 | Covid-like virus found in native UK bats capable of infecting humans: ScientistsBats in UK are harbouring a Covid-like virus capable of infecting humans. Scientists conducted virus screening tests using bat droppings from 16 bat species in the U.K. The viruses designated as RhGB07 and RfGB02 hail from the same family of pathogens as SARS-CoV-2. |
 | India records single-day rise of 1,071 fresh COVID-19; 5,915 casesIndia saw a single-day rise of more than 1,000 fresh COVID-19 cases after 129 days. According to the Union Ministy, the total number of active cases reaching 5,915 mark.The new COVID variant XBB.1.16 is causing much concern among experts. |
 | India launches world's first nasal vaccine against Covid-19: All You need to knowThe world's first made-in-India intranasal Covid-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, manufactured by Bharat Biotech, was launched on January 26. Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the vaccine and emphasised India's vaccine manufacturing and innovation capability. The vaccine will available in government hospitals for Rs 325 and Rs 800 in the private market. Nasal vaccines have long been regarded as a critical means of ending the pandemic by scientists and health experts. |
 | All you need to know about BF.7, variant behind China’s massive Covid-19 surgeThe latest Covid-19 surge in China is being majorly driven by BF.7 Omicron sub-variant. China is facing a massive crisis after it eased its Covid-19 restrictions earlier this month. The hospitals and emergency wards are flooded with patients. |
 | Bengaluru: BBMP makes masks mandatory after a Covid-19 death, rise in casesWith the rise in Covid-19 cases in IT capital Bengaluru and a scare over a possible 4th wave of Covid-19 persisting, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has made masks mandatory in public places. The palike has reported 291 cases and one death on Sunday. |
 | COVID-19: India's first case of Omicron XE variant confirmed by INSACOGAmidst a spike in Covid cases, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has finally confirmed the presence of Omicron's sub-variant XE, which is 10 percent more transmissible, in India.The confirmation from INSACOG came after XE - a recombinant variant of BA.1 and BA.2 sub lineages of Omicron - was reported from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala. The Union health ministry has yet to comment on the variant. |
 | Covid-19: Delhi records 632 new cases; centre writes to 5 states over rising casesCOVID-19 cases in Delhi on April 20th rose 26% to 632 since April 19th. After a steady fall in Covid cases, Delhi has seen a surge in new cases over the last one week. According to the Delhi Health Department's data, the positivity rate registered a nearly three-fold rise between April 11 and 18. On April 11, the positivity rate stood at 2.70%, which jumped to 7.72% on April 18. |
 | Covid 19: South Korea reports record daily spike with over with 6 lakh new casesSouth Korea continues to see an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases amid a wave of Omicron infections.Hitting yet another milestone on March 17, South Korea recorded over 6,00,000 new cases. This is the highest daily spike the country has witnessed so far. Deaths also reached a record for a single day with 429 people confirmed to have lost their lives. |
 | Common cold T cells may offer protection against COVID: UK studyPeople with higher levels of T cells from common cold coronaviruses are less likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the strain which causes COVID-19, according to a new UK study led by Indian-origin researchers on Monday. |
 | Watch | New COVID-19 variant, Omicron, spreads to more countries as world on alertCases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus were reported in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Australian authorities announced on Nov 29th a third case of the omicron COVID-19 variant |
 | Dubai Expo-2020 opens for visitors, biggest event since pandemicAfter a one-year delay owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai kicked off its USD 7 billion Expo 2020 on September 31. Dubai Expo is one of the world’s first global events in the pandemic world. The last major global event was the Tokyo Olympics in Japan that took place without spectators. |
 | Cuba receives food, medicine donations from allies to ease worst economic crisis in decadesCuba is facing one of the worst economic crisis in decades. Monetary reform, Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent fall of tourism have combined to create the economic crisis Cuba received shipments of food and medical supplies from allies Mexico, Russia, China and Bolivia. |
 | India may see another surge in COVID-19 cases in mid-August: IIT ExpertsIndia may see another rise in COVID-19 cases in mid of August with the third wave peaking, with less than 1,00,000 in the best cases scenario and nearly 1,50,000 infections a day in the worst scenario. |
 | Improving genomic surveillance key to tracking COVID-19 mutations: Dr Prabhdeep KaurTamil Nadu is on road to recovery from the devastating COVID-19 second wave with cases and positivity rate showing a decline. There is, however, heated debate on a possible third wave and the rising number of cases in a few clusters. In an interview with The New Indian Express, Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, Senior Scientist and Deputy Director, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, discusses the preparations to be done and issues to be addressed. Excerpts. |
 | Why youngsters are more vulnerable in second Covid-19 wave ? | Doctors On CovidThe second wave of Covid-19 has wreaked severe havoc compared to the first one. Besides the severity of the second wave, several health experts have been baffled by the higher percentage of youngsters getting infected with #Covid19 . Since the initial days of the pandemic, WHO and health experts have warned that covid-19 can very much infect the youngster and can lead to severe cases and deaths. |
 | Covid-19: India reports lowest daily case tally in 50 dayIndia reported the lowest daily new coronavirus infections in 50 days with 1,52,734 cases, taking India's total tally to 2,80,47,534, while the active caseload further declined to 20,26,092, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. |
 | Watch| How the tech-driven war room in Tamil Nadu is leading the Covid-19 battleInside a hall on the seventh floor of a Chennai high-rise, a large television screen shows the live feed of hundreds of Covid-19 ambulances plying across Tamil Nadu on a satellite map. Two healthcare professionals, on headphones, observe clusters of ambulances waiting outside hospitals. |
 | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE DocumentaryThe documentary on the covid crisis in Kerala shows how Kerala has been tackling the Covid-19 pandemic since January 2020. The first case of #Covid19 in India was reported in the state. |
 | India's COVID situation hugely concerning, says WHO ChiefIndia's COVID-19 situation remains hugely concerning, with several states continuing to see a worrying number of cases, hospitalisations and deaths, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday, warning that the pandemic's second year will be "far more deadly" than the first for the world. |
 | Blindness due to fungal infections rising in second COVID waveThe pandemic has thrown up yet another challenge for the healthcare sector, with isolated cases of an unusual fungal infection being reported from some among those being treated for COVID-19. Mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection affecting immuno-compromised people, has been reported from amongst those battling, and those recently recovered from COVID-19, in many parts of the country |
