84 staff at the Tamil Nadu Governor’s official residence, the Raj Bhavan, in Chennai, have tested positive for Covid-19, a statement has revealed. It added that the Governor Banwarilal Purohit and senior staff were safe and had not come in contact with the personnel who had tested positive.

Tests were conducted after a few staff had shown symptoms. Of the 147 tests conducted, 84 have returned positive, said the statement.

The staff who have tested positive include security and fire safety personnel. All of them were working in the outer portion of the premises, such as the main gate and not in the main building. They have been quarantined by the health Department.

As a precautionary measure the whole area of Raj Bhavan including the offices have been disinfected and sanitized by Corporation health Authorities.

The Raj Bhavan website also mentions that, as preventive measure Raj Bhavan tours for the tourists stands cancelled till 31st July 2020. However, the premises has been closed from tourists since the first phase of the pan-India lockdown began in late March.

The Raj Bhavan, which is at an arterial location in the city, is situated in the Guindy National Park Reserved Forest Area. There are species of deer (spotted deer, black buck and albino), besides mongoose, jackals, many varieties of reptiles and a large number of birds like partridges, pheasants, parrots, quail, paradise fly-catcher within the campus and the adjoining forest areas.

Over the last one week Tamil Nadu has been seeing a consistent spike in Corona virus cases. On Wednesday, the state had recorded a single-day highest of 5849 cases. As per the bulletin issued on Wednesday, the state has seen a total of 1, 86492 Covid-19 cases, which include 1, 31,583 recoveries. There are 51,765 active cases in the state.

However, in last a few weeks capital city Chennai has seen a marked dip in cases. When compared to June, the daily cases have nearly come down by half. Chennai saw recorded 1171 new cases on Wednesday, thus taking the active cases to 13941.

84 staff at the Tamil Nadu Governor’s official residence, the Raj Bhavan, in Chennai, have tested positive for Covid-19, a statement has revealed. It added that the Governor Banwarilal Purohit and senior staff were safe and had not come in contact with the personnel who had tested positive.

84 staff at the Tamil Nadu Governor’s official residence, the Raj Bhavan, in Chennai, have tested positive for Covid-19, a statement has revealed. It added that the Governor Banwarilal Purohit and senior staff were safe and had not come in contact with the personnel who had tested positive. Tests were conducted after a few staff had shown symptoms. Of the 147 tests conducted, 84 have returned positive, said the statement. The staff who have tested positive include security and fire safety personnel. All of them were working in the outer portion of the premises, such as the main gate and not in the main building. They have been quarantined by the health Department. As a precautionary measure the whole area of Raj Bhavan including the offices have been disinfected and sanitized by Corporation health Authorities. The Raj Bhavan website also mentions that, as preventive measure Raj Bhavan tours for the tourists stands cancelled till 31st July 2020. However, the premises has been closed from tourists since the first phase of the pan-India lockdown began in late March. The Raj Bhavan, which is at an arterial location in the city, is situated in the Guindy National Park Reserved Forest Area. There are species of deer (spotted deer, black buck and albino), besides mongoose, jackals, many varieties of reptiles and a large number of birds like partridges, pheasants, parrots, quail, paradise fly-catcher within the campus and the adjoining forest areas. Over the last one week Tamil Nadu has been seeing a consistent spike in Corona virus cases. On Wednesday, the state had recorded a single-day highest of 5849 cases. As per the bulletin issued on Wednesday, the state has seen a total of 1, 86492 Covid-19 cases, which include 1, 31,583 recoveries. There are 51,765 active cases in the state. However, in last a few weeks capital city Chennai has seen a marked dip in cases. When compared to June, the daily cases have nearly come down by half. Chennai saw recorded 1171 new cases on Wednesday, thus taking the active cases to 13941.

84 staff at Tamil Nadu Governor’s residence test Covid-19 positive; Guv, senior staff safe

US President Donald Trump said his administration is willing to work with anybody, including China, if they are the first to produce a successful COVID-19 vaccine.

"We are willing to work with anybody that's going to get us a good result," Trump said on Tuesday when asked whether he would be ready to work with China if it were first to develop a vaccine.

Trump noted that progress is being made in the United States regarding COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccine development.

"We're doing very well with vaccine development and therapeutic development," he said.

Trump also said a potential vaccine is going to arrive much sooner than expected and become available immediately as the US military will assist in distributing it.

The novel coronavirus pandemic started in China last December in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province. The United States has criticized China for initially hiding the extent of the spread of the virus. Trump has claimed that China's influence in the World Health Organization allowed the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan to morph into a global pandemic when the disease should have been contained within China.

US President Donald Trump said his administration is willing to work with anybody, including China, if they are the first to produce a successful COVID-19 vaccine.

US President Donald Trump said his administration is willing to work with anybody, including China, if they are the first to produce a successful COVID-19 vaccine. "We are willing to work with anybody that's going to get us a good result," Trump said on Tuesday when asked whether he would be ready to work with China if it were first to develop a vaccine. Trump noted that progress is being made in the United States regarding COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccine development. "We're doing very well with vaccine development and therapeutic development," he said. Trump also said a potential vaccine is going to arrive much sooner than expected and become available immediately as the US military will assist in distributing it. The novel coronavirus pandemic started in China last December in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province. The United States has criticized China for initially hiding the extent of the spread of the virus. Trump has claimed that China's influence in the World Health Organization allowed the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan to morph into a global pandemic when the disease should have been contained within China.

US ready to work with China if first to produce successful COVID-19 vaccine, says Trump

India recorded 37,724 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing its tally to 11,92,915, while the total number of recoveries increased to 7,53,050, according to Union health ministry data on Wednesday.

The death toll due to the disease rose to 28,732 with 648 fatalities reported in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed.

There are 4,11,133 active cases of the coronavirus infection currently in the country.

On Tuesday the health ministry announced that India's COVID-19 recovery rate is increasing day by day and today it stands at 62.72 per cent.

Addressing the press conference in New Delhi, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Health Ministry said that there are currently 4,02,529 active cases in India and 7,24,577 people have recovered. 
The recovery rate in India is increasing, he said and added that today it is 62.72 per cent.

"The case facility rate in India is 2.43 per cent. A very important role in this is that of doctors and paramedical staff. AIIMS also has an important role. Case intensity rate is below the national average in many states," added Bhushan.

Earlier in the day, Bhushan said that number of COVID-19 deaths per million population in India continues to be among the lowest in the world. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

India recorded 37,724 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing its tally to 11,92,915, while the total number of recoveries increased to 7,53,050, according to Union health ministry data on Wednesday.

India recorded 37,724 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing its tally to 11,92,915, while the total number of recoveries increased to 7,53,050, according to Union health ministry data on Wednesday. The death toll due to the disease rose to 28,732 with 648 fatalities reported in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. There are 4,11,133 active cases of the coronavirus infection currently in the country. On Tuesday the health ministry announced that India's COVID-19 recovery rate is increasing day by day and today it stands at 62.72 per cent. Addressing the press conference in New Delhi, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Health Ministry said that there are currently 4,02,529 active cases in India and 7,24,577 people have recovered. The recovery rate in India is increasing, he said and added that today it is 62.72 per cent. "The case facility rate in India is 2.43 per cent. A very important role in this is that of doctors and paramedical staff. AIIMS also has an important role. Case intensity rate is below the national average in many states," added Bhushan. Earlier in the day, Bhushan said that number of COVID-19 deaths per million population in India continues to be among the lowest in the world. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus: 37,724 cases and 648 deaths reported in India in the last 24 hours

The United States is leading the world in terms of COVID-19 testing and India is at second position, President Donald Trump said while giving an update on his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

So far more than 140,000 Americans have died due to coronavirus and 3.8 million have tested positive. While the US economy is slowly coming back to normal, the pandemic is now spreading in the Sun Belt of the country.

"As one family, we mourn every precious life that's been lost. I pledge in their honour that we will develop a vaccine and we will defeat the virus. We're doing very well with vaccine development and therapeutic development," Trump said at a White House news conference on Tuesday, his first on coronavirus after several weeks.

Trump also said his administration will stop at nothing to save lives and shield the vulnerable.

"We've learned so much about this disease. And we know who the vulnerable are, and we are going to indeed shield them," he said.

Trump assured that the vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be coming a lot sooner than expected.

Replying to a question, Trump said the US is "leading the world" in terms of COVID-19 testing.

"We're going to be over 50 million tests," he said, adding that "second country is India with 12 million (tests). Then you have seven million, six million, and four million. I think that we are doing a tremendous amount of testing."

The "China virus", Trump said, is a vicious and dangerous illness.

"It's a nasty, horrible disease that should''ve never been allowed to escape China, but it did. It infected the world, and the world is suffering. But we''re going to get it taken care of, and we''re helping lots of other countries," the US president said.

On tackling the virus, Trump said his administration is developing a powerful strategy.

"We've learned a great deal about it (COVID-19) and who it targets. We are in the process of developing a strategy that''s going to be very, very powerful," he said.

"Some areas of our country are doing very well; others are doing less well. It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better," Trump said.

He said the median age of those who succumb to COVID-19 infection is 78 years, adding that roughly half of all deaths have been individuals in nursing homes or in long-term care.

"Young adults may often have mild or even no symptoms. They won't even know they're sick. They won't have any idea that they have a virus. They won''t have any idea at all," he said, adding that youth will act responsibly.

Trump said the data shows children have the lowest fatality risk as 99.96 per cent of all virus fatalities are adults.

"By understanding these risk profiles and learning how to treat the disease, we've been able to greatly reduce mortality in the United States," Trump said.

Several treatments are already available in the US that can significantly reduce the severity and duration of the disease, including remdesivir, he said.

"We've learned best practices for treatment of the virus at every stage and have shared these findings with medical providers, and we've shared them all over the world. The relationship with other countries has been very strong. We''re all working together," Trump said.

The United States is leading the world in terms of COVID-19 testing and India is at second position, President Donald Trump said while giving an update on his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The United States is leading the world in terms of COVID-19 testing and India is at second position, President Donald Trump said while giving an update on his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic. So far more than 140,000 Americans have died due to coronavirus and 3.8 million have tested positive. While the US economy is slowly coming back to normal, the pandemic is now spreading in the Sun Belt of the country. "As one family, we mourn every precious life that's been lost. I pledge in their honour that we will develop a vaccine and we will defeat the virus. We're doing very well with vaccine development and therapeutic development," Trump said at a White House news conference on Tuesday, his first on coronavirus after several weeks. Trump also said his administration will stop at nothing to save lives and shield the vulnerable. "We've learned so much about this disease. And we know who the vulnerable are, and we are going to indeed shield them," he said. Trump assured that the vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be coming a lot sooner than expected. Replying to a question, Trump said the US is "leading the world" in terms of COVID-19 testing. "We're going to be over 50 million tests," he said, adding that "second country is India with 12 million (tests). Then you have seven million, six million, and four million. I think that we are doing a tremendous amount of testing." The "China virus", Trump said, is a vicious and dangerous illness. "It's a nasty, horrible disease that should''ve never been allowed to escape China, but it did. It infected the world, and the world is suffering. But we''re going to get it taken care of, and we''re helping lots of other countries," the US president said. On tackling the virus, Trump said his administration is developing a powerful strategy. "We've learned a great deal about it (COVID-19) and who it targets. We are in the process of developing a strategy that''s going to be very, very powerful," he said. "Some areas of our country are doing very well; others are doing less well. It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better," Trump said. He said the median age of those who succumb to COVID-19 infection is 78 years, adding that roughly half of all deaths have been individuals in nursing homes or in long-term care. "Young adults may often have mild or even no symptoms. They won't even know they're sick. They won't have any idea that they have a virus. They won''t have any idea at all," he said, adding that youth will act responsibly. Trump said the data shows children have the lowest fatality risk as 99.96 per cent of all virus fatalities are adults. "By understanding these risk profiles and learning how to treat the disease, we've been able to greatly reduce mortality in the United States," Trump said. Several treatments are already available in the US that can significantly reduce the severity and duration of the disease, including remdesivir, he said. "We've learned best practices for treatment of the virus at every stage and have shared these findings with medical providers, and we've shared them all over the world. The relationship with other countries has been very strong. We''re all working together," Trump said.

India second in world with most coronavirus tests after US, says Donald Trump

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged "the entire world" Tuesday to stand up to China but denied forcing Britain's hand in its decision to ban the communist superpower's private telecoms giant Huawei. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-and-johnson-discuss-chinas-actions-in-hong-kong-and-xinjiang-314947">Also read: Pompeo and Johnson discuss China's actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang</a>

Mr Pompeo met Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the heat of an emerging crisis in relations between London and Beijing over everything from China's treatment of Hong Kong to its persecution of more than one million ethnic Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/its-time-to-push-back-against-challenge-posed-by-china-pompeo-313923">Also read | It's time to push back against challenge posed by China: Pompeo</a> 
 
The top US diplomat used a press conference with his UK opposite number Dominic Raab to air a host of grievances President Donald Trump's administration had built up against Beijing.

