French authorities recommended on Friday that people who have already recovered from COVID-19 infection, will receive a single prescribe dose, instead of prescribed two doses. With this France has become the first country in the world to advise single doses of vaccine to its people.

France recommends a single dose for people who have already recovered from COVID-19

The pandemic rages on if you could name one industry that is not been disrupted by the covid crisis. In France, circuses face the threat of not only the pandemic but also the possible animal ban in circuses.

COVID, animal ban threatens French circuses

Two 11-week-old white tiger cubs that died in a Pakistani zoo last month might have succumbed to Covid-19 complications.

One of the officials said the cubs probably caught the virus from the person handling and feeding them.

The cubs died in the Lahore Zoo on January 30, four days after beginning treatment for what officials thought was feline panleukopenia virus. But an autopsy found the cubs' lungs were badly damaged and they were suffering from severe infection, with pathologists concluding they died from COVID-19.

After their death, the zoo administration conducted tests of all officials, and six were tested positive, including one official who handled the cubs.

According to Reuters, in December two Himalayan brown bears were airlifted out of the Islamabad Zoo to a sanctuary in Jordan.

That rescue came weeks after an elephant Kaavan was moved to a sanctuary in Cambodia, the culmination of a years-long campaign that included US pop star Cher.

At the Peshawar Zoo, officials have said four giraffes died in 2020. Last year two lions at Islamabad Zoo suffocated when workers lit fires in their cages.

The novel coronavirus has, meanwhile, killed 12,256 people in Pakistan.

Two 11-week-old white tiger cubs that died in a Pakistani zoo last month might have succumbed to Covid-19 complications. One of the officials said the cubs probably caught the virus from the person handling and feeding them.

Two 11-week-old white tiger cubs that died in a Pakistani zoo last month might have succumbed to Covid-19 complications. One of the officials said the cubs probably caught the virus from the person handling and feeding them. The cubs died in the Lahore Zoo on January 30, four days after beginning treatment for what officials thought was feline panleukopenia virus. But an autopsy found the cubs' lungs were badly damaged and they were suffering from severe infection, with pathologists concluding they died from COVID-19. After their death, the zoo administration conducted tests of all officials, and six were tested positive, including one official who handled the cubs. According to Reuters, in December two Himalayan brown bears were airlifted out of the Islamabad Zoo to a sanctuary in Jordan. That rescue came weeks after an elephant Kaavan was moved to a sanctuary in Cambodia, the culmination of a years-long campaign that included US pop star Cher. At the Peshawar Zoo, officials have said four giraffes died in 2020. Last year two lions at Islamabad Zoo suffocated when workers lit fires in their cages. The novel coronavirus has, meanwhile, killed 12,256 people in Pakistan.

Two white tiger cubs in Pakistan likely died of Covid-19, officials say

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition.

His prognosis became so worrisome before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that officials believed he would need to be put on a ventilator, two of the people familiar with his condition said.

The people familiar with Trump’s health said he was found to have lung infiltrates, which occur when the lungs are inflamed and contain substances such as fluid or bacteria. Their presence, especially when a patient is exhibiting other symptoms, can be a sign of an acute case of the disease. They can be easily spotted on an X-ray or scan, when parts of the lungs appear opaque, or white.

Trump’s blood oxygen level alone was cause for extreme concern, dipping into the 80s, according to the people familiar with his evaluation. The disease is considered severe when the blood oxygen level falls to the low 90s.

It has been previously reported that Trump had trouble breathing and a fever on Oct. 2, the day he was taken to the hospital, and the types of treatment he received indicated that his condition was serious. But the new details about his condition and about the effort inside the White House to get him special access to an unapproved drug to fight the virus help to flesh out one of the most dire episodes of Trump’s presidency.

The new revelations about Trump’s struggle with the virus also underscore the limited and sometimes misleading nature of the information disclosed at the time about his condition.

The former president resisted being taken from the White House to Walter Reed, relenting when aides told him that he could walk out on his own, or risk waiting until the U.S. Secret Service was forced to carry him out if he got sicker, two people familiar with the events said.

While Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed, his medical team sought to downplay the severity of the situation, saying that he was on an upswing. At 74 and overweight, he was at risk for severe disease, and was prescribed an aggressive course of treatments. He left the hospital after three days in which he at one point staged a brief ride in his armored sport utility vehicle to wave at the crowd of supporters outside the building.

A person close to the former president denied that he had been seriously ill, echoing comments Trump himself made after he was sick.

There are still unanswered questions about whether Trump was already sick with COVID-19 when he participated in a presidential debate on Sept. 29, just two days before the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with the disease and three days before his deteriorating condition forced him to go to Walter Reed.

Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, repeatedly downplayed concerns about Trump’s condition during his illness. At one briefing, Conley said Trump was receiving X-ray and CT scans. But when asked about whether there was evidence of pneumonia or damage to the tissue, he would only say there were “expected findings, but nothing of any major clinical concern.”

Conley also told reporters that while Trump’s oxygen level had dropped to 93%, it had never dropped to the “low 80s.”

Trump had trouble breathing at the White House. He was twice given oxygen before being taken to Walter Reed, as Conley acknowledged after it was reported by The New York Times.

While still at the White House, Trump received a drug developed by biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The antibody mixture — not widely available at the time — helps people infected with the virus fight it off.

After Trump was hospitalized, he began a regimen for a steroid, dexamethasone, which is usually recommended only for COVID-19 patients who have severe or critical forms of the disease, often those who need mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen.

And he received a five-day course of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Medical experts at the time believed that his medication course was a clear signal of significant lung issues related to his lungs.

In news conferences outside the hospital that weekend, Conley offered data that made it appear his patient was recovering quickly. He noted that Trump had fared well on a spirometry test, which measures lung capacity. “He’s maxing it out,” Conley said. “He’s doing great.”

Medical experts say a spirometry test is virtually meaningless with COVID-19 patients.

When Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, tried to surreptitiously tell reporters that the situation was more dire, Trump erupted in anger, according to people who spoke with him.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Conley acknowledged that he had given a rosy version of Trump’s condition.

“I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the president, his course of illness has had,” he said. “I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true.”

Trump’s medical team said that on that Friday, he had a “high fever” and that his oxygen level dropped, requiring him to be administered oxygen. Trump’s oxygen level dropped again on Saturday.

Trump appeared to still be struggling with the disease when he returned to the White House, where he stationed himself on a balcony in a choreographed scene, tearing his mask off and saluting his helicopter. Doctors at the time noted how Trump used his neck muscles to help him breathe in those moments, a classic sign that someone’s lungs are not taking in enough oxygen.

On the night of his diagnosis, Oct. 1, White House officials scrambled to get the Regeneron antibody drug — not at that point authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment — to Trump.

A top lawyer in the White House Counsel’s Office, Patrick Philbin, called Dr. Stephen Hahn, the FDA commissioner at the time, to discuss how the agency could approve the drug’s use for two senior administration officials he did not want to identify, according to one person who heard about the call.

Philbin was exploring how the president could quickly get access to the drug through normal FDA procedures. Regeneron had already signed off on the use of the doses, Philbin told Hahn.

Hahn and other FDA officials, including Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the top federal drug regulator, worked to clear the drug through a standard process known as an emergency investigational new drug application, often used for very ill patients who agree to take an experimental drug still being tested in clinical trials. The agency reviews the medical histories of those patients to identify whether there might be severe risks to take a treatment.

Regeneron shipped a package of doses that included extras, “in case of any administration issues,” a company spokeswoman said.

The extras were never returned. Conley at one point told associates they had been sitting in a refrigerator in the White House’s medical office.

Only in the days following the application’s approval did White House officials acknowledge that the doses were for Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, who also tested positive for COVID-19 but turned down the drug, which is infused intravenously for about an hour. The person close to the former president also denied that Melania Trump had turned down the drug.

Around that time, as other people close to Donald Trump started getting sick, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, offered to facilitate getting the Regeneron treatment for them, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. An aide to Kushner disputed that he had made such an offer at that time.

In the weeks after his hospitalization, Trump was convinced that the Regeneron treatment had saved his life, telling aides, “I’m proof it works.”

