Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry, in its latest guidelines for the management of Covid-19 in children and adolescents, advised against the use of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies for those below the age of 18. India reported more than 3.17 lakh (3,17,532) new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Thursday, marking a 12 per cent increase in fresh cases since Wednesday. The country’s active caseload currently stands at 19,24,051, while the recovery rate stands at 93.69 per cent. The total tally of Omicron cases rose to 9,287 on Thursday, 3.63 per cent higher than yesterday. As many as 491 Covid patients succumbed to the deadly infection in a day.
Here are some major Covid updates: As the recent Omicron-fuelled third wave in Maharashtra has started to show signs of plateauing, the state government has decided to start reopening schools for students of classes 1-12 from Monday onwards. Meanwhile, the Covid test positivity rate has surged to 37 per cent in Kerala, as the Omicron-fuelled third wave continues to surge across the coastal state. "Next three weeks would be critical for Kerala," said state health minister Veena George. In other news, Data show a sharp gender gap in vaccination, particularly in the country’s top metros. India has clocked over 158 crore vaccines – first, second and precaution doses taken together — until January 18, at a ratio of 954 women for every 1,000 men.
In Covid year, a third of Gujarat Board’s Class 10 students got grace marks to pass
Over a third of the 8.5 lakh Class 10 students of the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) who were promoted to Class 11 in the 2020-2021 academic year had to be given grace marks for them to get past the threshold of 33 per cent that’s required to pass.
Of the 2.66 lakh students who got grace marks, around 170 of them got up to 200 extra marks — 231 is the minimum pass marks — and nearly 9,400 students got over 100 grace marks, data accessed by The Indian Express show.
In a pandemic year, when learning took a hit and the CBSE and most state Boards, including GSHSEB, cancelled the Class 10 and 12 term-end exams, the findings, showing how mass promotions were facilitated, are significant since they are likely to be mirrored across the country.
Explained: The global toll of bacterial resistance to drugs
Hundreds of thousands of deaths occur today due to previously treatable infections — such as lower respiratory and bloodstream infections — because the bacteria that cause them have become resistant to treatment. A comprehensive estimate of the global impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), covering 204 countries and territories and published in The Lancet, has found that 1.27 million people died in 2019 as a direct result of AMR, which is now a leading cause of death worldwide, higher than HIV/AIDS or malaria.
The analysis
The Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) report used statistical modelling to estimate deaths linked to 23 pathogens and 88 pathogen-drug combinations. Apart from 12.7 lakh deaths caused directly by AMR (these would not have occurred had the infections been drug-susceptible), another 49.5 lakh deaths were associated with AMR (a drug-resistant infection was implicated, but resistance itself may or may not have been the direct cause of death). HIV/AIDS and malaria were estimated to have caused 8.6 lakh and 6.4 lakh deaths respectively in 2019.
Tamil Nadu recorded 29,870 new Covid-19 cases and 33 deaths on Friday. With 21,684 people recovering from the virus on Friday, the active case toll stood at 1,87,358 on Friday evening.
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Haryana reported 9,655 fresh Covid-19 cases and 12 deaths on Friday. The number of recoveries were 9,247 making the active Covid cases tally 62,016.
Mumbai on Friday reported 5,008 new coronavirus cases, 700 less than the previous day, and 12 fresh fatalities linked to the infection, the city civic body said.
With this, the city's Covid-19 tally rose to 10,28,715, while the death toll jumped to 16,512, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bulletin said.
This was the third day in a row when daily Covid-19 cases have dropped in the financial capital. On Thursday, 5,708 Covid-19 cases and 12 fatalities were reported in the city. (PTI)
Delhi logged 10,756 Covid cases in a single day and 38 more fatalities due to the infection, while the positivity rate declined to 18.04 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department on Friday.
According to officials, 59,629 Covid tests were conducted on Thursday, as against 57,290 a day ago.
Delhi on Thursday reported 12,306 Covid cases and 43 fatalities, while the positivity rate was 21.48 per cent. (PTI)
With a decline in the daily Covid-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday allowed private offices to function with 50 per cent staff but maintained that weekend curfew and other restrictions, including odd-even rule for opening shops in city markets will continue, an order said.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi government proposed lifting the weekend curfew and ending the odd-even scheme for opening shops in view of the coronavirus situation but Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal directed that status quo be maintained on the restrictions till the situation is better.
