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A new strain of Covid-19 has been found in Kerala. This variant is said to be a descendant of BA.2.86, known as the Pirola strain. Here is all you need to know about it.

All you need to know about Covid-19 new variant JN.1.: Symptoms, prevention tips and more

A new strain of Covid-19 has been found in Kerala. This variant is said to be a descendant of BA.2.86, known as the Pirola strain. Here is all you need to know about it.

A new variant of Covid-19 has emerged, and it is more infectious than the previous variants. Scientists are worried about the new strain -JN.1 strain of coronavirus that was recently found in a patient in Kerala. The 79-year-old woman had mild symptoms of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and has since then recovered.
All about the COVID-19 new variant
The new variant is known as Covid JN.1. This variant is a descendant of the previous strain BA.2.86 or Pirola. The case was first detected in the US in September this year and then later seven cases were found in China. Even though BA.2.86 and JN.1 sound very different because of the way variants are named, the only difference between them is of a spike protein.
What are the symptoms?
Some common symptoms of the new variant of Covid-19 are fever, runny nose, headache, and sore throat. Other symptoms are mild upper respiratory problems, which typically improve within four or five days.&nbsp;
However, there is no need to panic as the symptoms are similar to viral flu, and with precautions you can avoid catching the new variant of Covid-19. According to a doctor who spoke to ANI, there will not be a new wave of Covid-19, "I don't think I would be wise enough to say that the new wave of COVID is coming. It may just pass away like any other viral infection. Let's keep a watch and keep our fingers crossed."
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/who-advises-strong-surveillance-amid-rise-in-covid-19-jn-1-cases-1702874650600">WHO advises strong surveillance amid rise in Covid-19 JN.1 cases</a> &nbsp;

Out of the 40 deaths reported, 15 were reconciled by Kerala.

Covid-19: minor drop in cases, deaths across India in 24 hours

Out of the 40 deaths reported, 15 were reconciled by Kerala.

India saw a single-day rise of 7,171 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases have decreased to 51,314, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.
The death toll increased to 5,31,508 with 40 deaths, which included 15 reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.49 crore.
The active cases now comprise 0.11 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.70 per cent, according to the health ministry website.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,43,56,693 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 per cent. &nbsp;According to the ministry's website, 220.66 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far.

Pooja Bhatt shared the news on Twitter while reacting to a video of kids banging utensils to ‘drive away’ coronavirus during the first wave in 2020.

Pooja Bhatt tests positive for Covid-19; asks people to mask up as coronavirus is still very much around

Pooja Bhatt shared the news on Twitter while reacting to a video of kids banging utensils to &lsquo;drive away&rsquo; coronavirus during the first wave in 2020.

Actor Pooja Bhatt took to Twitter to share that she has tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time. She shared the news while reacting to a video of kids banging utensils to &lsquo;drive away&rsquo; coronavirus during the first wave in 2020. Commenting on it, Pooja wrote, &lsquo;And exactly 3 yrs later, I have tested positive for the first time. Mask up people! Covid is still very much around and can get to you despite being fully vaccinated. Hopefully I shall be back on my feet soon.&rsquo;
Reacting to her tweet, her friends and followers have wished her a speedy recovery. Filmmaker Onir wrote, &lsquo;Get well soon Pooja. sending you love and good energy.&rsquo;
Pooja Bhatt was last seen in a thriller, &lsquo;Chup: Revenge of The Artist&rsquo;.
Recently, actor-politician Kirron Kher also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The veteran actor shared the news on Twitter and urged all those who came in contact with her to get tested.
Also Watch | <a href="https://www.editorji.com/entertainment-news/is-sequel-of-3-idiots-on-the-cards-find-out-what-kareena-kapoor-khan-has-to-say-1679642069106">Is sequel of '3 Idiots' on the cards? Find out what Kareena Kapoor Khan has to say</a> &nbsp;

US to relax COVID testing rules for travellers from China

The restrictions were put in place on December 28 and took effect on January 5 amid a surge in infections in China.

&nbsp;The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travellers from China as soon as Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision.
The people, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the administration has decided to roll back the testing requirements as cases, hospitalizations and deaths are declining in China and the US has gathered better information about the surge.
The restrictions were put in place on December 28 and took effect on January 5 amid a surge in infections in China after the nation sharply eased pandemic restrictions and as US health officials expressed concerns that their Chinese counterparts were not being truthful to the world about the true number of infections and deaths.
At the time, US officials also said the restriction was necessary to protect US citizens and communities because there was a lack of transparency from the Chinese government "about the size of the surge or the variants that were circulating within" China.&nbsp;

PM Modi notes Covid cases rising in many countries on 'Mann Ki Baat'

Modi said many people are on a vacation or will go on one during Christmas and New Year and urged them to follow protocols.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to be vigilant and take precautions against COVID-19, as he noted that the virus is spreading in many countries.
In his last 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast of the year, Modi said many people are on a vacation or will go on one during Christmas and New Year and urged them to follow protocols like wearing masks and washing hands to ensure that their enjoyment is not affected adversely by the virus.
The central government has stepped up measures against the virus, with the cases on a rise, especially in China where the lifting of zero-Covid policy has caused a spread of the pandemic.
Modi has also chaired meetings and his government has written to the states to put in place adequate measures to deal with any spurt.
The prime minister said the outgoing year, 2022, has been inspirational to India in many ways.
India carved out a special place for itself in the world with its incredible vaccination doses of over 220 crore and the country becoming the fifth largest global economy, he said.
The country also achieved the "magical" export figure of USD 400 billion (one billion=100 crore) and made new strides in space, defence and drone sectors, he added and also highlighted its achievements in sports.
Also Watch| <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/covid-19-airports-begin-random-testing-of-international-passengers-1671872565720">Covid-19: airports begin random testing of international passengers</a>

In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures

Covid-19: Centre asks states to increase genome sequencing of positive samples as cases rise in China

In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures

Amid a fresh spurt in COVID-19 cases in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and the US, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will review the pandemic situation on Wednesday, official sources said.
The minister will review the COVID-19 situation at 11 am on Wednesday considering the international scenario, they said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Health Ministry urged all states and Union territories to ramp up the whole genome sequencing of positive samples to keep track of newer variants.
In a letter to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said such an exercise will enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country and will facilitate undertaking of requisite public health measures.
He highlighted that India with its focus on the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour has been able to restrict the transmission of the coronavirus and is having around 1,200 cases on a weekly basis.
Public health challenge of COVID-19 still persists around the world with around 35 lakh cases being reported weekly, Bhushan said.
"In view of the sudden spurt of cases being witnessed in Japan, United States of America, Republic of Korea, Brazil and China, it is essential to gear up the whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network," he said.
"In this context, all states are requested to ensure that as far as possible samples of all positive cases, on a daily basis, are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Laboratories that are mapped to states and UTs," he added.

Residents of a city in China’s far western Xinjiang region say they are experiencing hunger, forced quarantines and dwindling supplies of medicine and daily necessities after more than 40 days in a virus lockdown.
Hundreds of posts from Ghulja riveted users of Chinese social media last week, with residents sharing videos of empty refrigerators, feverish children and people shouting from their windows.
The dire conditions and food shortages are reminiscent of a harsh lockdown in Shanghai earlier this year, when thousands of residents posted complaints online that they were delivered rotting vegetables or denied critical medical care.
But unlike in Shanghai, a glittering, cosmopolitan metropolis of 20 million people and home to many foreigners, the harsh lockdowns in smaller cities such as Ghulja have received less attention until recently.
As more infectious variants of the coronavirus creep into China, flareups have become increasingly common. Under China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, tens of millions or people are experiencing rolling lockdowns, paralyzing the economy and making travel uncertain.

Under Covid-19 lockdown, Xinjiang residents complain of hunger

Hundreds of posts from Ghulja riveted users of Chinese social media last week, with residents sharing videos of empty refrigerators, feverish children and people shouting from their windows.

