Page 91 - Coronavirus

Centre to review Covid situation as cases rise in China, other nations

Health ministry asks states to ramp up genome sequencing

Mandaviya to review Covid-19 situation amid spurt in cases in US, China

Amid a fresh spurt in COVID-19 cases in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will review the pandemic situation on Wednesday, official sources said. The minister will review the COVID-19 situation at 11 am on Wednesday considering the international scenario, they said. Earlier on Tuesday, the Health Ministry urged all states and Union territories to ramp up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of newer variants. In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures. He highlighted that India with its focus on the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour has been able to restrict the transmission of the coronavirus and is having around 1,200 cases on a weekly basis. Publ

UK researchers call for nasal spray vaccine for protection from Covid-19

Antibodies produced in the nose decline nine months after COVID-19 infection, while antibodies found in the blood last at least a year, a new study has found. Antibodies in the nasal fluid, known as immunoglobulin A, or IgA, provide first-line defence against COVID-19 by blocking SARS-CoV-2 virus when it first enters the respiratory tract. These antibodies are very effective in preventing the virus from entering cells and causing infection. However, the investigators found that the nasal antibodies were only present in those recently infected and were particularly short-lived against the Omicron variant, compared to earlier variants. The research was led by teams from Imperial College London and the University of Liverpool. Based on the study, the researchers have called for the next generation of vaccines to include nasal spray or inhaled vaccines that target these antibodies more effectively, which could potentially reduce infection and transmission. These new findings, publishe

Sustained recession in West, new Covid wave casts a shadow on Budget 2023

India a bright spot but strong headwinds may impact projections, officials say

China's Covid-19 outbreak has US worried about new mutations of virus

Chinese cities are witnessing a wave of Covid-19 cases, with concerns growing that the government may be hiding the true toll of the virus

Indian shares trim losses on IT recovery; recession fears linger

Indian shares pared most of the losses in the final hour helped by rebound in IT stocks, while recession worries and a surge in Covid-19 cases in China continued to dampen sentiment

Updated Covid booster doses give additional protection against virus: CDC

Bivalent Covid-19 booster doses provided additional protection against Covid-associated emergency department or urgent care encounters and hospitalisations

China's withdrawal of Covid curbs could lead to over 2 mn deaths: Experts

New analyses by various modelling groups predict the reopening could result in as many as 2.1 million deaths

China's Covid death reports spread as doubts grow about official virus data

Reports indicate the wave of fatalities that, until now, has been centered in the capital of Beijing, is quietly rippling through less prominent parts of the country

Los Angeles' Covid deaths, hospitalisations surpass last winter levels

Covid-19 deaths and hospitalisations continue to increase in Los Angeles County, the largest in the US, surpassing the figures recorded at this time of year in 2021

India reports 112 new Covid-19 infections, active cases dip to 3,490

India recorded 112 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases declined to 3,490, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The Covid tally stood at 4.46 crore (4,46,76,199). The death toll stands at 5,30,677 with three fatalities, which includes two deaths reconciled by Kerala and one from Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. 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, the ministry said. A decrease of 69 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 4,41,42,032, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website 220 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on Au

Number of immigrants in S Korea down 2% in 2022 amid Covid pandemic

Among foreign nationals, those from China, including ethnic Koreans, accounted for 46.8 per cent, trailed by Vietnam with 13 per cent

China's Covid-19 outbreak has US worried about new mutations of virus

The US is sending a delegation led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing early in the new year

Call centres' response time to customers dipped in 2022, says report

Period taken to connect to business representative increased to 56 seconds, from 45 seconds in 2021

2 more Covid deaths reported in Beijing as millions hit by Omicron variant

Beijing, gripped by the fastest spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus, reported two more COVID-19 deaths on Monday as the virus struck the majority of the city's 21.54 million people, including foreign diplomatic missions, mounting massive pressure on health facilities. The latest reported Covid-19 deaths in the capital were the first official fatalities since the government abandoned its stringent anti-virus controls earlier this month following widespread protests against the zero-Covid policy. According to health officials, Chinese cities are currently hit by highly transmissible Omicron strains mainly BA.5.2 and BF.7, which are spreading like wildfire. Beijing is reeling under the impact of the BF.7, which WHO officials say is the fastest spreading Covid virus that has overwhelmed the city's health networks as thousands of people rushed to fever clinics, seeking urgent treatment. Health officials say the virus results in severe throat infections besides, body aches, medi

Himachal CM Sukhu tests positive for Covid-19; Assembly session postponed

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has tested positive for COVID-19, a state government spokesperson said here on Monday. He said the chief minister was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday but the meeting had been postponed. Sukhu returned a positive result in the national capital during the mandatory test before meeting the prime minister, the spokesperson added. The three-day session of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha, scheduled to take place in Dharamshala from Thursday, has been postponed and will be rescheduled depending on Sukhu's health, an official told PTI. The schedule for the three days included administering of oaths to newly elected MLAs, election of the Speaker and the governor's address in the 14th Vidhan Sabha's first session. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had allocated portfolios to newly elected Sukhu and his deputy Mukesh Agnihotri and the Cabinet expansion, which was expected after the Vidhan Sabha sessi

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Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tests positive for Covid-19

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was tested Covid-19 positive in New Delhi

Those hired during pandemic 'facing lower productivity': Salesforce Co-CEO

Salesforce is reportedly preparing for another round of layoffs amid leadership changes

China reports 2 Covid deaths since curbs eased, but numbers don't stack up

China's Covid death toll is far lower than more vaccinated countries that went through reopening waves