The pomp and grandeur Associated with Navratri in Gujarat will be largely missing this year as the state government on Friday banned organisation of any 'garba' event during the upcoming festival due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The government said it will not allow any type of garba event in the state during Navratri, starting from October 17, and also released a set of guidelines for the festive season, which usually sees large gatherings, a fertile ground for COVID-19 spread.&nbsp;

For the upcoming festivals, the BJP government released standard operating procedures (SOPs) which stress on COVID-19-appropriate behaviour by citizens to curb the infection.

No big, medium or small scale garba event will be allowed in the state during the nine-day festival, the government said.

Garba is a popular folk dance of Gujarat and is performed with passion and fervour during the Navratri festival.

The government, however, will allow collective prayers to Goddess Durga where number of people should not be more than 200, it said in a release.

The time limit of prayers will beof one hour, but nobody can perform garba at such gatherings, it said. 
Prior permission of government authorities has been made mandatory for organisation of community prayer programmes during Navratri.

At prayer gatherings, COVID-19-related norms such as social distancing, covering of face with masks and use of sanitisers will be mandatory, the release said.

The government said citizens above 65, children below 10 years, pregnant women and people with comorbidities should avoid participating in any public programme during the festivals.

Navratri is one of the most popular festivals of Gujarat and is called the longest dance festival of the world. Revellers dance to the tune of traditional music and songs for nine nights.

The government said event such as burning of effigies of Ravana, Ramlila yatras, rallies, melas (congregations), exhibitions would not be allowed during the festive season (from Navratri to Diwali).

It advised people to celebrate festivals like Dussehra, Durga puja, Diwali, Gujarati New Year, Bhai dooj and Sharad Poornima at their homes with their families.

In the SOPs, the government said up to 100 people can attend functions such as marriage and the same number will be allowed at funerals.

During any event, the organisers will have to do floor marking with minimum distance of 6 feet, it said. 
Thermal scanners are compulsory at Navratri community prayers and other events, the release said.

The pomp and grandeur Associated with Navratri in Gujarat will be largely missing this year as the state government on Friday banned organisation of any 'garba' event during the upcoming festival due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The pomp and grandeur Associated with Navratri in Gujarat will be largely missing this year as the state government on Friday banned organisation of any 'garba' event during the upcoming festival due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government said it will not allow any type of garba event in the state during Navratri, starting from October 17, and also released a set of guidelines for the festive season, which usually sees large gatherings, a fertile ground for COVID-19 spread. For the upcoming festivals, the BJP government released standard operating procedures (SOPs) which stress on COVID-19-appropriate behaviour by citizens to curb the infection. No big, medium or small scale garba event will be allowed in the state during the nine-day festival, the government said. Garba is a popular folk dance of Gujarat and is performed with passion and fervour during the Navratri festival. The government, however, will allow collective prayers to Goddess Durga where number of people should not be more than 200, it said in a release. The time limit of prayers will beof one hour, but nobody can perform garba at such gatherings, it said. Prior permission of government authorities has been made mandatory for organisation of community prayer programmes during Navratri. At prayer gatherings, COVID-19-related norms such as social distancing, covering of face with masks and use of sanitisers will be mandatory, the release said. The government said citizens above 65, children below 10 years, pregnant women and people with comorbidities should avoid participating in any public programme during the festivals. Navratri is one of the most popular festivals of Gujarat and is called the longest dance festival of the world. Revellers dance to the tune of traditional music and songs for nine nights. The government said event such as burning of effigies of Ravana, Ramlila yatras, rallies, melas (congregations), exhibitions would not be allowed during the festive season (from Navratri to Diwali). It advised people to celebrate festivals like Dussehra, Durga puja, Diwali, Gujarati New Year, Bhai dooj and Sharad Poornima at their homes with their families. In the SOPs, the government said up to 100 people can attend functions such as marriage and the same number will be allowed at funerals. During any event, the organisers will have to do floor marking with minimum distance of 6 feet, it said. Thermal scanners are compulsory at Navratri community prayers and other events, the release said.

No garba in Gujarat this Navratri due to coronavirus

A new study has suggested that asthma patients may be less likely to die from COVID-19. Researchers at a Boston healthcare system studied 562 asthma patients with COVID-19 and 2,686 similarly-aged COVID-19 patients without asthma.

The two groups were hospitalized at similar rates (18% to 21%) and had similar need for mechanical ventilation (3% in the asthma group vs 4%). But the asthma patients were 70% less likely to die from the virus, researchers reported. None of the 44 patients with severe asthma died.

The exact reason behind this is not yet known, the researchers are attributing this partially to medicines used to treat Asthma.

"Although the factors underlying these findings are not yet known, important considerations include: possible biologic mechanisms ... and possible protective effects of asthma medications (such as corticosteroids)," the researchers said in a report posted on Monday on medRxiv ahead of peer review.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a new test is proving to be better at identifying coronavirus infections

Becton Dickenson and Co's BD Veritor System for rapid detection of the novel coronavirus is better than gold standard RT-PCR lab tests at distinguishing between infectious and non-infectious virus in swab samples obtained within a week of symptom onset, according to a new study.

One drawback of the RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) is that patients can test positive even after they are no longer infectious, because the tests detect small amounts of viral RNA that most likely represent infected cells that have died.&nbsp;

Newer "antigen-based" tests look for viral proteins instead of RNA. The antigen-based approach could potentially "be used to identify and isolate contagious individuals more effectively than current RNA-based (RT-PCR) testing," coauthor Celine Roger-Dalbert of BD Life Sciences told Reuters.

"Although it may not replace RNA-based testing, because we still need to identify anyone who was infected in order to trace the spread of the virus, it should help make isolation more efficient and effective as a public health intervention used to slow down the spread of COVID-19," she added.

(With Reuters input)

A new study has suggested that asthma patients may be less likely to die from COVID-19. Researchers at a Boston healthcare system studied 562 asthma patients with COVID-19 and 2,686 similarly-aged COVID-19 patients without asthma.

A new study has suggested that asthma patients may be less likely to die from COVID-19. Researchers at a Boston healthcare system studied 562 asthma patients with COVID-19 and 2,686 similarly-aged COVID-19 patients without asthma. The two groups were hospitalized at similar rates (18% to 21%) and had similar need for mechanical ventilation (3% in the asthma group vs 4%). But the asthma patients were 70% less likely to die from the virus, researchers reported. None of the 44 patients with severe asthma died. The exact reason behind this is not yet known, the researchers are attributing this partially to medicines used to treat Asthma. "Although the factors underlying these findings are not yet known, important considerations include: possible biologic mechanisms ... and possible protective effects of asthma medications (such as corticosteroids)," the researchers said in a report posted on Monday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. Meanwhile, a new test is proving to be better at identifying coronavirus infections Becton Dickenson and Co's BD Veritor System for rapid detection of the novel coronavirus is better than gold standard RT-PCR lab tests at distinguishing between infectious and non-infectious virus in swab samples obtained within a week of symptom onset, according to a new study. One drawback of the RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) is that patients can test positive even after they are no longer infectious, because the tests detect small amounts of viral RNA that most likely represent infected cells that have died. Newer "antigen-based" tests look for viral proteins instead of RNA. The antigen-based approach could potentially "be used to identify and isolate contagious individuals more effectively than current RNA-based (RT-PCR) testing," coauthor Celine Roger-Dalbert of BD Life Sciences told Reuters. "Although it may not replace RNA-based testing, because we still need to identify anyone who was infected in order to trace the spread of the virus, it should help make isolation more efficient and effective as a public health intervention used to slow down the spread of COVID-19," she added. (With Reuters input)

Asthma patients less likely to die from COVID-19

A joint estimate has revealed that almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year. This comes to 1 stillborn baby every 16 seconds. The estimate has been made by Unicef, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank Group and population division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. And now, there are fears that effects of coronavirus pandemic can worsen the situation.

“Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family, one that is often endured quietly, yet all too frequently, around the world,” Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director was quoted in a WHO release as saying.

“Every 16 seconds, a mother somewhere will suffer the unspeakable tragedy of stillbirth. Beyond the loss of life, the psychological and financial costs for women, families and societies are severe and long-lasting. For many of these mothers, it simply didn’t have to be this way. A majority of stillbirths could have been prevented with high-quality monitoring, proper antenatal care and a skilled birth attendant,” she adds.

According to a new report 'A Neglected Tragedy: The Global Burden of Stillbirths', 3 out of 4 stillbirths occurred in Africa or Southern Asia in 2019.

Coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on health services across the globe. Large resources in the healthcare sector have been re-allotted to tackle coronavirus. The report says that this may result in additional 200,000 stillbirths in 12-month&nbsp;period. It is feared that these stillbirths would occur in 117 low and middle-income countries.

Women in low and middle-income countries were more susceptible as there was higher likelihood of them not getting good quality healthcare facilities at the time of the delivery. 
&nbsp;

A joint estimate has revealed that almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year. This comes to 1 stillborn baby every 16 seconds. The estimate has been made by Unicef, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank Group and population division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

A joint estimate has revealed that almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year. This comes to 1 stillborn baby every 16 seconds. The estimate has been made by Unicef, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank Group and population division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. And now, there are fears that effects of coronavirus pandemic can worsen the situation. “Losing a child at birth or during pregnancy is a devastating tragedy for a family, one that is often endured quietly, yet all too frequently, around the world,” Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director was quoted in a WHO release as saying. “Every 16 seconds, a mother somewhere will suffer the unspeakable tragedy of stillbirth. Beyond the loss of life, the psychological and financial costs for women, families and societies are severe and long-lasting. For many of these mothers, it simply didn’t have to be this way. A majority of stillbirths could have been prevented with high-quality monitoring, proper antenatal care and a skilled birth attendant,” she adds. According to a new report 'A Neglected Tragedy: The Global Burden of Stillbirths', 3 out of 4 stillbirths occurred in Africa or Southern Asia in 2019. Coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on health services across the globe. Large resources in the healthcare sector have been re-allotted to tackle coronavirus. The report says that this may result in additional 200,000 stillbirths in 12-month period. It is feared that these stillbirths would occur in 117 low and middle-income countries. Women in low and middle-income countries were more susceptible as there was higher likelihood of them not getting good quality healthcare facilities at the time of the delivery.

One stillbirth every 16 seconds and this could get worse due to COVID-19 pandemic

Tamil Nadu surpassed the grim number of 10,000 deaths owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the health department medical bulletin issued on Thursday. 68 persons lost their lives over the last 24 hours, thus taking the cumulative number to 10,052. As per the state government data, the recovery rate is over 90%, with 5,86,454 persons having recovered, out of the total of 6,40,943 infected persons. As per the data furnished by the Union Health Ministry, Maharashtra is the only other state to have surpassed 10,000 deaths, prior to Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

The Health Department said that 5,088 persons tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, and that 80.44 lakh RT-PCR tests, which are said to be the most reliable have been conducted so far.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-cases-in-delhi-crosses-3-lakh-death-toll-climbs-to-5653-333529">Also read|&nbsp;Coronavirus cases in Delhi crosses 3 lakh; death toll climbs to 5,653</a>

The number of active Covid-19 cases in the state stands at 44,437. The capital city Chennai continued to lead the Covid-19 infection table with 1,295 persons testing positive for the virus on Thursday and the total Chennai tally stands at 178,108.

A Serosurvey conducted by the government authorities in between mid-July and early-August, which was released in September, has indicated that one-fifth of Chennai’s population has been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the disease - Covid-19. The study which was conducted by the National Institute of Epeidemiology of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Greater Chennai Corporation was based on the analysis of blood samples from 12,405 individuals from all zones of the city. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-declines-proposal-to-test-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-in-large-study-333432">Also read|&nbsp;India declines proposal to test Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine in large study</a>

Population-based sero-surveys are performed to measure the spread of infection in the community. Such surveys are done by performing blood tests on individuals to check if they have developed antibodies to an infection. The preliminary finding of the report stated that, “around 80 per cent of the population is still susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chennai”.&nbsp;

During late September, in a video interaction with the Chief Ministers of states that are badly hit by the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen appreciating Tamil Nadu’s efforts in mass testing, tracing and isolation. Commending the people and the state government, he said Tamil Nadu presented itself as an example to other states for having controlled the spread of the virus.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-coronavirus-cases-near-7-million-mark-333376">Also read|&nbsp;India: Coronavirus cases near 7 million-mark</a>

In his interaction with the Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that he had personally toured 26 districts to review the performance in the fight against the pandemic. Emphasizing that the state was only employing the highly reliable RT-PCR tests, he said over 66 lakh samples have been tested across the state’s 66 Government and 110 private labs, with an average testing capacity of 85,000 RT-PCR tests per day.&nbsp;

Adding that the daily testing alone cost Rs.6.8crore, the Chief Minister had requested Government of India to fund at least 50% of the cost of the PCR tests from the PM – CARES fund, owing to the financial difficulties faced by the state government.

From September 1st, in line with Unlock 4.0 aimed at reviving economic activity Tamil Nadu has resumed to near-normalcy. Only academic institutions, Cinema halls, swimming pools, Amusement parks, big auditoriums, beaches, &nbsp;zoos, museums, tourist places and similar public places remain shut, until further notice. Religious, political, social, cultural, educational events and celebrations also remain restricted.&nbsp;

Following a review meeting in late September, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced new relaxations - films shooting permitted with 100 persons and no permission for onlookers, permission to land 100 aircrafts per day at Chennai, restaurants, tea stall could function from 6am to 9pm for dine-in and until 10pm for takeaway.&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu surpassed the grim number of 10,000 deaths owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the health department medical bulletin issued on Thursday. 68 persons lost their lives over the last 24 hours, thus taking the cumulative number to 10,052.

