Coronavirus Omicron India Highlights: India logged 3,06,064 fresh coronavirus cases taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,95,43,328, while the active cases climbed to 22,49,335, the highest in 241 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
The death toll has climbed to 4,89,848 with 439 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 5.69 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate decreased to 93.07 per cent, the ministry said. An increase of 62,130 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
More than 162.73 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far; over 13.83 crore balance & unutilized vaccine doses are still available with States/UTs to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said.
According to a preliminary analysis by IIT Madras, India’s R-value which indicates the rate of spread of coronavirus has further reduced to 1.57 in the week from January 14-21 and the national peak of the third wave of the infection is expected to come in the next fortnight.
R-value indicates the number of people an infected person can spread the disease to. A pandemic is considered to end if this value goes below 1.
According to the analysis shared by IIT Madras, the R-value was recorded at 1.57 between January 14 and January 21. The number was recorded at 2.2 in the week of January 7-13 while it was 4 from January 1-6 and 2.9 from December.
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Coronavirus LIVE Updates | UK to scrap COVID tests for fully vaccinated travellers
Fully vaccinatedtravellersentering England will soon be exempt from anyCOVIDtest requirements, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Monday.Speaking to reporters during a visit to a hospital in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Johnson said the daily Omicron variant data is getting better and it was time for the country to be more open fortravellers.Read full report.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Indore administration to withhold salaries of staffers skipping precaution dose
Authorities in Indore inMadhyaPradesh on Monday said next month's salaries of some 20,000government staffers in the district will be withheld if they don't take the coronavirus vaccine's precaution or booster dose. Frontline staff, health care workers etc will be paid next month's wages only if they take the third shot of the vaccine, and treasury officials have been intimated about the decision, Indore CollectorManishSingh said. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Assam govt tightens COVID restrictions, non-vaccinated people banned from visiting public places
The Assam government on Monday issued an order tightening restrictions to contain spread of COVID-19 in the state and banning entry of non-vaccinated people to public places, except hospitals. It also directed authorities to shut schools for up to class 8 students.
The government asked citizens to carry proof of vaccination while going to public places. These restrictions will come into effect from 6 am of January 25, the order said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra reports 28,286 new COVID cases, 38 deaths; 86 Omicron infections detected
Maharashtra on January 24 reported 28,286 new COVID-19 cases and 38 more deaths due to the disease. The state has also detected 86 new cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
The per-day COVID-19 case count has dropped as compared to January 23, when the state had reported 40,805 new coronavirus cases.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 162 crore Covid vaccine doses administered in India so far: Govt
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 162.77 crore on Monday, the Union Health Ministry said. More than 49 lakh (49,52,290) vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm, taking the total number of doses to 1,62,77,06,092. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Madhya Pradesh reports 10,585 COVID-19 cases, 6 deaths; positivity rate dips slightly to 13%
The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 9,04,744 on Monday after the detection of 10,585 new cases, while the toll increased to 10,576 with six patients succumbing to the infection in the last 24 hours, an official said. The positivity rate reduced to 13.0 per cent on Monday from 13.4 per cent on Sunday, he pointed out. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai reports 1,857 new COVID cases, 11 deaths
The per-day COVID-19 count in Mumbai has dropped to 1,857, around 27 percent lower as compared to 2,550 infections reported a day earlier. The death count increased by 11.
The cumulative positivity rate in the state capital has dropped to 5.41 percent. The city currently has 21,142 active patients.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | DDMA meet on January 27 likely to decide on weekend curfew, odd-even rule for opening shops in Delhi
Amid demands of lifting weekend curfew and odd-even system of opening shops by traders as well as the AAP and the BJP, Delhi’s apex COVID-19 management body DDMA will meet on Thursday to review the pandemic situation in the city. The meeting of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to be chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal is scheduled at 12.30 pm on January 27. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also likely to attend the meeting that will discuss relaxations that may be allowed in view of improvement in COVID-19 situation in the city, officials said.
According to an official source, the government is also likely to take a call on reopening of schools from February depending on vaccination status of students by the end of this month. The Delhi government on Friday had proposed lifting the weekend curfew and ending the odd-even scheme for opening shops in view of the pandemic situation but Lieutenant Governor Baijal suggested maintaining status quo on the restrictions till the situation improved further.
