In a day six cases of the new strain of coronavirus were detected in India, the Center said Tuesday that samples from all Covid-19 symptomatic passengers who arrived in the country on Dec. 9-22 would be subjected to genome sequencing. Also, to control the spread of the most contagious strain of coronavirus, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hinted that suspension of passenger flights to and from the UK it could be extended.
The new strain is reportedly 70% more infectious than the one that caused the Covid-19 pandemic and was first reported in the UK. Its presence has already been reported by Pakistan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore so far.
However, on positive news, daily new infections in India fell below 20,000 for the third time this month, bringing the number of cases to 1,02,24,303, while recoveries crossed 98 lakh, according to the Ministry of Health of the Union. A total of 16,432 new infections were reported on Tuesday, the lowest in just over six months, while the death toll rose to 1,48,153, with 252 new deaths.
Here are the latest Covid-19 developments:
Genome Sequencing for All Covid Positive Flyers Arriving in India Dec 9-22
The Union Health Ministry said Tuesday that samples from all international passengers who arrived in India on December 9-22 and tested positive for Covid-19 would be subjected to genome sequencing. Others will be followed by state and district surveillance officers, and will be evaluated according to ICMR guidelines, even if they are asymptomatic, between the fifth and tenth day of arrival, according to the Ministry of Health’s guidance document on genomic sequencing.
Workers dismantle beds at the Covid-19 isolation center at CWG in New Delhi (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)
At a press conference, the secretary of the Ministry of Health said that the government had established the India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) for epidemiological and laboratory surveillance and to expand the full genome sequencing of the coronavirus in the country. “These labs belong to ICMR, BioTech India, CSIR and Ministry of Health,” he said.
India detects six cases of new Covid-19 strain, all were travelers from the UK
Six people who returned to India from the UK tested positive for the new mutated strain of coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The coronavirus strain was detected in samples at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, at CCMB, Hyderabad, and one at NIV, Pune.
“All of these people have been kept in single room isolation in health care facilities designated by the respective state governments. His close contacts have also been quarantined. A full contact tracing has been started for fellow travelers, family contacts, and others. Genome sequencing is being carried out on other samples, ”said the Ministry of Health.
A healthcare worker takes a swab sample for Covid-19 testing at a testing center in New Delhi
Of the six, three samples that tested positive for the new mutant virus strain were from Karnataka. Of the three samples, two are from a family in Rajajinagar and one from RR Nagar. According to the Karnataka health department, all of his primary and secondary contacts have been tracked down and tested negative for Covid. “There is no need to panic as many of the returnees test negative. We are tracking people who have turned off their mobile phones, ”said Health Minister Dr. Sudhakar.
UK flight suspension likely to be extended, Aviation minister says
India is likely to extend the suspension of passenger flights to and from the UK to control the spread of the new strain of coronavirus, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday. The ministry last week suspended all flights between the two countries from December 23 to December 31.
“I anticipate a slight extension of the temporary suspension of India-UK flights,” the minister told a news conference. “In a day or two, we will find out if additional action is necessary or when we can begin to ease the current temporary suspension,” he said.
There is no evidence that vaccines will not work against the new variant detected in the UK, SA: Govt.
Senior Scientific Advisor K Vijay Raghavan said there is no evidence that current vaccines do not protect against the SARS-CoV-2 strain reported in the UK or South Africa. Raghavan also said that the new variant had not been found to increase the severity of the disease.
“There is no evidence that current vaccines do not protect against the COVID 19 variants reported by the UK or South Africa. Most vaccines target the Spike protein, in which there are changes in variants, but vaccines stimulate our immune system to produce a wide range of protective antibodies, “he said.
Despite a steady decline in the number of new cases, NITI Aayog (health) member Dr. VK Paul said that most of the population was still susceptible to infection in cold weather. “The UK variant has traveled to several other countries and also to India, this variant can have its own route and we have to be very careful,” said Paul.
Medical teams celebrate before receiving vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) when Israel starts a vaccination campaign against the coronavirus, in Tel Aviv (Reuters)
Former Himachal CM Shanta Kumar’s wife of Covid-19 dies
Santosh Shailza, the wife of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, succumbed to the coronavirus in the early hours of Tuesday, Health Minister Rajiv Saizal said. He was 83 years old. Shailza was being treated at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra’s Tanda. She was admitted to the facility after testing positive for Covid-19 last week.
Hospitals are overwhelmed by the new spike of Covid-19 in the UK
Health experts in the UK warned that hospitals were being overwhelmed by an increase in the Covid-19 pandemic, driven in large part by a highly communicable new coronavirus variant. According to figures from England’s National Health Service (NHS), 20,426 patients were being treated in hospitals on Monday, compared to 18,974 recorded on April 12 during the first peak of the pandemic this year.
The development comes as patients who received the first vaccines three weeks ago will receive their second injection of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine on Tuesday. The Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, which also has a link to the Serum Institute of India, is also believed to be on the brink of regulatory approval with the hope that it will roll out next week.
Samples are being tested for the presence of the coronavirus in a district laboratory. (Photo Express)
Belarus begins Covid-19 vaccination with Russian injections
Belarus announced on Tuesday the start of mass vaccinations against the coronavirus with the Sputnik V vaccine developed in Russia, becoming the second country after Russia to launch a vaccine that is still in advanced stage studies to ensure its safety and efficacy.
“Today begins a new stage in Belarus with mass vaccinations against COVID-19. Medical personnel, teachers, and those who come into contact with many people because of their work will be the first to get vaccinated. Vaccination will be completely voluntary, ”said Belarusian Health Minister Dmitry Pinevich, according to AP.
(With input from Darshan Devaiah, Sheriff of Kaunain)
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