He accused China of engaging in "a cover-up and co-opting" the World Health Organization by allegedly suppressing early details of the "preventable" coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 610,000 people globally.

The Chinese Community Party's "exploitation of this disaster to further its own interest has been disgraceful", he said.

Mr Pompeo also castigated China for claiming disputed areas of the South China Sea "you have no lawful claim to" and trying to "threaten and bully" its neighbours.

"We think that the entire world needs to work together to ensure that every country, including China, behaves in the international system in ways that are appropriate and consistent with the international order," he said.

'Right thing to do'

Mr Pompeo's last visit to London in January came just days after Johnson ignored Washington's warnings and allowed Huawei to take a leading role in building Britain's next-generation mobile data network.

This trip was announced just a day after Johnson last week decided to risk drawing the wrath of China and phasing out Huawei from the speedy new system.

The Chinese foreign ministry responded by accusing Britain of becoming "America's dupe".

But Mr Pompeo and Mr Raab both tried to dispel suggestions the White House was dictating British affairs.

"I think that decision was made not because the United States said it was a good decision but because the leadership here in the United Kingdom concluded (that it was) the right thing to do," Mr Pompeo said.

Mr Johnson is keen to avoid being too closely associated with Mr Trump -- whose approval in Britain is languishing at around 20 percent -- despite the "special relationship" between the two historical allies.

The UK government stresses it only ditched Huawei after new US sanctions imposed in May endangered the safety of future 5G equipment produced in China.

"The reality is it is a result of US sanctions," Mr Raab said.

Washington argues that the Chinese Community Party can force Huawei to either intercept UK data or shut down the British network in times of war.

Huawei has always denied this and Britain had previously concluded that it could mitigate any security flaws.

'Golden decade'

But the range of steps taken by Johnson in the past month threaten to bring an early end to a "golden decade" in cooperation that former British finance minister George Osborne promised on a visit to Beijing in 2015.

London has also outraged Beijing by offering nearly three million residents of Hong Kong a pathway to UK citizenship in response to a highly controversial security law that China imposed on the former British colony last month.

Britain followed that up on Monday by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extending an arms embargo of "potentially lethal weapons" that had previously applied only to mainland China.

Mr Pompeo's visit includes a sideline meeting with exiled Hong Kong protest leader Nathan Law aimed at further stressing the seemingly new understanding about Beijing.

The UK parliament's release of a delayed report that took the government to task for failing to properly look into any Russian meddling in the 2016 Brexit referendum also hung over Mr Pompeo's visit.

The report was commissioned in response to concerns that Moscow attempted to help Trump win the presidency in 2016.

Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo reject suggestions that Russia played any meaningful role in the vote.

Mr Raab said Britain viewed Russia as "a top national security priority" but Mr Pompeo did not address the issue in his public remarks.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged "the entire world" Tuesday to stand up to China but denied forcing Britain's hand in its decision to ban the communist superpower's private telecoms giant Huawei.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged "the entire world" Tuesday to stand up to China but denied forcing Britain's hand in its decision to ban the communist superpower's private telecoms giant Huawei. Also read: Pompeo and Johnson discuss China's actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang Mr Pompeo met Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the heat of an emerging crisis in relations between London and Beijing over everything from China's treatment of Hong Kong to its persecution of more than one million ethnic Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities. Also read | It's time to push back against challenge posed by China: Pompeo The top US diplomat used a press conference with his UK opposite number Dominic Raab to air a host of grievances President Donald Trump's administration had built up against Beijing. He accused China of engaging in "a cover-up and co-opting" the World Health Organization by allegedly suppressing early details of the "preventable" coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 610,000 people globally. The Chinese Community Party's "exploitation of this disaster to further its own interest has been disgraceful", he said. Mr Pompeo also castigated China for claiming disputed areas of the South China Sea "you have no lawful claim to" and trying to "threaten and bully" its neighbours. "We think that the entire world needs to work together to ensure that every country, including China, behaves in the international system in ways that are appropriate and consistent with the international order," he said. 'Right thing to do' Mr Pompeo's last visit to London in January came just days after Johnson ignored Washington's warnings and allowed Huawei to take a leading role in building Britain's next-generation mobile data network. This trip was announced just a day after Johnson last week decided to risk drawing the wrath of China and phasing out Huawei from the speedy new system. The Chinese foreign ministry responded by accusing Britain of becoming "America's dupe". But Mr Pompeo and Mr Raab both tried to dispel suggestions the White House was dictating British affairs. "I think that decision was made not because the United States said it was a good decision but because the leadership here in the United Kingdom concluded (that it was) the right thing to do," Mr Pompeo said. Mr Johnson is keen to avoid being too closely associated with Mr Trump -- whose approval in Britain is languishing at around 20 percent -- despite the "special relationship" between the two historical allies. The UK government stresses it only ditched Huawei after new US sanctions imposed in May endangered the safety of future 5G equipment produced in China. "The reality is it is a result of US sanctions," Mr Raab said. Washington argues that the Chinese Community Party can force Huawei to either intercept UK data or shut down the British network in times of war. Huawei has always denied this and Britain had previously concluded that it could mitigate any security flaws. 'Golden decade' But the range of steps taken by Johnson in the past month threaten to bring an early end to a "golden decade" in cooperation that former British finance minister George Osborne promised on a visit to Beijing in 2015. London has also outraged Beijing by offering nearly three million residents of Hong Kong a pathway to UK citizenship in response to a highly controversial security law that China imposed on the former British colony last month. Britain followed that up on Monday by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extending an arms embargo of "potentially lethal weapons" that had previously applied only to mainland China. Mr Pompeo's visit includes a sideline meeting with exiled Hong Kong protest leader Nathan Law aimed at further stressing the seemingly new understanding about Beijing. The UK parliament's release of a delayed report that took the government to task for failing to properly look into any Russian meddling in the 2016 Brexit referendum also hung over Mr Pompeo's visit. The report was commissioned in response to concerns that Moscow attempted to help Trump win the presidency in 2016. Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo reject suggestions that Russia played any meaningful role in the vote. Mr Raab said Britain viewed Russia as "a top national security priority" but Mr Pompeo did not address the issue in his public remarks.

'China exploiting Covid situation to further its own interest': Mike Pompeo

A total of 14,845,241 people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while more than 8,898,749 have recovered and 612,830 have died so far, according to the available data.

Country-wise, the US remains the most affected. It recorded over 62,000 cases in a day to take its tally to 3,961,429 cases, including 143,826 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 2,121,645 cases, 80,251 and deaths, and India (1,155,143 cases, 28,099 deaths).

On a positive side, researchers have said that "Oxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it", raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the European Union leaders broke the deadlock and solidified a deal to assist with post-pandemic recovery in the bloc. Officially announced on Tuesday morning, the deal with entail 750 billion Euros (roughly 859 billion USD) extended to member countries in the form of grants and loans in a bid to beat the recession triggered by COVID-19.

(With inputs from agencies)

A total of 14,845,241 people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while more than 8,898,749 have recovered and 612,830 have died so far, according to the available data.

A total of 14,845,241 people around the world have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while more than 8,898,749 have recovered and 612,830 have died so far, according to the available data. Country-wise, the US remains the most affected. It recorded over 62,000 cases in a day to take its tally to 3,961,429 cases, including 143,826 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 2,121,645 cases, 80,251 and deaths, and India (1,155,143 cases, 28,099 deaths). On a positive side, researchers have said that "Oxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it", raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic. Meanwhile, the European Union leaders broke the deadlock and solidified a deal to assist with post-pandemic recovery in the bloc. Officially announced on Tuesday morning, the deal with entail 750 billion Euros (roughly 859 billion USD) extended to member countries in the form of grants and loans in a bid to beat the recession triggered by COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

Worldwide coronavirus cases cross 14.8 million, death toll at 612,830

With 37,148 new cases being reported in last 24 hours, the total number of coronaivrus cases in India has reached 11, 55,191. And the country's Covid-19 death toll has reached 28084.&nbsp;

Total COVID-19 positive cases stand at 11, 55,191 including 4, 02,529 active cases, 7, 24,578 cured/discharged/migrated and 28084 deaths, as per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data.

Maharashtra has recorded 8,240 new cases in the last 24 hours to take its tally to 318,695.&nbsp;

On a positive side, researchers have said that "Oxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it", raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic.

Country-wise, the US remains th most affected. It recorded over 62,000 cases in a day to take its tally to 3,961,429 cases, including 143,826 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 2,121,645 cases, 80,251 and deaths, and India (1,155,143 cases, 28,099 deaths). 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

With 37,148 new cases being reported in last 24 hours, the total number of coronaivrus cases in India has reached 11, 55,191. And the country's Covid-19 death toll has reached 28084.

With 37,148 new cases being reported in last 24 hours, the total number of coronaivrus cases in India has reached 11, 55,191. And the country's Covid-19 death toll has reached 28084. Total COVID-19 positive cases stand at 11, 55,191 including 4, 02,529 active cases, 7, 24,578 cured/discharged/migrated and 28084 deaths, as per Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data. Maharashtra has recorded 8,240 new cases in the last 24 hours to take its tally to 318,695. On a positive side, researchers have said that "Oxford University’s experimental coronavirus vaccine is safe and generated a strong immune response in the people who volunteered to help trial it", raising hopes it could contribute to ending the pandemic. Country-wise, the US remains th most affected. It recorded over 62,000 cases in a day to take its tally to 3,961,429 cases, including 143,826 deaths. It is followed by Brazil, which has 2,121,645 cases, 80,251 and deaths, and India (1,155,143 cases, 28,099 deaths). (With inputs from agencies)

37,148 new cases and 587 deaths in last 24 hours take India's tally past 11.5 lakh mark, death toll reaches 28084

With the trials of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University showing encouraging results, Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday said it will apply for a licence from the Indian regulator to start clinical trials of the shot in a week's time.

SII, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, has been chosen by Oxford and its partner AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine once it gets ready.

Earlier, Pune-based SII had said that it will start manufacturing the vaccine even before the final nod so as to be ready with sizeable volumes once the vaccine gets all permissions.

"The trials have shown promising results and we are extremely happy about it. We will be applying for the licensure trials to the Indian regulator in a week's time. As soon as they grant us permission, we will begin with the trials for the vaccine in India."

"In addition, we will soon start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes," SII Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla said.

The interim results from the ongoing Phase I/II COV001 trial, led by Oxford University, showed that the vaccine was tolerated and generated robust immune responses against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in all evaluated participants, AstraZeneca said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Poonawalla had said that the SII was hoping to develop a COVID-19 vaccine by year-end as it was focusing on a "good and safe" product and is not in a "rush".

A coronavirus vaccine developed by the Oxford University appears safe and induces a strong immune response within the body, scientists announced on Monday after the first phase of "promising" human trials against the deadly disease that has infected over 1.45 crore people and claimed more than six lakh lives across the world.

Doses of the vaccine were given to 1,077 healthy adults aged between 18 and 55 in five UK hospitals in April and May as part of the phase one clinical trial and results, published in the Lancet' medical journal.

The results show they induced strong antibody and T-cell immune responses for up to 56 days after they were given.

T-cells are crucial for maintaining protection against the virus for years. The findings are seen as promising, but experts feel it is too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection as larger trials get underway.

Scientists behind the trials found the response could be even greater after a second dose.

"The Phase I/II data for our coronavirus vaccine shows that the vaccine did not lead to any unexpected reactions and had a similar safety profile to previous vaccines of this type."

"The immune responses observed following vaccination are in line with what previous animal studies have shown are associated with protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, although we must continue with our rigorous clinical trial program to confirm this in humans," said Professor Andrew Pollard, Chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial at Oxford University and co-author of the study.

"We saw the strongest immune response in the 10 participants who received two doses of the vaccine, indicating that this might be a good strategy for vaccination," he said.

Since emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last year, the virus has killed over 606,000 people and infected more than 14,538,000 people worldwide.

In India, the virus has caused 27,497 deaths and infected over 11 lakh people, according to latest official figures.

With the trials of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University showing encouraging results, Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday said it will apply for a licence from the Indian regulator to start clinical trials of the shot in a week's time.

