Page 9 - Coronavirus

Four new Covid deaths reported across country, active caseload at 876

India has logged 123 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 876, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Tuesday. Four new deaths --two from Delhi and one each from Gujarat and Maharashtra-- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have been infected and

India records 74 new Covid-19 infections, active cases stand at 871

India has recorded a single-day rise of 74 new COVID-19 infections and the number of active cases of the disease in the country stands at 871, according to Union Health Ministry data on Monday. No new deaths due to the disease were reported in 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported in the delta wave during April-June 2021. At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have been infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths due to the disease recorded in the country. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore, according to the ministry's website. Besides, 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have so far been administered in the country.

JN.1 Covid variant has increased transmissibility, immune escape: Study

The JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus not only spreads easily but also seems to resist immunity, according to a study that emphasizes the urgent need for strategies to address its threat to public health. The emergence JN.1 has sparked global concern due to its distinct genetic features and heightened infectivity. Carrying more than 30 spike protein mutations, including the hallmark Leu455Ser, JN.1 exhibits substantial potential for immune evasion. Researchers from The University of Tokyo, Japan, used genomic surveillance data from across France, the UK, and Spain, uncovering novel findings regarding the virological properties of JN.1. The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, sheds light on the variant's potential to become the dominant lineage and alerts the global health community. The researchers found that the reproductive number of JN.1 was found to surpass that of its counterparts in the three countries studied, suggesting a potential global dominanc

HC directs Delhi govt to pay Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to kin of Covid-19 victim

The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to pay Rs 50,000 ex gratia to the kin of a man who had contracted coronavirus and died due to COVID-19 complications. The high court refused to accept the state's submission the cause of the death was a cardiac arrest and the man passed away a month after a positive RT-PCR report and was, therefore, not entitled to a compensation under the Mukhyamantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana (MCPASY). The court noted the hospital's death summary that the petitioner's husband contracted COVID-19 and was admitted and remained at the hospital till his death on June 19, 2021. "The death summary categorically points out that the man had contracted COVID-19, and suffered aftereffects of COVID-19, never improved and ultimately passed away on June 19, 2021. Just because the ultimate cause of death is shown to be cardiac arrest does not mean that the husband of the petitioner did not pass away due to the complications arising out of ...

India records 114 new Covid infections, active cases stand at 870

India has registered a single-day rise of 114 new COVID-19 infections and the number of active cases of the disease in the country stands at 870, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday. One fresh fatality due to the disease was reported in Maharashtra, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double digits till December 5, but cases began to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have been infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths reported across the country due to the disease. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore, according to the ministry's ...

Covid-19 got mutated 223 times, effects have come down: Mandaviya

The COVID-19 virus got mutated 223 times in the world and its harmful effects have come done substantially over time, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Lok Sabha on Friday. He also said that COVID-19 will continue to remain like influenza and its present variants are not deadly. "When a virus gets mutated more than 100 times, its harmful effects get reduced. Covid also got mutated. So far, the Covid virus got mutated 223 times," he said during the Question Hour. He said that like influenza, which hits people once or twice every year, "Covid is with us and it will remain". "Covid sub-variants are not that deadly and there are no negative effects," he said. Mandaviya said health is such an issue where all stake holders and countries should come together and work. "We have seen the positive results during the pandemic when we all worked together," he said. The minister said India has a robust medicine production infrastructure and the world has recognised this. "We are

2008 global financial crisis wasn't as serious as Covid-19: FM Sitharaman

A nearly 60-page White Paper was tabled in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by Sitharaman on Thursday

India registers 211 fresh Covid-19 cases, active infections drop to 1,478

India has logged 211 fresh cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection declined to 1,478 from 1,496, the health ministry said on Thursday. One new death has been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, there have been more than 4.5 crore people getting infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths in about four years si

India sees single-day rise of 157 Covid cases, 2 deaths in last 24 hrs

India saw a single-day rise of 157 COVID-19 infections while the number of active cases was recorded at 1,496, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. Two new deaths -- one each from Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh -- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double digits till December 5 but it began to increase after the emergence of a new variant, JN.1, and amid cold weather conditions. After December 5, the highest single-day rise of 841 cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the 1,496 active cases, a large majority (around 92 per cent) are recovering in home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," an official source stated. India has witnessed three wave

