Every day, almost every country in the world counts its sick or dead because of the new coronavirus. Brazil has now become the second most affected country, after the United States. There are few places that have not been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. But there are, however, some last "points of resistance" on Earth.
Africa, a continent that seemed spared for a time of pandemic, now has no "untouched" country after including the isolated Lesotho, a high-altitude country, practically an enclave in South Africa, has already announced the first cases, in the middle of the month May.
However, some countries seem to be exempt from this wave. Of the 193 UN-recognized states, only ten have reported no cases of COVID-19.
Among them is the Samoa Islands, which has a population of 250,000. Affected by a measles epidemic that took the lives of 70 children, at the end of 2019, this archipelago in Oceania quickly declared a state of emergency, closed its schools and airport. According to France Info, the head of state ordered the population a period of fasting and prayer.
North of Australia, Vanuatu, a country in the southern Pacific Ocean, made up of about 80 islands stretching 1,300 kilometers, has not reported any cases of COVID-19. Devastated by Cyclone Harold on April 6, the small state was reluctant to accept help from abroad, for fear that this aid would bring with it another catastrophe: the coronavirus.
Another pandemic-spared Pacific state: the Solomon Islands and its 653,000 inhabitants. The 12 main islands and the 1,000 islets surrounding them have so far had no cases of coronavirus.
Micronesia, a federal state that occupies part of the Caroline Islands archipelago off the Philippines, is also part of these end-of-the-world territories that have so far escaped the coronavirus.
The same is true of the Republic of Nauru, a slightly larger island-state than Monaco, lost somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. With 160 tourists a year, it is one of the least visited places in the world. The island banned travelers from China, South Korea, Italy and then Iran, however, and suspended flights from Fiji, Kiribati and Marshall Islands.
Further west, between the Philippines and Indonesia, the Palau Islands, in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, have also benefited from their geographical isolation. Despite coronavirus contamination in late northern Mariana Islands in the east, the government has not reported any cases of COVID-19. Instead, this small country is facing significant supply shortages. Prior to the pandemic, United Airlines had six flights a week between Guam and Palau. Now there is only one flight a week.
The Marshall Islands, made up of volcanoes and coral atolls and populated by only 75,000 inhabitants, have also remained untouched by the coronavirus.
No cases have been reported in the island republic of Kiribati, with its 33 atolls, located between Polynesia and Micronesia.
All of these countries are spread across the Pacific Ocean, sometimes thousands of miles from a large city. This geographical isolation, which does not usually bring them benefits, has now proven to be a lifeline, especially as there are countries that usually do not have very strong health systems. There are small and fragile populations, which do not have, for example, artificial ventilation devices. If an epidemic broke out, their population could be decimated.
Two "free" coronavirus countries should be viewed with reluctance
There are two other countries that, so far, have not declared any case of contamination with the new coronavirus: North Korea and Turkmenistan. In both cases, the information must be viewed with reluctance, because it is governed by authoritarian regimes, too reluctant to communicate, especially when it comes to recognizing an epidemic.
In fact, North Korea placed its military forces in isolation for 30 days, according to the head of the American troops stationed in South Korea.
In Turkmenistan, you are not even allowed to talk about coronavirus. The state media remains silent and the term does not appear in medical leaflets distributed in schools, hospitals and workplaces, according to Chroniques du Turkménistan, one of the few independent sources of information whose website is blocked in Turkmenistan but is hosted by the organization Reporters Without Borders.
Many European countries are opening their borders, flights are resuming, hotels are waiting for their first customers, and tourism seems to be slowly coming back to life. If you are thinking about vacation, here are the top 20 safest holiday destinations during the coronavirus pandemic, where you are very unlikely to get sick.
The European Organization for the Best Destinations (EBD), which is part of the European Commission's EDEN Network, has compiled a list of the 20 safest destinations for travel and tourism, due to coronavirus. The list taken over by Forbes includes several cities in Poland, Croatia, Greece, but also the city of Sibiu, the only destination in Romania.
To help those who want to travel to Europe, the European Organization for the Best Destinations has presented a list of 20 areas least affected by Covid-19: Tbilisi - Georgia,
Corfu - Greece,
Cavtat - Croatia,
Azores ,
Preveza - Greece,
Alentejo - Portugal,
Batumi - Georgia,
Zagreb - Croatia,
Algarve - Portugal,
Sibiu - Romania,
Kotor - Montenegro,
Rijeka - Croatia,
Warsaw - Poland,
Vienna - Austria,
Bohinj - Slovenia,
Malta,
Gdansk - Poland ,
Vilnius - Lithuania,
Riga - Latvia,
Wild Taiga - Finland.