The LG office, however, had approved the government’s proposal to allow private offices to function with 50 per cent staff strength, official sources said.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said the decision to ease the restrictions was taken in view of declining number of Covid cases in the city and also to ensure that livelihood of the public is not affected. "Now since the cases are going down and it also seems that the peak has gone, we want to ensure that the public’s livelihood continues smoothly. We have proposed to do away with weekend curfew and also with the odd-even arrangement of opening of shops in markets," Sisodia had said.
Traders in many parts of the city have also been protesting against the restrictions and demanded the curbs be lifted, including those imposed on shops selling non-essential items being permitted to open on alternate days based on odd-even system. The weekend curfew is implemented at 10 pm on Friday and continues till Monday 5 am. The decision to impose weekend curfew was taken by the DDMA on January 1 due to rise in COVID-19 cases in the city.
The DDMA had also imposed other restrictions including closure of all private offices dealing with non-essential services. A night curfew during weekdays is already in place from 10 pm to 5 am. The number of fresh COVID cases went down to 5,760, according the Health bulletin issued on Monday, from the high of over 28,000 a fortnight ago. The positivity rate also came down to 11.79 per cent. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also recently wrote a letter to Baijal requesting him for lifting of weekend curfew and odd-even shop opening scheme besides allowing restaurants and gyms to run with 50 per cent capacity.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | UK to scrap COVID tests for fully vaccinated travellers
Fully vaccinated travellers entering England will soon be exempt from any COVID test requirements, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Monday. Speaking to reporters during a visit to a hospital in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Johnson said the daily Omicron variant data is getting better and it was time for the country to be more open for travellers.
Over the weekend, the UK recorded 74,799 cases and 75 COVID deaths. Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better, Johnson said. Although we have to be cautious, we are now moving through the Omicron wave, and you can see the figures are starting to get better, Johnson said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Prakash Badal tests positive for Omicron variant; stable
Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Monday, said a senior doctor of the hospital where he was admitted. The doctor said the five-time chief minister was stable. Dr Rajesh Mahajan, incharge of the team of doctors attending to Badal, said the samples of the 94-year-old Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch was sent to the Patiala lab for testing and he tested positive for the Omicron variant. Badal is having sore throat, slight cough and mild fever but he is stable, Mahajan added. Badal was admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital last week when he tested positive for coronavirus.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Nagaland reports 69 new COVID-19 cases, 2 fresh fatalities
Nagaland's COVID-19 tally rose to 33,654 on Monday as 69 people tested positive for the infection, 38 less than the previous day, a health official said. The northeastern state's coronavirus death toll rose to 707 as two more patients succumbed to the infection. No fatality was recorded in the last two days.
Nagaland now has 693 active cases, while 30,919 people have recuperated from the disease so far, including 57 in the last 24 hours, the official said, adding that the recovery rate stood at 91.87 per cent. Altogether 1,335 patients have migrated to other states to date. A total of 13,96,778 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the state so far, the official added.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Covid-19 daily positivity rate crosses 35% in Andhra Pradesh
Active cases in Andhra Pradesh mounted to 93,305 with the daily infection positivity rate crossing 35 per cent, as the State registered 14,502 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Monday. The State had recorded 14,440 new infections yesterday. According to the latest bulletin, seven more fatalities were reported, while 4,800 infected persons got cured in the 24 hours.
The cumulative case count increased to 21,95,136, while recoveries touched 20,87,282 and deaths 14,549. West Godavari district reported two more coronavirus deaths and Guntur, Kurnool, Srikakulam, SPS Nellore and Visakhapatnam one each in a day. Visakhapatnam district registered 1,728, Anantapuramu 1,610, Prakasam 1,597, Kurnool 1,551, Kadapa 1,492, and SPS Nellore 1,198 fresh cases. The remaining seven districts added less than 950 new cases each.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Nashik sees 2,204 COVID-19 cases, 1 death; 1,484 recover
The COVID-19 tally in Nashik reached 4,51,688 on Monday with the addition of 2,204 cases, while one death took the toll to 8,783, an official said. So far, 4,25,918 people have been discharged post recovery, including 1,484 during the day, leaving the district with an active tally of 16,987, he said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Sikkim's COVID tally crosses 37,000-mark with 115 new cases
Sikkim's COVID-19 tally crossed the 37,000-mark on Monday as 115 more people tested positive for the disease, 101 less than the previous day, a health department bulletin said. The fresh infections raised the tally to 37,096, it said. The death toll rose to 423 as one more person succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said. East Sikkim logged 62 new cases, followed by 45 in West Sikkim, seven in South Sikkim and one in North Sikkim.