Tamil Nadu surpassed the grim number of 10,000 deaths owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the health department medical bulletin issued on Thursday. 68 persons lost their lives over the last 24 hours, thus taking the cumulative number to 10,052. As per the state government data, the recovery rate is over 90%, with 5,86,454 persons having recovered, out of the total of 6,40,943 infected persons. As per the data furnished by the Union Health Ministry, Maharashtra is the only other state to have surpassed 10,000 deaths, prior to Tamil Nadu. The Health Department said that 5,088 persons tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, and that 80.44 lakh RT-PCR tests, which are said to be the most reliable have been conducted so far. Also read| Coronavirus cases in Delhi crosses 3 lakh; death toll climbs to 5,653 The number of active Covid-19 cases in the state stands at 44,437. The capital city Chennai continued to lead the Covid-19 infection table with 1,295 persons testing positive for the virus on Thursday and the total Chennai tally stands at 178,108. A Serosurvey conducted by the government authorities in between mid-July and early-August, which was released in September, has indicated that one-fifth of Chennai’s population has been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the disease - Covid-19. The study which was conducted by the National Institute of Epeidemiology of the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Greater Chennai Corporation was based on the analysis of blood samples from 12,405 individuals from all zones of the city. Also read| India declines proposal to test Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine in large study Population-based sero-surveys are performed to measure the spread of infection in the community. Such surveys are done by performing blood tests on individuals to check if they have developed antibodies to an infection. The preliminary finding of the report stated that, “around 80 per cent of the population is still susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chennai”. During late September, in a video interaction with the Chief Ministers of states that are badly hit by the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen appreciating Tamil Nadu’s efforts in mass testing, tracing and isolation. Commending the people and the state government, he said Tamil Nadu presented itself as an example to other states for having controlled the spread of the virus. Also read| India: Coronavirus cases near 7 million-mark In his interaction with the Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that he had personally toured 26 districts to review the performance in the fight against the pandemic. Emphasizing that the state was only employing the highly reliable RT-PCR tests, he said over 66 lakh samples have been tested across the state’s 66 Government and 110 private labs, with an average testing capacity of 85,000 RT-PCR tests per day. Adding that the daily testing alone cost Rs.6.8crore, the Chief Minister had requested Government of India to fund at least 50% of the cost of the PCR tests from the PM – CARES fund, owing to the financial difficulties faced by the state government. From September 1st, in line with Unlock 4.0 aimed at reviving economic activity Tamil Nadu has resumed to near-normalcy. Only academic institutions, Cinema halls, swimming pools, Amusement parks, big auditoriums, beaches, zoos, museums, tourist places and similar public places remain shut, until further notice. Religious, political, social, cultural, educational events and celebrations also remain restricted. Following a review meeting in late September, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced new relaxations - films shooting permitted with 100 persons and no permission for onlookers, permission to land 100 aircrafts per day at Chennai, restaurants, tea stall could function from 6am to 9pm for dine-in and until 10pm for takeaway.

Tamil Nadu surpasses 10,000 COVID-19 deaths, recovery rate above 90%

Production of "Jurassic World: Dominion" from Universal Pictures has been suspended for two weeks after a few people on the set tested positive for COVID-19, director Colin Trevorrow said on Wednesday. 
 
"All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks," Trevorrow wrote on Twitter.

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Woke up to the news we had a few positive Coronavirus tests on Jurassic World: Dominion. All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks. Back soon. <a href="https://t.co/DxuqX9UdgX">pic.twitter.com/DxuqX9UdgX</a>
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Filming on the dinosaur adventure movie resumed in England in July under stringent protocols for the cast and crew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Production had been halted in mid-March because of the pandemic, which shut down movie and television sets around the world. 
 
Trevorrow did not identify who had tested positive on the movie, whose stars include Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. 
 
The suspension was the second known stoppage on a major Hollywood movie. Production was shut down for two weeks in early September on the Warner Bros. movie 'The Batman'&nbsp;after a person, reported to be star Robert Pattinson, tested positive for COVID-19. 
 
Universal Pictures, part of Comcast Corp, announced Tuesday that the release date for 'Jurassic World: Dominion'&nbsp;was being pushed back one year to June 2022. Movie studios have been reshuffling dates and postponing film releases as the industry tries to recover from the global shutdown of cinemas in March.

Production of "Jurassic World: Dominion" from Universal Pictures has been suspended for two weeks after a few people on the set tested positive for COVID-19, director Colin Trevorrow said on Wednesday.

Production of "Jurassic World: Dominion" from Universal Pictures has been suspended for two weeks after a few people on the set tested positive for COVID-19, director Colin Trevorrow said on Wednesday. "All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks," Trevorrow wrote on Twitter. Woke up to the news we had a few positive Coronavirus tests on Jurassic World: Dominion. All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks. Back soon. pic.twitter.com/DxuqX9UdgX — Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) October 7, 2020 × Filming on the dinosaur adventure movie resumed in England in July under stringent protocols for the cast and crew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Production had been halted in mid-March because of the pandemic, which shut down movie and television sets around the world. Trevorrow did not identify who had tested positive on the movie, whose stars include Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. The suspension was the second known stoppage on a major Hollywood movie. Production was shut down for two weeks in early September on the Warner Bros. movie 'The Batman' after a person, reported to be star Robert Pattinson, tested positive for COVID-19. Universal Pictures, part of Comcast Corp, announced Tuesday that the release date for 'Jurassic World: Dominion' was being pushed back one year to June 2022. Movie studios have been reshuffling dates and postponing film releases as the industry tries to recover from the global shutdown of cinemas in March.

'Jurassic World' sequel production suspended after positive COVID-19 tests

SYDNEY — Xi Jinping celebrates China’s battle against the coronavirus as a success. But in the United States and other wealthy democracies, the pandemic has driven negative views of China to new heights, a survey published Tuesday showed.

The illness, deaths and disruption caused by the coronavirus in those countries have intensified already strong public distrust of China, where the virus emerged late last year, the results from the Pew Research Center’s survey indicated.

“Unfavorable opinion has soared over the past year,” said the survey on views of China taken this year in 14 countries including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Germany, Italy and other European nations. “Today, a majority in each of the surveyed countries has an unfavorable opinion of China.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exit-the-dragon-china-faces-heat-as-citizens-across-countries-increasingly-view-it-in-bad-light-333033">Also read|&nbsp;Exit the dragon: China faces heat as citizens across countries increasingly view it in bad light</a>

The results illustrate how much negative opinions of China have taken hold around the world in recent years. To China’s leaders, such wary attitudes could present obstacles for the Communist Party’s ambitions of expanding Beijing’s influence. The tide of public distrust could make cooperation harder even on issues where national interests align.

“Public opinion is a powerful constraint,” said Natasha Kassam, a former Australian diplomat who is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, where she studies public opinion and foreign policy. “We can see in both Australia and the United States, for example, souring public opinion has served as a powerful driver for governments to be particularly vocal” about China.

The U.S. secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, was in Tokyo on Tuesday for meetings with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India — all nations that have had icy relations with China. Pompeo is often condemned by Chinese officials as an ideological warrior bent on subduing Beijing.

In many Western countries, the coronavirus crisis appears to have deepened public unease about China and Xi, China’s proudly authoritarian leader. Across the 14 countries surveyed, an average of 61% of respondents said China had done a bad job of responding to the outbreak.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-40-nations-rebuke-chinas-human-rights-policies-in-xinjiang-tibet-333035">Also read|&nbsp;Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet</a>

In the United States, negative views about China increased by 13 percentage points compared to a similar survey last year. Close to three-quarters of 1,003 American respondents surveyed in June and July said they now had a somewhat or very unfavorable view of China.

Distrust of Xi’s international intentions reached new highs in every country surveyed, except for Japan and Spain. In the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and several Western European nations, roughly half of the respondents said they had “no confidence at all” in Xi.

“I think this sentiment is likely to persist because of longer-term trends in China toward growing repression,” said Jessica Chen Weiss, an associate professor of government at Cornell University who studies Chinese foreign policy. “As long as its order of priorities remains in place, it will be difficult for the Chinese Communist Party to really turn around the trends in public opinion overseas.”

The rise in disapproving opinions of China was starkest in Australia, which has been mired in diplomatic flare-ups with Beijing in recent months.

Australia has protested the detention in China of Cheng Lei, an Australian news anchor working for Chinese state-run television, and Yang Hengjun, an Australian businessman and writer born in China who is accused of espionage, charges that his supporters say are baseless.

The number of Australian respondents with negative views of China grew by 24 percentage points compared to a year ago, so that 81% said they saw China unfavorably. That was a drastic turn from 2017, when 64% of Australian respondents said they had a favorable view of China.

“Until two years ago, the Australian public very much saw China as an economic opportunity,” said Kassam, the Australian researcher. China’s response to the outbreak has only deepened skepticism in Australia, she said.

In interviews, several Sydney residents said that China could not be held entirely responsible for the global spread of the coronavirus but that the crisis had shown how exposed Australia, and the rest of the world, was to Chinese power.

“As far as I’m concerned, we should move away from China as quickly as possible. They’re too strong, and they can just outrun us,” said Edward Davis, a semiretired commercial lawyer. “We should do our best to trade with them, but we also need to diversify.”

At home, the Communist Party has tried to turn the coronavirus crisis into a political asset by assiduously censoring criticism of its early missteps in the outbreak and highlighting its later success in sharply reducing infections.

But abroad, the Chinese government’s sometimes-triumphant rhetoric and claims of selfless altruism during the crisis have grated in societies struggling to cope with outbreaks or lockdowns. European governments were irritated when China pressed European officials to praise China for medical supplies that it had sent, when Beijing had been muted about the help it provided in the first months of the pandemic. The combative language used by Chinese officials in international disputes has also irked many in Australia, Canada and other countries.

“Many Chinese people seem to have forgotten the first few scary weeks that we experienced, but other countries have not forgotten,” Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said by telephone. “It would be better if China had been more low-key and humble.”

The Chinese government has pushed back against the negative sentiment, asserting that it has been unfairly maligned by Western news outlets and politicians who want to escape responsibility for mishandling the crisis.

The Pew survey usually covers many more countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa, where the public often offers more upbeat views about China. But the pandemic made it impossible to organize safe and reliable face-to-face polling, reducing the international scope of the survey, said Laura Silver, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center. The survey was conducted by telephone, with calls lasting about 15 minutes.

Public opinion in countries closely aligned with Beijing was likely to remain favorable to China despite the pandemic, Kassam said. “I think China’s handling of COVID has not so much changed any minds, but entrenched existing perceptions.”

Chinese leaders may feel some consolation that many respondents in the Pew survey took an even dimmer view of how the United States has handled the pandemic. An average of 84% of the people surveyed across the 14 countries said the United States had done a bad job with the coronavirus.

“In the end, this is more damaging for America than for China,” said Shen, the scholar in Shanghai. “China cannot be used to explain away the 210,000 American people who have died from this.”

SYDNEY — Xi Jinping celebrates China’s battle against the coronavirus as a success. But in the United States and other wealthy democracies, the pandemic has driven negative views of China to new heights, a survey published Tuesday showed.

SYDNEY — Xi Jinping celebrates China’s battle against the coronavirus as a success. But in the United States and other wealthy democracies, the pandemic has driven negative views of China to new heights, a survey published Tuesday showed. The illness, deaths and disruption caused by the coronavirus in those countries have intensified already strong public distrust of China, where the virus emerged late last year, the results from the Pew Research Center’s survey indicated. “Unfavorable opinion has soared over the past year,” said the survey on views of China taken this year in 14 countries including Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Germany, Italy and other European nations. “Today, a majority in each of the surveyed countries has an unfavorable opinion of China.” Also read| Exit the dragon: China faces heat as citizens across countries increasingly view it in bad light The results illustrate how much negative opinions of China have taken hold around the world in recent years. To China’s leaders, such wary attitudes could present obstacles for the Communist Party’s ambitions of expanding Beijing’s influence. The tide of public distrust could make cooperation harder even on issues where national interests align. “Public opinion is a powerful constraint,” said Natasha Kassam, a former Australian diplomat who is a research fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, where she studies public opinion and foreign policy. “We can see in both Australia and the United States, for example, souring public opinion has served as a powerful driver for governments to be particularly vocal” about China. The U.S. secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, was in Tokyo on Tuesday for meetings with his counterparts from Japan, Australia and India — all nations that have had icy relations with China. Pompeo is often condemned by Chinese officials as an ideological warrior bent on subduing Beijing. In many Western countries, the coronavirus crisis appears to have deepened public unease about China and Xi, China’s proudly authoritarian leader. Across the 14 countries surveyed, an average of 61% of respondents said China had done a bad job of responding to the outbreak. Also read| Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet In the United States, negative views about China increased by 13 percentage points compared to a similar survey last year. Close to three-quarters of 1,003 American respondents surveyed in June and July said they now had a somewhat or very unfavorable view of China. Distrust of Xi’s international intentions reached new highs in every country surveyed, except for Japan and Spain. In the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and several Western European nations, roughly half of the respondents said they had “no confidence at all” in Xi. “I think this sentiment is likely to persist because of longer-term trends in China toward growing repression,” said Jessica Chen Weiss, an associate professor of government at Cornell University who studies Chinese foreign policy. “As long as its order of priorities remains in place, it will be difficult for the Chinese Communist Party to really turn around the trends in public opinion overseas.” The rise in disapproving opinions of China was starkest in Australia, which has been mired in diplomatic flare-ups with Beijing in recent months. Australia has protested the detention in China of Cheng Lei, an Australian news anchor working for Chinese state-run television, and Yang Hengjun, an Australian businessman and writer born in China who is accused of espionage, charges that his supporters say are baseless. The number of Australian respondents with negative views of China grew by 24 percentage points compared to a year ago, so that 81% said they saw China unfavorably. That was a drastic turn from 2017, when 64% of Australian respondents said they had a favorable view of China. “Until two years ago, the Australian public very much saw China as an economic opportunity,” said Kassam, the Australian researcher. China’s response to the outbreak has only deepened skepticism in Australia, she said. In interviews, several Sydney residents said that China could not be held entirely responsible for the global spread of the coronavirus but that the crisis had shown how exposed Australia, and the rest of the world, was to Chinese power. “As far as I’m concerned, we should move away from China as quickly as possible. They’re too strong, and they can just outrun us,” said Edward Davis, a semiretired commercial lawyer. “We should do our best to trade with them, but we also need to diversify.” At home, the Communist Party has tried to turn the coronavirus crisis into a political asset by assiduously censoring criticism of its early missteps in the outbreak and highlighting its later success in sharply reducing infections. But abroad, the Chinese government’s sometimes-triumphant rhetoric and claims of selfless altruism during the crisis have grated in societies struggling to cope with outbreaks or lockdowns. European governments were irritated when China pressed European officials to praise China for medical supplies that it had sent, when Beijing had been muted about the help it provided in the first months of the pandemic. The combative language used by Chinese officials in international disputes has also irked many in Australia, Canada and other countries. “Many Chinese people seem to have forgotten the first few scary weeks that we experienced, but other countries have not forgotten,” Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said by telephone. “It would be better if China had been more low-key and humble.” The Chinese government has pushed back against the negative sentiment, asserting that it has been unfairly maligned by Western news outlets and politicians who want to escape responsibility for mishandling the crisis. The Pew survey usually covers many more countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa, where the public often offers more upbeat views about China. But the pandemic made it impossible to organize safe and reliable face-to-face polling, reducing the international scope of the survey, said Laura Silver, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center. The survey was conducted by telephone, with calls lasting about 15 minutes. Public opinion in countries closely aligned with Beijing was likely to remain favorable to China despite the pandemic, Kassam said. “I think China’s handling of COVID has not so much changed any minds, but entrenched existing perceptions.” Chinese leaders may feel some consolation that many respondents in the Pew survey took an even dimmer view of how the United States has handled the pandemic. An average of 84% of the people surveyed across the 14 countries said the United States had done a bad job with the coronavirus. “In the end, this is more damaging for America than for China,” said Shen, the scholar in Shanghai. “China cannot be used to explain away the 210,000 American people who have died from this.”