With the trials of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University showing encouraging results, Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday said it will apply for a licence from the Indian regulator to start clinical trials of the shot in a week's time. SII, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, has been chosen by Oxford and its partner AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine once it gets ready. Earlier, Pune-based SII had said that it will start manufacturing the vaccine even before the final nod so as to be ready with sizeable volumes once the vaccine gets all permissions. "The trials have shown promising results and we are extremely happy about it. We will be applying for the licensure trials to the Indian regulator in a week's time. As soon as they grant us permission, we will begin with the trials for the vaccine in India." "In addition, we will soon start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes," SII Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla said. The interim results from the ongoing Phase I/II COV001 trial, led by Oxford University, showed that the vaccine was tolerated and generated robust immune responses against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in all evaluated participants, AstraZeneca said in a statement. Earlier this month, Poonawalla had said that the SII was hoping to develop a COVID-19 vaccine by year-end as it was focusing on a "good and safe" product and is not in a "rush". A coronavirus vaccine developed by the Oxford University appears safe and induces a strong immune response within the body, scientists announced on Monday after the first phase of "promising" human trials against the deadly disease that has infected over 1.45 crore people and claimed more than six lakh lives across the world. Doses of the vaccine were given to 1,077 healthy adults aged between 18 and 55 in five UK hospitals in April and May as part of the phase one clinical trial and results, published in the Lancet' medical journal. The results show they induced strong antibody and T-cell immune responses for up to 56 days after they were given. T-cells are crucial for maintaining protection against the virus for years. The findings are seen as promising, but experts feel it is too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection as larger trials get underway. Scientists behind the trials found the response could be even greater after a second dose. "The Phase I/II data for our coronavirus vaccine shows that the vaccine did not lead to any unexpected reactions and had a similar safety profile to previous vaccines of this type." "The immune responses observed following vaccination are in line with what previous animal studies have shown are associated with protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, although we must continue with our rigorous clinical trial program to confirm this in humans," said Professor Andrew Pollard, Chief investigator of the Oxford Vaccine Trial at Oxford University and co-author of the study. "We saw the strongest immune response in the 10 participants who received two doses of the vaccine, indicating that this might be a good strategy for vaccination," he said. Since emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last year, the virus has killed over 606,000 people and infected more than 14,538,000 people worldwide. In India, the virus has caused 27,497 deaths and infected over 11 lakh people, according to latest official figures.

Serum Institute of India to apply for local trials on Oxford's vaccine in a week

An aerosol-based treatment could drastically reduce the number of new coronavirus patients dying from the disease or requiring intensive care, according to preliminary results released Monday by a British biotech firm.

In a randomised trial of 100 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, those who received an inhaled formula of the protein interferon beta were at 79 percent lower risk of developing severe disease compared to those who received a placebo.

They were also more than twice as likely to make a full recovery compared with the control group.

The firm behind the treatment, known as SNG001, said the preliminary results suggested "a major breakthrough" in the pandemic.

"We are all delighted with the trial results announced today, which showed that SNG001 greatly reduced the number of hospitalised COVID-19 patients who progressed from requiring oxygen to requiring ventilation," said Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen.

The results published Monday have not yet been peer-reviewed and the sample size is relatively small.

But if confirmed the treatment could revolutionise the way COVID-19 is dealt with in hospitals.

"Game changer"

Interferon beta is a naturally occurring protein, commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis.

It forms part of the body's natural fight against infection, and the novel coronavirus suppresses its production in an attempt to evade an immune response.

Delivering the protein directly into the lungs of patients is designed to trigger a robust immune response to the virus, even in patients whose immune system is already weakened by infection.

"The results confirm our belief that interferon beta... has huge potential as an inhaled drug to be able to restore the lung's immune response," said Tom Wilkinson, professor or respiratory medicine at the University of Southampton.

He said the trial showed SNG001 was effective in "enhancing protection, accelerating recover and countering the impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus."

Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow said the new treatment "could be a game changer".

"With small (trial) numbers comes less certainty on the true level of benefit, or whether benefits vary between people with differing risk characteristics," said Sattar, who was not involved in the research.

"Such work would require a larger trial but, even so, these results are very exciting."

There are currently a number of treatments available for patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Last month a Britain-based team of researchers lead by the University of Oxford announced they had successfully reduced the risk of death among seriously ill patients by administering the commonly available steroid dexamethasone.

Several countries have also issued the emergency authorisation for treatment with anti-viral remdesivir.

An aerosol-based treatment could drastically reduce the number of new coronavirus patients dying from the disease or requiring intensive care, according to preliminary results released Monday by a British biotech firm.

An aerosol-based treatment could drastically reduce the number of new coronavirus patients dying from the disease or requiring intensive care, according to preliminary results released Monday by a British biotech firm. In a randomised trial of 100 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, those who received an inhaled formula of the protein interferon beta were at 79 percent lower risk of developing severe disease compared to those who received a placebo. They were also more than twice as likely to make a full recovery compared with the control group. The firm behind the treatment, known as SNG001, said the preliminary results suggested "a major breakthrough" in the pandemic. "We are all delighted with the trial results announced today, which showed that SNG001 greatly reduced the number of hospitalised COVID-19 patients who progressed from requiring oxygen to requiring ventilation," said Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen. The results published Monday have not yet been peer-reviewed and the sample size is relatively small. But if confirmed the treatment could revolutionise the way COVID-19 is dealt with in hospitals. "Game changer" Interferon beta is a naturally occurring protein, commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis. It forms part of the body's natural fight against infection, and the novel coronavirus suppresses its production in an attempt to evade an immune response. Delivering the protein directly into the lungs of patients is designed to trigger a robust immune response to the virus, even in patients whose immune system is already weakened by infection. "The results confirm our belief that interferon beta... has huge potential as an inhaled drug to be able to restore the lung's immune response," said Tom Wilkinson, professor or respiratory medicine at the University of Southampton. He said the trial showed SNG001 was effective in "enhancing protection, accelerating recover and countering the impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus." Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow said the new treatment "could be a game changer". "With small (trial) numbers comes less certainty on the true level of benefit, or whether benefits vary between people with differing risk characteristics," said Sattar, who was not involved in the research. "Such work would require a larger trial but, even so, these results are very exciting." There are currently a number of treatments available for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. Last month a Britain-based team of researchers lead by the University of Oxford announced they had successfully reduced the risk of death among seriously ill patients by administering the commonly available steroid dexamethasone. Several countries have also issued the emergency authorisation for treatment with anti-viral remdesivir.

‘Breakthrough’ treatment slashes death risk among Covid-19 patients: Study

President Donald Trump on Monday offered his strongest endorsement for wearing face masks in public, tweeting that it is a “Patriotic” action to take during the coronavirus pandemic.

For months Trump has been refusing to encourage mask wearing as a way to combat the coronavirus.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-could-have-stopped-the-virus-but-didnt-trump-lashes-out-at-china-again-314740">Also read: They could have stopped the virus but didn't — Trump lashes out at China again</a> 
 
“There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!” Trump tweeted.

"We are united in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance," Trump wrote.

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We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! <a href="https://t.co/iQOd1whktN">pic.twitter.com/iQOd1whktN</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1285299379746811915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The tweet from the president appearing to endorse the use of face coverings in public follows months of mixed messages on whether he believed they were an essential tool to help prevent transmission of the disease.

The stylish photo and exhortation for Americans to unite around masks was a far cry from Trump's longtime mocking of masks as symbols of weakness during a pandemic that he has repeatedly suggested is overblown.

However, his tweet stopped well short of endorsing calls from some for a nationwide mandate to wear masks in public.

The nation's top medical authorities -- backed by several leading Republican figures -- say that mask wearing is crucial to halting the disease.

Amid a fierce resurgence of the virus in southern and western states -- including some that are Republican strongholds -- Trump has come under new pressure to change his tune.

He only wore a mask in public for the first time on July 11.By contrast, his Democratic challenger in the November presidential election, Joe Biden, has worn a mask in public for months. 
 
(With inputs from AFP)

President Donald Trump on Monday offered his strongest endorsement for wearing face masks in public, tweeting that it is a “Patriotic” action to take during the coronavirus pandemic.

President Donald Trump on Monday offered his strongest endorsement for wearing face masks in public, tweeting that it is a “Patriotic” action to take during the coronavirus pandemic. For months Trump has been refusing to encourage mask wearing as a way to combat the coronavirus. Also read: They could have stopped the virus but didn't — Trump lashes out at China again “There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!” Trump tweeted. "We are united in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance," Trump wrote. We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! pic.twitter.com/iQOd1whktN — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2020 × The tweet from the president appearing to endorse the use of face coverings in public follows months of mixed messages on whether he believed they were an essential tool to help prevent transmission of the disease. The stylish photo and exhortation for Americans to unite around masks was a far cry from Trump's longtime mocking of masks as symbols of weakness during a pandemic that he has repeatedly suggested is overblown. However, his tweet stopped well short of endorsing calls from some for a nationwide mandate to wear masks in public. The nation's top medical authorities -- backed by several leading Republican figures -- say that mask wearing is crucial to halting the disease. Amid a fierce resurgence of the virus in southern and western states -- including some that are Republican strongholds -- Trump has come under new pressure to change his tune. He only wore a mask in public for the first time on July 11.By contrast, his Democratic challenger in the November presidential election, Joe Biden, has worn a mask in public for months. (With inputs from AFP)

After months of resisting wearing one, Trump says wearing mask 'patriotic' in tweet

The emergencies chief of WHO Michael Ryan has said that the two studies that offered new hope of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus on Monday are a 'positive result' but warns 'there is a long way to go'. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-safe-produced-immune-response-data-reveals-314716">Also Read:&nbsp;Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial: Safe &amp; produced immune response, data reveals</a>

“We now need to move into larger-scale real-world trials. But it is good to see more data and more products moving into this very important phase of vaccine discovery,” Dr Michael Ryan said.

Ryan's comments came as scientists at Oxford University, in a paper published in The Lancet, said their experimental vaccine had been shown to trigger a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-university-set-to-present-initial-trial-data-as-uk-secures-90-million-doses-of-potential-cornavirus-vaccines-314690">Also Read: UK secures 90 million doses of potential cornavirus vaccines</a>

According to reports, the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca in the UK showed it was "safe, well tolerated and immunogenic", the vaccine according to Lancet also showed single dose elicited both "humoral and cellular responses against the virus". 
&nbsp;

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AstraZeneca's experimental coronavirus vaccine was safe and produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials in healthy volunteers, data revealed.

Vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert said: "There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, but these early results hold promise," while adding, “we still do not know how strong an immune response we need to provoke to effectively protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection."

The Lancet medical journal said the vaccine AZD1222 under development by AstraZeneca and scientists at Britain's Oxford University did not prompt any serious side effects and elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses

The research took groups with co-morbidities, health-care workers and those with a higher risk for efficacy, safety and immunogenicity towards the virus given as single dose or two-dose administration regimen in further trials conducted in the UK and overseas.

Phase-3 trials are now underway in Brazil, South Africa and the UK. According to reports, no serious adverse reactions to the virus occurred. The majority of adverse events reported were mild or moderate in severity.

(With inputs from agencies)

The emergencies chief of WHO Michael Ryan has said that the two studies that offered new hope of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus on Monday are a 'positive result' but warns 'there is a long way to go'.

The emergencies chief of WHO Michael Ryan has said that the two studies that offered new hope of a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus on Monday are a 'positive result' but warns 'there is a long way to go'. Also Read: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial: Safe & produced immune response, data reveals “We now need to move into larger-scale real-world trials. But it is good to see more data and more products moving into this very important phase of vaccine discovery,” Dr Michael Ryan said. Ryan's comments came as scientists at Oxford University, in a paper published in The Lancet, said their experimental vaccine had been shown to trigger a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. Also Read: UK secures 90 million doses of potential cornavirus vaccines According to reports, the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca in the UK showed it was "safe, well tolerated and immunogenic", the vaccine according to Lancet also showed single dose elicited both "humoral and cellular responses against the virus". AstraZeneca's experimental coronavirus vaccine was safe and produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials in healthy volunteers, data revealed. Vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert said: "There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the COVID-19 pandemic, but these early results hold promise," while adding, “we still do not know how strong an immune response we need to provoke to effectively protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection." The Lancet medical journal said the vaccine AZD1222 under development by AstraZeneca and scientists at Britain's Oxford University did not prompt any serious side effects and elicited antibody and T-cell immune responses The research took groups with co-morbidities, health-care workers and those with a higher risk for efficacy, safety and immunogenicity towards the virus given as single dose or two-dose administration regimen in further trials conducted in the UK and overseas. Phase-3 trials are now underway in Brazil, South Africa and the UK. According to reports, no serious adverse reactions to the virus occurred. The majority of adverse events reported were mild or moderate in severity. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 vaccine: WHO applauds Oxford coronavirus vaccine data, but warns there’s still a long way to go

The prevalence of the novel coronavirus in Spain has risen three-fold over the last three weeks as authorities struggle to contain a rash of fresh clusters, mainly in the Catalonia and Aragon regions, Health Ministry data showed on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-safe-produced-immune-response-data-reveals-314716">Also Read:&nbsp;Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial: Safe &amp; produced immune response, data reveals</a>

After registering thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths per day during an early April peak, Spain succeeded in slowing the number of new infections to a trickle.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oxford-university-set-to-present-initial-trial-data-as-uk-secures-90-million-doses-of-potential-cornavirus-vaccines-314690">Also Read: UK secures 90 million doses of potential cornavirus vaccines</a>

But since restrictions on movement were lifted and Spaniards relaxed back into daily life, some 201 new clusters have appeared, with heavy concentrations in and around the Catalan cities of Barcelona and Lleida.