Residents of a city in China&rsquo;s far western Xinjiang region say they are experiencing hunger, forced quarantines and dwindling supplies of medicine and daily necessities after more than 40 days in a virus lockdown.
Hundreds of posts from Ghulja riveted users of Chinese social media last week, with residents sharing videos of empty refrigerators, feverish children and people shouting from their windows.
The dire conditions and food shortages are reminiscent of a harsh lockdown in Shanghai earlier this year, when thousands of residents posted complaints online that they were delivered rotting vegetables or denied critical medical care.
But unlike in Shanghai, a glittering, cosmopolitan metropolis of 20 million people and home to many foreigners, the harsh lockdowns in smaller cities such as Ghulja have received less attention until recently.
As more infectious variants of the coronavirus creep into China, flareups have become increasingly common. Under China&rsquo;s &ldquo;zero-COVID&rdquo; strategy, tens of millions or people are experiencing rolling lockdowns, paralyzing the economy and making travel uncertain.
ALSO WATCH: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/china-approves-world-s-first-inhaler-covid-19-vaccine-1662474509513">China approves world's first inhaler Covid-19 vaccine</a>

New Zealand removed most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions Monday as the government signalled a return to normalcy for the first time since the pandemic began.
People will no longer be required to wear masks in supermarkets, stores, busses or planes. The last remaining vaccine mandates — on health care workers — will end. And tourists will no longer need to be vaccinated in order to visit the country.
The government announced it was ditching its so-called COVID traffic light framework altogether and leaving in place just two main restrictions — that those who test positive for the virus isolate for seven days, and that people wear masks when visiting health care facilities like hospitals and aged-care homes.
The changes come as an omicron variant outbreak wanes and the Southern Hemisphere winter ends. Case numbers in New Zealand are at the lowest point since February.
“The changes we've made today are significant. They mark a milestone in our response,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. “This is a time when finally — rather than feeling COVID dictates what happens to us, our lives, and our futures — we take control back.” She said the changes will help drive business activity, which is vital to the nation's economic recovery.
“This will be the first summer in three years when there won't be the question of: What if?” Ardern said.
The end to government restrictions won't stop individual workplaces or stores imposing their own rules, although most people expect mask use to plummet as soon as the government restrictions end just before midnight Monday.
The moves were welcomed by business leaders.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said it was encouraging to see the government trusting individual businesses again.
“No two sites are the same and each business can decide what works for their own environment when it comes to minimizing the spread of COVID-19," he said.
New Zealand enjoyed initial success in fighting the pandemic, managing to eliminate the virus entirely after closing its borders and carefully contact-tracing cases. But its approach changed as more transmissible variants proved impossible to stamp out.
As late as March, the country of 5 million had reported only 65 virus deaths. Since an omicron wave took hold, that number has risen to nearly 2,000. But that still remains low when compared with the death rates in many other countries. 

New Zealand removes most of remaining Covid-19 curbs after cases drop to lowest since Feb

The changes come as an omicron variant outbreak wanes and the Southern Hemisphere winter ends. Case numbers in New Zealand are at the lowest point since February.

New Zealand removed most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions Monday as the government signalled a return to normalcy for the first time since the pandemic began.
People will no longer be required to wear masks in supermarkets, stores, busses or planes. The last remaining vaccine mandates &mdash; on health care workers &mdash; will end. And tourists will no longer need to be vaccinated in order to visit the country.
The government announced it was ditching its so-called COVID traffic light framework altogether and leaving in place just two main restrictions &mdash; that those who test positive for the virus isolate for seven days, and that people wear masks when visiting health care facilities like hospitals and aged-care homes.
The changes come as an omicron variant outbreak wanes and the Southern Hemisphere winter ends. Case numbers in New Zealand are at the lowest point since February.
&ldquo;The changes we've made today are significant. They mark a milestone in our response,&rdquo; said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. &ldquo;This is a time when finally &mdash; rather than feeling COVID dictates what happens to us, our lives, and our futures &mdash; we take control back.&rdquo; She said the changes will help drive business activity, which is vital to the nation's economic recovery.
&ldquo;This will be the first summer in three years when there won't be the question of: What if?&rdquo; Ardern said.
The end to government restrictions won't stop individual workplaces or stores imposing their own rules, although most people expect mask use to plummet as soon as the government restrictions end just before midnight Monday.
The moves were welcomed by business leaders.
ALSO WATCH: <a title="Queen's final journey: Elizabeth II's coffin taken to Edinburgh before London funeral" href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/queen-s-final-journey-elizabeth-ii-s-coffin-taken-to-edinburgh-before-london-funeral-1662946772399">Queen's final journey: Elizabeth II's coffin taken to Edinburgh before London funeral</a>
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said it was encouraging to see the government trusting individual businesses again.
&ldquo;No two sites are the same and each business can decide what works for their own environment when it comes to minimizing the spread of COVID-19," he said.
New Zealand enjoyed initial success in fighting the pandemic, managing to eliminate the virus entirely after closing its borders and carefully contact-tracing cases. But its approach changed as more transmissible variants proved impossible to stamp out.
As late as March, the country of 5 million had reported only 65 virus deaths. Since an omicron wave took hold, that number has risen to nearly 2,000. But that still remains low when compared with the death rates in many other countries.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid is unlikely to travel to the UAE for the Asia Cup after testing positive for Covid-19.
Dravid didn’t travel to Zimbabwe for the recently-concluded ODI series in Harare which the Men in Blue won 3-0.
In Dravid’s absence, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will be the in-charge for now. There’s no clarity yet on whether VVS Laxman, who was appointed as the coach for the Zimbabwe tour, will join up with the first team or not.
According to PTI, the BCCI will wait till next week to see if Dravid recovers and can join the team in the UAE.
India start their Asia Cup campaign on August 28 against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Asia Cup 2022: India Head Coach Rahul Dravid tests positive for Covid-19, will not travel to UAE for now

In a big blow to Team India, head coach Rahul Dravid will not be travelling to the UAE with the Indian squad for the #AsiaCup

Check out who's in-charge in his absence.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that Dravid will join the team in the UAE once he returns a negative test.

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid will not be going to the UAE with the Indian squad after testing positive for Covid-19. Dravid tested positive in a routine check ahead of the team's departure for the Asia Cup.
Dravid didn&rsquo;t travel to Zimbabwe for the recently-concluded ODI series in Harare <a href="https://www.editorji.com/sports-news/india-complete-clean-sweep-despite-sikandar-raza-s-brilliant-hundred-1661181765784">which the Men in Blue won 3-0</a>.
In Dravid&rsquo;s absence, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will be the in-charge for now. There&rsquo;s no clarity yet on whether VVS Laxman, who was appointed as the coach for the Zimbabwe tour, will join up with the first team or not.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that Dravid will join the team in the UAE once he returns a negative test.
India start their Asia Cup campaign on August 28 against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Rise in Covid cases: DGCA directs airlines to enforce protocol 
 
In wake of rising COVID-19 cases, commercial airlines have been directed by DGCA to ensure that passengers adhere to covid norms throughout the journey. The statutory body has also asked the airline operators to sensitise passengers about the same through various platforms. 
Strict action will be taken against those who will not follow the protocol. 
Following a drop in positivity rate and hospitalisation due to covid, mask rules in Delhi were relaxed in March this year. However, there has been a recent surge in virus cases in the capital, with the cases of hospitalisation increasing nearly two-fold in the last two weeks.
Covid-19 positivity rate has touched the 20% mark, setting off the authorities to issue fresh appeals and instructions. 
 
 
 

Rise in Covid cases: DGCA directs airlines to enforce protocol 

Covid-19 positivity rate has touched the 20% mark, setting off the authorities to issue fresh appeals and instructions. 

Covid-19 positivity rate has touched the 20% mark, setting off the authorities to issue fresh appeals and instructions.&nbsp;

Aviation regulator DGCA on Wednesday asked all Indian carriers to strictly enforce COVID-19 protocol, including mask mandate for passengers, in aircraft amid a rise in infections across the country.
In a statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (<a href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/spicejet-penalised-dgca-orders-50-flights-to-be-grounded-for-8-weeks-1658931665335">DGCA</a>) said it will be conducting "random checks" in aircraft across the country to see if the COVID-19 protocol is being enforced or not.
Airlines have to ensure that passengers are wearing face masks properly throughout the journey and there is proper sensitisation of passengers through various platforms, it mentioned.
"In case a passenger does not comply with the directions, strict action will be taken by airlines against the passenger," it added.
In view of the rise in the number of <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/hong-kong-lifts-flight-ban-citing-little-effect-on-covid-19-1657188720510">COVID-19</a> cases, the airlines have been advised again on August 16 to strictly comply with COVID-19 protocol inside the aircraft, it mentioned.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/delhi-lieutenant-governor-urges-caution-covid-positivity-rate-almost-20-1660699811680">Delhi Lieutenant Governor urges caution, Covid positivity rate almost 20%</a>
India on Wednesday recorded 9,062 fresh COVID-19 infections that took its tally to 4,42,86,256, while the number of active cases came down to 1,05,058, according to Union Health Ministry data.&nbsp;

