Coronavirus news highlights: Kerala records 21,445 new Covid-19 cases, 160 deaths

Ahead of back-to-back festivals in the auspicious month of 'Shraavana' (August-September) and keeping in mind the possible outbreak of Covid third wave across Karnataka, the state government on Thursday ordered a ban on large scale religious, cultural and entertainment congregation of people besides directing the district authorities to decide on enforcing restrictions locally on the festive days.

. The pandemic has enabled us to study the details of how evolution happens – in real time.

Scientists have generated more than two million genome sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, allowing us to dissect the minutiae of evolutionary changes to a degree never previously possible for any replicating biological agent outside of the laboratory.

. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has mandated its health care workforce to get vaccinated against Covid-19, Health Secretary Xavier Becerra announced on Thursday.

Staff at the Indian Health Service (IHS), focused on American Indians, and National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be impacted by this decision, according to an HHS statement.

. The Maharashtra government on Thursday launched an online facility to enable citizens who have completed 14 days after second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to obtain passes to travel in suburban trains in Mumbai from August 15. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) release said, "A 'Universal Travel Pass' system has been developed to make it possible for citizens to obtain an e-pass conveniently and smoothly."

. Covid-19 may behave like other common-cold coronaviruses in the next few years, affecting mostly young children who have not yet been vaccinated or exposed to the virus, according to a modelling study published on Thursday.

. Karnataka was far from attaining natural immunity against the Covid-19in January this year, and hence must step up vaccination coverage and enforce public health measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, concluded the second serosurvey done in January this year, the results of which were finally published eight months later in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Thursday asked officials in border districts to to be extra cautious to check COVID-19 pandemic. Bommai was here in this district headquarters town of Dakshina Kannada district (bordering Kerala) which has seen significant rise in coronavirus cases in recent days. "I have come here to review the Covid-19 situation.

. Karnataka was far from attaining natural immunity against the Covid-19 in January this year, and hence must step up vaccination coverage and enforce public health measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, concluded the second serosurvey done in January this year, the results of which were finally published eight months later in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

. The Indian Air Force has sacked one of its personnel from service for refusing to get vaccinated against Covid-19, which has been made a service condition, the central government has told the Gujarat High Court.

. (PTI)

. A surge in cases of children having speech development problems and behavioural changes due to lockdowns in the past one-and-a-half-years has resulted in a spurt in special helplines with child psychologists, behavioural, occupational and speech therapists dealing with such problems.

. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday a clinical trial in 52 countries would study three anti-inflammatory drugs as potential treatments for Covid-19 patients.

. A 31-year-old lawyer in the city found herself at the short end of a Covid testing mix-up after her number was used to register at least 12 unrelated people for testing.

. Credit: PTI Photo

. The cumulative coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed the 52 crore-mark, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

More than 40 lakh (40,02,634) doses were administered on Wednesday, according to the 7 pm provisional report.

The ministry said 20,58,952 vaccine doses were administered as first dose and 4,30,665 vaccine doses were given as second dose in the age group 18-44 years on Wednesday. ( PTI )

. The ongoing strike by resident doctors in Gujarat in support of their demands entered the eighth day on Wednesday though they decided to attend emergency services, while their agitation received backing from the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Softening their stand, the doctors decided to resume emergency, ICU and Covid-19 services but made it clear they have not called off the strike. The Gujarat chapter of IMA, India's apex body of allopathy doctors, said its headquarters in Delhi has provided total support to the striking junior doctors and requested the state government to resolve the issue at the earliest. ( PTI )

Coronavirus news highlights: Kerala records 21,445 new Covid-19 cases, 160 deaths

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Kerala records 21,445 new Covid-19 cases, 160 deaths

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