The occurrence of the novel coronavirus has jumped from eight cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of June, when the country’s state of emergency ended, to 27 per 100,000, deputy health emergency chief Maria Sierra told a news conference on Monday.

Over the weekend 4,581 new cases were recorded, bringing the total to 264,836, she added. More than 28,000 people have died.

“Where measures have been relaxed is where these clusters appear,” Health Minister Salvador Illa said. “We’re talking about gatherings of extended family and spaces associated with nightlife.”

Describing the situation in Catalonia as concerning, he appealed to residents to respect health measures.

On Friday the Catalan regional government urged some four million people, including residents of Spain’s second largest city Barcelona, to stay at home and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. It also told bars and restaurants to reduce their capacity.

That was in addition to ordering the mandatory confinement of at least 160,000 people around Lleida.

To try to prevent similar outbreaks, most Spanish regions have made face masks compulsory even when social-distancing can be guaranteed, going further than a national directive.

The prevalence of the novel coronavirus in Spain has risen three-fold over the last three weeks as authorities struggle to contain a rash of fresh clusters, mainly in the Catalonia and Aragon regions, Health Ministry data showed on Monday.

The prevalence of the novel coronavirus in Spain has risen three-fold over the last three weeks as authorities struggle to contain a rash of fresh clusters, mainly in the Catalonia and Aragon regions, Health Ministry data showed on Monday. Also Read: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial: Safe & produced immune response, data reveals After registering thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths per day during an early April peak, Spain succeeded in slowing the number of new infections to a trickle. Also Read: UK secures 90 million doses of potential cornavirus vaccines But since restrictions on movement were lifted and Spaniards relaxed back into daily life, some 201 new clusters have appeared, with heavy concentrations in and around the Catalan cities of Barcelona and Lleida. The occurrence of the novel coronavirus has jumped from eight cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the end of June, when the country’s state of emergency ended, to 27 per 100,000, deputy health emergency chief Maria Sierra told a news conference on Monday. Over the weekend 4,581 new cases were recorded, bringing the total to 264,836, she added. More than 28,000 people have died. “Where measures have been relaxed is where these clusters appear,” Health Minister Salvador Illa said. “We’re talking about gatherings of extended family and spaces associated with nightlife.” Describing the situation in Catalonia as concerning, he appealed to residents to respect health measures. On Friday the Catalan regional government urged some four million people, including residents of Spain’s second largest city Barcelona, to stay at home and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. It also told bars and restaurants to reduce their capacity. That was in addition to ordering the mandatory confinement of at least 160,000 people around Lleida. To try to prevent similar outbreaks, most Spanish regions have made face masks compulsory even when social-distancing can be guaranteed, going further than a national directive.

Spain’s coronavirus rate triples in three weeks after COVID-19 lockdown easing

India's coronavirus cases tally crosses 11 lakh mark with highest single day spike of 40,425 new cases and 681 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

According to the data provided by the health ministry total cases stand at 11, 18,043 including 3, 90,459 active cases, 7, 00,087 cured/discharged/migrated.

The death toll of India stands at 27,497. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases. However, the recovery rate is rising and now stands at 62.6 percent.

The number of recovered COVID-19 patients exceeds India's active caseload by 3,390459 as on Monday with 7 lakh people having recuperated from the disease so far, the Union Health Ministry said.

With 3,10,455 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,70,693) and Delhi (1,22,793).

Meanwhile, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show more than 14 million cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic.

The total number of cases stood at 14,430,943, while the fatalities rose to 604,725, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

India's coronavirus cases tally crosses 11 lakh mark with highest single day spike of 40,425 new cases and 681 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. According to the data provided by the health ministry total cases stand at 11, 18,043 including 3, 90,459 active cases, 7, 00,087 cured/discharged/migrated.

India's coronavirus cases tally crosses 11 lakh mark with highest single day spike of 40,425 new cases and 681 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. According to the data provided by the health ministry total cases stand at 11, 18,043 including 3, 90,459 active cases, 7, 00,087 cured/discharged/migrated. The death toll of India stands at 27,497. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases. However, the recovery rate is rising and now stands at 62.6 percent. The number of recovered COVID-19 patients exceeds India's active caseload by 3,390459 as on Monday with 7 lakh people having recuperated from the disease so far, the Union Health Ministry said. With 3,10,455 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,70,693) and Delhi (1,22,793). Meanwhile, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show more than 14 million cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic. The total number of cases stood at 14,430,943, while the fatalities rose to 604,725, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus: Confirmed cases rise to 11.1 lakh, death toll at 27,497

The number of deaths in US due to novel coronavirus has now crossed 140,000 and the country has recorded 63,872 new coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours, according to the latest John Hopkins University data.

July has been the deadliest month of the pandemic in Texas, with nearly a third of the more than 3,700 coronavirus deaths in the state reported so far this month.

In one county, 85 infants under the age of one have tested positive.

That put the total number of cases in the US, the nation hardest hit by the global pandemic, at 3,762,081, the Baltimore-based University said at 8:30 pm.

Another 514 deaths were reported, bringing total fatalities to 140,474.

The US has recorded more than 60,000 new cases every day for the last six days, peaking at a record 77,638 infections on Friday.

America is losing about 5,000 people to the virus every week. By contrast, neighbouring Canada has reported total deaths of 8,800 since the pandemic started. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The number of deaths in US due to novel coronavirus has now crossed 140,000 and the country has recorded 63,872 new coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours, according to the latest John Hopkins University data.

The number of deaths in US due to novel coronavirus has now crossed 140,000 and the country has recorded 63,872 new coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours, according to the latest John Hopkins University data. July has been the deadliest month of the pandemic in Texas, with nearly a third of the more than 3,700 coronavirus deaths in the state reported so far this month. In one county, 85 infants under the age of one have tested positive. That put the total number of cases in the US, the nation hardest hit by the global pandemic, at 3,762,081, the Baltimore-based University said at 8:30 pm. Another 514 deaths were reported, bringing total fatalities to 140,474. The US has recorded more than 60,000 new cases every day for the last six days, peaking at a record 77,638 infections on Friday. America is losing about 5,000 people to the virus every week. By contrast, neighbouring Canada has reported total deaths of 8,800 since the pandemic started. (With inputs from agencies)

US coronavirus cases rise by more than 60,000 in one day to surpass 3.76 million: Johns Hopkins University

With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage.

Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show more than 14 million cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beijing-lowers-coronavirus-level-from-2-to-3-gyms-and-restaurants-now-reopen-314453">Also read: Beijing lowers coronavirus level from 2 to 3; gyms and restaurants now reopen</a> 
 
The total number of cases stood at 14,430,943, while the fatalities rose to 604,725, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the world's highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,763,395 and 140,477, respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil came in second place with 2,098,389 infections and 79,488 deaths.

On Sunday, the number of new cases of coronavirus rose by almost 260,000 in 24 hours -- the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The surge means that 1 million cases were reported in under 100 hours.

Meanwhile, Clinical trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology jointly with the Russian Defense Ministry are wrapping up at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital, the vaccine is safe and reliable, Sergey Borisevich, the head of the 48th Central Scientific Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry, said.

"The clinical trials of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus are ending at the Burdenko hospital … Today, on July 20, the second and last group of volunteers comprising 20 people is being released from the military hospital," Borisevich told Krasnaya Zvezda, the official newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry. 
 
(With input from agencies)

With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage.

With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage. Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show more than 14 million cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic. Also read: Beijing lowers coronavirus level from 2 to 3; gyms and restaurants now reopen The total number of cases stood at 14,430,943, while the fatalities rose to 604,725, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. The US accounted for the world's highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,763,395 and 140,477, respectively, according to the CSSE. Brazil came in second place with 2,098,389 infections and 79,488 deaths. On Sunday, the number of new cases of coronavirus rose by almost 260,000 in 24 hours -- the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The surge means that 1 million cases were reported in under 100 hours. Meanwhile, Clinical trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology jointly with the Russian Defense Ministry are wrapping up at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital, the vaccine is safe and reliable, Sergey Borisevich, the head of the 48th Central Scientific Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry, said. "The clinical trials of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus are ending at the Burdenko hospital … Today, on July 20, the second and last group of volunteers comprising 20 people is being released from the military hospital," Borisevich told Krasnaya Zvezda, the official newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry. (With input from agencies)

Global cases of COVID-19 jumps to 14.4 million; death toll crosses 600,000

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate is "progressively falling" and is currently at 2.49 per cent, which is one of the lowest in the world, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, crediting efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases for it.

According to a Health Ministry statement, the case fatality rate (CFR) has fallen below 2.5 per cent for the first time.

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate declined from 3.2 per cent around May 12 to 2.82 per cent around June 1.

It declined further to 2.72 per cent on July 10 and to 2.49 per cent at present.

The number of recovered COVID-19 patients exceeds India's active caseload by 3,04,043 with 6.77 lakh people having recuperated from the disease so far, the ministry said as the coronavirus infection tally surged to 10,77,618 and the death toll rose to 26,816 on Sunday.

Medical attention is being provided to all the 3,73,379 active cases, in hospitals and home isolation, the ministry said.

"The total number of recovered cases is 6,77,422.The recovery rate as of now is at 62.86 per cent," the ministry said.

There are 29 states and union territories with a case fatality rate (CFR) lower than national average, with five of them having a CFR of zero and 14 having fatality rate of less than 1 per cent.

The focused efforts of the Centre and the state and UT governments on efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases have ensured that India's case fatality rate has fallen below 2.5 per cent, the ministry said.

With effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on holistic standard of care approach, the CFR has significantly dipped, it said.

"The CFR is progressively falling and currently, it is 2.49 per cent. India has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world," the ministry said.

Under the guidance of the Centre, the state and UT governments have ramped up testing and hospital infrastructure by combining public and private sector efforts, the ministry said.

Many states have conducted the population surveys to map and identify the vulnerable population like the elderly, pregnant women and those with comorbidities.

This, with the help of technological solutions like mobile apps, has ensured keeping the high-risk population under continuous observation, thus aiding early identification, timely clinical treatment and reducing fatalities, the ministry said.

"At the ground level, frontline health workers like ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANMs (Auxiliary Nursing Midwives) have done a commendable job of managing the migrant population and to enhance awareness at the community level.

"As a result, there are 29 States and UTs with CFR lower than India's average. This shows commendable work done by public health apparatus of the country," the ministry said.

Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have zero case fatality rate.

States and UTs having a CFR below the national average include Tripura (0.19 pc), Assam (0.23 pc), Kerala (0.34 pc), Odisha (0.51 pc), Goa (0.60 pc), Himachal Pradesh (0.75 pc), Bihar (0.83 pc), Telangana (0.93 pc), Andhra Pradesh (1.31 pc), Tamil Nadu (1.45 pc), Chandigarh (1.71 pc), Rajasthan (1.94 pc), Karnataka (2.08 pc) and Uttar Pradesh (2.36 pc).

India saw a record single-day jump of 38,902 COVID-19 cases pushing its tally to 10, 77,618 on Sunday, while the death toll due to the disease rose to 26,816 with 543 fatalities being reported in 24 hours, according to the health ministry data updated at 8 AM.

The country's testing infrastructure has been substantially ramped up.

The testing strategy prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allows all registered medical practitioners to recommend testing.

The Rapid Antigen Point of Care (POC) Test, coupled with the facilitation of widespread gold-standard RT-PCR based testing by states and UTs, has resulted in a surge in the number of samples tested.

A total of 3, 58,127 samples were tested in on Saturday.

With a total of 1, 37, 91,869 samples tested so far, the testing per million (TPM) for India has reached 9994.1, the ministry said.

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate is "progressively falling" and is currently at 2.49 per cent, which is one of the lowest in the world, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, crediting efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases for it.

