Israel recorded eight cases of a coronavirus variant first found in India, the country’s health official said on Tuesday.&nbsp;The country also found that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine remains partially effective against the variant.

The first seven cases of the variant from India were detected in the country last week among people coming from abroad. The health ministry was cited by Reuters as saying that the people had undergone preliminary testing since then.

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"The impression is that the Pfizer vaccine has efficacy against it, albeit a reduced efficacy," the health ministry's director-general, Hezi Levy, told Kan public radio. He also added that the cases have increased to eight now.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/covid-19-double-mutant-now-most-prevalent-variant-in-india-report-378140" hreflang="en">COVID-19 double mutant now most prevalent variant in India: Report</a>

Recently, Britain and Ireland also said that they probing the variant after it was found among many patients in their territories.

India is currently experiencing a major wave of COVID-19 cases, which many analysts have attributed to the “double mutation” variant. The country has logged in over 2 lakh cases everyday over the last week.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/south-african-variant-may-break-through-pfizer-vaccine-protection-says-study-378504" hreflang="en">South African variant may 'break through' Pfizer vaccine protection, says study</a>&nbsp;

Israel has been seen as a success story in terms of vaccinations, for it has successfully been able to inoculate over 81 per cent of its citizens aged 16 and above. Due to this, hospitalisations in the country have been lowered tremendously.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel recorded eight cases of a coronavirus variant first found in India, the country’s health official said on Tuesday. The country also found that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine remains partially effective against the variant.

Israel recorded eight cases of a coronavirus variant first found in India, the country’s health official said on Tuesday. The country also found that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine remains partially effective against the variant. The first seven cases of the variant from India were detected in the country last week among people coming from abroad. The health ministry was cited by Reuters as saying that the people had undergone preliminary testing since then. "The impression is that the Pfizer vaccine has efficacy against it, albeit a reduced efficacy," the health ministry's director-general, Hezi Levy, told Kan public radio. He also added that the cases have increased to eight now. Also read: COVID-19 double mutant now most prevalent variant in India: Report Recently, Britain and Ireland also said that they probing the variant after it was found among many patients in their territories. India is currently experiencing a major wave of COVID-19 cases, which many analysts have attributed to the “double mutation” variant. The country has logged in over 2 lakh cases everyday over the last week. Also read: South African variant may 'break through' Pfizer vaccine protection, says study Israel has been seen as a success story in terms of vaccinations, for it has successfully been able to inoculate over 81 per cent of its citizens aged 16 and above. Due to this, hospitalisations in the country have been lowered tremendously. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel records eight cases of coronavirus variant first found in India

At 8:30 on weekday mornings, there is now enough space in the Main Concourse at Grand Central Terminal for travelers to walk at least 6 feet apart. Most move at a stroll rather than the New York City speedwalk. Early last year, about 160,000 people passed through the station each weekday. Ridership is now less than a quarter of that.

The pandemic has profoundly disrupted the largest public transit system in America, throwing it into financial turmoil. But getting more people on public transportation will be a crucial component of New York City’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2050. The system needs to grow — right at a time when it is facing a sharp decline in ridership and revenue.

Subway rides, bus rides and car trips in New York City fell drastically last March as coronavirus cases surged and the city entered a mandatory lockdown. Some residents who could afford to left the city for second homes or rentals in the suburbs. Many employees switched to remote work and have not yet returned to their offices. Keeping the city’s buses and subways moving has been crucial for transporting medical and essential workers, but, with fewer riders, the city’s public transit organization is facing its worst budget crisis in history.

“We are still in a severe fiscal crisis caused by the pandemic,” said Shams Tarek, deputy communications director at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates many of the subways, buses and trains in the New York metro area. “But we’re optimistic about the future, given the support we’ve received in Washington. We expect ridership to gradually return to the system — it’s not a matter of if, but when — and we will continue to power New York’s recovery.”

Before the pandemic, New York City’s subways were the city’s most popular mode of transit. There were nearly 1.7 billion turnstile swipes in 2019. But last March, ridership fell 90% and has only recovered to a third of what it was before the pandemic.

Transportation researchers attribute New York City’s drop in public transit riders to the shift to remote work and say that the dip in tourism may also be contributing to fewer subway rides.

