Page 60 - Coronavirus

Covid-19 likely came from Chinese lab, cut US aid, says Nikki Haley

Haley recently said that if voted to power, she will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate the US

Explained: How RBI ensured payment system stayed Covid-proof

200 staff, bio bubble, three data centres among over 100 measures taken to preserve financial stability

Reserve Bank of India lost 46 employees to Covid, related complications

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday said it lost 46 employees to Covid and related complications. The central bank mentioned about the deaths in the compendium on business continuity measures taken during the coronavirus pandemic. According to RBI, it introduced a Special Ex-gratia Package and a Special Scheme of Compassionate Appointment for dependents of employees dying in harness due to Covid or due to post-Covid complications happening within six months of last such infection since March 1, 2020. "As on December 31, 2022, dependents of 46 deceased employees were paid the ex-gratia amount and dependents of 32 deceased employees accepted compassionate appointment in addition to the ex-gratia package," it said. Under the scheme, ex-gratia was extended to the dependents of regular full time/ part-time employees. In addition, the offer of compassionate appointment was also extended to either the spouse or any one eligible dependent child of full-time regular employees on ...

US Energy Dept concludes lab leak caused Covid-19 pandemic: Report

The Energy Department now joins the Federal Bureau of Investigation in saying the virus likely spread via a mishap at a Chinese laboratory, reported WSJ

India reports 185 new Covid cases, one death; active tally rises to 2,229

India recorded 185 new coronavirus infections, pushing the tally to 4.46 crore, while the active cases increased to 2,229, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. The death toll stands at 5,30,770 with one death reconciled by Kerala, data updated by the ministry at 8 am stated. The national COVID-19 recovery was recorded at 98.80 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,53,203, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent, it said. The country has so far recorded a total of 4.46 crore (4,46,86,202) cases. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Covid-19 pandemic a result of lab leak: US energy department; FBI agrees

The Covid-19 virus leaked out of a laboratory in China, according to a report by the US Energy Department

India reports 218 Covid-19 cases, 5 deaths; active tally climbs to 2,149

India logged 218 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases rose to 2,149, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll stands at 5,30,769 with five new deaths reported. While four deaths were reconciled by Kerala, one fatality was reported by Sikkim in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. The virus case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,86,017), while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.80 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,53,099 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

North Korea's food shortage worsens amid Covid-19, but no famine yet

There's little doubt that North Korea's chronic food shortages worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and speculation about the country's chronic food insecurity has flared as its top leaders prepare to discuss the "very important and urgent task" of formulating a correct agricultural policy. Unconfirmed reports say an unspecified number of North Koreans have been dying of hunger. But experts say there is no sign of mass deaths or famine. They say the upcoming ruling Workers' Party meeting is likely intended to shore up support for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he pushes ahead with his nuclear weapons program in defiance of intense US-led pressure and sanctions. "Kim Jong Un can't advance his nuclear program stably if he fails to resolve the food problem fundamentally because public support would be shaken," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul. "The meeting is being convened to solidify internal unity while pulling

FDA authorises combination flu-Covid test for home use to help consumers

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first combination test for flu and C OVID-19 that can be used at home, giving consumers an easy way to determine if a runny nose is caused by either disease. The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home test, which can be purchased without a prescription, uses self-collected nasal swab samples and delivers results in about 30 minutes, the agency said. While at-home COVID tests are readily available, this is the first home test for influenza A and B, commonly known as the flu. The test was granted an emergency use authorization, which facilitates the availability of medical countermeasures during public health emergencies. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, called the authorization a major milestone in bringing greater consumer access to diagnostic tests that can be performed entirely at home. The agency said the test is for individuals with signs and symptoms consistent with a respiratory tract ..