Canada is going to throw out about 13.6 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because it couldn't find any takers for it either at home or abroad.
Canada signed a contract with AstraZeneca in 2020 to get 20 million doses of its vaccine, and 2.3 million Canadians received at least one dose of it, mostly between March and June 2021.
Following concerns in the spring of 2021 about rare but potentially fatal blood clots from AstraZeneca, Canada focused on using its ample supplies of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
In July 2021, Canada promised to donate the rest of its procured supply, about 17.7 million doses. But in a statement Tuesday, Health Canada said that despite efforts to meet that pledge, 13.6 million doses have expired and will have to be thrown out.
"Due to limited demand for the vaccine and recipient country challenges with distribution and absorption, they were not accepted?" the statement said.
In all, Canada donated 8.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine — 4.8 millon doses from its main supply and 4.1 million doses that it bought from the COVAX vaccine-sharing programme.
About 85 per cent of Canadians are considered fully vaccinated, compared with 61 per cent of the world's population, and just 16 per cent of people living in the world's poorest countries

Why Canada is throwing 13.6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine

About 85 per cent of Canadians are considered fully vaccinated, compared with 61 per cent of the world's population, and just 16 per cent of people living in the world's poorest countries

Canada is going to throw out about 13.6 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because it couldn't find any takers for it either at home or abroad.
Canada signed a contract with AstraZeneca in 2020 to get 20 million doses of its vaccine, and 2.3 million Canadians received at least one dose of it, mostly between March and June 2021.
Following concerns in the spring of 2021 about rare but potentially fatal blood clots from AstraZeneca, Canada focused on using its ample supplies of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
In July 2021, Canada promised to donate the rest of its procured supply, about 17.7 million doses. But in a statement Tuesday, Health Canada said that despite efforts to meet that pledge, 13.6 million doses have expired and will have to be thrown out.
"Due to limited demand for the vaccine and recipient country challenges with distribution and absorption, they were not accepted?" the statement said.
In all, Canada donated 8.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine &mdash; 4.8 millon doses from its main supply and 4.1 million doses that it bought from the COVAX vaccine-sharing programme.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/covid-vaccine-finally-reaches-north-korea-country-calls-it-immortal-potion-of-love-from-kim-jong-un-1653926591334">Covid vaccine finally reaches North Korea; country calls it 'immortal potion of love' from Kim Jong Un</a>
About 85 per cent of Canadians are considered fully vaccinated, compared with 61 per cent of the world's population, and just 16 per cent of people living in the world's poorest countries

COVID-19 vaccines prevented over 42 lakh potential deaths in India in 2021, said a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, which based its findings on estimates of "excess" mortalities in the country during the pandemic.
Globally, the mathematical modelling study found that COVID-19 vaccines reduced the potential death toll during the pandemic by nearly 20 million (1 million = 10 lakhs) or more than half in the year following their implementation.
In the first year of the vaccination programme, 19.8 million out of a potential 31.4 million COVID-19 deaths were prevented worldwide, according to estimates based on excess deaths from 185 countries and territories, the researchers said.
The study estimates a further 5,99,300 lives could have been saved if the World Health Organisation's target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population in each country with two or more doses by the end of 2021 had been met.
The study estimated the number of deaths that were prevented between December 8, 2020 and December 8, 2021, which reflects the first year in which the vaccines were distributed.
"For India, we estimate that 42,10,000 deaths were prevented by vaccination in this period. This is our central estimate, with the uncertainty in this estimate ranging between 36,65,000-43,70,000," lead author of the study, Oliver Watson from the Imperial College London, the UK, told PTI.
"What this modelling study shows is that the vaccination campaign in India has likely saved millions of lives. This shows the remarkable impact that the vaccination has had, especially in India, which was the first country to experience the impact of the Delta variant," Watson said in an email.
The India numbers are based on the estimates that 51,60,000 (48,24,000-56,29,000) deaths may have occurred in the country during the pandemic, a number which is 10 times the official figure of 5,24,941 deaths reported so far, he said.
"These estimates are based on the estimates of excess mortality in India during the COVID-19 pandemic, which we have sourced from The Economist and are similar to the estimates that the WHO have reported. Independently, our group has also investigated the COVID-19 death toll based on reports of excess mortality and seroprevalence surveys and arrived at similar estimates of almost 10 times the official count," Watson said.
According to the estimates by The Economist, 2.3 million people died in India from COVID-19 by the start of May 2021, as against official figures of around 2,00,000.
The WHO had last month estimated that there were 4.7 million Covid-linked deaths in India, a figure that was refuted by the government.
Of the almost 20 million deaths estimated to have been prevented in the first year after vaccines were introduced, almost 7.5 million deaths were prevented in countries covered by the COVID-19 Vaccine Access initiative (COVAX), the researchers said.
COVAX was set up because it was clear early on that global vaccine equity would be the only way out of the pandemic, they said.
The initiative has facilitated access to affordable vaccines for lower income countries to try to reduce inequalities, with an initial target of giving both vaccine doses to 20 per cent of the population in countries covered by the commitment by the end of 2021, the researchers said.
Since the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered outside of a clinical trial setting on December 8, 2020, almost two-thirds of the world's population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (66 per cent), they noted.
Despite the incredible speed of the vaccine roll-out worldwide, more than 3.5 million COVID-19 deaths have been reported since the first vaccine was administered in December 2020, they said.
To estimate the impact of the global vaccination programmes, the researchers used an established model of COVID-19 transmission using country-level data for officially recorded COVID-19 deaths occurring between December 8, 2020 and December 8 2021.
To account for under-reporting of deaths in countries with weaker surveillance systems, they carried out a separate analysis based on the number of excess deaths recorded above those that would have been expected during the same time period.
China was not included in the analysis owing to its large population and very strict lockdown measures which would have skewed the findings, the researchers said.
The team found that based on officially recorded COVID-19 deaths, an estimated 18.1 million deaths would have occurred during the study period if vaccinations had not been implemented.
Of these, the model estimates that vaccination has prevented 14.4 million deaths, representing a global reduction of 79 per cent.
These findings do not account for under-reporting of COVID-19 deaths, which is common in lower income countries.
The team did a further analysis based on total excess deaths during the same time period to account for this.
They found that COVID-19 vaccination prevented an estimated 19.8 million deaths out of a total of 31.4 million potential deaths that would have occurred without vaccination, a reduction of 63 per cent.
More than three quarters (79 per cent) of deaths averted were due to the direct protection against severe symptoms provided by the vaccination, leading to lower mortality rates, the researchers said.
The remaining 4.3 million averted deaths were estimated to have been prevented by indirect protection from reduced transmission of the virus in the population and reduced burden on healthcare systems, thereby improving access to medical care for those most in need, they said.
The study found that the vaccine impact changed over time and in different areas of the world as the pandemic progressed.
In the first half of 2021, the greatest number of deaths averted by vaccination was seen in lower middle-income countries, resulting from the significant epidemic wave in India as the Delta variant emerged.
This subsequently shifted to the greatest impact being concentrated in higher income countries in the second half of 2021, as restrictions on travel and social mixing were eased in some areas leading to greater virus transmission.
The shortfall in the WHO target of fully vaccinating 40 per cent of the population of each country by the end of 2021 is estimated to have contributed to an additional 5,99,300 deaths worldwide that could have been prevented.
Lower-middle income countries accounted for the majority of these deaths.
"Our study demonstrates the enormous benefit that vaccines had in reducing deaths from COVID-19 globally," said Professor Azra Ghani, Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London.
"Whilst the intense focus on the pandemic has now shifted, it is important that we ensure the most vulnerable people in all parts of the world are protected from ongoing circulation of COVID-19 and from the other major diseases that continue to disproportionately affect the poorest," Ghani said.
The authors note several limitations to their findings. Notably, their model is based on a number of necessary assumptions, including the precise proportions of which vaccine types have been delivered, how they were delivered and the precise timing of when new virus variants arrived in each country.
They also assumed that the relationship between age and the proportion of COVID-19 deaths occurring among infected individuals is the same for each country.

Covid vaccines prevented deaths of 42 lakh Indians in 2021: Lancet study

The study estimated the number of deaths that were prevented between December 8, 2020 and December 8, 2021, which reflects the first year in which the vaccines were distributed.