That line became a running joke among top health officials, who would ask each other whether anyone was going to break it to Trump that he was in fact a failed clinical trial result for Regeneron, since the aim is to prevent people from being hospitalized after receiving it, one former senior administration official said.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was sicker with COVID-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition. His prognosis became so worrisome before he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that officials believed he would need to be put on a ventilator, two of the people familiar with his condition said. The people familiar with Trump’s health said he was found to have lung infiltrates, which occur when the lungs are inflamed and contain substances such as fluid or bacteria. Their presence, especially when a patient is exhibiting other symptoms, can be a sign of an acute case of the disease. They can be easily spotted on an X-ray or scan, when parts of the lungs appear opaque, or white. Trump’s blood oxygen level alone was cause for extreme concern, dipping into the 80s, according to the people familiar with his evaluation. The disease is considered severe when the blood oxygen level falls to the low 90s. It has been previously reported that Trump had trouble breathing and a fever on Oct. 2, the day he was taken to the hospital, and the types of treatment he received indicated that his condition was serious. But the new details about his condition and about the effort inside the White House to get him special access to an unapproved drug to fight the virus help to flesh out one of the most dire episodes of Trump’s presidency. The new revelations about Trump’s struggle with the virus also underscore the limited and sometimes misleading nature of the information disclosed at the time about his condition. The former president resisted being taken from the White House to Walter Reed, relenting when aides told him that he could walk out on his own, or risk waiting until the U.S. Secret Service was forced to carry him out if he got sicker, two people familiar with the events said. While Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed, his medical team sought to downplay the severity of the situation, saying that he was on an upswing. At 74 and overweight, he was at risk for severe disease, and was prescribed an aggressive course of treatments. He left the hospital after three days in which he at one point staged a brief ride in his armored sport utility vehicle to wave at the crowd of supporters outside the building. A person close to the former president denied that he had been seriously ill, echoing comments Trump himself made after he was sick. There are still unanswered questions about whether Trump was already sick with COVID-19 when he participated in a presidential debate on Sept. 29, just two days before the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with the disease and three days before his deteriorating condition forced him to go to Walter Reed. Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, repeatedly downplayed concerns about Trump’s condition during his illness. At one briefing, Conley said Trump was receiving X-ray and CT scans. But when asked about whether there was evidence of pneumonia or damage to the tissue, he would only say there were “expected findings, but nothing of any major clinical concern.” Conley also told reporters that while Trump’s oxygen level had dropped to 93%, it had never dropped to the “low 80s.” Trump had trouble breathing at the White House. He was twice given oxygen before being taken to Walter Reed, as Conley acknowledged after it was reported by The New York Times. While still at the White House, Trump received a drug developed by biotechnology firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The antibody mixture — not widely available at the time — helps people infected with the virus fight it off. After Trump was hospitalized, he began a regimen for a steroid, dexamethasone, which is usually recommended only for COVID-19 patients who have severe or critical forms of the disease, often those who need mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen. And he received a five-day course of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Medical experts at the time believed that his medication course was a clear signal of significant lung issues related to his lungs. In news conferences outside the hospital that weekend, Conley offered data that made it appear his patient was recovering quickly. He noted that Trump had fared well on a spirometry test, which measures lung capacity. “He’s maxing it out,” Conley said. “He’s doing great.” Medical experts say a spirometry test is virtually meaningless with COVID-19 patients. When Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, tried to surreptitiously tell reporters that the situation was more dire, Trump erupted in anger, according to people who spoke with him. On Sunday, Oct. 4, Conley acknowledged that he had given a rosy version of Trump’s condition. “I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude that the team, the president, his course of illness has had,” he said. “I didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction, and in doing so, you know, it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true.” Trump’s medical team said that on that Friday, he had a “high fever” and that his oxygen level dropped, requiring him to be administered oxygen. Trump’s oxygen level dropped again on Saturday. Trump appeared to still be struggling with the disease when he returned to the White House, where he stationed himself on a balcony in a choreographed scene, tearing his mask off and saluting his helicopter. Doctors at the time noted how Trump used his neck muscles to help him breathe in those moments, a classic sign that someone’s lungs are not taking in enough oxygen. On the night of his diagnosis, Oct. 1, White House officials scrambled to get the Regeneron antibody drug — not at that point authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment — to Trump. A top lawyer in the White House Counsel’s Office, Patrick Philbin, called Dr. Stephen Hahn, the FDA commissioner at the time, to discuss how the agency could approve the drug’s use for two senior administration officials he did not want to identify, according to one person who heard about the call. Philbin was exploring how the president could quickly get access to the drug through normal FDA procedures. Regeneron had already signed off on the use of the doses, Philbin told Hahn. Hahn and other FDA officials, including Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, the top federal drug regulator, worked to clear the drug through a standard process known as an emergency investigational new drug application, often used for very ill patients who agree to take an experimental drug still being tested in clinical trials. The agency reviews the medical histories of those patients to identify whether there might be severe risks to take a treatment. Regeneron shipped a package of doses that included extras, “in case of any administration issues,” a company spokeswoman said. The extras were never returned. Conley at one point told associates they had been sitting in a refrigerator in the White House’s medical office. Only in the days following the application’s approval did White House officials acknowledge that the doses were for Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, who also tested positive for COVID-19 but turned down the drug, which is infused intravenously for about an hour. The person close to the former president also denied that Melania Trump had turned down the drug. Around that time, as other people close to Donald Trump started getting sick, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, offered to facilitate getting the Regeneron treatment for them, two people with knowledge of the discussions said. An aide to Kushner disputed that he had made such an offer at that time. In the weeks after his hospitalization, Trump was convinced that the Regeneron treatment had saved his life, telling aides, “I’m proof it works.” That line became a running joke among top health officials, who would ask each other whether anyone was going to break it to Trump that he was in fact a failed clinical trial result for Regeneron, since the aim is to prevent people from being hospitalized after receiving it, one former senior administration official said.

Trump was sicker than acknowledged with Covid-19

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised that the lockdown will not last a day longer than necessary. Merkel told the Parliament that lockdown extensions were important to avoid the third wave of COVID-19.

COVID-19: Germany Chancellor Merkel says 'lockdown will not be extended further'

France on Friday recommended that people who have already recovered from Covid-19 receive a single vaccine dose, becoming the first country to issue such advice.

All three Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the European Union are administered in the form of two doses, delivered several weeks apart.&nbsp;

This is because clinical trials showed that immunity against the disease was significantly higher after individuals received two shots.

France's public health authority said Friday however that people who had already been infected with Covid-19 develop an immune response similar to that bestowed by a vaccine dose, and that a single dose after infection would likely suffice.

"A single vaccine dose will also play the role of reminding" their immune system how to fight Covid-19, it said.

The authority recommended a gap of between three and six months after infection before individuals who had recovered from Covid-19 receive a jab.

"At the moment no country has clearly positioned itself in terms of a sole vaccination dose for people who have already contracted Covid-19," it said.

France has accelerated its vaccination programme in recent weeks but it is still in its infancy.&nbsp;

As of Thursday, over 2.1 million people had received at least one vaccine dose, with almost 535,800 having already received two.

At least 3.4 million people have had confirmed Covid-19 infections in France, although there are likely to have been far more given the relative lack of accessible testing during the pandemic's first wave.

Two recent US studies suggest that a single vaccine dose may work in individuals who have already recovered from Covid-19.

One paper said that immunity in individuals who had had Covid-19 and then received a single vaccine dose "is equal to or even exceeds" that of people who have not had Covid-19 but received two vaccine doses.

A vaccine still in development by Johnson &amp; Johnson works with a single dose, but it is yet to receive emergency use authorisation from EU and US regulators.

France on Friday recommended that people who have already recovered from Covid-19 receive a single vaccine dose, becoming the first country to issue such advice.

