CORONAVIRUS NEWS

Without invoking South Korea, the authorities warned against balloons bearing humanitarian aid and posters that have been flown across the border by North Korean defectors and activists, Reuters reported. (Reuters)

North Korea hails progress in fight against drought despite Covid wave

June 1, 2022 14:30 IST

The counter drought efforts are seen advancing in North Korea, even though the country is suffering from an unprecedented Covid wave.

Exhausted workers who carried the dead for cremation sit on the rear step of an ambulance in New Delhi. (AP/ File)

Plea in SC seeks setting up of international task force on Covid-19 deaths

July 27, 2021 16:38 IST

The petition also seeks a direction to the Union of India to scientifically keep track of any further mutation that may occur in future and not be caught unawares as it was when the Delta variant emerged.

Covid-19 patients being treated at Dalvi Hospital in Shivajinagar, Pune. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)

Delta Plus has more affinity for lung tissues in comparison to other Covid-19 strains: NTAGI chief

June 27, 2021 20:53 IST

Till now, 51 cases of Delta Plus have been detected across 12 states, with Maharashtra reporting the maximum cases of this variant.

‘Interim report, oxygen needs are dynamic’: AIIMS chief amid row over Delhi’s peak demand

June 26, 2021 21:55 IST

In the report, a five-member sub-group, constituted by the apex court last month for the oxygen audit of Delhi, headed by Guleria, had stated that Delhi's oxygen needs were "exaggerated" by four times during the second Covid wave.

Covid-19 vaccination drive held at a primary school in Pipan village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

‘Not enough stock’ of Covaxin stock for second dose in Gujarat citiesSubscriber Only

June 16, 2021 22:32 IST

While the Surat and Rajkot Municipal Corporations have begun administering the second dose of Covaxin in staggered numbers, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is waiting for “sufficient stock” to kick off the vaccination drive for those in need of the second dose.

A beneficiary receiving Covid-19 vaccine at in New Delhi. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

We didn’t back doubling of vaccine dosing gap, say Indian scientists

June 15, 2021 23:32 IST

The ministry of health announced the decision to change the gap from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks on May 13, at a time when supplies of the shot were falling short of demand and infections were surging across the country.

Amid pandemic, students in Punjab log into online summer camps to express themselvesSubscriber Only

June 9, 2021 22:24 IST

The event, which was initially supposed to be organised for a duration of one week to 10 days, has become such a hit with students that requests have poured in by the dozen and the duration of these virtual summer camps had to be increased.

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Karnataka govt shelves Covid relief to Muslim clerics after VHP’s oppositionSubscriber Only

June 10, 2021 08:06 IST

The BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government announced a relief package of Rs 3,000 each to imams and muezzins in mosques along with the temple priests serving in the 'C' category of temples under the Muzrai (Hindu religious endowment department) Department.

The varsity, along with the Hyderabad-based Lorven Biologics Pvt. Ltd., has developed a COVID-19 detection kit which is now being sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, for emergency approval.

Mysore University develops Covid-19 self-testing kit that ‘can detect virus in 10 minutes’Subscriber Only

June 8, 2021 19:53 IST

The university claims that the kit is expected to be available at an affordable cost of Rs 100 since it has been developed by a state-run university.

Employees pack boxes containing vials of Covishield, a version of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Serum Institute of India in Pune, India. (AP Photo)

No decision yet on granting indemnity to Covid vaccine makers: Centre

June 4, 2021 22:15 IST

The Indian drug regulator has not granted indemnity against the costs of compensation for severe side effects to the manufacturers of any of the three Covid-19 vaccines to which it has issued emergency use authorisation.

District officers, collectors, and staff of primary health centres are creating awareness and assisting the rural population to get vaccinated, said Sharma, asserting that it would not be right to make a general observation that rural people are being left out in the race for vaccination. (File Photo)

Covid-19 vaccination: Here’s how you can book slot with a call

May 28, 2021 19:26 IST

Lack of access to technology has posed a major challenge to people in rural India as the government has mandated prior online registration on the CoWIN portal for the 18-44 years age group.

