Coronavirus News highlights: Govt expert panel recommends regular market approval for Covishield, Covaxin

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 43,697 cases, 10 per cent more than the previous day, including 214 new Omicron infections, and also saw 49 fatalities linked to the infection.

. Assam reports highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases for third day in a row with 8,339 people testing positive for disease, tally climbs to 6,70,128.

. As much as 30 per cent individuals lose vaccine-acquired immunity after six months, according to a study conducted by AIG Hospitals along with the Asian Healthcare Foundation on Vaccine Immunity. The study was conducted on 1,636 healthcare workers who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19, a press release from AIG Hospitals said.

. The estimated Covid-19 prevalence in England fell back from a record high in the week ending January 15, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday, with an estimated 1 in 20 people infected.

The ONS Infection Survey showed that prevalence had fallen back from the estimated 1 in 15 people who had Covid-19 over the previous two weeks. - Reuters.

. The Omicron variant of coronavirus may reduce the incidence of severe Covid-19 disease, and the infection may become less disruptive to individuals and society in future, according to a study conducted by researchers in South Africa.

The findings of the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study are consistent with the previous observations of Omicron displacing Delta, since the variant can elicit immunity which neutralises Delta.

The researchers from Africa Health Research Institute observed in samples from 23 people infected with Omicron in November and December that the variant escapes neutralising immunity elicited by Delta infection.

This indicates that Omicron can re-infect Delta infected individuals but not vice-versa, giving Omicron an advantage over Delta, they said. - PTI.

. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce the end of most Covid-19 measures introduced to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in England as he looks to live with the virus after an apparent peak in cases.

Britain was the first country to limit international travel over the Omicron variant, raising alarm bells about its mutations, and in December introduced work at home advice, more mask-wearing and vaccine passes to slow its spread.

But while cases soared to record highs, hospitalisations and deaths have not risen by the same extent, in part due to Britain's booster rollout and the variant's lesser severity. - Reuters.

. Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday cautioned people against the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the state during the third wave and said both Delta and Omicron variants of the virus are contributing to the ongoing unprecedented surge in daily cases. Though its severity is lesser, Omicron variant has the potential to spread the disease 5-6 times more than the Delta variant and so it should not be taken lightly.

. Eighty-four IAS trainees at Mussoorie's Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration have tested positive for the ovel coronavirus infection, officials said on Wednesday.

Those infected have been isolated and the rest quarantined at the academy, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Manoj Upreti said.

A group of 480 IAS trainees, including those of allied services, arrived here on Sunday from Gujarat on way to the Academy, he said. - PTI.

. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that Delhi's positivity rate has come down from 30 per cent to 22.5 per cent but it is not low enough to ease the restrictions in the national capital.

"We will observe the positivity rate for three to four more days as it has started coming down to take any decision on the restrictions," Jain said.

About the Covid beds occupancy in the city, Jain said that there is not much occupancy in hospitals and beds are lying vacant. He said that around 13,000 beds are still unoccupied in the city. - IANS.

. A traders body, dealing with essential supplies, on Wednesday announced its decision to observe weekend lockdown here to support the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir administration to contain the spread ofCovid-19 infection.

On January 15, the Union Territory administration imposed "complete restriction on non-essential movement" during weekends amid a surge inCovidcases.

In the highest single-day spike this month, Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday recorded 4,651 fresh cases ofCovid.

. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to end mostCovid-19 measures introduced to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in England as he looks to live with the virus and fully reopen the economy after an apparent peak in cases.

Britain was the first country to limit international travel over the Omicron variant, raising alarm bells about its mutations, and in December introduced work at home advice, more mask-wearing and vaccine passes to slow its spread.

But while cases soared to record highs, hospitalisations and deaths have not risen by the same extent, in part due to Britain's booster rollout and the variant's lesser severity.

Health minister Sajid Javid said on Tuesday Britain had likely reached the peak in both cases and hospitalisations, with the so-called Plan B measures due to expire in a week.

. India will keep scheduled international passenger flights suspended till February 28, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)said on Wednesday.

. SARS-CoV-2, the virus causingCovidinfection, during pregnancy may cause inflammatory immune responses in the foetus, even if the virus does not infect the placenta, according to a small study.

For the study, researchers from the US National Institutes of Health evaluated 23 pregnant women. Twelve were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and of these, eight were asymptomatic, one had mild symptoms and three had severeCovid.

After delivery, the researchers compared immune responses between mothers and their newborns by comparing maternal blood and umbilical cord blood.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that the inflammatory immune responses triggered by the virus were observed in women, their neonates and placental tissues regardless of whether the mothers had symptoms.

. Hinting at relaxation of the Covid-19 curbs, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the general feeling now is that the infection is “like a flu that comes and goes” with fewer people requiring hospitalisation.

. Bulgaria reported a record 11,181 coronavirus infections in a single day on Wednesday, official data showed, dominated by the more contagious Omicron variant.

The European Union nation, where less than 30% of the population of 7 million has been vaccinated, added 91 deaths.

Bulgaria's tally of infections exceeds 840,000, with 32,332 deaths since the pandemic began.

The new centrist government has repeatedly appealed to vaccine-sceptical Bulgarians to get inoculated, so as to avoid pressure on hospitals that could force tougher curbs.

About 5,259 people were admitted to hospital on Wednesday, with 554 of them in intensive care.

. The active cases currently stand at18,31,000.

. It is not possible to end the Covid-19 virus as such viruses never go away and end up becoming part of the ecosystem, a top WHO official said on Tuesday but asserted that it is possible to end this year the public health emergency caused by Covid-19 with a collaborative approach to fix inherent inequities in the system.

. PTI Photo

. There is no evidence at present that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses of Covid-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Tuesday.

Coronavirus News highlights: Govt expert panel recommends regular market approval for Covishield, Covaxin

India captain Yash Dhull, five other players test positive for Covid-19 at ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup in West Indies

DCGI's Subject Expert Committee (SEC) recommended regular market authorisation to Covishield and Covaxin: PTI sources

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