France on Friday recommended that people who have already recovered from Covid-19 receive a single vaccine dose, becoming the first country to issue such advice. All three Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the European Union are administered in the form of two doses, delivered several weeks apart. This is because clinical trials showed that immunity against the disease was significantly higher after individuals received two shots. France's public health authority said Friday however that people who had already been infected with Covid-19 develop an immune response similar to that bestowed by a vaccine dose, and that a single dose after infection would likely suffice. "A single vaccine dose will also play the role of reminding" their immune system how to fight Covid-19, it said. The authority recommended a gap of between three and six months after infection before individuals who had recovered from Covid-19 receive a jab. "At the moment no country has clearly positioned itself in terms of a sole vaccination dose for people who have already contracted Covid-19," it said. France has accelerated its vaccination programme in recent weeks but it is still in its infancy. As of Thursday, over 2.1 million people had received at least one vaccine dose, with almost 535,800 having already received two. At least 3.4 million people have had confirmed Covid-19 infections in France, although there are likely to have been far more given the relative lack of accessible testing during the pandemic's first wave. Two recent US studies suggest that a single vaccine dose may work in individuals who have already recovered from Covid-19. One paper said that immunity in individuals who had had Covid-19 and then received a single vaccine dose "is equal to or even exceeds" that of people who have not had Covid-19 but received two vaccine doses. A vaccine still in development by Johnson & Johnson works with a single dose, but it is yet to receive emergency use authorisation from EU and US regulators.

France recommends single vaccine dose for people who have had Covid

Coronavirus has killed more than 2 million people globally and alter the lives of billions. COVID-19 variant first found in the British region of Kent is now becoming a concern because it could undermine the protection given by vaccines against developing coronavirus antibodies.

Coronavirus Updates: 'UK COVID-19 variant likely to sweep the world'

The top Republicans in the United States are heading out to New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo for undercounting COVID-19 deaths at New York's nursing home.

US: Governor Andrew Cuomo faces flak for undercounting COVID-19 deaths

Instagram took down the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion and prominent anti-vaccine activist, on Wednesday over false information related to the coronavirus.

“We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement.

Kennedy, the son of the former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, worked for decades as an environmental lawyer but is now better known as an anti-vaccine crusader. A 2019 study found that two groups including his nonprofit, now called Children’s Health Defense, had funded more than half of Facebook advertisements spreading misinformation about vaccines.

He has found an even broader audience during the pandemic on platforms like Instagram, where he had 800,000 followers. Though Kennedy has said he is not opposed to vaccines as long as they are safe, he regularly endorses discredited links between vaccines and autism and has argued that it is safer to contract the coronavirus than to be inoculated against it.

Facebook is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to stamp out vaccine misinformation, saying this week that it would remove posts with erroneous claims about the coronavirus, coronavirus vaccines and vaccines in general, whether they are paid advertisements or user-generated posts. In addition to Kennedy’s Instagram account, the company said it had removed eight other Instagram accounts and Facebook pages on Wednesday under its updated policies.

They did not include Kennedy’s Facebook page, which was still active as of early Thursday and makes many of the same baseless claims to more than 300,000 followers. The company that said it did not automatically disable accounts across its platforms and that there were no plans to take down Kennedy’s Facebook account “at this time.”

Children’s Health Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Members of Kennedy’s family have spoken out against his anti-vaccine efforts, including a brother, sister and niece who accused him of spreading “dangerous misinformation” in a column they wrote for Politico in 2019. Another niece, Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, a doctor at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, wrote an opinion essay in The New York Times in December challenging his claims.

“I love my uncle Bobby,” she wrote. “I admire him for many reasons, chief among them his decades-long fight for a cleaner environment. But when it comes to vaccines, he is wrong.”

Instagram took down the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion and prominent anti-vaccine activist, on Wednesday over false information related to the coronavirus.

Instagram took down the account of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the political scion and prominent anti-vaccine activist, on Wednesday over false information related to the coronavirus. “We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” Facebook, which owns Instagram, said in a statement. Kennedy, the son of the former senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, worked for decades as an environmental lawyer but is now better known as an anti-vaccine crusader. A 2019 study found that two groups including his nonprofit, now called Children’s Health Defense, had funded more than half of Facebook advertisements spreading misinformation about vaccines. He has found an even broader audience during the pandemic on platforms like Instagram, where he had 800,000 followers. Though Kennedy has said he is not opposed to vaccines as long as they are safe, he regularly endorses discredited links between vaccines and autism and has argued that it is safer to contract the coronavirus than to be inoculated against it. Facebook is becoming more aggressive in its efforts to stamp out vaccine misinformation, saying this week that it would remove posts with erroneous claims about the coronavirus, coronavirus vaccines and vaccines in general, whether they are paid advertisements or user-generated posts. In addition to Kennedy’s Instagram account, the company said it had removed eight other Instagram accounts and Facebook pages on Wednesday under its updated policies. They did not include Kennedy’s Facebook page, which was still active as of early Thursday and makes many of the same baseless claims to more than 300,000 followers. The company that said it did not automatically disable accounts across its platforms and that there were no plans to take down Kennedy’s Facebook account “at this time.” Children’s Health Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Members of Kennedy’s family have spoken out against his anti-vaccine efforts, including a brother, sister and niece who accused him of spreading “dangerous misinformation” in a column they wrote for Politico in 2019. Another niece, Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, a doctor at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, wrote an opinion essay in The New York Times in December challenging his claims. “I love my uncle Bobby,” she wrote. “I admire him for many reasons, chief among them his decades-long fight for a cleaner environment. But when it comes to vaccines, he is wrong.”

Robert F Kennedy Jr is barred from Instagram over false coronavirus claims

The National Radio and Television Administration of China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland.

China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced the ban on Thursday, stating that the BBC’s reports “violated the requirements that news should be truthful and fair, harmed China’s national interests, and undermined China’s national unity.” 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-state-broadcaster-cgtn-kicked-out-of-uk-after-ofcom-ruling-361413">Also read | China's state broadcaster CGTN kicked out of UK after Ofcom ruling</a> 
 
The channel therefore does not meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China and its application to air for another year will not be accepted, it added.

The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On February 4, British media regulator Ofcom revoked China Global Television Network’s (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom after an investigation found the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd.

The tit-for-tat move comes after the UK media regulator, Ofcom, revoked the broadcast license of the Chinese CGTN network.

China is facing international criticism over reports it has imprisoned around 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in vast labour camps in the autonomous region of Xinjiang in the west of the country that it claims are "re-education" facilities. China denies accusations of imprisonment and claims it is fighting domestic terrorism and separatism.

(With inputs from agencies)

The National Radio and Television Administration of China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland. China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced the ban on Thursday, stating that the BBC’s reports “violated the requirements that news should be truthful and fair, harmed China’s national interests, and undermined China’s national unity.

The National Radio and Television Administration of China has banned British television channel BBC World News from airing in Chinese mainland. China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) announced the ban on Thursday, stating that the BBC’s reports “violated the requirements that news should be truthful and fair, harmed China’s national interests, and undermined China’s national unity.” Also read | China's state broadcaster CGTN kicked out of UK after Ofcom ruling The channel therefore does not meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China and its application to air for another year will not be accepted, it added. The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On February 4, British media regulator Ofcom revoked China Global Television Network’s (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom after an investigation found the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd. The tit-for-tat move comes after the UK media regulator, Ofcom, revoked the broadcast license of the Chinese CGTN network. China is facing international criticism over reports it has imprisoned around 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in vast labour camps in the autonomous region of Xinjiang in the west of the country that it claims are "re-education" facilities. China denies accusations of imprisonment and claims it is fighting domestic terrorism and separatism. (With inputs from agencies)

China bans BBC World News for its reporting on Uighur genocide, Covid-19

A large-scale international trial in the UK has led to the discovery of a 'game changer' drug for improving the health of people with obesity and could even play a major part in helping reduce the impact of diseases such as COVID-19.

According to a study published on Thursday in the 'New England Journal for Medicine', the drug, semaglutide, works by hijacking the body's own appetite regulating system in the brain leading to reduced hunger and calorie intake.

Over one third (35 per cent) of people who took the new drug for treating obesity lost more than one-fifth of their total body weight, according to the major global study involving University College London (UCL) researchers and almost 2,000 trial participants in 16 countries.