Distrust of China jumps to new highs in democratic nations

There is no respite for China as continues to get bad PR across the globe for what appears like an ever-growing list of reasons. China is known for its strong-arm military tactics as well as surreptitious economic maneuvers. But the end goal remains perfectly aligned with its objectives of dominance.

Not that all these things were not known before, but in times of coronavirus pandemic (that originated in China) global citizens are increasingly miffed at the red dragon.

Pew Research Center in the US surveyed citizens across 14 countries. The survey noted that majority of the surveyed people in 14 countries had unfavourable opinion of China.

Negative views towards China reached their highest point among respondents from Britain, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, the US, South Korea, Spain and Canada.

That's not all.

Negative views reached the highest point since Pew Research Center started surveying on the topic a decade ago.

China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak within its own borders has apparently led to an increase in negative perception about China.

US President Donald Trump has pointedly kept his aim on China when it has come to talking about the global pandemic. He often refers coronavirus as the 'Chinese virus'. There are allegations that coronavirus was developed in labs in China. This gives it a colour of conspiracy.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-40-nations-rebuke-chinas-human-rights-policies-in-xinjiang-tibet-333035">Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet</a> 
 
But China is facing flak over other issues as well. There is the matter of trade war with the US. Then there are concerns about Chinese tech companies like Huawei stealing data of American and European citizens.

There is the matter of China's strong-arm tactics in the South China sea. All this and much more has galavanised global opinion against China at a level not observed before.

Even in India, China has had a bad rep, recently due to the stand-off in Ladakh. China has largely refused to call-off their troops. Rounds of dialogue are taking place with India yes, but they have not resulted in Chinese side willing to normalise situation on ground.

It may be the superpower in the making, but recent trends suggest that even China won't be able to carry its business as usual in the face of overwhelming negative opinion across the globe. 
&nbsp;

There is no respite for China as continues to get bad PR across the globe for what appears like an ever-growing list of reasons. China is known for its strong-arm military tactics as well as surreptitious economic maneuvers.

There is no respite for China as continues to get bad PR across the globe for what appears like an ever-growing list of reasons. China is known for its strong-arm military tactics as well as surreptitious economic maneuvers. But the end goal remains perfectly aligned with its objectives of dominance. Not that all these things were not known before, but in times of coronavirus pandemic (that originated in China) global citizens are increasingly miffed at the red dragon. Pew Research Center in the US surveyed citizens across 14 countries. The survey noted that majority of the surveyed people in 14 countries had unfavourable opinion of China. Negative views towards China reached their highest point among respondents from Britain, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, the US, South Korea, Spain and Canada. That's not all. Negative views reached the highest point since Pew Research Center started surveying on the topic a decade ago. China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak within its own borders has apparently led to an increase in negative perception about China. US President Donald Trump has pointedly kept his aim on China when it has come to talking about the global pandemic. He often refers coronavirus as the 'Chinese virus'. There are allegations that coronavirus was developed in labs in China. This gives it a colour of conspiracy. Also Read | Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet But China is facing flak over other issues as well. There is the matter of trade war with the US. Then there are concerns about Chinese tech companies like Huawei stealing data of American and European citizens. There is the matter of China's strong-arm tactics in the South China sea. All this and much more has galavanised global opinion against China at a level not observed before. Even in India, China has had a bad rep, recently due to the stand-off in Ladakh. China has largely refused to call-off their troops. Rounds of dialogue are taking place with India yes, but they have not resulted in Chinese side willing to normalise situation on ground. It may be the superpower in the making, but recent trends suggest that even China won't be able to carry its business as usual in the face of overwhelming negative opinion across the globe.

Exit the dragon: China faces heat as citizens across countries increasingly view it in bad light

The&nbsp;US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;tested positive for the novel coronavirus few days ago and was taken to the Water Reed hospital for treatment.&nbsp;

However, while the President claimed to be doing "very well" and asked the Americans to not let the virus "dominate" their lives, various polls are showing that the Americans are, infact, more concerned about the virus since the President tested positive.

A new poll conducted by&nbsp;Axios-Ipsos revealed that nearly 21 per cent respondents have now started wearing face masks and maintaining social distance since the president was seen struggling for breath on the White House balcony.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-doing-extremely-well-no-covid-symptoms-white-house-physician-333003">Also read|&nbsp;Trump doing extremely well, no COVID symptoms: White House physician</a>

The poll was conducted with 405 Americans between&nbsp;Friday and Monday, and while 21 per cent participants agreed to changing their behaviour, rest still believe in trump's policy of wearing a mask "only when necessary".

Only 12 per cent participants said they would be willing to wear gloves to avoid contracting the virus by touching surfaces in public spaces. However, 85 per cent decided to avoid gloves, and 3 per cent said they are less likely to change their gloves-wearing habits.

In another survey conducted by CNN International media house, it was revealed that nearly 69 per cent Americans have lost trust in the information coming from the White House since the President tested positive, and 12 per cent they now don't "fully" trust the White House information.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/michelle-obama-slams-trump-in-closing-arguments-for-biden-332963">Also read|&nbsp;Michelle Obama slams Trump in closing arguments for Biden</a>

Interestingly, 63 per cent people said they feel Trump's own infection with the virus is less likely to change the way he will be handling the pandemic, and 60 per cent said they disapprove with the whole narrative.

The polls have come out at a time when&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;is facing the wrath of experts and opponents for comparing the COVID-19 to a "flu" and asking people to not let it "dominate" their lives. "Flu season is coming up! Many people every year, sometimes over 100,000, and despite the Vaccine, die from the Flu. Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!," Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

The US President Donald Trump tested positive for the novel coronavirus few days ago and was taken to the Water Reed hospital for treatment. However, while the President claimed to be doing "very well" and asked the Americans to not let the virus "dominate" their lives, various polls are showing that the Americans are, infact, more concerned about the virus since the President tested positive.

The US President Donald Trump tested positive for the novel coronavirus few days ago and was taken to the Water Reed hospital for treatment. However, while the President claimed to be doing "very well" and asked the Americans to not let the virus "dominate" their lives, various polls are showing that the Americans are, infact, more concerned about the virus since the President tested positive. A new poll conducted by Axios-Ipsos revealed that nearly 21 per cent respondents have now started wearing face masks and maintaining social distance since the president was seen struggling for breath on the White House balcony. Also read| Trump doing extremely well, no COVID symptoms: White House physician The poll was conducted with 405 Americans between Friday and Monday, and while 21 per cent participants agreed to changing their behaviour, rest still believe in trump's policy of wearing a mask "only when necessary". Only 12 per cent participants said they would be willing to wear gloves to avoid contracting the virus by touching surfaces in public spaces. However, 85 per cent decided to avoid gloves, and 3 per cent said they are less likely to change their gloves-wearing habits. In another survey conducted by CNN International media house, it was revealed that nearly 69 per cent Americans have lost trust in the information coming from the White House since the President tested positive, and 12 per cent they now don't "fully" trust the White House information. Also read| Michelle Obama slams Trump in closing arguments for Biden Interestingly, 63 per cent people said they feel Trump's own infection with the virus is less likely to change the way he will be handling the pandemic, and 60 per cent said they disapprove with the whole narrative. The polls have come out at a time when Trump is facing the wrath of experts and opponents for comparing the COVID-19 to a "flu" and asking people to not let it "dominate" their lives. "Flu season is coming up! Many people every year, sometimes over 100,000, and despite the Vaccine, die from the Flu. Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!," Trump tweeted.

Americans now trust masks after Donald Trump tests positive for COVID-19

Rajasthan Congress MLA Kailash Chandra Trivedi, who was suffering from lung fibrosis after recovering from the coronavirus infection, died at a hospital in Gurgaon, family sources said Tuesday.He was 65.

Trivedi, the legislator from Sahara (Bhilwara) constituency, was airlifted to Medanta hospital in Gurgaon from Jaipur on October 2 after his health deteriorated.

He died late Monday night, they said.

In Jaipur, Trivedi was admitted to SMS hospital with health complications after recovering from the coronavirus, according to the hospital sources.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condoled the death of Trivedi, a three-time MLA.

"Deeply saddened at the passing away of Sahara, Bhilwara MLA and Congress leader Kailash Trivedi ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and supporters. May they remain strong in this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace," Gehlot tweeted.

Rajasthan Congress MLA Kailash Chandra Trivedi, who was suffering from lung fibrosis after recovering from the coronavirus infection, died at a hospital in Gurgaon, family sources said Tuesday.

Rajasthan Congress MLA Kailash Chandra Trivedi, who was suffering from lung fibrosis after recovering from the coronavirus infection, died at a hospital in Gurgaon, family sources said Tuesday.He was 65. Trivedi, the legislator from Sahara (Bhilwara) constituency, was airlifted to Medanta hospital in Gurgaon from Jaipur on October 2 after his health deteriorated. He died late Monday night, they said. In Jaipur, Trivedi was admitted to SMS hospital with health complications after recovering from the coronavirus, according to the hospital sources. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condoled the death of Trivedi, a three-time MLA. "Deeply saddened at the passing away of Sahara, Bhilwara MLA and Congress leader Kailash Trivedi ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and supporters. May they remain strong in this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace," Gehlot tweeted.

Rajasthan Congress MLA dies after recovering from coronavirus infection

Chinese drugmaker Sinovac, which is developing a COVID-19 vaccine has broken its promise to Bangladesh. Sinovac has told Bangladesh that it needs to co-finance the effort if it wanted phase-3 trials to take place in the country.

"They (Sinovac Biotech Ltd) sent a letter to Bangladesh government seeking co-financing for performing phase-3 human trial," Abdul Mannan, the health division secretary of Bangladesh, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star, Bangladesh's largest circulating English language newspaper.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chinese-company-refuses-to-honour-vaccine-deal-with-bangladesh-332780/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As per The Daily Star, Sinovac had made an agreement with Bangladesh saying that it would bear the cost of the phase-3 trials itself.

In a letter to Bangladesh dated September 24, Sinovac said that the trials would get delayed unless Bangladesh co-financed the efforts. No specific amount has been mentioned by Sinovac as yet

"It may take some time to reach a concrete decision on co-funding the vaccine trial . . . (but) Bangladesh government is sincerely thinking about the matter keeping in mind the issue of public benefits," Mannan said.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-bangladesh-take-part-in-high-level-consultation-on-economic-partnership-331781">US, Bangladesh take part in high-level consultation on economic partnership</a>

Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the chief professor at Directorate General of Health Services said that Bangladesh government was positive about the proposal.

However, officials familiar with the fresh development said they received Sinovac's proposal seeking the co-funding on September 22.

Bangladesh continues to report a surge in the number of coronavirus cases, with the current infections number standing at 368,690. The total number of deaths due to the deadly virus stands at 5,348, local media reported.

(With PTI inputs)

Chinese drugmaker Sinovac, which is developing a COVID-19 vaccine has broken its promise to Bangladesh. Sinovac has told Bangladesh that it needs to co-finance the effort if it wanted phase-3 trials to take place in the country.