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate is "progressively falling" and is currently at 2.49 per cent, which is one of the lowest in the world, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, crediting efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases for it. According to a Health Ministry statement, the case fatality rate (CFR) has fallen below 2.5 per cent for the first time. India's COVID-19 case fatality rate declined from 3.2 per cent around May 12 to 2.82 per cent around June 1. It declined further to 2.72 per cent on July 10 and to 2.49 per cent at present. The number of recovered COVID-19 patients exceeds India's active caseload by 3,04,043 with 6.77 lakh people having recuperated from the disease so far, the ministry said as the coronavirus infection tally surged to 10,77,618 and the death toll rose to 26,816 on Sunday. Medical attention is being provided to all the 3,73,379 active cases, in hospitals and home isolation, the ministry said. "The total number of recovered cases is 6,77,422.The recovery rate as of now is at 62.86 per cent," the ministry said. There are 29 states and union territories with a case fatality rate (CFR) lower than national average, with five of them having a CFR of zero and 14 having fatality rate of less than 1 per cent. The focused efforts of the Centre and the state and UT governments on efficient clinical management of hospitalised cases have ensured that India's case fatality rate has fallen below 2.5 per cent, the ministry said. With effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on holistic standard of care approach, the CFR has significantly dipped, it said. "The CFR is progressively falling and currently, it is 2.49 per cent. India has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world," the ministry said. Under the guidance of the Centre, the state and UT governments have ramped up testing and hospital infrastructure by combining public and private sector efforts, the ministry said. Many states have conducted the population surveys to map and identify the vulnerable population like the elderly, pregnant women and those with comorbidities. This, with the help of technological solutions like mobile apps, has ensured keeping the high-risk population under continuous observation, thus aiding early identification, timely clinical treatment and reducing fatalities, the ministry said. "At the ground level, frontline health workers like ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANMs (Auxiliary Nursing Midwives) have done a commendable job of managing the migrant population and to enhance awareness at the community level. "As a result, there are 29 States and UTs with CFR lower than India's average. This shows commendable work done by public health apparatus of the country," the ministry said. Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have zero case fatality rate. States and UTs having a CFR below the national average include Tripura (0.19 pc), Assam (0.23 pc), Kerala (0.34 pc), Odisha (0.51 pc), Goa (0.60 pc), Himachal Pradesh (0.75 pc), Bihar (0.83 pc), Telangana (0.93 pc), Andhra Pradesh (1.31 pc), Tamil Nadu (1.45 pc), Chandigarh (1.71 pc), Rajasthan (1.94 pc), Karnataka (2.08 pc) and Uttar Pradesh (2.36 pc). India saw a record single-day jump of 38,902 COVID-19 cases pushing its tally to 10, 77,618 on Sunday, while the death toll due to the disease rose to 26,816 with 543 fatalities being reported in 24 hours, according to the health ministry data updated at 8 AM. The country's testing infrastructure has been substantially ramped up. The testing strategy prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) allows all registered medical practitioners to recommend testing. The Rapid Antigen Point of Care (POC) Test, coupled with the facilitation of widespread gold-standard RT-PCR based testing by states and UTs, has resulted in a surge in the number of samples tested. A total of 3, 58,127 samples were tested in on Saturday. With a total of 1, 37, 91,869 samples tested so far, the testing per million (TPM) for India has reached 9994.1, the ministry said.

India's COVID-19 case fatality rate falls below 2.5 per cent for first time: Health Ministry

Americans who received enhanced unemployment benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic spent more than when they were working, a study released on Thursday said, adding to concerns about a steep fall in spending when the emergency benefits expire.

The $600 weekly supplement added to jobless benefits as part of the CARES Act helped unemployed households spend 10% more after receiving benefits than they did before the pandemic, according to research by the JPMorgan Chase Institute.

Researchers analysed transactions for 61,000 households that received unemployment benefits between March and May. Spending dropped for all households as the virus spread and led to business shutdowns, but then rose when households began receiving jobless benefits, the study found.

That contrasts with a typical recession, when households receiving unemployment benefits usually cut spending by 7% because regular jobless benefits amount to only a fraction of a person's prior earnings, the research found.

The analysis highlighted how the additional unemployment benefits are helping to prop up the U.S. economy and consumer spending after the pandemic led to a surge in joblessness across the country.

More than 30 million Americans are estimated to be receiving unemployment benefits - and they could be pushed off an income cliff when the supplemental benefits, which are due to expire at the end of July, are withdrawn.

"Our estimates suggest that expiration will result in large spending cuts, with potentially negative effects on both households and macroeconomic activity," the researchers wrote.

The data also reflected the financial pain faced by households that encountered big delays in collecting benefits after states across the country were overwhelmed by applications.

Households that had to wait several weeks for their first unemployment check to arrive cut spending by about 20%, the study found. Spending recovered after the checks arrived.

Americans who received enhanced unemployment benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic spent more than when they were working, a study released on Thursday said, adding to concerns about a steep fall in spending when the emergency benefits expire.

Americans who received enhanced unemployment benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic spent more than when they were working, a study released on Thursday said, adding to concerns about a steep fall in spending when the emergency benefits expire. The $600 weekly supplement added to jobless benefits as part of the CARES Act helped unemployed households spend 10% more after receiving benefits than they did before the pandemic, according to research by the JPMorgan Chase Institute. Researchers analysed transactions for 61,000 households that received unemployment benefits between March and May. Spending dropped for all households as the virus spread and led to business shutdowns, but then rose when households began receiving jobless benefits, the study found. That contrasts with a typical recession, when households receiving unemployment benefits usually cut spending by 7% because regular jobless benefits amount to only a fraction of a person's prior earnings, the research found. The analysis highlighted how the additional unemployment benefits are helping to prop up the U.S. economy and consumer spending after the pandemic led to a surge in joblessness across the country. More than 30 million Americans are estimated to be receiving unemployment benefits - and they could be pushed off an income cliff when the supplemental benefits, which are due to expire at the end of July, are withdrawn. "Our estimates suggest that expiration will result in large spending cuts, with potentially negative effects on both households and macroeconomic activity," the researchers wrote. The data also reflected the financial pain faced by households that encountered big delays in collecting benefits after states across the country were overwhelmed by applications. Households that had to wait several weeks for their first unemployment check to arrive cut spending by about 20%, the study found. Spending recovered after the checks arrived.

Americans on Covid-19 jobless benefits spent more than when working: Study

After the US, which has carried out a record 42 million COVID-19 tests, India has done the second largest number of 12 million coronavirus tests, the White House has said.

More than 3.5 million people have tested positive with the coronavirus and 1,38,000 died in the US Globally, more than 13.6 million have tested positive and over 586,000 have died.

“With regard to (the coronavirus) testing, we’ve done more than 42 million tests. The second-highest number is 12 million from India. We’re leading the world in testing,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday.

The White House was responding to questions related to the coronavirus pandemic in the US

“We have done more than any country in the world on testing; there’s no doubt about that — 42 million tests. The country with the next highest number is India at 12 million,” Ms. McEnany said.

This record testing, she said, is in a very stark contrast than the previous administration.

“CBS is reporting that in 2009 under Obama-Biden, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly advised states to stop testing for the H1N1 flu and stopped counting individual cases,” she said.

“Ron Klain, Vice President Biden’s former Chief of Staff said this: It is purely a fortuity that (H1N1) isn’t one of the great mass casualty events in American history. It had nothing to do with us doing anything right. This is former VP Biden’s Chief of Staff. It just had to do with luck,” she said.

“Contrary to that, this President led the world in testing; led the world in ventilators — redistributing ventilators for therapeutics; 13 vaccine candidates — one going into phase three clinical trial. This response has been extraordinary and historic. We didn’t pause testing; the Obama-Biden administration did, and that was a shameful decision,” Ms. McEnany said.

There has been encouraging news on vaccines, the press secretary said.

“Moderna’s vaccine candidate is showing promising signs. They produced a positive, neutral immune response among the 45 participants in the study. This is comparable to what we see in recovered patients. The bottom line is that, so far, we are seeing exactly what you would hope to see in a vaccine. The Moderna vaccine in particular is expected to reach phase three by late July, with 30,000 participants,” she said.

“On the therapeutics front, I just want to note: A very encouraging Regeneron contract. A USD 450 million contract for a monoclonal antibody cocktail. This is a bioengineered version of convalescent plasma, one of the several therapeutics available to treat COVID-19. It can be used for prophylaxis and treatment. They say they could have up to 70 to 300 thousand doses — by the end of the summer or early fall,” she said.

As such there is encouraging news on the therapeutics front, Ms. McEnany added.

After the US, which has carried out a record 42 million COVID-19 tests, India has done the second largest number of 12 million coronavirus tests, the White House has said.

After the US, which has carried out a record 42 million COVID-19 tests, India has done the second largest number of 12 million coronavirus tests, the White House has said. More than 3.5 million people have tested positive with the coronavirus and 1,38,000 died in the US Globally, more than 13.6 million have tested positive and over 586,000 have died. “With regard to (the coronavirus) testing, we’ve done more than 42 million tests. The second-highest number is 12 million from India. We’re leading the world in testing,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday. The White House was responding to questions related to the coronavirus pandemic in the US “We have done more than any country in the world on testing; there’s no doubt about that — 42 million tests. The country with the next highest number is India at 12 million,” Ms. McEnany said. This record testing, she said, is in a very stark contrast than the previous administration. “CBS is reporting that in 2009 under Obama-Biden, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention abruptly advised states to stop testing for the H1N1 flu and stopped counting individual cases,” she said. “Ron Klain, Vice President Biden’s former Chief of Staff said this: It is purely a fortuity that (H1N1) isn’t one of the great mass casualty events in American history. It had nothing to do with us doing anything right. This is former VP Biden’s Chief of Staff. It just had to do with luck,” she said. “Contrary to that, this President led the world in testing; led the world in ventilators — redistributing ventilators for therapeutics; 13 vaccine candidates — one going into phase three clinical trial. This response has been extraordinary and historic. We didn’t pause testing; the Obama-Biden administration did, and that was a shameful decision,” Ms. McEnany said. There has been encouraging news on vaccines, the press secretary said. “Moderna’s vaccine candidate is showing promising signs. They produced a positive, neutral immune response among the 45 participants in the study. This is comparable to what we see in recovered patients. The bottom line is that, so far, we are seeing exactly what you would hope to see in a vaccine. The Moderna vaccine in particular is expected to reach phase three by late July, with 30,000 participants,” she said. “On the therapeutics front, I just want to note: A very encouraging Regeneron contract. A USD 450 million contract for a monoclonal antibody cocktail. This is a bioengineered version of convalescent plasma, one of the several therapeutics available to treat COVID-19. It can be used for prophylaxis and treatment. They say they could have up to 70 to 300 thousand doses — by the end of the summer or early fall,” she said. As such there is encouraging news on the therapeutics front, Ms. McEnany added.

After US, India has done most COVID-19 tests, says White House

UK, United States and Canada accused Russia on Thursday of trying to steal research-based information from experts and scientist seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-pandemic-engulfs-united-states-florida-new-epicentre-313851">Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre</a> 
 
Government-backed Russian hacking group was blamed for this ongoing cyber-espionage against organizations involved in the development of coronavirus vaccines and other health-care-related work, reflecting an escalation of security risks at a crucial time in the global response to the pandemic. 
 
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All three countries have attributed the attack to a group named APT29, also known as Cozy Bear.

Britain’s National Cybersecurity Centre made the announcement, which was coordinated with authorities in the US and Canada.

The countries have said that this cyber-attack was almost certainly operating as part of Russian intelligence services.

"We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," said Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Director of Operations Paul Chichester.

Cybersecurity researchers said an APT29 hacking tool was used against clients located in the United States, Japan, China and Africa over the last year.

Russian news agency RIA cited spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the Kremlin rejected London`s allegations, which he said were not backed by proper evidence.

It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.&nbsp;

“While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the U.K. and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health.”

In a separate announcement, Britain also accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in its 2019 election by trying to spread leaked documents online. Russia`s foreign ministry said those accusations were "foggy and contradictory".

Britain is expected to publish a long-delayed report into Russian influence in British politics next week.&nbsp;

Private-sector cybersecurity researchers who had spotted the WELLMESS malware over the last year were unaware of its Russian origins until Thursday.

In several cases, WELLMESS was found within U.S. pharmaceutical companies, said three investigators familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information. The tool allowed hackers to stealthily gain remote access to secure computers. They declined to name the victims.

Britain and the United States said in May that networks of hackers were targeting national and international organisations responding to the pandemic. But such attacks have not previously been explicitly connected to the Russian state.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

UK, United States and Canada accused Russia on Thursday of trying to steal research-based information from experts and scientist seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre Government-backed Russian hacking group was blamed for this ongoing cyber-espionage against organizations involved in the development of coronavirus vaccines and other health-care-related work, reflecting an escalation of security risks at a crucial time in the global response to the pandemic.