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 accounts for 85% new Covid cases in US: CDC

The highly transmissible Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 now accounts for 85 per cent of all Covid-19 cases reported in the US this week, according to the latest estimates of CDC

India records 180 new Covid-19 infections in a day, active tally at 2,090

India reported 180 new cases of coronavirus infections while the active caseload increased to 2,090, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll stands at 5,30,764, the data updated at 8 am showed. The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,799). The national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.80 per cent, according to the Union Health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated surged to 4.41 crore (4,41,52,945) while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry website, 220.63 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

India saved over 3.4 mn lives during Covid through vaccination: Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday hailed India's response to the COVID pandemic and said that the country was able to save over 3.4 million lives by undertaking the nationwide vaccination campaign at an unprecedented scale.The Health Minister lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership during the pandemic and said that he initiated a "preemptive response" much before COVID-19 was declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, by the WHO.The remarks of the Minister came while delivering a keynote address virtually at Stanford 'The India Dialog' session on the Economic Impact of Vaccination & Related Matters on Friday."India was able to save more than 3.4 million lives by undertaking the nationwide vaccination campaign at an unprecedented scale. Under the PMGKAY, the government focused on ensuring that no one slept hungry and free food grains were distributed to 800 million people," he said."The report "Healing the economy:

Nearly 60% of long Covid patients suffered organ damage a year later: Study

Organ damage persisted in 59 per cent of long Covid patients a year after initial symptoms appeared, even in those not severely affected when first diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a study. The research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, focused on 536 long Covid patients who reported extreme breathlessness, cognitive dysfunction and poor health-related quality of life. Thirteen per cent were hospitalised when first diagnosed with Covid-19, while 32 per cent of people taking part in the study were healthcare workers. Of the 536 patients, 331 (62 per cent) were identified with organ impairment six months after their initial diagnosis, the researchers said. These patients were followed up six months later with a 40-minute multi-organ MRI scan (Perspectum's CoverScan), analysed in Oxford, they said. The findings confirmed that 29 per cent of patients with long Covid had multi-organ impairment, with persistent symptoms and reduced function at s

War in Ukraine: How one year of conflict changed geopolitics and economics

Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, have a look at how the conflict that nobody believed would last this long changed the world

India logs 169 new Covid-19 infections, active case tally rises to 2,016

India recorded 169 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 2,016, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll stands at 5,30,764 with one death reported by Karnataka, the data updated at 8 am stated. The virus case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,619), while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,839, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Moderna's Q4 profit tumbles to 70% as Covid-19 vaccine sales fall

Moderna's fourth-quarter profit tumbled 70per cent as COVID-19 vaccine sales fell and the drugmaker caught up on a royalty payment. Moderna said Thursday that its cost of sales jumped nearly a billion dollars to USD 1.9 billion in the final quarter of 2022. That included a USD 400 million payment to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases tied to a new license agreement started in December. The drugmaker's profit fell to USD 1.46 billion, or USD 3.61 per share. Total revenue dropped 29 per cent t o USD 5.08 billion. Analysts expected earnings of USD 4.60 per share on USD 5.02 billion in revenue, according to FactSet. Moderna's Spikevax is the company's main source of revenue, outside of grants and money from collaborations. The company had said last month that it recorded USD 18.4 billion in sales from its COVID-19 vaccine last year, and it expects about USD 5 billion in 2023. Shares of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna Inc. slipped 1 per cent to USD 156

59% of long Covid patients suffered organ damage a year later: Study

The team included 536 long Covid patients in the study of which 331 (62 per cent) were identified with organ impairment six months after their initial diagnosis

India reports 125 new Covid cases, one death; active tally rises to 1,935

India recorded 125 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,935, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll stands at 5,30,762 with one death reported by Chandigarh, the data updated at 8 am stated. The virus case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,257) while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,560, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

36% more visas processed across India after Covid-19 pandemic: US Officials

India is the main priority for the United States, US Visa officials said adding that there has been around 36 per cent rise on visa processing across the country after Covid-19 pandemic

Airlines turn market darlings as Covid-19 forces financial clean up

Virgin Australia, so financially frail when Covid-19 hit in 2020 that it folded in weeks, has undergone a remarkable transformation under new owner Bain Capital