40 photos (and facts) from Japan that will tell you more about this country than encyclopedias
Japan is a non-standard country, an archipelago of thousands of islands, with an unusual way of life, where people live who are not always fully understood by residents of other countries, even of the same Asian region ... let alone Europeans ... Japan is literally different for them planet!
Learned what surprises the Land of the Rising Sun
In Japan, everything is wonderful, as is nature itself with its stunning landscapes full of intricate temple gardens, bamboo groves and, of course, mountains. And that's not to mention ramen, sushi, udon, yakiniku, okonomiyaki, takoyaki and many other dishes that will delight any foodie, no matter where they come from!
But Japan and many of its inhabitants are in no hurry to reveal the secrets of their being and their history. We will try to open a few of them right now. What is pure truth, and what is already half-truth - it's up to you, dear readers! So here it is:
1. Kyu-Shirataki Hokkaido Station
A train station in Japan was scheduled to close, but it was noticed that only a female student used it. For her, they kept the station running until she graduated from high school.
2. Team Japan left their locker room immaculately clean after their historic victory over Germany at the World Cup
3. When you sharpen a pencil, it turns into a frilled lizard.
4. After winning the match, Japanese fans began to clean up the stadium.
5. Kano Jigoro, the legendary founder of judo
Kano Jigoro, the legendary founder of judo. Even though he was smaller in stature, he could throw large men with ease, but only after hard study and practice. On his deathbed he
asked to be buried with a white sash instead of a black one. He wanted to be remembered as a student, not as a master.
6. Totoro San
The Japanese young actress "Mana Ashida" (little Mako) was embarrassed that she couldn't pronounce Guillermo Del Toro's name, so he gave her the go-ahead to call him "Totoro san" instead of his name.
7. Stylized vending machine in the forest
Japanese vending machine, adapted to the old and the environment.
8. Japanese fan at the World Cup
Caption: "My dear boss, thank you for my 2 weeks vacation!"
9. Kuchisabishii 口寂しい
"Kuchisabishii" 口寂しい ("lonely mouth") - that irresistible desire to put something in your mouth, to chew, even when you are not hungry.
10. Japanese Bullet Train System
In the more than 50-year history of Japan's bullet train system, which has carried more than 5.3 billion passengers, not a single passenger has been killed or injured in a rail accident.
11. Doctors In Japan Prescribe 'Forest Therapy' To Treat Depression And Anxiety
In Japan, doctors prescribe "forest therapy" to treat depression and anxiety. The aroma of trees increases the activity of natural killer cells, which strengthens the immune system, which increases resistance to stress.
12. Keeping the same price for 25 years
Japanese ice cream maker Akagi Nyugyo once filmed a 60-second commercial publicly apologizing for being forced to raise the price of its popsicle from 60 yen to 70 yen for the first time in 25 years. The commercial, in which the president of the company as well as employees bowed to the audience and expressed their remorse, was broadcast on national television.
13. Hanako is the oldest recorded koi.
Born in Japan in 1751 and died on July 7, 1977 at the respectable age of 226, the Hanako koi was the oldest koi fish ever seen.
14. A Japanese diver was assigned to watch one of Japan's Shinto shrines, which is located below the surface of Tateyama Bay.
Over the decades, he befriended one sea creature that lives near the shrine, an Asian reticulated toothed wrasse named Yoriko.
15. Here are just some of the flavors of KitKat in Japan
16. Japanese lantern, also known as Chinese lantern or winter cherry, is a popular symbol of "life within death."
The "Chinese or Japanese lantern" is a popular symbol for "life within death". It blooms in winter, but when it dries up in spring, the "rind" falls off, revealing red or orange fruits that grow inside its "skeleton".
17. Mirror Selfie
This mirror selfie was taken in Japan a century ago.
18. Takeko Nakano, the last female samurai warrior, was born in 1847. She fought and died during the Boshin War in 1868 (Japanese Civil War)
Age 21 years.
19. The Japanese team left a thank you note in Japanese and Arabic.
20. Shiba Bat Curry..
21. Fukui City Temporary Road Construction
Temporary road around the landslide.
