World Coronavirus Dispatch: Pfizer, Astra shots work against Delta variant

Emirates posts first loss in three decades, AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail fails in study, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail fails to prevent Covid-19 in study

In a setback for AstraZenca, its antibody cocktail fail to produce any promising results in preventing the coronavirus infection, the company has said in a statement. The cocktail combination showed only 33 per cent efficacy in preventing Covid-19 symptoms in people who had been exposed to the virus. The study looked at about 1,121 unvaccinated adults in the US and UK As many as 23 volunteers who got the drug cocktail developed symptomatic Covid-19 after exposure, compared with 17 cases in the group that got a placebo. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 176,273,244

Global deaths: 3,812,157

Vaccine doses administered: 2,375,851,089

Nations with most cases: US (33,474,758), India (29,570,881), Brazil (17,452,612), France (5,803,012), Turkey (5,336,073).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center

Emirates posts first loss in three decades as virus hits travel

Emirates, the long-haul carrier that specialises in specialises in inter-contintenal travel posted a $6 billion loss in the financial year ended March as the coronavirus pandemic and resultant lockdown decimated travel demand across the world. This is the first loss, the company has posted in three decades. The state-owned company received a capital injection of $3.1 billion from its owner, the government of Dubai. Revenue from operations declined declined as much as 66 per cent as compared to the previous year. Read here

Pfizer, AstraZeneca shots highly effective in preventing hospitalisations

Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were found to be highly effective in preventing hospitalsations among patients infected with the now dominant Delta variant, first found in India. The Pfizer and BioNTech shot is 96 per cent effective against hospitalisation after two doses, while the AstraZeneca and University of Oxford Covid inoculation is 92 per cent effective, according to a study released by Public Health England. The analysis included more than 14,000 cases of the delta variant – 166 of whom were hospitalised – between April 12 and June 4. Read here

Top Chinese virologist speaks out on Wuhan lab leak theory

Amid growing chorus over proper investigation into the Wuhan lab leak theory from across the scientific community and politicians, China's top virologist Shi Zhengli, dismissed the claims that the virus might have leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology as baseless. Dr Shi Zhengli and other colleagues of here reprotedly conducted several high risk experiments on coronaviruses before the pandemic first emerged. In a rare interview with the New York Times, Dr Shi said: “How on earth can I offer up evidence for something where there is no evidence?”  Read here