PremiumThe Covid situation in China has become a source of concern for the world after Beijing abruptly ended its zero-Covid policy. Research groups have predicted that the death toll could rise to millions amid fears that new mutants could emerge as a new wave of infections quickly spreads throughout the vast country. WHO has urged China to share the data on covid. In India, PM Modi will hold a high-level meeting on the Covid situation
Centre has issued 'Guidelines for International Arrivals' owing to the sudden rise in COVID cases in China, the US and some other countries. The new guidelines will come into effect from Saturday, i.e. 24 December. Read full report here
The Rajasthan Health department today directed Chief Medical and Health Officers of all districts to start screening, genome sampling and identifying high-risk groups amid a spurt in Covid cases in some parts of the world.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that her government is not currently planning any restrictions on the Christmas celebrations and the Gangasagar mela in view of the advent of a new Covid-19 variant, maintaining that it has not yet been detected in the state.
PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the Covid-19 situation in India amid a global scare triggered by the alarming surge in cases, especially in China. At the meeting, PM Modi urged everyone to wear masks in crowded public places. Read full report here
Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said that the state government has issued an advisory, making masks mandatory indoors, closed and air-conditioned places. “The Union government guidelines will be followed for random testing and screening passengers arriving from abroad at international airports," he said. Read full report
“Covid-19 cases are rising in China and several other countries. It has BF.7 variant. We don't have a single case of that variant in Delhi. So there's no need to worry. We are doing genome sequencing. Currently, XBB variant cases are coming in Delhi," Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said after meeting on Covid-19.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday advised all the MPs to wear masks and follow the Covid protocol completely, in view of the increasing cases of Covid 19 in many countries across the world.
India, one of the world's biggest drug makers, is ready to step up exports of fever medicines to China as it reels from a spike in COVID-19 cases, the chairperson of an Indian drug export body said today.
India's objective is to hold the scheduled meetings under its G20 presidency in "physical format," the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday amid a surge in COVID cases in China.
A general alert has been issued in Kerala regarding the coronavirus situation, said Kerala Health minister Veena George on Thursday. “There is no cause for concern at present. We urge the public to remain cautious. We have achieved 100% vaccination in the state," she added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the Covid-19 situation in the country.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said the Centre is coming up with "excuses" to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', days after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to him to consider suspending the march if Covid-19 protocols could not be followed.
The government is examining the reintroduction of mandatory 'air suvidha' forms with details of RT-PCR test conducted 72 hours prior to travel or complete vaccination proof for passengers coming from China and other countries reporting high number of Covid-19 cases. A decision on this will be taken after monitoring the situation for a few weeks. (PTI)
With the surge in Covid cases in China and other countries, one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country Taj Mahal in Agra is put on alert, confirmed the District Health Information Officer in Agra.
The Indian Medical Association on Thursday advised people to follow Covid appropriate behaviour with immediate effect. Issuing an advisory, IMA listed necessary steps to overcome the impending Covid outbreak, including wearing face masks in all public places, maintaining social distancing, regular handwashing with soap and water or sanitizers.
The top doctors' body has also asked people to avoid public gatherings such as marriages, political or social meetings, and international travel.
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said that the government is keeping a close eye on new Covid-19 variants.
Random sampling of arriving international travellers has started at airports: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tells LS amid Covid concerns.
The Union Health minister further said, “We are keeping an eye on the global covid situation and are taking steps accordingly. States are advised to increase genome-sequencing to timely identify the new variant of Covid-19."
Mandaviya said that from the last few days, Covid-19 cases have been rising worldwide but in India, cases are depleting. "We are seeing rising Covid cases and deaths due to it in China," the Union Health minister said.
The health dept has been quite proactive in managing the Covid-19 pandemic. The central govt has provided financial assistance to states in fighting against the pandemic. So far, 220 cr covid vaccine shots have been given: Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya in LS
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the state at a high-level meeting with officials, and directed them to monitor the new coronavirus variant, ramp up testing and conduct genome sequencing of fresh cases.
He also asked them to make people aware about wearing masks in crowded public places such as hospitals, buses, railway stations and markets.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will make a statement amid fresh concerns regarding Covid-19 in both Houses of Parliament today. He will make a statement in Lok Sabha at 2pm followed by one in Rajya Sabha.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be chairing a review meeting to discuss the current Covid situation and preparedness in the state on Thursday afternoon.
He will be chairing the review meeting just before the state cabinet meeting, which is going to be held in the evening.
Amid demand by Opposition parties to immediately stop all international flights from China, government sources said that there is no order issued by the central government to curb incoming flights from the country where a wave of Covid cases has been reported.
