Covid19

CoronaVirus Updates

Farooq Abdullah tests positive for Covid-19

Srinagar- Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has tested positive for Covid-19, his son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed on Twitter on Tuesday. Omar said he and his family members will be self-isolating and getting themselves tested for Covid. "My father has tested positive for COVID-19 & is showing some symptoms. I will be self-isolating along with other family members until we get ourselves tested. I request anyone who has come in to contact with us over the last few days to take all the mandated precautions," Omar tweeted. Earlier this month, Farooq Abdullah had taken the first Covid jab at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar. (IANS)
CoronaVirus Updates

'1st vax dose cuts infection risk by 62% in England'

London- A major study of care home residents in England has found that their risk of infection with coronavirus fell by 62 per cent five weeks after they received their first vaccine dose. The study, funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care, tracked more than 10,400 care home residents in England with an average age of 86 between December 2020 and March this year, comparing the number of infections occurring in vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, Xinhua news agency quoted the Guardian newspaper as saying on Monday. The research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that both vaccines Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech reduced the risk of infection by about 56 per cent at 28-34 days after the first dose, and 62 per cent at 35-48 days. The study is considered important as it also looks into how the vaccines can reduce asymptomatic cases, which play a crucial role in the spread of the virus. "It's helpful to look at people who don't have symptoms because what you want to do is reduce the total number of people who've been infected," Laura Shallcross from the University College London, an author of the analysis, said. The UK has so far reported 4,351,668 coronavirus cases and 126,857 deaths. More than 30.4 million people have been given the first jab of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. The government said the country is "on course" to meet its target of offering a first dose to the top nine priority groups, including the over-50s, by April 15 and all adults by the end of July. (IANS)
CoronaVirus Updates

Johnson urges caution as outdoor

London- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged the people to remain cautious as outdoor get-togethers and sports resumed in England. As the next step of the British government's "roadmap" exiting the lockdown, two households or groups of up to six are now allowed to meet outside, including in private gardens, and outdoor team sports are reopening from Monday. The Monday move marks the second easing of the lockdown, imposed across England in early January, after schools reopened to all pupils on March 8. "We must remain cautious," said Johnson, as the "stay at home" slogan was officially scrapped at midnight and replaced with "stay local", Xinhua news agency reported. "Today marks the next stage of our roadmap to cautiously ease restrictions in England. As vaccines are being rolled out it's vital that we don't overdo it and risk all the progress we've made," he said on Twitter. Under the new measures, people should still work from home if possible and minimize their journeys. From April 12, non-essential retail, as well as restaurants and pubs -- if serving people outdoors -- will be allowed to reopen in England. On February 22, Johnson announced his "roadmap" exiting the lockdown, the third of its kind since the start of the pandemic. The March 8 reopening of schools was first part of the four-step plan which is expected to see all legal restrictions in England being removed by mid-June. On Sunday, Stephen Powis, national medical director of National Health Service (NHS) England, warned that Britons should not "squander the gains" made against coronavirus in recent months. Coronavirus could still "wreak more havoc and ill-health on a significant scale", he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph, citing concerns over variants. The NHS England has warned that Britain is going to face a "significant reduction" in vaccine supplies from Monday onwards. But the government insisted the country is "on course" to meet its target of offering a first dose to the top nine priority groups, including the over-50s, by April 15 and all adults by the end of July. Another 3,862 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,333,042, according to official figures released Sunday. The country also reported another 19 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain stood at 126,592. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test. More than 30.1 million people, around 57 percent of all adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the US as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. (IANS)
CoronaVirus Updates