“There’s a difference in travel right now,” said Hayley Richardson, a senior communications associate at TransitCenter, a nonprofit group that advocates for public transportation in New York City. “White-collar workers are not going to the office, fewer people are taking trips for entertainment. There’s just less movement around the city.”

The citywide decline in subway riders has wiped out the transit budget. Since last spring, the MTA has been operating on $8 billion in coronavirus relief payments from the federal government and an additional $3 billion in short-term loans. But that money will soon run out. The MTA will require an additional $8 billion by 2024 to avoid dramatic service cuts and layoffs.

The high costs of sanitization and investments in worker protections have also compounded financial problems for the organization. Systemwide, the MTA spent $371 million on pandemic-related costs in 2020 and expects to spend close to that same amount each year through 2024. Station and train cleaning efforts require closing the subway system overnight, which reduces service in the early morning hours.

In the early days of the pandemic, it seemed all but impossible to follow social distancing guidelines while staying safe on New York’s crowded buses and subways. Those initial fears of infection may have spurred car purchases. And some former riders may still be avoiding transit for fear of contracting the virus, though transmission risks are lower than offices or classrooms if all passengers wear masks and practice social distancing. “Despite the fact that all of the subsequent studies have failed to show a link between COVID transmission and transit, that idea was difficult to dislodge once it got into people’s minds,” Richardson said.

Bus ridership dropped precipitously in March, but rebounded faster than subway ridership. “The majority of bus riders during the pandemic were essential workers,” said Jaqi Cohen, the campaign director for the Straphangers Campaign, which advocates for public transit riders.

In March, the MTA implemented rear-door boarding on buses to keep passengers distanced from drivers until plastic partitions could be installed around the driver’s seats. On local buses, the fare box is near the front door, so the policy effectively eliminated fares on those routes. When those partitions were completed in September, fares were reinstated and ridership dropped a second time.

“The fact that bus ridership is only down 40% really says so much about what role the city’s bus system plays as sort of the workhorse and getting essential workers where they need to go and, you know, getting people to doctor’s appointments and grocery stores,” Richardson said.

Bus riders are more likely to be older, people of color or immigrants than subway riders, according to Richardson. The MTA has also introduced three new bus routes to serve riders during the overnight subway closures and increased service along its busiest routes.

Car travel was quicker to recover than any form of public transit, though fewer people are making trips than before the pandemic, according to analyses by INRIX and StreetLight Data, two firms that specialize in mobility data.

In New York City, morning rush hour on highways has subsided. With less driving overall, the city’s roadways have fewer traffic jams and higher vehicle speeds. The traffic analysis showed that the daily surge in vehicle traffic is more spread out throughout the day and into the afternoon, likely because of an increase in home deliveries and more New Yorkers running errands during the afternoon.

As New York City reopens, the increase in driving will lead to bottlenecks and slower speeds. “We cannot depend on single-occupancy vehicles to function as a city,” Cohen said. “There’s only so many cars that can be on the road in New York before the streets have hit total gridlock.”

At 8:30 on weekday mornings, there is now enough space in the Main Concourse at Grand Central Terminal for travelers to walk at least 6 feet apart. Most move at a stroll rather than the New York City speedwalk.

