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COVID-19

After first emerging in China, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 set off a global pandemic that was declared in March 2020. New variants continue to infect people around the world.

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All Content on this topic

Susan Monarez testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Dirksen Senate Office Building

Susan Monarez testifies during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Dirksen Senate Office Building

CDC head fired after 4 weeks leading US public health agency

Susan Monarez's lawyers say she was targeted for choosing to stand up for science over serving a political agenda.

A woman getting a vaccination.

A woman getting a vaccination.

Why US budget cuts could derail future mRNA vaccine progress

Scientists fear US budget cuts will set back mRNA vaccine research and raise therapy costs.

A selection of Ferrero Rocher chocolates on display at a candy store in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 7, 2022

A selection of Ferrero Rocher chocolates on display at a candy store in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 7, 2022

Turkey's hazelnut frost threatens chocolate supply chains

A cold snap shrank Turkey's hazelnut harvest. Nutella and Ferrero Rocher lovers are bracing for higher prices.

A picture of gloved hands filling a hypodermic syringe or needle with mRNA vaccine from bottle against a blue background

A picture of gloved hands filling a hypodermic syringe or needle with mRNA vaccine from bottle against a blue background

Experts alarmed by US cuts to mRNA vaccine research

A move to cut $500 million worth of vaccine research will make the world vulnerable to future pandemics, experts warn.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

US cancels mRNA vaccine contracts worth $500 million

The Trump administration is halting 22 federal contracts for mRNA vaccines, questioning the safety of the technology.

People wearing masks in a crowded downtown area.

People wearing masks in a crowded downtown area.

COVID-19 pandemic sped up brain aging, says study

British researchers find that living through the pandemic aged people’s brains, regardless of a COVID-19 infection.

Why loneliness hurts more than you think — In Good Shape

Loneliness and isolation can raise stress, dull joy, and even harm your health. Here’s what can help.

A businessman putting a tip in a jar on table at coffee shop

A businessman putting a tip in a jar on table at coffee shop

'Tipflation:' The growing pitfalls of proper tipping

Big tip? Little tip? No tip? What can customers do to keep pace with tipping rules as the goalposts continuously move?

Jens Spahn holding up an FFP-2 face mask

Jens Spahn holding up an FFP-2 face mask

Germany and COVID-19: What went wrong?

The Bundestag is seeking to assess the political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a possible misuse of funds.

A woman wears personal protective medical clothing, such as latex gloves, a hair net and face mask.

A woman wears personal protective medical clothing, such as latex gloves, a hair net and face mask.

Need for vigilance amid new 'Nimbus' COVID variant

Omicron variant NB.1.8.1. has caused new infections in South and Southeast Asia. It could hit Europe during summer.

Pianist Alfred Brendel at his farewell concert in Vienna looking towards the audience.

Pianist Alfred Brendel at his farewell concert in Vienna looking towards the audience.

Star pianist Alfred Brendel dies

The pianist passed away in London at age 94.

Girls picking chards in a field

Girls picking chards in a field

EU and US continue to grapple with child labor

June 12 is World Day Against Child Labour. Despite progress, one in 10 children globally work in ways deemed harmful.

Mainland Chinese tourists walk in front of the skyline of buildings at Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, China May 2, 2023.

Mainland Chinese tourists walk in front of the skyline of buildings at Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, China May 2, 2023.

Cheap Chinese tours won't save Hong Kong's tourism

Chinese daytrippers travel to Hong Kong for as little as $5, but spend well below pre-pandemic years.

An employee wearing protective gear disinfects a shopping mall as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Caxias do Sul, Brazil on May 13, 2020

An employee wearing protective gear disinfects a shopping mall as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Caxias do Sul, Brazil on May 13, 2020

Pandemic preparedness: WHO adopts landmark agreement

World Health Assembly adopts a new pandemic agreement but questions on how it will be implemented remain.

Ursula von der Leyenlooks at her smartphone

Ursula von der Leyenlooks at her smartphone

Pfizergate verdict delivers blow to European Commission

An EU top court ruling over undisclosed vaccine deal messages has cast a shadow over Ursula von der Leyen's presidency.

WHO countries agree on technology transfers in next pandemic

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "multilateralism is alive and well."

A picture of derricks pumping crude oil at the Shengli oilfield in eastern China.

A picture of derricks pumping crude oil at the Shengli oilfield in eastern China.