The LG office, however, approved the government's proposal to allow private offices to function with 50 per cent staff.
The order issued by the DDMA said it has been observed that as the number of COVID-19 cases and positivity rate are witnessing a decline, some prohibitions or restrictions may be revised in areas outside containment zones. (PTI)
The Centre has sought clarification from Kerala over its Covid death reporting mechanism, saying daily reconciliation of large numbers leads to an overall skewed scenario of Covid-19 mortality, further impacting planning for public health response.
In a letter to the state government, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said Kerala has reported a total of 20,563 reconciled Covid deaths since October 22, 2021. He drew the state government's attention to the ministry's letter dated November 12, 2021 and further reiterations during review meetings, where states were advised to ensure that all backlog deaths are reconciled and updated at once including the date of death.
Kerala has been consistently publishing data on "reconciled deaths" since October 22 last year, and "a total of 20,563 reconciled deaths so far have been reported by Kerala", Bhushan said in his letter addressed to Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan N Khobragade.
"It is not clear if these are over and above the deaths reported so far or there is an overlap," Bhushan said. (PTI)
Karnataka on Friday registered 48,049 new Covid-19 infections along with 22 deaths and 18,115 recoveries. The capital, Bengaluru alone logged 29,068 fresh cases and six deaths.
The state currently has 3,23,143 active cases majority of which are from Bengaluru.
For LIVE updates from Karnataka follow: Karnataka Bengaluru News Live
Kerala on Friday reported 54 more Omicron, a variant of coronavirus, and took the total affected by the variant to 761, said the State Health Department.
Of the 54, one, belonging to Karnataka, came to Kerala from the UAE.
"Out of those infected today, 35 were from low-risk nations and seven from a high-risk country. One patient reached the State from outside it and 11 contracted the disease through their contacts," the department said in a press release. (PTI)
Delhi on Friday registered 10,756 new Covid-19 cases along with 38 deaths. The test positivity rate of the national capital went down to 18 per cent.
The Indian government has increased the limit of registering on Co-WIN using one mobile number from four members to six numbers on Friday.
Kerala on Friday logged 41,668 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the total caseload to 55,29,566, a day after registering 46,387 cases, the highest single day spike since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
The health department said the state tested 95,218 samples in the last 24 hours and there are 2,23,548 active Covid-19 cases.
However, in a relief to the state's health sector, only 3 per cent are admitted to the hospitals. (PTI)
Tripura's COVID-19 tally soared to 96,422 on Friday as 1,034 people tested positive for the infection, 151 less than the previous day, an official said. The state's coronavirus death toll rose to 857 as five more patients succumbed to the disease.
West Tripura district, under which Agartala falls, registered the highest number of new cases at 395, followed by 122 in South Tripura and 112 in North Tripura. Four fresh fatalities were recorded in West Tripura and one in Gomati, he said. (PTI)
Scientists in the US have identified tiny natural bubbles containing the ACE2 protein (evACE2) in the blood of Covid-19 patients that can block infection from broad strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The evACE2 are lipid vesicles in nanoparticle size that express the ACE2 protein on cells. These bubbles act as decoys to lure the SARS-CoV-2 virus away from the ACE2 protein, which acts as a gateway for the virus to infect cells.
The evACE2 can serve as a therapeutic to be developed for prevention and treatment for current and future strains of SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent coronaviruses, the researchers said. (PTI)
Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma took to Twitter on Friday to inform that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
He said, "I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am isolating myself for the required time. I have mild symptoms. All those who came into contact with me last few days are requested to observe their symptoms and test if necessary."
Isolation facility would not be mandatory for international travellers arriving from at-risk countries from January 22, said Union Health Ministry in a statement.
"If tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced that there will be a complete lockdown in the state on January 23 due to rising Covid-19 cases.
Poland's deputy health minister said Friday the nation hit a Covid-19 pandemic record of 36,665 new infections reported in 24 hours.
Waldemar Kraska said that 1,390 among the new cases were confirmed as caused by the highly contagious omicron variant.