It was also found that three quarters (75 per cent) of people who received semaglutide 2.4 mg lost more than 10 per cent of their body weight and more than one-third lost more than 20 per cent.

The average participant in the trial lost 15.3 kg; this was accompanied by reductions in risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, such as waist circumference, blood fats, blood sugar and blood pressure and reported improvements in their overall quality of life.

The trial's UK Chief Investigator, Professor John Wilding from the University of Liverpool, said semaglutide is already approved and used clinically at a lower dose for treatment of diabetes, so doctors are already familiar with its use.

With evidence from the international trial, semaglutide has been submitted for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity to the UK's National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A large-scale international trial in the UK has led to the discovery of a 'game changer' drug for improving the health of people with obesity and could even play a major part in helping reduce the impact of diseases such as COVID-19.

A large-scale international trial in the UK has led to the discovery of a 'game changer' drug for improving the health of people with obesity and could even play a major part in helping reduce the impact of diseases such as COVID-19. According to a study published on Thursday in the 'New England Journal for Medicine', the drug, semaglutide, works by hijacking the body's own appetite regulating system in the brain leading to reduced hunger and calorie intake. Over one third (35 per cent) of people who took the new drug for treating obesity lost more than one-fifth of their total body weight, according to the major global study involving University College London (UCL) researchers and almost 2,000 trial participants in 16 countries. It was also found that three quarters (75 per cent) of people who received semaglutide 2.4 mg lost more than 10 per cent of their body weight and more than one-third lost more than 20 per cent. The average participant in the trial lost 15.3 kg; this was accompanied by reductions in risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, such as waist circumference, blood fats, blood sugar and blood pressure and reported improvements in their overall quality of life. The trial's UK Chief Investigator, Professor John Wilding from the University of Liverpool, said semaglutide is already approved and used clinically at a lower dose for treatment of diabetes, so doctors are already familiar with its use. With evidence from the international trial, semaglutide has been submitted for regulatory approval as a treatment for obesity to the UK's National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

UK study finds new 'game changer' drug to fight obesity

Professor Sharon Peacock, head of the Covid-19 Genomics UK (Cog-UK) Consortium said the variant 'is going to sweep the world.

Kent Covid variant is going to sweep the world, says Professor Peacock

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic.

"We believe it would be sensible to declare both (Austria and Czech Republic) as mutation areas. This will likely happen," said Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder.&nbsp;

He had warned late Wednesday that if the Czech Republic was unable to take appropriate measures to curb contagion, then a "border closure must also be an issue".

Germany in late January banned most travellers from countries classed as so-called mutation areas or places hardest hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants.

Only a handful of exceptions are allowed to enter Germany from these countries, including returning Germans and essential workers.

With neighbouring EU countries continuing to report high infection numbers in part fuelled by variants, German leaders fear that keeping the borders open could compromise the country's efforts to curb contagion.&nbsp;

Baden-Wuerttemberg state premier Winfried Kretschmann said in a regional parliament session that if virus variants were to keep propagating in neighbouring countries, then "of course that can in the extreme case also lead to border closures".&nbsp;

Austria has already ordered restrictions to stop people leaving the mountainous Tyrol region, which Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says has been hit by the biggest outbreak in Europe of the South African variant.

- Fearing superspreader hotspot -

Anyone leaving the region must now show a negative coronavirus test, with fines of up to 1,450 euros ($1,750) for anyone who fails to comply.

But Soeder, whose region borders Tyrol, said he feared that "a second Ischgl" was in the making -- referring to the Austrian ski region which became a coronavirus superspreader hotspot early on in the pandemic.

Tyrol "is not taking the development seriously," he said.

Meanwhile Saxony state, which lies next to the Czech Republic, said it was imposing tougher checks from Saturday with restrictions to also affect cross-border workers.

Only workers in essential sectors -- such as doctors or employees in elderly care home -- would be allowed to travel in.&nbsp;

But they would be required to take virus tests daily and commit to travel only between their homes and workplaces.

The Czech government said Thursday it would block off three hard-hit districts, including two on the German border, stopping people living in these zones from leaving and others from entering.

Czech public health officials want the curb to be in force for three weeks, although there are likely to be exceptions.

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic.

German leaders warned Thursday that they could not rule out shutting Germany's borders with its neighbours because of troublingly high coronavirus infections fuelled by more contagious variants in countries like Austria and the Czech Republic. "We believe it would be sensible to declare both (Austria and Czech Republic) as mutation areas. This will likely happen," said Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder. He had warned late Wednesday that if the Czech Republic was unable to take appropriate measures to curb contagion, then a "border closure must also be an issue". Germany in late January banned most travellers from countries classed as so-called mutation areas or places hardest hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants. Only a handful of exceptions are allowed to enter Germany from these countries, including returning Germans and essential workers. With neighbouring EU countries continuing to report high infection numbers in part fuelled by variants, German leaders fear that keeping the borders open could compromise the country's efforts to curb contagion. Baden-Wuerttemberg state premier Winfried Kretschmann said in a regional parliament session that if virus variants were to keep propagating in neighbouring countries, then "of course that can in the extreme case also lead to border closures". Austria has already ordered restrictions to stop people leaving the mountainous Tyrol region, which Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says has been hit by the biggest outbreak in Europe of the South African variant. - Fearing superspreader hotspot - Anyone leaving the region must now show a negative coronavirus test, with fines of up to 1,450 euros ($1,750) for anyone who fails to comply. But Soeder, whose region borders Tyrol, said he feared that "a second Ischgl" was in the making -- referring to the Austrian ski region which became a coronavirus superspreader hotspot early on in the pandemic. Tyrol "is not taking the development seriously," he said. Meanwhile Saxony state, which lies next to the Czech Republic, said it was imposing tougher checks from Saturday with restrictions to also affect cross-border workers. Only workers in essential sectors -- such as doctors or employees in elderly care home -- would be allowed to travel in. But they would be required to take virus tests daily and commit to travel only between their homes and workplaces. The Czech government said Thursday it would block off three hard-hit districts, including two on the German border, stopping people living in these zones from leaving and others from entering. Czech public health officials want the curb to be in force for three weeks, although there are likely to be exceptions.

Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Indian envoy to Mexico Manpreet Vohra also made the announcement on Twitter.

"To assist #Mexico's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I am delighted to confirm that 500,000 Made-in-India vaccines are scheduled to reach here on Sunday," the Indian Embassy in Mexico tweeted.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.

Earlier on Wednesday, Dominica and Barbados on Wednesday received 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.

India has also supplied Indian-made vaccines to countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Mexico will receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday. Indian envoy to Mexico Manpreet Vohra also made the announcement on Twitter. "To assist #Mexico's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I am delighted to confirm that 500,000 Made-in-India vaccines are scheduled to reach here on Sunday," the Indian Embassy in Mexico tweeted. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. Earlier on Wednesday, Dominica and Barbados on Wednesday received 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines under the Vaccine Maitri initiative. India has also supplied Indian-made vaccines to countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Mexico to receive 1 million doses of India-made Covid vaccine

South African cabinet has announced the extension of the country’s national state of disaster by one more month.&nbsp;

In its statement, the government said that the national state of disaster will now continue until March 15.&nbsp;

The country will mark one year since the national state of disaster was first implemented last year in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The national state of disaster will be gazetted and officially extended from February 15 to March 15 by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister, Nkosozana Dlamini-Zuma.&nbsp;

These regulations are set out to stop the further spread of Covid-19 and minimize its effects. Anyone found in violation may be fined or imprisoned.&nbsp;

As on Wednesday, South Africa reported 1.48 million Covid-19 positive cases and 47,145 deaths.&nbsp;

South African cabinet has announced the extension of the country’s national state of disaster by one more month. In its statement, the government said that the national state of disaster will now continue until March 15.

South African cabinet has announced the extension of the country’s national state of disaster by one more month. In its statement, the government said that the national state of disaster will now continue until March 15. The country will mark one year since the national state of disaster was first implemented last year in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The national state of disaster will be gazetted and officially extended from February 15 to March 15 by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister, Nkosozana Dlamini-Zuma. These regulations are set out to stop the further spread of Covid-19 and minimize its effects. Anyone found in violation may be fined or imprisoned. As on Wednesday, South Africa reported 1.48 million Covid-19 positive cases and 47,145 deaths.

South Africa extends national state of disaster by another month

South Africa has temporarily halted the rollout of AstraZeneca Coronavirus vaccine after a study shows that the jab provided minimal protection against COVID-19 variant found in the country.

South Africa received over a million AstraZeneca shots

The first vaccines against COVID-19 have gone mostly to wealthier countries and now several middle-income countries are getting their shots. Many come from Chinese and Russian drug makers however, critics know that developers are not forthcoming with data on their vaccine safety and efficacy.

COVID-19 Vaccine developers are not forthcoming with data on their vaccine safety

The vaccine that has been developed by oxford university AstraZeneca remains effective against the COVID-19 new variant that has been found in the United Kingdom.

Oxford releases new data on AstraZeneca, protective against new variant

The Pandemic has led to a shutdown of most places of leisure, from Shopping complexes to restaurants, to gaming lounges. But Ukrainian took this time to embrace nature.

Ukrainians Embrace nature amid Pandemic

Residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan remember the "whistleblower" doctor who first sounded the alarm about the coronavirus outbreak before it received official recognition with fond memories.

Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at a hospital in the city, became one of the most visible figures in the early days of the outbreak in Wuhan when he tried to sound the alarm about its appearance, but was reprimanded by police for "spreading rumours."

The 34-year-old doctor's death from the virus on February 7 last year led to an outpouring of public mourning and rare expressions of anger online.

A year after his death, while people on the streets around Li's hospital say life in the city has mostly returned to its usual rhythm, they still revere him for his actions.

The origins of the virus have become highly politicised, and some Chinese diplomats and state media have thrown support behind theories that the virus potentially originated in another country.

A designer in Wuhan said he heard about Li's warning in the early days and rushed to stock up on masks before the officials spoke openly about the virus.

"The public strongly acknowledges him, and personally, I think he should receive more official honours, rather than being treated as what he did is already in the past," he said, adding the government made mistakes in the early stages, but it has handled it well since.

A World Health Organisation team is currently in Wuhan researching the early stages of the outbreak, and is preparing to present its findings, team member Dominic Dwyer told Reuters on Friday.

The team visited the sprawling Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, thought to be where the virus first became an outbreak, which led to a pandemic that has infected over 105 million people and killed nearly 3 million worldwide. The market site has been shut to the public since the beginning of last year.

Residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan remember the "whistleblower" doctor who first sounded the alarm about the coronavirus outbreak before it received official recognition with fond memories.

Residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan remember the "whistleblower" doctor who first sounded the alarm about the coronavirus outbreak before it received official recognition with fond memories. Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at a hospital in the city, became one of the most visible figures in the early days of the outbreak in Wuhan when he tried to sound the alarm about its appearance, but was reprimanded by police for "spreading rumours." The 34-year-old doctor's death from the virus on February 7 last year led to an outpouring of public mourning and rare expressions of anger online. A year after his death, while people on the streets around Li's hospital say life in the city has mostly returned to its usual rhythm, they still revere him for his actions. The origins of the virus have become highly politicised, and some Chinese diplomats and state media have thrown support behind theories that the virus potentially originated in another country. A designer in Wuhan said he heard about Li's warning in the early days and rushed to stock up on masks before the officials spoke openly about the virus. "The public strongly acknowledges him, and personally, I think he should receive more official honours, rather than being treated as what he did is already in the past," he said, adding the government made mistakes in the early stages, but it has handled it well since. A World Health Organisation team is currently in Wuhan researching the early stages of the outbreak, and is preparing to present its findings, team member Dominic Dwyer told Reuters on Friday. The team visited the sprawling Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, thought to be where the virus first became an outbreak, which led to a pandemic that has infected over 105 million people and killed nearly 3 million worldwide. The market site has been shut to the public since the beginning of last year.

Wuhan residents remember coronavirus 'whistleblower' doctor a year after his death

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab.

The Islamic republic is fighting the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus, with over 58,000 lives lost out of more than 1.4 million cases of infection.

Iran has bought two million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told AFP.

The first batch arrived in the country on Thursday, and the country is scheduled to receive two more batches by February 28.

"Vaccinations will start this very week; this is a real cause for celebration," Rouhani told a televised meeting of Iran's Covid-19 taskforce.

He did not give a specific date, only saying that the programme would begin before next Wednesday, which marks the 42nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution.

Health workers would be the first to get the jabs, followed by the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, Rouhani said.

The president expressed hope that the first three categories would be inoculated before the Persian New Year on March 21.

Russia registered the Sputnik V vaccine -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- in August last year, before the start of large-scale clinical trials.

In addition to the Russian jab, Iran is expecting to receive 4.2 million doses of a vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca in February.

They were purchased via Covax, the mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines established by the UN World Health Organization.

Iran started clinical trials of one of its own vaccines in late December, and according to Rouhani, they may become available by early summer.

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab.

Iran will kick off its coronavirus vaccination campaign within a week, President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday, after the country received its first batch of Russia's Sputnik V jab. The Islamic republic is fighting the Middle East's deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus, with over 58,000 lives lost out of more than 1.4 million cases of infection. Iran has bought two million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told AFP. The first batch arrived in the country on Thursday, and the country is scheduled to receive two more batches by February 28. "Vaccinations will start this very week; this is a real cause for celebration," Rouhani told a televised meeting of Iran's Covid-19 taskforce. He did not give a specific date, only saying that the programme would begin before next Wednesday, which marks the 42nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic revolution. Health workers would be the first to get the jabs, followed by the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, Rouhani said. The president expressed hope that the first three categories would be inoculated before the Persian New Year on March 21. Russia registered the Sputnik V vaccine -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- in August last year, before the start of large-scale clinical trials. In addition to the Russian jab, Iran is expecting to receive 4.2 million doses of a vaccine from the Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca in February. They were purchased via Covax, the mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines established by the UN World Health Organization. Iran started clinical trials of one of its own vaccines in late December, and according to Rouhani, they may become available by early summer.

Iran to start Covid vaccination within a week

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign.&nbsp;

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said that latest official data from February 3 showed new infections were down to approximately 121,000, while hospitalizations were down nearly 42 percent and the pace of deaths appears to be slowing.

"While the data are moving in the right direction, context is important because cases, hospital admissions, and deaths, all remain high and well above the levels that we saw in the summer and early fall," Walensky said during a briefing by the White House's Covid-19 Response Team.

The Department of Defense meanwhile announced it had approved 1,110 active duty members to assist at five federal Covid-19 vaccination centers. That number could eventually rise to 10,000.

The new administration of President Joe Biden has set its sights on delivering 150 million doses of Covid shots in the first 100 days of office -- a challenge made all the more pressing by the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus that are more transmissible and reduce the efficacy of vaccines.

To this end, Tim Manning, the national supply chain manager for the Covid response, said the government was invoking emergency legislation called the Defense Production Act to give Pfizer priority access to the raw ingredients for its vaccine.

The legislation is also being used to help deliver 60 million more point-of-care or at-home tests by summer, and to increase the domestic manufacture of surgical gloves.

The US Food and Drug Administration is meanwhile examining vaccine data submitted to it by Johnson &amp; Johnson, ahead of a meeting by an independent advisory panel on February 26.

The panel is likely to advise in favor of emergency use authorization (EUA) given the positive data announced from J&amp;J's multi continent trial, which found the single-shot vaccine overall 66 percent effective, but highly protective against severe Covid.

An EUA would follow soon after, bringing a third vaccine into the picture, with vaccines by AstraZeneca and Novavax on the horizon.

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign.