Large crowds at the BL Kapoor vaccination centre in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

India will complete Covid vaccination exercise by December, says Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

May 28, 2021 22:51 IST

Javadekar's response came amid mounting criticism over the crippling shortage of Covid vaccines.

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Scientists don’t want to ignore the ‘lab leak’ theory, despite no new evidenceSubscriber Only

May 28, 2021 11:49 IST

After long steering clear of the debate, some influential scientists have lately become more open to expressing uncertainties about the origins of the virus. If the two most vocal poles of the argument are natural spillover vs. laboratory leak, these new voices have added a third point of view: a resounding undecided.

Biden asks US intel community to probe Covid-19 origin, urges China to cooperate

May 26, 2021 23:14 IST

The US President said there is insufficient evidence to conclude “whether it emerged from human contact with an infected animal or from a laboratory accident.”

Ramdev should be booked under sedition charges: IMA in letter to PM

May 26, 2021 19:12 IST

On Sunday, Ramdev was forced to withdraw a statement made in the viral video clip in which he is heard questioning some of the medicines being used to treat the coronavirus infection and saying that "lakhs have died from taking allopathic medicines for COVID-19".

A woman stands outside as a patient infected with black fungus is treated at the Mucormycosis ward of a government hospital in Hyderabad, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

To check Covid-linked black fungus, Centre makes the disease ‘notifiable’Subscriber Only

May 21, 2021 06:59 IST

Mucormycosis is a fungal infection in which sinuses or lungs are affected after fungal spores in the air are inhaled.

Covid test, vaccination reports: Surat administration to check health cards of shopkeepers from FridaySubscriber Only

May 20, 2021 19:34 IST

The health department had issued around 80,000 health cards to shopkeepers and their employees in eight zones in the city, a month ago. Shopkeepers fall in the category of super-spreaders as several customers visit these shops daily.

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Nurse who cared for Covid-struck UK PM Johnson quits, criticises govt’s handling of pandemic

May 20, 2021 17:46 IST

Jenny McGee, originally from New Zealand, said the pandemic that has claimed over 120,000 lives in the UK, has proved the toughest year in her career.

Provide free education to children whose parents died of Covid: Sonia to PM ModiSubscriber Only

May 21, 2021 02:57 IST

In a letter to the Prime Minister, she said children who have lost one or both parents to the pandemic are left with the trauma of loss and no support towards a stable education or future.

Facing vaccine shortage, these states decide to float global tenders to procure Covid jabs

May 11, 2021 21:09 IST

Several states, which have been witnessing a huge caseload in the past few weeks, were forced to shut vaccination centers amid vaccine shortage even as the third phase of the immunization programme is underway.

Covid victim’s wife alleges sexual harassment, negligence at Bihar hospitals

May 11, 2021 17:48 IST

In the wake of the allegations, the Bhagalpur police has launched a probe into the incident and constituted a three-member team to carry out investigation.

Covid surge in congested jails, SC orders release of prisonersSubscriber Only

May 9, 2021 02:14 IST

The court told states to avoid unnecessary arrests and directed the high-powered committees constituted by states and Union Territories—as per the court’s order last year—to consider fresh releases of prisoners.

The delta variant of Coronavirus in China has proved to be more fatal with symptoms more dangerous than the initial spread of the virus in 2019. (AP Photo)

US CDC acknowledges Covid-19 virus is airborne

May 8, 2021 22:40 IST

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that while talking, people release respiratory fluids which then settle on nearby surfaces or can remain suspended in the air.

Positive COVID-19 test report not mandatory for admission in hospitals: Govt

May 8, 2021 19:15 IST

In its revised national policy for admission of COVID patients to various dedicated health facilities, both public and private, the Union Health Ministry said no patient will be refused services on any account, including oxygen and essential drugs, even if the he or she belongs to a different city.

SC sets up task force for Covid response, oxygen audit, supplySubscriber Only

May 9, 2021 06:08 IST

The order said the Centre had suggested that “in order to ensure that the allocation and distribution of oxygen takes place on a rational and equitable basis, it is necessary to constitute a National Task Force of experts which would determine the method of allocation and distribution of oxygen across states/UTs”.