Trump tariffs: Concern grows over falling oil prices

It's been a dramatic few days on global energy markets. The oil price has plunged on global economic concerns.

Microsoft turns 50: Will AI make it even more powerful?

On its 50th anniversary, critics warn that AI could make the tech giant more dominant than ever.

Focus on Europe - Spotlight on People

U.S. international broadcasters face an uncertain future after decades of trusted reporting around the world.

A close-up of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A close-up of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

RFK Jr.'s let bird flu spread plan 'makes no sense'

Is letting bird flu spread instead of culling sick chickens the right approach for the US? Opinions are mixed.

A lone pedestrian is seen in "Mall of Berlin", the German capital's biggest shopping mall

A lone pedestrian is seen in "Mall of Berlin", the German capital's biggest shopping mall

COVID-19: Five years since Germany went into lockdown

To contain the spread of COVID-19, Germany closed schools and imposed restrictions which have been widely criticized.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a campaign rally with Donald Trump

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a campaign rally with Donald Trump

Crucial mRNA vaccine research at risk in the US

Could research on mRNA technology, which is crucial for vaccine development, be curtailed in the US?

Person in scrubs wearing mask and glasses inserts a swab into another person's nose

Person in scrubs wearing mask and glasses inserts a swab into another person's nose

Belgium short on health workers 5 years into COVID

The COVID pandemic revealed a shortage of medical staff in Belgium — an issue that still hasn't been addressed.

Fokus Europa | Polen AKW

Fokus Europa | Polen AKW

Focus on Europe — Spotlight on People

Around 90 per cent of Poles support the government’s plans to build three nuclear reactors.

A woman squats by a grave at the Nossa Senhora Aparecida cemetery on Mothers Day, in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on May 9, 2021, amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

A woman squats by a grave at the Nossa Senhora Aparecida cemetery on Mothers Day, in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on May 9, 2021, amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

5 years since COVID-19 pandemic declared

In March 2020, the World Health Organization stated a global emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic took 37 million lives.

Wuhan Institute of Virology

Wuhan Institute of Virology

COVID pandemic likely unleashed by lab mishap: Germany's BND

Germany's spy agency thinks an accident in a Chinese lab likely caused the COVID-19 crisis, media say.

Mathilde Dumont, a 27-year-old nurse in a green smock, is sitting at a table at a hospital in Brussels, Belgium. She has put her feet up on a chair and is supporting her head with one hand; her eyes are closed.

Mathilde Dumont, a 27-year-old nurse in a green smock, is sitting at a table at a hospital in Brussels, Belgium. She has put her feet up on a chair and is supporting her head with one hand; her eyes are closed.

5 years after pandemic declared, COVID-19 continues

Five years after the outbreak of the global pandemic, world leaders and society are still dealing with the consequences.

A young woman sits at a desk looking at a computer while holding her head; her expression suggests frustration

A young woman sits at a desk looking at a computer while holding her head; her expression suggests frustration

COVID lockdowns had mental health effects on youth — study

Five years after the pandemic began, many young people continue to struggle with anxiety and depression.

COVID-19 virus

COVID-19 virus

Long COVID: Have US scientists found a cure?

The discovery that lung inflammation drives long COVID offers hope of a treatment for 400 million people globally.

A child in China gets swabbed for COVID-19

A child in China gets swabbed for COVID-19

COVID-19: Why we're looking for the pandemic's origin

We still don't know whether COVID originated in nature or leaked from a lab, but here's why finding out matters.

US President Donald Trump speaks after being sworn in as the 47th President in the US

US President Donald Trump speaks after being sworn in as the 47th President in the US

President Donald Trump: America first for the second time

On Donald Trump's Inauguration Day, DW looks at the most divisive US leader so far and his first term as president.

A vew of villlas overlooking bay at Camp de Mar, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

A vew of villlas overlooking bay at Camp de Mar, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

Spain scares off foreign property buyers with new tax threat

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wants to impose a 100% tax on foreign buyers. How does it compare with other countries?

A member of Chinese security forces puts up a palm between their face and the camera near the Wuhan coronavirus lab

A member of Chinese security forces puts up a palm between their face and the camera near the Wuhan coronavirus lab

WHO still waiting on COVID origins data from China

The WHO is urging China to share data "so we can understand the origins" of the virus which appeared five years ago.