22. Nishikigawa-Seiryu Railway
In Japan, in the middle of nowhere, there is a train station that has no entrance or exit. The station is called Seiryu-Miharashi, and it is only accessible to passengers who pass through it by train. It exists only so that passengers can get off and admire the
In Japan, in the middle of nowhere, there is a train station that has no entrance or exit. The station is called Seiryu-Miharashi, and it is only accessible to passengers who pass through it by train. It exists only so that passengers can get off and enjoy the view of the Nishiki River and the surrounding forest of Honshu.
23. Deer of the city of Nara in Japan
24. Meeting Neko Kandre
25. Some of the Hosen-In, Yogen-In, Shoden-ji, Genko-an and Kosho-ji temples share the same bloody secret
In Kyoto, Japan, there are 5 temples with blood-stained ceilings. The ceilings are made from the floorboards of Fushimi Castle, where Torii Mototada and his remaining 380 samurai warriors committed suicide in 1600 after 11 days of confrontation with an army of 40,000.
26. You realize you've lived in Tokyo too long when a giant Gandumesque robot drives by on the back of a large truck.
27. Japanese Airlines employees in Vietnam bow to passengers due to flight delay due to storm
28. These roads are in the regions of Hokkaido, Wakayama, Shizuoka, Okinawa, and Gunma in Japan, and they all play different tunes.
29. Flight over Mount Fuji
30. Shii-go-san - traditional Japanese initiation ceremony on November 15
Shichi-go-san (Jap. 七五三, lit. "seven-five-three") is a traditional holiday and festival in Japan, timed every year to November 15 (in cold Hokkaido - a month earlier, to October 15). On this day, five-year-old and three-year-old boys, as well as seven-year-old and three-year-old girls, are dressed in festive clothes and taken to Shinto shrines.
31. Ice Cream Kyoto
32. Hachioji, Tokyo
Higashimachi Interchange in Hachioji, Japan.
33. Sword of Kohoki
This 12th century Japanese Koki sword, made during the Heian period, was discovered in the Kasuga taisha attic storage.
Sanctuary in Nara. This is one of the oldest samurai swords in existence, probably a family heirloom of a samurai family, passed down from generation to generation.
34. Early 1900s. "Real geisha hair" before styling
The longer the hair, the better. After World War II, geisha began to wear wigs (known as katsura) instead of styling their own hair, a trend that continues to this day. Geisha usually wear shimada-style wigs known as geigi.
35. Winter is Coming
36. Japanese athlete
Yes, she is the same person. Yui Sasaki, Japanese freestyle wrestler.
37. Ramen Noodle Serving Expert
38. In Tokyo, cycling is faster than driving on most trips under 50 minutes.
In Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips under 50 minutes.
39. Such a beautiful island and deer
40. Pikachu has gone to work... He's a very busy mascot in Japan
A young boy was between the choice to stay in Cairo with family or catch the last flight to Canada to be with his love during quarantine. Traveling during this pandemic is dangerous, but isn’t love more important ?
As Covid-19 began to spread, no where can be safer to self-isolate than near your soulmate. Love makes people do stupid things, and travel around the world during coronavirus pandemic.
He is a Canadian-Egyptian in love with an Italian-American, Francesca Brundisini, who is working in Quebec City. She's new in the city and feared of self-isolation, while she did not have friends or family near her.
As news of the coronavirus pandemic spread fast worldwide, the pair realized that this virus would last more than a few weeks, Eihab Boraie decided to catch the last flight.
There was no guarantee he would be able to find a flight, but the will was so strong that magic happened.
Both his parents are in their 60s and are at high-risk to get the infection as they suffer from various health complications, leaving them alone was the hardest step and decision.
But in the end they encouraged Eihab to try to find a flight, partly because they cared and worried about his girlfriend being alone in Canada.
The flight to Quebec City was half empty, allowing most passengers to take a row of seats for themselves.
In the time it took him to get there, the number of infected and died raised, so now being more than a thousand dead people of Covid-19, and the death toll had surpassed 10,000 globally.
When his girlfriend Francesca arrived at the airport, Eihab got down on one knee, and proposed.
She was completely surprised because 48 hours she was waiting for him and didn't know when and if she would ever see him again.
She accepted Eihab proposal, they removed their masks and made it official with a long kiss.
Did you know that the Federal Republic of Nigeria (better known in the world as the country of Nigeria) is one of the most developed countries on the African continent today?
