As the global number of Covid-19 cases heads towards 2.5 million, doctors and scientists are facing many unexpected challenges.
Key among them is how the virus works, how to treat the infection and how to end the lockdowns safely.
Here, The National breaks down five conundrums the coronavirus outbreak continues to throw up.
Is being male is a major risk factor for death from Covid-19?
As the pandemic spread from China across Europe to the rest of the world, the elderly and those with underlying health issues quickly emerged as being especially at risk.
But statistics from many countries now point to another key risk factor: being male.
It is not simply that more men are becoming infected: the data suggest they are typically no more likely to contract Covid-19 than women.
But once they do, men appear to be around 70 per cent more likely to die as a result – and around twice as likely in Italy and the Netherlands.
Gender differences in death rates from viral diseases have been seen before – notably during the Sars and Mers epidemics.
But the exact cause is unclear. One leading theory is that men are generally less healthy than women, and have higher rates of proven risk factors such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. When researchers correct for these factors, the disparity shrinks.
But another explanation is that women are genetically better-able to fight disease.
Some key immune system genes - including one that helps combat coronaviruses - lie on the X chromosome, of which women have two copies, while men have only one.
Whatever the explanation, it’s clear that gender needs to be taken into account when developing a vaccine, as half the world’s population may react differently to it than the other half.
Is there a link between ethnicity and risk of dying from Covid-19?
As the pandemic took hold in the United States, bizarre social media claims circulated suggesting African Americans were immune from Covid-19.
Within days, this was debunked in the starkest terms, as evidence emerged that the community is at significantly greater risk of death.
While the statistics remain patchy, an investigation by the Associated Press suggests that around 30 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in the US are among African Americans, despite making up half that proportion of the population.
Bitter arguments have broken out about the causes. The US Surgeon General Dr Jerome Adams - himself an African American - attracted opprobrium for publicly urging African Americans to stop drinking, smoking or taking drugs to better protect themselves against the disease.
His critics pointed to demographic issues ranging from lack of access to healthcare to poor housing standards as key drivers of the disparity.
The greater prevalence of known Covid-19 risk-factors such as diabetes and obesity has also been cited.
A similar debate has broken out in the UK, where the majority of healthcare workers who have died from the virus are from ethnic minorities.
A key issue is the lack of specific statistics. One possibility is that the higher death-rate reflects the higher proportion of those in harm’s way being from ethnic minorities.
Does Vitamin D help defend against infection?
While usually linked with bone health, vitamin D is known to interact with the so-called B cells and T cells that play a key role in the disease-fighting immune system.
The possibility that vitamin D can protect against respiratory viruses is backed by evidence that seasonal flu outbreaks tend to occur in autumn and winter, when levels of sunlight – vital for the body’s creation of vitamin D – are relatively low.
Some studies have also found that taking vitamin D supplements – around 10 micrograms per day – may help protect against viral infection.
Public health organisations in some countries are now recommending taking supplements during lockdowns to make up for a lack of sunlight.
But researchers at the University of Granada, Spain, believe the vitamin D may also help combat the disease after infection.
They are now setting up a trial involving 200 people with mild forms of Covid-19 to see if it can halt progression of the disease.
Could ventilators be doing more harm than good?
Seen as vital to saving the lives of critically ill patients, ventilators keep the oxygen levels in their blood high enough to prevent organ damage and death.
But they are very blunt instruments, requiring patients to be heavily sedated and a breathing tube inserted deep into their wind-pipe.
Now some clinicians claim ventilators are being used too often, and that much simpler, gentler methods like continuous airway pressure (CPAP) devices are enough for many patients.
This follows suspicions that the plunging oxygen levels caused by Covid-19 may be less threatening than originally thought.
According to reports, many Covid-19 patients have apparently lethally low levels of blood oxygen, yet are not gasping for air or showing signs of organ failure.
Some clinicians believe this shows the patients are more like those suffering from altitude sickness than pneumonia.
Forcing oxygen into the lungs of such patients using a ventilator could do more harm than good by damaging lung tissue.
While insisting that ventilators are still needed for many patients, researchers are now investigating the wider use of CPAP and similar procedures.
Is there a scientific consensus on face-masks?
With several countries, among them Germany, Norway and the Czech Republic, gradually lifting restrictions, questions remain over whether and when face-masks should be worn by the public.
Many countries are looking to the scientific community for guidance, only to discover there is no consensus.
From the type of mask and how to correctly fit it to the risks of careless removal and disposal, rarely has so “obvious” a measure proved so contentious.
Over the years, many studies have been carried out into the effectiveness of using masks to protect against viral infections.
Their results have been pulled together in so-called systematic reviews designed to give policy-makers clear guidance.
Yet even the World Health Organisation and US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have been unable to reach a clear verdict.
Reviewing the evidence in a leading UK medical journal, a team led by Professor Trish Greenhalgh of the University of Oxford argued masks should be worn in public because "we have little to lose and potentially something to gain".
Robert Matthews is Visiting Professor of Science at Aston University, Birmingham, UK
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Results
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
MATCH INFO
England 241-3 (20 ovs)
Malan 130 no, Morgan 91
New Zealand 165 all out (16.5ovs)
Southee 39, Parkinson 4-47
England win by 76 runs
Series level at 2-2
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
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Brief scores:
Huesca 0
Real Madrid 1
Bale 8'
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS & THE ECONOMY
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