The Pfizer/BioNTech jab went from concept to reality in less than a yearore

The Pfizer/BioNTech jab went from concept to reality in less than a yearore

COVID: BioNTech to pay $1.2 billion over vaccine royalties

BioNTech to pay $1.2 billion to resolve separate disputes over royalty payments related to its COVID-19 vaccine.

A man holds wads of euro notes

A man holds wads of euro notes

EU coronavirus fund payouts: How do they work?

The EU set up a sizable COVID-19 recovery fund and Germany will soon receive a big payout. How are the funds allocated?

A man surrounded by a crowd holds up a white piece of paper in Beijing, China

A man surrounded by a crowd holds up a white piece of paper in Beijing, China

Is China headed for new White Paper protests?

The silent youth protest against China's COVID restrictions is over, but tensions still run deep, ex-protesters say.

Pat King, with a beard, looks at the camera

Pat King, with a beard, looks at the camera

Canadian 'Freedom Convoy' protest leader found guilty

Pat King was convicted of five charges and could face up to 10 years in jail after a judge said he incited protesters.

Medical worker in infectious disease protective clothing

Medical worker in infectious disease protective clothing

New COVID XEC variant: What you need to know

KP.3 was the "predominant" SARS-CoV-2 variant in the US. It has now joined with another variant and become XEC.

A demonstrator reacts in front of police officers during a protest against the government's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Kassel, March, 20, 2021.

A demonstrator reacts in front of police officers during a protest against the government's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions in Kassel, March, 20, 2021.

Germany grapples with divisive impact of COVID-19 pandemic

Masks, lockdowns and social distancing: Rarely has government policy polarized society as it did over COVID-19.

Michael Ballweg and lawyers in court

Michael Ballweg and lawyers in court

Fraud trial opens for prominent German coronavirus skeptic

Michael Ballweg, at the heart of the Querdenker group, is accused on thousands of counts of fraud.

Symbolbild Fitness zu Hause

Symbolbild Fitness zu Hause

How yoga can help with Long COVID

Chronic fatigue can be a long-term aftereffect of COVID-19. It's debilitating. Could yoga help?

Samples of Bavartian Nordic's mpox vaccine Imvanex

Samples of Bavartian Nordic's mpox vaccine Imvanex

Mpox outbreak: Are vaccine makers prepared?

Africa faces a shortage of mpox vaccines as a serious new mpox variant spreads on the continent.

An electron microscope image of Mpox virus particles

An electron microscope image of Mpox virus particles

Fact check: No link between mpox and COVID vaccination

Misinformation online links the current mpox outbreak to COVID-19 vaccines. What is the truth behind the claims?

A Berlin waitress is seen wearing a mask in May 2021

A Berlin waitress is seen wearing a mask in May 2021

A summer COVID surge – should we worry?

Experts are warning about a summer COVID surge. What does the latest data show, and should we take precautions?

Peace doves and peace signs can be seen on flags carried by protesters in Berlin

Peace doves and peace signs can be seen on flags carried by protesters in Berlin

Berlin: Thousands march in COVID-19 pandemic skeptic protest

Thousands march to reprise protests questioning government-imposed measures at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jens Spahn removing his FFP2 mask at a press conference in March 2021

Jens Spahn removing his FFP2 mask at a press conference in March 2021

COVID-19: German gov't suffers defeat in 'face mask scandal'

Germany tried to backtrack on a deal to pay high prices for masks, but a court has ruled it will have to foot the bill.

Ursula von der Leyen is seen thanking the European Commission

Ursula von der Leyen is seen thanking the European Commission

AfricaLink News: 18 July 2024

Von der Leyen reelected as EU head +++ US President Biden contracts COVID-19 +++ S. Africa: $1 billion loan for Transnet

President Joe Biden walks up the steps of Air Force One after he has tested positive for the coronavirus

President Joe Biden walks up the steps of Air Force One after he has tested positive for the coronavirus

Biden cancels campaign events after positive COVID test

The move comes just after he said he would drop out of the presidential race if a medical condition emerged.

A Chinese flag flaps in the wind in front of cargo containers on the dock of a Chinese port

A Chinese flag flaps in the wind in front of cargo containers on the dock of a Chinese port

Will China ever overtake the US economy?

China's ambition to be the world's largest economy has been dented by COVID-19, property woes and an aging population.

Prisoners sitting on the ledges of their cells

Prisoners sitting on the ledges of their cells

Turkey tops renewed spike in European incarceration rate

Europe's prison population rate is up for the second year in a row, marking what may be the end of a decade of decline.