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A28 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 16 May 2020
Typhoon leaves 1 dead, extensive damage in Philippine towns

By JIM GOMEZ ment has been limited by
Associated Press COVID," Yucot said by tele-
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — phone from Albay province
Strong winds and rain from in the Bicol region, which
Typhoon Vongfong left has had dozens of corona-
at least one person dead virus infections, including
and damaged hundreds of four deaths, and remains
homes and coronavirus iso- under quarantine. "In the
lation facilities along with evacuation centers, there
rice and corn fields in five are more challenges."
hard-hit eastern towns, a In an evacuation room
governor said Friday.Gov. which normally could shel-
Ben Evardone of Eastern ter up to 40 families, only
Samar province, where four families could be ac-
the typhoon slammed commodated. The occu-
ashore, said distraught pants should know each
residents wept after their other and are required to
houses were destroyed or report any infected person,
blown away in the towns Yucot said.
he inspected. One villager The coast guard said more
who lost his home slashed than 600 cargo truck drivers
his wrist but was treated in Residents wade along a flooded village caused by typhoon Vongfong as it passed by Sorsogon and workers were stranded
time, he said. A man bled province, eastern Philippines on Friday May 15, 2020. by the travel suspension.
to death after he was hit Associated Press All were required to wear
by glass shards in a school masks and prohibited from
building he was trying to damaged houses yelled region of Bicol, northwest meters (68 miles) per hour mingling. The typhoon hit
open to take shelter in, "help" in one video. of Eastern Samar, more with gusts of 150 kph (93 as the Philippines struggles
Evardone said. "The dam- He said he and a group than 145,000 people were mph) but it remained dan- to deal with coronavirus
age I saw was very exten- of military, police and lo- riding out the weakening gerous, especially in coast- outbreaks, largely with a
sive. The roof of one church cal authorities failed to typhoon in emergency al and low-lying villages, lockdown in Luzon that is
was ripped off completely, reach two towns hit by shelters on Friday after a forecasters said. Vongfong to be eased this weekend,
its iron bars twisted badly the typhoon, Jipapad and mass evacuation that was was expected to blow out except in metropolitan Ma-
by the typhoon," Evardone Maslog, due to fallen trees complicated and slowed of the country's north on nila and two other high-
said by telephone. on the road. Cellphone by the coronavirus. Vong- Sunday. Office of Civil De- risk areas. The rest of the
Videos and pictures of the and two-way radio com- fong weakened into a se- fense Director Claudio Yu- country will be placed in
devastation sent by Evar- munications to the far-flung vere tropical storm after cot said the evacuations less restrictive quarantine,
done showed several low- areas were down and Evar- hitting land and was blow- took time because workers and crucial businesses will
slung buildings and sports done appealed to the mili- ing northwest toward the needed to wear masks and partially reopen starting
centers either destroyed tary to deploy a helicopter populous main northern is- protective suits and could next week. The Philippines
or badly damaged with to inspect them and de- land of Luzon, government not transport villagers to has reported more than
their roofs peeled off or de- liver food if troops are un- forecasters said. shelters in large numbers 12,000 cases, including 806
formed and their iron truss- able to reach the area by Its maximum sustained wind as a safeguard against the deaths, among the highest
es bent. Villagers outside Saturday. In the outlying speed dropped to 110 kilo- virus. "Our ease of move- in Southeast Asia.q

Brazil’s health minister resigns after one month on the job

Teich’s resignation was April, will be the interim cal and Pharmaceutical
confirmed by the Health minister until Bolsonaro Laboratory boosted chlo-
Ministry. The oncologist, a chooses a permanent re- roquine production in late
former health care consul- placement. Teich’s resig- March. The antimalarial
tant, took the job on April nation comes one day af- drug was widely touted
17 under pressure to align ter Bolsonaro told business by U.S. President Donald
the ministry’s actions with leaders in a video confer- Trump as a treatment. But
the president’s view that ence he would ease rules researchers last month
the economy must not be for use of an antimalaria reported no benefit in a
destroyed by restrictions drug to treat people in- large analysis of the drug
to control spread of the vi- fected with the corona- or a related substance,
rus. Officials say that more virus. The outgoing health hydroxychloroquine, in
than 13,000 people have minister has frequently U.S. hospitals for veterans.
In this April 22, 2020 file photo, Brazil's new Health Minister Nelson died of COVID-19 in Brazil, called the use of chloro- Last month, scientists in
Teich listens to a question during his first press conference amid
the new coronavirus pandemic, at the Planalto Presidential though some experts say quine “an uncertainty” in Brazil stopped part of a
Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil. the figure is significantly the fight against the virus, study of chloroquine af-
Associated Press higher due to insufficient and this week warned of ter heart rhythm problems
testing, and analysts say its side effects. developed in one quarter
By MAURICIO SAVARESE upheaval in the nation’s the peak of the crisis has The Health Ministry previ- of people given the higher
Associated Press battle with the COVID-19 yet to hit Latin America’s ously allowed the use of of two doses being tested.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Bra- pandemic and President largest nation. chloroquine only for coro- Governors who have tak-
zil’s health minister re- Jair Bolsonaro’s pressure Teich’s number two, Gen. navirus patients hospital- en a more cautious road
signed on Friday after less for the nation to prioritize Eduardo Pazuello, who ized in serious condition. than Bolsonaro’s during
than a month on the job the economy over health- had no health experience At Bolsonaro’s urging, the the pandemic praised Tei-
in a sign of continuing driven lockdowns. Nelson until joining the ministry in country’s Army Chemi- ch’s efforts. q