Chinese drugmaker Sinovac, which is developing a COVID-19 vaccine has broken its promise to Bangladesh. Sinovac has told Bangladesh that it needs to co-finance the effort if it wanted phase-3 trials to take place in the country. "They (Sinovac Biotech Ltd) sent a letter to Bangladesh government seeking co-financing for performing phase-3 human trial," Abdul Mannan, the health division secretary of Bangladesh, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star, Bangladesh's largest circulating English language newspaper. As per The Daily Star, Sinovac had made an agreement with Bangladesh saying that it would bear the cost of the phase-3 trials itself. In a letter to Bangladesh dated September 24, Sinovac said that the trials would get delayed unless Bangladesh co-financed the efforts. No specific amount has been mentioned by Sinovac as yet "It may take some time to reach a concrete decision on co-funding the vaccine trial . . . (but) Bangladesh government is sincerely thinking about the matter keeping in mind the issue of public benefits," Mannan said. Also Read: US, Bangladesh take part in high-level consultation on economic partnership Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the chief professor at Directorate General of Health Services said that Bangladesh government was positive about the proposal. However, officials familiar with the fresh development said they received Sinovac's proposal seeking the co-funding on September 22. Bangladesh continues to report a surge in the number of coronavirus cases, with the current infections number standing at 368,690. The total number of deaths due to the deadly virus stands at 5,348, local media reported. (With PTI inputs)

Chinese firm breaks promise made to Bangladesh on COVID-19 vaccine trials

Nearly a third of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced some type of altered mental function — ranging from confusion to delirium to unresponsiveness — in the largest study to date of neurological symptoms among coronavirus patients in a U.S. hospital system.

And patients with altered mental function had significantly worse medical outcomes, according to the study, published Monday in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. The study looked at the records of the first 509 coronavirus patients hospitalized, from March 5 to April 6, at 10 hospitals in the Northwestern Medicine health system in the Chicago area.

These patients stayed three times as long in the hospital as patients without altered mental function.

After they were discharged, only 32% of the patients with altered mental function were able to handle routine daily activities like cooking and paying bills, said Dr. Igor Koralnik, senior author of the study and chief of neuro-infectious disease and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine. In contrast, 89% of patients without altered mental function were able to manage such activities without assistance.

Patients with altered mental function — the medical term is encephalopathy — were also nearly seven times as likely to die as those who did not have that type of problem.

“Encephalopathy is a generic term meaning something’s wrong with the brain,” Koralnik said. The description can include problems with attention and concentration, loss of short-term memory, disorientation, stupor and “profound unresponsiveness,” or a comalike level of consciousness.

The researchers did not identify a cause for the encephalopathy, which can occur with other diseases, especially in older patients, and can be triggered by several different factors including inflammation and effects on blood circulation, said Koralnik, who also oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. There is very little evidence so far that the virus directly attacks brain cells, and most experts say neurological effects are probably triggered by inflammatory and immune system responses that often affect other organs, as well as the brain.

Some experts said President Donald Trump, who was hospitalized with COVID at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center beginning Friday, is of the age and gender of the patients in the study who were more likely to develop altered mental function and therefore could be at higher risk for such symptoms. Trump returned to the White House on Monday evening.

Nearly a third of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced some type of altered mental function — ranging from confusion to delirium to unresponsiveness — in the largest study to date of neurological symptoms among coronavirus patients in a U.

Nearly a third of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced some type of altered mental function — ranging from confusion to delirium to unresponsiveness — in the largest study to date of neurological symptoms among coronavirus patients in a U.S. hospital system. And patients with altered mental function had significantly worse medical outcomes, according to the study, published Monday in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. The study looked at the records of the first 509 coronavirus patients hospitalized, from March 5 to April 6, at 10 hospitals in the Northwestern Medicine health system in the Chicago area. These patients stayed three times as long in the hospital as patients without altered mental function. After they were discharged, only 32% of the patients with altered mental function were able to handle routine daily activities like cooking and paying bills, said Dr. Igor Koralnik, senior author of the study and chief of neuro-infectious disease and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine. In contrast, 89% of patients without altered mental function were able to manage such activities without assistance. Patients with altered mental function — the medical term is encephalopathy — were also nearly seven times as likely to die as those who did not have that type of problem. “Encephalopathy is a generic term meaning something’s wrong with the brain,” Koralnik said. The description can include problems with attention and concentration, loss of short-term memory, disorientation, stupor and “profound unresponsiveness,” or a comalike level of consciousness. The researchers did not identify a cause for the encephalopathy, which can occur with other diseases, especially in older patients, and can be triggered by several different factors including inflammation and effects on blood circulation, said Koralnik, who also oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. There is very little evidence so far that the virus directly attacks brain cells, and most experts say neurological effects are probably triggered by inflammatory and immune system responses that often affect other organs, as well as the brain. Some experts said President Donald Trump, who was hospitalized with COVID at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center beginning Friday, is of the age and gender of the patients in the study who were more likely to develop altered mental function and therefore could be at higher risk for such symptoms. Trump returned to the White House on Monday evening.

Nearly one-third of Covid patients in study had altered mental state

Solomon Islands recorded its first coronavirus case on Saturday,&nbsp;Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced.

The person who got infected is a student who had just returned from the&nbsp;Philippines. He had earlier tested negative three times before departing for the Solomon Islands.

He has now tested positive and has been kept in isolation with two other immediate contacts. The infected student&nbsp;was asymptomatic. The health workers also being tested now.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-scales-up-testing-capacity-from-1-in-january-to-over-77-cr-in-october-health-ministry-332379">Also read|&nbsp;India scales up testing capacity from 1 in January to over 7.7 cr in October: Health ministry</a>

"The planning, preparation, simulation and exercises have not been in vain and the government is confident of its capacity to respond, contain and manage the situation to ensure that the safety and well-being of the public is maintained," Sogavare said.

The infected man was one out of&nbsp;400 Solomon Islands nationals stranded in the Philippines after borders were closed and was brought back home on one of the&nbsp;three repatriation flights that the government had planned.

"My government is well aware of the risks involved in repatriating our students from the Philippines. We are also aware that keeping our children in the Philippines exposes them to even higher risks.

"As a responsible government, we cannot close our eyes to the plight of our children and bringing them home was the humane thing to do," he said.

Solomon Islands recorded its first coronavirus case on Saturday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced. The person who got infected is a student who had just returned from the Philippines.

Solomon Islands recorded its first coronavirus case on Saturday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced. The person who got infected is a student who had just returned from the Philippines. He had earlier tested negative three times before departing for the Solomon Islands. He has now tested positive and has been kept in isolation with two other immediate contacts. The infected student was asymptomatic. The health workers also being tested now. Also read| India scales up testing capacity from 1 in January to over 7.7 cr in October: Health ministry "The planning, preparation, simulation and exercises have not been in vain and the government is confident of its capacity to respond, contain and manage the situation to ensure that the safety and well-being of the public is maintained," Sogavare said. The infected man was one out of 400 Solomon Islands nationals stranded in the Philippines after borders were closed and was brought back home on one of the three repatriation flights that the government had planned. "My government is well aware of the risks involved in repatriating our students from the Philippines. We are also aware that keeping our children in the Philippines exposes them to even higher risks. "As a responsible government, we cannot close our eyes to the plight of our children and bringing them home was the humane thing to do," he said.

Solomon Islands reports first COVID-19 case

WASHINGTON — When Linda Spangler asked her mother, in a video chat, what she would like as gift for her 92nd birthday, the response came promptly.

“I’d like a dog,” Charlene Spangler said. “Is Wolfgang dead?” Wolfgang, a family dachshund, had indeed died long ago; so had all his successors. Charlene Spangler, who lives in a dementia care facility in Oakland, California, has trouble recalling such history.

Her daughter, a doctor, considered the request. Before visitors were barred from the residence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Linda Spangler had seen her mother every other day, often taking her to Lake Merritt in her wheelchair to see the ducks and to pat passing dogs.

In her facility, Charlene Spangler had eaten meals with several other residents, joined art classes and listened to visiting musicians.

Now activities and communal meals have vanished. Aside from one quick visit in the lobby, she has not seen her daughter in person in six months; they communicate through 15-minute video calls when staff members can arrange them.

“She’s more isolated in her room now,” Linda Spangler said. “And she misses having a dog.”

Knowing that her mother couldn’t manage pet care, even if the residence had permitted animals, Linda Spangler looked online for the robotic pets she had heard about.

She found a fluffy puppy with sensors that allow it to pant, woof, wag its tail, nap and awaken; a user can feel a simulated heartbeat. Unable to deliver the robot personally, she asked a staff member to take it inside. In a subsequent video chat, Linda Spangler learned that her mother had named the robot dog Dumbo.

Such devices first appeared in American nursing homes and residences for seniors several years ago. A Japanese company began distributing an animatronic baby seal called PARO in 2009, and Hasbro started marketing robotic cats in 2015.

But the isolation caused by the coronavirus, not only in facilities but also among seniors living alone in their homes, has intensified interest in these products and increased sales, company executives said. It has also led to more public money being used to purchase them.

Long before the pandemic, loneliness and social disconnection were acknowledged public health problems for older people, linked to measurably poorer mental and physical health. Now, their risk for serious illness from the coronavirus has denied many seniors the stimulation and comfort of personal visits, cultural events, volunteering, even grocery shopping.

Isolation particularly threatens people with dementia, who are less able to embrace online diversions and communication.

“COVID has created a bizarre world where nobody can hug anybody,” said Laurie Orlov, a veteran industry analyst and founder of the newsletter Aging and Health Technology Watch. “The idea of a pet you can hold — a tactile experience — transcends that somewhat.”

In part because of its $6,120 price tag, PARO (the name echoes the Japanese term for “personal robot”) has primarily been adopted by institutions: hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities. Because the Food and Drug Administration classifies the robot as a biofeedback device, Medicare will cover its purchase and use by therapists.

Since the pandemic, “we’re seeing a lot of interest,” said Tom Turner, general manager of PARO Robots U.S., which sells about 50 robot seals annually but expects a big increase as insurance coverage broadens.

Researchers have reported benefits from interacting with PARO, although the studies were often small and short-term. At facilities in Texas and Kansas, for instance, investigators followed 61 residents with dementia who had 20-minute group sessions with a PARO three days a week for three months. Their stress and anxiety decreased, the researchers found, and they needed less medication for pain and problem behaviors.

Front Porch, a nonprofit senior living provider, acquired several PAROs in 2015 and tracked their effects through about 900 surveys reporting residents’ interactions. Over six months, the staff reported that the robots — which acquired names and, at holidays, festive outfits — helped calm residents, increased their social behavior and improved mood and appetite.

More recently, researchers have started analyzing the use of robotic pets outside institutional settings, by seniors living in their own homes. Of particular interest is the Joy for All brand sold by Ageless Innovation, a spinoff of Hasbro, and available from retailers like Walmart and Best Buy for about $120.

One of the largest studies, underwritten by United HealthCare and AARP, distributed free Joy for All robots to 271 seniors living independently.

All the seniors suffered from loneliness, according to a screening questionnaire. At 30 and 60 days, “there was improvement in their mental well-being, in sense of purpose and optimism,” said Dr. Charlotte Yeh, chief medical officer of AARP’s business subsidiary and a study co-author. The study also found “a reduction in loneliness,” Yeh said, although the questionnaires showed that participants remained lonely.

Armed with such findings, Ageless Innovation has been offering discounted robots to state agencies working with seniors. (Both Joy for All and PARO robots can be sanitized to prevent viral transmission, the companies said.)

New York state ordered and distributed 1,100 pets after a pilot study found that participants reported less isolation and loneliness. “Families were sending me thank-you notes,” said Becky Preve, executive director of the Association on Aging in New York. Florida purchased 375.

Ageless Innovation said that a dozen states had placed orders totaling 6,000 devices. But that’s small potatoes compared to the sales potential if Medicare Advantage plans, offered through private insurers, agree to cover robotic pets.

One already does — HealthPartners, in the Midwest — and “we are in conversations with many other Medicare Advantage plans,” Ted Fischer, chief executive of Ageless Innovation, said in an email. The company is also eyeing certain Medicaid programs.

The idea of a robot, however fuzzy, as an antidote to loneliness produces both enthusiasm and revulsion. “These animals are helping people,” said Preve, a fan.

But Sherry Turkle, a psychologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has long studied how older people use technology, objected. “The promise is that it becomes a companion and you have a relationship with it,” she said of a robotic animal. “As though there’s mutuality. There’s not mutuality. It’s a bunch of bits and bytes.”

Sister Imelda Maurer, who, as a member of the Sisters of Divine Providence of San Antonio, has long been involved with elder care, dislikes the notion of deceiving people who have dementia and may think robots are actual pets. “There’s an element of ethical dishonesty about it,” she said.

Both she and Turkle pointed out that the enthusiasm for robots spotlighted the many failings in the way our society cares for older people, whether in understaffed facilities or isolated at home.

Moreover, how seniors will react is unpredictable. Emily White, a social work consultant in Sunnyvale, California, watched in amazement as her 96-year-old mother, who had dementia and depression and had largely stopped eating, warmed up to a Joy for All cat — and promptly asked for a piece of cake.

But Timothy Livengood, a planetary scientist in Columbia, Maryland, said his 80-year-old mother, who has dementia and lives in a facility, largely ignored a robotic cat. “She never really attached to it,” he said. “It didn’t have a personality.”

As for Charlene Spangler, during a recent video chat she mentioned that her dog was barking and that she could feel its heartbeat. “It seems like there’s some interaction,” her daughter said.

But a caregiver must repeatedly present the dog and remind her mother to pet or talk to it; otherwise, she forgets about it. How often that will happen, and whether it will assuage the pain of isolation, remains an unanswered question.

“I’m not sure how well this is going to work,” Linda Spangler said. “But for $120, it was worth a try.”

WASHINGTON — When Linda Spangler asked her mother, in a video chat, what she would like as gift for her 92nd birthday, the response came promptly. “I’d like a dog,” Charlene Spangler said.

WASHINGTON — When Linda Spangler asked her mother, in a video chat, what she would like as gift for her 92nd birthday, the response came promptly. “I’d like a dog,” Charlene Spangler said. “Is Wolfgang dead?” Wolfgang, a family dachshund, had indeed died long ago; so had all his successors. Charlene Spangler, who lives in a dementia care facility in Oakland, California, has trouble recalling such history. Her daughter, a doctor, considered the request. Before visitors were barred from the residence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Linda Spangler had seen her mother every other day, often taking her to Lake Merritt in her wheelchair to see the ducks and to pat passing dogs. In her facility, Charlene Spangler had eaten meals with several other residents, joined art classes and listened to visiting musicians. Now activities and communal meals have vanished. Aside from one quick visit in the lobby, she has not seen her daughter in person in six months; they communicate through 15-minute video calls when staff members can arrange them. “She’s more isolated in her room now,” Linda Spangler said. “And she misses having a dog.” Knowing that her mother couldn’t manage pet care, even if the residence had permitted animals, Linda Spangler looked online for the robotic pets she had heard about. She found a fluffy puppy with sensors that allow it to pant, woof, wag its tail, nap and awaken; a user can feel a simulated heartbeat. Unable to deliver the robot personally, she asked a staff member to take it inside. In a subsequent video chat, Linda Spangler learned that her mother had named the robot dog Dumbo. Such devices first appeared in American nursing homes and residences for seniors several years ago. A Japanese company began distributing an animatronic baby seal called PARO in 2009, and Hasbro started marketing robotic cats in 2015. But the isolation caused by the coronavirus, not only in facilities but also among seniors living alone in their homes, has intensified interest in these products and increased sales, company executives said. It has also led to more public money being used to purchase them. Long before the pandemic, loneliness and social disconnection were acknowledged public health problems for older people, linked to measurably poorer mental and physical health. Now, their risk for serious illness from the coronavirus has denied many seniors the stimulation and comfort of personal visits, cultural events, volunteering, even grocery shopping. Isolation particularly threatens people with dementia, who are less able to embrace online diversions and communication. “COVID has created a bizarre world where nobody can hug anybody,” said Laurie Orlov, a veteran industry analyst and founder of the newsletter Aging and Health Technology Watch. “The idea of a pet you can hold — a tactile experience — transcends that somewhat.” In part because of its $6,120 price tag, PARO (the name echoes the Japanese term for “personal robot”) has primarily been adopted by institutions: hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities. Because the Food and Drug Administration classifies the robot as a biofeedback device, Medicare will cover its purchase and use by therapists. Since the pandemic, “we’re seeing a lot of interest,” said Tom Turner, general manager of PARO Robots U.S., which sells about 50 robot seals annually but expects a big increase as insurance coverage broadens. Researchers have reported benefits from interacting with PARO, although the studies were often small and short-term. At facilities in Texas and Kansas, for instance, investigators followed 61 residents with dementia who had 20-minute group sessions with a PARO three days a week for three months. Their stress and anxiety decreased, the researchers found, and they needed less medication for pain and problem behaviors. Front Porch, a nonprofit senior living provider, acquired several PAROs in 2015 and tracked their effects through about 900 surveys reporting residents’ interactions. Over six months, the staff reported that the robots — which acquired names and, at holidays, festive outfits — helped calm residents, increased their social behavior and improved mood and appetite. More recently, researchers have started analyzing the use of robotic pets outside institutional settings, by seniors living in their own homes. Of particular interest is the Joy for All brand sold by Ageless Innovation, a spinoff of Hasbro, and available from retailers like Walmart and Best Buy for about $120. One of the largest studies, underwritten by United HealthCare and AARP, distributed free Joy for All robots to 271 seniors living independently. All the seniors suffered from loneliness, according to a screening questionnaire. At 30 and 60 days, “there was improvement in their mental well-being, in sense of purpose and optimism,” said Dr. Charlotte Yeh, chief medical officer of AARP’s business subsidiary and a study co-author. The study also found “a reduction in loneliness,” Yeh said, although the questionnaires showed that participants remained lonely. Armed with such findings, Ageless Innovation has been offering discounted robots to state agencies working with seniors. (Both Joy for All and PARO robots can be sanitized to prevent viral transmission, the companies said.) New York state ordered and distributed 1,100 pets after a pilot study found that participants reported less isolation and loneliness. “Families were sending me thank-you notes,” said Becky Preve, executive director of the Association on Aging in New York. Florida purchased 375. Ageless Innovation said that a dozen states had placed orders totaling 6,000 devices. But that’s small potatoes compared to the sales potential if Medicare Advantage plans, offered through private insurers, agree to cover robotic pets. One already does — HealthPartners, in the Midwest — and “we are in conversations with many other Medicare Advantage plans,” Ted Fischer, chief executive of Ageless Innovation, said in an email. The company is also eyeing certain Medicaid programs. The idea of a robot, however fuzzy, as an antidote to loneliness produces both enthusiasm and revulsion. “These animals are helping people,” said Preve, a fan. But Sherry Turkle, a psychologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has long studied how older people use technology, objected. “The promise is that it becomes a companion and you have a relationship with it,” she said of a robotic animal. “As though there’s mutuality. There’s not mutuality. It’s a bunch of bits and bytes.” Sister Imelda Maurer, who, as a member of the Sisters of Divine Providence of San Antonio, has long been involved with elder care, dislikes the notion of deceiving people who have dementia and may think robots are actual pets. “There’s an element of ethical dishonesty about it,” she said. Both she and Turkle pointed out that the enthusiasm for robots spotlighted the many failings in the way our society cares for older people, whether in understaffed facilities or isolated at home. Moreover, how seniors will react is unpredictable. Emily White, a social work consultant in Sunnyvale, California, watched in amazement as her 96-year-old mother, who had dementia and depression and had largely stopped eating, warmed up to a Joy for All cat — and promptly asked for a piece of cake. But Timothy Livengood, a planetary scientist in Columbia, Maryland, said his 80-year-old mother, who has dementia and lives in a facility, largely ignored a robotic cat. “She never really attached to it,” he said. “It didn’t have a personality.” As for Charlene Spangler, during a recent video chat she mentioned that her dog was barking and that she could feel its heartbeat. “It seems like there’s some interaction,” her daughter said. But a caregiver must repeatedly present the dog and remind her mother to pet or talk to it; otherwise, she forgets about it. How often that will happen, and whether it will assuage the pain of isolation, remains an unanswered question. “I’m not sure how well this is going to work,” Linda Spangler said. “But for $120, it was worth a try.”

In isolating times, can robo-pets provide comfort?

Sri Lanka on Sunday imposed an indefinite curfew on two western provincial towns to contain the spread of the coronavirus following the detection of a community case after a gap of nearly six months, officials said.

The island nation has so far recorded 3,395 coronavirus cases and 13 fatalities due to the disease.

An indefinite curfew has been imposed on Divulapitiya and Minwangoda towns in the suburbs of Colombo after a COVID-19 positive patient was detected on Sunday, Army Commander and COVID-19 prevention task force head Shavendra Silva said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-prime-ministers-advisers-test-positive-for-covid-19-332386">Also read:&nbsp;Nepal Prime Minister's advisers test positive for COVID-19</a>

He said a female from Divulapitiya who works in an apparel factory was found positive for coronavirus after she was admitted to a hospital in Gampaha for fever. Nearly 50 people from her workplace and the hospital have been sent for home quarantine after she was detected positive for COVID-19.

According to officials, this is likely the first COVID-19 community case detected since April. Recent infections have come from foreign returnees.

The Sri Lankan government on June 28 completely lifted the curfew imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus after no new case of community infection was recorded for nearly two months.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/solomon-islands-reports-first-covid-19-case-332384">Also read:&nbsp;Solomon Islands reports first COVID-19 case</a>

However, international flights are yet to be resumed.

The island nation was under a continuous lockdown since March 20. Initially, a nationwide blanket curfew was imposed but it was later eased for about two-thirds of the country and was mostly confined to nighttime. The government had ordered partial opening of offices and businesses mid-May. From early June, the restrictions were further relaxed with public transport being allowed.

The government further relaxed the COVID-19 curfew, which was in force from 11 pm to 4 am, to only four hours from midnight to 4 am daily from June 14 onwards.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka on Sunday imposed an indefinite curfew on two western provincial towns to contain the spread of the coronavirus following the detection of a community case after a gap of nearly six months, officials said.

Sri Lanka on Sunday imposed an indefinite curfew on two western provincial towns to contain the spread of the coronavirus following the detection of a community case after a gap of nearly six months, officials said. The island nation has so far recorded 3,395 coronavirus cases and 13 fatalities due to the disease. An indefinite curfew has been imposed on Divulapitiya and Minwangoda towns in the suburbs of Colombo after a COVID-19 positive patient was detected on Sunday, Army Commander and COVID-19 prevention task force head Shavendra Silva said. Also read: Nepal Prime Minister's advisers test positive for COVID-19 He said a female from Divulapitiya who works in an apparel factory was found positive for coronavirus after she was admitted to a hospital in Gampaha for fever. Nearly 50 people from her workplace and the hospital have been sent for home quarantine after she was detected positive for COVID-19. According to officials, this is likely the first COVID-19 community case detected since April. Recent infections have come from foreign returnees. The Sri Lankan government on June 28 completely lifted the curfew imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus after no new case of community infection was recorded for nearly two months. Also read: Solomon Islands reports first COVID-19 case However, international flights are yet to be resumed. The island nation was under a continuous lockdown since March 20. Initially, a nationwide blanket curfew was imposed but it was later eased for about two-thirds of the country and was mostly confined to nighttime. The government had ordered partial opening of offices and businesses mid-May. From early June, the restrictions were further relaxed with public transport being allowed. The government further relaxed the COVID-19 curfew, which was in force from 11 pm to 4 am, to only four hours from midnight to 4 am daily from June 14 onwards.

Sri Lanka imposes indefinite curfew in 2 towns after detection of new COVID-19 cases

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India reached 1,01,782 and the infection tally climbed to 65,49,374, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 55 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 83.84%, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The count of covid-19 cases stands at 65,49,374 of which, there are a total of 9,37,625 active cases while 55,09,967 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union health ministry said.

The death toll due to coronavirus in the country rose to 1,01,782 after 940 deaths deaths due to covid-19 were reported in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 14,16,513 cases, including 37,480 deaths, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research data, India tested 11,42,131 samples in a day on Saturday, taking the total tests so far to 7,89,92,534.

(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India reached 1,01,782 and the infection tally climbed to 65,49,374, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 55 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 83.

The death toll due to deadly coronavirus in India reached 1,01,782 and the infection tally climbed to 65,49,374, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 55 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 83.84%, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday. The count of covid-19 cases stands at 65,49,374 of which, there are a total of 9,37,625 active cases while 55,09,967 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union health ministry said. The death toll due to coronavirus in the country rose to 1,01,782 after 940 deaths deaths due to covid-19 were reported in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 14,16,513 cases, including 37,480 deaths, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. According to Indian Council of Medical Research data, India tested 11,42,131 samples in a day on Saturday, taking the total tests so far to 7,89,92,534. (With inputs from agencies)

With 75,829 new cases, India’s tally crosses 65-lakh mark

Pope Francis makes his first trip Saturday since the Vatican's coronavirus lockdown, though it will be a solitary affair for the crowd-loving Argentine who has had to learn how to be close to the faithful from a distance.

Francis will journey to Assisi, the birthplace of his namesake saint, where he will sign his new encyclical — a document laying out the pope's views on key issues — called "Fratelli tutti", on the importance of fraternity, particularly in these Covid-19 times.

The Vatican has said it will be a private visit to reduce health risks — both to Catholics who usually throng the streets on such occasions, holding aloft babies to be kissed, and for the elderly pontiff himself.

As the virus, which has killed over one million people globally, began to spread around the world earlier this year, Francis reached out through a live-streamed mass, performed alone on Saint Peter's Square.

"Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities", he said in the historic March address, describing the coronavirus "tempest" as having put everyone "in the same boat", as heavy rain fell around him.

That, and his lonely walk through the deserted streets of Rome to pray at two churches for the end of the pandemic, captured his isolation, but were also seen by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as signs of solidarity and hope.

The pope's lockdown

Saturday's pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Francis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, marks a milestone in the pope's slow return to normalcy.

Francis, 83, showed little fear as the virus broke out in Italy in late February, though he was forced to shun his usual practice of shaking hands.

Apart from suffering a cold early on, his health has remained good. Of more concern was frail Benedict XVI, who stepped down in 2013, and lives in the Vatican as "pope emeritus."

In the end, the 93-year-old left a post-lockdown Vatican before Francis, heading to his native Bavaria in June to the bedside of his 96-year-old brother, Georg, who died not long afterwards.

Vatican staff have worked hard to protect both the former and current pope.

Francis opted on his election in 2013 to live in the tiny state's "Santa Marta" guesthouse, instead of the papal apartments, and had been used to dining in the building's shared canteen. It was not clear whether he then stopped eating in company.

Getting out

"Everyone works in his office or from his room, using technology. Everyone is working; there are no idlers here," the pontiff said in an interview with papal biographer Austen Ivereigh in April.

That included Francis, who live-streamed his daily masses from Santa Marta, as well as the weekly Angelus prayers and general audience talks.

Priests were reminded it was their mission to "get out", which many did through social media or video calls.

While the lockdown in Italy and the Vatican gradually lifted from May, Francis remained caged.

Instead, his closest aides, diplomacy chiefs Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, went abroad in his place.

Now it is his turn. While there will be no papal foreign trips this year — for the first time since 1979 — the Assisi outing is expected to go a small way towards charging the batteries of a man who believes a priest's place is with his flock.