New US Covid-19 cases have declined by 61 percent compared to the peak level on January 8, officials said Friday, as they announced troops were being deployed to support the national vaccine campaign. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky said that latest official data from February 3 showed new infections were down to approximately 121,000, while hospitalizations were down nearly 42 percent and the pace of deaths appears to be slowing. "While the data are moving in the right direction, context is important because cases, hospital admissions, and deaths, all remain high and well above the levels that we saw in the summer and early fall," Walensky said during a briefing by the White House's Covid-19 Response Team. The Department of Defense meanwhile announced it had approved 1,110 active duty members to assist at five federal Covid-19 vaccination centers. That number could eventually rise to 10,000. The new administration of President Joe Biden has set its sights on delivering 150 million doses of Covid shots in the first 100 days of office -- a challenge made all the more pressing by the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus that are more transmissible and reduce the efficacy of vaccines. To this end, Tim Manning, the national supply chain manager for the Covid response, said the government was invoking emergency legislation called the Defense Production Act to give Pfizer priority access to the raw ingredients for its vaccine. The legislation is also being used to help deliver 60 million more point-of-care or at-home tests by summer, and to increase the domestic manufacture of surgical gloves. The US Food and Drug Administration is meanwhile examining vaccine data submitted to it by Johnson & Johnson, ahead of a meeting by an independent advisory panel on February 26. The panel is likely to advise in favor of emergency use authorization (EUA) given the positive data announced from J&J's multi continent trial, which found the single-shot vaccine overall 66 percent effective, but highly protective against severe Covid. An EUA would follow soon after, bringing a third vaccine into the picture, with vaccines by AstraZeneca and Novavax on the horizon.

US Covid cases down 61% since peak, troops deployed for vaccine campaign

A member of the World Health Organization-led team visiting the central Chinese city of Wuhan said he has been surprised by the complexity of getting to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and that years of research lay ahead.

Dominic Dwyer, a microbiologist and infectious diseases expert, said the team in Wuhan had received the access it requested from Chinese authorities as it tries to understand the early days of the novel coronavirus outbreak first identified in Wuhan.

"Everybody knows how it really exploded out of Huanan market in Wuhan, but the key is what was happening around that time and before," Dwyer said.

The origin of the coronavirus has become highly politicised following accusations that China was not transparent in its early handling of the outbreak. Beijing has pushed the idea that the virus could have originated elsewhere.

Dwyer, an Australian specialist in HIV/AIDS who previously worked with the WHO during the SARS and avian flu outbreaks, said the "conundrum" of COVID-19 was that early asymptomatic carriers may not have known they had it.

"It would be naive to think that we`re going to get virus zero," Dwyer said. The early cases were identified in November, "but it`s just the bit beforehand that`s the very interesting part and the tricky part and the difficult part".

Dwyer echoed his teammate Peter Daszak, a zoologist and animal disease expert, in his emphasis on the difficulty of understanding the disease.

"Even SARS, even Ebola, we have some good ideas, but no one knows," Daszak told Reuters on Thursday. "HIV: we don`t know the exact circumstances."

The investigators have visited hospitals, research facilities and the seafood market where the first outbreak was identified, although their contacts in Wuhan are limited to visits organised by their Chinese hosts.

Dwyer said the team had finished its site visits and was preparing to present its findings as clearly as possible, given the intense level of interest, before the team`s 28-day visas expire towards the end of next week.

He said that more work needed to be done investigating how the virus could have been transmitted by animals, including bats, as well as into antibodies to coronavirus in people who did not show symptoms of the disease.

The short term was "reviewing what we know now and bringing all that data together and there are going to be a series of longer term projects, and this could take some years," Dwyer said. 
&nbsp;

A member of the World Health Organization-led team visiting the central Chinese city of Wuhan said he has been surprised by the complexity of getting to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and that years of research lay ahead.

A member of the World Health Organization-led team visiting the central Chinese city of Wuhan said he has been surprised by the complexity of getting to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and that years of research lay ahead. Dominic Dwyer, a microbiologist and infectious diseases expert, said the team in Wuhan had received the access it requested from Chinese authorities as it tries to understand the early days of the novel coronavirus outbreak first identified in Wuhan. "Everybody knows how it really exploded out of Huanan market in Wuhan, but the key is what was happening around that time and before," Dwyer said. The origin of the coronavirus has become highly politicised following accusations that China was not transparent in its early handling of the outbreak. Beijing has pushed the idea that the virus could have originated elsewhere. Dwyer, an Australian specialist in HIV/AIDS who previously worked with the WHO during the SARS and avian flu outbreaks, said the "conundrum" of COVID-19 was that early asymptomatic carriers may not have known they had it. "It would be naive to think that we`re going to get virus zero," Dwyer said. The early cases were identified in November, "but it`s just the bit beforehand that`s the very interesting part and the tricky part and the difficult part". Dwyer echoed his teammate Peter Daszak, a zoologist and animal disease expert, in his emphasis on the difficulty of understanding the disease. "Even SARS, even Ebola, we have some good ideas, but no one knows," Daszak told Reuters on Thursday. "HIV: we don`t know the exact circumstances." The investigators have visited hospitals, research facilities and the seafood market where the first outbreak was identified, although their contacts in Wuhan are limited to visits organised by their Chinese hosts. Dwyer said the team had finished its site visits and was preparing to present its findings as clearly as possible, given the intense level of interest, before the team`s 28-day visas expire towards the end of next week. He said that more work needed to be done investigating how the virus could have been transmitted by animals, including bats, as well as into antibodies to coronavirus in people who did not show symptoms of the disease. The short term was "reviewing what we know now and bringing all that data together and there are going to be a series of longer term projects, and this could take some years," Dwyer said.

Understanding COVID-19 origins will take years, says WHO team member

European Union Parliamentarians have strongly backed India and South Africa's joint proposal at the World Trade Organization for a waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccine patents.

EU parliamentarians back India-South Africa proposal for COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cited the possibility of new variants of the coronavirus as one of the biggest risks to the vaccine rollout and hopes that the economy can start to be reopened from lockdown in the spring. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines being rolled out appear to work well against variants currently dominant in Britain.

The government said that almost all vaccines developed through the partnership would be variants of CureVac's existing shot, which is currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials.

For CureVac, the alliance marks another move to catch up with leading mRNA vaccine developers BioNTech and Moderna and to regain the pole position for a new generation of vaccines that prevent more than one variant in one treatment course.

On Wednesday, it announced a partnership with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline on vaccines against variants.

CureVac said it chose Britain because of its leading role in analysing the viral genetic makeup as the pathogen evolves, and the country's head start in rolling out the first generation of vaccines.

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed.

Britain has agreed on a deal with German biotech firm CureVac to work to develop vaccines against coronavirus variants. The country has even, to this end, placed an initial order for 50 million doses in case they are needed. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cited the possibility of new variants of the coronavirus as one of the biggest risks to the vaccine rollout and hopes that the economy can start to be reopened from lockdown in the spring. Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines being rolled out appear to work well against variants currently dominant in Britain. The government said that almost all vaccines developed through the partnership would be variants of CureVac's existing shot, which is currently undergoing late-stage clinical trials. For CureVac, the alliance marks another move to catch up with leading mRNA vaccine developers BioNTech and Moderna and to regain the pole position for a new generation of vaccines that prevent more than one variant in one treatment course. On Wednesday, it announced a partnership with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline on vaccines against variants. CureVac said it chose Britain because of its leading role in analysing the viral genetic makeup as the pathogen evolves, and the country's head start in rolling out the first generation of vaccines.

UK plans to work with Germany's CureVac on vaccines against coronavirus variants

The number of COVID-19 infections in Tokyo may have jumped by nine-fold since last summer, coronavirus antibody tests showed, as Japan tries to rein in the country's third and most lethal wave of the pandemic ahead of the Olympics in July.