COVID-19 vaccines prevented over 42 lakh potential deaths in India in 2021, said a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, which based its findings on estimates of "excess" mortalities in the country during the pandemic.
Globally, the mathematical modelling study found that COVID-19 vaccines reduced the potential death toll during the pandemic by nearly 20 million (1 million = 10 lakhs) or more than half in the year following their implementation.
In the first year of the vaccination programme, 19.8 million out of a potential 31.4 million COVID-19 deaths were prevented worldwide, according to estimates based on excess deaths from 185 countries and territories, the researchers said.
The study estimates a further 5,99,300 lives could have been saved if the World Health Organisation's target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population in each country with two or more doses by the end of 2021 had been met.
The study estimated the number of deaths that were prevented between December 8, 2020 and December 8, 2021, which reflects the first year in which the vaccines were distributed.
"For India, we estimate that 42,10,000 deaths were prevented by vaccination in this period. This is our central estimate, with the uncertainty in this estimate ranging between 36,65,000-43,70,000," lead author of the study, Oliver Watson from the Imperial College London, the UK, told PTI.
"What this modelling study shows is that the vaccination campaign in India has likely saved millions of lives. This shows the remarkable impact that the vaccination has had, especially in India, which was the first country to experience the impact of the Delta variant," Watson said in an email.
The India numbers are based on the estimates that 51,60,000 (48,24,000-56,29,000) deaths may have occurred in the country during the pandemic, a number which is 10 times the official figure of 5,24,941 deaths reported so far, he said.
"These estimates are based on the estimates of excess mortality in India during the COVID-19 pandemic, which we have sourced from The Economist and are similar to the estimates that the WHO have reported. Independently, our group has also investigated the COVID-19 death toll based on reports of excess mortality and seroprevalence surveys and arrived at similar estimates of almost 10 times the official count," Watson said.
According to the estimates by The Economist, 2.3 million people died in India from COVID-19 by the start of May 2021, as against official figures of around 2,00,000.
The WHO had last month estimated that there were 4.7 million Covid-linked deaths in India, a figure that was refuted by the government.
Of the almost 20 million deaths estimated to have been prevented in the first year after vaccines were introduced, almost 7.5 million deaths were prevented in countries covered by the COVID-19 Vaccine Access initiative (COVAX), the researchers said.
COVAX was set up because it was clear early on that global vaccine equity would be the only way out of the pandemic, they said.
The initiative has facilitated access to affordable vaccines for lower income countries to try to reduce inequalities, with an initial target of giving both vaccine doses to 20 per cent of the population in countries covered by the commitment by the end of 2021, the researchers said.
Since the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered outside of a clinical trial setting on December 8, 2020, almost two-thirds of the world's population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (66 per cent), they noted.
Despite the incredible speed of the vaccine roll-out worldwide, more than 3.5 million COVID-19 deaths have been reported since the first vaccine was administered in December 2020, they said.
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To estimate the impact of the global vaccination programmes, the researchers used an established model of COVID-19 transmission using country-level data for officially recorded COVID-19 deaths occurring between December 8, 2020 and December 8 2021.
To account for under-reporting of deaths in countries with weaker surveillance systems, they carried out a separate analysis based on the number of excess deaths recorded above those that would have been expected during the same time period.
China was not included in the analysis owing to its large population and very strict lockdown measures which would have skewed the findings, the researchers said.
The team found that based on officially recorded COVID-19 deaths, an estimated 18.1 million deaths would have occurred during the study period if vaccinations had not been implemented.
Of these, the model estimates that vaccination has prevented 14.4 million deaths, representing a global reduction of 79 per cent.
These findings do not account for under-reporting of COVID-19 deaths, which is common in lower income countries.
The team did a further analysis based on total excess deaths during the same time period to account for this.
They found that COVID-19 vaccination prevented an estimated 19.8 million deaths out of a total of 31.4 million potential deaths that would have occurred without vaccination, a reduction of 63 per cent.
More than three quarters (79 per cent) of deaths averted were due to the direct protection against severe symptoms provided by the vaccination, leading to lower mortality rates, the researchers said.
The remaining 4.3 million averted deaths were estimated to have been prevented by indirect protection from reduced transmission of the virus in the population and reduced burden on healthcare systems, thereby improving access to medical care for those most in need, they said.
The study found that the vaccine impact changed over time and in different areas of the world as the pandemic progressed.
In the first half of 2021, the greatest number of deaths averted by vaccination was seen in lower middle-income countries, resulting from the significant epidemic wave in India as the Delta variant emerged.
This subsequently shifted to the greatest impact being concentrated in higher income countries in the second half of 2021, as restrictions on travel and social mixing were eased in some areas leading to greater virus transmission.
The shortfall in the WHO target of fully vaccinating 40 per cent of the population of each country by the end of 2021 is estimated to have contributed to an additional 5,99,300 deaths worldwide that could have been prevented.
Lower-middle income countries accounted for the majority of these deaths.
"Our study demonstrates the enormous benefit that vaccines had in reducing deaths from COVID-19 globally," said Professor Azra Ghani, Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London.
"Whilst the intense focus on the pandemic has now shifted, it is important that we ensure the most vulnerable people in all parts of the world are protected from ongoing circulation of COVID-19 and from the other major diseases that continue to disproportionately affect the poorest," Ghani said.
The authors note several limitations to their findings. Notably, their model is based on a number of necessary assumptions, including the precise proportions of which vaccine types have been delivered, how they were delivered and the precise timing of when new virus variants arrived in each country.
They also assumed that the relationship between age and the proportion of COVID-19 deaths occurring among infected individuals is the same for each country.

Developed by the Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, India has got its first homemade Covid-19 vaccine for animals called Anocovax.The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research said in a statement.
The vaccine contains inactivated Delta antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant. It is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits.
 

Anocovax: India's first Covid vaccine for animals launched

The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research said in a statement.

Developed by the Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, India has got its&nbsp;first homemade&nbsp;Covid-19 vaccine for animals called Anocovax.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday launched the country's first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine Anocovax for animals, developed by Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRC).
Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (COVID-19) vaccine for animals. The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a statement.
The vaccine contains inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant. It is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits, it added.
"It is due to the untiring contributions of scientists that the country stands self-reliant in developing its own vaccines more rather than importing. This is really a big achievement," Tomar said after the virtual launch of the COVID-19 vaccine and diagnostic kits for animals developed by the ICAR-NRC.
Besides Anocovac, Tomar launched the 'CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit' -- a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit -- for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.
"There are no laboratory animals required for the preparation of the antigens. The kit is made in India and a patent has been filed for the same. No other comparable kits for detection of antibodies in canines are available in the market," the ICAR said.
Surra ELISA kit, a suitable diagnostic assay for 'Trypanosoma evansi' infection in multiple animal species, was also launched.
Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi. The disease is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India. In India, losses to livestock productivity were estimated to be Rs 44,740 million annually due to Surra, the ICAR noted. Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/sports-news/cricket/kane-williamson-ruled-out-of-2nd-test-vs-england-after-testing-covid-19-positive-1654851095648">Kane Williamson ruled out of 2nd Test vs England after testing Covid-19 positive</a>
The minister also launched the Equine DNA parentage testing kit, which is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis among horses.
ICAR Director General Trilochan Mohapatra, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Atul Chaturvedi, and ICAR Deputy Director General (Animal Science) Bhupendra Nath Tripathi were also present.
ICAR is the country's premier agri-research institute that functions under the Union Agriculture Ministry.&nbsp;