At 8:30 on weekday mornings, there is now enough space in the Main Concourse at Grand Central Terminal for travelers to walk at least 6 feet apart. Most move at a stroll rather than the New York City speedwalk. Early last year, about 160,000 people passed through the station each weekday. Ridership is now less than a quarter of that. The pandemic has profoundly disrupted the largest public transit system in America, throwing it into financial turmoil. But getting more people on public transportation will be a crucial component of New York City’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2050. The system needs to grow — right at a time when it is facing a sharp decline in ridership and revenue. Subway rides, bus rides and car trips in New York City fell drastically last March as coronavirus cases surged and the city entered a mandatory lockdown. Some residents who could afford to left the city for second homes or rentals in the suburbs. Many employees switched to remote work and have not yet returned to their offices. Keeping the city’s buses and subways moving has been crucial for transporting medical and essential workers, but, with fewer riders, the city’s public transit organization is facing its worst budget crisis in history. “We are still in a severe fiscal crisis caused by the pandemic,” said Shams Tarek, deputy communications director at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates many of the subways, buses and trains in the New York metro area. “But we’re optimistic about the future, given the support we’ve received in Washington. We expect ridership to gradually return to the system — it’s not a matter of if, but when — and we will continue to power New York’s recovery.” Before the pandemic, New York City’s subways were the city’s most popular mode of transit. There were nearly 1.7 billion turnstile swipes in 2019. But last March, ridership fell 90% and has only recovered to a third of what it was before the pandemic. Transportation researchers attribute New York City’s drop in public transit riders to the shift to remote work and say that the dip in tourism may also be contributing to fewer subway rides. “There’s a difference in travel right now,” said Hayley Richardson, a senior communications associate at TransitCenter, a nonprofit group that advocates for public transportation in New York City. “White-collar workers are not going to the office, fewer people are taking trips for entertainment. There’s just less movement around the city.” The citywide decline in subway riders has wiped out the transit budget. Since last spring, the MTA has been operating on $8 billion in coronavirus relief payments from the federal government and an additional $3 billion in short-term loans. But that money will soon run out. The MTA will require an additional $8 billion by 2024 to avoid dramatic service cuts and layoffs. The high costs of sanitization and investments in worker protections have also compounded financial problems for the organization. Systemwide, the MTA spent $371 million on pandemic-related costs in 2020 and expects to spend close to that same amount each year through 2024. Station and train cleaning efforts require closing the subway system overnight, which reduces service in the early morning hours. In the early days of the pandemic, it seemed all but impossible to follow social distancing guidelines while staying safe on New York’s crowded buses and subways. Those initial fears of infection may have spurred car purchases. And some former riders may still be avoiding transit for fear of contracting the virus, though transmission risks are lower than offices or classrooms if all passengers wear masks and practice social distancing. “Despite the fact that all of the subsequent studies have failed to show a link between COVID transmission and transit, that idea was difficult to dislodge once it got into people’s minds,” Richardson said. Bus ridership dropped precipitously in March, but rebounded faster than subway ridership. “The majority of bus riders during the pandemic were essential workers,” said Jaqi Cohen, the campaign director for the Straphangers Campaign, which advocates for public transit riders. In March, the MTA implemented rear-door boarding on buses to keep passengers distanced from drivers until plastic partitions could be installed around the driver’s seats. On local buses, the fare box is near the front door, so the policy effectively eliminated fares on those routes. When those partitions were completed in September, fares were reinstated and ridership dropped a second time. “The fact that bus ridership is only down 40% really says so much about what role the city’s bus system plays as sort of the workhorse and getting essential workers where they need to go and, you know, getting people to doctor’s appointments and grocery stores,” Richardson said. Bus riders are more likely to be older, people of color or immigrants than subway riders, according to Richardson. The MTA has also introduced three new bus routes to serve riders during the overnight subway closures and increased service along its busiest routes. Car travel was quicker to recover than any form of public transit, though fewer people are making trips than before the pandemic, according to analyses by INRIX and StreetLight Data, two firms that specialize in mobility data. In New York City, morning rush hour on highways has subsided. With less driving overall, the city’s roadways have fewer traffic jams and higher vehicle speeds. The traffic analysis showed that the daily surge in vehicle traffic is more spread out throughout the day and into the afternoon, likely because of an increase in home deliveries and more New Yorkers running errands during the afternoon. As New York City reopens, the increase in driving will lead to bottlenecks and slower speeds. “We cannot depend on single-occupancy vehicles to function as a city,” Cohen said. “There’s only so many cars that can be on the road in New York before the streets have hit total gridlock.”

How coronavirus has changed New York City transit

India’s Health Ministry on Sunday reported 447 cases of “adverse event following immunisations” (AEFI) after the country began its vaccination drive on January 16, which is being called the largest immunisation programme in the world.

A health ministry official said that three people were hospitalised following inoculation against COVID-19.

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“447 cases of AEFI (Adverse event following immunization) were reported on January 16 and 17 and only three required hospitalizations. One, who was admitted to Delhi's Northern Railway Hospital has been discharged; another, who was admitted to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) Delhi, has been discharged, and the third one is under observation at AIIMS Rishikesh, and is fine”, Health Ministry’s Additional Secretary Dr Manonhar Agnani said during a media briefing on Sunday.