Survey: COVID-19 infections in Tokyo may have jumped nine-fold

In the recently released Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index report, Norway has taken the top spot, while Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada have made it to the top five.&nbsp;

The report, which is titled "Democracy in sickness and in health?", looks to provide a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 167 countries.&nbsp;

Out of 167 countries, the Democracy Index has classified 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes.&nbsp;

In 2020 Democracy Index's global ranking, India is ranked (53) higher than most of its neighbouring countries. Among India's neighbours, Sri Lanka, at 68th rank, has been classified as a flawed democracy, Bangladesh (76), Bhutan (84) and Pakistan (105) have been classified in the 'hybrid regime' category. Afghanistan has been ranked 139th and classified as an 'authoritarian regime' in the index.&nbsp;

The EIU report looks at the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic on freedom and democracy around the world.&nbsp;

The Asia and Australasia region includes top-scoring New Zealand, which retained its fourth position in the global ranking (out of 167 countries), and persistent laggard North Korea at the bottom of the global ranking in 167th place, the EIU said in a statement.&nbsp;

The region’s overall score fell in 2020, but it now has five “full democracies” with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan moving up the rankings compared with 2019.&nbsp;

Australia retains its “full democracy” status and high ranking (9th).&nbsp;

Despite these upgrades, Asia’s average regional score deteriorated to its lowest level since 2013 as official measures taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic led to some of the most severe constraints on individual freedoms and civil liberties in the world, the EIU said.&nbsp;

China, Singapore and others went much further than the rest of the world in tracking and policing their citizens and locking them down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it said.&nbsp;

By contrast, European governments were slow to act, some health systems came close to collapse and public trust in government declined, Hoey added.&nbsp;

The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) is the world's leading resource for economic and business research, forecasting and analysis, a statement said.&nbsp;

In the recently released Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index report, Norway has taken the top spot, while Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada have made it to the top five.

In the recently released Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index report, Norway has taken the top spot, while Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada have made it to the top five. The report, which is titled "Democracy in sickness and in health?", looks to provide a snapshot of the current state of democracy worldwide for 167 countries. Out of 167 countries, the Democracy Index has classified 23 countries as full democracies, 52 as flawed democracies, 35 as hybrid regimes and 57 as authoritarian regimes. In 2020 Democracy Index's global ranking, India is ranked (53) higher than most of its neighbouring countries. Among India's neighbours, Sri Lanka, at 68th rank, has been classified as a flawed democracy, Bangladesh (76), Bhutan (84) and Pakistan (105) have been classified in the 'hybrid regime' category. Afghanistan has been ranked 139th and classified as an 'authoritarian regime' in the index. The EIU report looks at the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic on freedom and democracy around the world. The Asia and Australasia region includes top-scoring New Zealand, which retained its fourth position in the global ranking (out of 167 countries), and persistent laggard North Korea at the bottom of the global ranking in 167th place, the EIU said in a statement. The region’s overall score fell in 2020, but it now has five “full democracies” with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan moving up the rankings compared with 2019. Australia retains its “full democracy” status and high ranking (9th). Despite these upgrades, Asia’s average regional score deteriorated to its lowest level since 2013 as official measures taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic led to some of the most severe constraints on individual freedoms and civil liberties in the world, the EIU said. China, Singapore and others went much further than the rest of the world in tracking and policing their citizens and locking them down in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it said. By contrast, European governments were slow to act, some health systems came close to collapse and public trust in government declined, Hoey added. The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU) is the world's leading resource for economic and business research, forecasting and analysis, a statement said.

Norway tops EIU's Democracy Index, Pakistan takes 105th spot

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that 97 per cent people who have received COVID-19 vaccine are satisfied and the results are based on the feedback registered by vaccinated people through IT Ministry's feedback platform.&nbsp;

He said, Madhya Pradesh ranks first in immunising the state's healthcare workers and the state has immunised 73 per cent of its health care workers in just 18 days.&nbsp;

“In all, 5,12,128 have responded and over 97% of them said they were satisfied with the vaccination experience," he said.

"India has become the fastest nation to reach 4 million Covid-19 vaccinations. It took only 18 days to administer the first 4 million vaccines,” said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

He added: “While we are doing the immunization of healthcare and frontline workers across the country, we are using 1,239 private as vaccination session sites. At the same time, we are using 5,912 public hospitals as vaccination sites.”

On 30 January 2020, India recorded its first coronavirus case. A year has passed since, and vaccinations are gradually picking up. After losing more than 154,000 people to the pandemic, India has now become the fastest in the world to give more than 4 million vaccine doses.

(With inputs from agencies)

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that 97 per cent people who have received COVID-19 vaccine are satisfied and the results are based on the feedback registered by vaccinated people through IT Ministry's feedback platform.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said that 97 per cent people who have received COVID-19 vaccine are satisfied and the results are based on the feedback registered by vaccinated people through IT Ministry's feedback platform. He said, Madhya Pradesh ranks first in immunising the state's healthcare workers and the state has immunised 73 per cent of its health care workers in just 18 days. “In all, 5,12,128 have responded and over 97% of them said they were satisfied with the vaccination experience," he said. "India has become the fastest nation to reach 4 million Covid-19 vaccinations. It took only 18 days to administer the first 4 million vaccines,” said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan. He added: “While we are doing the immunization of healthcare and frontline workers across the country, we are using 1,239 private as vaccination session sites. At the same time, we are using 5,912 public hospitals as vaccination sites.” On 30 January 2020, India recorded its first coronavirus case. A year has passed since, and vaccinations are gradually picking up. After losing more than 154,000 people to the pandemic, India has now become the fastest in the world to give more than 4 million vaccine doses. (With inputs from agencies)

Govt says 97% of those who took Covid-19 shots are satisfied with experience

A large proportion of Indian population still remains vulnerable to novel coronavirus, the third serosurvey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s third national serosurvey over 21 per cent of the population, aged 10 years and above, showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19.

Sero-surveys are conducted by taking blood samples and checking for a specific class of antibodies called IgG that appear within two weeks of an infection.

The prevalence of the infection has been found among 25.7 per cent of healthcare workers, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) third national serosurvey conducted between December 17 last year and January 8.

Presenting the findings of the survey at a media briefing, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said 21.4 per cent of the 28,589 people, aged 18 years and above, surveyed during the period showed evidence of past exposure to the coronavirus infection. While 25.3 per cent of children aged 10 to 17 years from the same number of surveyed population have had the disease, he said.

Urban slums (31.7 per cent) and urban non-slums (26.2 per cent) had a higher SARS-CoV-2 prevalence than those in rural areas (19.1 per cent), Bhargava said, adding that the seroprevalence was 23.4 per cent among individuals above 60 years of age.

Besides, blood samples of 7,171 healthcare workers were also collected during the same period and the seroprevalence was found to be 25.7 per cent, the ICMR director general said.

"Overall seroprevalence is 21.5 per cent of the population.A large proportion of the population still remains vulnerable, which calls for no complacency in following COVID-19-appropriate behaviour by all. This apart, it points out the necessity of vaccine," Bhargava said.

The seroprevalence was found to be 26.6 per cent among surveyed doctors, 25.4 per cent among paramedical staff, 25.3 per cent among field staff and 24.9 among administration staff, he said.?? ? "Thus, the prevalence of the infection has been found amongst 25.7 per cent of healthcare workers," Bhargava said.

The latest survey has been conducted in the same 700 villages and wards in 70 districts of 21 states which were selected during the first and second rounds of the serosurvey held previously in May-June and August-September last year respectively.

Among the surveyed male population, the sero-prevalence was 20.3 per cent, while it was 22.7 per cent among the surveyed female population.

The seroprevalence was 19.9 per cent in the age group of 18-44 years, 23.4 per cent among 45-60 years and 23.4 per cent among the surveyed population above 60 years of age.

On the coronavirus situation in the country, Union?Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India's COVID-19 cumulative positivity rate has declined to 5.42 per cent.?The weekly positivity rate (last week) was recorded at 1.82 per cent, he said.

Bhushan said that 47 districts have not reported any new case of COVID-19 and 251 districts have not registered any new deaths in the last three weeks.

Two states -- Kerala (69,365) and Maharashtra (38,762) -- account for 70 per cent of the total active cases in the country, he said. The worldwide COVID-19 situation is still worrisome, Bhushan said, adding that some countries have seen multiple peaks, while some have seen surge in cases at least twice.

"In India, cases are declining. But we still have to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour," the Union Health Secretary said.

While countries like the US, the UK, Brazil, Germany and Russia have shown a surge in deaths for a second time, India is seeing a decline in the number of COVID-19 deaths.