The daily positivity rate stood at 18.5 per cent, as the fresh infections were detected from 620 sample tests. The Himalayan state now has 2,107 active cases, while 579 patients have migrated to other parts of the country and 33,987 people recuperated from the disease. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients stood at 93.1 per cent, the bulletin said. The state has conducted over three lakh sample tests for COVID-19, it added.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | 5,394 COVID-19 new cases - 2045 from Jammu & 3,349 from Kashmir and 8 deaths reported today. Active case tally at 44,609
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Compensation the right of COVID-19 victims' kin, don't delay it, Bombay HC tells Maharashtra govt
The Bombay High Court on Monday said ex-gratia compensation for the kin of COVID-19 victims was a matter of right and they must not be deprived of it. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik directed the Maharashtra government to take instructions on why claims for compensation filed through post or physically were being denied or delayed.
It was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a local organisation, Prameya Welfare Foundation, seeking among other things, a direction to the state government to not insist that citizens apply for such compensation online only, and give compensation to those who are applying physically or by post. The petitioner's counsel Sumedha Rao told HC many of those submitting claims were slum dwellers or poor people who were not adept at filing and annexing documents online.
The BMC counsel told HC the civic body had, so far, received 34,000 applications seeking compensation, of which 16,884 applications had been forwarded to the disaster management department for approval and payment. The rest had some issues such as incomplete addresses, missing information etc, while those applications that had come from areas outside BMC jurisdiction were being forwarded to relevant authorities.
Rao, however, told HC the applicants were not being given reasons for rejection of their applications nor were they being informed of the status of their applications. "These are poor people who find the online system difficult since they have to upload so many annexures. They have applied through post, physically but have got no response, no reasons," Rao said.
The state's counsel Poornima Kantharia, however, told HC the government had already paid compensation to several claimants who had applied through its online portal, which was created so that one could make a claim for compensation online and the money could be transferred directly into their bank accounts. The HC then asked the state government why it was insisting on online applications, and reminded it that the Supreme Court had recently directed all state and Central authorities to reach out to the kin of COVID-19 victims and pay ex gratia compensation.
"The spirit of the SC order is that the state must reach kin of those who died of COVID-19. Why must you be so technical that they have to apply online only? The web portal is for the state government's convenience. Getting compensation is their (the kin of victims) right. Why must they be deprived? Reach out to them," the HC bench said. After granting time to Kantharia to get instructions from the state, the HC posted the matter to Thursday for further hearing.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Delhi reports 5,760 new cases & 30 deaths in the last 24 hours; Active cases stand at 45,140. Today's positivity rate down to 11.79%
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates
| Results of the 8th round of genome sequencing reveal that of the total 280 samples, 89% were infected with Omicron, 8% with Delta derivatives, 3% with Delta variants and other subtypes: Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Breakthrough COVID-19 infections generate strong antibody response: Study
People vaccinated three times or immunised after an earlier COVID-19 infection have comparable neutralising antibody response to those with a breakthrough infection, according to a study. A breakthrough infection is a case of illness in which a fully vaccinated individual becomes infected. The study, published in the journal Cell, looked at the strength, durability and breadth of neutralising antibody response generated by breakthrough infections in individuals vaccinated against SARS-CoV2.
The researchers at the University of Washington in the US noted that the Delta and Omicron coronavirus variants have enhanced transmissibility and immune evasion compared to the original virus. These characteristics, and the waning of immunity from vaccines, have led to breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, they said.
The study found that the degree of antibody response depended on whether a person has had one, two, three, or four exposures to the spike protein through infection, vaccination, or a mixture of the two. The spike protein is used by the SARS-C0V-2 virus to enter and infect cells. The researchers checked antibody response in a group of individuals who had been vaccinated after having COVID-19.
They also analysed the antibodies in people who were previously vaccinated and experienced a breakthrough infection, those who were vaccinated only, and individuals who were boosted. The team found that people who had received three-vaccine doses, those vaccinated after recovering from COVID-19, and those with a breakthrough infection had almost comparable neutralising antibody responses, in terms of magnitude and breadth.