Agnani also added that 2,24,301 people inoculation in India on January 16 and 17.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/covaxin-consent-form-assures-compensation-in-case-of-adverse-effects-357197" hreflang="en">Covaxin consent form assures compensation in case of adverse effects</a>

Two people were discharged following hospitalisation, while one remains under observation at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Rishikesh.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the drive, and described it as the “world’s largest vaccination programme”. So far, India has the second-highest number of coronavirus infections in the world, after United States.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/covaxin-will-protect-against-new-variants-of-coronavirus-indian-health-minister-harsh-vardhan-354381" hreflang="en">Covaxin will protect against new variants of coronavirus: Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan</a>

Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech is promising compensation to the receiver in case of "severe adverse event".&nbsp;

Although the vaccine has demonstrated ability to produce antibodies, &nbsp;the "clinical efficacy is yet to be established and it is still being studied in phase 3 clinical trial" said the form. The firsts shots of Covaxin were given on Saturday.

India’s Health Ministry on Sunday reported 447 cases of “adverse event following immunisations” (AEFI) after the country began its vaccination drive on January 16, which is being called the largest immunisation programme in the world.

India’s Health Ministry on Sunday reported 447 cases of “adverse event following immunisations” (AEFI) after the country began its vaccination drive on January 16, which is being called the largest immunisation programme in the world. A health ministry official said that three people were hospitalised following inoculation against COVID-19. “447 cases of AEFI (Adverse event following immunization) were reported on January 16 and 17 and only three required hospitalizations. One, who was admitted to Delhi's Northern Railway Hospital has been discharged; another, who was admitted to AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) Delhi, has been discharged, and the third one is under observation at AIIMS Rishikesh, and is fine”, Health Ministry’s Additional Secretary Dr Manonhar Agnani said during a media briefing on Sunday. Agnani also added that 2,24,301 people inoculation in India on January 16 and 17. Also read: Covaxin consent form assures compensation in case of adverse effects Two people were discharged following hospitalisation, while one remains under observation at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Rishikesh. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the drive, and described it as the “world’s largest vaccination programme”. So far, India has the second-highest number of coronavirus infections in the world, after United States. Also read: Covaxin will protect against new variants of coronavirus: Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech is promising compensation to the receiver in case of "severe adverse event". Although the vaccine has demonstrated ability to produce antibodies, the "clinical efficacy is yet to be established and it is still being studied in phase 3 clinical trial" said the form. The firsts shots of Covaxin were given on Saturday.

India's Health Ministry reports 3 hospitalisations, 447 adverse events following COVID vaccination

A World Health Organization delegation is set to visit the Chinese city of Wuhan tomorrow to understand the origins of the pandemic. A team member on Wednesday claimed that the team will spend a month in Wuhan, including two weeks in quarantine.

A Vietnamese biologist - Hung Nguyen told Reuters that the team was not expecting any roadblocks in the work in China. On Thursday, the team will fly from Singapore to Wuhan, where the first instance of COVID-19 was recorded in late 2019.

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Countries have called for an investigation into the origins of the virus, and have accused China of downplaying the severity of the virus, with the US claiming that this shortcoming caused the virus to spread globally.

The US had also criticised Chinese experts who had undertaken the first phase of research. 
 
"My understanding is in fact there is no limit in accessing the information we might need for the team," Hung told Reuters.&nbsp;

However, he did add the following - "We will see. We are not in China yet."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/herd-immunity-will-not-be-reached-in-2021-despite-vaccines-says-whos-soumya-swaminathan-356159" hreflang="en">Herd immunity will not be reached in 2021 despite vaccines, says WHO's Soumya Swaminathan</a>

Over the last few months, the WHO team has been conducting virtual meetings with researchers in China, in preparation for the trip.

WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had claimed that the organisation is looking forward to working with China, hoping to identify the source of the pandemic.

The organisation's chief also claimed to have been "very disappointed" upon realising that China had denied authorisation to let in experts earlier in January, which caused two members to return. China claims that a "misunderstanding" had led to this.