Pope Francis makes his first trip Saturday since the Vatican's coronavirus lockdown, though it will be a solitary affair for the crowd-loving Argentine who has had to learn how to be close to the faithful from a distance.

Pope Francis makes his first trip Saturday since the Vatican's coronavirus lockdown, though it will be a solitary affair for the crowd-loving Argentine who has had to learn how to be close to the faithful from a distance. Francis will journey to Assisi, the birthplace of his namesake saint, where he will sign his new encyclical — a document laying out the pope's views on key issues — called "Fratelli tutti", on the importance of fraternity, particularly in these Covid-19 times. The Vatican has said it will be a private visit to reduce health risks — both to Catholics who usually throng the streets on such occasions, holding aloft babies to be kissed, and for the elderly pontiff himself. As the virus, which has killed over one million people globally, began to spread around the world earlier this year, Francis reached out through a live-streamed mass, performed alone on Saint Peter's Square. "Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities", he said in the historic March address, describing the coronavirus "tempest" as having put everyone "in the same boat", as heavy rain fell around him. That, and his lonely walk through the deserted streets of Rome to pray at two churches for the end of the pandemic, captured his isolation, but were also seen by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as signs of solidarity and hope. The pope's lockdown Saturday's pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Francis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, marks a milestone in the pope's slow return to normalcy. Francis, 83, showed little fear as the virus broke out in Italy in late February, though he was forced to shun his usual practice of shaking hands. Apart from suffering a cold early on, his health has remained good. Of more concern was frail Benedict XVI, who stepped down in 2013, and lives in the Vatican as "pope emeritus." In the end, the 93-year-old left a post-lockdown Vatican before Francis, heading to his native Bavaria in June to the bedside of his 96-year-old brother, Georg, who died not long afterwards. Vatican staff have worked hard to protect both the former and current pope. Francis opted on his election in 2013 to live in the tiny state's "Santa Marta" guesthouse, instead of the papal apartments, and had been used to dining in the building's shared canteen. It was not clear whether he then stopped eating in company. Getting out "Everyone works in his office or from his room, using technology. Everyone is working; there are no idlers here," the pontiff said in an interview with papal biographer Austen Ivereigh in April. That included Francis, who live-streamed his daily masses from Santa Marta, as well as the weekly Angelus prayers and general audience talks. Priests were reminded it was their mission to "get out", which many did through social media or video calls. While the lockdown in Italy and the Vatican gradually lifted from May, Francis remained caged. Instead, his closest aides, diplomacy chiefs Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, went abroad in his place. Now it is his turn. While there will be no papal foreign trips this year — for the first time since 1979 — the Assisi outing is expected to go a small way towards charging the batteries of a man who believes a priest's place is with his flock.

Pope in first trip outside Rome since virus lockdown

Canada has decided to re-open its borders for international students and&nbsp;couples who had been separated due to the ongoing pandemic.

On Friday, the immigration minister announced that after months of ban, Canada will allow international students as well as non-citizens who are in exclusive dating relationship with a Canadian citizen.

"We recognize that travel restrictions should not keep loved ones apart," Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-reintroduces-bill-to-ban-lgbt-conversion-therapy-331860">Also read:&nbsp;Canada reintroduces bill to ban LGBT conversion therapy</a>

"In these challenging times, we know those challenges are best met with the strength and support of those we love by our side," he said.

However, the students will have to show proof of being registered in a Canadian college/university, and only the universities that have&nbsp;an approved COVID-19 readiness plan in place will be allowed to admit students. The couples, too, will have to prove the authenticity of their&nbsp;relationship to the Canadian government.

The announcement after the ban on non-essential international crossings across the border were extended for another month.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-to-investigate-use-of-its-tech-in-armenia-azerbaijan-clash-332133">Also read:&nbsp;Canada to investigate use of its tech in Armenia-Azerbaijan clash</a>

This decision was hugely appreciated by the locals who rejoined on being able to meet their loved ones once again. Recently, pictures on social media showed couples having dates along the Canadian border. The couples, however, were questioned by the local authorities.

As per the new regulations,&nbsp;foreign nationals who suffer from&nbsp;a life-threatening illness, critical injury or death will also be allowed to enter.

Travellers will be asked to apply and gain authorisation before arriving in the country. They will also be asked to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days.

The decision has been taken considering the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. Considering the same, the closure of the US-Canada border might continue for the remaining year.

Canada has decided to re-open its borders for international students and couples who had been separated due to the ongoing pandemic. On Friday, the immigration minister announced that after months of ban, Canada will allow international students as well as non-citizens who are in exclusive dating relationship with a Canadian citizen.

Canada has decided to re-open its borders for international students and couples who had been separated due to the ongoing pandemic. On Friday, the immigration minister announced that after months of ban, Canada will allow international students as well as non-citizens who are in exclusive dating relationship with a Canadian citizen. "We recognize that travel restrictions should not keep loved ones apart," Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters. Also read: Canada reintroduces bill to ban LGBT conversion therapy "In these challenging times, we know those challenges are best met with the strength and support of those we love by our side," he said. However, the students will have to show proof of being registered in a Canadian college/university, and only the universities that have an approved COVID-19 readiness plan in place will be allowed to admit students. The couples, too, will have to prove the authenticity of their relationship to the Canadian government. The announcement after the ban on non-essential international crossings across the border were extended for another month. Also read: Canada to investigate use of its tech in Armenia-Azerbaijan clash This decision was hugely appreciated by the locals who rejoined on being able to meet their loved ones once again. Recently, pictures on social media showed couples having dates along the Canadian border. The couples, however, were questioned by the local authorities. As per the new regulations, foreign nationals who suffer from a life-threatening illness, critical injury or death will also be allowed to enter. Travellers will be asked to apply and gain authorisation before arriving in the country. They will also be asked to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days. The decision has been taken considering the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. Considering the same, the closure of the US-Canada border might continue for the remaining year.

Canada to reopen borders for students and couples

Some 4.8 million Madrid residents will be barred from leaving the area from Friday evening, making it the first European capital back into lockdown due to surging coronavirus cases.

Restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital and nine satellite towns will shut early and slash capacity by half in what has again become Europe’s worst infection hotspot.

The new restrictions, to start at 10 pm (2000 GMT), are not as strict as the previous lockdown from March, when people were barred from leaving their homes. However, authorities advised residents not to move around unless absolutely necessary.

“Madrilenos” were exasperated at political wrangling between the central and regional governments, and anxious about whether the measures would work.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/madrid-set-for-partial-lockdown-as-paris-authorities-eye-maximum-virus-alert-331830">Also read:&nbsp;Madrid set for partial lockdown as Paris authorities eye 'maximum virus alert'</a>

“We have been eight months with masks and without nightclubs and parties, and there is still contagion. Then what kind of impact will these restrictions make?,” said Sonny van den Holstein, owner of Sanissimo restaurant.

“People are confused, they hesitate to go out ... they are in fear,” he said, as a customer called to cancel a reservation.

The conservative-led Madrid area authority reluctantly complied with the order from the Socialist-led central government to ban travel except for school, work, health or shopping.

Famous for its late-night carousing and usually lively tourist flow, Madrid’s bars and restaurants must close at 11 p.m. instead of a previous 1 a.m curfew, while restaurants, gyms and shops are having capacity cut by half.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-you-need-to-know-about-regenerons-covid-19-treatment-332171">Also read:&nbsp;What you need to know about Regeneron's COVID-19 treatment</a>

Gatherings of more than six people remain banned indoors and outdoors, but parks and playgrounds can this time stay open.

Legal challenge

The measures widen a confinement already in place in poorer parts of the city with high infection rates.

People who do not comply will face fines.

Other busy European cities have tightened measures in recent days, including limiting numbers in restaurants and making face masks compulsory in more places.

But none have gone as far as Madrid. The new lockdown will last at least 14 days and could be extended if needed.

Conservative regional head Isabel Diaz Ayuso has launched a legal challenge, fearing economic damage and accusing central government of exceeding its mandate by ordering the measures.

With Madrid’s international airport Barajas staying open, Diaz Ayuso tweeted her anger at the prime minister: “From tomorrow one will be able to get to Madrid from Berlin but not from Parla. Thanks for the chaos, Pedro Sanchez.”

Parla is a periphery town south of Madrid.

In its appeal, the region argues that the measures do not adequately fight the pandemic and would cost 750 million euros ($879 million) per week to the local economy.

But Sanchez said the only goal was saving lives and protecting health. “All decisions are made based on scientists’ citeria,” he said at a summit in Brussels.

With 850 cases per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, the Madrid area has Europe’s worst rate.

Spain recorded a total of 789,932 coronavirus cases as of Friday, a rise of 11,325 since Thursday. There have been 32,086 fatalities. Daily deaths are now around their highest levels since early May but far below the late March record of nearly 900.

Some 4.8 million Madrid residents will be barred from leaving the area from Friday evening, making it the first European capital back into lockdown due to surging coronavirus cases.

Some 4.8 million Madrid residents will be barred from leaving the area from Friday evening, making it the first European capital back into lockdown due to surging coronavirus cases. Restaurants and bars in the Spanish capital and nine satellite towns will shut early and slash capacity by half in what has again become Europe’s worst infection hotspot. The new restrictions, to start at 10 pm (2000 GMT), are not as strict as the previous lockdown from March, when people were barred from leaving their homes. However, authorities advised residents not to move around unless absolutely necessary. “Madrilenos” were exasperated at political wrangling between the central and regional governments, and anxious about whether the measures would work. Also read: Madrid set for partial lockdown as Paris authorities eye 'maximum virus alert' “We have been eight months with masks and without nightclubs and parties, and there is still contagion. Then what kind of impact will these restrictions make?,” said Sonny van den Holstein, owner of Sanissimo restaurant. “People are confused, they hesitate to go out ... they are in fear,” he said, as a customer called to cancel a reservation. The conservative-led Madrid area authority reluctantly complied with the order from the Socialist-led central government to ban travel except for school, work, health or shopping. Famous for its late-night carousing and usually lively tourist flow, Madrid’s bars and restaurants must close at 11 p.m. instead of a previous 1 a.m curfew, while restaurants, gyms and shops are having capacity cut by half. Also read: What you need to know about Regeneron's COVID-19 treatment Gatherings of more than six people remain banned indoors and outdoors, but parks and playgrounds can this time stay open. Legal challenge The measures widen a confinement already in place in poorer parts of the city with high infection rates. People who do not comply will face fines. Other busy European cities have tightened measures in recent days, including limiting numbers in restaurants and making face masks compulsory in more places. But none have gone as far as Madrid. The new lockdown will last at least 14 days and could be extended if needed. Conservative regional head Isabel Diaz Ayuso has launched a legal challenge, fearing economic damage and accusing central government of exceeding its mandate by ordering the measures. With Madrid’s international airport Barajas staying open, Diaz Ayuso tweeted her anger at the prime minister: “From tomorrow one will be able to get to Madrid from Berlin but not from Parla. Thanks for the chaos, Pedro Sanchez.” Parla is a periphery town south of Madrid. In its appeal, the region argues that the measures do not adequately fight the pandemic and would cost 750 million euros ($879 million) per week to the local economy. But Sanchez said the only goal was saving lives and protecting health. “All decisions are made based on scientists’ citeria,” he said at a summit in Brussels. With 850 cases per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, the Madrid area has Europe’s worst rate. Spain recorded a total of 789,932 coronavirus cases as of Friday, a rise of 11,325 since Thursday. There have been 32,086 fatalities. Daily deaths are now around their highest levels since early May but far below the late March record of nearly 900.

'Thanks for the chaos': Madrid returns to lockdown

The US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>'s close aide Hope Hicks has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The news broke out minutes after&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;claimed that the end of the pandemic "is in sight".

Hicks, who is&nbsp;counselor to President Donald Trump,&nbsp;was recently spotted flying in the Air Force One on Tuesday with the President to the first presidential debate in Ohio.

After her coronavirus tests came out, the spotlight has turned towards&nbsp;Trump.&nbsp;The President, however, has assured the public that he and the First lady have undergone a COVID test after Hicks tested positive. The first couple has quarantined themselves while they await their test results.

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Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311859538279239686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-claims-end-of-pandemic-in-sight-at-al-smith-dinner-before-us-election-2020-331847">Also read:&nbsp;Donald Trump claims 'end of pandemic in sight' at Al Smith Dinner before US election 2020</a>

Hicks was also seen aboard the&nbsp;Marine One&nbsp;along with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Dan Scavino and Nicholas Luna. None of them were spotted wearing a face mask.

As of now, there have been no specific steps taken int he White House against the spread of coronavirus since Hicks' announcement. The White House spokesman Judd Deere said "the president takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously."

He also assure that the White House takes the required "for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the president is traveling."

The US President Donald Trump's close aide Hope Hicks has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The news broke out minutes after Trump claimed that the end of the pandemic "is in sight".

The US President Donald Trump's close aide Hope Hicks has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The news broke out minutes after Trump claimed that the end of the pandemic "is in sight". Hicks, who is counselor to President Donald Trump, was recently spotted flying in the Air Force One on Tuesday with the President to the first presidential debate in Ohio. After her coronavirus tests came out, the spotlight has turned towards Trump. The President, however, has assured the public that he and the First lady have undergone a COVID test after Hicks tested positive. The first couple has quarantined themselves while they await their test results. Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020 × Also read: Donald Trump claims 'end of pandemic in sight' at Al Smith Dinner before US election 2020 Hicks was also seen aboard the Marine One along with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Dan Scavino and Nicholas Luna. None of them were spotted wearing a face mask. As of now, there have been no specific steps taken int he White House against the spread of coronavirus since Hicks' announcement. The White House spokesman Judd Deere said "the president takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously." He also assure that the White House takes the required "for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the president is traveling."