Over two years after the coronavirus was first detected in China, and after at least 6.3 million deaths have been counted worldwide from the pandemic, the World Health Organization is recommending in its strongest terms yet that a deeper probe is required into whether a lab accident may be to blame.
That stance marks a sharp reversal of the U.N. health agency's initial assessment of the pandemic's origins, and comes after many critics accused WHO of being too quick to dismiss or underplay a lab-leak theory that put Chinese officials on the defensive.
WHO concluded last year that it was “extremely unlikely” COVID-19 might have spilled into humans in the city of Wuhan from a lab. Many scientists suspect the coronavirus jumped into people from bats, possibly via another animal.
Yet in a report released Thursday, WHO's expert group said “key pieces of data” to explain how the pandemic began were still missing. The scientists said the group would “remain open to any and all scientific evidence that becomes available in the future to allow for comprehensive testing of all reasonable hypotheses.” Identifying a disease's source in animals typically takes years. It took more than a decade for scientists to pinpoint the species of bats that were the natural reservoir for SARS, a relative of COVID-19.
WHO's expert group also noted that since lab accidents in the past have triggered some outbreaks, the highly politicized theory could not be discounted.
Jean-Claude Manuguerra, a co-chair of the 27-member international advisory group, acknowledged that some scientists might be “allergic” to the idea of investigating the lab leak theory, but said they needed to be “open-minded” enough to examine it.
The report could revive accusations that WHO initially was too accepting of Chinese government explanations early in the outbreak, which ultimately killed millions of people, sickened millions more, forced dozens of countries into lockdown and upended the world economy.
WHO's expert group said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent two letters to senior Chinese government officials in February requesting information, including details about the earliest human cases of COVID-19 in the city of Wuhan. It's unclear whether the Chinese responded.
The experts said no studies were provided to WHO that assessed the possibility of COVID-19 resulting from a laboratory leak. They said their understanding of how the coronavirus emerged was limited by several factors, including that not all research presented by Chinese scientists has been published.
Jamie Metzl, who sits on an unrelated WHO advisory group, has suggested that the Group of Seven industrialized nations set up their own COVID origins probe, saying WHO lacks the political authority, expertise and independence to conduct such a critical evaluation.
Metzl welcomed WHO's call for a further investigation into the lab leak possibility but said it was insufficient.
“Tragically, the Chinese government is still refusing to share essential raw data and will not allow the necessary, full audit of the Wuhan labs,” he said. “Gaining access to this information is critical to both understanding how this pandemic began and preventing future pandemics.” WHO's expert scientists said numerous avenues of research were needed, including studies evaluating the role of wild animals, and environmental studies in places where the virus might have first spread, like the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.
In March 2021, WHO released a report about COVID-19's origins following a highly choreographed visit by international scientists to China. The report concluded that the disease most likely jumped into humans from bats and that there was no evidence to suggest there was a connection to a laboratory.
Yet after considerable criticism, including from some scientists on WHO's team, the agency's director acknowledged that it was “ premature ” to rule out a lab leak and said he asked China to be more transparent in sharing information.
In its new report, WHO said the experts were given access to data that included unpublished blood samples from more than 40,000 people in Wuhan in 2019. The samples were tested for COVID-19 antibodies. None were found, suggesting the virus was not spreading widely before it was first identified in late December of that year.
WHO's experts called for numerous studies to be done, including testing wild animals to find which species might host COVID-19. They also said the “cold chain” supply theory should be probed. China has previously advanced the idea that traces of COVID-19 on frozen packaging was causing outbreaks rather than any domestic source, a theory widely panned by outside scientists.
To investigate whether COVID-19 might have been the result of a lab accident, WHO's experts said interviews should be conducted “with the staff in the laboratories tasked with managing and implementing biosafety and biosecurity.” China has called the suggestion that COVID-19 began in a laboratory “ baseless ” and countered that the virus originated in American facilities, which were also known to be researching coronaviruses in animals. The Chinese government has said it supports the search for the pandemic's origins, but that other countries should be the focus.
In a footnote to the report, WHO's group noted that three of its own experts — scientists from China, Brazil and Russia — disagreed with the call to investigate the possibility of COVID-19 being sparked by a lab accident.

Covid-19 origins unclear but Wuhan lab leak theory needs study: WHO

In a report released Thursday, WHO's expert group said &ldquo;key pieces of data&rdquo; to explain how the pandemic began were still missing.

Over two years after the coronavirus was first detected in China, and after at least 6.3 million deaths have been counted worldwide from the pandemic, the World Health Organization is recommending in its strongest terms yet that a deeper probe is required into whether a lab accident may be to blame.
That stance marks a sharp reversal of the U.N. health agency's initial assessment of the pandemic's origins, and comes after many critics accused WHO of being too quick to dismiss or underplay a lab-leak theory that put Chinese officials on the defensive.
WHO concluded last year that it was &ldquo;extremely unlikely&rdquo; COVID-19 might have spilled into humans in the city of Wuhan from a lab. Many scientists suspect the coronavirus jumped into people from bats, possibly via another animal.
Yet in a report released Thursday, WHO's expert group said &ldquo;key pieces of data&rdquo; to explain how the pandemic began were still missing. The scientists said the group would &ldquo;remain open to any and all scientific evidence that becomes available in the future to allow for comprehensive testing of all reasonable hypotheses.&rdquo; Identifying a disease's source in animals typically takes years. It took more than a decade for scientists to pinpoint the species of bats that were the natural reservoir for SARS, a relative of COVID-19.
WHO's expert group also noted that since lab accidents in the past have triggered some outbreaks, the highly politicized theory could not be discounted.
Jean-Claude Manuguerra, a co-chair of the 27-member international advisory group, acknowledged that some scientists might be &ldquo;allergic&rdquo; to the idea of investigating the lab leak theory, but said they needed to be &ldquo;open-minded&rdquo; enough to examine it.
The report could revive accusations that WHO initially was too accepting of Chinese government explanations early in the outbreak, which ultimately killed millions of people, sickened millions more, forced dozens of countries into lockdown and upended the world economy.
WHO's expert group said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent two letters to senior Chinese government officials in February requesting information, including details about the earliest human cases of COVID-19 in the city of Wuhan. It's unclear whether the Chinese responded.
The experts said no studies were provided to WHO that assessed the possibility of COVID-19 resulting from a laboratory leak. They said their understanding of how the coronavirus emerged was limited by several factors, including that not all research presented by Chinese scientists has been published.
Jamie Metzl, who sits on an unrelated WHO advisory group, has suggested that the Group of Seven industrialized nations set up their own COVID origins probe, saying WHO lacks the political authority, expertise and independence to conduct such a critical evaluation.
Metzl welcomed WHO's call for a further investigation into the lab leak possibility but said it was insufficient.
&ldquo;Tragically, the Chinese government is still refusing to share essential raw data and will not allow the necessary, full audit of the Wuhan labs,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Gaining access to this information is critical to both understanding how this pandemic began and preventing future pandemics.&rdquo; WHO's expert scientists said numerous avenues of research were needed, including studies evaluating the role of wild animals, and environmental studies in places where the virus might have first spread, like the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.
In March 2021, WHO released a report about COVID-19's origins following a highly choreographed visit by international scientists to China. The report concluded that the disease most likely jumped into humans from bats and that there was no evidence to suggest there was a connection to a laboratory.
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Yet after considerable criticism, including from some scientists on WHO's team, the agency's director acknowledged that it was &ldquo; premature &rdquo; to rule out a lab leak and said he asked China to be more transparent in sharing information.
In its new report, WHO said the experts were given access to data that included unpublished blood samples from more than 40,000 people in Wuhan in 2019. The samples were tested for COVID-19 antibodies. None were found, suggesting the virus was not spreading widely before it was first identified in late December of that year.
WHO's experts called for numerous studies to be done, including testing wild animals to find which species might host COVID-19. They also said the &ldquo;cold chain&rdquo; supply theory should be probed. China has previously advanced the idea that traces of COVID-19 on frozen packaging was causing outbreaks rather than any domestic source, a theory widely panned by outside scientists.
To investigate whether COVID-19 might have been the result of a lab accident, WHO's experts said interviews should be conducted &ldquo;with the staff in the laboratories tasked with managing and implementing biosafety and biosecurity.&rdquo; China has called the suggestion that COVID-19 began in a laboratory &ldquo; baseless &rdquo; and countered that the virus originated in American facilities, which were also known to be researching coronaviruses in animals. The Chinese government has said it supports the search for the pandemic's origins, but that other countries should be the focus.
In a footnote to the report, WHO's group noted that three of its own experts &mdash; scientists from China, Brazil and Russia &mdash; disagreed with the call to investigate the possibility of COVID-19 being sparked by a lab accident.

A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is “getting worse, not better,” despite the secretive country's recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.
At a briefing on Wednesday, WHO's emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about the COVID-19 outbreak there, saying “we have real issues in getting access to the raw data and to the actual situation on the ground.” He said WHO has not received any privileged information about the epidemic — unlike in typical outbreaks when countries may share more sensitive data with the organization so it can evaluate the public health risks for the global community.
“It is very, very difficult to provide a proper analysis to the world when we don't have access to the necessary data,” he said. WHO has previously voiced concerns about the impact of COVID-19 in North Korea's population, which is believed to be largely unvaccinated and whose fragile health systems could struggle to deal with a surge of cases prompted by the super-infectious omicron and its subvariants.
Ryan said WHO had offered technical assistance and supplies to North Korean officials multiple times, including offering COVID-19 vaccines on at least three separate occasions.
Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials discussed revising stringent anti-epidemic restrictions, state media reported, as they maintained a widely disputed claim that the country's first COVID-19 outbreak is slowing.
The discussion at the North's Politburo meeting on Sunday suggested it would soon relax a set of draconian curbs imposed after it announced the outbreak in early May out of concern about its food and economic situations.
North Korea's claims to have controlled COVID-19 without widespread vaccination, lockdowns or drugs have been met with widespread disbelief, particularly its insistence that only dozens have died among many millions infected — a far lower death rate than seen anywhere else in the world.
The North Korean government has said there are about 3.7 million people with fever or suspected COVID-19. But it disclosed few details about the severity of illness or how many people have recovered, frustrating public health experts' attempt to understand the extent of the outbreak.
“We really would appeal for a more open approach so we can come to the assistance of the people of (North Korea), because right now we are not in a position to make an adequate risk assessment of the situation on the ground,” Ryan said. He said WHO was working with neighboring countries like China and South Korea to ascertain more about what might be happening in North Korea, saying that the epidemic there could potentially have global implications.
WHO's criticism of North Korea's failure to provide more information about its COVID-19 outbreak stands in contrast to the UN health agency's failure to publicly fault China in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Is Covid-19 situation getting better in North Korea? This is what WHO said