Health care authorities are expecting up to 50,000 new daily infections next week, saying the fifth wave will be a tough challenge to the system, which has some 31,000 hospital beds prepared for coronavirus patients. (AP)
Covid-19 testing starts after a week-long break at Anand Vihar Railway Station in New Delhi.
After a two hours long meeting with TAC members and senior officials chaired by CM Basavaraj Bommai, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said weekend curfew across the state has been withdrawn by the government. Ashoka added that the night curfew will continue to be imposed in the state.
Russia on Friday reported a new record number of Covid-19 confirmed in the past 24 hours as the Omicron variant of the virus spread across the country, the government coronavirus task force said.
Daily new cases jumped to 49,513, from 38,850 a day earlier. The task force also reported 692 deaths. (Reuters)
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday said that the state is planning to categorise districts as per the occupancy of Covid positive patients in ICU.
"We have evolved a strategy where districts are categorised according to the occupancy of Covid patients in ICU. We have around 1,99,000 active patients now but only 3% of them are hospitalised, only 0.7% on oxygen support and 0.6% in ICU."
Germany reported a record 140,160 new coronavirus cases on Friday, and sources said the health minister had warned that the country could see at least 400,000 cases per day by mid-February.
That figure would be reached under an optimistic scenario in which booster shots provide very good protection, Karl Lauterbach said in a discussion with state government leaders, sources involved in the talks told Reuters late on Thursday.
The number could climb to more than 600,000 daily new cases if the booster shots were less protective, he said, according to the sources.
Lauterbach also said he expected the number of patients in intensive care in hospitals to increase significantly in the coming weeks, the sources said. (Reuters)
Expressing concern over the rise in Covid-19 casualties, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has instructed health officials to conduct an audit of deaths due to the infection, an official said. The state has reported 82 deaths in the last 10 days due to the infection and comorbidities, the official said.
The state on Thursday reported 15 deaths, the highest single-day fatalities since the cases started increasing early this month. (PTI)
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Friday rejected the government’s proposal to lift weekend curfew in the national capital and ease restrictions. He, however, allowed private offices to reopen with 50 per cent capacity. Baijal said the restrictions in Delhi needed to remain in place till Covid-19 cases reduce and the situation improves.
Prior to his action, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said in a statement, “The Covid cases in Delhi was at a peak on January 12 and the positivity rate was at 30 per cent. But now, cases are reducing daily and have come to 10,500 today. Keeping in view the dip as well as people who are facing financial crisis and losing jobs due to the restrictions, the government has decided to lift weekend curfew, odd-even system in markets, and allow private offices to call 50 per cent of their staff.
“CM Arvind Kejriwal has approved the proposal and sent it to LG Anil Baijal for final approval. Once we get the approval, the same will be implemented in Delhi,” Sisodia added. Read more.
Every eligible beneficiary over the age of 18 has received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in Kerala, while 83 per cent of the same population received both doses, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday.
The levels of Omicron-neutralising antibodies of people vaccinated with two doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine did not decline as much as of those who had Pfizer shots, according to a small study.
The joint Russian-Italian study -- funded by the Russian Direct Investment Fund which markets Sputnik V -- compared the blood serum samples of people taken three to six months after the second dose of the two vaccines. The yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, posted on the preprint repository MedRxiv on January 19, was conducted by scientists from the Spallanzani Institute in Italy and Gamaleya Institute in Russia, the developer of the vaccine. (PTI)
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday asserted that the Covid-19 situation in the national capital is in control, and said the virus was the primary cause of death in only three of the 43 fatalities recorded the previous day. The national capital is expected to record 10,500 cases on Friday with a positivity rate of 17 to 18 per cent, he said. (PTI)
Travellers arriving in India from any country who will test positive for Covid-19 shall be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol and will not mandatorily be managed at an isolation facility, authorities have said.
According to the revised 'Guidelines for International Arrivals' released on Thursday, the new norm will apply from January 22 till further order. The rest of the provisions have remained the same in the revised guidelines. The existing guidelines state that travellers coming from any country including from those considered 'at-risk' shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol. (PTI)
Puducherry witnessed a dip in number of daily cases of coronavirus with 2,528 infections being reported in the last twenty-four hours ending 10 a.m. on Friday while the active cases increased.
The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 6,093 samples. The active cases however shot up to 14,122 against 13,053 cases on Thursday. While 139 of the 14,122 active cases were in hospitals the remaining 13,983 cases were in home isolation.
Of the 2,528 cases reported today, Puducherry accounted for 1,985 cases followed by 411 in Karaikal, 105 in Yanam and twenty-seven in Mahe region. (PTI)
The Delhi government has proposed lifting the weekend curfew, end odd-even system for opening of shops, and allow private offices to run with 50 per cent staff in the city, an official source said on Friday.
The proposal approved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been sent to Lt Governor Anil Baijal for approval, they said. The decision to ease the restrictions was taken in view of declining number of Covid cases in the city, they said.
Traders in many parts of the city have demanded lifting of the curbs including those imposed on shops selling non-essential items on alternate days based on odd-even system. The weekend curfew will be in place from 10 pm Friday and continue till Monday 5 am. (PTI)
With Kerala’s Covid-19 test positivity rate (TPR) surging to an all-time high of 40 per cent on Thursday (January 21) and active caseload touching 2 lakhs, the state government has introduced a new set of norms for imposing restrictions. This is the third time in the pandemic days that Kerala is experimenting with new norms for curbs.
What are the new norms?
Fourteen districts in the state have been bracketed into three zones – A, B and C – mainly factoring the caseload at hospitals in each district for imposing restrictions. This apart, there would be lockdown-like restriction on next two Sundays, banning all non-essential services. By introducing a new norm for Covid restrictions, Kerala has done away with the prevailing curbs imposed at local levels based on the weekly infection population ratio (WIPR). Business, shopping, tourism, hotel, entertainment, and all means of livelihood would function in compliance with the general Covid-19 protocol and social distancing, except on the next two Sundays. The grading of districts into three categories would be done on every Friday by the district disaster management authority, headed by the district collector. Read more.
After the positivity rate in the National Capital dropped significantly over the last week, the Delhi government has approved a proposal to lift the weekend curfew and several other Covid restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the third wave. Private offices will be permitted to call 50 per cent of their staff to office and the odd and even strategy in markets and malls will also be revoked. The proposals have been approved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and have been sent to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
On a day it recorded a staggering 46,387 new Covid-19 cases, the highest ever single day spike, the Kerala government on Thursday decided to impose lockdown-like restrictions on next two Sundays, allowing functioning of essential services only.
With 46,387 new cases, the test positivity rate has soared to 40.2 per cent, which is the highest ever figure since the onslaught of the pandemic. The state tested 1,15357 samples in the last 24 hours. The worst-hit capital district of Thiruvananthapuram has 9720 new cases with a test positivity rate of 46.68 per cent. In the districts of Ernakulam and Kozhikode also TPR has gone up to 45.6 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively.
As many as 32 new Covid-19 deaths were reported, 309 other deaths have been included in the Covid-19 death tally after admitting appeals, taking the total number of deaths to 51,501. Read more.
Highlighting that 515 districts across the country have reported more than 5 per cent positivity rate in the last one week, the Health Ministry on Thursday said the third surge triggered by the highly infectious Omicron variant has spread to almost all parts of the country.
But, the ministry said, despite the surge, there have been fewer hospitalisations and deaths owing to high vaccination uptake.
The ministry said that a sharp surge in Covid-19 cases continues to be noted in India, with the weekly positivity rate touching almost the 16% mark in the last one week. “The pandemic situation shows that the third surge is now spreading in almost all parts of the country,” Dr V K Paul, head of India’s Covid-19 task force, said. “It is also clear that deaths are low. Vaccination has acted as a shield…the mortality is significantly low…. However, the overall positivity of 16% is quite high.” Read more.
So far, India has administered more than 160.43 Cr (1,60,43,70,484) vaccines as part of its nationwide inoculation drive. In the last 24 hours, more than 70 lakh doses were given, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Meanwhile, of the 159.91 core vaccines given to states and union territories, 12.73 crore doses remain unutilised, the ministry said.
India reported more than 3.47 lakh new coronavirus cases (3,47,254) in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Friday. With 2.51 lakh new (2,51,777) recoveries, the country’s active caseload is now at 20,18,825.