The team will quarantine in a Wuhan hotel for two weeks, after which they will spend another two weeks interviewing people from various research institutes, hospitals, and wet markets in Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have emerged.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/chinese-critic-who-urged-us-to-tear-down-chinas-censorship-jailed-355629" hreflang="en">Chinese critic who urged US to 'tear down' China's censorship jailed</a>

In addition, the team is slated to stay in Wuhan for the majority of their trip.

The WHO had claimed that it is not looking for "culprits", and is ready to go "anywhere and everywhere" to find the source of the virus. 
Recently, China has been aggressively pushing the narrative of COVID-19 originating not in the country, but in Europe. It based these claims on the discovery of virus on imported frozen food packaging, and by putting forward scientific papers which posit that the virus has been making the rounds in Europe since 2019. 
&nbsp;

A World Health Organization delegation is set to visit the Chinese city of Wuhan tomorrow to understand the origins of the pandemic. A team member on Wednesday claimed that the team will spend a month in Wuhan, including two weeks in quarantine.

A World Health Organization delegation is set to visit the Chinese city of Wuhan tomorrow to understand the origins of the pandemic. A team member on Wednesday claimed that the team will spend a month in Wuhan, including two weeks in quarantine. A Vietnamese biologist - Hung Nguyen told Reuters that the team was not expecting any roadblocks in the work in China. On Thursday, the team will fly from Singapore to Wuhan, where the first instance of COVID-19 was recorded in late 2019. Countries have called for an investigation into the origins of the virus, and have accused China of downplaying the severity of the virus, with the US claiming that this shortcoming caused the virus to spread globally. The US had also criticised Chinese experts who had undertaken the first phase of research. "My understanding is in fact there is no limit in accessing the information we might need for the team," Hung told Reuters. However, he did add the following - "We will see. We are not in China yet." Also read: Herd immunity will not be reached in 2021 despite vaccines, says WHO's Soumya Swaminathan Over the last few months, the WHO team has been conducting virtual meetings with researchers in China, in preparation for the trip. WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had claimed that the organisation is looking forward to working with China, hoping to identify the source of the pandemic. The organisation's chief also claimed to have been "very disappointed" upon realising that China had denied authorisation to let in experts earlier in January, which caused two members to return. China claims that a "misunderstanding" had led to this. The team will quarantine in a Wuhan hotel for two weeks, after which they will spend another two weeks interviewing people from various research institutes, hospitals, and wet markets in Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have emerged. Also read: Chinese critic who urged US to 'tear down' China's censorship jailed In addition, the team is slated to stay in Wuhan for the majority of their trip. The WHO had claimed that it is not looking for "culprits", and is ready to go "anywhere and everywhere" to find the source of the virus. Recently, China has been aggressively pushing the narrative of COVID-19 originating not in the country, but in Europe. It based these claims on the discovery of virus on imported frozen food packaging, and by putting forward scientific papers which posit that the virus has been making the rounds in Europe since 2019.

'No limit' for WHO team visiting Wuhan, says delegation member

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

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe.

“Shark Allies” claims that at least 500,000 sharks around the world <a href="https://www.sharkallies.com/shark-free-products/how-many-sharks-are-vaccines-demanding">could be killed in the process of developing a vaccine</a>.&nbsp;

Why?

Most commercial vaccines require an adjuvant, which is a pharmacological or immunological agent. It helps improve the immune response of a vaccine.

This ingredient is found in the livers of sharks, and is intrinsic to producing a quick and effective immune response. Another factor which puts sharks at a higher risk of being butchered is the fact that countries around the world are trying to fast-track mass production of the vaccine to inoculate large number of people.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/cold-war-bombs-help-scientists-discover-whale-sharks-can-live-up-to-a-century-291112" hreflang="en">Cold war bombs help scientists discover whale sharks can live up to a century!</a>

The adjuvant ingredient also helps lower the amount of vaccine needed for each patient, which could help in mass inoculation, but cause more shark deaths.

All vaccines use different adjuvants, the most common one for influenza strains is derived from squalene oil, which is a natural substance found in the livers of sharks, humans, and many other animals.