Interesting facts about Nigeria
And although perhaps, with its economic potential with GDP, this African country will not be able to capture the imagination of the inhabitants of the Western world, Europeans can undoubtedly be surprised by others - the traditions and way of life in Nigeria, where residents sometimes lead a very unusual way of life from the point of view of Westerners. Peace.
We have selected for our readers 20 examples of facts from Reddit about Nigeria, which people on the Web call authentic and which can be called unique to Nigeria. Some Nigerians even refer to these behaviors as the "Nigerian mentality."
1. “In Nigeria, all meetings and activities begin with prayer. They even pray before meetings of the Federal Council of the country and football matches.”
2. “More than 1 million students annually apply to universities in Nigeria, but since there are only 122 universities in the country for 206 million people, no more than 30% of applications are accepted.”
3. “Mourning at the funeral. In most regions of the country, funerals are celebrated (if the person has been successful in life and has not died at a young age). Sometimes you can't tell if it's a party or a funeral."
4. “The person standing at the door of the minibus is called agbero. People like him can stand like this in the picture all day long. Undoubtedly, they are hardy. But the job is not safe."
5. “Reluctance to have children: A married couple is expected to have a child in the first nine months of marriage. . If a couple declares their desire to remain married without children, they automatically become a source of shame for their family.”
6. “Almost all Nigerians are forbidden by their parents to eat outside the home as children. Their families specifically teach children not to take food from strangers and do it for safety purposes.”
7. “Going to a hospital here is a luxury: millions of Nigerians have never been in a hospital in their lives!”
8. “Shaking hands with parents as a greeting is a big disrespect.”
9. “Announcing your pregnancy to the public, mentioning the sex of the baby, names, and due dates are taboo among Nigerians.”
10. “It’s unacceptable to refuse food cooked by mom! If you say, "I don't want to eat this," get ready for a beating."
11. “Gifts and rewards. From a young age, we are taught that it is wrong to accept gifts or gratuities from people (especially from strangers) for good or other deeds.
12. "Because the temperature in the country is higher than usual, you can see people sleeping in the bathroom or other places where it can be cooler."
13. “Due to living conditions and financial hardship, the average life expectancy for Nigerians is 55 years. Most deaths are caused by diseases such as malaria and drinking water poisoning…”.
14. “Nigeria has the highest number of twins in the world. Don't be surprised if you keep walking around feeling like you're always seeing the same people."
15. “I would advise you not to call your friend's parents or anyone older than you by their first names. In Nigeria (and other African countries), it's disrespectful to address someone older than you by your first name."
16. Another oddity objects / things with the left hand.
17. “Nigerians call people not only by their names, but also by their titles: sir, madam, chef, teacher, doctor… If you call someone without using their title, they won’t even respond to you.
18. “Nigerians don't like having pets. We are especially surprised when foreigners keep dogs at home, while in our country dogs are used only for hunting or guarding.”
19. Ladies can propose to a guy or invite a guy on a date.
20. It is considered socially unacceptable to say: "I'm sick" or "I have no money (ruined)." Nigerians prefer euphemisms like "I'm strong", "I'm very rich".
The operation to attract tourists in times of pandemic has begun. With more and more people preferring to stay home this summer for fear of the new coronavirus, countries that base their economy on tourism are doing everything they can to persuade them to travel. The Cypriot authorities have announced a new measure: they will cover the cost of the holiday for tourists tested positive after entering this country.
The Cypriot government announced on Thursday that it will cover the cost of the holiday for any tourist who will contract the new coronavirus in Cyprus.
Authorities have pledged to cover the cost of accommodation, food, drink and medicines for travelers tested positive for coronavirus after entering Cyprus. Tourists will only bear the cost of the transfer to the airport and the return ticket to the country of origin.
A hospital with a capacity of 100 beds will only be made available to foreign visitors who contract the virus and extra beds can be provided if needed, according to the government.
For travelers with severe symptoms, authorities will provide 112 seats for intensive care and 200 medical ventilators.
A number of 500 rooms in "quarantine hotels" will be offered to close contacts of people infected with coronavirus. And this number can be supplemented as needed.
The hotel room where a tourist who contracted the virus was accommodated will be carefully disinfected before being used again.
According to Johns Hopkins University, 939 cases of Covid-19 and 17 deaths from the disease have been confirmed in Cyprus.