Active cases stand at 5.23%
Recovery Rate currently at 93.50%
9,692 Total Omicron cases detected so far; an increase of 4.36% since yesterday
Today’s Covid numbers: Delhi (12306 cases); Mumbai (5708 cases); Bengaluru (30540 cases); Kolkata (1759 cases); Chennai (7520 cases)
Highlighting that as many as 515 districts across the country have reported more than 5 percent positivity rate in the last one week, the health ministry Thursday said the third wave triggered by the highly-infectious Omicron variant has spread to almost all parts of the country. However, despite the surge, there has been fewer hospitalisations and deaths owing to high vaccination uptake.
The health ministry said that a sharp surge in Covid-19 cases continued to be noted in India, with the weekly positivity rate touching almost 16% mark in the last one week. Read more
Kerala on Thursday reported 46,387 new Covid-19, 15,388 recoveries and 32 deaths in the last 24 hours. 309 deaths were added to COVID death list as per the guidelines of central government. Death toll stood at 51,501.
Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar K Thursday said the state is just 0.1% away from becoming the first large state in India to achieve 100% first dose of vaccination.
Some pointers from Health briefing:
# Asia is showing a sharp surge in global contribution from 7.9% to approx 18.4% in 4 weeks.
# On 20 Jan 2022, India has 3,17,532 new cases, 380 deaths and 19,24,051 active cases.
# In India, the proportion of fully vaccinated people is 72%.
# Till now, 52% of children in the 15-18 age group in India are vaccinated.
"Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, UP, Gujarat, Odisha, Delhi & Rajasthan are among the top 10 States in terms of active cases," Bhushan, Health Secretary, said.
The Health Ministry on Thursday listed Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are among the 'States of Concern'. Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary, while briefing on Covid-19 situation, said, "We have sent central health teams to these states and are continuously reviewing the situation."
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said that the peak of third Covid-19 wave seems to have gone past in the national capital after it registered a record single day rise of 28,000 cases. However, he warned that the city is still not out of danger zone while stressing on the need to monitor trend before easing of restrictions.
A third dose of Covid-19 vaccine increases the level of antibodies that can effectively neutralise the Omicron variant of coronavirus, according to a study published in The Lancet journal. Researchers from Francis Crick Institute and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UK, found that antibodies generated in people who had received only two doses of either the AstraZeneca or the Pfizer vaccine were less able to neutralise Omicron as compared to Alpha and Delta variants. (PTI)
Schools across Maharashtra will start to reopen for students of classes 1-12 on Monday after closing due to the Omicron-fuelled third wave. This comes after the recent Covid surge in the state began to show signs of plateauing this week.
Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine on Thursday became the fifth coronavirus vaccine approved for use in Australia. The country has ordered 51 million doses of the US-manufactured vaccine, supplied under the brand Nuvaxovid, for its population of 26 million. Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines are already in use in Australia. (AP)
The number of new coronavirus infections in Ukraine has more than doubled over the past three days and reached 18,479 cases on Thursday, the country's health ministry said. Ukraine this month offered booster doses of Covid vaccines to all adults, with the first case of Omicron detected in the country in December. (Reuters)
Meanwhile in Thailand, authorities are set to resume the 'Test & Go' quarantine waiver for vaccinated arrivals from Feb. 1, its coronavirus task force said on Thursday, in response to slowing Covid infections. The scheme was suspended a month ago after only seven weeks due to the rapid global spread of the Omicron variant. (Reuters)
Arunachal Pradesh reported 435 fresh Covid-19 cases on Thursday, the highest single-day spike so far this month, as the tally climbed to 57,822, a senior health department official said.
The northeastern state had Wednesday logged 350 infections. Out of Thursday's count, 138 cases were registered in the Capital Complex Region, 40 from West Kameng, Changlang (37), Namsai (35), Lower Dibang Valley (31), Lohit (28), Papumpare (26), Lower Subansiri (23) and East Siang (22), he said.
The death toll remained at 282 as no fresh fatality was reported in the past 24 hours. Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,938 active cases, while 55,602 patients have recovered from the disease thus far, the official said. (PTI)
Puducherry reported 2,783 new Covid-19 cases, 1,073 recoveries and one death in the last 24 hours, according to data released by the UTs government.
Jharkhand's Covid-19 tally climbed to 4,12,939 as 2,617 more people tested positive for the virus, while 12 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 5,225, a health bulletin said on Thursday.
Ranchi district registered the highest number of new cases at 809, followed by 525 in Jamshedpur, it said. The single-day deaths include five fresh fatalities in Jamshedpur and two in Ranchi.
The state now has 27,422 active cases, while 3,80,292 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 3,769 in the last 24 hours. (PTI)
Stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das on Thursday said he has tested negative for the novel coronavirus. The 42-year-old gave a health update via Instagram and urged people to follow all the necessary Covid-19 guidelines.
"We back. Seriously tho. This thing sucked. Wear a mask, get boosted, take your vitamins, drink snake blood...whatever. It was a LONG two-ish weeks. Still masking around the house. Stay safe," he captioned a reel. (PTI)
Nervous to receive a dose of the coronavirus vaccine, a man in UP's Ballia district climbed a tree to avoid getting the jab. He later agreed to take the vaccine after a group of healthcare workers spoke to him and explained the process, a district official told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to veteran Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal and enquired about his health on Thursday, after the 94-year-old tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to a hospital in Ludhiana. Badal has previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab.
India logged 3,17,532 new coronavirus infections, the highest in 249 days, taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,82,18,773, which includes 9,287 cases of the Omicron variant, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The active cases rose to 19,24,051, the highest in 234 days, while the death toll climbed to 4,87,693 with 491 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. There has been a 3.63 per cent increase in Omicron cases since Wednesday, the ministry said. Experts said it is not possible to undertake genome sequencing of each and every sample but stressed that the current wave is largely being driven by Omicron.
The active cases comprise 5.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.09 per cent, the ministry said. (PTI)
More than 158.96 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, according to data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Of these, over 12.72 crore doses are still available.
India reported more than 3.17 lakh (3,17,532) new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking a 12 per cent increase in fresh cases since yesterday. The active caseload currently stands at 19,24,051, while the recovery rate is currently at 93.69 per cent.
Hundreds of thousands of deaths occur today due to previously treatable infections — such as lower respiratory and bloodstream infections — because the bacteria that cause them have become resistant to treatment. A comprehensive estimate of the global impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), covering 204 countries and territories and published in The Lancet, has found that 1.27 million people died in 2019 as a direct result of AMR, which is now a leading cause of death worldwide, higher than HIV/AIDS or malaria.
The analysis
The Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) report used statistical modelling to estimate deaths linked to 23 pathogens and 88 pathogen-drug combinations.
Apart from 12.7 lakh deaths caused directly by AMR (these would not have occurred had the infections been drug-susceptible), another 49.5 lakh deaths were associated with AMR (a drug-resistant infection was implicated, but resistance itself may or may not have been the direct cause of death). HIV/AIDS and malaria were estimated to have caused 8.6 lakh and 6.4 lakh deaths respectively in 2019. Read more.
In what could further underline the importance of vaccination, a new study shows that an infection with the Omicron variant of the Covid virus may not generate broad immunity in unvaccinated individuals that can protect against other variants.
However, the pre-print study from the US shows that in vaccinated individuals, an Omicron infection can boost existing immunity, thereby allowing the individual to fight off another infection better.
The study has been conducted by a team comprising Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco; University of California, Berkeley; California Department of Public Health; and Covid-19testing start-up Curative Inc. Read more.
India has clocked over 158 crore vaccines – first, second and precaution doses taken together — until January 18, at a ratio of 954 women for every 1,000 men. Overall, this is higher than the sex ratio (933) as per the last Census but it’s the top metros that show a gender gap in vaccination.
Until January 18, Mumbai saw 1.10 crore men getting vaccinated against 76.98 lakh women, a ratio of 694 women for every 1,000 men. This is sharply lower than the city’s Census sex ratio of 832.
Similar is the disparity in Delhi: 1.64 crore men got vaccinated compared to 1.22 crore among women over the last one year — a ratio of 742 women every 1,000 men. As per the last Census, the sex ratio in Delhi is 868. Read more.