Page 104 - Coronavirus

Removing vaccination mandate for incoming tourists correct move: Experts

With over 90% of population being vaccinated, it is okay at a policy level to relax the mandatory vaccination norm for entering India, they say

Gene that can naturally protect people against Covid-19 discovered

This gene belongs to the "mucin" family and is associated with the production of mucus, which lubricates and protects the airways

US Dollar steadies as China tightens Covid-19 curbs, bitcoin under pressure

The euro was up 0.14% to $1.0258 after an 0.8 %loss on Monday, sterling rose 0.19% to $1.1838, partially reversing its 0.6% fall, and the dollar was at 141.86 yen down 0.18% after a 1.2% gain

Global shares shake off China Covid-19 curbs, but investors stay cautious

The dollar pulled back from strong overnight gains while oil took a pause from Monday's retreat

China's anti-Covid curbs spur fears of global business, trade impact

Anti-virus controls that are confining millions of Chinese families to their homes and shut shops and offices are spurring fears of further damage to already weak global business and trade. The ruling Communist Party promised on Nov 11 to reduce disruptions from its zero- COVID strategy by making controls more flexible. But the latest wave of outbreaks is challenging that, prompting major cities including Beijing to close off populous districts, shut stores and offices and order factories to isolate their workforces from outside contact. On Tuesday, the government reported 28,127 cases were found over the past 24 hours in areas throughout China, including 25,902 with no symptoms. China's infection numbers are lower than those of the United States and other major countries. But the ruling party is sticking to zero COVID, which calls for isolating every case, while other governments are relaxing travel and other controls and trying to live with the virus. Global stock markets fell ..

China's 'slow, painful' reopening threatens to strain economy even further

China is in for a "protracted and costly" reopening, with any release of pent-up demand likely to be lackluster as many households have already depleted their savings

Dollar retreats after overnight rally as China's Covid fears mount

China's capital warned on Monday that it was facing its most severe test of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surge in COVID cases sparking fresh restriction measures

Data story: India records 294 new Covid cases; active tally at 6,209

India has so far administered 2,198,712,952 vaccine doses

IIT-Delhi research reveals brain abnormalities in long Covid patients

A team of researchers at IIT Delhi used a special type of MRI to uncover brain changes in patients up to six months after they recovered from Covid-19

Risk of myocarditis after Covid vaccination increases but very low: Study

According to a study, myocarditis after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was rare but higher in younger males, particularly after the second mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine

China's great reopening may come too late for many businesses: Analysis

China's economy is expected to grow around 3% this year, missing its target of about 5.5%

Maharashtra logs 29 new Covid cases - lowest since early days of pandemic

Maharashtra on Monday recorded 29 new cases of coronavirus -- the lowest daily tally since the early days of the pandemic more than two years ago -- taking the overall count to 81,35,242, while no fresh death linked to the infection was reported in the state, the health department said. Dr Pradip Awate, state surveillance officer, said the daily infection figure is the lowest since the cases that were registered in initial days when the pandemic began in March 2020. The toll remained unchanged at 1,48,404, while the count of recoveries reached 79,86,087 after 89 patients recuperated from the infection in the last 24 hours, the official said. Maharashtra currently has 751 active cases, he said. "We had never seen daily figures dropping this low in the first, second and the third wave. It is prior to the start of the first wave. The figures are similar to what we had seen in March (2020) when the initial cases were recorded," Dr Awate told PTI. At least 9,470 swab samples were test

Govt scraps filling Air Suvidha form for international travellers

The requirement of random post-arrival testing of 2 per cent of arriving passengers too has been done away with in the new guideline

Odisha Assembly's winter session to be held sans Covid-19 curbs: Speaker

The upcoming winter session of Odisha Assembly will be held without Covid-19 restrictions, Assembly Speaker B.K. Arukha said on Monday

Govt scraps requirement to fill out Air Suvidha form for foreign arrivals

The government on Monday scrapped the requirement to fill out Air Suvidha form for people flying into India from foreign countries amid declining coronavirus cases. The revised guidelines for international arrivals will be effective from November 22, according to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). Earlier, the guidelines had required that passengers arriving in India from overseas should fill up the Air Suvidha form. The form was introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, the civil aviation ministry said the use of masks is not compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them. As per the MoHFW's latest guidelines, air travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their country. On arrival, the passengers should ensure physical distancing and thermal screening of all the arriving international passengers will be done by

Community health centres lack 80% of health specialists needed: RBI data

Social sector expenditure by states increased sharply during two years worst hit by the coronavirus

US dollar rises as China's Covid-19 worries spur safe-haven buying

The dollar was up 0.5% against Japan's yen at 141.07, its highest since Nov. 11. Meanwhile the euro was 0.62% lower against the greenback at $1.026

Two-thirds of Covid patients from first wave had long-term symptoms: Study

Over two-thirds of non-hospitalised patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the first wave of the pandemic developed long COVID, according to a study conducted in Spain. The results, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, reinforce the hypothesis that long-COVID symptoms are not correlated with infection severity alone. The study found that nearly 60 per cent of hospitalised COVID-19 patients and 68 per cent of their nonhospitalised counterparts seen at two healthcare centres in Madrid, early in the pandemic reported still having at least one symptom two years later. Led by researchers at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, the study was conducted from Mar 20 to Apr 30, 2020 -- a period dominated by the wild-type virus -- among 360 hospitalised and 308 nonhospitalised, randomly selected COVID-19 patients, with telephone follow-up two years later. The team said this is the largest and longest-term follow-up comparison of the two groups thus far. Average age was 60.7 years in t

South China city of Guangzhou locks down district in 'zero-Covid' fight

The southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou locked down its largest district Monday as it tries to tamp down a major COVID-19 outbreak, suspending public transit and requiring residents to present a negative test if they want to leave their homes. The outbreak is testing China's attempt to bring a more targeted approach to its zero-COVID policies while facing multiple outbreaks. China is the only major country in the world still trying to curb virus transmissions through strict lockdown measures and mass testing. Baiyun district in Guangzhou also suspended in-person classes for schools and sealed off universities. The measures are meant to last until Friday, the city announced. Meanwhile in Beijing, the capital reported two more COVID-19-related deaths. On Sunday, the city reported its first COVID-19 death in over six months. While critics have questioned China's COVID-19 numbers, and specifically its death toll, its intensive approach to trying to contain infections has prevented

Active Covid cases in country decline to 6,402: Health ministry data

India logged 406 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,46,69,421, while the active cases dipped to 6,402, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll climbed to 5,30,586 with 12 fatalities which includes 11 deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.One death has been reported from Rajasthan in a span of 24 hours. The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the ministry website. A decrease of 87 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,32,433, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 219.86 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally h