President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks.

The president and first lady Jill Biden have invited 1,000 military personnel and essential workers to an Independence Day bash on the South Lawn of the White House. Biden and his advisers, eager to claim credit for the virus’s retreat in the United States, are talking about a “summer of joy and freedom.”

The president will visit Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday as part of what the White House calls the “America’s Back Together” celebration. Jill Biden will also take to the road, as will Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and various Cabinet officials who will attend festivals, parades and cookouts around the nation.

But public health experts fear that scenes of cross-country celebrations — including a White House party with a liberation theme — will send the wrong message when wide swaths of the population remain vulnerable and true independence from the worst public health crisis in a century may be a long way off.

“We’re still in the middle of this marathon,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. Despite considerable progress in decreasing the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States over the past few months, he said, it remains too early to “unfurl the ‘mission accomplished’ banner.”

Suggesting that the country is moving past the pandemic is a delicate task for Biden and his fellow Democrats, who must balance caution with bolstering the economy and getting national morale back on track.

The Democratic National Committee this week released an upbeat ad titled “America’s Coming Back.” Its spokesperson wrote on Twitter that the “America’s Back” mobile — a bus with the president’s image on it — would be traveling the country and offering free Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a gourmet brand favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The blowback was swift. “Need to rename this the ‘USS Tone Deaf McCovid Mobile,’” a Twitter user wrote.

Several family members of COVID-19 victims said it was difficult to hear Biden suggest that the nation was returning to normal while they were still grieving.

“There’s no return to normalcy for us,” said Sabila Khan, 42, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who created a Facebook support group after her father died of COVID-19. “It’s very nerve-racking when the government is encouraging you to just move beyond it. We lost our loved ones. We are never moving past this.”

White House officials said Biden was hardly declaring victory or “mission accomplished,” but simply wanted to take stock of the gains the United States had made against the virus since he took office. To combat the spread of the delta variant, the administration is sending “COVID-19 surge response teams” to communities at risk, Jeffrey Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters Thursday.

“The Fourth of July is a moment for us to step back and celebrate our progress,” Zients said. “There’s a lot more work to do.”

The United States has made significant progress against the pandemic since Biden took office Jan. 20, warning of a “dark winter” ahead. Daily reports of new cases are holding steady at about 12,000, the lowest since testing became widely available, according to a New York Times database — down from about 200,000 on Inauguration Day.

For the first time since March 2020, the country is averaging fewer than 300 newly reported deaths a day, a decline of about 20% over the past two weeks. Hospitalizations are also dropping.

But the advances have been uneven, with a large portion of U.S. cases emerging in a handful of hot spots, particularly where vaccination rates are low. Las Vegas, rural Utah, rural Arkansas, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Missouri Ozarks are among the places with upticks. And because the national trend lines are flat, experts do not know precisely which way they will go.

“If you looked a couple of weeks ago, most of those projections were trending downwards; it looked like we were sailing into summer,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a public health researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those projections now have flatlined. We’re not necessarily seeing an indication yet that things are going to surge in parts of the country, but we aren’t sure what’s going to happen.”

A number of governors are planning to lift their public health emergency orders in the coming weeks; Maryland and Virginia lifted their orders Thursday, bringing an end to mask mandates and other restrictions.

But the national emergency declared by former President Donald Trump remains in effect through late July, and the White House has told governors that Biden plans to extend it, officials said.

The vaccination campaign, meanwhile, is plodding along, with about 1 million shots administered each day. Biden had hoped to have 70% of adults at least partly vaccinated by July 4, but the White House conceded last month that it would not meet that goal.

The truer measure of protection, experts say, is whether people are fully vaccinated; only 46% of Americans fall into that category. With children under 12 still ineligible for the vaccine, it will be some time before a vast majority of the United States is fully vaccinated. Public health officials are particularly worried about outbreaks once school resumes in the fall.

In an era when vaccination has become a subject of fierce political debate, White House officials are not requiring guests at the July 4 party to be vaccinated. But they will be asked to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of the event, and the White House has advised those who are unvaccinated that they “should wear a mask,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said this week.

Meyers, of the University of Texas, said the requirements were “very sensible” and a show of responsible behavior. “Testing, face masks, vaccinations: Those are our tickets to freedom from this threat,” she said.

But the absence of a vaccination requirement for White House party guests is also evidence of the challenges ahead, said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“There is so much toxic politics around COVID that it’s constraining sensible action,” he said. “Obviously it makes sense to require proof of vaccination in various settings, but that has become a political lightning rod.”

Frieden and other experts said they feared that if the delta variant continues to circulate, it will mutate in a way that leaves even the vaccinated vulnerable. That already seems to be happening elsewhere in the world; even countries like South Korea and Israel, where the virus seemed to be in check, have new clusters of disease.

“Compared to many other countries, we are in a much more secure situation,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University. But, she added, “I really do worry that as America enjoys its freedoms, we forget about the rest of the world, and that could come back to bite us.”

When Biden announced his July 4 vaccination goal in early May, he said meeting it would demonstrate that the United States had taken “a serious step toward a return to normal.” For many people, that seems to be the case. The president said then that Americans would be able to gather in backyards for small Independence Day barbecues; his gathering of 1,000 guests is partly aimed at showing the country that his administration has exceeded expectations even if vaccinations have stalled.

While Biden has repeatedly spoken of “independence from the virus,” Arthur L. Caplan, director of NYU Langone Medical Center’s medical ethics division, said the president should be careful about the language he uses.

“Before I went out and had my fireworks and sipped piña coladas on the White House veranda, I would say, ‘I’ve got to make clear, as president, we have major challenges unresolved,’” Caplan said. “I would say, ‘We’re doing well at halftime.’”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser for the pandemic, said there was nothing contradictory about the administration’s message.

“You can still celebrate at the same time as you get your message very, very clear,” he said, adding that the White House message remains the same: “If you are vaccinated, you have a high degree of protection. If you are not, you should wear a mask and you should think very seriously about getting vaccinated.”

President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks.

President Joe Biden’s plan to celebrate “independence from the virus” on the Fourth of July is running into an unpleasant reality: Less than half the country is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the highly contagious delta variant is threatening new outbreaks. The president and first lady Jill Biden have invited 1,000 military personnel and essential workers to an Independence Day bash on the South Lawn of the White House. Biden and his advisers, eager to claim credit for the virus’s retreat in the United States, are talking about a “summer of joy and freedom.” The president will visit Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday as part of what the White House calls the “America’s Back Together” celebration. Jill Biden will also take to the road, as will Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband, Doug Emhoff, and various Cabinet officials who will attend festivals, parades and cookouts around the nation. But public health experts fear that scenes of cross-country celebrations — including a White House party with a liberation theme — will send the wrong message when wide swaths of the population remain vulnerable and true independence from the worst public health crisis in a century may be a long way off. “We’re still in the middle of this marathon,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. Despite considerable progress in decreasing the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States over the past few months, he said, it remains too early to “unfurl the ‘mission accomplished’ banner.” Suggesting that the country is moving past the pandemic is a delicate task for Biden and his fellow Democrats, who must balance caution with bolstering the economy and getting national morale back on track. The Democratic National Committee this week released an upbeat ad titled “America’s Coming Back.” Its spokesperson wrote on Twitter that the “America’s Back” mobile — a bus with the president’s image on it — would be traveling the country and offering free Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, a gourmet brand favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The blowback was swift. “Need to rename this the ‘USS Tone Deaf McCovid Mobile,’” a Twitter user wrote. Several family members of COVID-19 victims said it was difficult to hear Biden suggest that the nation was returning to normal while they were still grieving. “There’s no return to normalcy for us,” said Sabila Khan, 42, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who created a Facebook support group after her father died of COVID-19. “It’s very nerve-racking when the government is encouraging you to just move beyond it. We lost our loved ones. We are never moving past this.” White House officials said Biden was hardly declaring victory or “mission accomplished,” but simply wanted to take stock of the gains the United States had made against the virus since he took office. To combat the spread of the delta variant, the administration is sending “COVID-19 surge response teams” to communities at risk, Jeffrey Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, told reporters Thursday. “The Fourth of July is a moment for us to step back and celebrate our progress,” Zients said. “There’s a lot more work to do.” The United States has made significant progress against the pandemic since Biden took office Jan. 20, warning of a “dark winter” ahead. Daily reports of new cases are holding steady at about 12,000, the lowest since testing became widely available, according to a New York Times database — down from about 200,000 on Inauguration Day. For the first time since March 2020, the country is averaging fewer than 300 newly reported deaths a day, a decline of about 20% over the past two weeks. Hospitalizations are also dropping. But the advances have been uneven, with a large portion of U.S. cases emerging in a handful of hot spots, particularly where vaccination rates are low. Las Vegas, rural Utah, rural Arkansas, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Missouri Ozarks are among the places with upticks. And because the national trend lines are flat, experts do not know precisely which way they will go. “If you looked a couple of weeks ago, most of those projections were trending downwards; it looked like we were sailing into summer,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a public health researcher at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those projections now have flatlined. We’re not necessarily seeing an indication yet that things are going to surge in parts of the country, but we aren’t sure what’s going to happen.” A number of governors are planning to lift their public health emergency orders in the coming weeks; Maryland and Virginia lifted their orders Thursday, bringing an end to mask mandates and other restrictions. But the national emergency declared by former President Donald Trump remains in effect through late July, and the White House has told governors that Biden plans to extend it, officials said. The vaccination campaign, meanwhile, is plodding along, with about 1 million shots administered each day. Biden had hoped to have 70% of adults at least partly vaccinated by July 4, but the White House conceded last month that it would not meet that goal. The truer measure of protection, experts say, is whether people are fully vaccinated; only 46% of Americans fall into that category. With children under 12 still ineligible for the vaccine, it will be some time before a vast majority of the United States is fully vaccinated. Public health officials are particularly worried about outbreaks once school resumes in the fall. In an era when vaccination has become a subject of fierce political debate, White House officials are not requiring guests at the July 4 party to be vaccinated. But they will be asked to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of the event, and the White House has advised those who are unvaccinated that they “should wear a mask,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said this week. Meyers, of the University of Texas, said the requirements were “very sensible” and a show of responsible behavior. “Testing, face masks, vaccinations: Those are our tickets to freedom from this threat,” she said. But the absence of a vaccination requirement for White House party guests is also evidence of the challenges ahead, said Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “There is so much toxic politics around COVID that it’s constraining sensible action,” he said. “Obviously it makes sense to require proof of vaccination in various settings, but that has become a political lightning rod.” Frieden and other experts said they feared that if the delta variant continues to circulate, it will mutate in a way that leaves even the vaccinated vulnerable. That already seems to be happening elsewhere in the world; even countries like South Korea and Israel, where the virus seemed to be in check, have new clusters of disease. “Compared to many other countries, we are in a much more secure situation,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins University. But, she added, “I really do worry that as America enjoys its freedoms, we forget about the rest of the world, and that could come back to bite us.” When Biden announced his July 4 vaccination goal in early May, he said meeting it would demonstrate that the United States had taken “a serious step toward a return to normal.” For many people, that seems to be the case. The president said then that Americans would be able to gather in backyards for small Independence Day barbecues; his gathering of 1,000 guests is partly aimed at showing the country that his administration has exceeded expectations even if vaccinations have stalled. While Biden has repeatedly spoken of “independence from the virus,” Arthur L. Caplan, director of NYU Langone Medical Center’s medical ethics division, said the president should be careful about the language he uses. “Before I went out and had my fireworks and sipped piña coladas on the White House veranda, I would say, ‘I’ve got to make clear, as president, we have major challenges unresolved,’” Caplan said. “I would say, ‘We’re doing well at halftime.’” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser for the pandemic, said there was nothing contradictory about the administration’s message. “You can still celebrate at the same time as you get your message very, very clear,” he said, adding that the White House message remains the same: “If you are vaccinated, you have a high degree of protection. If you are not, you should wear a mask and you should think very seriously about getting vaccinated.”

Is Biden declaring ‘independence from the virus’ too soon?

Citing a Supreme Court-appointed audit panel`s report, the Delhi BJP leaders on Friday held Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responsible for deaths due to oxygen shortage in the national capital. 
 
Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Many people have lost their lives due to the oxygen shortage in Delhi`s hospitals and Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for these deaths. 
 
We hope the Supreme Court will hold Kejriwal accountable and punish him for the crime he has committed." 
 
Patra alleged that the Kejriwal government completely failed in managing the second wave of Covid in the national capital. 
 
"Arvind Kejriwal`s works on only one formula: 100 per cent advertising and zero per cent Covid management. Kejriwal has spent Rs 1,000 crore only on advertising. The biggest thing is he has lied four times about oxygen shortage," he said. 
 
The said report claimed that the Delhi government inflated its Oxygen demand by four times during the peak of the second wave of Covid which affected supply to 12 states. 
 
"Due to Kejriwal`s lies, oxygen supplies were reduced to 12 states to meet the demand of Delhi. Had this oxygen been used in other states, many lives could have been saved. This is a heinous crime committed by Kejriwal," Patra said. 
 
The BJP spokesperson also claimed that the report exposed that the Kejriwal was doing politics on oxygen requirements to defame the Union government for this they inflated oxygen demand by four times. 
 
Referring to the report, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted, "Skeletons of misdeeds in the midst of a pandemic falling out of Aam Aadmi Party`s closet. Highly deplorable of Arvind Kejriwal and company to misuse a critical situation to grab eyeballs, deflect responsibility and corner invaluable resources for no good reason." 
 
In a tweet, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, "The SC Sub-group report shows how Delhi government proved to be a complete failure in managing Covid crisis. Gross miscalculation of oxygen requirement at variance with laid down norms also suggest a sinister motive to discredit India`s Covid pushback."

Citing a Supreme Court-appointed audit panel`s report, the Delhi BJP leaders on Friday held Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responsible for deaths due to oxygen shortage in the national capital.

Citing a Supreme Court-appointed audit panel`s report, the Delhi BJP leaders on Friday held Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responsible for deaths due to oxygen shortage in the national capital. Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Many people have lost their lives due to the oxygen shortage in Delhi`s hospitals and Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for these deaths. We hope the Supreme Court will hold Kejriwal accountable and punish him for the crime he has committed." Patra alleged that the Kejriwal government completely failed in managing the second wave of Covid in the national capital. "Arvind Kejriwal`s works on only one formula: 100 per cent advertising and zero per cent Covid management. Kejriwal has spent Rs 1,000 crore only on advertising. The biggest thing is he has lied four times about oxygen shortage," he said. The said report claimed that the Delhi government inflated its Oxygen demand by four times during the peak of the second wave of Covid which affected supply to 12 states. "Due to Kejriwal`s lies, oxygen supplies were reduced to 12 states to meet the demand of Delhi. Had this oxygen been used in other states, many lives could have been saved. This is a heinous crime committed by Kejriwal," Patra said. The BJP spokesperson also claimed that the report exposed that the Kejriwal was doing politics on oxygen requirements to defame the Union government for this they inflated oxygen demand by four times. Referring to the report, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted, "Skeletons of misdeeds in the midst of a pandemic falling out of Aam Aadmi Party`s closet. Highly deplorable of Arvind Kejriwal and company to misuse a critical situation to grab eyeballs, deflect responsibility and corner invaluable resources for no good reason." In a tweet, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, "The SC Sub-group report shows how Delhi government proved to be a complete failure in managing Covid crisis. Gross miscalculation of oxygen requirement at variance with laid down norms also suggest a sinister motive to discredit India`s Covid pushback."

Delhi govt 'inflated' oxygen demand during Covid peak, claims BJP citing SC panel report

The COVID-19 Delta variant, first identified in India, now accounts for more than 20 per cent of coronavirus infections in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.

"The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the US to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19," Dr Anthony Fauci, the country`s top infectious disease expert, warned at a White House briefing. "Good news: Our vaccines are effective against the Delta variant."

The variant makes up more than 50 per cent of new infections in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

With the Delta variant spreading rapidly among younger populations, Biden`s White House is urging 18 to 26-year-olds to get vaccinated. Fauci lists under-vaccinated regions as the country`s main "obstacles" to crushing the virus.

"If you look at the growing threat of what we`re all concerned about: the Delta variant. What do we know about that variant? The transmissibility is unquestionably greater than the wild-type SARS-CoV-2, as well as the Alpha variant. It is associated with increased disease severity, as reflected by hospitalisation risk, compared to Alpha," Fauci said.

Fauci pointed to an Imperial College study of over 100,000 homes which found that youth were driving the UK surge. The results showed a fivefold higher positivity among children 5 to 12 and young adults 18 to 24, versus people older than 65 years old.

He then went on to list the "good news": vaccine effectiveness. "Two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech -- was 88 per cent effective against the Delta and 93 per cent effective against the Alpha when you`re dealing with symptomatic disease," Fauci said.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca shots have shown between 92 and 96 per cent effectiveness against hospitalisations.

"We have the tools, so let`s use them and crush the outbreak," Fauci said.

At this time, the US is just short of vaccinating 70 per cent of all American adults with at least one shot by Independence Day - July 4. More than 150 million are fully vaccinated, as of Monday. Among those aged 30 and above, 70 per cent have at least one shot. For those over 40 years, 75 per cent have received at least one shot. Biden`s COVID-19 response team thinks the country will hit the 70 per cent target for ages 27 and over once the data for the July 4th weekend is in.

US COVID-19 caseloads and deaths are at their lowest levels since the pandemic exploded here last year. The country is now averaging about 11,000 new infections and less than 300 deaths per day. The virus has so far killed more than 602,000 people in the US alone.

The COVID-19 Delta variant, first identified in India, now accounts for more than 20 per cent of coronavirus infections in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 Delta variant, first identified in India, now accounts for more than 20 per cent of coronavirus infections in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. "The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the US to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19," Dr Anthony Fauci, the country`s top infectious disease expert, warned at a White House briefing. "Good news: Our vaccines are effective against the Delta variant." The variant makes up more than 50 per cent of new infections in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. With the Delta variant spreading rapidly among younger populations, Biden`s White House is urging 18 to 26-year-olds to get vaccinated. Fauci lists under-vaccinated regions as the country`s main "obstacles" to crushing the virus. "If you look at the growing threat of what we`re all concerned about: the Delta variant. What do we know about that variant? The transmissibility is unquestionably greater than the wild-type SARS-CoV-2, as well as the Alpha variant. It is associated with increased disease severity, as reflected by hospitalisation risk, compared to Alpha," Fauci said. Fauci pointed to an Imperial College study of over 100,000 homes which found that youth were driving the UK surge. The results showed a fivefold higher positivity among children 5 to 12 and young adults 18 to 24, versus people older than 65 years old. He then went on to list the "good news": vaccine effectiveness. "Two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech -- was 88 per cent effective against the Delta and 93 per cent effective against the Alpha when you`re dealing with symptomatic disease," Fauci said. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca shots have shown between 92 and 96 per cent effectiveness against hospitalisations. "We have the tools, so let`s use them and crush the outbreak," Fauci said. At this time, the US is just short of vaccinating 70 per cent of all American adults with at least one shot by Independence Day - July 4. More than 150 million are fully vaccinated, as of Monday. Among those aged 30 and above, 70 per cent have at least one shot. For those over 40 years, 75 per cent have received at least one shot. Biden`s COVID-19 response team thinks the country will hit the 70 per cent target for ages 27 and over once the data for the July 4th weekend is in. US COVID-19 caseloads and deaths are at their lowest levels since the pandemic exploded here last year. The country is now averaging about 11,000 new infections and less than 300 deaths per day. The virus has so far killed more than 602,000 people in the US alone.

COVID-19 Delta variant now in 20% of US cases

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports.

Shi Zhengli, head of Wuhan Institute of Virology, dubbed as batwoman, also received a special mention from the academy. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-caught-on-camera-bats-locked-up-inside-the-wuhan-lab-391511/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the controversial lab has been nominated for the award for conducting "the most comprehensive and systematic identification research on the aetiology of COVID-19."

In medical context, aetiology refers to the investigation or attribution of the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.

"The project's results have laid an important foundation and platform for the follow-up research on the origin, epidemiology, and pathogenic mechanism of the COVID-19 virus," said the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-was-chinas-batwoman-up-to-at-the-wuhan-lab-391738/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Wuhan Institute of Virology's research also contributed to the containment of the coronavirus pandemic and the development of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the academy.

Dr Zhengli, the lab's director, has been accused of conducting "gain-of-function" (GOF) experiments, in which scientists boost the strength of a virus to better analyse its effects on hosts.

Many scientists think the coronavirus slipped out of Dr Zhengli's lab.

Dr Zhengli, on the other hand, refuted all accusations regarding the virus breach from the lab, adding, "How on earth can I bring up evidence for something where there is no evidence?"&nbsp;

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports.

The Wuhan laboratory in China, which is suspected of leaking COVID-19, has been nominated for China's top science award. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has nominated the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021, according to reports. Shi Zhengli, head of Wuhan Institute of Virology, dubbed as batwoman, also received a special mention from the academy. Watch | Gravitas: Caught On Camera: Bats locked up inside the Wuhan lab According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the controversial lab has been nominated for the award for conducting "the most comprehensive and systematic identification research on the aetiology of COVID-19." In medical context, aetiology refers to the investigation or attribution of the cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition. "The project's results have laid an important foundation and platform for the follow-up research on the origin, epidemiology, and pathogenic mechanism of the COVID-19 virus," said the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Watch | Gravitas: What was China's Batwoman up to at the Wuhan lab? The Wuhan Institute of Virology's research also contributed to the containment of the coronavirus pandemic and the development of COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the academy. Dr Zhengli, the lab's director, has been accused of conducting "gain-of-function" (GOF) experiments, in which scientists boost the strength of a virus to better analyse its effects on hosts. Many scientists think the coronavirus slipped out of Dr Zhengli's lab. Dr Zhengli, on the other hand, refuted all accusations regarding the virus breach from the lab, adding, "How on earth can I bring up evidence for something where there is no evidence?"

Wuhan lab suspected of leaking COVID-19 nominated for top science award in China

Mongolia promised its people a “COVID-free summer.” Bahrain said there would be a “return to normal life.” The tiny island nation of the Seychelles aimed to jump-start its economy.

All three put their faith, at least in part, in easily accessible Chinese-made vaccines, which would allow them to roll out ambitious inoculation programs at a time when much of the world was going without.

But instead of freedom from the coronavirus, all three countries are now battling a surge in infections.

China kicked off its vaccine diplomacy campaign last year by pledging to provide a shot that would be safe and effective at preventing severe cases of COVID-19. Less certain at the time was how successful it and other vaccines would be at curbing transmission.

Now, examples from several countries suggest that the Chinese vaccines may not be very effective at preventing the spread of the virus, particularly the new variants. The experiences of those countries lay bare a harsh reality facing a post-pandemic world: The degree of recovery may depend on which vaccines governments give to their people.

In the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain and Mongolia, 50% to 68% of the populations have been fully inoculated, outpacing the United States, according to Our World in Data, a data tracking project. All four ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst COVID outbreaks as recently as last week, according to data from The New York Times. And all four are mostly using shots made by two Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech.

“If the vaccines are sufficiently good, we should not see this pattern,” said Jin Dongyan, a virus expert at the University of Hong Kong. “The Chinese have a responsibility to remedy this.”

Scientists don’t know for certain why some countries with relatively high inoculation rates are suffering new outbreaks. Variants, social controls that are eased too quickly and careless behavior after only the first of a two-shot regimen are possibilities. But the breakthrough infections could have lasting consequences.

In the United States, about 45% of the population is fully vaccinated, mostly with doses made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Cases have dropped 94% over six months.

Israel provided shots from Pfizer and has the second-highest vaccination rate in the world, after the Seychelles. The number of new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in Israel is now around 4.95 per million.

In the Seychelles, which relied mostly on Sinopharm, that number is more than 716 cases per million.

Disparities such as these could create a world in which three types of countries emerge from the pandemic — the wealthy nations that used their resources to secure Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots, the poorer countries that are far away from immunizing a majority of citizens, and then those that are fully inoculated but only partly protected.

China, as well as the more than 90 nations that have received the Chinese shots, may end up in the third group, contending with rolling lockdowns, testing and limits on day-to-day life for months or years to come. Economies could remain held back. And as more citizens question the efficacy of Chinese doses, persuading unvaccinated people to line up for shots may also become more difficult.

One month after receiving his second dose of Sinopharm, Otgonjargal Baatar fell ill and tested positive for COVID-19. The 31-year-old miner spent nine days in a hospital in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. He said he was now questioning the usefulness of the shot. “People were convinced that if we were vaccinated, the summer will be free of COVID,” he said. “Now it turns out that it’s not true.”

Beijing saw its vaccine diplomacy as an opportunity to emerge from the pandemic as a more influential global power. China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, pledged to deliver a Chinese shot that could be easily stored and transported to millions of people around the world. He called it a “global public good.”

Mongolia was a beneficiary, jumping at the chance to score millions of Sinopharm shots. The small country quickly rolled out an inoculation program and eased restrictions. It has now vaccinated 52% of its population. But on Sunday, it recorded 2,400 new infections, a quadrupling from a month before.

In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said it did not see a link between the recent outbreaks and its vaccines. It cited the World Health Organization as saying that vaccination rates in certain countries had not reached sufficient levels to prevent future outbreaks, and that countries needed to continue to maintain controls.

“Relevant reports and data also show that many countries that use Chinese-made vaccines have expressed that they are safe and reliable, and have played a good role in their epidemic prevention efforts,” the ministry said. China has also emphasized that its vaccines target severe disease rather than transmission.

No vaccine fully prevents transmission and people can still fall ill after being inoculated, but the relatively low efficacy rates of Chinese shots have been identified as a possible cause of the recent outbreaks.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have efficacy rates of more than 90%. A variety of other vaccines — including AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson — have efficacy rates of around 70%. The Sinopharm vaccine developed with the Beijing Institute of Biological Products has an efficacy rate of 78.1%; the Sinovac vaccine has an efficacy rate of 51%.

The Chinese companies have not released much clinical data to show how their vaccines work at preventing transmission. On Monday, Shao Yiming, a public health researcher with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that China needed to fully vaccinate 80% to 85% of its population to achieve herd immunity, revising a previous official estimate of 70%.

Data on breakthrough infections has not been made available either, though a Sinovac study out of Chile showed that the vaccine was less effective than those from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna at preventing infection among vaccinated individuals.

A representative from Sinopharm hung up the phone when reached for comment. Sinovac did not respond to a request for comment.

William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University, said the efficacy rates of Chinese shots could be low enough “to sustain some transmission, as well as create illness of a substantial amount in the highly vaccinated population, even though it keeps people largely out of the hospital.”

Despite the spike in cases, officials in both the Seychelles and Mongolia have defended Sinopharm, saying it is effective in preventing severe cases of the disease.

Batbayar Ochirbat, head researcher of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies at Mongolia’s Ministry of Health, said that Mongolia had made the right decision to go with the Chinese-made shot, in part because it had helped keep the mortality rate low in the country. Data from Mongolia showed that the Sinopharm vaccine was actually more protective than the doses developed by AstraZeneca and Sputnik, a Russian vaccine, according to the health ministry.

The reason for the surge in Mongolia, Batbayar said, is that the country reopened too quickly, and many people believed they were protected after only one dose. “I think you could say Mongolians celebrated too early,” he said. “My advice is the celebrations should start after the full vaccinations, so this is the lesson learned. There was too much confidence.”

Some health officials and scientists are less confident.

Nikolai Petrovsky, a professor at the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University in Australia, said that with all of the evidence, it would be reasonable to assume the Sinopharm vaccine has minimal effect on curbing transmission. A major risk with the Chinese inoculation is that vaccinated people may have few or no symptoms and still spread the virus to others, he said.

“I think that this complexity has been lost on most decision-makers around the world.”

In Indonesia, where a new variant is spreading, more than 350 doctors and health care workers recently came down with COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated with Sinovac, according to the risk mitigation team of the Indonesian Medical Association. Across the country, 61 doctors died between February and June 7. Ten of them had taken the Chinese-made vaccine, the association said.

The numbers were enough to make Kenneth Mak, Singapore’s director of medical services, question the use of Sinovac. “It’s not a problem associated with Pfizer,” said Mak at a news conference on Friday. “This is actually a problem associated with the Sinovac vaccine.”

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were the first two countries to approve the Sinopharm shot, even before late-stage clinical trial data was released. Since then, there have been extensive reports of vaccinated people falling ill in both countries. In a statement, the Bahraini government’s media office said the kingdom’s vaccine rollout had been “efficient and successful to date.”

Still, last month officials from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates announced they would offer a third booster shot. The choices: Pfizer or more Sinopharm.

Mongolia promised its people a “COVID-free summer.” Bahrain said there would be a “return to normal life.” The tiny island nation of the Seychelles aimed to jump-start its economy.

Mongolia promised its people a “COVID-free summer.” Bahrain said there would be a “return to normal life.” The tiny island nation of the Seychelles aimed to jump-start its economy. All three put their faith, at least in part, in easily accessible Chinese-made vaccines, which would allow them to roll out ambitious inoculation programs at a time when much of the world was going without. But instead of freedom from the coronavirus, all three countries are now battling a surge in infections. China kicked off its vaccine diplomacy campaign last year by pledging to provide a shot that would be safe and effective at preventing severe cases of COVID-19. Less certain at the time was how successful it and other vaccines would be at curbing transmission. Now, examples from several countries suggest that the Chinese vaccines may not be very effective at preventing the spread of the virus, particularly the new variants. The experiences of those countries lay bare a harsh reality facing a post-pandemic world: The degree of recovery may depend on which vaccines governments give to their people. In the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain and Mongolia, 50% to 68% of the populations have been fully inoculated, outpacing the United States, according to Our World in Data, a data tracking project. All four ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst COVID outbreaks as recently as last week, according to data from The New York Times. And all four are mostly using shots made by two Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech. “If the vaccines are sufficiently good, we should not see this pattern,” said Jin Dongyan, a virus expert at the University of Hong Kong. “The Chinese have a responsibility to remedy this.” Scientists don’t know for certain why some countries with relatively high inoculation rates are suffering new outbreaks. Variants, social controls that are eased too quickly and careless behavior after only the first of a two-shot regimen are possibilities. But the breakthrough infections could have lasting consequences. In the United States, about 45% of the population is fully vaccinated, mostly with doses made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Cases have dropped 94% over six months. Israel provided shots from Pfizer and has the second-highest vaccination rate in the world, after the Seychelles. The number of new daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in Israel is now around 4.95 per million. In the Seychelles, which relied mostly on Sinopharm, that number is more than 716 cases per million. Disparities such as these could create a world in which three types of countries emerge from the pandemic — the wealthy nations that used their resources to secure Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots, the poorer countries that are far away from immunizing a majority of citizens, and then those that are fully inoculated but only partly protected. China, as well as the more than 90 nations that have received the Chinese shots, may end up in the third group, contending with rolling lockdowns, testing and limits on day-to-day life for months or years to come. Economies could remain held back. And as more citizens question the efficacy of Chinese doses, persuading unvaccinated people to line up for shots may also become more difficult. One month after receiving his second dose of Sinopharm, Otgonjargal Baatar fell ill and tested positive for COVID-19. The 31-year-old miner spent nine days in a hospital in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. He said he was now questioning the usefulness of the shot. “People were convinced that if we were vaccinated, the summer will be free of COVID,” he said. “Now it turns out that it’s not true.” Beijing saw its vaccine diplomacy as an opportunity to emerge from the pandemic as a more influential global power. China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, pledged to deliver a Chinese shot that could be easily stored and transported to millions of people around the world. He called it a “global public good.” Mongolia was a beneficiary, jumping at the chance to score millions of Sinopharm shots. The small country quickly rolled out an inoculation program and eased restrictions. It has now vaccinated 52% of its population. But on Sunday, it recorded 2,400 new infections, a quadrupling from a month before. In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said it did not see a link between the recent outbreaks and its vaccines. It cited the World Health Organization as saying that vaccination rates in certain countries had not reached sufficient levels to prevent future outbreaks, and that countries needed to continue to maintain controls. “Relevant reports and data also show that many countries that use Chinese-made vaccines have expressed that they are safe and reliable, and have played a good role in their epidemic prevention efforts,” the ministry said. China has also emphasized that its vaccines target severe disease rather than transmission. No vaccine fully prevents transmission and people can still fall ill after being inoculated, but the relatively low efficacy rates of Chinese shots have been identified as a possible cause of the recent outbreaks. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have efficacy rates of more than 90%. A variety of other vaccines — including AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson — have efficacy rates of around 70%. The Sinopharm vaccine developed with the Beijing Institute of Biological Products has an efficacy rate of 78.1%; the Sinovac vaccine has an efficacy rate of 51%. The Chinese companies have not released much clinical data to show how their vaccines work at preventing transmission. On Monday, Shao Yiming, a public health researcher with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that China needed to fully vaccinate 80% to 85% of its population to achieve herd immunity, revising a previous official estimate of 70%. Data on breakthrough infections has not been made available either, though a Sinovac study out of Chile showed that the vaccine was less effective than those from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna at preventing infection among vaccinated individuals. A representative from Sinopharm hung up the phone when reached for comment. Sinovac did not respond to a request for comment. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University, said the efficacy rates of Chinese shots could be low enough “to sustain some transmission, as well as create illness of a substantial amount in the highly vaccinated population, even though it keeps people largely out of the hospital.” Despite the spike in cases, officials in both the Seychelles and Mongolia have defended Sinopharm, saying it is effective in preventing severe cases of the disease. Batbayar Ochirbat, head researcher of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies at Mongolia’s Ministry of Health, said that Mongolia had made the right decision to go with the Chinese-made shot, in part because it had helped keep the mortality rate low in the country. Data from Mongolia showed that the Sinopharm vaccine was actually more protective than the doses developed by AstraZeneca and Sputnik, a Russian vaccine, according to the health ministry. The reason for the surge in Mongolia, Batbayar said, is that the country reopened too quickly, and many people believed they were protected after only one dose. “I think you could say Mongolians celebrated too early,” he said. “My advice is the celebrations should start after the full vaccinations, so this is the lesson learned. There was too much confidence.” Some health officials and scientists are less confident. Nikolai Petrovsky, a professor at the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University in Australia, said that with all of the evidence, it would be reasonable to assume the Sinopharm vaccine has minimal effect on curbing transmission. A major risk with the Chinese inoculation is that vaccinated people may have few or no symptoms and still spread the virus to others, he said. “I think that this complexity has been lost on most decision-makers around the world.” In Indonesia, where a new variant is spreading, more than 350 doctors and health care workers recently came down with COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated with Sinovac, according to the risk mitigation team of the Indonesian Medical Association. Across the country, 61 doctors died between February and June 7. Ten of them had taken the Chinese-made vaccine, the association said. The numbers were enough to make Kenneth Mak, Singapore’s director of medical services, question the use of Sinovac. “It’s not a problem associated with Pfizer,” said Mak at a news conference on Friday. “This is actually a problem associated with the Sinovac vaccine.” Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were the first two countries to approve the Sinopharm shot, even before late-stage clinical trial data was released. Since then, there have been extensive reports of vaccinated people falling ill in both countries. In a statement, the Bahraini government’s media office said the kingdom’s vaccine rollout had been “efficient and successful to date.” Still, last month officials from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates announced they would offer a third booster shot. The choices: Pfizer or more Sinopharm.

They relied on Chinese vaccines, now they’re battling outbreaks

In a significant development, India`s cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 28 crores on Sunday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Monday. 
 
In its latest provisional report till 7 a.m. on Monday, the Ministry said a total of 28,00,36,898 vaccine doses have been administered through 38,24,408 sessions, however, 30,39,996 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. 
 
Of the total vaccination, 1,01,25,143 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) have received their first dose while 70,72,595 have been administered the second dose. Similarly, 1,71,73,646 Frontline Workers (FLWs) have been inoculated with the first dose while 90,51,173 have received their second dose. 
 
People aged between 18 and 44 years who received their first dose are 5,59,54,551 while 12,63,242 have been inoculated the second dose. A total of 8,07,11,132 people aged between 45 and 59 have received their first dose and 1,27,56,299 have been administered the second dose. 
 
A total of 6,47,77,302 people aged over 60 years have received their first dose while 2,11,51,815 have been inoculated with the second dose. 
 
The inputs came when India started free coronavirus vaccines to states for vaccination of all above the age of 18 from today (June 21), as per the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move to provide free vaccines against Covid-19 to all adults in India is expected to give a boost to the vaccination drive. 
 
The government pushing vaccination which is an integral pillar of its comprehensive strategy for containment and management of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid appropriate behaviour.

In a significant development, India`s cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 28 crores on Sunday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Monday.

In a significant development, India`s cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 28 crores on Sunday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Monday. In its latest provisional report till 7 a.m. on Monday, the Ministry said a total of 28,00,36,898 vaccine doses have been administered through 38,24,408 sessions, however, 30,39,996 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. Of the total vaccination, 1,01,25,143 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) have received their first dose while 70,72,595 have been administered the second dose. Similarly, 1,71,73,646 Frontline Workers (FLWs) have been inoculated with the first dose while 90,51,173 have received their second dose. People aged between 18 and 44 years who received their first dose are 5,59,54,551 while 12,63,242 have been inoculated the second dose. A total of 8,07,11,132 people aged between 45 and 59 have received their first dose and 1,27,56,299 have been administered the second dose. A total of 6,47,77,302 people aged over 60 years have received their first dose while 2,11,51,815 have been inoculated with the second dose. The inputs came when India started free coronavirus vaccines to states for vaccination of all above the age of 18 from today (June 21), as per the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move to provide free vaccines against Covid-19 to all adults in India is expected to give a boost to the vaccination drive. The government pushing vaccination which is an integral pillar of its comprehensive strategy for containment and management of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with Test, Track, Treat and Covid appropriate behaviour.

India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage crosses 280 million mark

India on Monday began a nationwide campaign of free COVID-19 shots for all adults after weeks of criticism that a chaotic rollout had caused acute shortages and intensified a deadly second wave that killed hundreds of thousands in April and May. 
 
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reversed a policy under which states made their own purchases from drug makers and along with private hospitals were administering doses to people aged 18-45. 
 
And as most states shut down vaccination centres for the younger population citing shortages, a majority turned to private hospitals that charged between $9-$24 a dose and supply gaps widened between urban and rural areas. 
 
The country is using domestically made doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and Indian company Bharat Biotech`s Covaxin. The Indian government is attempting to secure foreign vaccines such as Pfizer and has waived strict rules to allow quicker imports. 
 
Experts have warned of a potential third wave as only about 5% of all 950 million eligible people are fully inoculated with two doses even as daily infections have fallen this month. 
 
Over the last 24 hours, India reported 53,256 infections, the lowest since March 24. Infections hit a peak of about 400,000 a day in May and deaths soared to around 170,000 in April-May. 
 
And as most cities have begun lifting lockdown curbs, experts have cautioned that a swift reopening could complicate a vaccination programme that needs to be at least four times faster. 
 
India`s daily vaccinations hit a peak of 4.5 million shots on April 5 but have since fallen sharply. In the last 30 days, India has been administering an average of 2.7 million doses a day. 
 
In the western state of Maharashtra, hardest hit by the second wave, authorities said older age groups between 30-45 would be a priority as supplies were scarce. 
 
"We have enough stock that will hopefully last us for the next three to four days but have no visibility on stock supplies after that," Santosh Revankar, a senior health official in Mumbai`s civic body, told Reuters. 
 
The state has allowed some businesses to resume and partially lifted curbs on public transport while retaining weekend curfews in some cities.

India on Monday began a nationwide campaign of free COVID-19 shots for all adults after weeks of criticism that a chaotic rollout had caused acute shortages and intensified a deadly second wave that killed hundreds of thousands in April and May.

India on Monday began a nationwide campaign of free COVID-19 shots for all adults after weeks of criticism that a chaotic rollout had caused acute shortages and intensified a deadly second wave that killed hundreds of thousands in April and May. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reversed a policy under which states made their own purchases from drug makers and along with private hospitals were administering doses to people aged 18-45. And as most states shut down vaccination centres for the younger population citing shortages, a majority turned to private hospitals that charged between $9-$24 a dose and supply gaps widened between urban and rural areas. The country is using domestically made doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and Indian company Bharat Biotech`s Covaxin. The Indian government is attempting to secure foreign vaccines such as Pfizer and has waived strict rules to allow quicker imports. Experts have warned of a potential third wave as only about 5% of all 950 million eligible people are fully inoculated with two doses even as daily infections have fallen this month. Over the last 24 hours, India reported 53,256 infections, the lowest since March 24. Infections hit a peak of about 400,000 a day in May and deaths soared to around 170,000 in April-May. And as most cities have begun lifting lockdown curbs, experts have cautioned that a swift reopening could complicate a vaccination programme that needs to be at least four times faster. India`s daily vaccinations hit a peak of 4.5 million shots on April 5 but have since fallen sharply. In the last 30 days, India has been administering an average of 2.7 million doses a day. In the western state of Maharashtra, hardest hit by the second wave, authorities said older age groups between 30-45 would be a priority as supplies were scarce. "We have enough stock that will hopefully last us for the next three to four days but have no visibility on stock supplies after that," Santosh Revankar, a senior health official in Mumbai`s civic body, told Reuters. The state has allowed some businesses to resume and partially lifted curbs on public transport while retaining weekend curfews in some cities.

COVID-19: India begins inoculating all adults with free shots

Due to the expected appearance of new respiratory viruses, British scientists have predicted a "pretty miserable winter" for the country, with future lockdowns a possibility.

Children and the elderly, according to Professor Calum Semple of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), a British government advisory group, will be particularly vulnerable to endemic viruses by the end of the year.&nbsp;

Describing it as the "fourth wave winter," he told Times Radio "there`s a sting in the tail after every pandemic" because social distancing will have reduced people`s exposure to usual endemic respiratory viruses such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis. 
 
Watch: Health services in UK set to open vaccination for all adults

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"I suspect we`ll have a pretty miserable winter because the other respiratory viruses are going to come back and bite us quite hard," he said. "But after that, I think we`ll be seeing business as normal next year."

Meanwhile, Susan Hopkins, Public Health England`s director for COVID-19, warned "we may have to do further lockdowns this winter" depending on whether hospitals start to become overwhelmed.

"I think we will have alternative ways to manage this, through vaccination, through anti-virals, through drugs, through testing that we didn`t have last winter," she told the BBC.

Scientists have indicated that the third wave of coronavirus infections is probably started&nbsp;in England due to the rapid spread of the Delta variety initially found in India, despite the fact that hospital admissions are unlikely to be as high as they were in January.&nbsp;

The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 per cent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine, 96 per cent effective.

According to the most recent official numbers, more than 42.6 million people have received the first dosage of the coronavirus vaccination, with more than 31 million receiving a second dose.

Experts have warned that coronavirus could mutate for years and that current vaccines could eventually fail to protect against transmission, illness, and perhaps death.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Due to the expected appearance of new respiratory viruses, British scientists have predicted a "pretty miserable winter" for the country, with future lockdowns a possibility.

Due to the expected appearance of new respiratory viruses, British scientists have predicted a "pretty miserable winter" for the country, with future lockdowns a possibility. Children and the elderly, according to Professor Calum Semple of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), a British government advisory group, will be particularly vulnerable to endemic viruses by the end of the year. Describing it as the "fourth wave winter," he told Times Radio "there`s a sting in the tail after every pandemic" because social distancing will have reduced people`s exposure to usual endemic respiratory viruses such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Watch: Health services in UK set to open vaccination for all adults "I suspect we`ll have a pretty miserable winter because the other respiratory viruses are going to come back and bite us quite hard," he said. "But after that, I think we`ll be seeing business as normal next year." Meanwhile, Susan Hopkins, Public Health England`s director for COVID-19, warned "we may have to do further lockdowns this winter" depending on whether hospitals start to become overwhelmed. "I think we will have alternative ways to manage this, through vaccination, through anti-virals, through drugs, through testing that we didn`t have last winter," she told the BBC. Scientists have indicated that the third wave of coronavirus infections is probably started in England due to the rapid spread of the Delta variety initially found in India, despite the fact that hospital admissions are unlikely to be as high as they were in January. The recent data published by Public Health England showed the AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 per cent effective against hospitalization from the Delta variant after two doses, and the Pfizer vaccine, 96 per cent effective. According to the most recent official numbers, more than 42.6 million people have received the first dosage of the coronavirus vaccination, with more than 31 million receiving a second dose. Experts have warned that coronavirus could mutate for years and that current vaccines could eventually fail to protect against transmission, illness, and perhaps death. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Pretty miserable winter' ahead due to new respiratory viruses: UK scientists

A top British virologist has warned that the aim to vaccinate all adults over the age of 18 in the UK could lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases among schoolchildren.

According to Julian Tang of Leicester University, under-18s would then become reservoirs in which new virus strains could emerge.&nbsp;

“As a result, the virus will concentrate in school-age populations, which will eventually become a reservoir and driver of any ensuing Delta variant epidemic, as well as being a hotspot in which new mutations may arise”, Tang was quoted saying by the British weekly.&nbsp;

Tang has said that move to vaccinate people over the age of 18 could lead to an increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections among schoolchildren.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom is seeing another wave of infections, which many are calling the country's third Covid wave, with the Delta variant accounting for 99 per cent of all active cases, according to Public Health England.&nbsp;

The UK government has set a goal of vaccinating as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time in order to avoid another wave before July 19, the deadline for the final stage of the lockdown lifting.&nbsp;

Tang's cautionary remarks came as government officials have emphasised the need of adult vaccination coverage to avoid another deadly Covid outbreak.

A top British virologist has warned that the aim to vaccinate all adults over the age of 18 in the UK could lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases among schoolchildren.

A top British virologist has warned that the aim to vaccinate all adults over the age of 18 in the UK could lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases among schoolchildren. According to Julian Tang of Leicester University, under-18s would then become reservoirs in which new virus strains could emerge. “As a result, the virus will concentrate in school-age populations, which will eventually become a reservoir and driver of any ensuing Delta variant epidemic, as well as being a hotspot in which new mutations may arise”, Tang was quoted saying by the British weekly. Tang has said that move to vaccinate people over the age of 18 could lead to an increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections among schoolchildren. The United Kingdom is seeing another wave of infections, which many are calling the country's third Covid wave, with the Delta variant accounting for 99 per cent of all active cases, according to Public Health England. The UK government has set a goal of vaccinating as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time in order to avoid another wave before July 19, the deadline for the final stage of the lockdown lifting. Tang's cautionary remarks came as government officials have emphasised the need of adult vaccination coverage to avoid another deadly Covid outbreak.

Covid in UK: Expert warns unvaccinated minors could be Delta variant carriers

As the second wave of infections appears to be going down, India recorded 53,256 new COVID-19 cases today, the lowest in 88 days.

Today is the first day that the central government, in reversing a policy shift, will administer vaccinations to all adults over the age of 18.&nbsp;

The daily test positivity rate in India (one positive case for every 100 tests) has remained steady&nbsp;at 3.83 per cent.&nbsp;

The government has reported 1,422 deaths in the last 24 hours, down from previous highs of 3,000 per day. There have been 3, 86,713 fatalities in all.

This is the fourth consecutive day in the last two months when the death toll is below the 2,000-mark. It is also the 14th consecutive day when India has reported less than 1, 00,000 new coronavirus cases.

For the 39th day in a row, daily recoveries have outnumbered daily new cases. Over the last 24 hours, 78,190 patients have recovered, with a recovery rate of 96.36 per cent.&nbsp;

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 39, 24,07,782 samples have been tested up to June 20 for Covid-19. Of these 13, 88,699 samples were tested on Sunday.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the second wave of infections appears to be going down, India recorded 53,256 new COVID-19 cases today, the lowest in 88 days. Today is the first day that the central government, in reversing a policy shift, will administer vaccinations to all adults over the age of 18.

As the second wave of infections appears to be going down, India recorded 53,256 new COVID-19 cases today, the lowest in 88 days. Today is the first day that the central government, in reversing a policy shift, will administer vaccinations to all adults over the age of 18. The daily test positivity rate in India (one positive case for every 100 tests) has remained steady at 3.83 per cent. The government has reported 1,422 deaths in the last 24 hours, down from previous highs of 3,000 per day. There have been 3, 86,713 fatalities in all. This is the fourth consecutive day in the last two months when the death toll is below the 2,000-mark. It is also the 14th consecutive day when India has reported less than 1, 00,000 new coronavirus cases. For the 39th day in a row, daily recoveries have outnumbered daily new cases. Over the last 24 hours, 78,190 patients have recovered, with a recovery rate of 96.36 per cent. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 39, 24,07,782 samples have been tested up to June 20 for Covid-19. Of these 13, 88,699 samples were tested on Sunday. (With inputs from agencies)

India sees lowest COVID-19 cases since March 24 

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, the third possible wave of the coronavirus pandemic is unlikely to hit children more than the adult population.&nbsp; 
 
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The study indicated significant seroprevalence among youngsters, which could protect them from the third wave. It was conducted across five locations in four states.

Delhi Urban Resettlement Colony, Delhi Rural (villages in Faridabad district of Haryana under Delhi-NCR), Bhubaneswar Rural, Gorakhpur Rural, and Agartala Rural are the five sites chosen. &nbsp;

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“SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate among children was high and were comparable to the adult population. Hence, it is unlikely that any future third wave by prevailing COVID19 variant would disproportionately affect children two years or older," the survey stated. 
 
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The study found a seroprevalence of 55.7 per cent in those aged less than 18 (two to 17 years) age group and 63.5 per cent in the 18 years and above age group.

The present findings are based on a midterm analysis of data acquired from 4,509 participants in four states between 15 March 2021 and 10 June 2021, a timeframe that essentially includes the second wave of COVID-19, according to the study, which was published on pre-print server medRxiv.&nbsp;

The study found that while female individuals had somewhat higher seroprevalence than male participants (58.6 per cent versus 53.0 per cent), there was no statistically significant difference in seropositivity between male and female participants.&nbsp;

Among the five locations that were studied as part of the survey, the Agartala Rural site had the least seroprevalence of 51.9 per cent, probably because it also included some tribal population which generally have lower mobility resulting in lower vulnerability to COVID19 infection, ANI reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, the third possible wave of the coronavirus pandemic is unlikely to hit children more than the adult population.

According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, the third possible wave of the coronavirus pandemic is unlikely to hit children more than the adult population. Also read | India has suffered a lot due to Covid says Donald Trump; demands China to pay $10 trillion The study indicated significant seroprevalence among youngsters, which could protect them from the third wave. It was conducted across five locations in four states. Delhi Urban Resettlement Colony, Delhi Rural (villages in Faridabad district of Haryana under Delhi-NCR), Bhubaneswar Rural, Gorakhpur Rural, and Agartala Rural are the five sites chosen. Also read | Lambda: New variant of COVID-19 that is affecting 29 countries “SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate among children was high and were comparable to the adult population. Hence, it is unlikely that any future third wave by prevailing COVID19 variant would disproportionately affect children two years or older," the survey stated. Also read | COVID-19 vaccination has no effect on male fertility, sperm count not harmed: Study The study found a seroprevalence of 55.7 per cent in those aged less than 18 (two to 17 years) age group and 63.5 per cent in the 18 years and above age group. The present findings are based on a midterm analysis of data acquired from 4,509 participants in four states between 15 March 2021 and 10 June 2021, a timeframe that essentially includes the second wave of COVID-19, according to the study, which was published on pre-print server medRxiv. The study found that while female individuals had somewhat higher seroprevalence than male participants (58.6 per cent versus 53.0 per cent), there was no statistically significant difference in seropositivity between male and female participants. Among the five locations that were studied as part of the survey, the Agartala Rural site had the least seroprevalence of 51.9 per cent, probably because it also included some tribal population which generally have lower mobility resulting in lower vulnerability to COVID19 infection, ANI reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Third COVID-19 wave unlikely to affect kids: WHO-AIIMS survey  

In Madhya Pradesh's Indore, a 34-year-old COVID-19 victim was diagnosed with a green fungus infection and evacuated to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday.

According to the District's health statistics manager, this is most likely India's first case of such an ailment.&nbsp;

"The man who was suspected of having contracted black fungus infection (mucormycosis) underwent a test, after which it was discovered that he had developed green fungus (Aspergillosis) infection in his sinuses, lungs, and blood," said Dr Ravi Dosi, head of the Department of Chest Diseases at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS).

The patient was airlifted to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday.&nbsp;

He said that the patient had recovered from the coronavirus infection. “The patient recovered. But then he started having nose bleeds and a high fever. He had also become very weak due to weight loss.” &nbsp;

<h2>What is Green Fungus?</h2>

Aspergillosis, often known as green fungus, is a fungal infection caused by Aspergillus, a common mould that can be found both indoors and out. Most people can inhale Aspergillus spores without becoming unwell.

Although there are 180 species of Aspergillus, only about 40 are known to cause infections in people.

The most prevalent cause of human Aspergillus is Aspergillus fumigatus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In Madhya Pradesh's Indore, a 34-year-old COVID-19 victim was diagnosed with a green fungus infection and evacuated to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday. According to the District's health statistics manager, this is most likely India's first case of such an ailment.

In Madhya Pradesh's Indore, a 34-year-old COVID-19 victim was diagnosed with a green fungus infection and evacuated to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday. According to the District's health statistics manager, this is most likely India's first case of such an ailment. "The man who was suspected of having contracted black fungus infection (mucormycosis) underwent a test, after which it was discovered that he had developed green fungus (Aspergillosis) infection in his sinuses, lungs, and blood," said Dr Ravi Dosi, head of the Department of Chest Diseases at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS). The patient was airlifted to Mumbai's Hinduja hospital on Monday. He said that the patient had recovered from the coronavirus infection. “The patient recovered. But then he started having nose bleeds and a high fever. He had also become very weak due to weight loss.” What is Green Fungus? Aspergillosis, often known as green fungus, is a fungal infection caused by Aspergillus, a common mould that can be found both indoors and out. Most people can inhale Aspergillus spores without becoming unwell. Although there are 180 species of Aspergillus, only about 40 are known to cause infections in people. The most prevalent cause of human Aspergillus is Aspergillus fumigatus. (With inputs from agencies)

India's first case of ‘green fungus’ infection reported in Madhya Pradesh: All you need to know

The Uttarakhand government has ordered the Haridwar district administration to register an FIR in a Covid testing scam during the Mahakumbh, an official said on Wednesday.

State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal told ANI that an order has been issued to file a case against labs from Delhi and Haryana, which conducted testing at five places in Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-india-reports-62224-fresh-cases-2542-new-fatalities-391792">COVID-19: India reports 62,224 fresh cases, 2,542 new fatalities</a>

This action comes days after reports of fake COVID-19 testing during Mahakumbh surfaced. It was reported that at least 1 lakh COVID-19 reports of tests conducted during Kumbh Mela have been found to be fake.

The Maha Kumbh Mela was held from April 1 to 30 this year and was spread over Haridwar district and Rishikesh region, which includes Rishikesh in Dehradun district, Muni ki Reti in Tehri and Swargashram in Pauri.

Earlier on Wednesday, Annop Nautiyal, the Social Development for Community Foundation said: "The COVID-19 test data of Kumbh Mela area and its results were not shared in the public domain, cases, investigations, deaths, recoveries and other information of 13 districts of Uttarakhand were being shared in the state health bulletin In this way, the complete picture of the Kumbh Mela area was never available.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-just-34-for-two-doses-made-in-india-biological-e-vaccine-could-be-90-effective-392081">COVID-19: Just $3.4 for two doses - Made-in-India Biological E vaccine could be 90% effective</a>

"He further said that the ongoing investigation in the matter should not only focus on private labs, but should cover all government labs and all agencies, which were working during that time.

Additionally, he said that due to these alleged irregularities in Haridwar, the COVID-19 data of the entire state has come under suspicion.

"A judicial inquiry should be conducted not only by getting the matter investigated by the agencies of the state government. If any lab or officer is found guilty in this case, then penal action should be taken against them as per law," Nautiyal said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-first-case-of-green-fungus-infection-reported-in-madhya-pradesh-all-you-need-to-know-391837">India's first case of ‘green fungus’ infection reported in Madhya Pradesh: All you need to know</a>

He further said that after the COVID-19 situation is clear, the Uttarakhand government should issue a white paper on the investigation of coronavirus in the Kumbh Mela.

"If any error is found in the data as a final result of the investigation, the Uttarakhand government should accept these mistakes. It should not hesitate and should not hesitate to change the state figures if needed," he said.&nbsp;

The Uttarakhand government has ordered the Haridwar district administration to register an FIR in a Covid testing scam during the Mahakumbh, an official said on Wednesday.

The Uttarakhand government has ordered the Haridwar district administration to register an FIR in a Covid testing scam during the Mahakumbh, an official said on Wednesday. State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal told ANI that an order has been issued to file a case against labs from Delhi and Haryana, which conducted testing at five places in Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela. Also read | COVID-19: India reports 62,224 fresh cases, 2,542 new fatalities This action comes days after reports of fake COVID-19 testing during Mahakumbh surfaced. It was reported that at least 1 lakh COVID-19 reports of tests conducted during Kumbh Mela have been found to be fake. The Maha Kumbh Mela was held from April 1 to 30 this year and was spread over Haridwar district and Rishikesh region, which includes Rishikesh in Dehradun district, Muni ki Reti in Tehri and Swargashram in Pauri. Earlier on Wednesday, Annop Nautiyal, the Social Development for Community Foundation said: "The COVID-19 test data of Kumbh Mela area and its results were not shared in the public domain, cases, investigations, deaths, recoveries and other information of 13 districts of Uttarakhand were being shared in the state health bulletin In this way, the complete picture of the Kumbh Mela area was never available. Also read | COVID-19: Just $3.4 for two doses - Made-in-India Biological E vaccine could be 90% effective "He further said that the ongoing investigation in the matter should not only focus on private labs, but should cover all government labs and all agencies, which were working during that time. Additionally, he said that due to these alleged irregularities in Haridwar, the COVID-19 data of the entire state has come under suspicion. "A judicial inquiry should be conducted not only by getting the matter investigated by the agencies of the state government. If any lab or officer is found guilty in this case, then penal action should be taken against them as per law," Nautiyal said. Also read | India's first case of ‘green fungus’ infection reported in Madhya Pradesh: All you need to know He further said that after the COVID-19 situation is clear, the Uttarakhand government should issue a white paper on the investigation of coronavirus in the Kumbh Mela. "If any error is found in the data as a final result of the investigation, the Uttarakhand government should accept these mistakes. It should not hesitate and should not hesitate to change the state figures if needed," he said.

Uttarakhand govt orders FIR against labs in Mahakumbh COVID-19 testing scam

Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday that a panel of government-appointed experts had approved a plan to downgrade the state of emergency in seven prefectures including Tokyo, which will host the Olympics from July 23. 
 
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Nishimura, who oversees Japan`s coronavirus response, said the latter half of the discussions centred on the wisdom of lifting the emergency state in Tokyo. 
 
With the pace of decline in new infections slowing in recent days, some warned of a likely rebound and stressed the need to respond without hesitation through further curbs or even the reinstatement of a state of emergency, Nishimura said.

Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday that a panel of government-appointed experts had approved a plan to downgrade the state of emergency in seven prefectures including Tokyo, which will host the Olympics from July 23.

Japanese Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Thursday that a panel of government-appointed experts had approved a plan to downgrade the state of emergency in seven prefectures including Tokyo, which will host the Olympics from July 23. Speaking at the end of the meeting, Nishimura, who oversees Japan`s coronavirus response, said the latter half of the discussions centred on the wisdom of lifting the emergency state in Tokyo. With the pace of decline in new infections slowing in recent days, some warned of a likely rebound and stressed the need to respond without hesitation through further curbs or even the reinstatement of a state of emergency, Nishimura said.

Experts agree to ease emergency curbs in Tokyo but warn of risks: Govt

The central government will provide more than 5.6 million&nbsp;vaccine doses to states and Union Territories in the next three days, the health ministry informed on Thursday.

"More than 56,70,350 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next 3 days," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said.

According to MoHFW, as many as 2,18,28,483 COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.

"More than 27.28 crores (27,28,31,900) vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category," the ministry said in an official statement.

"Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 25,10,03,417 doses (as per data available at 8 am today)," it said."More than 2.18 crore (2,18,28,483) COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered," it added.

The Union Health Ministry further informed that 26,55,19,251 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India started the world`s largest vaccination drive on January 16 this year in a phased manner with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first.

The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 from April 1. Phase 3 of the vaccination drive was started on May 1 for the beneficiaries belonging to the age group 18-44.

The central government will provide more than 5.6 million vaccine doses to states and Union Territories in the next three days, the health ministry informed on Thursday.

The central government will provide more than 5.6 million vaccine doses to states and Union Territories in the next three days, the health ministry informed on Thursday. "More than 56,70,350 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next 3 days," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said. According to MoHFW, as many as 2,18,28,483 COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. "More than 27.28 crores (27,28,31,900) vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category," the ministry said in an official statement. "Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 25,10,03,417 doses (as per data available at 8 am today)," it said."More than 2.18 crore (2,18,28,483) COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered," it added. The Union Health Ministry further informed that 26,55,19,251 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India started the world`s largest vaccination drive on January 16 this year in a phased manner with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 from April 1. Phase 3 of the vaccination drive was started on May 1 for the beneficiaries belonging to the age group 18-44.

Centre to provide over 5.6mn COVID-19 vaccine doses to states, UTs in next 3 days

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now called the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, also known as B.1.617.2, a "variant of concern".

According to the agency, there is `mounting evidence` that the Delta variant, which was first reported in India, shows increased transmissibility, potential reduction in neutralisation by some monoclonal antibody treatments under emergency authorisation and potential reduction in neutralisation from sera after vaccination in lab tests. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astrazenecas-antibody-fails-in-protecting-exposed-patients-from-covid-19-391632">AstraZeneca's antibody fails in protecting exposed patients from COVID-19</a>

Earlier, the CDC had considered the Delta variant to be a variant of interest. It also underscores Delta to be 50 per cent faster than the Alpha variant, thus making it two times faster than the original COVID-19 strain.

The severity of the Delta strain is far more severe than any other variant, including a 2.5 time higher risk of hospitalisation than the Alpha variant found in the UK first.

Overall the strain found in India increases the risk of hospitalisation by four folds as compared to the original. The variant of concern designation is given to strains of the virus that scientists believe are more transmissible or can cause more severe disease. Vaccines, treatments and tests that detect the virus may also be less effective against a variant of concern.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Delta variant as a variant of concern on May 10. A study on the Delta variant in Scotland published on Monday found that it was associated with about double the risk of hospitalisation compared with the Alpha variant, B.1.1.7, that was first identified in the UK.

As America bounces back to life and eases restrictions, experts are flagging concern as some say that the COVID-19 delta variant can "take us back to square one" if not careful. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) urged Americans who have not yet gotten vaccinated against the coronavirus to do so as soon as possible, pointing that the country has lost nearly 600,000 lives lost domestically from the infection. On Tuesday (local), America has crossed the milestone of 60 lakh coronavirus deaths.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now called the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, also known as B.1.617.2, a "variant of concern". According to the agency, there is `mounting evidence` that the Delta variant, which was first reported in India, shows increased transmissibility, potential reduction in neutralisation by some monoclonal antibody treatments under emergency authorisation and potential reduction in neutralisation from sera after vaccination in lab tests.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now called the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, also known as B.1.617.2, a "variant of concern". According to the agency, there is `mounting evidence` that the Delta variant, which was first reported in India, shows increased transmissibility, potential reduction in neutralisation by some monoclonal antibody treatments under emergency authorisation and potential reduction in neutralisation from sera after vaccination in lab tests. Also read | AstraZeneca's antibody fails in protecting exposed patients from COVID-19 Earlier, the CDC had considered the Delta variant to be a variant of interest. It also underscores Delta to be 50 per cent faster than the Alpha variant, thus making it two times faster than the original COVID-19 strain. The severity of the Delta strain is far more severe than any other variant, including a 2.5 time higher risk of hospitalisation than the Alpha variant found in the UK first. Overall the strain found in India increases the risk of hospitalisation by four folds as compared to the original. The variant of concern designation is given to strains of the virus that scientists believe are more transmissible or can cause more severe disease. Vaccines, treatments and tests that detect the virus may also be less effective against a variant of concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the Delta variant as a variant of concern on May 10. A study on the Delta variant in Scotland published on Monday found that it was associated with about double the risk of hospitalisation compared with the Alpha variant, B.1.1.7, that was first identified in the UK. As America bounces back to life and eases restrictions, experts are flagging concern as some say that the COVID-19 delta variant can "take us back to square one" if not careful. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) urged Americans who have not yet gotten vaccinated against the coronavirus to do so as soon as possible, pointing that the country has lost nearly 600,000 lives lost domestically from the infection. On Tuesday (local), America has crossed the milestone of 60 lakh coronavirus deaths.

US CDC calls coronavirus Delta variant a 'variant of concern'

While the people of Trinidad and Tobago (T&amp;T) welcomed the arrival of a batch of 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinopharm on Monday, the US Embassy faced a barrage of criticism and mockery after announcing the donation of 80 vials of vaccine to the nation of 1.4 million people.

The US embassy in Port of Spain, the country's capital, announced the contribution in a tweet sent late Sunday local time, stating that "every vaccine matters."

"The government of the United States of America has made a donation of COVID-19 vaccines to the government of Trinidad and Tobago. The donation includes 80 vials of Pfizer vaccines. The United States is committed to assisting the Government of Trinidad and Tobago with its vaccination efforts. We believe that every vaccine counts," the tweet read.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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USA Donates Vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago <a href="https://t.co/5S0OTQfJU5">pic.twitter.com/5S0OTQfJU5</a>
— U.S. Embassy POS (@USinTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USinTT/status/1404227576789454849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A single vial of the Pfizer vaccine generates five doses, which are given in two injections 21 days apart. As a result, America's vaccine gift is anticipated to yield 400 shots, enough to inoculate 200 people. 
 
Social media users mocked the gift by sharing memes about the donation. 
&nbsp;

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Imagine bragging about sending 80 vaccines to a country with a population of 1,267,145 <a href="https://t.co/HmtRxGcZxJ">https://t.co/HmtRxGcZxJ</a>
— Left Flank Veterans (@LeftFlankVets) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeftFlankVets/status/1404468226944167939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I really really hope they just forgot some zeroes <a href="https://t.co/CzhERkfjyH">https://t.co/CzhERkfjyH</a>
— shahenshah🌞pilsudski (सामाजिक फासीवाद युग) (@misandrogynist) <a href="https://twitter.com/misandrogynist/status/1404343151897112578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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USA Donates Vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago <a href="https://t.co/5S0OTQfJU5">pic.twitter.com/5S0OTQfJU5</a>
— U.S. Embassy POS (@USinTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USinTT/status/1404227576789454849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

While the people of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) welcomed the arrival of a batch of 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinopharm on Monday, the US Embassy faced a barrage of criticism and mockery after announcing the donation of 80 vials of vaccine to the nation of 1.

While the people of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) welcomed the arrival of a batch of 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine made by China's Sinopharm on Monday, the US Embassy faced a barrage of criticism and mockery after announcing the donation of 80 vials of vaccine to the nation of 1.4 million people. The US embassy in Port of Spain, the country's capital, announced the contribution in a tweet sent late Sunday local time, stating that "every vaccine matters." "The government of the United States of America has made a donation of COVID-19 vaccines to the government of Trinidad and Tobago. The donation includes 80 vials of Pfizer vaccines. The United States is committed to assisting the Government of Trinidad and Tobago with its vaccination efforts. We believe that every vaccine counts," the tweet read. USA Donates Vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago pic.twitter.com/5S0OTQfJU5 — U.S. Embassy POS (@USinTT) June 14, 2021 × A single vial of the Pfizer vaccine generates five doses, which are given in two injections 21 days apart. As a result, America's vaccine gift is anticipated to yield 400 shots, enough to inoculate 200 people. Social media users mocked the gift by sharing memes about the donation. Imagine bragging about sending 80 vaccines to a country with a population of 1,267,145 https://t.co/HmtRxGcZxJ — Left Flank Veterans (@LeftFlankVets) June 14, 2021 × I really really hope they just forgot some zeroes https://t.co/CzhERkfjyH — shahenshah🌞pilsudski (सामाजिक फासीवाद युग) (@misandrogynist) June 14, 2021 × USA Donates Vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago pic.twitter.com/5S0OTQfJU5 — U.S. Embassy POS (@USinTT) June 14, 2021 ×

US donates 80 vials of COVID-19 vaccine to a nation of 1.4 million, trolled for online post

India saw a single-day rise of 60,471 new coronavirus infections, the lowest after 75 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,95,70,881, while the daily positivity rate declined to 3.45 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,77,031 with 2,726 fresh deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed.&nbsp;The active cases further declined to 9,13,378 comprising 3.09 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 95.64 per cent.

A net decline of 59,780 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 17,51,358 tests were conducted on Monday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 38,13,75,984.

The daily positivity rate dropped to 3.45 per cent. It has been less than 5 per cent for 8 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 4.39 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 33rd consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,82,80,472, while the case fatality rate increased to 1.28 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulatively, 25,90,44,072 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

The 2,726 new fatalities include 1,592 from Maharashtra, 254 from Tamil Nadu, 161 from Kerala and 120 from Karnataka. A total of 3,77,031 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,12,696 from Maharashtra, 33,033 from Karnataka, 29,801 from Tamil Nadu, 24,839 from Delhi, 21,858 from Uttar Pradesh, 16,974 from West Bengal, 15,602 from Punjab and 13,334 from Chhattisgarh.

The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.&nbsp;"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.&nbsp;

India saw a single-day rise of 60,471 new coronavirus infections, the lowest after 75 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,95,70,881, while the daily positivity rate declined to 3.

India saw a single-day rise of 60,471 new coronavirus infections, the lowest after 75 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,95,70,881, while the daily positivity rate declined to 3.45 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,77,031 with 2,726 fresh deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed. The active cases further declined to 9,13,378 comprising 3.09 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 95.64 per cent. A net decline of 59,780 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. Also, 17,51,358 tests were conducted on Monday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 38,13,75,984. The daily positivity rate dropped to 3.45 per cent. It has been less than 5 per cent for 8 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 4.39 per cent. Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 33rd consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,82,80,472, while the case fatality rate increased to 1.28 per cent, the data stated. Cumulatively, 25,90,44,072 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive. The 2,726 new fatalities include 1,592 from Maharashtra, 254 from Tamil Nadu, 161 from Kerala and 120 from Karnataka. A total of 3,77,031 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,12,696 from Maharashtra, 33,033 from Karnataka, 29,801 from Tamil Nadu, 24,839 from Delhi, 21,858 from Uttar Pradesh, 16,974 from West Bengal, 15,602 from Punjab and 13,334 from Chhattisgarh. The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

Daily COVID-19 count in India lowest after 75 days

To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab. To the Chinese government and public, she is a hero of the country’s success in curbing the epidemic and a victim of malicious conspiracy theories.

Shi Zhengli, a top Chinese virologist, is once again at the centre of clashing narratives about her research on coronaviruses at a state lab in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic first emerged.

The idea that the virus may have escaped from a lab had long been widely dismissed by scientists as implausible and shunned by others for its connection with former President Donald Trump. But fresh scrutiny from the Biden administration and calls for greater candour from prominent scientists have brought the theory back to the fore.

Scientists generally agree that there is still no direct evidence to support the lab leak theory. But more of them now say that the hypothesis was dismissed too hastily, without a thorough investigation, and they point to a range of unsettling questions.

Some scientists say Shi conducted risky experiments with bat coronaviruses in labs that were not safe enough. Others want clarity on reports, citing U.S. intelligence, suggesting that there were early infections of COVID-19 among several employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Shi has denied these accusations and now finds herself defending the reputation of her lab and, by extension, that of her country. Reached on her cellphone last week, Shi said at first that she preferred not to speak directly with reporters, citing her institute’s policies. Yet she could barely contain her frustration.

“How on earth can I offer up evidence for something where there is no evidence?” she said, her voice rising in anger during the brief, unscheduled conversation. “I don’t know how the world has come to this, constantly pouring filth on an innocent scientist,” she wrote in a text message.

In a rare interview over email, she denounced the suspicions as baseless, including the allegations that several of her colleagues may have been ill before the outbreak emerged.

The speculation boils down to one central question: Did Shi’s lab hold any source of the new coronavirus before the pandemic erupted? Shi’s answer is an emphatic no.

But China’s refusal to allow an independent investigation into her lab, or to share data on its research, make it difficult to validate Shi’s claims and has only fueled nagging suspicions about how the pandemic could have taken hold in the same city that hosts an institute known for its work on bat coronaviruses.

Those in favor of the natural origins hypothesis, though, have pointed to Wuhan’s role as a major transportation hub as well as a recent study that showed that just before the pandemic hit, the city’s markets were selling many animal species capable of harboring dangerous pathogens that could jump to humans.

The Chinese government has given no appearance of holding Shi under suspicion. Despite the international scrutiny, she seems to have been able to continue her research and give lectures in China.

The stakes in this debate extend into how scientists study infectious diseases. Some scientists have cited the lab leak scenario in pushing for greater scrutiny of “gain of function” experiments that, broadly defined, are intended to make pathogens more powerful to better understand their behaviour and risks.

Many scientists say they want the hunt for the virus’ origins to transcend politics, borders and individual scientific achievements.

“This has nothing to do with fault or guilt,” said David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University and co-author of a recent letter in the journal Science, signed by 18 scientists, that called for a transparent investigation into all viable scenarios, including a lab leak.

The letter urged labs and health agencies to open their records to the public.

“It’s just bigger than anyone scientist or institute or any one country — anybody anywhere who has data of this sort needs to put it out there,” Relman said.

‘Transparency matters.’

Many virologists maintain that the coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal to a human in a setting outside a lab. But without direct proof of a natural spillover, more scientists and politicians have called for a full investigation into the lab leak theory.

Proponents of a lab investigation say that researchers at Shi’s institute could have collected — or contracted — the new coronavirus from the wild, such as in a bat cave. Or the scientists may have created it, by accident or by design. Either way, the virus could then have leaked from the laboratory, perhaps by infecting a worker.

China has sought to influence investigations into the virus’ origin, while promoting its own unproven allegations.

Beijing agreed to allow a team of World Health Organization experts to visit China but limited their access. When the WHO team said in a report in March that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, its conclusion was seen as hasty. Even the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough.”

Last month, President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the origin question, including the lab theory. On Sunday, the leaders of the world’s wealthiest large democracies, at the Group of 7 summit, urged China to be part of a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. Biden told reporters that he and other leaders had discussed access to labs in China.

“Transparency matters across the board,” Biden said.

‘Scientists have a motherland.’

In less polarized times, Shi was a symbol of China’s scientific progress, the “Bat Woman” at the forefront of research into emerging viruses.

She led expeditions into caves to collect samples from bats and guano, to learn how viruses jump from animals to humans. In 2019, she was among 109 scientists elected to the American Academy of Microbiology for her contributions to the field.

“She’s a stellar scientist — extremely careful, with a rigorous work ethic,” said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology employs nearly 300 people and is home to one of only two Chinese labs that have been given the highest security designation, Biosafety Level 4. Shi leads the institute’s work on emerging infectious diseases, and over the years, her group has collected over 10,000 bat samples from around China.

Under China’s centralized approach to scientific research, the institute answers to the Communist Party, which wants scientists to serve national goals.

“Science has no borders, but scientists have a motherland,” Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, said in a speech to scientists last year.

Shi herself, though, does not belong to the Communist Party, according to official Chinese media reports, which is unusual for state employees of her status. She built her career at the institute, starting as a research assistant in 1990 and working her way up the ranks.

Shi, 57, obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Montpellier in France in 2000 and started studying bats in 2004 after the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which killed more than 700 people around the world. In 2011, she made a breakthrough when she found bats in a cave in southwestern China that carried coronaviruses that were similar to the virus that causes SARS.

“In all the work we do, if just once you can prevent the outbreak of an illness, then what we’ve done will be very meaningful,” she told CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, in 2017.

But some of her most notable findings have since drawn the heaviest scrutiny. In recent years, Shi began experimenting on bat coronaviruses by genetically modifying them to see how they behave.

In 2017, she and her colleagues at the Wuhan lab published a paper about an experiment in which they created new hybrid bat coronaviruses by mixing and matching parts of several existing ones — including at least one that was nearly transmissible to humans — in order to study their ability to infect and replicate in human cells.

Proponents of this type of research say it helps society prepare for future outbreaks. Critics say the risks of creating dangerous new pathogens may outweigh potential benefits.

The picture has been complicated by new questions about whether U.S. government funding that went to Shi’s work supported controversial gain-of-function research. The Wuhan institute received around $600,000 in grant money from the U.S. government, through an American nonprofit called EcoHealth Alliance. The National Institutes of Health said it had not approved funding for the nonprofit to conduct gain-of-function research on coronaviruses that would have made them more infectious or lethal.

Shi, in an emailed response to questions, argued that her experiments differed from gain-of-function work because she did not set out to make a virus more dangerous but to understand how it might jump across species.

“My lab has never conducted or cooperated in conducting GOF experiments that enhance the virulence of viruses,” she said.

‘Speculation rooted in utter distrust.’

Concerns have centred not only on what experiments Shi conducted but also on the conditions under which she did them.

Some of Shi’s experiments on bat viruses were done in Biosafety Level 2 labs, where security is lower than in other labs at the institute. That has raised questions about whether a dangerous pathogen could have slipped out.

Ralph Baric, a University of North Carolina expert in coronaviruses who signed the open letter in Science, said that although a natural origin of the virus was likely, he supported a review of what level of biosafety precautions were taken in studying bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute. Baric conducted NIH-approved gain-of-function research at his lab using the information on viral genetic sequences provided by Shi.

Shi said that bat viruses in China could be studied in BSL-2 labs because there was no evidence that they directly infected humans, a view supported by some other scientists.

She also rejected recent reports that three researchers from her institute had sought treatment at a hospital in November 2019 for flulike symptoms, before the first COVID-19 cases were reported.

“The Wuhan Institute of Virology has not come across such cases,” she wrote. “If possible, can you provide the names of the three to help us check?”

As for samples that the lab held, Shi has maintained that the closest bat virus she had in her lab, which she shared publicly, was only 96% identical to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — a vast difference by genomic standards. She rejects speculation that her lab had worked on other viruses in secret.

Shi’s research on a group of miners in Yunnan province who suffered severe respiratory disease in 2012 has also drawn questions. The miners had worked in the same cave where Shi’s team later discovered the bat virus that is close to SARS-CoV-2. Shi said that her lab did not detect bat SARS-like coronaviruses in the miners’ samples and that she would publish more details in a scientific journal soon; her critics say she has withheld information.

“This issue is too important not to come forward with everything you have and in a timely and transparent manner,” said Alina Chan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard who also signed the Science letter.

Many scientists and officials say China should share employees’ medical records and the lab’s logs of its experiments and its viral sequence database to evaluate Shi’s claims.

Shi said she and the institute had been open with the WHO and with the global scientific community.

“This is no longer a question of science,” she said on the phone. “It is speculation rooted in utter distrust.”

‘I have nothing to fear.’

The pandemic was a moment that Shi and her team had long braced for. For years, she had warned of the risks of a coronavirus outbreak, building up a stock of knowledge about these pathogens.

In January 2020, as Shi and her team worked frantically, they were exhausted but also excited, said Wang Linfa, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School who was in Wuhan with Shi at the time.

“All the experiences, reagents and the bat samples in the freezer were finally being used in a significant way globally,” said Wang, Shi’s collaborator and friend for 17 years.

Shi published some of the most important early papers on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, which scientists around the world have relied on.

But soon, the speculation about Shi and her lab began to swirl. Shi, who is known among friends for being blunt, was baffled and angry — and sometimes let it show.

In an interview with Science magazine in July, she said that Trump owed her an apology for claiming the virus came from her lab. On social media, she said people who raised similar questions should “shut your stinky mouths.”

Shi said what she saw as the politicization of the question had sapped her of any enthusiasm for investigating the origins of the virus. She has instead focused on COVID vaccines and the features of the new virus, and over time, she said, has calmed down.

“I’m sure that I did nothing wrong,” she wrote. “So I have nothing to fear.”

To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab.

To a growing chorus of U.S. politicians and scientists, she is the key to whether the world will ever learn if the virus behind the devastating COVID-19 pandemic escaped from a Chinese lab. To the Chinese government and public, she is a hero of the country’s success in curbing the epidemic and a victim of malicious conspiracy theories. Shi Zhengli, a top Chinese virologist, is once again at the centre of clashing narratives about her research on coronaviruses at a state lab in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic first emerged. The idea that the virus may have escaped from a lab had long been widely dismissed by scientists as implausible and shunned by others for its connection with former President Donald Trump. But fresh scrutiny from the Biden administration and calls for greater candour from prominent scientists have brought the theory back to the fore. Scientists generally agree that there is still no direct evidence to support the lab leak theory. But more of them now say that the hypothesis was dismissed too hastily, without a thorough investigation, and they point to a range of unsettling questions. Some scientists say Shi conducted risky experiments with bat coronaviruses in labs that were not safe enough. Others want clarity on reports, citing U.S. intelligence, suggesting that there were early infections of COVID-19 among several employees of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Shi has denied these accusations and now finds herself defending the reputation of her lab and, by extension, that of her country. Reached on her cellphone last week, Shi said at first that she preferred not to speak directly with reporters, citing her institute’s policies. Yet she could barely contain her frustration. “How on earth can I offer up evidence for something where there is no evidence?” she said, her voice rising in anger during the brief, unscheduled conversation. “I don’t know how the world has come to this, constantly pouring filth on an innocent scientist,” she wrote in a text message. In a rare interview over email, she denounced the suspicions as baseless, including the allegations that several of her colleagues may have been ill before the outbreak emerged. The speculation boils down to one central question: Did Shi’s lab hold any source of the new coronavirus before the pandemic erupted? Shi’s answer is an emphatic no. But China’s refusal to allow an independent investigation into her lab, or to share data on its research, make it difficult to validate Shi’s claims and has only fueled nagging suspicions about how the pandemic could have taken hold in the same city that hosts an institute known for its work on bat coronaviruses. Those in favor of the natural origins hypothesis, though, have pointed to Wuhan’s role as a major transportation hub as well as a recent study that showed that just before the pandemic hit, the city’s markets were selling many animal species capable of harboring dangerous pathogens that could jump to humans. The Chinese government has given no appearance of holding Shi under suspicion. Despite the international scrutiny, she seems to have been able to continue her research and give lectures in China. The stakes in this debate extend into how scientists study infectious diseases. Some scientists have cited the lab leak scenario in pushing for greater scrutiny of “gain of function” experiments that, broadly defined, are intended to make pathogens more powerful to better understand their behaviour and risks. Many scientists say they want the hunt for the virus’ origins to transcend politics, borders and individual scientific achievements. “This has nothing to do with fault or guilt,” said David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University and co-author of a recent letter in the journal Science, signed by 18 scientists, that called for a transparent investigation into all viable scenarios, including a lab leak. The letter urged labs and health agencies to open their records to the public. “It’s just bigger than anyone scientist or institute or any one country — anybody anywhere who has data of this sort needs to put it out there,” Relman said. ‘Transparency matters.’ Many virologists maintain that the coronavirus most likely jumped from an animal to a human in a setting outside a lab. But without direct proof of a natural spillover, more scientists and politicians have called for a full investigation into the lab leak theory. Proponents of a lab investigation say that researchers at Shi’s institute could have collected — or contracted — the new coronavirus from the wild, such as in a bat cave. Or the scientists may have created it, by accident or by design. Either way, the virus could then have leaked from the laboratory, perhaps by infecting a worker. China has sought to influence investigations into the virus’ origin, while promoting its own unproven allegations. Beijing agreed to allow a team of World Health Organization experts to visit China but limited their access. When the WHO team said in a report in March that a lab leak was extremely unlikely, its conclusion was seen as hasty. Even the head of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough.” Last month, President Joe Biden ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the origin question, including the lab theory. On Sunday, the leaders of the world’s wealthiest large democracies, at the Group of 7 summit, urged China to be part of a new investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. Biden told reporters that he and other leaders had discussed access to labs in China. “Transparency matters across the board,” Biden said. ‘Scientists have a motherland.’ In less polarized times, Shi was a symbol of China’s scientific progress, the “Bat Woman” at the forefront of research into emerging viruses. She led expeditions into caves to collect samples from bats and guano, to learn how viruses jump from animals to humans. In 2019, she was among 109 scientists elected to the American Academy of Microbiology for her contributions to the field. “She’s a stellar scientist — extremely careful, with a rigorous work ethic,” said Dr. Robert C. Gallo, director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The Wuhan Institute of Virology employs nearly 300 people and is home to one of only two Chinese labs that have been given the highest security designation, Biosafety Level 4. Shi leads the institute’s work on emerging infectious diseases, and over the years, her group has collected over 10,000 bat samples from around China. Under China’s centralized approach to scientific research, the institute answers to the Communist Party, which wants scientists to serve national goals. “Science has no borders, but scientists have a motherland,” Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, said in a speech to scientists last year. Shi herself, though, does not belong to the Communist Party, according to official Chinese media reports, which is unusual for state employees of her status. She built her career at the institute, starting as a research assistant in 1990 and working her way up the ranks. Shi, 57, obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Montpellier in France in 2000 and started studying bats in 2004 after the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which killed more than 700 people around the world. In 2011, she made a breakthrough when she found bats in a cave in southwestern China that carried coronaviruses that were similar to the virus that causes SARS. “In all the work we do, if just once you can prevent the outbreak of an illness, then what we’ve done will be very meaningful,” she told CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, in 2017. But some of her most notable findings have since drawn the heaviest scrutiny. In recent years, Shi began experimenting on bat coronaviruses by genetically modifying them to see how they behave. In 2017, she and her colleagues at the Wuhan lab published a paper about an experiment in which they created new hybrid bat coronaviruses by mixing and matching parts of several existing ones — including at least one that was nearly transmissible to humans — in order to study their ability to infect and replicate in human cells. Proponents of this type of research say it helps society prepare for future outbreaks. Critics say the risks of creating dangerous new pathogens may outweigh potential benefits. The picture has been complicated by new questions about whether U.S. government funding that went to Shi’s work supported controversial gain-of-function research. The Wuhan institute received around $600,000 in grant money from the U.S. government, through an American nonprofit called EcoHealth Alliance. The National Institutes of Health said it had not approved funding for the nonprofit to conduct gain-of-function research on coronaviruses that would have made them more infectious or lethal. Shi, in an emailed response to questions, argued that her experiments differed from gain-of-function work because she did not set out to make a virus more dangerous but to understand how it might jump across species. “My lab has never conducted or cooperated in conducting GOF experiments that enhance the virulence of viruses,” she said. ‘Speculation rooted in utter distrust.’ Concerns have centred not only on what experiments Shi conducted but also on the conditions under which she did them. Some of Shi’s experiments on bat viruses were done in Biosafety Level 2 labs, where security is lower than in other labs at the institute. That has raised questions about whether a dangerous pathogen could have slipped out. Ralph Baric, a University of North Carolina expert in coronaviruses who signed the open letter in Science, said that although a natural origin of the virus was likely, he supported a review of what level of biosafety precautions were taken in studying bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute. Baric conducted NIH-approved gain-of-function research at his lab using the information on viral genetic sequences provided by Shi. Shi said that bat viruses in China could be studied in BSL-2 labs because there was no evidence that they directly infected humans, a view supported by some other scientists. She also rejected recent reports that three researchers from her institute had sought treatment at a hospital in November 2019 for flulike symptoms, before the first COVID-19 cases were reported. “The Wuhan Institute of Virology has not come across such cases,” she wrote. “If possible, can you provide the names of the three to help us check?” As for samples that the lab held, Shi has maintained that the closest bat virus she had in her lab, which she shared publicly, was only 96% identical to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — a vast difference by genomic standards. She rejects speculation that her lab had worked on other viruses in secret. Shi’s research on a group of miners in Yunnan province who suffered severe respiratory disease in 2012 has also drawn questions. The miners had worked in the same cave where Shi’s team later discovered the bat virus that is close to SARS-CoV-2. Shi said that her lab did not detect bat SARS-like coronaviruses in the miners’ samples and that she would publish more details in a scientific journal soon; her critics say she has withheld information. “This issue is too important not to come forward with everything you have and in a timely and transparent manner,” said Alina Chan, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard who also signed the Science letter. Many scientists and officials say China should share employees’ medical records and the lab’s logs of its experiments and its viral sequence database to evaluate Shi’s claims. Shi said she and the institute had been open with the WHO and with the global scientific community. “This is no longer a question of science,” she said on the phone. “It is speculation rooted in utter distrust.” ‘I have nothing to fear.’ The pandemic was a moment that Shi and her team had long braced for. For years, she had warned of the risks of a coronavirus outbreak, building up a stock of knowledge about these pathogens. In January 2020, as Shi and her team worked frantically, they were exhausted but also excited, said Wang Linfa, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School who was in Wuhan with Shi at the time. “All the experiences, reagents and the bat samples in the freezer were finally being used in a significant way globally,” said Wang, Shi’s collaborator and friend for 17 years. Shi published some of the most important early papers on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, which scientists around the world have relied on. But soon, the speculation about Shi and her lab began to swirl. Shi, who is known among friends for being blunt, was baffled and angry — and sometimes let it show. In an interview with Science magazine in July, she said that Trump owed her an apology for claiming the virus came from her lab. On social media, she said people who raised similar questions should “shut your stinky mouths.” Shi said what she saw as the politicization of the question had sapped her of any enthusiasm for investigating the origins of the virus. She has instead focused on COVID vaccines and the features of the new virus, and over time, she said, has calmed down. “I’m sure that I did nothing wrong,” she wrote. “So I have nothing to fear.”

China’s ‘bat woman,’ at the center of a pandemic storm, speaks out

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday. This will be followed by the clinical trial of children in the age group of 2-6 years.

The enrolment of children volunteers aged 12-18 years at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been completed and they have been given the first dose of Covaxin.

"The recruitment process for the clinical trial of Covaxin among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin from Tuesday," Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at the AIIMS, told PTI.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission for conducting the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin among children aged two to 18 years on May 12.

The trial is to be conducted in three parts -- 175 volunteers each in the groups aged 12-18, 6-12 and 2-6 years. In the trial, the vaccine will be given by the intramuscular route in two doses on day 0 and day 28.

Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is being used in adults in the country's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive. The clinical trials will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the vaccine in children.

The government recently cautioned that even though COVID-19 has not taken a serious shape among children till now, its impact can increase among them if there is a change in the virus behaviour or epidemiology dynamics and said preparations are being strengthened to deal with any such situation.

A national expert group has been formed to review COVID-19 cases in children and approach the pandemic in a renewed way to strengthen the country's preparedness, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had told a press conference. The group has examined signs that were not available four-five months before, he had said.

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday.

The recruitment for the clinical trial of the country's first indigenously-developed COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin at the AIIMS here from Tuesday. This will be followed by the clinical trial of children in the age group of 2-6 years. The enrolment of children volunteers aged 12-18 years at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been completed and they have been given the first dose of Covaxin. "The recruitment process for the clinical trial of Covaxin among children in the age group of 6-12 years will begin from Tuesday," Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at the AIIMS, told PTI. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission for conducting the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin among children aged two to 18 years on May 12. The trial is to be conducted in three parts -- 175 volunteers each in the groups aged 12-18, 6-12 and 2-6 years. In the trial, the vaccine will be given by the intramuscular route in two doses on day 0 and day 28. Covaxin, indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is being used in adults in the country's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive. The clinical trials will evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the vaccine in children. The government recently cautioned that even though COVID-19 has not taken a serious shape among children till now, its impact can increase among them if there is a change in the virus behaviour or epidemiology dynamics and said preparations are being strengthened to deal with any such situation. A national expert group has been formed to review COVID-19 cases in children and approach the pandemic in a renewed way to strengthen the country's preparedness, NITI Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had told a press conference. The group has examined signs that were not available four-five months before, he had said.

Recruitment for clinical trial of Covaxin in 6-12 age group to start at AIIMS from Tuesday

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened.&nbsp;

According to the Wall Street Journal, event hosts in the United States are using coloured accessories to help guests indicate their comfort level around a physical touch to foster better respect for people's 'physical touch' boundaries.&nbsp;

Aside from public events, several workplaces have begun to use the red-yellow-green system to better support individuals who work in person.&nbsp;

The red-yellow-green accessories are just one of many pandemic-era gadgets designed to make individuals feel more at ease during face-to-face gatherings. 
Other developments include custom-made directive signs that warn people to keep a safe distance from someone.&nbsp;

People visiting the functions and offices are encouraged to wear a new pandemic-era accessory: colourful wristbands or stickers that indicate whether they want others to get physically close to them or stay as far away as possible.&nbsp;

The code is shown on a plastic display sign that looks like a traffic light:

Red denotes 'no touch' with 'no exceptions' 
Yellow denotes 'elbow only' 
Green means 'Hugs welcome'

(With inputs from agencies)

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened.

Many physical acts of socialisation like hugs, handshakes, and everything in between have become less pleasant for people as coronavirus restrictions are loosened. According to the Wall Street Journal, event hosts in the United States are using coloured accessories to help guests indicate their comfort level around a physical touch to foster better respect for people's 'physical touch' boundaries. Aside from public events, several workplaces have begun to use the red-yellow-green system to better support individuals who work in person. The red-yellow-green accessories are just one of many pandemic-era gadgets designed to make individuals feel more at ease during face-to-face gatherings. Other developments include custom-made directive signs that warn people to keep a safe distance from someone. People visiting the functions and offices are encouraged to wear a new pandemic-era accessory: colourful wristbands or stickers that indicate whether they want others to get physically close to them or stay as far away as possible. The code is shown on a plastic display sign that looks like a traffic light: Red denotes 'no touch' with 'no exceptions' Yellow denotes 'elbow only' Green means 'Hugs welcome' (With inputs from agencies)

The new normal: US offices and events introduce pandemic colour coding

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.49 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

With the fresh cases, the total tally of cases has climbed to 2,92,74,823.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,63,079 with 3,403 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed

The active cases further declined to 11,21,671 comprising 3.83 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.93 per cent.

A net decline of 46,281 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 20,44,131 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,42,42,384.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.49 per cent . It has been less than 10 per cent for the 18th consecutive day, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 5.14 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 29th consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,77,90,073, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.24 per cent, the data stated.

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.

The daily COVID-19 count in India remained below the one-lakh mark for the fourth consecutive day with the country reporting 91,702 fresh cases, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.49 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. With the fresh cases, the total tally of cases has climbed to 2,92,74,823. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,63,079 with 3,403 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed The active cases further declined to 11,21,671 comprising 3.83 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.93 per cent. A net decline of 46,281 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. Also, 20,44,131 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,42,42,384. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.49 per cent . It has been less than 10 per cent for the 18th consecutive day, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has also declined to 5.14 per cent. Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 29th consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,77,90,073, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.24 per cent, the data stated.

India adds 3,403 Covid deaths, new cases remain below 100,000 in last 24 hours

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi conveyed condolences on the lives lost in Nepal due to COVID-19 and said that Pakistan stands with Nepal in its efforts to deal with the virus.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said this during his conversation with Ambassador of Nepal, Tapas Adhikari, in his office on Wednesday.

According to the statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Affairs, the entire spectrum of bilateral relations was discussed during the meeting.

Commending the effective measures taken by Nepal to contain the virus, the Foreign Minister said, Pakistan stands with Nepal in its efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and will extend all possible support in this context.

Qureshi conveyed his felicitations to Raghubir Mahaseth on the assumption of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

"Foreign Minister also expressed gratitude for the assistance extended by the Government of Nepal for the smooth evacuation of stranded Pakistani nationals from Nepal on 31 May 2021,” said the statement.

The Ambassador thanked the Pakistan Government for the&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;related assistance and further expressed his desire to work for the bilateral relations.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi conveyed condolences on the lives lost in Nepal due to COVID-19 and said that Pakistan stands with Nepal in its efforts to deal with the virus.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi conveyed condolences on the lives lost in Nepal due to COVID-19 and said that Pakistan stands with Nepal in its efforts to deal with the virus. Foreign Minister Qureshi said this during his conversation with Ambassador of Nepal, Tapas Adhikari, in his office on Wednesday. According to the statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Affairs, the entire spectrum of bilateral relations was discussed during the meeting. Commending the effective measures taken by Nepal to contain the virus, the Foreign Minister said, Pakistan stands with Nepal in its efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and will extend all possible support in this context. Qureshi conveyed his felicitations to Raghubir Mahaseth on the assumption of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. "Foreign Minister also expressed gratitude for the assistance extended by the Government of Nepal for the smooth evacuation of stranded Pakistani nationals from Nepal on 31 May 2021,” said the statement. The Ambassador thanked the Pakistan Government for the COVID-19 related assistance and further expressed his desire to work for the bilateral relations.

Pakistan stands with Nepal to fight COVID-19 pandemic, says Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi

After months of debate, WTO members on Wednesday took a first, small step towards a deal aimed at boosting the production of Covid vaccines and treatments through patent waivers or compulsory licensing deals.

After months of debate, WTO members on Wednesday took a first, small step towards a deal aimed at boosting the production of Covid vaccines and treatments through patent waivers or compulsory licensing deals. The World Trade Organization has struggled to move forward on the hotly debated issue, since all decisions at the global trade body must be reached by consensus of all 164 member states. But during a meeting on Wednesday, countries finally backed launching a process towards drafting an agreement, and "agreed on the urgency of this discussion", a Geneva-based trade official said. Views on the matter meanwhile remain far apart, the trade official said, adding that an initial report on progress in the text-based discussions was expected around July 21-22. Since October, the WTO has faced calls led by India and South Africa for the temporary removal of such intellectual property protections, in what proponents argue will boost production in developing countries of vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and other vital medical tools needed to battle Covid-19. This, they have argued, could help address the dire inequity in access to vaccines especially. That notion long met with fierce opposition from pharmaceutical giants and their host countries, which insisted patents were not the main roadblocks to scaling up production and warned the move could hamper innovation. The positions seemed to shift some last month, when Washington came out in support of a global patent waiver for Covid jabs, with other long-time opponents voicing openness to discuss the matter. But others have stuck to their guns. Also Read | We have no time to lose, conclude talks on patent waiver proposal by July-end: India to WTO members Some countries, like Switzerland, prefer a scenario in which pharmaceutical companies enter into voluntary licensing deals, as AstraZeneca has done with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to make its Covid-19 jabs. And the European Commission last Friday presented a counter-proposal to the WTO calling for a multilateral pact aimed at boosting production of Covid-19 vaccines, not by suspending patents but through compulsory licensing deals and by urging countries to remove export restrictions. That text, along with a revised proposal by India and South Africa that is backed by more than 60 countries, will form the basis for the negotiations. Addressing Wednesday's debate, US Charge d'affaires David Bisbee stressed Washington's strong belief in IP protections. "But we must do what is necessary to accelerate manufacturing and equitable distribution of vaccines," he said, insisting that "the WTO must show that it can step up in a global crisis and act efficiently to improve the lives of ordinary people." "We must all come together to find a solution expeditiously, especially as the pandemic continues to spread with new variants." Bisbee said Washington was still examining the revised proposal from India and South Africa, adding though that it appeared to mark a "relatively modest change".

WTO moves forward in Covid vaccine patent waiver talks to boost production

Singapore has found the Delta variant of the coronavirus to be the most prevalent among local cases of variants of concern (VOCs), according to health ministry data, highlighting its level of infectiousness.

There were 449 local cases with VOCs as of May 31, of which 428 were the Delta variant first detected in India and nine of the Beta variant first identified in South Africa, the health ministry said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

Singapore authorities first reported the presence locally of the Delta variant in early May.

The Delta variant is stoking concern of a major spike in infections in other countries where it has been found, such as the United Kingdom, potentially delaying reopening plans after the rollout of vaccines in many regions.

Singapore performs viral genomic sequencing for all confirmed COVID-19 cases, unlike some countries that typically sequence a smaller proportion of their infections.

A recent rise in cases, including those linked to the Delta variant, prompted Singapore to tighten curbs on social gatherings last month. It reported 476 domestically transmitted cases during May.

Infections have been falling since, with only 2 cases on Wednesday, the lowest since early May, ahead of possible easing of measures after June 13. Singapore's mass vaccination programme is in full swing.

The city-state has reported more than 62,000 coronavirus cases overall, domestically transmitted and imported, with 34 deaths.

Singapore has found the Delta variant of the coronavirus to be the most prevalent among local cases of variants of concern (VOCs), according to health ministry data, highlighting its level of infectiousness.

Singapore has found the Delta variant of the coronavirus to be the most prevalent among local cases of variants of concern (VOCs), according to health ministry data, highlighting its level of infectiousness. There were 449 local cases with VOCs as of May 31, of which 428 were the Delta variant first detected in India and nine of the Beta variant first identified in South Africa, the health ministry said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. Singapore authorities first reported the presence locally of the Delta variant in early May. The Delta variant is stoking concern of a major spike in infections in other countries where it has been found, such as the United Kingdom, potentially delaying reopening plans after the rollout of vaccines in many regions. Singapore performs viral genomic sequencing for all confirmed COVID-19 cases, unlike some countries that typically sequence a smaller proportion of their infections. A recent rise in cases, including those linked to the Delta variant, prompted Singapore to tighten curbs on social gatherings last month. It reported 476 domestically transmitted cases during May. Infections have been falling since, with only 2 cases on Wednesday, the lowest since early May, ahead of possible easing of measures after June 13. Singapore's mass vaccination programme is in full swing. The city-state has reported more than 62,000 coronavirus cases overall, domestically transmitted and imported, with 34 deaths.

COVID-19: Singapore finds delta most prevalent among coronavirus variants locally

Despite the relaxation of lockdown restrictions for the summer, a YouGov poll finds that one-third of UK citizens prefer to "stay at home" and avoid social contact.&nbsp;

The United Kingdom has eased restrictions on its economic and social interactions, but the spread of the Covid version, which first appeared in India, threatens the entire easing of prohibitions.&nbsp;

Most coronavirus rules will be removed in the final step of the planned exit from lockdown on June 21, allowing bars and restaurants to reopen at full capacity and nightclubs to reopen for the first time since the pandemic began last spring.&nbsp;

It has been revealed that 33 per cent of Brits are still choosing to stay at home and completely avoid social contact while only 17 per cent say that they would socialise just once a week.&nbsp;

A total of 15 per cent claimed that they planned to meet friends about twice a week, while 9 per cent said that they would meet friends thrice a week.

Wales has the maximum number of residents, a total of 40 per cent, who choose to stay at home. This is even after the country eased lockdown restrictions on May 17.&nbsp;

Age was seen as a major factor in triggering eagerness to socialise and interact with friends. Only 15 per cent of 18–24-year-olds claimed that they would avoid social interactions as compared with 32 per cent of 25–49-year-olds and 42 per cent of 50–64-year-olds.

The research comes after Sir David King of Independent SAGE urged the government to delay easing lockdown by a period of a few weeks as cases soar in the UK.

(With inputs from agencies)

Despite the relaxation of lockdown restrictions for the summer, a YouGov poll finds that one-third of UK citizens prefer to "stay at home" and avoid social contact.

Despite the relaxation of lockdown restrictions for the summer, a YouGov poll finds that one-third of UK citizens prefer to "stay at home" and avoid social contact. The United Kingdom has eased restrictions on its economic and social interactions, but the spread of the Covid version, which first appeared in India, threatens the entire easing of prohibitions. Most coronavirus rules will be removed in the final step of the planned exit from lockdown on June 21, allowing bars and restaurants to reopen at full capacity and nightclubs to reopen for the first time since the pandemic began last spring. It has been revealed that 33 per cent of Brits are still choosing to stay at home and completely avoid social contact while only 17 per cent say that they would socialise just once a week. A total of 15 per cent claimed that they planned to meet friends about twice a week, while 9 per cent said that they would meet friends thrice a week. Wales has the maximum number of residents, a total of 40 per cent, who choose to stay at home. This is even after the country eased lockdown restrictions on May 17. Age was seen as a major factor in triggering eagerness to socialise and interact with friends. Only 15 per cent of 18–24-year-olds claimed that they would avoid social interactions as compared with 32 per cent of 25–49-year-olds and 42 per cent of 50–64-year-olds. The research comes after Sir David King of Independent SAGE urged the government to delay easing lockdown by a period of a few weeks as cases soar in the UK. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: One-third of British people prefer to stay indoors, reveals a new survey

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. 
 
In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. 
 
The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. 
 
In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. 
 
The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,984,218), France (5,775,535), Turkey (5,293,627), Russia (5,076,543), the UK (4,538,399), Italy (4,233,698), Argentina (3,977,634), Germany (3,710,342), Spain (3,707,489) and Colombia (3,593,016), the CSSE figures showed. 
 
In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 474,414 fatalities. 
 
Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (349,186), Mexico (228,838), the UK (128,841), Italy (126,588), Russia (122,073) and France (110,224).

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively.

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (16,984,218), France (5,775,535), Turkey (5,293,627), Russia (5,076,543), the UK (4,538,399), Italy (4,233,698), Argentina (3,977,634), Germany (3,710,342), Spain (3,707,489) and Colombia (3,593,016), the CSSE figures showed. In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 474,414 fatalities. Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (349,186), Mexico (228,838), the UK (128,841), Italy (126,588), Russia (122,073) and France (110,224).

Global Covid-19 caseload tops 173.5 million

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India.

"However, many countries do not have that option due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccines," he noted.&nbsp;

"We see two-track pandemic; many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while those with highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions, but they must be eased cautiously, with viral circulation and response capacities," he added.

The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE.

In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases.

(With inputs from agencies)

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India.

Lifting restrictions too quickly might be disastrous for individuals who aren't vaccinated, WHO Director Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated, citing increased global transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern, including the Delta variant that was originally found in India. "However, many countries do not have that option due to a lack of COVID-19 vaccines," he noted. "We see two-track pandemic; many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while those with highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions, but they must be eased cautiously, with viral circulation and response capacities," he added. The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 173.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.73 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 173,538,801 and 3,734,654, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,377,632 and 597,946, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 28,909,975 cases. (With inputs from agencies)

Lifting curbs too soon can be disastrous for those who aren't vaccinated: WHO

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19. 
 
The state-wide survey was conducted in April this year, across all districts of the state, except Chennai. 
 
Based on 765 clusters, with each consisting of 30 individuals, the samples were taken at random from a village (in rural areas) or a street (in an urban area).&nbsp;

Completed under the supervision of Dr T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, this survey showed that 5316 individuals of the total 22904 participants had antibodies. While the overall seroprevalence across the state was 23%, it was found to be highest in the districts adjoining Chennai - Tiruvallur (49%), Chengalpattu (43%) and Kanchipuram (38%). The lowest seroprevalence was seen at Nagapattinam District (9%).&nbsp;

Notably, the first such state-wide serosurvey conducted in Oct-Nov 2020 had revealed 31% seropositivity, which is much higher than the latest one. Back then, 6995 samples out of 22690 were found to have developed antibodies.&nbsp;

However, the Government attributes the decrease in seroprevalence to the fact that the first survey was conducted a month after the peak of the first wave, which occurred in August. In the case of the second survey, it was conducted close to the start of the second wave in Tamil Nadu. The possibility of antibodies weaning in the five-month interval between November 2020 and April 2021 is also said to be a factor, based on studies published in International journals.&nbsp;

Other factors are that vaccination coverage till March was meant to cover only the vulnerable population (above the age of 45), whereas other age groups we unvaccinated. It was also observed that there were no variants of SARS CoV -2 during the first serosurvey, whereas several variants were detected in the community during hr subsequent survey.&nbsp;

Despite Tamil Nadu reporting more than 1/5th of India’s daily COVID-19 cases and the highest for any state in the country, the state is seeing a declining trend and an appreciable higher vaccination rate. Hence, a third sero survey is proposed to be carried out between July and August this year.

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19.

According to a serosurvey conducted by the State Government, nearly 23 % of the tested samples had IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the infection that causes COVID-19. The state-wide survey was conducted in April this year, across all districts of the state, except Chennai. Based on 765 clusters, with each consisting of 30 individuals, the samples were taken at random from a village (in rural areas) or a street (in an urban area). Completed under the supervision of Dr T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, this survey showed that 5316 individuals of the total 22904 participants had antibodies. While the overall seroprevalence across the state was 23%, it was found to be highest in the districts adjoining Chennai - Tiruvallur (49%), Chengalpattu (43%) and Kanchipuram (38%). The lowest seroprevalence was seen at Nagapattinam District (9%). Notably, the first such state-wide serosurvey conducted in Oct-Nov 2020 had revealed 31% seropositivity, which is much higher than the latest one. Back then, 6995 samples out of 22690 were found to have developed antibodies. However, the Government attributes the decrease in seroprevalence to the fact that the first survey was conducted a month after the peak of the first wave, which occurred in August. In the case of the second survey, it was conducted close to the start of the second wave in Tamil Nadu. The possibility of antibodies weaning in the five-month interval between November 2020 and April 2021 is also said to be a factor, based on studies published in International journals. Other factors are that vaccination coverage till March was meant to cover only the vulnerable population (above the age of 45), whereas other age groups we unvaccinated. It was also observed that there were no variants of SARS CoV -2 during the first serosurvey, whereas several variants were detected in the community during hr subsequent survey. Despite Tamil Nadu reporting more than 1/5th of India’s daily COVID-19 cases and the highest for any state in the country, the state is seeing a declining trend and an appreciable higher vaccination rate. Hence, a third sero survey is proposed to be carried out between July and August this year.

Tamil Nadu: COVID-19 antibodies detected in 23% samples of second sero survey; third survey from July-August

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.

Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, he cited India's experience in the previous century to say that it used to wait for years to lay its hands on innovations achieved abroad, but its scientists are now working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts outside.

They are working at the same quick pace, he said. Noting that the world is grappling with the biggest challenge in a century, the prime minister praised the scientific community, saying it is perhaps unprecedented that vaccines were prepared within a year.

On the occasion, Modi reiterated his call for an "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant) and strong India, saying the COVID-19 crisis may have slowed its pace but our resolve remains the same.

India wants to be self-reliant in a number of sectors, ranging from agriculture to astronomy, disaster management to defence technology, vaccine to virtual reality, and biotechnology to battery technology, he asserted.

He said that India is now showing the way to the world in sustainable development and clean energy, and is playing an important role in progress in other countries with its role in software and satellite development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists developing a made-in-India vaccine against COVID and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak. Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, he cited India's experience in the previous century to say that it used to wait for years to lay its hands on innovations achieved abroad, but its scientists are now working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts outside. They are working at the same quick pace, he said. Noting that the world is grappling with the biggest challenge in a century, the prime minister praised the scientific community, saying it is perhaps unprecedented that vaccines were prepared within a year. On the occasion, Modi reiterated his call for an "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-reliant) and strong India, saying the COVID-19 crisis may have slowed its pace but our resolve remains the same. India wants to be self-reliant in a number of sectors, ranging from agriculture to astronomy, disaster management to defence technology, vaccine to virtual reality, and biotechnology to battery technology, he asserted. He said that India is now showing the way to the world in sustainable development and clean energy, and is playing an important role in progress in other countries with its role in software and satellite development.

PM Narendra Modi lauds Indian scientists for developing vaccine against COVID-19

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887.

According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.4 million, while total fatalities are at 337,989.

The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded below 2 million for the third consecutive day, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

Also, 21,59,873 tests were conducted on Wednesday to detect COVID-19, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 35,37,82,648, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.21 per cent.

It has been less than 10 per cent for 10 consecutive days now, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate has declined to 7.66 per cent.

The number of active cases has reduced to 17,13,413, accounting for 6.02 per cent of the total number of cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.79 per cent.

A net decline of 80,232 cases was recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said.

Recoveries continued to outnumber the fresh cases for the 21st day in a row.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 2,63,90,584, while the case fatality rate has gone up to 1.19 per cent, the data showed.

The country crossed the grim milestone of 20 million coronavirus cases on May 4 this year.

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887. According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.

India announced on Thursday 134,154 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, while deaths from the coronavirus rose by 2,887. According to data from the health ministry, the country's total COVID-19 caseload now stands at 28.4 million, while total fatalities are at 337,989. The death toll due to the viral disease has climbed to 3,37,989 with 2,887 more people succumbing to it, while the number of active COVID-19 cases was recorded below 2 million for the third consecutive day, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. Also, 21,59,873 tests were conducted on Wednesday to detect COVID-19, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 35,37,82,648, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.21 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 10 consecutive days now, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate has declined to 7.66 per cent. The number of active cases has reduced to 17,13,413, accounting for 6.02 per cent of the total number of cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 92.79 per cent. A net decline of 80,232 cases was recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said. Recoveries continued to outnumber the fresh cases for the 21st day in a row. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 2,63,90,584, while the case fatality rate has gone up to 1.19 per cent, the data showed. The country crossed the grim milestone of 20 million coronavirus cases on May 4 this year.

India records 2,887 more Covid fatalities; active cases below 2 million for third straight day

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