A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak is &ldquo;getting worse, not better,&rdquo; in North Korea.&nbsp;

A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is &ldquo;getting worse, not better,&rdquo; despite the secretive country's recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there.
At a briefing on Wednesday, WHO's emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about the COVID-19 outbreak there, saying &ldquo;we have real issues in getting access to the raw data and to the actual situation on the ground.&rdquo; He said WHO has not received any privileged information about the epidemic &mdash; unlike in typical outbreaks when countries may share more sensitive data with the organization so it can evaluate the public health risks for the global community.
&ldquo;It is very, very difficult to provide a proper analysis to the world when we don't have access to the necessary data,&rdquo; he said. WHO has previously voiced concerns about the impact of COVID-19 in North Korea's population, which is believed to be largely unvaccinated and whose fragile health systems could struggle to deal with a surge of cases prompted by the super-infectious omicron and its subvariants.
Ryan said WHO had offered technical assistance and supplies to North Korean officials multiple times, including offering COVID-19 vaccines on at least three separate occasions.
Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials discussed revising stringent anti-epidemic restrictions, state media reported, as they maintained a widely disputed claim that the country's first COVID-19 outbreak is slowing.
Also watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/shanghai-china-s-largest-city-savours-easing-up-of-covid-19-curbs-1654061615568" target="_blank">Shanghai: China's largest city savours easing up of Covid-19 curbs</a>
The discussion at the North's Politburo meeting on Sunday suggested it would soon relax a set of draconian curbs imposed after it announced the outbreak in early May out of concern about its food and economic situations.
North Korea's claims to have controlled COVID-19 without widespread vaccination, lockdowns or drugs have been met with widespread disbelief, particularly its insistence that only dozens have died among many millions infected &mdash; a far lower death rate than seen anywhere else in the world.
The North Korean government has said there are about 3.7 million people with fever or suspected COVID-19. But it disclosed few details about the severity of illness or how many people have recovered, frustrating public health experts' attempt to understand the extent of the outbreak.
&ldquo;We really would appeal for a more open approach so we can come to the assistance of the people of (North Korea), because right now we are not in a position to make an adequate risk assessment of the situation on the ground,&rdquo; Ryan said. He said WHO was working with neighboring countries like China and South Korea to ascertain more about what might be happening in North Korea, saying that the epidemic there could potentially have global implications.
WHO's criticism of North Korea's failure to provide more information about its COVID-19 outbreak stands in contrast to the UN health agency's failure to publicly fault China in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Wednesday asked civic officials to ramp up coronavirus testing immediately on a war-footing and keep the staff of jumbo field hospitals on alert in the wake of a "tremendous" rise in fresh COVID-19 cases in the city over the past few weeks.
"The new cases (reported) daily have tremendously gone up in Mumbai, and with monsoon around the corner, we will now see a rapid rise in symptomatic cases," Chahal told BMC officials.
Since the beginning of May, the COVID-19 cases in the metropolis have been steadily going up. The number of new cases reported on Tuesday crossed the 500-mark for the first time after February 6.
Chahal, in a message, directed the BMC officials to conduct the COVID-19 testing in Mumbai on a war-footing, ensure adequate staff at jumbo field hospitals and to keep them on alert.
He also asked the civic officials to tell private laboratories to be pro-active and fully prepared.
Chahal also asked all the assistant municipal commissioners, in-charge of various wards, to review the status of ward war rooms to ensure they are fully equipped with staff, medical teams and ambulances, and also to put private hospitals on alert.
He also asked the assistant civic commissioners to take daily reviews of the COVID-19 situation in their wards and intervene wherever required.
The civic chief also directed these officials to visit jumbo hospitals coming under their jurisdiction, to ensure they are monsoon-ready with de-watering pumps, structural stability certification, fire safety mechanisms, medical and paramedic staff, oxygen manufacturing plants and fully equipped with medicines.
"The jumbo medical facility in Malad area should be put to use on priority, if hospitalisations rise in the coming days," Chahal said.
He also asked the civic officials to persuade people to take booster doses of vaccine against COVID-19, and boost up the inoculation drive in the 12-18 years category. 

Mumbai on alert as Covid cases spike; cases cross 500-mark first time since February

BMC&nbsp;commissioner asked the assistant civic commissioners to take daily reviews of the COVID-19 situation in their wards and intervene wherever required.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Wednesday asked civic officials to ramp up coronavirus testing immediately on a war-footing and keep the staff of jumbo field hospitals on alert in the wake of a "tremendous" rise in fresh COVID-19 cases in the city over the past few weeks.
"The new cases (reported) daily have tremendously gone up in Mumbai, and with monsoon around the corner, we will now see a rapid rise in symptomatic cases," Chahal told BMC officials.
Since the beginning of May, the COVID-19 cases in the metropolis have been steadily going up. The number of new cases reported on Tuesday crossed the 500-mark for the first time after February 6.
Chahal, in a message, directed the BMC officials to conduct the COVID-19 testing in Mumbai on a war-footing, ensure adequate staff at jumbo field hospitals and to keep them on alert.
He also asked the civic officials to tell private laboratories to be pro-active and fully prepared.
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Chahal also asked all the assistant municipal commissioners, in-charge of various wards, to review the status of ward war rooms to ensure they are fully equipped with staff, medical teams and ambulances, and also to put private hospitals on alert.
He also asked the assistant civic commissioners to take daily reviews of the COVID-19 situation in their wards and intervene wherever required.
The civic chief also directed these officials to visit jumbo hospitals coming under their jurisdiction, to ensure they are monsoon-ready with de-watering pumps, structural stability certification, fire safety mechanisms, medical and paramedic staff, oxygen manufacturing plants and fully equipped with medicines.
"The jumbo medical facility in Malad area should be put to use on priority, if hospitalisations rise in the coming days," Chahal said.
He also asked the civic officials to persuade people to take booster doses of vaccine against COVID-19, and boost up the inoculation drive in the 12-18 years category.&nbsp;

Delhi logged 1,009 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, a 60 per cent jump from a day ago, with the city government making the wearing of masks in public places mandatory again and announcing a Rs 500 fine on violators.
This was the maximum number of cases recorded in Delhi since February 10 when 1,104 infections were reported.
A total of 17,701 tests were conducted a day ago and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day, the latest health bulletin said.
On Tuesday, Delhi had reported 632 cases with a positivity rate of 4.42 per cent. A day before, the city reported 501 cases with a positivity rate of 7.72 per cent.  With the capital seeing a spurt in infections, the number of active cases has increased to 2,641 from 601 on April 11.  However, the hospitalisation rate has so far been low, accounting for less than three per cent of the total active cases.
There are 54 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in Delhi at present. 1,578 are recuperating in home isolation.  Of the 9,737 beds available for Covid patients in hospitals, just 91 are occupied.
Given the spike in cases, the Delhi government on Wednesday made the wearing of masks mandatory in public places and announced a fine of Rs 500 on violators.
It had lifted the fine for not wearing a mask on April 12 because of the decline in cases.
Officials said the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has also decided not to shut schools and will come up with a separate Standard Operating Procedure in consultation with experts.
Delhi has also started genome sequencing of samples of all Covid infected people in the capital to ascertain if a new variant, such as the XE, has spread in the city.

Delhi logged 1,009 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday

A total of 17,701 tests were conducted on Tuesday and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day,

A total of 17,701 tests were conducted a day ago and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day, the latest health bulletin said.

Delhi logged 1,009 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, a 60 per cent jump from a day ago, with the city government making the wearing of masks in public places mandatory again and announcing a Rs 500 fine on violators.
This was the maximum number of cases recorded in Delhi since February 10 when 1,104 infections were reported.
A total of 17,701 tests were conducted a day ago and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day, the latest health bulletin said.
On Tuesday, Delhi had reported 632 cases with a positivity rate of 4.42 per cent. A day before, the city reported 501 cases with a positivity rate of 7.72 per cent.&nbsp; With the capital seeing a spurt in infections, the number of active cases has increased to 2,641 from 601 on April 11.&nbsp; However, the hospitalisation rate has so far been low, accounting for less than three per cent of the total active cases.
There are 54 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in Delhi at present. 1,578 are recuperating in home isolation.&nbsp; Of the 9,737 beds available for Covid patients in hospitals, just 91 are occupied.
Given the spike in cases, the Delhi government on Wednesday made the wearing of masks mandatory in public places and announced a fine of Rs 500 on violators.
It had lifted the fine for not wearing a mask on April&nbsp;12 because of the decline in cases.
Officials said the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has also decided not to shut schools and will come up with a separate Standard Operating Procedure in consultation with experts.
Delhi has also started genome sequencing of samples of all Covid infected people in the capital to ascertain if a new variant, such as the XE, has spread in the city.