US reports over 10,000 coronavirus variants infections

Washington- The US has recorded more than 10,000 infection cases of coronavirus variants as experts warn of another Covid-19 surge. Among the total of 10,985 variants cases reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of Sunday, 10,579 cases were caused by the variant known as B.1.1.7, which was originally detected in Britain, Xinhua reported. There were 288 cases of a new strain initially discovered in South Africa, called B.1.351, and 118 cases of the P.1 strain first discovered in Brazil. In addition, the B.1.427 and B.1.429 variants, two coronavirus strains first detected in California, are also being closely monitored by the CDC. The five coronavirus strains are currently classified by the CDC as "variants of concern," as evidence shows an increase in their transmissibility, increased hospitalizations or deaths, significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures. Virus variants may contribute to "increased spread" of infections, Stanley Perlman, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Iowa, told Xinhua in an interview. "Cases may be increasing again. We need to still wear masks and practice social distancing," he noted. Experts have repeatedly expressed concern that the country would face another surge in Covid-19 cases if Americans did not keep protective measures such as wearing masks, avoiding travel, and continuing social distancing until more people are vaccinated. Despite the drop of new Covid-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations for weeks, now the country has seen a rise in new cases in 27 states. Currently the seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases is about 61,000 cases a day, a 10 percent increase over the previous period, according to the CDC. The current seven-day average of daily new hospitalizations is about 4,816 people, a 4.2 per cent increase over the previous week, CDC data show. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Monday she feels a sense of "impending doom" about another surge in COVID-19 cases as infections increased by 10 per cent. Walensky said CDC data show that new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are increasing, which she attributed to increased travel in recent weeks, lifting restrictions, and more relaxed behavior. "I'm going to reflect on the recurring feeling I have of impending doom. We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are, and so much reason for hope. But right now, I'm scared," Walensky said during a White House briefing. Public health officials said protective measures like mask use, physical distancing, hand hygiene and prompt vaccination can help prevent against Covid-19 infections and emerging strains. (IANS)
CoronaVirus Updates

Covid burdens France's intensive care units

Paris- The situation in France's hospitals continues to worsen as health authorities reported that more than 4,970 patients with Covid-19 occupied beds in intensive care units on Monday. This is more than at the peak of the second wave of the pandemic last autumn, when authorities counted just over 4,900 people in intensive care units in November. In spring 2020, however, the number was much higher, at more than 7,000, DPA news agency reported. The coronavirus situation in France is extremely tense. More than 40 doctors sounded the alarm over the weekend because of the worrying situation in intensive care units in the greater Paris area. They warned it might come to triage in the hospitals there, as occupancy rate of intensive care units is well over 100 per cent. France's statistics office Insee also reported on Monday that mortality in 2020 was unusually high because of Covid-19. Compared to the previous year, the number of deaths had increased by more than 9 per cent, Insee said. "Such an increase in mortality has not been recorded in France for 70 years," it added. This increase was strikingly higher than that observed during the severe flu and heat waves of recent years, it said. France has had an evening curfew in place for months, with people not allowed outside after 7 pm without a valid reason. In many districts, including Paris, even stricter rules are in place. Many shops there have closed and freedom of movement is once again restricted. (IANS)
CoronaVirus Updates

Karnataka logs in 2,792 new

Bengaluru- Continuing its upward trend, Karnataka registered 2,792 new Covid cases, including 1,742 in Bengaluru in a day, said the state health bulletin on Monday. "With 2,792 new cases registered on Sunday, the state's Covid tally shot up to 9,89,804, including 23,849 positive cases, while recoveries rose to 9,53,416, with 1,964 discharged during the day," said the bulletin. In Bengaluru, 1,742 fresh cases were reported on Sunday, taking its Covid tally to 4,29,915, including 16,259 active cases, while recoveries increased to 4,09,065, with 1,356 patients discharged in the last 24 hours. With 16 patients succumbing to the virus during the day, including nine in Bengaluru, three in Hassan, two in Mysuru and one each in Bidar and Mandya districts, the state's death toll rose to 12,520 since the pandemic broke in mid-March 2020. Positivity rate shot up to 3.20 per cent while case fatality rate was 0.57 per cent across the state on Sunday. Of the 227 patients in the intensive care units (ICUs), 95 are in Bengaluru, 25 in Kalaburagi and 14 in Tumakur with the rest spread in the remaining 28 districts across the southern state. Out of 87,197 tests conducted during the day across the state, 4,055 were through rapid antigen detection and 83,142 through RT-PCR method. Meanwhile, 56,374 people were vaccinated during the day across the state. Of the beneficiaries, 39,265 are senior citizens of above 60 years age, 13,873 comorbid in the 45-59 age group, 1,445 healthcare workers and 1,791 frontline warriors. Cumulatively, 34,80,930 people have received the jab since the vaccine drive was launched on January 16 across the state. (IANS)