Their blood serum binding and antibody neutralising responses to the spike protein in the coronavirus variants were much more potent and lasting than those generated by people who had received only two doses of vaccine. This observation suggested that the increased number of exposures to SARS-CoV-2 antigens, either through infection and vaccination or triple vaccination, enhanced the quality of antibody responses, the researchers said.
They also investigated neutralisation of the divergent Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern that is driving the current wave of infections globally. Their findings showed that boosted individuals had neutralising antibodies at similar levels to subjects vaccinated twice against the original ancestral strain. This suggests a large amount of immune evasion, but that vaccine boosters can help close the neutralising antibody gap caused by Omicron, the researchers added.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates
| Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya to interact with health ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh on 25th January over COVID situation: Official Sources
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal to chair DDMA meeting on January 27 over COVID-19 situation in the national capital.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Chandigarh reports 568 new cases today; The positivity rate stands at 14.49%, active case tally stands 7,768
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Protesters hurl stones at police in Guadeloupe COVID unrest
Protesters attacked police with stones in the early hours of Monday as police moved in to clear out some blockades on Guadeloupe, the authority on the French Caribbean island said, amid ongoing protests against COVID-19 protocols. The Guadeloupe authority said police had been attacked at the Riviere-des-Peres part of the island as they tried to clear out roads that had been blockaded. An 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew has been in force since Jan. 10 in Guadeloupe, where the vaccination rate is much lower than in mainland France, as the island grapples with a new wave of the pandemic fuelled by the Omicron variant.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | France bars unvaccinated from restaurants, sports venue
People who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 are no longer allowed in France's restaurants, bars, tourist sites and sports venues unless they recently recovered from the virus. The new law came into effect Monday requiring a vaccine pass that is central to the government's anti-virus strategy.
France is registering Europe's highest-ever daily coronavirus infection numbers, and hospitals are continuing to fill up with virus patients, though the number of people in intensive care units has dropped in recent days. The government has imposed few other restrictions amid the surge in the omicron variant, focusing instead on the vaccine pass, approved by France's parliament and Constitutional Council last week.
Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous delta variant, according to studies. Omicron spreads even more easily than other coronavirus strains, and has already become dominant in many countries. It also more easily infects those who have been vaccinated or had previously been infected by prior versions of the virus. Critics question whether the pass will make much difference in a country where 94% of French adults have had at least one vaccine dose, and scattered groups held protests Saturday against the new law.
The government hopes that it protects the most vulnerable and reduces pressure on crowded ICUs, where most patients are unvaccinated. Since last summer, France has required a health pass to go to any cafe, museum, movie theater or take a regional train or domestic flight. But until Monday, unvaccinated people could activate the pass by getting a recent negative test. The new pass only works for people who are fully vaccinated, and those who recently recovered from the virus. France, meanwhile, opened up access to booster shots to 12- to 17-year-olds on Monday.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Leh allows re-opening of tuition/coaching centers in the district with a ceiling of 20 students or 25% of the seating capacity.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | It is dangerous to assume that Omicron will be the last variant (of COVID-19), or that we're in the endgame: World Health Organisation (WHO)
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Indore lab detects 21 COVID-19 cases caused by Omicron sub-lineage BA.2
Twenty-one COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant's sub-lineage known as BA.2 have been found in tests conducted over the past 18 days in the laboratory of a private medical institute in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. Those infected with this sub-lineage of Omicron variant include six children, an official from the private facility said on Monday.
Since January 6, a total of 21 cases of BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant have been found during tests conducted in our Molecular Virology Diagnostic and Research Lab, which is recognized by the Centre, Vinod Bhandari, founder chairman of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) here told PTI. "Lung involvement ranging from 1 per cent to 50 per cent was observed in six out of 21 patients of this Omicron sub-lineage. Three patients are still hospitalized, while 18 have been discharged. Of the 21, a total of 15 adults have taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine," Bhandari informed. Indore, the worst coronavirus-hit district in Madhya Pradesh, has a caseload of 1,86,216, including 1,409 deaths.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | PM Modi enquires about Sharad Pawar health
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called to enquire about my health. I am thankful for his concern and good wishes: NCP chief Sharad Pawar. He has tested positive for COVID-19.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates
| We're fully set to meet the challenges, have enough oxygen beds, medicines.We're also recruiting health care workers as many health care workers are getting infected in hospitals. COVID cases are increasing but hospitalization numbers are less: Kerala Health Minister Veena George
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Meghalaya reports 305 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Meghalaya on Monday recorded 305 new COVID-19 cases, 13 less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 88,764, a senior health department official said. Health Services Director Dr Aman War said one new COVID-19 fatality on Monday pushed the death toll to 1,498.
