000 new cases in a day as the country's coronavirus czar is set to submit a list of more detailed recommended restrictions where infection rates have been highest. Israel earned praise for its early handling of the virus crisis and imposing tight movement restrictions. But since reopening the economy in May, new cases have spiked to record levels and the government has been blamed for mismanaging the resurgence.
Pakistan's numbers have continued to decline befuddling expectations in mid-June when even the authorities were anticipating a massive increase in cases. In Afghanistan, the government also has opened up its recreational facilities and most businesses. But experts fear the real numbers are likely far higher than officially reported.
The United Arab Emirates, which has embarked on a mass testing campaign, saw its highest daily confirmed new case count in over three months. That came as schools have reopened in the country and Dubai has offered itself as a tourist destination.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two girls injured in separate wolf attacks in UP's Bahraich
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Two minor girls were injured in separate incidents of wolf attacks in the Bahraich district, forest department officials said on Saturday.
In the first incident on Friday, Anushka Nishad (5), daughter of Baliram from Mallahanpurwa village, was sleeping alone inside her house when a wolf entered and tried to carry her away, they said.
Hearing her screams, family members and villagers rushed to the spot. The wolf left the child, hearing the commotion, and ran towards the fields. The girl sustained minor injuries from the animal's teeth, the officials said.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav described the attack as deliberate and cleverly planned, as it occurred precisely when Anushka's mother went out for a few moments.
On the same day, Nancy (4), daughter of Kamlesh Yadav, was playing outside her house in Baburi Tola village when a wolf suddenly attacked and dragged her away.
Villagers raised an alarm, and the wolf released the child and ran towards the sugarcane fields. The injured child was sent to the Kaiserganj Community Health Centre for treatment.
Divisional Forest Officer Ram Singh Yadav told reporters that both attacks involved wolves, adding that the entire area is plagued by the animal's activity.
Since September 9, such attacks in the Bahraich district have claimed 10 lives, including eight children and an elderly couple, and injured dozens of people, the officials said.
District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi met the families of the victims on Friday and consoled them.
