AP Interview: Biden adviser says race central to virus fight

Addressing racial disparities in the U.S. coronavirus crisis cannot be an afterthought, a top adviser to President-elect Joe Biden on the COVID-19 pandemic response said Tuesday. That means when testing and vaccination programs are designed and implemented, for example, they must consider fairness and equity...

The Latest: Vietnam has 1st local transmission in 89 days

HANOI, Vietnam -- Vietnamese authorities are conducting intensive contact tracing after the country’s first confirmed local transmission of the coronavirus in 89 days. State media said Tuesday that a 32-year-old man in Ho Chi Minh City tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday after visiting a flight...

The Latest: Illinois surpasses 12,000 deaths from COVID-19

MIAMI (AP) — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois has risen above 12,000 deaths from COVID-19, while also surpassing the 700,000 mark for confirmed coronavirus infections. The latest 1,000 deaths were recorded in just nine days — matching the state’s deadliest period previously in the...

Correction: Virus Outbreak-The Latest story

In a story Nov. 25, 2020, about a new U.S. estimate of missed coronavirus infections, The Associated Press erroneously reported an earlier calculation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, the CDC estimated nine of every 10 cases were being missed, not one of every 10.

The Latest: Emperor's New Year greeting cancelled in Japan

TOKYO — Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his family will not offer their New Year greetings from the palace balcony due to concerns over the country’s struggles with a resurgence of coronavirus infections. The Imperial Household Agency said in a statement Friday that the annual greetings on Jan. 2 will...

Hungary's doctors warn of soaring coronavirus deaths ahead

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Doctors in Hungary are warning that a lack of medical staff qualified to treat coronavirus patients in intensive care units could soon lead to soaring deaths and a breakdown in the country’s fragile health care system despite the government’s expensive medical...

The Latest: India registers over 30,000 new virus cases

NEW DELHI — India has registered 30,548 new confirmed coronaviruses cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest in the last four months but amid growing concerns of the latest surge in the capital New Delhi. The Health Ministry on Monday raised India’s tally to more than 8.84 million. It said the country...

BioNTech scientist: Vaccine could halve virus transmission

LONDON (AP) — One of the scientists behind the experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer said Sunday that he was confident that it could halve the transmission of the virus, resulting in a “dramatic” curb of the virus’ spread. Professor Ugur Sahin, chief...

Turkey's COVID-19 deaths returns to April levels

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish health ministry statistics show 93 people died in one day of COVID-19 amid a surge in infections, bringing the daily death toll to numbers last seen in April. In figures released late Friday, the health ministry also reported 3,045 new confirmed cases among people presenting...

Jane Fonda celebrates 25 years of Georgia-based nonprofit

ATLANTA (AP) — Jane Fonda is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Georgia-based nonprofit organization she founded to prevent teenage pregnancies. Fonda, 82, founded the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention in 1995, when she lived in Atlanta and when Georgia had the highest teenage birth...