Coronavirus LIVE: Delhi govt allows cinemas, theatres to reopen Oct 15
Coronavirus update: DCGI expert panel has directed the pharma giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories (DRL) to submit a revised protocol for performing phase 2,3 clinical trials of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine
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Sanitization process underway in a movie theatre | Photo: PTI
Ladakh coronavirus update: UT records 79 new Covid cases; 50 patients cured
The Union Territory of Ladakh reported 79 new coronavirus cases, taking the cumulative figure to 4720, an official bulletin said on Wednesday.
With 50 more patients cured of the disease, the number of active cases in the region stands at 1195 904 in Leh district and 291 in Kargil district, the bulletin released by the directorate of health services said.
It said 72 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Leh and another seven inKargil district during the past 24 hours.
Humans can transmit Covid-19 virus to wildlife: Study
In a major study, researchers have found that there's considerable risk that humans transmit SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, to wildlife.
The study, published in the journal Mammal Review, noted that if SARS-CoV-2 were to infect and spread among wild mammals, it could potentially cause disease in some populations, in turn further endangering already threatened species.
"We really should avoid turning our pandemic into a multi-species problem," said study lead author Sophie Gryseels from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
For the findings, the research team regularly searched the studies with different combinations of the keywords: SARS-CoV-2, infection experiment, animal model, mammal, susceptibility, ACE2, cell line, coronavirus, wildlife.
HC declines to entertain PIL for charging of only tuition fees by varsities during Covid-19
The Delhi High Court Wednesday declined to entertain a PIL seeking guidelines to universities and such institutions to charge only the tuition fee, that too in installments, in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, and said "concessions are not a matter of right".
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan instead asked the concerned authorities to treat the plea as a representation and take a decision in accordance with law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the facts of the case.
With the direction the petition, by a fourth year law student, was disposed of.
During the brief hearing, the bench said that universities have to pay their professors and also set up the infrastructure for online classes and therefore, they cannot be directed to grant fee concessions.
Russia registers over 11,000 new Covid-19 cases
UK's Covid-19 testing system hit by Roche supply problems
Britain's national Covid-19 testing system was facing disruption on Wednesday after Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said problems at a new warehouse had delayed the dispatch of some products.
Roche is one of the main suppliers of diagnostic tests to the National Health Service (NHS) Test and Trace programme, which has already suffered setbacks including a technical glitch that delayed the reporting of 15,000 positive results.
Roche said the delay in dispatching some of its diagnostic products to the NHS was caused by unforeseen problems that arose during a switch from an old warehouse to a new UK distribution centre in September.
"We deeply regret that there has been a delay in the dispatch of some products and apologise to any of our customers who have been impacted," Roche said in a statement.
Another Himachal minister tests positive for novel coronavirus
Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday, a health official said.
Bhardwaj is the third Himachal Pradesh minister and ninth MLA in the 68-member state Assembly to have contracted the virus.
The 68-year-old four-time Shimla BJP MLA tested positive at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here, the official added.
Earlier Power Minister Sukhram Chaudhary and Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur tested positive for COVID-19. Both the ministers have recovered from the virus.
132 Maharashtra cops test positive, 4 dead in 24 hrs
UK's Covid-19 testing system hit by Roche supply problems
Britain's national COVID-19 testing system was facing disruption on Wednesday after Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche said problems at a new warehouse had delayed the dispatch of some products. Roche is one of the main suppliers of diagnostic tests to the National Health Service (NHS) Test and Trace programme, which has already suffered setbacks including a technical glitch that delayed the reporting of 15,000 positive results. Roche said the delay in dispatching some of its diagnostic products to the NHS was caused by unforeseen problems that arose during a switch from an old warehouse to a new UK distribution centre in September. "We deeply regret that there has been a delay in the dispatch of some products and apologise to any of our customers who have been impacted," Roche said in a statement.
Odisha reports 2,995 new COVID-19 cases, record 18 fresh fatalities
Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounted to 2,40,998 on Wednesday as 2,995 more people tested positive for the infection, while record 18 fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 958, a health official said. The state had reported 17 coronavirus deaths on October 5, he said. Four fresh fatalities were reported in Balasore district, two each in Nayagarh, Puri and Sundergarh, and one each in Boudh, Deogarh, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Khurda, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur, the official said. Deogarh district reported its first coronavirus fatality, he said.
Australia expects Covid-19 vaccination is still a year away
Australia considered a rollout of a coronavirus vaccine no sooner than mid-2021 a best-case scenario in its pandemic planning that would save the economy tens of billions of dollars, the treasurer said on Wednesday. The Treasury and Health Departments developed economic modelling based on an assumption that a vaccine would be widely available in Australia toward the end of next year, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. These are very uncertain times and as a government, we have taken every step possible to give Australia the best possible chance of getting a vaccine, Frydenberg told the National Press Club. Treasury modelling doesn't contemplate a vaccine becoming available in Australia early next year. An early vaccine is regarded as one that is rolled out from July 1, providing certainty to households and businesses while promoting consumption and investment.
Employees in India face increased burnout at work during pandemic: Report
Employees in India are facing increased burnout due to lack of separation between work and personal life as well as concerns of contracting COVID-19, a report said on Wednesday. According to Microsoft's latest Work Trend Index, that surveyed over 6,000 information and first-line workers across eight countries globally, India had the second highest percentage of workers facing increased burnout in Asia at 29 per cent. Moreover, India came out top with over 41 per cent of workers citing the lack of separation between work and personal life as negatively impacting their wellbeing, resulting in increased stress levels, the report said. "In the last six months, we have seen how COVID-19 has created an era of remote anywhere. It has led to the evolution of a new workplace from a physical space to one residing in a virtual world," said Samik Roy, Country Head, Modern Work, Microsoft India.
Pondy clocks 490 new coronavirus cases, tally rises to 30,161
The overall COVID-19 caseload in Puducherry shot up to 30,161 on Wednesday following addition of 490 new cases while two more succumbed to the illness. Director of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release that two people belonging to Puducherry died during the last 24 hours ending 10 am on Wednesday. He said three patients from Mahe region, who died in neighbouring Kerala, were listed as cases of fatalities of Puducherry.
Where are we in the Covid-19 vaccine race?
Drugmakers and research centers around the world are working on Covid-19 vaccines, with large global trials of several of the candidates involving tens of thousands of participants well underway. As some companies close in on unveiling their initial findings - with Canadian and European regulators already reviewing early data on some vaccines - the following is what we know about the race to deliver vaccines to help end the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over a million lives:
Who is furthest along?
US drugmaker Pfizer Inc
What happens in these trials?
The companies are testing their vaccines against a placebo - typically saline solution - in healthy volunteers to see if the rate of COVID-19 infection among those who got the vaccine is significantly lower than in those who received the dummy shot. Neither trial participants nor researchers know who has received the vaccine or placebo until the data is ready for review, or unblinded. The studies rely on subjects becoming naturally infected with COVID-19, so how long it takes to generate results largely depends on how pervasive the virus is where the trials are being conducted. In areas with large outbreaks and community spread, infections will pile up faster.
Global Covid-19 cases top 35.7mn: Johns Hopkins
The overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 35.7 million, while the deaths have increased to more than 1,048,700, according to the Johns Hopkins University. As of Wednesday, the total number of cases stood at 35,733,340 and the fatalities rose to 1,048,742, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 7,500,964 and 210,886, respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 6,685,082, while the country's death toll soared to 103,569.
Total cases in the state stand at 16,283: HP Govt
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First Published: Oct 07 2020 | 8:01 AM IST