UK, United States and Canada accused Russia on Thursday of trying to steal research-based information from experts and scientist seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre Government-backed Russian hacking group was blamed for this ongoing cyber-espionage against organizations involved in the development of coronavirus vaccines and other health-care-related work, reflecting an escalation of security risks at a crucial time in the global response to the pandemic. Also Read: US sanctions Malaysia's surgical glove maker over forced labour amid coronavirus pandemic All three countries have attributed the attack to a group named APT29, also known as Cozy Bear. Britain’s National Cybersecurity Centre made the announcement, which was coordinated with authorities in the US and Canada. The countries have said that this cyber-attack was almost certainly operating as part of Russian intelligence services. "We condemn these despicable attacks against those doing vital work to combat the coronavirus pandemic," said Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Director of Operations Paul Chichester. Cybersecurity researchers said an APT29 hacking tool was used against clients located in the United States, Japan, China and Africa over the last year. Russian news agency RIA cited spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the Kremlin rejected London`s allegations, which he said were not backed by proper evidence. It is completely unacceptable that the Russian Intelligence Services are targeting those working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. “While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behaviour, the U.K. and its allies are getting on with the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health.” In a separate announcement, Britain also accused "Russian actors" of trying to interfere in its 2019 election by trying to spread leaked documents online. Russia`s foreign ministry said those accusations were "foggy and contradictory". Britain is expected to publish a long-delayed report into Russian influence in British politics next week. Private-sector cybersecurity researchers who had spotted the WELLMESS malware over the last year were unaware of its Russian origins until Thursday. In several cases, WELLMESS was found within U.S. pharmaceutical companies, said three investigators familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information. The tool allowed hackers to stealthily gain remote access to secure computers. They declined to name the victims. Britain and the United States said in May that networks of hackers were targeting national and international organisations responding to the pandemic. But such attacks have not previously been explicitly connected to the Russian state. (With inputs from agencies)

US, Britain, Canada accuse Russia of hacking Covid-19 vaccine research

The number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 10 lakh mark on Friday. India has become the third country in the world to record more than a million cases after the US and Brazil.&nbsp;

India's total COVID-19 caseload stands at 10, 03,832, with total cases rising by 34,956 in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

The total number of active cases, however, stands at just 3, 42, 473 with the country adding 11,327 cases in the past 24 hours. The total number of recoveries increased to 6,35,756, with 22,942 patients cured in the past 24 hours.&nbsp;

The death toll rose by 687 in the last 24 hours to an overall tally of 25,602. Overall, the number of total cases and recoveries see their biggest single-day rise in the last 24 hours.

As many as 1, 27, 39,490 samples have tested for the virus till July 15, out of which 3, 26,826 samples were tested on Wednesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 10 lakh mark on Friday. India has become the third country in the world to record more than a million cases after the US and Brazil.

The number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 10 lakh mark on Friday. India has become the third country in the world to record more than a million cases after the US and Brazil. India's total COVID-19 caseload stands at 10, 03,832, with total cases rising by 34,956 in the last 24 hours. The total number of active cases, however, stands at just 3, 42, 473 with the country adding 11,327 cases in the past 24 hours. The total number of recoveries increased to 6,35,756, with 22,942 patients cured in the past 24 hours. The death toll rose by 687 in the last 24 hours to an overall tally of 25,602. Overall, the number of total cases and recoveries see their biggest single-day rise in the last 24 hours. As many as 1, 27, 39,490 samples have tested for the virus till July 15, out of which 3, 26,826 samples were tested on Wednesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus cases in India cross 10-lakh mark, death toll over 25,000

Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease specialist, likes to focus on science -- but his honest takes on America's failures to get a grip on COVID-19 have brought him into ever greater conflict with President Donald Trump. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-pandemic-engulfs-united-states-florida-new-epicentre-313851">Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre</a>

As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the physician-scientist has led the country's response to every epidemic since the 1980s, earning particular acclaim for his research on HIV treatments.

These days, his public profile is bigger than ever, thanks to his straight-talking approach on the coronavirus that has won him legions of fans, who buy T-shirts and bobbleheads in his likeness.

Early on in the pandemic, the 79-year-old learned the delicate art of pushing back against the bluster of his boss without publicly contradicting him -- on topics ranging from vaccine development timelines to Trump's puzzling faith in an unproven malaria drug to fight the virus.

There are increasing signs, however, that the diplomacy is starting to fray.

Fauci says he has not met the president since June 2, and he has not attended any recent televised briefings of the White House coronavirus task force that made him a household name.

The reason?&nbsp;

His dire warnings on the dangers of reopening states too fast don't seem to sit well with the commander-in-chief, who has placed his re-election hopes on declaring victory over the virus and jumpstarting the economy.

The US, which is by far the worst-hit country in the world with more than 137,000 deaths, has since mid-June been experiencing a dramatic fresh surge, with the locus of the epidemic shifting to California, Texas, Arizona and Florida.

"As a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don't think you can say we're doing great," Fauci told the political news site FiveThirtyEight last week, days after warning the US could start seeing 100,000 new cases a day if it didn't correct its course.

Asked about the impact of the politicization of face masks, he replied: "I think you'd have to make the assumption that if there wasn't such divisiveness, that we would have a more coordinated approach."

US health officials adopted a pro-mask policy in the spring after new data shifted the balance of evidence in favor of their use.

Trump however has continued to equivocate on the issue, and has at various times sought to portray face coverings as an affront to freedom and a conspiracy to stoke fear.

Over the weekend, the White House hit back with a one-two punch, sending news media a memo purporting to demonstrate all the times Fauci "has been wrong on things" during the pandemic.

This was followed up by a scathing op-ed in USA Today by the president's trade advisor Peter Navarro, who wrote he only ever listened to Fauci's advice "with skepticism and caution."

Media blitz

Barred from doing TV interviews, Fauci has more than compensated by going on a print media and podcast blitz where he has taken on a more assertive tone.

"I think everybody thinks I'm doing more than an outstanding job," he told women's fashion magazine InStyle this week.&nbsp;

He also pointed out that, at least when it comes to his job at NIAID, where he is leading COVID-19 vaccine development efforts, the president cannot fire him.

The escalation of the conflict has fueled speculation the veteran medic may soon be shown the door by the president.

Trump, who is lagging in polls to vice president Joe Biden, needs to think through such a move carefully in case it backfires.

A Quinnipiac University survey published Wednesday found that Fauci enjoys the trust of 65 percent of the American public, indicating broad bipartisan support.

And so, both sides have found ways to lower the temperature.

Fauci told The Atlantic the White House attacks were "bizarre," adding, cleverly: "When the staff lets out something like that and the entire scientific and press community push back on it, it ultimately hurts the president."

Trump, for his part, took the out, telling reporters he and Fauci get along well and that his staff had acted on their own accord.

Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease specialist, likes to focus on science -- but his honest takes on America's failures to get a grip on COVID-19 have brought him into ever greater conflict with President Donald Trump.

Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease specialist, likes to focus on science -- but his honest takes on America's failures to get a grip on COVID-19 have brought him into ever greater conflict with President Donald Trump. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the physician-scientist has led the country's response to every epidemic since the 1980s, earning particular acclaim for his research on HIV treatments. These days, his public profile is bigger than ever, thanks to his straight-talking approach on the coronavirus that has won him legions of fans, who buy T-shirts and bobbleheads in his likeness. Early on in the pandemic, the 79-year-old learned the delicate art of pushing back against the bluster of his boss without publicly contradicting him -- on topics ranging from vaccine development timelines to Trump's puzzling faith in an unproven malaria drug to fight the virus. There are increasing signs, however, that the diplomacy is starting to fray. Fauci says he has not met the president since June 2, and he has not attended any recent televised briefings of the White House coronavirus task force that made him a household name. The reason? His dire warnings on the dangers of reopening states too fast don't seem to sit well with the commander-in-chief, who has placed his re-election hopes on declaring victory over the virus and jumpstarting the economy. The US, which is by far the worst-hit country in the world with more than 137,000 deaths, has since mid-June been experiencing a dramatic fresh surge, with the locus of the epidemic shifting to California, Texas, Arizona and Florida. "As a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don't think you can say we're doing great," Fauci told the political news site FiveThirtyEight last week, days after warning the US could start seeing 100,000 new cases a day if it didn't correct its course. Asked about the impact of the politicization of face masks, he replied: "I think you'd have to make the assumption that if there wasn't such divisiveness, that we would have a more coordinated approach." US health officials adopted a pro-mask policy in the spring after new data shifted the balance of evidence in favor of their use. Trump however has continued to equivocate on the issue, and has at various times sought to portray face coverings as an affront to freedom and a conspiracy to stoke fear. Over the weekend, the White House hit back with a one-two punch, sending news media a memo purporting to demonstrate all the times Fauci "has been wrong on things" during the pandemic. This was followed up by a scathing op-ed in USA Today by the president's trade advisor Peter Navarro, who wrote he only ever listened to Fauci's advice "with skepticism and caution." Media blitz Barred from doing TV interviews, Fauci has more than compensated by going on a print media and podcast blitz where he has taken on a more assertive tone. "I think everybody thinks I'm doing more than an outstanding job," he told women's fashion magazine InStyle this week. He also pointed out that, at least when it comes to his job at NIAID, where he is leading COVID-19 vaccine development efforts, the president cannot fire him. The escalation of the conflict has fueled speculation the veteran medic may soon be shown the door by the president. Trump, who is lagging in polls to vice president Joe Biden, needs to think through such a move carefully in case it backfires. A Quinnipiac University survey published Wednesday found that Fauci enjoys the trust of 65 percent of the American public, indicating broad bipartisan support. And so, both sides have found ways to lower the temperature. Fauci told The Atlantic the White House attacks were "bizarre," adding, cleverly: "When the staff lets out something like that and the entire scientific and press community push back on it, it ultimately hurts the president." Trump, for his part, took the out, telling reporters he and Fauci get along well and that his staff had acted on their own accord.

As coronavirus surges, Trump escalates conflict with Fauci

Phase III clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in Abu Dhabi using up to 15,000 volunteers, the government in the capital of the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-pandemic-engulfs-united-states-florida-new-epicentre-313851">Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre</a>

The human trial is a partnership between Sinopharm's China National Biotec Group (CNBG), Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence and cloud computing company Group 42 (G42) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Health.

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The study, which began on Wednesday, is the world's first Phase III trial of an inactivated vaccine, G42 Healthcare CEO Ashish Koshy said. Inactivated vaccines are well known and have been used against diseases such as influenza and measles.

No COVID-19 vaccine has yet been approved for commercial use. According to a WHO summary of the state of vaccine development for COVID-19, there are 23 potential vaccines in human trials, with three of them in or starting large-scale late stage, or Phase III, trials to test efficacy.

The trial will test two vaccine strains and a placebo. Two doses three weeks apart will be administered and volunteers followed for a year, said Nawal Alkaabi, head of the UAE's COVID-19 Clinical Management Committee.

Around 15,000 volunteers over three to six months will be recruited, initially in Abu Dhabi. They will be 18 to 60 years of age with no serious underlying medical issues and without previous COVID-19 infection, Alkaabi said.

Sinopharm chose the United Arab Emirates because around 200 different nationalities reside there and it has a focus on medical research and fighting the pandemic, Koshy said.

The UAE says it has conducted more than 4 million coronavirus infection tests on a population of around 9.6 million. It has recorded almost 56,000 cases of infection and 335 deaths.

Sinopharm secured approval for the trial in late June. The experimental vaccine passed Phases I and II of clinical trials with 100% of volunteers generating antibodies after two doses in 28 days, an Abu Dhabi government statement said.

China has been looking overseas to trial potential vaccines because of a lack of new patients at home. China's Sinovac Biotech is conducting Phase III trials of a vaccine in Brazil.

Sinopharm and G42 would not have access to patient data in the trial which would be conducted in Abu Dhabi state hospitals, G42 Healthcare research director Walid Zaher said, adding the UAE intended to manufacture any resulting successful vaccine.

G42 is an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence firm that has partnered with Chinese genomics company BGI to build a COVID-19 testing laboratory in the emirate and with Israeli contractors to develop technologies to help fight the disease.

Koshy said the company was privately owned but declined to say by whom.

Like other Gulf States the UAE has developed close ties with China, seeking capital and technology to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbon revenues.

However, key ally the United States has warned Gulf States to proceed with caution and to consider their relationship with Washington.

Phase III clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in Abu Dhabi using up to 15,000 volunteers, the government in the capital of the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday.