Donald Trump to quarantine after close aide Hope Hicks tests positive for COVID-19

A US woman who underwent a COVID-19 nasal swab test got her brain's lining punctured, doctors reported in a medical journal.

The 40-year-old US woman suffered this life-thretening infection as the test conducted on her may not have been carried properly, the medical experts claimed. She also had&nbsp;an undiagnosed rare condition.

However, doctors have used this case as a warning to the healthcare workers all around the world. Jarrett Walsh, senior author of the paper that appeared in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head &amp; Neck Surgery, said her case showed health care professionals should take care to follow testing protocols closely.

The people who suffer from extensive sinus and and/or have been through skull-base surgery should exercise caution and request fr oral testing instead of nasal swab, Walsh added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-wife-melania-test-positive-for-coronavirus-331890">Also read:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump, wife Melania test positive for coronavirus</a>

"It underscores the necessity of adequate training of those performing the test and the need for vigilance after the test has been performed," ENT&nbsp;specialist Dennis Kraus of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York claims.

She had appeared for a nasal test ahead of an&nbsp;elective hernia surgery, and later noticed a clear fluid coming out of one side of her nose.

"She had been swabbed previously for another procedure, same side, no problems at all. She feels like maybe the second swab was not using the best technique, and that the entry was a little bit high," he said.

She also developed a headache which was followed by vomiting, neck stiffness and was unable to bear light.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-reveals-nearly-20000-of-its-workers-contracted-coronavirus-331856">Also read:&nbsp;Amazon reveals nearly 20,000 of its workers contracted coronavirus</a>

In fact, the woman had been treated years earlier for intracranial hypertension — meaning that the pressure from cerebrospinal fluid that protects and nourishes the brain was too high.&nbsp;

However, that resulted&nbsp;in her developing&nbsp;an encephalocele, which is a&nbsp;defect at the base of the skull that causes the brain's lining to protrude into the nose, which resulted in a rupture.

Doctors at the time used a shunt to drain some of the fluid and the condition resolved.&nbsp;

The situation was highlighted after the doctors studied the old reports to deal with her case.

The doctors revealed that if this problem is not&nbsp;been treated on time, the bacteria could have traveled up the nose, or the air could have entered the skull and placed excess pressure on the brain, leading to a life-thretening brain infection.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US woman who underwent a COVID-19 nasal swab test got her brain's lining punctured, doctors reported in a medical journal. The 40-year-old US woman suffered this life-thretening infection as the test conducted on her may not have been carried properly, the medical experts claimed.

A US woman who underwent a COVID-19 nasal swab test got her brain's lining punctured, doctors reported in a medical journal. The 40-year-old US woman suffered this life-thretening infection as the test conducted on her may not have been carried properly, the medical experts claimed. She also had an undiagnosed rare condition. However, doctors have used this case as a warning to the healthcare workers all around the world. Jarrett Walsh, senior author of the paper that appeared in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, said her case showed health care professionals should take care to follow testing protocols closely. The people who suffer from extensive sinus and and/or have been through skull-base surgery should exercise caution and request fr oral testing instead of nasal swab, Walsh added. Also read: US President Donald Trump, wife Melania test positive for coronavirus "It underscores the necessity of adequate training of those performing the test and the need for vigilance after the test has been performed," ENT specialist Dennis Kraus of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York claims. She had appeared for a nasal test ahead of an elective hernia surgery, and later noticed a clear fluid coming out of one side of her nose. "She had been swabbed previously for another procedure, same side, no problems at all. She feels like maybe the second swab was not using the best technique, and that the entry was a little bit high," he said. She also developed a headache which was followed by vomiting, neck stiffness and was unable to bear light. Also read: Amazon reveals nearly 20,000 of its workers contracted coronavirus In fact, the woman had been treated years earlier for intracranial hypertension — meaning that the pressure from cerebrospinal fluid that protects and nourishes the brain was too high. However, that resulted in her developing an encephalocele, which is a defect at the base of the skull that causes the brain's lining to protrude into the nose, which resulted in a rupture. Doctors at the time used a shunt to drain some of the fluid and the condition resolved. The situation was highlighted after the doctors studied the old reports to deal with her case. The doctors revealed that if this problem is not been treated on time, the bacteria could have traveled up the nose, or the air could have entered the skull and placed excess pressure on the brain, leading to a life-thretening brain infection. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 nasal swab test causes brain fluid leak in US woman: Study

India's COVID-19 caseload inched closer to 6,400,000 million-mark with 81,484 infections reported in a day, while the number of people who recuperated from the disease crossed 5.3 million&nbsp;pushing the recovery rate to 83.70 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country mounted to 6,394,068, while the death toll climbed to 99,773 with the infection claiming 1,095 lives in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry data updated at 8 am on Friday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-pakistan-shuts-restaurants-with-no-distancing-331922">Also read|&nbsp;COVID-19: Pakistan shuts restaurants with no distancing</a>

The total recoveries have surged to 5,352,078. There are 942,217 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 14.74 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.&nbsp;The COVID-19 case fatality rate was recorded at 1.56 per cent, it said.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 3 million on August 23 and 4 million on September 5. It went past the 5 million on September 16 and crossed 6 million on September 28.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 76,717,728 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to October 1, with 1,097,947 samples being tested on Thursday.

India's COVID-19 caseload inched closer to 6,400,000 million-mark with 81,484 infections reported in a day, while the number of people who recuperated from the disease crossed 5.

India's COVID-19 caseload inched closer to 6,400,000 million-mark with 81,484 infections reported in a day, while the number of people who recuperated from the disease crossed 5.3 million pushing the recovery rate to 83.70 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Friday. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country mounted to 6,394,068, while the death toll climbed to 99,773 with the infection claiming 1,095 lives in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry data updated at 8 am on Friday. Also read| COVID-19: Pakistan shuts restaurants with no distancing The total recoveries have surged to 5,352,078. There are 942,217 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 14.74 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. The COVID-19 case fatality rate was recorded at 1.56 per cent, it said. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 2 million mark on August 7, 3 million on August 23 and 4 million on September 5. It went past the 5 million on September 16 and crossed 6 million on September 28. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 76,717,728 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to October 1, with 1,097,947 samples being tested on Thursday.

India's COVID-19 tally inches closer to 6 million-mark; recoveries reach 5.3 mn

Pakistan authorities have closed more than 100 restaurants and six wedding halls in the financial capital of Karachi over violations of social distancing rules amid a sudden increase in COVID-19 deaths.

The government has also imposed a lockdown in some of the city's high-risk areas to contain the spread of the coronavirus. A similar crackdown over social distancing rules has also been ordered in other parts of the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-reports-694-new-covid-19-cases-records-6-fresh-deaths-330595">Also read: Pakistan reports 694 new Covid-19 cases, records 6 fresh deaths</a>

Pakistanis have been seen routinely violating social distancing since last month when wedding halls were allowed to open on the condition they adhere to such rules.

Authorities earlier reported 13 out of the country's 15 single-day COVID-19 fatalities in southern Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital.

Pakistan has reported 313,431 confirmed cases with 6,499 deaths.

Pakistan authorities have closed more than 100 restaurants and six wedding halls in the financial capital of Karachi over violations of social distancing rules amid a sudden increase in COVID-19 deaths.

Pakistan authorities have closed more than 100 restaurants and six wedding halls in the financial capital of Karachi over violations of social distancing rules amid a sudden increase in COVID-19 deaths. The government has also imposed a lockdown in some of the city's high-risk areas to contain the spread of the coronavirus. A similar crackdown over social distancing rules has also been ordered in other parts of the country. Also read: Pakistan reports 694 new Covid-19 cases, records 6 fresh deaths Pakistanis have been seen routinely violating social distancing since last month when wedding halls were allowed to open on the condition they adhere to such rules. Authorities earlier reported 13 out of the country's 15 single-day COVID-19 fatalities in southern Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital. Pakistan has reported 313,431 confirmed cases with 6,499 deaths.

COVID-19: Pakistan shuts restaurants with no distancing

The coronavirus tally of India has crossed the 61-lakh mark with a spike of 70,589 new cases and 776 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Case tally stands at 61,45,292 including 9,47,576 active cases, 51,01,398 cured/discharged/migrated &amp; 96,318 deaths, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest update read.

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the duration of several schemes has been extended till December 31 due to COVID-19.

"The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has extended the duration of several schemes till 31.12.2020 in view of the continued disruption caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic in certain parts of the country and to provide greater Ease of Doing Business," a tweet from the Office of Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Meanwhile, the global death toll from COVID-19 rose past 1 million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a bleak milestone in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live.

The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks as infections surge in several countries.

"Our world has reached an agonizing milestone," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

The coronavirus tally of India has crossed the 61-lakh mark with a spike of 70,589 new cases and 776 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The coronavirus tally of India has crossed the 61-lakh mark with a spike of 70,589 new cases and 776 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. Case tally stands at 61,45,292 including 9,47,576 active cases, 51,01,398 cured/discharged/migrated & 96,318 deaths, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest update read. Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the duration of several schemes has been extended till December 31 due to COVID-19. "The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has extended the duration of several schemes till 31.12.2020 in view of the continued disruption caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic in certain parts of the country and to provide greater Ease of Doing Business," a tweet from the Office of Nirmala Sitharaman said. Meanwhile, the global death toll from COVID-19 rose past 1 million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a bleak milestone in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live. The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks as infections surge in several countries. "Our world has reached an agonizing milestone," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

India reports 70,589 new cases, 776 deaths as tally crosses 61-lakh mark 

After heavy rainfall and flood situation, Bangladesh is also struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has hampered recovery efforts and dealt a blow to job prospects.

According to a report jointly published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ADB on August 18, predicted that an estimated 1,117,000 to 1,675,000 youth in Bangladesh may become unemployed in 2020 due to the massive disruptions in economic activities and labour markets caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

At a time when the world is struggling to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Bangladesh faced its worst flood in a decade with persistently heavy monsoon rains that began in June. 
 
The virus has already reached every corner of the Bangladesh. Low-income workers willing to accept very low wages in extremely dangerous conditions, with no serious health and safety protections.

Bangladesh has been battling to make satisfactory job openings for for its citizen, including youth for long. In spite of a wonderful monetary development lately, the nation presently can't seem to do as such, raising questions about the quality of the growth. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

After heavy rainfall and flood situation, Bangladesh is also struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has hampered recovery efforts and dealt a blow to job prospects.

After heavy rainfall and flood situation, Bangladesh is also struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak that has hampered recovery efforts and dealt a blow to job prospects. According to a report jointly published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ADB on August 18, predicted that an estimated 1,117,000 to 1,675,000 youth in Bangladesh may become unemployed in 2020 due to the massive disruptions in economic activities and labour markets caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. At a time when the world is struggling to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Bangladesh faced its worst flood in a decade with persistently heavy monsoon rains that began in June. The virus has already reached every corner of the Bangladesh. Low-income workers willing to accept very low wages in extremely dangerous conditions, with no serious health and safety protections. Bangladesh has been battling to make satisfactory job openings for for its citizen, including youth for long. In spite of a wonderful monetary development lately, the nation presently can't seem to do as such, raising questions about the quality of the growth. (With inputs from agencies)

Twin crisis for Bangladesh as Covid-19 affected economy takes a serious hit

India on Monday reported 95,542 new infections in the past 24 hours, crossing 60 lakh cases across the country even as the central government continues to work out measures to contain the outbreak. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-death-toll-crosses-1-million-mark-as-europe-battles-second-wave-330779">Also read | Coronavirus death toll crosses 1 million-mark as Europe battles second wave</a> 
 
According to the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare the total coronavirus case tally stands at 60,74,703 including 9,62,640 active cases, 5,01,6521 cured/discharged/migrated &amp; 95,542. 
 
The number of patients who have died of the viral disease in India since the first death on March 12, is 95,567. 
 
Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected by the pandemic with 2,73,646 active cases, 10,30,015 cured and discharged cases and 35,571 deaths. 
 
Karnataka with 1,04,743 active cases is the next in the list. While 4,62,241 patients have been cured in the State, the disease has claimed 8,582 lives so far. 
 
Andhra Pradesh with 64,876 active cases is also severely affected, however, over six lakh patients have been cured in the State, while 5,708 deaths have occurred due to it. 
 
Meanwhile, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7,19,67,230 samples have been tested up to September 27 for COVID-19.Out of these 7,09,394 samples were tested yesterday. 
 
On the global front, More than one million people around the world have lost their lives from coronavirus, a virus that was emerged less than a year ago, but still continues to affect many countries.

According to an AFP tally, Covid-19 has killed 1,000,009 people with 33,018,877 total infections.

(With inputs from agencies)

India on Monday reported 95,542 new infections in the past 24 hours, crossing 60 lakh cases across the country even as the central government continues to work out measures to contain the outbreak.

India on Monday reported 95,542 new infections in the past 24 hours, crossing 60 lakh cases across the country even as the central government continues to work out measures to contain the outbreak. Also read | Coronavirus death toll crosses 1 million-mark as Europe battles second wave According to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare the total coronavirus case tally stands at 60,74,703 including 9,62,640 active cases, 5,01,6521 cured/discharged/migrated & 95,542. The number of patients who have died of the viral disease in India since the first death on March 12, is 95,567. Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected by the pandemic with 2,73,646 active cases, 10,30,015 cured and discharged cases and 35,571 deaths. Karnataka with 1,04,743 active cases is the next in the list. While 4,62,241 patients have been cured in the State, the disease has claimed 8,582 lives so far. Andhra Pradesh with 64,876 active cases is also severely affected, however, over six lakh patients have been cured in the State, while 5,708 deaths have occurred due to it. Meanwhile, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7,19,67,230 samples have been tested up to September 27 for COVID-19.Out of these 7,09,394 samples were tested yesterday. On the global front, More than one million people around the world have lost their lives from coronavirus, a virus that was emerged less than a year ago, but still continues to affect many countries. According to an AFP tally, Covid-19 has killed 1,000,009 people with 33,018,877 total infections. (With inputs from agencies)

India's Covid-19 tally crosses 60-lakh mark, deaths close in on 1 lakh

The ICMR's second sero-survey shows that Indian population is still far from achieving herd immunity against coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday while underlining the need for following COVID appropriate behaviour.

