Face masks will again become compulsory from next week for French school kids in 39 regional departments where theCovid-19 virus has been ramping up, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday.
(Reuters)
Hundreds of Greek health care workers protested in central Athens against mandatory coronavirus vaccines for their profession Wednesday, a day after the government imposed more restrictions on unvaccinated Greeks amid a spike in infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
About 300 demonstrators chanted slogans and held up banners outside the parliament building, protesting regulations that call for unvaccinated health care workers to be suspended from their jobs.
(AP)
Daily coronavirus cases and deaths in Russia remained at all-time highs Wednesday as more regions announced extending existing restrictions in an effort to tame the country's unrelenting surge of infections.
Russia's state coronavirus task force reported over 40,000 new confirmed cases from a day earlier, the most since the start of the pandemic. It was the fifth time in seven days that the country set a daily case record.
The task force also reported 1,189 deaths, another daily record.
(AP)
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday asked Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to undertake a review of risingCovid-19 cases and weekly positivity rates, and enhance testing.
In letters to the Himachal Pradesh health secretary, Andhra Pradesh principal secretary of health and the Jammu and Kashmir additional chief secretary of health, Additional Secretary, Union Health Ministry, Arti Ahuja highlighted the increase in weekly newCovidcases since last week (October 26-November 1) and early signs of rise in positivity rates since the past four weeks till October 31.
(PTI)
Three more Pakistani women cricketers tested positive forCovid-19 to take the total count to six as country's cricket board is in a limbo to assemble a proper squad ahead of its home series against West Indies.
Earlier, three other players also had tested positive forCovidand are already in quarantine from the rest of the squad in the camp set up in Karachi.
(PTI)
The number of coronavirus cases has risen in Europe for the fifth consecutive week, making it the only world region whereCovid-19 is still increasing, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.
In its weekly report on the pandemic, the UNhealth agency said new cases jumped by 6 per cent, or 3 million, in Europe compared to an 18 per centincrease the previous week. The weekly number of new infections in other regions either fell or remained about the same, according to the report.
(AP)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday launched a Rs 196.91 crore incentive scheme here for over a lakh healthcare personnel for their services during theCovid-19 second wave.
Marking the rollout of the scheme, Stalin gave away cheques to 13 personnel at the Secretariat in the Fort St George premises.
(PTI)
Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on Wednesday said the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved the extension of shelf life ofCovid-19 vaccine Covaxin up to 12 months from the date of manufacture.
(PTI)
South Korea said on Wednesday it would ramp upCovid-19 testing at schools after a sharp rise of infections among children, weeks ahead of a plan to fully reopen schools nationwide.
The surge comes as new social distancing rules aimed at a phased return to normal came into effect on Mondayas a part of the country's plan to gradually move toward living withCovid-19 on the back of high vaccination rates.
(Reuters)
Slovakia reported 5,361 newCovid-19 cases through standard PCR testing, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, its second-highest daily tally since the pandemic started.
The ministry said 69 per centof the new cases were among the unvaccinated. The country has one of the European Union's lowest vaccination rates, with just 52.9 per centof the adult population fully vaccinated. (Reuters)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed the need to take the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and warned of a new crisis if people continued to be lax.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday is holding a review meeting with district magistrates of over 40 districts having low Covid-19 vaccination coverage.
The meeting, being held via video conferencing, includes districts with less than 50 per cent coverage of the first dose and low coverage of the second dose of vaccine.
The 40 districts are spread across Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Meghalaya, among other states, according to the Prime Minister's Office. (PTI)
Over 114croreCovid-19vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through Centre's free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.
More than14.68 crore (14,68,60,146) — balance and unutilised — vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories, it said. (PTI)
Actor Jason Momoa, who recently tested positive for coronavirus, has said he is doing fine and currently isolating at his home.
On Tuesday, the 42-year-old actor took to his Instagram Stories and revealed that he tested positive forCovid-19 "right after" attending the London premiere of his latest film "Dune". (PTI)
The country's active cases reduced by 2,567 to 1,51,209.
India on Wednesdaylogged 11,903 new Covid-19 cases and 311 more deaths, data published by the Union Health Ministry showed.
Advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday unanimously supported broad use of Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11, with shots potentially going into young arms as soon as Wednesday.
Monoclonal antibody therapy reduces severe disease and death in high-risk individuals infected with Delta variant of Covid-19 by 100 per cent, a study by Hyderabad based AIG Hospitals, CSIR-Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology involving other institutions has revealed.
With both doses of vaccination still eluding a large population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding a review meeting on November 3 with district magistrates of over 40 districts with low Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and North East.