Niti Aayog Member V K Paul said the current serosurvey shows that even now, the infection can spread to more than 75 per cent people.

He stated that hence, it is very crucial to strictly following COVID-appropriate behaviour.

We have seen in many countries how the graph came down but suddenly saw a spike. A big proportion of our population is still vulnerable, he said.

However, Paul also mentioned that through the national mission for vaccination, "we will be able to overcome the pandemic in a better way".

He appealed to the media and the public to be a part of this drive. ?I request you to continue to promote positive behaviour and acceptance of vaccines, and see that science is driving the whole process of pandemic fight in this great country, Paul said.

He also mentioned that the speed with which 45 per cent of healthcare workers (HCWs) have already been vaccinated is evidence that the hesitancy has gone and confidence has grown among the citizens and HCWs.

(With inputs from agencies)

A large proportion of Indian population still remains vulnerable to novel coronavirus, the third serosurvey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed.

A large proportion of Indian population still remains vulnerable to novel coronavirus, the third serosurvey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed. According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)'s third national serosurvey over 21 per cent of the population, aged 10 years and above, showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19. Sero-surveys are conducted by taking blood samples and checking for a specific class of antibodies called IgG that appear within two weeks of an infection. The prevalence of the infection has been found among 25.7 per cent of healthcare workers, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) third national serosurvey conducted between December 17 last year and January 8. Presenting the findings of the survey at a media briefing, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said 21.4 per cent of the 28,589 people, aged 18 years and above, surveyed during the period showed evidence of past exposure to the coronavirus infection. While 25.3 per cent of children aged 10 to 17 years from the same number of surveyed population have had the disease, he said. Urban slums (31.7 per cent) and urban non-slums (26.2 per cent) had a higher SARS-CoV-2 prevalence than those in rural areas (19.1 per cent), Bhargava said, adding that the seroprevalence was 23.4 per cent among individuals above 60 years of age. Besides, blood samples of 7,171 healthcare workers were also collected during the same period and the seroprevalence was found to be 25.7 per cent, the ICMR director general said. "Overall seroprevalence is 21.5 per cent of the population.A large proportion of the population still remains vulnerable, which calls for no complacency in following COVID-19-appropriate behaviour by all. This apart, it points out the necessity of vaccine," Bhargava said. The seroprevalence was found to be 26.6 per cent among surveyed doctors, 25.4 per cent among paramedical staff, 25.3 per cent among field staff and 24.9 among administration staff, he said.?? ? "Thus, the prevalence of the infection has been found amongst 25.7 per cent of healthcare workers," Bhargava said. The latest survey has been conducted in the same 700 villages and wards in 70 districts of 21 states which were selected during the first and second rounds of the serosurvey held previously in May-June and August-September last year respectively. Among the surveyed male population, the sero-prevalence was 20.3 per cent, while it was 22.7 per cent among the surveyed female population. The seroprevalence was 19.9 per cent in the age group of 18-44 years, 23.4 per cent among 45-60 years and 23.4 per cent among the surveyed population above 60 years of age. On the coronavirus situation in the country, Union?Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India's COVID-19 cumulative positivity rate has declined to 5.42 per cent.?The weekly positivity rate (last week) was recorded at 1.82 per cent, he said. Bhushan said that 47 districts have not reported any new case of COVID-19 and 251 districts have not registered any new deaths in the last three weeks. Two states -- Kerala (69,365) and Maharashtra (38,762) -- account for 70 per cent of the total active cases in the country, he said. The worldwide COVID-19 situation is still worrisome, Bhushan said, adding that some countries have seen multiple peaks, while some have seen surge in cases at least twice. "In India, cases are declining. But we still have to follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour," the Union Health Secretary said. While countries like the US, the UK, Brazil, Germany and Russia have shown a surge in deaths for a second time, India is seeing a decline in the number of COVID-19 deaths. Niti Aayog Member V K Paul said the current serosurvey shows that even now, the infection can spread to more than 75 per cent people. He stated that hence, it is very crucial to strictly following COVID-appropriate behaviour. We have seen in many countries how the graph came down but suddenly saw a spike. A big proportion of our population is still vulnerable, he said. However, Paul also mentioned that through the national mission for vaccination, "we will be able to overcome the pandemic in a better way". He appealed to the media and the public to be a part of this drive. ?I request you to continue to promote positive behaviour and acceptance of vaccines, and see that science is driving the whole process of pandemic fight in this great country, Paul said. He also mentioned that the speed with which 45 per cent of healthcare workers (HCWs) have already been vaccinated is evidence that the hesitancy has gone and confidence has grown among the citizens and HCWs. (With inputs from agencies)

Sero survey shows large proportion of India still vulnerable to covid-19: ICMR

Chinese police have arrested more than 80 suspected members of a criminal group that was manufacturing and selling fake COVID-19 vaccines, including to other countries.

China arrests suspects in fake COVID-19 vaccine ring

Britain on Thursday said that there are at least 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, while pushing for improving inoculation measures across the globe.&nbsp;

The country is also exploring the possibility of mixing the doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. The virus is currently undergoing multiple mutations. The British variant was among the first to be discovered. Since then, multiple variants have been found across the world including in South Africa and Brazil.&nbsp;

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These variants spread faster than the original one, and Boris Johnson earlier claimed that the variant was also more deadly. UK's Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi claimed that it's unlikely for the vaccines to not work against the new variants.

"It's very unlikely that the current vaccine won't be effective on the variants whether in Kent or other variants especially when it comes to severe illness and hospitalisation," Zahawi told Sky News earlier.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-virus-variant-has-developed-concerning-new-mutation-in-small-number-of-cases-360933" hreflang="en">UK virus variant has developed concerning new mutation in small number of cases</a>

"All manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and others, are looking at how they can improve their vaccine to make sure that we are ready for any variant - there are about 4,000 variants around the world of COVID now", Zahawi added.

The British Medical Journal claimed that even though thousands of variants are bound to arise as a result of mutation, only a small minority will be important enough to change the course of the virus and how it spreads.

The British variant is known as VUI-202012/01, and its mutations include a change in the spike protein which is used by viruses to stick to the human ACE2 receptor.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/study-shows-variant-spreading-in-britain-could-become-resistant-to-vaccines-360831" hreflang="en">Study shows variant spreading in Britain could become resistant to vaccines</a>

So far, COVID-19 has killed over 2.268 million people across the world after it emerged in China in 2019, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.

Israel is currently leading the pattern of global inoculation in terms of population. Following Israel are the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, the United States, followed by Spain, Italy, and Germany.

Britain on Thursday said that there are at least 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, while pushing for improving inoculation measures across the globe.

Britain on Thursday said that there are at least 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, while pushing for improving inoculation measures across the globe. The country is also exploring the possibility of mixing the doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. The virus is currently undergoing multiple mutations. The British variant was among the first to be discovered. Since then, multiple variants have been found across the world including in South Africa and Brazil. These variants spread faster than the original one, and Boris Johnson earlier claimed that the variant was also more deadly. UK's Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi claimed that it's unlikely for the vaccines to not work against the new variants. "It's very unlikely that the current vaccine won't be effective on the variants whether in Kent or other variants especially when it comes to severe illness and hospitalisation," Zahawi told Sky News earlier. Also read: UK virus variant has developed concerning new mutation in small number of cases "All manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and others, are looking at how they can improve their vaccine to make sure that we are ready for any variant - there are about 4,000 variants around the world of COVID now", Zahawi added. The British Medical Journal claimed that even though thousands of variants are bound to arise as a result of mutation, only a small minority will be important enough to change the course of the virus and how it spreads. The British variant is known as VUI-202012/01, and its mutations include a change in the spike protein which is used by viruses to stick to the human ACE2 receptor. Also read: Study shows variant spreading in Britain could become resistant to vaccines So far, COVID-19 has killed over 2.268 million people across the world after it emerged in China in 2019, as per data from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. Israel is currently leading the pattern of global inoculation in terms of population. Following Israel are the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, the United States, followed by Spain, Italy, and Germany.

World is facing around 4,000 variants of coronavirus, warns Britain

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