Even though many animals carry this oil, sharks are the most common commercial source for the substance.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/australia-husband-saves-wife-by-punching-shark-320930" hreflang="en">Australia: Husband saves wife by punching shark</a>

GlaxoSmithKline had already announced pans to use adjuvant in their vaccines, of which they intend to produce 1 billion doses. This includes collaborations with others as well.

According to the organisation - Shark Allies, 21,000 sharks would be killed just to ensure vaccine production in the United States.

The substance - squalene can be produced using plants as well, and the organisation is urging companies to switch to that mode instead of murdering sharks.

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe.

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe. “Shark Allies” claims that at least 500,000 sharks around the world could be killed in the process of developing a vaccine. Why? Most commercial vaccines require an adjuvant, which is a pharmacological or immunological agent. It helps improve the immune response of a vaccine. This ingredient is found in the livers of sharks, and is intrinsic to producing a quick and effective immune response. Another factor which puts sharks at a higher risk of being butchered is the fact that countries around the world are trying to fast-track mass production of the vaccine to inoculate large number of people. Also read: Cold war bombs help scientists discover whale sharks can live up to a century! The adjuvant ingredient also helps lower the amount of vaccine needed for each patient, which could help in mass inoculation, but cause more shark deaths. All vaccines use different adjuvants, the most common one for influenza strains is derived from squalene oil, which is a natural substance found in the livers of sharks, humans, and many other animals. Even though many animals carry this oil, sharks are the most common commercial source for the substance. Also read: Australia: Husband saves wife by punching shark GlaxoSmithKline had already announced pans to use adjuvant in their vaccines, of which they intend to produce 1 billion doses. This includes collaborations with others as well. According to the organisation - Shark Allies, 21,000 sharks would be killed just to ensure vaccine production in the United States. The substance - squalene can be produced using plants as well, and the organisation is urging companies to switch to that mode instead of murdering sharks.

At least 500,000 sharks could be killed to fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine. Find out why

Health minister in Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government Satyendar Jain on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus and is having the symptoms of fever and low oxygen levels, News18 reported.

"The 55-year-old minister was brought to the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) on Tuesday after reporting high-grade fever. He will continue to receive treatment from the same hospital and symptoms of fever and low oxygen levels are reported to be the same," the report said.

Satyendar Jain, who had tested negative on Tuesday, was tested again on Wednesday and the results have confirmed that he has contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that "We may need more ICUs in the coming days. Discussed with doctors of our Delhi government hospitals on how to increase the number of ICUs,".

The Delhi government is anticipating a rise in the cases of coronavirus in the National Capital.

(With inputs from agencies)

Health minister in Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government Satyendar Jain on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus and is having the symptoms of fever and low oxygen levels, News18 reported.

Health minister in Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government Satyendar Jain on Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus and is having the symptoms of fever and low oxygen levels, News18 reported. "The 55-year-old minister was brought to the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) on Tuesday after reporting high-grade fever. He will continue to receive treatment from the same hospital and symptoms of fever and low oxygen levels are reported to be the same," the report said. Satyendar Jain, who had tested negative on Tuesday, was tested again on Wednesday and the results have confirmed that he has contracted the virus. Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that "We may need more ICUs in the coming days. Discussed with doctors of our Delhi government hospitals on how to increase the number of ICUs,". The Delhi government is anticipating a rise in the cases of coronavirus in the National Capital. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain tests positive for COVID-19

Nations across the globe have witnessed severe impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their economy.

A report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has projected that the world economy is set to lose nearly $8.5 trillion over the next 2 years. COVID-19 is likely to push more than 34 million people into extreme poverty, the report further said.

The total number of coronavirus cases has increased to over 6.6 million, claiming more than 390,000 lives. Economies are struggling to cope with the fallout of the crisis. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-billionaires-get-richer-during-coronavirus-pandemic-combined-wealth-soar-by-half-a-trillion-303632">Also Read: US billionaires get richer during coronavirus pandemic</a> 
 
Here are five worst-affected sectors:

Oil

After nearly two-thirds of the world went into lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the demand for oil fell by over 30 million barrels per day.

In April 2020, US oil prices collapsed to a historic low, close to minus $37 per barrel. Oil has recovered as most countries have lifted lockdowns,&nbsp;but oil&nbsp;remains on the slippery ground.