Phase III clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in Abu Dhabi using up to 15,000 volunteers, the government in the capital of the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday. Also read: Coronavirus pandemic engulfs United States; Florida new epicentre The human trial is a partnership between Sinopharm's China National Biotec Group (CNBG), Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence and cloud computing company Group 42 (G42) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Health. Also Read: US sanctions Malaysia's surgical glove maker over forced labour amid coronavirus pandemic The study, which began on Wednesday, is the world's first Phase III trial of an inactivated vaccine, G42 Healthcare CEO Ashish Koshy said. Inactivated vaccines are well known and have been used against diseases such as influenza and measles. No COVID-19 vaccine has yet been approved for commercial use. According to a WHO summary of the state of vaccine development for COVID-19, there are 23 potential vaccines in human trials, with three of them in or starting large-scale late stage, or Phase III, trials to test efficacy. The trial will test two vaccine strains and a placebo. Two doses three weeks apart will be administered and volunteers followed for a year, said Nawal Alkaabi, head of the UAE's COVID-19 Clinical Management Committee. Around 15,000 volunteers over three to six months will be recruited, initially in Abu Dhabi. They will be 18 to 60 years of age with no serious underlying medical issues and without previous COVID-19 infection, Alkaabi said. Sinopharm chose the United Arab Emirates because around 200 different nationalities reside there and it has a focus on medical research and fighting the pandemic, Koshy said. The UAE says it has conducted more than 4 million coronavirus infection tests on a population of around 9.6 million. It has recorded almost 56,000 cases of infection and 335 deaths. Sinopharm secured approval for the trial in late June. The experimental vaccine passed Phases I and II of clinical trials with 100% of volunteers generating antibodies after two doses in 28 days, an Abu Dhabi government statement said. China has been looking overseas to trial potential vaccines because of a lack of new patients at home. China's Sinovac Biotech is conducting Phase III trials of a vaccine in Brazil. Sinopharm and G42 would not have access to patient data in the trial which would be conducted in Abu Dhabi state hospitals, G42 Healthcare research director Walid Zaher said, adding the UAE intended to manufacture any resulting successful vaccine. G42 is an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence firm that has partnered with Chinese genomics company BGI to build a COVID-19 testing laboratory in the emirate and with Israeli contractors to develop technologies to help fight the disease. Koshy said the company was privately owned but declined to say by whom. Like other Gulf States the UAE has developed close ties with China, seeking capital and technology to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbon revenues. However, key ally the United States has warned Gulf States to proceed with caution and to consider their relationship with Washington.

World's 1st phase 3 clinical trial of covid-19 inactivated vaccine begins

Total Covid-19 confirmed cases in India rose past 9.66 lakh as authorities reported the largest ever spike in fresh cases.&nbsp;

India has recorded over 32,000 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 9, 68,876, according to the Health Ministry’s 8 AM update on July 16.&nbsp;

Of these, more than 6.1 lakh have been cured or discharged, while over 3.3 lakh are active cases.

Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 9, 68,876&nbsp; 
 
Active cases: 3, 31,146&nbsp; 
 
Cured/discharged/migrated: 6, 12,815&nbsp; 
 
Total Deaths: 24,915&nbsp; 
 
New cases in last 24 hours: 32,695&nbsp; 
 
Recoveries in last 24 hours: 20,783&nbsp; 
 
Deaths in last 24 hours: 606

Meanwhile, as many as 13,691,674 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19, While more than 8,030,267 have recovered, 586,821 have died so far, according to Worldometer.

Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It has recorded over 70,000 cases in a day, taking its tally of cases to 3,615,991 and death toll to 140,105. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,970,909 cases and 75,523 deaths, and India (970,169 cases, 24,929 deaths).

Total Covid-19 confirmed cases in India rose past 9.66 lakh as authorities reported the largest ever spike in fresh cases. India has recorded over 32,000 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 9, 68,876, according to the Health Ministry’s 8 AM update on July 16.

Total Covid-19 confirmed cases in India rose past 9.66 lakh as authorities reported the largest ever spike in fresh cases. India has recorded over 32,000 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 9, 68,876, according to the Health Ministry’s 8 AM update on July 16. Of these, more than 6.1 lakh have been cured or discharged, while over 3.3 lakh are active cases. Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 9, 68,876 Active cases: 3, 31,146 Cured/discharged/migrated: 6, 12,815 Total Deaths: 24,915 New cases in last 24 hours: 32,695 Recoveries in last 24 hours: 20,783 Deaths in last 24 hours: 606 Meanwhile, as many as 13,691,674 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19, While more than 8,030,267 have recovered, 586,821 have died so far, according to Worldometer. Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It has recorded over 70,000 cases in a day, taking its tally of cases to 3,615,991 and death toll to 140,105. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,970,909 cases and 75,523 deaths, and India (970,169 cases, 24,929 deaths).

Covid-19 cases in India rise to 9.6 lakh; nearly 25,000 dead

US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on Wednesday called the White House effort to discredit him "bizarre" and urged an end to the divisiveness over the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying "let's stop this nonsense."

Fauci, who has become a popular and trusted figure during the coronavirus outbreak, came under criticism from President Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies as Fauci cautioned against reopening the US economy too soon.

The recent spike in coronavirus infections, primarily in states that were among the earliest to lift coronavirus restrictions, put Fauci on a collision course with the White House.

"One of the things that's part of the problem is the dynamics of the divisiveness that is going on now that it becomes difficult to engage in a dialogue of honest evaluation of what's gone right and what's gone wrong," Fauci told The Atlantic in an interview.

"We've got to own this, reset this and say OK, let's stop this nonsense and figure out how can we get our control over this now."

The White House over the weekend distributed a list of statements Fauci made early in the pandemic that turned out to be wrong as understanding of the disease developed, according to media reports.

Trump said this week he valued Fauci's input but did not always agree with him.

"You know, it is a bit bizarre I don't really fully understand it," Fauci said in an interview with The Atlantic.

He said he believed the people involved in releasing that list, which was misleading because it did not include the entirety of Fauci's statements or other context, are really "taken aback by what a big mistake that was."

White House tensions with Fauci have risen with the decline of Trump's popularity in opinion polls over the president's handling of the outbreak

The Republican president, who is seeking re-election in November, has been increasingly critical of government health officials and their guidance as a rise in infections threatens the easing of shutdown restrictions across the country

Across the country, new cases are now averaging around 60,000 a day.

The White House has denied that Fauci has been sidelined.

However, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro wrote a critical opinion piece attacking Fauci for having made mistakes.

Before departing for a trip to Atlanta, Trump was asked whether Navarro had gone rogue.

"Well he made a statement representing himself. He shouldn't be doing that No, I have a very good relationship with Anthony," Trump said.

Fauci told the Atlantic: "I can't explain Peter Navarro. He's in a world by himself So I don't even want to go there."

Fauci said in a Financial Times interview last week he had not briefed Trump in two months.

He said on Wednesday his advice is passed onto Trump indirectly, via Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force.

In his Atlantic interview, Fauci recommended the country hit a reset button and acknowledge that things are not going in the right direction

The rising numbers of coronavirus infections show "we've got to do better" and states need to get on the same page and work on ways to control the virus.

"So, rather than these games people are playing, let's focus on that," Fauci said.

US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on Wednesday called the White House effort to discredit him "bizarre" and urged an end to the divisiveness over the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying "let's stop this nonsense.

US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci on Wednesday called the White House effort to discredit him "bizarre" and urged an end to the divisiveness over the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying "let's stop this nonsense." Fauci, who has become a popular and trusted figure during the coronavirus outbreak, came under criticism from President Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies as Fauci cautioned against reopening the US economy too soon. The recent spike in coronavirus infections, primarily in states that were among the earliest to lift coronavirus restrictions, put Fauci on a collision course with the White House. "One of the things that's part of the problem is the dynamics of the divisiveness that is going on now that it becomes difficult to engage in a dialogue of honest evaluation of what's gone right and what's gone wrong," Fauci told The Atlantic in an interview. "We've got to own this, reset this and say OK, let's stop this nonsense and figure out how can we get our control over this now." The White House over the weekend distributed a list of statements Fauci made early in the pandemic that turned out to be wrong as understanding of the disease developed, according to media reports. Trump said this week he valued Fauci's input but did not always agree with him. "You know, it is a bit bizarre I don't really fully understand it," Fauci said in an interview with The Atlantic. He said he believed the people involved in releasing that list, which was misleading because it did not include the entirety of Fauci's statements or other context, are really "taken aback by what a big mistake that was." White House tensions with Fauci have risen with the decline of Trump's popularity in opinion polls over the president's handling of the outbreak The Republican president, who is seeking re-election in November, has been increasingly critical of government health officials and their guidance as a rise in infections threatens the easing of shutdown restrictions across the country Across the country, new cases are now averaging around 60,000 a day. The White House has denied that Fauci has been sidelined. However, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro wrote a critical opinion piece attacking Fauci for having made mistakes. Before departing for a trip to Atlanta, Trump was asked whether Navarro had gone rogue. "Well he made a statement representing himself. He shouldn't be doing that No, I have a very good relationship with Anthony," Trump said. Fauci told the Atlantic: "I can't explain Peter Navarro. He's in a world by himself So I don't even want to go there." Fauci said in a Financial Times interview last week he had not briefed Trump in two months. He said on Wednesday his advice is passed onto Trump indirectly, via Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force. In his Atlantic interview, Fauci recommended the country hit a reset button and acknowledge that things are not going in the right direction The rising numbers of coronavirus infections show "we've got to do better" and states need to get on the same page and work on ways to control the virus. "So, rather than these games people are playing, let's focus on that," Fauci said.

'Let's stop this nonsense', fight coronavirus: US top health expert

With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage.

As many as 13,706,323 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19, while more than 8,030,267 have recovered, 586,821 have died so far, according to Worldometer.

Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It has recorded over 70,000 cases in a day, taking its tally of cases to 3,615,991 and death toll to 140,105. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,970,909 cases and 75,523 deaths, and India (970,169 cases, 24,929 deaths).&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has said that India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world.

A lot of "very important things have been done" in India and its pharma industry is doing work "to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases", said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage. As many as 13,706,323 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19, while more than 8,030,267 have recovered, 586,821 have died so far, according to Worldometer. Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It has recorded over 70,000 cases in a day, taking its tally of cases to 3,615,991 and death toll to 140,105. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,970,909 cases and 75,523 deaths, and India (970,169 cases, 24,929 deaths). Meanwhile, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has said that India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world. A lot of "very important things have been done" in India and its pharma industry is doing work "to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases", said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus: Global tally rises to 13.7 million

India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

A lot of "very important things have been done" in India and its pharma industry is doing work "to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases", said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Speaking in a documentary - COVID-19: India's War against the Virus - to be premiered on Discovery Plus this (Thursday) evening, Bill Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density.

Commenting on the strength of India's pharma industry, he said, "India has a lot of capacity there - with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere - starting with Serum Institute, that's the largest."

He further said, "But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases."

Stating that India joined Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which is a group working on a global basis to build vaccines platforms, Mr Gates said, "I am excited that the pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. (This is) What we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic."

Mr Gates said Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also a "partner with the government, particularly with the department of biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the office of the principal scientific advisor provide advice and help about getting these tools going."

Commenting on the deadly virus breaching India''s borders in the documentary which was shot extensively during the period of lockdown, he said, "India is still at the beginning of this, but there's a lot of very important things have been done.

"It's a huge challenge with India because you've got a gigantic country. You've got your urban centers with a lot of density - and so that - drives the spread. You have people moving around."

He, however, added: "Yet people are stepping up... Looking at how we reduce the spread while trying not to reduce food availability, equipment that people need."

Highlighting Gates foundation's role, he said it has "worked for the Indian government on health issues like introducing new vaccines over the last decade; and so when COVID-19 came along, we stepped in and said you know where are the gaps, we have been funding work on detection and isolation."

"We have been particularly active in UP and Bihar where we have done health delivery in the past."

The foundation is also working with the department of personnel and training to take their online training platforms and "are now using that guidance to help their frontline health workers", Bill Gates said. 
&nbsp;

India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

India's pharmaceutical industry will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines not just for the country but also for the entire world, according to Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates. A lot of "very important things have been done" in India and its pharma industry is doing work "to help make the coronavirus vaccine building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases", said the Co-Chair and Trustee of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Speaking in a documentary - COVID-19: India's War against the Virus - to be premiered on Discovery Plus this (Thursday) evening, Bill Gates said India also faces a huge challenge due to the health crisis because of its gigantic size and urban centres with a lot of population density. Commenting on the strength of India's pharma industry, he said, "India has a lot of capacity there - with the drug and vaccine companies that are huge suppliers to the entire world. You know, more vaccines are made in India than anywhere - starting with Serum Institute, that's the largest." He further said, "But (there are) also Bio E, Bharat (Biotech), many others. They are doing work to help make the coronavirus vaccine, building on other great capacities that they have used for other diseases." Stating that India joined Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which is a group working on a global basis to build vaccines platforms, Mr Gates said, "I am excited that the pharmaceutical industry there will be able to produce not just for India but also for the entire world. (This is) What we need to reduce the deaths and make sure we are immune, which is how we end the epidemic." Mr Gates said Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also a "partner with the government, particularly with the department of biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the office of the principal scientific advisor provide advice and help about getting these tools going." Commenting on the deadly virus breaching India''s borders in the documentary which was shot extensively during the period of lockdown, he said, "India is still at the beginning of this, but there's a lot of very important things have been done. "It's a huge challenge with India because you've got a gigantic country. You've got your urban centers with a lot of density - and so that - drives the spread. You have people moving around." He, however, added: "Yet people are stepping up... Looking at how we reduce the spread while trying not to reduce food availability, equipment that people need." Highlighting Gates foundation's role, he said it has "worked for the Indian government on health issues like introducing new vaccines over the last decade; and so when COVID-19 came along, we stepped in and said you know where are the gaps, we have been funding work on detection and isolation." "We have been particularly active in UP and Bihar where we have done health delivery in the past." The foundation is also working with the department of personnel and training to take their online training platforms and "are now using that guidance to help their frontline health workers", Bill Gates said.