'We don't have any direct flights from China to India or from India to China but as of now, there is no such order issued to stop connecting flights to India which are arriving via China. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is an executing ministry, the final decision will come from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)," government sources told ANI.
"We have equipped ourselves better in the previous three waves of Covid. We have RT-PCR testing facilities in all districts along with a sufficient supply of oxygen in plants. People shouldn't panic and must follow all guidelines: Anil Vij, Haryana home minister.
“Patients with comorbidities need to be very careful in the coming days as there is a surge in COVID. Regularly check your glucose levels and blood pressure and follow COVID protocol using masks, hand sanitisers and social distancing," said Dr. Rajeev Bansal, a senior consultant physician.
“We just have nine active cases of Covid. 16 districts do not have any positive cases of Covid so far. We have established oxygen plants & have prepared hospitals as well accordingly. There's no need to worry," said Punjab health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra.
“There won't be a lockdown situation in the country since 95% of the people here are vaccinated. The immunity system of Indians is stronger than that of the Chinese...India needs to go back to COVID basics - testing, treating, tracing," Dr Anil Goyal of Indian Medical Association told ANI
Additional Chief Secretary of Health, Manoj Agarwal said the central government briefed all states to ensure proper screening international passengers, as well as genome sequencing. "Yesterday (Tuesday), the central government briefed all states on the increasing trend of Covid-19 variants in parts of the world and asked them to ensure that whole genome sequencing is done in all states," he said.
An alert was issued by the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday for the new variant of Covid. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak has sent instructions to all Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of the state and officers of the Medical Education Department to be more vigilant and take steps to check new infections.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the spread of a new type of coronavirus across China. In addition, the organization fears that Xi Jinping's country may hide information related to the corona virus. "Hopefully, China will provide information and review our recommendations," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday.
When Covid emerged, the reported symptoms included loss of sense of taste and smell, shortness of breath etc. But with time and as new variants emerged the symptoms related to the virus also changed significantly. Now more people complain of symptoms like a persistent cough, sore throat and fever than the loss of smell and taste and shortness of breath. Read more
Traffic in China’s biggest cities has dropped to the lowest since the Lunar New Year break in the early part of the year as the country’s abrupt end to Covid Zero sparks outbreaks nationwide, Bloomberg. A measure of congestion levels across 15 major cities is 45% below January 2021, the benchmark used in an index compiled by BloombergNEF based on Baidu Inc. traffic data. The only other time it’s been lower this year was in early February, when the Lunar New Year period saw factories wind down, restaurants close and people leave big metropolises to return home.
The government has directed to restart random sampling of international passengers for Covid-19 from today, news agency ANI reported. The decision to re-introduce the Covid-19 testing related measures at airports comes as a part of preventive measures being taken up as coronavirus cases surge globally, especially in China. Read more
AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that it is crucial to immediately ban flights connecting China and India.
"Given the seriousness of the situation, the Ministry of Health, Government of India has issued an advisory to the States. However, we need stronger measures. The need of the hour is to immediately ban any connecting flights from China to India via Asian countries and consider a mandatory institutional quarantine for international passengers from affected countries." he said
Indian stock indices tumbled by over a percent each, wiping off ₹4.4 trillion of investor wealth in the bargain.
The Nifty fell 186.20 points to close at 18,199.10 while the Sensex tanked 635 points to end at 61,067.24 points after markets gauged the whole import of the Centre’s advisory to step up genome sequencing for identifying fresh covid strains spreading from China. Read more
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene an emergency meeting today, amid a sudden spurt in Covid cases in several countries, officials said.
India logged 185 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases declined to 3,402, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,76,515). The death toll stands at 5,30,681 with one fatality being reported from Delhi in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.
PM Modi to review the situation related to Covid-19 and related aspects in the country at a high-level meeting today afternoon, news agency ANI reported. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment, and management of the pandemic. Read more
In a tweet, Epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding said: “China has HUGE vulnerable elderly population that is unvaccinated or undervaccinated—️130 million such people. Mortality in this group would be likely very high— easily over 1 million if the virus spreads unchecked in China. This is why 1-2 million total deaths is possible." Read more
In a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the the World Health Organization is “very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease." He urged China “to share the data and conduct the studies we have requested, and which we continue to request. As I have said many times before, all hypotheses about the origins of this pandemic remain on the table." Read more
Months after Shanghai endured a brutal lockdown to stop the spread of Covid, the virus is starting to make its way virtually unchecked through the megacity’s 25 million-strong population, reports say. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the number of infected patients, pharmacies are turning customers away empty-handed, businesses are shutting because staff are off sick, most schools have closed and usage of public transport is plummeting.
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