 Shanghai reported three deaths due to COVID-19, the first in the financial hub after it was hit by the Omicron variant last month, while a top official ruled out relaxing the curbs until the ruling Communist Party Congress met later this year to elect Chinese President Xi Jinping for a record 3rd term in power.
On Sunday, three COVID-19 deaths were reported in Shanghai.
The deceased were two females and one male, aged between 89 and 91. They suffered from comorbidities including coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, the city’s municipal health commission reported.
None of them was vaccinated against COVID-19 and was in severe condition after being admitted to the hospital and every effort was made to save their lives, it said.
These are the first officially admitted fatalities after the city went into lockdown towards the end of last month.
According to China’s National Health Commission, the Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 2,723 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 2,417 were in Shanghai.
Shanghai also reported 19,831 locally-transmitted asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus Sunday, out of a total of 20,639 local asymptomatic carriers newly identified on the mainland, the Commission report said.
By the end of Sunday, Shanghai had 16 COVID-19 patients in severe condition receiving treatment in designated hospitals.
As the cases continued to spiral, health officials announced more COVID tests amid reports of growing anger and frustration of people about the continued lockdown for the third week.
Shanghai has seen a continuous decline of newly-reported cases in some areas while those under closed-off management will undergo nucleic acid testing once every day from Monday to Thursday, the local health commission said.
Meanwhile, as the Omicron continued to spread, China’s health minister Ma Xiaowei on Monday pledged the toughest measures yet to prevent a major outbreak of COVID-19, ruling out any relaxations ahead of this year’s 20th Communist Party Congress.
The once-in-five-year Congress of the CPC which is due to be held later this year has assumed significance as Xi, 68, is expected to get its endorsement for a third five-year tenure as the head of the Party, the military and the presidency.
The 3rd term is unprecedented as all his predecessors retired following the two-term norm for leaders. However, Xi is expected to continue power for life as he is conferred the title of a "core leader" like the Party founder Mao Zedong.
Vowing to continue the much-criticised Zero COVID policy, Ma in a front-page article published on Monday in party journal Study Times, urged the country to stick to the dynamic zero policy and take a clear-cut stand against “erroneous” thoughts of “coexisting with the virus”.
The bottom line is to prevent a large-scale rebound in cases and consolidate the hard-won results of pandemic control to welcome the opening of the CPC Congress, he said.
Ma’s article comes as domestic concerns have been raised over whether China’s hardline dynamic zero policy is sustainable in the face of more transmissible but milder variants like Omicron, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The handling of the pandemic is widely seen as the political legacy of the party and Xi, who is expected to secure a third term at the Congress, the Post report said.
But discontent has been mounting in Shanghai, which is largely in lockdown as China grapples with its worst outbreak of the pandemic.
Ma said it was wrong to think of Covid-19 as “just like flu” or “we should live with COVID”.
“The big test continues. There must not be the slightest relaxation. Healthcare systems around the country must remain in an emergency state,” he wrote.
“Any relaxation or reduction in requirements, any formalism or bureaucracy, any loopholes the size of a needle will result in an ignition point of the epidemic, which means paying dozens or even hundreds of times the price,” the Post report quoted him.
Ma said China’s huge population, unbalanced development and lack of medical resources meant the healthcare system could be crushed, which in turn would seriously threaten the health of people with underlying diseases, the elderly, children and pregnant women.
“The stable economy and social development would be seriously impacted. The people will not agree, and the party and government will never allow this to happen,” he said.
Ma said the virus is continuing to mutate and the pandemic trajectory is still uncertain. “We are far from being able to breathe a sigh of relief and take a break,” he said.
He pledged “the strictest, most thorough, most resolute and decisive” measures in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron – detection, contact tracing and isolation of high-risk people as early as possible to stop the spread in the community.
“The Omicron mutant strain is highly contagious and can produce a large number of infected people in a short period of time, triggering a rapid increase in the demand for resources for epidemic prevention and control,” Ma wrote.
“The lack of isolation facilities is the most prominent problem. It is impossible to talk about an effective response to the Omicron epidemic without solving the problem of isolation, or the healthcare system providing continuous and stable daily medical services for the public without isolating the asymptomatic mildly-ill patients in makeshift hospitals”, he said. 

Shanghai lockdown has link with Xi Jinping's elections as Chinese president for 3rd term 

The 3rd term for XI is unprecedented as all his predecessors retired following the two-term norm for leaders. (Post as link)

Shanghai lockdown has link with Xi Jingping's elections as Chinese president for 3rd term 

Shanghai reported three deaths due to Covid-19, which is a first in the financial hub after it was hit by the Omicron variant last month. According to China&rsquo;s National Health Commission, the Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 2,723 locally-transmitted confirmed Covid-19 cases, of which 2,417 were in Shanghai.
As the cases continued to spiral, health officials announced more Covid tests amid reports of growing anger and frustration of people about the continued lockdown for the third week.
Meanwhile, China&rsquo;s health ministry has pledged the toughest measures yet to prevent a major outbreak of Covid-19, ruling out any relaxations ahead of this year&rsquo;s 20th Communist Party Congress.
The once-in-five-year meeting has assumed significance as Xi is expected to get its endorsement for a third five-year tenure as the head of the Party, the military and the presidency.
The 3rd term is unprecedented as all his predecessors retired following the two-term norm for leaders. However, Xi is expected to continue power for life as he is conferred the title of a "core leader" like the Party founder Mao Zedong.

Meanwhile, China&rsquo;s health ministry has pledged the toughest measures yet to prevent a major outbreak of Covid-19, ruling out any relaxations ahead of this year&rsquo;s 20th Communist Party Congress.

Shanghai reported three deaths due to COVID-19, the first in the financial hub after it was hit by the Omicron variant last month, while a top official ruled out relaxing the curbs until the ruling Communist Party Congress met later this year to elect Chinese President Xi Jinping for a record 3rd term in power.
On Sunday, three COVID-19 deaths were reported in Shanghai.
The deceased were two females and one male, aged between 89 and 91. They suffered from comorbidities including coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, the city&rsquo;s municipal health commission reported. WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/watch-fed-up-with-strict-covid-curbs-shanghai-residents-scream-from-buildings-1649777345505">Fed up with strict Covid curbs, Shanghai residents scream from buildings</a>
None of them was vaccinated against COVID-19 and was in severe condition after being admitted to the hospital and every effort was made to save their lives, it said.
These are the first officially admitted fatalities after the city went into lockdown towards the end of last month.
According to China&rsquo;s National Health Commission, the Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 2,723 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 2,417 were in Shanghai.
Shanghai also reported 19,831 locally-transmitted asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus Sunday, out of a total of 20,639 local asymptomatic carriers newly identified on the mainland, the Commission report said.
By the end of Sunday, Shanghai had 16 COVID-19 patients in severe condition receiving treatment in designated hospitals.
As the cases continued to spiral, health officials announced more COVID tests amid reports of growing anger and frustration of people about the continued lockdown for the third week.
Shanghai has seen a continuous decline of newly-reported cases in some areas while those under closed-off management will undergo nucleic acid testing once every day from Monday to Thursday, the local health commission said.
Meanwhile, as the Omicron continued to spread, China&rsquo;s health minister Ma Xiaowei on Monday pledged the toughest measures yet to prevent a major outbreak of COVID-19, ruling out any relaxations ahead of this year&rsquo;s 20th Communist Party Congress.
The once-in-five-year Congress of the CPC which is due to be held later this year has assumed significance as Xi, 68, is expected to get its endorsement for a third five-year tenure as the head of the Party, the military and the presidency.
The 3rd term is unprecedented as all his predecessors retired following the two-term norm for leaders. However, Xi is expected to continue power for life as he is conferred the title of a "core leader" like the Party founder Mao Zedong.
Vowing to continue the much-criticised Zero COVID policy, Ma in a front-page article published on Monday in party journal Study Times, urged the country to stick to the dynamic zero policy and take a clear-cut stand against &ldquo;erroneous&rdquo; thoughts of &ldquo;coexisting with the virus&rdquo;.
The bottom line is to prevent a large-scale rebound in cases and consolidate the hard-won results of pandemic control to welcome the opening of the CPC Congress, he said.
Ma&rsquo;s article comes as domestic concerns have been raised over whether China&rsquo;s hardline dynamic zero policy is sustainable in the face of more transmissible but milder variants like Omicron, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The handling of the pandemic is widely seen as the political legacy of the party and Xi, who is expected to secure a third term at the Congress, the Post report said.
But discontent has been mounting in Shanghai, which is largely in lockdown as China grapples with its worst outbreak of the pandemic.
Ma said it was wrong to think of Covid-19 as &ldquo;just like flu&rdquo; or &ldquo;we should live with COVID&rdquo;.
&ldquo;The big test continues. There must not be the slightest relaxation. Healthcare systems around the country must remain in an emergency state,&rdquo; he wrote.
&ldquo;Any relaxation or reduction in requirements, any formalism or bureaucracy, any loopholes the size of a needle will result in an ignition point of the epidemic, which means paying dozens or even hundreds of times the price,&rdquo; the Post report quoted him.
Ma said China&rsquo;s huge population, unbalanced development and lack of medical resources meant the healthcare system could be crushed, which in turn would seriously threaten the health of people with underlying diseases, the elderly, children and pregnant women.
&ldquo;The stable economy and social development would be seriously impacted. The people will not agree, and the party and government will never allow this to happen,&rdquo; he said.
Ma said the virus is continuing to mutate and the pandemic trajectory is still uncertain. &ldquo;We are far from being able to breathe a sigh of relief and take a break,&rdquo; he said.
He pledged &ldquo;the strictest, most thorough, most resolute and decisive&rdquo; measures in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron &ndash; detection, contact tracing and isolation of high-risk people as early as possible to stop the spread in the community.
&ldquo;The Omicron mutant strain is highly contagious and can produce a large number of infected people in a short period of time, triggering a rapid increase in the demand for resources for epidemic prevention and control,&rdquo; Ma wrote.
&ldquo;The lack of isolation facilities is the most prominent problem. It is impossible to talk about an effective response to the Omicron epidemic without solving the problem of isolation, or the healthcare system providing continuous and stable daily medical services for the public without isolating the asymptomatic mildly-ill patients in makeshift hospitals&rdquo;, he said.&nbsp;