He said of the 305 new cases, East Khasi Hills district reported 242, followed by Ri Bhoi (18), West Garo Hills (16), West Jaintia Hills (8), five cases each from West Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills, South West Khasi Hills and one case in West Khasi Hills district. War said the northeast state now has 2,257 active COVID-19 cases.
The Health Services Director said 85,009 patients have recovered from COVID-19 so far, including 168 during the day. The state has so far tested over 13.05 lakh samples for COVID-19, he said. A total of 22.63 lakh people have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine in the state, War added.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates
| Covid cases in the country to decline by Feb 15. The cases have started reducing&stabilising in some States &metro cities, vaccination has reduced the impact of third wave. Health Ministry is coordinating with States/UTs. 74% of adult population is fully vaccinated: Govt sources
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya today launched the upgraded CGHS website and MyCGHS app
"With new features & enhanced user experience, the initiative will greatly benefit the 40 lakh people connected with the CGHS," the minister said. Per day, over 1 lakh regular patients are using eSanjeevani platform for treatment, on over 3000 hubs in the country & through over 33,000 spoke models. Telemedicine hubs set up at CGHS HQs, all hospitals of Govt of India &all district hospitals of the State Govt: Health Minister.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | 74% of adult population is fully vaccinated: Govt sources
Covidcases in the country to decline by Feb 15. The cases have started reducing&stabilisingin some States &metro cities, vaccination has reduced the impact of third wave. Health Ministry is coordinating with States/UTs. 74% of adult population is fully vaccinated,Govt sourcessaid.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar tests postitve for COVID-19
NCPSupremoSharadPawar on January 24 have testedpostitvefor COVID-19. In a tweet, he wrote, "I have testedCovidpositive but there is no cause for concern. I am following the treatment as suggested by my doctor. I request all those who have been in contact with me in the past few days to get themselves tested and take all necessary precautions.
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Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Jharkhand reports 1,269 new COVID-19 cases, 8 fresh fatalities
Jharkhand’sCOVID-19 tally rose to 4,20,427 on Monday as 1,269 more people tested positive for the infection, while eight fresh fatalities pushed the state’s coronavirus death toll to 5,261, a health bulletin said.Dumkadistrict recorded the highest number of new cases at 285, followed by EastSinghbhumat 224 and Ranchi at 199, it said.Four fresh fatalities were registered in EastSinghbhum, under which Jamshedpur falls, and one each inDeoghar,Dhanbad,HazaribagandLohardaga.The state now has 19,466 active cases, while 3,95,700 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 3,423 in the last 24 hours.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | No need to worry: Kerala Health Minister Veena George
Kerala Health MinisterVeenaGeorge said that the statehaveenough stock ofCovid-relatedandnon-Covidmedicines."We also have adequate staff in hospitals. Only 43 % of ICU beds (Covid&non-Covid) are occupied. There is no need to worry," she said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Beijing 2022 eases COVID-19 measures for Games-related personnel
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics has adjusted its COVID-19 countermeasures, a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Monday. The changes include the threshold for being classed as positive for COVID-19 being eased and the time period for which a person is deemed a close contact being reduced from 14 to 7 days. The changes have come into effect immediately and apply retrospectively, the statement said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | 89 new COVID-19 cases in Andamans, tally rises to 9,366
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 9,366 on Monday as 89 people tested positive for the infection, 24 less than the previous day, a health bulletin said.Twenty-seven new patients have travel history, while 62 infections were detected during contact tracing, it said.The Union territory now has 603 active cases, while 8,634 people have recovered from the disease so far, including 50 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Omicron may not evade all monoclonal antibodies, lab study suggests
The Omicron variant of coronavirus may evade several, but not all, monoclonal antibodies used clinically to prevent patients from developing severe COVID-19, according to a laboratory study. Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system's ability to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses.Several past studies have shown that such antibodies are unsuccessful in neutralising Omicron. The team led led by researchers at Washington University, US, tested five antibody combinations, including those discovered at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre (VUMC) in the US.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Australia COVID-19 deaths mount as return to school threatens new Omicron peak