India capable of producing Covid-19 vaccines for entire world: Bill Gates

India has recorded nearly 29,428 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 937,487. With over 550 deaths on Tuesday, the country's death toll has now reached 24,315. &nbsp;

In the wake of the increasing number of coronavirus cases, a total lockdown is to be imposed in Bihar from 16 to 31 July.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases.

However, India’s recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 63.2 per cent. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 96.05 per cent: 3.9 per cent now.

A total of 13,462,460 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. While more than 7,846,427 have recovered, 581,316 have died, according to Worldometer.

Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It recorded over 65,000 cases in a day to take its total to 3,545,077 coronavirus cases; its death toll stands at 139,143. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,931,204 cases and 74,262 deaths and India (937,487 cases, 24,315 deaths).

(With inputs from agencies)

India has recorded nearly 29,428 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 937,487. With over 550 deaths on Tuesday, the country's death toll has now reached 24,315.

India has recorded nearly 29,428 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total number of Covid-19 cases to 937,487. With over 550 deaths on Tuesday, the country's death toll has now reached 24,315. In the wake of the increasing number of coronavirus cases, a total lockdown is to be imposed in Bihar from 16 to 31 July. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases. However, India’s recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 63.2 per cent. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 96.05 per cent: 3.9 per cent now. A total of 13,462,460 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. While more than 7,846,427 have recovered, 581,316 have died, according to Worldometer. Country-wise, the United States remains the most affected. It recorded over 65,000 cases in a day to take its total to 3,545,077 coronavirus cases; its death toll stands at 139,143. The US is followed by Brazil, which has 1,931,204 cases and 74,262 deaths and India (937,487 cases, 24,315 deaths). (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 cases in India rise to 9.3 lakh, death toll at 24,309

Indian Railways has developed post-Covid train coaches to fight coronavirus with several special features in new coaches, which including foot-operated soap dispensers and toilet flushes, new door handles and handrails coated with anti-microbial copper.

"The Coach has been designed by Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala to prevent the spread of Covid 19. The Ministry said, Railways has taken numerous steps and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus infection," the Railways Ministry said.

According to the Ministry, "this Coach has the provision of plasma air equipment in the air conditioning duct. This equipment will sterilize the air and surfaces inside the AC coach using ionised air to make the coach Covid-19 and particulate matter resistant." 
 
This Post Covid Coach has design improvements in the coach like handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails &amp; latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for Covid free passenger journey, the Railways added.

"Future Ready Railway: Designed to fight Coronavirus, Railways creates 1st Post Covid Coach' with handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails &amp; latches, plasma air purification, Titanium di-oxide coating.

"For Covid-Free passenger journey!," Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Future Ready Railway: Designed to fight Coronavirus, Railways creates 1st ‘Post COVID Coach’ with: 
 
▪️Handsfree amenities 
▪️Copper-coated handrails &amp; latches 
▪️Plasma air purification 
▪️Titanium di-oxide coating 
 
For COVID-Free passenger journey! 
 
Details: <a href="https://t.co/VAVDu6lDST">https://t.co/VAVDu6lDST</a> <a href="https://t.co/yWakrxt4s2">pic.twitter.com/yWakrxt4s2</a>
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1282921165678231552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Indian Railways has developed post-Covid train coaches to fight coronavirus with several special features in new coaches, which including foot-operated soap dispensers and toilet flushes, new door handles and handrails coated with anti-microbial copper.

Indian Railways has developed post-Covid train coaches to fight coronavirus with several special features in new coaches, which including foot-operated soap dispensers and toilet flushes, new door handles and handrails coated with anti-microbial copper. "The Coach has been designed by Rail Coach Factory at Kapurthala to prevent the spread of Covid 19. The Ministry said, Railways has taken numerous steps and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus infection," the Railways Ministry said. According to the Ministry, "this Coach has the provision of plasma air equipment in the air conditioning duct. This equipment will sterilize the air and surfaces inside the AC coach using ionised air to make the coach Covid-19 and particulate matter resistant." This Post Covid Coach has design improvements in the coach like handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails & latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for Covid free passenger journey, the Railways added. "Future Ready Railway: Designed to fight Coronavirus, Railways creates 1st Post Covid Coach' with handsfree amenities, copper-coated handrails & latches, plasma air purification, Titanium di-oxide coating. "For Covid-Free passenger journey!," Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted. Future Ready Railway: Designed to fight Coronavirus, Railways creates 1st ‘Post COVID Coach’ with: ▪️Handsfree amenities ▪️Copper-coated handrails & latches ▪️Plasma air purification ▪️Titanium di-oxide coating For COVID-Free passenger journey! Details: https://t.co/VAVDu6lDST pic.twitter.com/yWakrxt4s2 — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 14, 2020 ×

Handsfree amenities, plasma air purification: Indian Railways develops the post-Covid coach

France will soon announce an "exceptional package" for India, including ventilators and expertise, as part of its efforts to jointly combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the French envoy to India said on Tuesday.

In his message on the French National Day -- Bastille Day, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said that since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the two countries have shown exceptional solidarity.

"India has provided much needed equipment and drugs to French hospitals. Friendship is a two-way road and France has reciprocated," Lenain said.

The French development agency AFD has granted an exceptional loan of 200 million euros (Rs 1,600 crore) to provide social services to the most vulnerable population in India, he said.

"We are going to announce soon an exceptional package comprising serological test (kits), ventilators and some expertise," the French envoy said in the message posted on all social media handles of the French Embassy here.

Solidarity has been exceptional in the way the India government has lent support to the operation to repatriate stranded tourists, he said, thanking Indian authorities for it.

Another great way to express solidarity is the involvement of French companies in corporate social responsibility, he said.

Lenain cited the example of French firms partnering Indian companies for producing ventilators and a French firm contributing 65 ICU beds.

France will soon announce an "exceptional package" for India, including ventilators and expertise, as part of its efforts to jointly combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the French envoy to India said on Tuesday.

France will soon announce an "exceptional package" for India, including ventilators and expertise, as part of its efforts to jointly combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the French envoy to India said on Tuesday. In his message on the French National Day -- Bastille Day, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said that since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the two countries have shown exceptional solidarity. "India has provided much needed equipment and drugs to French hospitals. Friendship is a two-way road and France has reciprocated," Lenain said. The French development agency AFD has granted an exceptional loan of 200 million euros (Rs 1,600 crore) to provide social services to the most vulnerable population in India, he said. "We are going to announce soon an exceptional package comprising serological test (kits), ventilators and some expertise," the French envoy said in the message posted on all social media handles of the French Embassy here. Solidarity has been exceptional in the way the India government has lent support to the operation to repatriate stranded tourists, he said, thanking Indian authorities for it. Another great way to express solidarity is the involvement of French companies in corporate social responsibility, he said. Lenain cited the example of French firms partnering Indian companies for producing ventilators and a French firm contributing 65 ICU beds.

France to announce 'exceptional package' boosting India's COVID-19 fight, says Envoy

Delhi got its second plasma bank on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurating the facility at the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The chief minister had inaugurated the first such facility at the state-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences on July 2.

"Plasma therapy is really helpful in saving lives. We cannot say it is 100 percent successful... but the death rate has reduced in Delhi and plasma has a role in it," the chief minister said at the launch.

The LNJP Hospital is located in central Delhi, so it is easily accessible to those willing to donate plasma, he said.

COVID-19 patients can donate their plasma 14 days after recovery.

Such people should be aged between 18 and 60 and weigh not less than 50 kg.

Women who have been pregnant at some time in their life, people with diabetes, hypertension, cancer survivors, those with chronic heart, liver, lung and kidney diseases and high blood pressure cannot donate plasma.&nbsp;

Delhi got its second plasma bank on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurating the facility at the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Delhi got its second plasma bank on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurating the facility at the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The chief minister had inaugurated the first such facility at the state-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences on July 2. "Plasma therapy is really helpful in saving lives. We cannot say it is 100 percent successful... but the death rate has reduced in Delhi and plasma has a role in it," the chief minister said at the launch. The LNJP Hospital is located in central Delhi, so it is easily accessible to those willing to donate plasma, he said. COVID-19 patients can donate their plasma 14 days after recovery. Such people should be aged between 18 and 60 and weigh not less than 50 kg. Women who have been pregnant at some time in their life, people with diabetes, hypertension, cancer survivors, those with chronic heart, liver, lung and kidney diseases and high blood pressure cannot donate plasma.

Covid-19 treatment: Delhi gets second plasma bank at LNJP hospital

In a major development capable of helping in drug formulations for COVID-19, the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) here has successfully established in vitro cultures of coronavirus from the patient samples using Vero cells.

Seventeen virus cultures have been established from swab samples originating from different locations of the country with varying virus loads by the ILS, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, officials said.

The Vero cell culture technology is used worldwide to develop inactivated whole cell-based vaccines.

"It is a significant development as only three other laboratories from India has reported establishing virus cultures till date," ILS Director Ajay Parida said.

This has potential application in testing and screening for possible drug targets, formulations as well as possible use in vaccine development.

Cultured SARS-CoV-2 can also be used in developing antibodies or antidotes, testing of antibodies and identification of effective therapeutic agents, he said.

Parida expressed confidence that this will be a useful resource for the country in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as well as for future preparedness.

In the long run these viral cultures will be useful for academicians as well as industry for testing and validating various antiviral products contributing to diagnostic, cure and management of COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

These virus cultures have been established by the ILS team led by scientists Soma Chattopadhyay and Gulam H Syed following international protocols and all safety precautions in the BSL 3 facility, an official said.

Virus cultures have been stabilised with multiple passages in vero cell culture and titres in culture supernatants of 7-9 passage were estimated by Foci-Forming Unit (FFU) assay.

Infection of the Vero cells with SARS-CoV2 clinical isolate was also confirmed by immunofluorescence detection of SARS-CoV2 infection.

Studies using genome sequencing approaches are underway for understanding stability and detecting any mutation in established cultures.

Vitro culture involves studies conducted with microorganisms, cells outside their usual surroundings.

Vero cells are host cells for growing virus.

ILS has been supporting the Odisha government in augmenting testing for COVID-19 since April this year and has tested around 45,000 samples from as many as 26 districts of the state.

The institute has been selected as one of the 16 in the country for setting up a biorespository of clinical samples for furthering research and development efforts for COVID-19.

Apart from ILS, there other institutes - NIV, Pune, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad and RMRC, Dibrugarh have reported establishing virus cultures. 
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In a major development capable of helping in drug formulations for COVID-19, the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) here has successfully established in vitro cultures of coronavirus from the patient samples using Vero cells.

In a major development capable of helping in drug formulations for COVID-19, the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) here has successfully established in vitro cultures of coronavirus from the patient samples using Vero cells. Seventeen virus cultures have been established from swab samples originating from different locations of the country with varying virus loads by the ILS, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, officials said. The Vero cell culture technology is used worldwide to develop inactivated whole cell-based vaccines. "It is a significant development as only three other laboratories from India has reported establishing virus cultures till date," ILS Director Ajay Parida said. This has potential application in testing and screening for possible drug targets, formulations as well as possible use in vaccine development. Cultured SARS-CoV-2 can also be used in developing antibodies or antidotes, testing of antibodies and identification of effective therapeutic agents, he said. Parida expressed confidence that this will be a useful resource for the country in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as well as for future preparedness. In the long run these viral cultures will be useful for academicians as well as industry for testing and validating various antiviral products contributing to diagnostic, cure and management of COVID-19 pandemic, he said. These virus cultures have been established by the ILS team led by scientists Soma Chattopadhyay and Gulam H Syed following international protocols and all safety precautions in the BSL 3 facility, an official said. Virus cultures have been stabilised with multiple passages in vero cell culture and titres in culture supernatants of 7-9 passage were estimated by Foci-Forming Unit (FFU) assay. Infection of the Vero cells with SARS-CoV2 clinical isolate was also confirmed by immunofluorescence detection of SARS-CoV2 infection. Studies using genome sequencing approaches are underway for understanding stability and detecting any mutation in established cultures. Vitro culture involves studies conducted with microorganisms, cells outside their usual surroundings. Vero cells are host cells for growing virus. ILS has been supporting the Odisha government in augmenting testing for COVID-19 since April this year and has tested around 45,000 samples from as many as 26 districts of the state. The institute has been selected as one of the 16 in the country for setting up a biorespository of clinical samples for furthering research and development efforts for COVID-19. Apart from ILS, there other institutes - NIV, Pune, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad and RMRC, Dibrugarh have reported establishing virus cultures.

Odisha-based Institute of Life Sciences establishes stable cultures of coronavirus