Prices are expected to touch at least $40 dollars per barrel by the end of the year if a second wave doesn't force more lockdowns.

Automobiles

The pandemic has smashed the automobile sector like never before. Global auto sales are expected to fall by 20 per cent in 2020.&nbsp; 
 
It may also take some time before the car manufacturing units go on full steam with a full roster of workers.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-are-short-term-schemes-and-stimulus-are-insufficient-to-tackle-covid-19-303676">Also Read: Why are short term schemes and stimulus are insufficient to tackle COVID-19</a>

Aviation&nbsp;

The first measure governments adopted to stop the spread of the virus was stopping air travel. Global air passenger traffic plunged 94 per cent in April.

Airlines across the world have reached out for relief. Leading aircraft makers, Boeing and Airbus, have cautioned their respective governments that they may fold up if no help arrives.

Several countries have restarted domestic flights now and international air travel is also expected to resume in mid-June, but the turbulence will remain for a while.

Tourism

International tourism could decline by 60 to 80 per cent this year, resulting in a revenue loss of over one trillion dollars. 
 
Many countries are wholly-reliant on tourists to drive their economy. It's one of the most labour-intensive industries in the world and over 100 million jobs are at risk.

Luxury Goods

Over the last two months, luxury goods sales have slipped by close to 80 per cent. The industry took a major hit after e-commerce platforms deemed luxury goods deliveries as non-essential.

Nearly 40 per cent of the luxury goods in the world are manufactured in Italy which was one of the severely-affected countries. And thus, fashion brands lost their manufacturing base.

Some countries are opening malls, but the industry will have to wait to see its fortunes revive. 
&nbsp;

Nations across the globe have witnessed severe impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their economy. A report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has projected that the world economy is set to lose nearly $8.

Nations across the globe have witnessed severe impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their economy. A report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has projected that the world economy is set to lose nearly $8.5 trillion over the next 2 years. COVID-19 is likely to push more than 34 million people into extreme poverty, the report further said. The total number of coronavirus cases has increased to over 6.6 million, claiming more than 390,000 lives. Economies are struggling to cope with the fallout of the crisis. Also Read: US billionaires get richer during coronavirus pandemic Here are five worst-affected sectors: Oil After nearly two-thirds of the world went into lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the demand for oil fell by over 30 million barrels per day. In April 2020, US oil prices collapsed to a historic low, close to minus $37 per barrel. Oil has recovered as most countries have lifted lockdowns, but oil remains on the slippery ground. Prices are expected to touch at least $40 dollars per barrel by the end of the year if a second wave doesn't force more lockdowns. Automobiles The pandemic has smashed the automobile sector like never before. Global auto sales are expected to fall by 20 per cent in 2020. It may also take some time before the car manufacturing units go on full steam with a full roster of workers. Also Read: Why are short term schemes and stimulus are insufficient to tackle COVID-19 Aviation The first measure governments adopted to stop the spread of the virus was stopping air travel. Global air passenger traffic plunged 94 per cent in April. Airlines across the world have reached out for relief. Leading aircraft makers, Boeing and Airbus, have cautioned their respective governments that they may fold up if no help arrives. Several countries have restarted domestic flights now and international air travel is also expected to resume in mid-June, but the turbulence will remain for a while. Tourism International tourism could decline by 60 to 80 per cent this year, resulting in a revenue loss of over one trillion dollars. Many countries are wholly-reliant on tourists to drive their economy. It's one of the most labour-intensive industries in the world and over 100 million jobs are at risk. Luxury Goods Over the last two months, luxury goods sales have slipped by close to 80 per cent. The industry took a major hit after e-commerce platforms deemed luxury goods deliveries as non-essential. Nearly 40 per cent of the luxury goods in the world are manufactured in Italy which was one of the severely-affected countries. And thus, fashion brands lost their manufacturing base. Some countries are opening malls, but the industry will have to wait to see its fortunes revive.

Coronavirus impact: Sectors that took the worst hit

A group of activists in China has become the targets of a lockdown. The group which was working to prevent digital records of coronavirus outbreak is believed to have disappeared. Watch report.

Detained for sharing COVID-19 information: Activists detained at an unknown location