Penis enlargement goes viral in Papua New Guinea

Hundreds of medical students have volunteered to help out in Czech hospitals packed with Covid-19 patients where staff are struggling with one of the highest infection rates in the world. Hospitals across the Czech Republic have been on the verge of maximum capacity since the autumn, when the EU member of 10.7 million people saw a massive spike in Covid cases. It had Europe's highest per capita Covid-19 daily death rate for several weeks in October and November, and the contagion rate in recent days has been higher than in the United States.

Senegal is preparing its vaccine strategy and is rushing to deliver more beds for coronavirus patients as infections soar and a lack of capacity means doctors are only able to admit the most severe cases, health officials said.

Officially, there are no "standby" lines for Covid-19 vaccines in Los Angeles. But over the past few days, large crowds of mostly young people have shown up in front of vaccine centers across the city, including Kedren Health in South LA. The word has spread that at the end of each day, doctors have to find people to receive the last doses that would otherwise go to waste, once out of the fridge. An opportunity for vaccine chasers who cannot yet get their dose through "official" lines. Outside the hospital, Dr Jerry Abraham said: "There are times when the appointment line is down, and we have expiring doses of vaccine, and I refuse to let a drop go to waste. Nothing, no vaccine will ever be discarded if it is given to us at Kedren."

The second COVID-19 wave has started in South Africa, earlier than expected. After Christmas, another lockdown was announced – but the consequences of the holiday celebrations are now being felt in the country.

France will enter "crisis organization" on Thursday, increasing hospital beds, delaying non-urgent surgery and mobilizing all medical staff, a new report has revealed. Follow DW for the latest.

In a tweet posted on February 11, the Center Hospitalier de Dax-Côte d'Argent revealed that it had fallen prey to a cyber-attack and was trying to restore systems that included the telephone switchboard.

Nigerian hospitals struggle under growing numbers of coronavirus cases as the wait for vaccines continue. According to a study, around one in five people in Lagos have had Covid-19, well above the official national infection figures. Meanwhile in Niger, ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum is declared the winner of the presidential run-off. Supporters of his rival take to the streets with accusations of fraud. And as the world rushes to source Covid-19 vaccines, Guinea launches an Ebola immunisation drive in response to a fresh outbreak.

Over the past decade, hospitals across Syria have been attacked more than 400 times. Data obtained by DW suggests the attacks formed part of a larger strategy to cripple access to medical facilities in rebel-held areas.

Papua New Guinea rapidly shut its international borders at the beginning of the pandemic, limiting infections to just a few hundred and dodging the worst ravages of the global crisis. But more than 1,000 new cases have been uncovered this month alone, and with testing rates still low, there are fears the real total is much higher.

Kenya is hit by a third wave of coronavirus cases. More than 15 percent of people tested every day are positive. Hospitals have become overcrowded, intensive care units are at full capacity and oxygen cylinders have run out. President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced fresh restrictions to curb the spread of the virus. He hopes the measures and a vaccination drive will protect the population. Also, we speak to Doctors Without Borders after thousands of survivors from an IS group attack on Mozambique's northern town of Palma stream into the port of Pemba.

Urgent action is needed to contain a third wave of coronavirus, top health officials have warned. The number of intensive care patients could reach a record high this month.

Two months ago, India declared it had defeated Covid-19, but now it has become the epicentre of the pandemic. Many accuse the government of indifference and incompetence, especially after encouraging election rallies and a massive month-long Hindu festival to take place despite the risks. Since then, the country is repeatedly shattering global daily records of new coronavirus infections. Hospitals face fatal shortages of staff, beds, blood and oxygen. FRANCE 24’s Emerald Maxwell reports.