He also stressed that masks be worn even in places of worship.

During an interaction with his social media followers, the minister said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively researching on reports of COVID-19 reinfection and although the number of such cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter, the health ministry said in a statement.

He cautioned that the sero-survey report should not create a sense of complacency among the people.

The first sero-survey of May 2020 had revealed that the nationwide prevalence of novel coronavirus infection was only 0.73 per cent.

"Even the soon to be released second sero-survey indications are that we are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity which necessitates that all of us should continue following COVID appropriate behaviour," Vardhan said in response to the queries posed by his social media followers on 'Sunday Samvad' platform.

The health minister also dispelled fears regarding the phased opening of schools, and advised on proper protocol to be followed while visiting salons and hair spas, the ministry said.

He asked everyone to always raise awareness regarding COVID appropriate behavior which he himself does by stopping his car and asking non-compliant people to wear their masks, the statement said.

He re-emphasized on the need for wearing masks even in places of worship.

"The pandemic can only be fought when the government and society work in tandem," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

On the wide usage of investigational therapies such as plasma therapy and Remdesivir drug for combating COVID-19, Vardhan said the government has issued regular advisories regarding their rational usage and private hospitals have also been advised against routine use of these therapies.

The doctors in the states and UTs are being made aware of this through webinars and tele-consultation session of AIIMS, New Delhi, the statement stated.

On emerging evidence that COVID-19 infection not only impacts our lungs, but other organ systems too, especially cardiovascular and renal functions, the minister said the Ministry of Health has already set up committees of experts to look into these facets of the disease.

"ICMR is also actively investigating and researching reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter," he said.

Vardhan stated that states/UTs have also been advised to lower the prices of COVID-19 tests.

In the early days of the pandemic, as the kits were imported, the price tended to be high.

But now, supplies of testing kits have stabilised and domestic production of these kits has commenced, the statement said.

He said his ministry has written to the states and Union territories to engage private laboratories at mutually agreeable lower rates.

He said he has spoken personally to several state health ministers regarding reduction in prices of testing in their respective states.

On a question related to 'Atma-nirbhar Bharat Yojana', the minister spoke of India's two-pronged strategy of incentivising production and creation of common infrastructure for high-quality medicines and medical devices to make the country self-reliant.

He said the government is ensuring that there is import substitution in this sector.

Vardhan said in the last few months since the outbreak of the pandemic, India had made rapid strides in the 'manufacturing of ventilators, PPEs, testing kits and many medical devices'.

On disparity in setting up AIIMS in different regions and only one for the entire North East, he talked about the Central Scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aimed at correcting the regional imbalances in healthcare.

Other than setting up new AIIMS, the scheme also aims to upgrade the existing medical infrastructure in the entire country in a phased manner.

Under different phases of the scheme, the central government will establish new medical colleges attached with existing district and referral hospitals in Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu and Kokrajhar districts in Assam, Churachandrapur in Manipur West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya, Falkawan district in Mizoram, and Kohima and Mon in Nagaland.

Vardhan also stated that the Centre has added 29,185 MBBS seats in the last five years.

Responding to questions on strengthening the public health system, he talked about the Union government's commitment to "increase the public healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP from the existing 1.15 per cent to 2.5 per cent by 2025", which "will mean an actual increase of 345 per cent over the current share in this short period of time."

The ICMR's second sero-survey shows that Indian population is still far from achieving herd immunity against coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday while underlining the need for following COVID appropriate behaviour.

The ICMR's second sero-survey shows that Indian population is still far from achieving herd immunity against coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday while underlining the need for following COVID appropriate behaviour. He also stressed that masks be worn even in places of worship. During an interaction with his social media followers, the minister said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively researching on reports of COVID-19 reinfection and although the number of such cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter, the health ministry said in a statement. He cautioned that the sero-survey report should not create a sense of complacency among the people. The first sero-survey of May 2020 had revealed that the nationwide prevalence of novel coronavirus infection was only 0.73 per cent. "Even the soon to be released second sero-survey indications are that we are far from having achieved any kind of herd immunity which necessitates that all of us should continue following COVID appropriate behaviour," Vardhan said in response to the queries posed by his social media followers on 'Sunday Samvad' platform. The health minister also dispelled fears regarding the phased opening of schools, and advised on proper protocol to be followed while visiting salons and hair spas, the ministry said. He asked everyone to always raise awareness regarding COVID appropriate behavior which he himself does by stopping his car and asking non-compliant people to wear their masks, the statement said. He re-emphasized on the need for wearing masks even in places of worship. "The pandemic can only be fought when the government and society work in tandem," he was quoted as saying in the statement. On the wide usage of investigational therapies such as plasma therapy and Remdesivir drug for combating COVID-19, Vardhan said the government has issued regular advisories regarding their rational usage and private hospitals have also been advised against routine use of these therapies. The doctors in the states and UTs are being made aware of this through webinars and tele-consultation session of AIIMS, New Delhi, the statement stated. On emerging evidence that COVID-19 infection not only impacts our lungs, but other organ systems too, especially cardiovascular and renal functions, the minister said the Ministry of Health has already set up committees of experts to look into these facets of the disease. "ICMR is also actively investigating and researching reports of reinfection and although the number of reinfection cases is negligible at this moment, the government is fully seized of the importance of the matter," he said. Vardhan stated that states/UTs have also been advised to lower the prices of COVID-19 tests. In the early days of the pandemic, as the kits were imported, the price tended to be high. But now, supplies of testing kits have stabilised and domestic production of these kits has commenced, the statement said. He said his ministry has written to the states and Union territories to engage private laboratories at mutually agreeable lower rates. He said he has spoken personally to several state health ministers regarding reduction in prices of testing in their respective states. On a question related to 'Atma-nirbhar Bharat Yojana', the minister spoke of India's two-pronged strategy of incentivising production and creation of common infrastructure for high-quality medicines and medical devices to make the country self-reliant. He said the government is ensuring that there is import substitution in this sector. Vardhan said in the last few months since the outbreak of the pandemic, India had made rapid strides in the 'manufacturing of ventilators, PPEs, testing kits and many medical devices'. On disparity in setting up AIIMS in different regions and only one for the entire North East, he talked about the Central Scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aimed at correcting the regional imbalances in healthcare. Other than setting up new AIIMS, the scheme also aims to upgrade the existing medical infrastructure in the entire country in a phased manner. Under different phases of the scheme, the central government will establish new medical colleges attached with existing district and referral hospitals in Dhubri, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Diphu and Kokrajhar districts in Assam, Churachandrapur in Manipur West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya, Falkawan district in Mizoram, and Kohima and Mon in Nagaland. Vardhan also stated that the Centre has added 29,185 MBBS seats in the last five years. Responding to questions on strengthening the public health system, he talked about the Union government's commitment to "increase the public healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP from the existing 1.15 per cent to 2.5 per cent by 2025", which "will mean an actual increase of 345 per cent over the current share in this short period of time."

Indians far from achieving herd immunity against COVID-19: ICMR second serosurvey report

Over one million people have lost their lives from coronavirus, a virus that was emerged less than a year ago, but still continues to affect many countries.&nbsp;

Scientists around the world are working to develop a vaccine that could contain this deadly virus which was originated in China’s Wuhan. 
 
The researcher working on Coronavirus’s cause and effect have found that lack of a substance called ‘interferon’ is reportedly life-threatening to COVID-19 positive patients.

Interferon helps orchestrate defence against viral pathogens &amp; insufficient interferon may lurk at a dangerous turning point in Covid infections.

According to an article published in Science Magazine online "The body’s vanguard virus fighter, a molecular messenger called type I interferon, is missing in action in some severe cases. In a significant minority of patients with serious COVID-19, the interferon response has been crippled by genetic flaws or by rogue antibodies that attack interferon itself."&nbsp;

As the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the global economy, increased poverty and triggered geopolitical tensions as it continues to spread at a brisk pace in countries like India, the United States and Brazil.

A fully tested and approved research would only explain a proportion of COVID-19's most serious cases, it just might be a discovery that could still save many lives worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies)

Over one million people have lost their lives from coronavirus, a virus that was emerged less than a year ago, but still continues to affect many countries. Scientists around the world are working to develop a vaccine that could contain this deadly virus which was originated in China’s Wuhan.

Over one million people have lost their lives from coronavirus, a virus that was emerged less than a year ago, but still continues to affect many countries. Scientists around the world are working to develop a vaccine that could contain this deadly virus which was originated in China’s Wuhan. The researcher working on Coronavirus’s cause and effect have found that lack of a substance called ‘interferon’ is reportedly life-threatening to COVID-19 positive patients. Interferon helps orchestrate defence against viral pathogens & insufficient interferon may lurk at a dangerous turning point in Covid infections. According to an article published in Science Magazine online "The body’s vanguard virus fighter, a molecular messenger called type I interferon, is missing in action in some severe cases. In a significant minority of patients with serious COVID-19, the interferon response has been crippled by genetic flaws or by rogue antibodies that attack interferon itself." As the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the global economy, increased poverty and triggered geopolitical tensions as it continues to spread at a brisk pace in countries like India, the United States and Brazil. A fully tested and approved research would only explain a proportion of COVID-19's most serious cases, it just might be a discovery that could still save many lives worldwide. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Interferon’ insufficiency is the reason why coronavirus is deadly for some patients

The Union Health ministry of India has said that the total recoveries from COVID-19 in India has crossed the 50 lakh milestone on Monday with recovered cases outpacing active cases by more than five times.

The ministry in a press statement has said that "India's total recoveries have crossed the landmark milestone of 50 lakh today (50, 16,520). With a very high number of COVID patients recovering every single day, India's steady trend of posting high level of daily recoveries continues.”

"The total recovered cases have outpaced active cases by more than 5 times. With the exponential increase in the recoveries, there is close to 100 per cent increase in recovered cases in one month," it said. 
 
"Seventy-three per cent of the new recovered cases are being reported from ten states, viz. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab. Maharashtra leads the tally with more than 13,000 new cases of recovered patients," it said.

The ministry further said that 84 per cent of new deaths are reported from 10 States and UTs.

Meanwhile, India on Monday reported 95,542 new infections in the past 24 hours, crossing 60 lakh cases across the country even as the central government continues to work out measures to contain the outbreak.

According to the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare the total coronavirus case tally stands at 60,74,703 including 9,62,640 active cases, 5,01,6521 cured/discharged/migrated &amp; 95,542.

The number of patients who have died of the viral disease in India since the first death on March 12, is 95,567.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Union Health ministry of India has said that the total recoveries from COVID-19 in India has crossed the 50 lakh milestone on Monday with recovered cases outpacing active cases by more than five times.

The Union Health ministry of India has said that the total recoveries from COVID-19 in India has crossed the 50 lakh milestone on Monday with recovered cases outpacing active cases by more than five times. The ministry in a press statement has said that "India's total recoveries have crossed the landmark milestone of 50 lakh today (50, 16,520). With a very high number of COVID patients recovering every single day, India's steady trend of posting high level of daily recoveries continues.” "The total recovered cases have outpaced active cases by more than 5 times. With the exponential increase in the recoveries, there is close to 100 per cent increase in recovered cases in one month," it said. "Seventy-three per cent of the new recovered cases are being reported from ten states, viz. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal and Punjab. Maharashtra leads the tally with more than 13,000 new cases of recovered patients," it said. The ministry further said that 84 per cent of new deaths are reported from 10 States and UTs. Meanwhile, India on Monday reported 95,542 new infections in the past 24 hours, crossing 60 lakh cases across the country even as the central government continues to work out measures to contain the outbreak. According to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare the total coronavirus case tally stands at 60,74,703 including 9,62,640 active cases, 5,01,6521 cured/discharged/migrated & 95,542. The number of patients who have died of the viral disease in India since the first death on March 12, is 95,567. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus recoveries in India cross 50 lakh mark

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India on Sunday reported 88,600 fresh cases in a day as the cases tally mounted to 59.9 lakhs. 1124 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours.

COVID case tally stands at 5,992,533 including 9,56,402 active cases, 49,41,628 cured/discharged/migrated &amp; 94,503 deaths, the Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare's latest update said.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7, 12, 57,836 samples tested up to 26th September for COVID-19. Of these, 9, 87,861 samples were tested yesterday.

(With inputs from agencies)

India on Sunday reported 88,600 fresh cases in a day as the cases tally mounted to 59.9 lakhs. 1124 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours. COVID case tally stands at 5,992,533 including 9,56,402 active cases, 49,41,628 cured/discharged/migrated & 94,503 deaths, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare's latest update said.

India on Sunday reported 88,600 fresh cases in a day as the cases tally mounted to 59.9 lakhs. 1124 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours. COVID case tally stands at 5,992,533 including 9,56,402 active cases, 49,41,628 cured/discharged/migrated & 94,503 deaths, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare's latest update said. According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 7, 12, 57,836 samples tested up to 26th September for COVID-19. Of these, 9, 87,861 samples were tested yesterday. (With inputs from agencies)

India reports single day spike of 88,600 new cases as tally mounts to 59.9 lakhs

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