Australia recorded another surge of COVID-19 deaths on Monday as an outbreak of the highly contagious Omicron variant peaked, and authorities warned numbers could rise further when schools return from end-of-year holidays next week.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Odisha logs 7,291 new COVID-19 cases, 5 more deaths
Odishareported 7,291 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, pushing the tally to 12,11,951, while the death toll mounted to 8,525 with five more fatalities, the Health Department said in a bulletin. The state had registered 8,520 single-day cases and six deaths on Sunday.OdishaCongress presidentNiranjanPatnaiksaid in a tweet on Monday that he had tested positive. Renowned sand artistSudarsanPattnaikhad also said late on Sunday that he washospitalisedafter contracting the virus.Odishanow has 81,765 active cases, and 11,21,608 patients have so far recovered from the disease, the bulletin said.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Rajasthan Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena updates on state vaccination coverage
ParsadiLalMeenasaid thatvaccination is going on a good scale. 95% coverage of 1st dose has been done and around 80% for 2nd dose. Some districts have also achieved 100% vaccination coverage.COVIDis at peak but due to vaccination, there are less casualties
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Weddings solemnised in front of closed Tamil Nadu temple on lockdown day
Sunday may have witnessed aCovid-inducedlockdown in TamilNadubut that did not deter over 90 couples from entering wedlock at areverredVaishnaviteshrine near here on January 23 with the roads outside theTiruvanthipuramSriDevanathaswamyTemple playing host to the individuals who tied the knot during the ongoing auspicious Tamil month ‘Thai’.As many as 91 weddings weresolemnisedby priests on roads in front of the popular temple in this northern coastal district on Sunday, temple Executive Officer AVeerabathiranand the priests’ association secretaryRathinaSabapathy, toldPTIon Monday. The shrine was closed on Sunday as part of the lockdown restrictions.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Canadian hospitals strain as Omicron hits health workers
After a year as an emergency department nurse at a busy Toronto hospital in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, Aimee Earhart called it quits last week. She is moving to Florida for a short contract before getting work as a travel nurse for what she hopes will be double the salary. "We're just burnt out all the time," Earhart said. She says she will miss her colleagues, and might have stayed if working conditions were better. The COVID-19 pandemic and its highly contagious Omicron variant have made a challenging staffing situation in Canada's hospitals worse. Interviews with a dozen health care workers, including eight current and former nurses, reveal a health system strained by a pandemic wave that hit at the worst possible time - sickness sidelining staff as more COVID-19 patients than ever need hospitalization, forcing health workers exhausted by two unrelenting years to take on more work.Hospitals have been asking staff to forego holidays or take on overtime shifts.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Beijing 2022 says 6 new positive cases detected among Games-related personnel on January 23
The Beijing 2022 Winter OlympicsOrganisingCommittee on Monday said it confirmed six new positive cases of COVID-19 during testing the previous day. Of the new cases, four were among new arrivals and the other two were stakeholders already in the closed loop who had taken confirmatory tests. Of the four positive cases found among 529 Olympic-related arrivals at the airport on Sunday Jan. 23, one was an athlete or team official, showed a statement on the official Beijing 2022 website.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Fourth COVID vaccine shot raises resistance to serious illness for over-60s: Israel
A fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine given to people over 60 in Israel made them three times more resistant to serious illness than thrice-vaccinated people in the same age group, Israel's Health Ministry said on Sunday.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | Olympics Beijing Games had 72 COVID cases, none athletes, among early arrivals
Beijing Olympicsorganiserssaid on Sunday they had confirmed 72 cases of COVID-19 among 2,586 Games-related personnel entering China from Jan. 4 to Jan. 22, with no cases among 171 athletes and team officials arriving in that period.
Coronavirus Omicron LIVE Updates | 159 fresh COVID-19 cases in Ladakh
Ladakhin a day reported 159 freshCovidcases, which took the tally to 24,655, while the active cases in the Union Territory stand at 1,255, officials said on Monday. The union territory has recorded 222Covid-relateddeaths -- 164 inLehdistrict and 58 inKargildistrict -- since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, they said.No death was reported inLadakhon Sunday, the officials said. As many as 179 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals inLadakh. The total number of cured patients is 23,178, they said.Of the 159 fresh cases, 148 were reported fromLehdistrict and 11 fromKargildistrict, they said. The number of activeCovidcases inLadakhhas gone down to 1,255 -- 1,044 inLehand 211 inKargil.
