Page 25 - Latest Updates on Coronavirus
Festival season to bring some cheer to economy, say economists: Poll
Battered during the pandemic, consumption, which makes up for about 60 of Asia's third-largest economy has been slow to reach its pre-Covid levels
 "Festival season to bring some cheer to economy, say economists: Poll")
Food insecurity shot up last year with inflation, end of Covid aid: Report
Analysts and food security professionals point to the dual impact last year of high inflation and the gradual expiration of multiple pandemic-era government assistance measures
 "Food insecurity shot up last year with inflation, end of Covid aid: Report")
Without whole-genome sequencing, a treatable TB epidemic is a challenge
HaystackAnalytics, an IIT Bombay-incubated company working in the area of genomics using big data has created a comprehensive drug resistance test for tuberculosis (TB)
 "Without whole-genome sequencing, a treatable TB epidemic is a challenge")
Children infected with Omicron variant remain infectious for 3 days: Study
The study found that the median time of infectivity was three days, with 18.4 per cent and 3.9 per cent of children still infectious on day five and day 10
 "Children infected with Omicron variant remain infectious for 3 days: Study")
Pfizer cuts full-year outlook due to declining sales of Covid-19 products
Shares of Pfizer slid nearly 3 per cent before the opening bell Monday and Moderna, which makes a competing vaccine, slid as well
 "Pfizer cuts full-year outlook due to declining sales of Covid-19 products")
Output of a third of manufacturing segments in August less than base year
All indices in the IIP were at 100 in 2011-12 because it was the base year of the new series
 "Output of a third of manufacturing segments in August less than base year")
'India Art Fair 2023 was the largest; next year's will be even bigger'
India Art Fair, one of the country's most prominent annual art events, will return to New Delhi in February 2024. The post-pandemic 2023 edition of the fair was the largest to date
 "'India Art Fair 2023 was the largest; next year's will be even bigger'")
What pandemic preparedness would look like
Given strong odds that we will face another pandemic, the world is rightly engaged in discussions about how to do better next time. But the latest UN agreement on the issue offers mere platitudes
 "What pandemic preparedness would look like")
80% of IT services companies likely to get to 5-day work mode by FY24 end
IT services sector shift towards full-time office work amid client demand and productivity concerns
 "80% of IT services companies likely to get to 5-day work mode by FY24 end")
Two Indian-origin men in US guilty of fraud in multi-million Covid fund
They admitted to submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to SBA and certain SBA-approved PPP lenders
 "Two Indian-origin men in US guilty of fraud in multi-million Covid fund")
Airbnb added Rs 7,200 crore to India GDP last year: Oxford Economics
The GDP contribution and jobs supported more than doubled compared to 2019 despite the Covid-19 outbreak and the related restrictions
 "Airbnb added Rs 7,200 crore to India GDP last year: Oxford Economics")
India records 40 fresh Covid-19 cases, active caseload at 476: Govt data
The death toll has been recorded at 5,32,031 (5.32 lakh), the data updated on Friday showed
 "India records 40 fresh Covid-19 cases, active caseload at 476: Govt data")
Millions take to China's roads, railways in 1st big holiday since Covid end
This year's holiday began with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Friday and also includes the October 1 National Day. The public holidays end on October 6
 "Millions take to China's roads, railways in 1st big holiday since Covid end")
Residential sales in India poised to breach decadal high this year: CBRE
Led by demand for homes priced between Rs 1 crore and Rs 1.5 crore, the sale of 300,000 units this year is expected to be much higher than the five-year average of 187,000 units
 "Residential sales in India poised to breach decadal high this year: CBRE")
Can Tiruppur recover from disruption wreaked by pandemic and war?
Indian exporters anyway have limited pricing power, as they face competition from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar
 "Can Tiruppur recover from disruption wreaked by pandemic and war?")
Disease X could be next big pandemic, kill 50 million people, says expert
Kate Bingham, who chaired the UK's Vaccine Taskforce from May to December 2020, stated that scientists have identified 25 virus families, any of which could mutate into a deadly pandemic
 "Disease X could be next big pandemic, kill 50 million people, says expert")
Vivad se Vishwas - I scheme: Govt grants Rs 256 crore in relief to MSMEs
The Ministry of Finance said in a release that this move will increase the flow of bank credit by freeing up guarantees
 "Vivad se Vishwas - I scheme: Govt grants Rs 256 crore in relief to MSMEs")
Covid antiviral drug molnupiravir linked to virus mutations: Research
Many of these mutations will damage or kill the virus, reducing viral load in the body. It was one of the first antivirals available on the market during the COVID-19 pandemic
 "Covid antiviral drug molnupiravir linked to virus mutations: Research")
Omicron subvariant BA.5 more virulent, study in mice finds
Scientists have used engineered mice to compare SARS-COV-2 Omicron subvariants and found that the BA.5 strain was more virulent likely due to its ability to rapidly replicate early during infection
 "Omicron subvariant BA.5 more virulent, study in mice finds")
Merck's Covid medicine linked to virus mutation patterns, says study
Findings adds weight to earlier work by the same team of researchers that suggested that drug-induced mutations of Covid were spreading in some populations, although not in great numbers
 "Merck's Covid medicine linked to virus mutation patterns, says study")