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday made it compulsory for people to wear a face mask in public places in capital Lucknow and six NCR districts amid a rise in Covid cases in some adjoining states, an official said.
The increase in Covid cases has had an impact on the districts falling under the national capital region (NCR). Keeping this in mind, the government has made use of masks mandatory in public places in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Baghpat as well as capital Lucknow, an official spokesperson said here.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who issued the directive on Monday, has asked officials to identify people in these districts who have not been fully vaccinated yet and administer the jab to them on priority while getting those with Covid symptoms tested, he said.
In the last 24 hours, 65 new Covid cases have been confirmed in Gautam Buddh Nagar, 20 in Ghaziabad and 10 in Lucknow, the official said, adding that the chief minister has ordered “close monitoring” of the situation.
In view of the improving COVID-19 situation, the Uttar Pradesh government had given relaxation in wearing face mask earlier this month. In the genome sequencing of samples of Covid positive patients in NCR, only the Omicron variant of Covid has been confirmed, the official said.
According to experts, it is possible that the number of Covid cases may rise in the coming days but the chances of patients needing hospitalisation or becoming very serious are slim. However, people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, the official said.
At present, the total number of active Covid cases in the state is 695. In the last 24 hours, over 83,000 tests were done of which 115 new corona cases were confirmed, he said.
During the same period, 29 people were treated and discharged from hospitals, he added.
The official pointed out that the progress of the Covid vaccination campaign in the state is “satisfactory”, but there is a need to accelerate the vaccination of children.
More than 86.34 per cent of the state’s adult population has received both doses of anti-Covid vaccine while over 94 per cent of adolescents in the 15 to 17 age group have received their first dose, he said.
The chief minister also said people should be made aware about the importance of booster dose, the official said.

Rise in Covid-19 cases, UP govt makes masks mandatory in 7 districts

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who issued the directive on Monday, has asked officials to identify people in these districts who have not been fully vaccinated yet and administer the jab to them on priority while getting those with Covid symptoms tested

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who issued the directive on Monday, has asked officials to identify people in these districts who have not been fully vaccinated yet

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday made it compulsory for people to wear a face mask in public places in capital Lucknow and six NCR districts amid a rise in Covid cases in some adjoining states, an official said.
The increase in Covid cases has had an impact on the districts falling under the national capital region (NCR). Keeping this in mind, the government has made use of masks mandatory in public places in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Baghpat as well as capital Lucknow, an official spokesperson said here.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who issued the directive on Monday, has asked officials to identify people in these districts who have not been fully vaccinated yet and administer the jab to them on priority while getting those with Covid symptoms tested, he said.
In the last 24 hours, 65 new Covid cases have been confirmed in Gautam Buddh Nagar, 20 in Ghaziabad and 10 in Lucknow, the official said, adding that the chief minister has ordered &ldquo;close monitoring&rdquo; of the situation.
In view of the improving COVID-19 situation, the Uttar Pradesh government had given relaxation in wearing face mask earlier this month. In the genome sequencing of samples of Covid positive patients in NCR, only the Omicron variant of Covid has been confirmed, the official said.
According to experts, it is possible that the number of Covid cases may rise in the coming days but the chances of patients needing hospitalisation or becoming very serious are slim. However, people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, the official said.
At present, the total number of active Covid cases in the state is 695. In the last 24 hours, over 83,000 tests were done of which 115 new corona cases were confirmed, he said.
During the same period, 29 people were treated and discharged from hospitals, he added. WATCH:<a href="https://www.editorji.com/coronavirus/india-covid-comparison-last-week-versus-this-week-watch-how-cases-increased-in-delhi-up-haryana-1650292082339">&nbsp;India Covid comparison: last week versus this week; watch how cases increased in Delhi, UP, Haryana</a>
The official pointed out that the progress of the Covid vaccination campaign in the state is &ldquo;satisfactory&rdquo;, but there is a need to accelerate the vaccination of children.
More than 86.34 per cent of the state&rsquo;s adult population has received both doses of anti-Covid vaccine while over 94 per cent of adolescents in the 15 to 17 age group have received their first dose, he said.
The chief minister also said people should be made aware about the importance of booster dose, the official said.

As Hong Kong starts to relax virus restrictions, allowing restaurants to serve dine-in customers, it has banned Air India services till April 24 after three passengers on one of its flights tested positive for Covid-19 post arrival on Saturday. 
"Due to restrictions imposed by the Hong Kong authorities and limited demand on the sector, our flights to Hong Kong and back of 19th and 23rd April stand cancelled," Air India tweeted on Sunday.
According to reports, all international passengers are required to take a post-flight Covid-19 test at the airport premises in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s daily number of Covid-19 infections fell below 800 for the first time in nine weeks on Saturday, as the health chief warned the government might expand the use of rapid tests to cover more high-risk areas and crowded events.

Flight cancellations begin again, Hong Kong bans Air India flights till April 24

According to reports, all international passengers are required to take a post-flight Covid-19 test at the airport premises in Hong Kong.

Covid concerns rise, flight cancellations begin

Passengers from India can arrive in Hong Kong only if they have a Covid-19 negative certificate from a test done 48 hours prior to the journey

As&nbsp;Hong Kong starts to relax virus restrictions, allowing restaurants to serve dine-in customers, the city bans Air India services till April 24 after three passengers on one of its flights tested positive for Covid-19 post arrival on Saturday.
Also read/watch|&nbsp;<a title="Delhi Covid cases rise further; 500% increase in people reporting infection in social circle, says survey" href="https://www.editorji.com/coronavirus/delhi-covid-cases-rise-further-500-increase-in-people-reporting-infection-in-social-circle-says-survey-1650250200328">Delhi Covid cases rise further; 500% increase in people reporting infection in social circle, says survey</a>
"Due to restrictions imposed by the Hong Kong authorities and limited demand on the sector, our flights to Hong Kong and back of 19th and 23rd April stand cancelled," Air India tweeted on Sunday.
According to reports,&nbsp;all international passengers are required to take a post-flight Covid-19 test at the airport premises in Hong Kong.
Also read/watch|&nbsp;<a title="Nepal next in facing forex crisis? Fuel lines &amp; import bans begin" href="https://www.editorji.com/business-news/economy/nepal-next-in-facing-forex-crisis-fuel-lines-import-bans-begin-1650249212942">Nepal next in facing forex crisis? Fuel lines &amp; import bans begin</a>
Hong Kong&rsquo;s daily number of&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;infections fell below 800 for the first time in nine weeks on Saturday, as the health chief warned the government might expand the use of rapid tests to cover more high-risk areas and crowded events.

covid 19 cases

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