India reports 124 new Covid-19 infections, active caseload at 1,508

India saw a single-day rise of 124 cases of COVID-19, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 1,508, the health ministry said on Tuesday. One new death has been reported from Karnataka in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5 last year, a maximum of a single day rise of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," an official source said. India has witnessed three waves of Covid

Covid disruptions linked to rise in underweight children in India: Study

The disruption of India's food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a steep rise in malnutrition among children as the lockdown impacted their nutritional status, according to a study. Researchers from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) in New Delhi analysed pre- and post-pandemic survey data on children's health and nutrition. The study, published in the journal Economic and Political Weekly, found that the number of children deemed underweight increased by 14 per cent as a result of disruptions caused by the pandemic. These included supply chain disruptions, price inflation, loss of work and the interruption of government food safety net programme. Previous TCI research on the impact of COVID-19 has found that supply chain disruptions caused food prices to increase and that women's dietary diversity worsened during the pandemic. "Researchers long suspected that pandemic-related disruptions to India's food systems reduced access to .

India registers 122 new Covid-19 cases, active caseload reaches 1,522

India saw a single-day rise of 122 cases of COVID-19, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 1,522, the health ministry said on Monday. No deaths have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of covid-19 in the past with the p

India records 188 new Covid infections, no deaths reported in last 24 hrs

India has recorded 188 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 1,473, the health ministry said on Sunday. No deaths have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, 2023 a maximum of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the sources stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were ..

Domestic tourism in Rajasthan up 12 times, foreigners' numbers see spike

The number of domestic tourists visiting Rajasthan has increased about 12 times in the last four years, with the footfall of foreign tourists also witnessing a sharp uptick since the Covid-induced slump. According to the Tourism Department, in 2020, more than 1.51 crore domestic tourists visited the state. The number shot up to over 17.90 crore in 2023. A total of 32.44 crore domestic tourists visited Rajasthan from January 2020 to December 2023. On the other hand, over 22.20 lakh foreign tourists visited the desert state to witness its historical heritage during the same period. "Rajasthan has been a major tourist attraction among the tourists. After the corona pandemic, a large number of domestic tourists have started visiting the state. The number of foreign tourists have also significantly risen," Deputy Director of Tourism Department, Daleep Singh Rathore, said. The freshly elected BJP government's focus is to make the state a leader in the tourism sector in the country. Rece

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot tests positive for Covid-19, swine flu

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and swine flu. In a post on X, the Congress leader advised people to take care of their health in the changing season. "Due to fever for the last few days, today I got myself tested on the advice of doctors which confirmed (that I have) Covid and swine flu. Because of this, I will not be able to meet (anyone) for the next seven days," Gehlot said. "In this changing season, everyone should also take care of their health," he said.

India sees single-day rise of 160 Covid infections, active cases at 1,338

India saw a single-day rise of 160 Covid cases, while the number of active cases stood at 1,338, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. One death from Maharashtra was reported in 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. A majority (around 92 per cent) of the total active cases are under home isolation, they said. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and d

Novavax announces fresh round of layoffs, plans to reduce 12% of workforce

Novavax said the decision is part of its intention to bring down expenses below $750 million this year, which it had disclosed during its third-quarter earnings call in November

India registers 133 fresh Covid-19 cases, active caseload at 1,389

India saw a single-day rise of 133 Covid cases, while the number of active cases stood at 1,389, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. Two deaths -- one each from Gujarat and Maharashtra -- have been reported in 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. A majority (around 92 per cent) of the total active cases are under home isolation, they said. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the

2,083 cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1, its lineages detected in India

The INSACOG on Monday said 2,083 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 and its lineages have been detected in the country so far. There are 814 SARS-CoV-2 sequences of JN.1 across 18 states and UTs while its sub-lineage JN.1.1 has been detected in 943 cases, according to the data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). JN.1.11 has been detected in 244 cases while the rest of the cases were detected in the sub-lineages of JN.1. Last month, the Centre asked the states and Union Territories to maintain a constant vigil amid detection of new variants in the country. The World Health Organisation has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.

India registers 112 new Covid-19 cases, active caseload reaches 1,460

India saw a single day rise of 112 cases of COVID-19, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 1,460, the health ministry said on Monday. No deaths have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, the maximum single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the source stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new c