Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening. The vaccine, Covishield (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) produced by India's serum institute of India, will help kick start Brazil's vaccination program next week. 
 
Meanwhile, Ministry of external affairs, when asked about the development said, "Vaccination process is just starting in India, too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries".

Adding,” We will take decision in this regard on due course and this may take some time". 
 
"To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program", the Brazilian President had written to Indian PM Modi requesting, "2 million doses of the immunizer produced by the Serum Institute of India".&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-bharat-biotech-to-supply-its-covid-19-vaccine-to-brazil-356520">Also read | India's Bharat Biotech to supply its Covid-19 vaccine to Brazil</a> 
 
He explained in the letter that, "Brazilian government has launched the National Immunization Program against Covid-19" and "Among the vaccines selected by the Brazilian government, are those from the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Limited (Covaxin) and AstraZeneca at the University of Oxford (Covishield), also produced by the Serum Institute of India."

Important to note that Brazil will be producing 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by its national health institute/laboratory Fiocruz. Fiocruz is right now acquiring ready vaccines from the Serum Institute in India, one of the production centres for the vaccine.

Earlier this month, India's Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Brazil's Precisa Medicamentos for Covaxin covid vaccine. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Bharat Biotech facility in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.&nbsp;

The company in a statement said, "In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritized for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Govt. of Brazil". Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority.

India is known as the pharma capital of the world, a position it reaffirmed during the covid pandemic by sending HCQ and paracetamol to around 150 countries around the world. Indian PM has said that India's vaccine will be for humanity, with priority to the developing world and the neighbourhood.

Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening.

Responding to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines, a plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening. The vaccine, Covishield (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) produced by India's serum institute of India, will help kick start Brazil's vaccination program next week. Meanwhile, Ministry of external affairs, when asked about the development said, "Vaccination process is just starting in India, too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries". Adding,” We will take decision in this regard on due course and this may take some time". "To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program", the Brazilian President had written to Indian PM Modi requesting, "2 million doses of the immunizer produced by the Serum Institute of India". Also read | India's Bharat Biotech to supply its Covid-19 vaccine to Brazil He explained in the letter that, "Brazilian government has launched the National Immunization Program against Covid-19" and "Among the vaccines selected by the Brazilian government, are those from the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Limited (Covaxin) and AstraZeneca at the University of Oxford (Covishield), also produced by the Serum Institute of India." Important to note that Brazil will be producing 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by its national health institute/laboratory Fiocruz. Fiocruz is right now acquiring ready vaccines from the Serum Institute in India, one of the production centres for the vaccine. Earlier this month, India's Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Brazil's Precisa Medicamentos for Covaxin covid vaccine. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Bharat Biotech facility in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. The company in a statement said, "In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritized for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Govt. of Brazil". Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority. India is known as the pharma capital of the world, a position it reaffirmed during the covid pandemic by sending HCQ and paracetamol to around 150 countries around the world. Indian PM has said that India's vaccine will be for humanity, with priority to the developing world and the neighbourhood.

Indian Covid-19 vaccines to kickstart Brazilian vaccination program

Several Gorillas of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park have tested positive for the COVID-19 infection. This is believed to be the first known cases among such primates in the US and possibly in the world.

Gorillas at San Diego Zoo test positive for COVID-19

Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos, a firm in Brazil, to supply the COVID-19 vaccine candidate to the Latin American country.

The company will supply 12 million doses of Covaxin to Brazil.

Developed with Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology, Covaxin is an inactivated two-dose vaccine and earlier this month had received emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India. Phase III clinical trials for Covaxin that began in November are underway and involve around 26,000 volunteers across the country.

Brazil has registered over 8 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen over 203,000, the world’s second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak.

Brazil has signed agreements to receive other COVID-19 vaccines. Authorities there are facing growing pressure to speed up the vaccine rollout, which is lagging regional peers. Mexico, Chile and Argentina have already begun immunizations.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that posted disappointing efficacy results in local trials.

On Tuesday, researchers in Sao Paulo state announced that the Chinese vaccine was 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in a local trial - barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced last week.

Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, is a longstanding China hawk. He has repeatedly criticized the Sinovac shot, which was being late-stage tested by Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute, as untrustworthy. He previously said his government would not buy the Chinese vaccine but later relented as a criticism of Brazil's vaccine rollout has grown. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos, a firm in Brazil, to supply the COVID-19 vaccine candidate to the Latin American country.

Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos, a firm in Brazil, to supply the COVID-19 vaccine candidate to the Latin American country. The company will supply 12 million doses of Covaxin to Brazil. Developed with Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology, Covaxin is an inactivated two-dose vaccine and earlier this month had received emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India. Phase III clinical trials for Covaxin that began in November are underway and involve around 26,000 volunteers across the country. Brazil has registered over 8 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen over 203,000, the world’s second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak. Brazil has signed agreements to receive other COVID-19 vaccines. Authorities there are facing growing pressure to speed up the vaccine rollout, which is lagging regional peers. Mexico, Chile and Argentina have already begun immunizations. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that posted disappointing efficacy results in local trials. On Tuesday, researchers in Sao Paulo state announced that the Chinese vaccine was 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in a local trial - barely enough for regulatory approval and well below the rate announced last week. Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, is a longstanding China hawk. He has repeatedly criticized the Sinovac shot, which was being late-stage tested by Sao Paulo's Butantan Institute, as untrustworthy. He previously said his government would not buy the Chinese vaccine but later relented as a criticism of Brazil's vaccine rollout has grown. (With inputs from agencies)

India's Bharat Biotech to supply its Covid-19 vaccine to Brazil

Malaysia’s king declared a state of emergency across the country to fight a coronavirus surge that is overwhelming hospitals. The emergency will last till August 1 or earlier depending on the gravity of the crisis.

Malaysia's king declares emergency to curb Coronavirus spread

Rural areas of Ukraine has no ICU or ventilators or any critical care specialist, but a single doctor, Victoria Mahnych is travelling across villages, caring for her patients. WION brings you a report.

COVID-19 challenge for Ukraine's village doctor

New research suggests Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine can protect against a mutation found in the two more-contagious variants of the coronavirus that have erupted in Britain and South Africa.

Research shows Pfizer vaccine works against mutations

There were divided opinions on the efficiency of vitamin D to help fight <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">novel coronavirus</a>, but a new study has provided some new answers regarding this.&nbsp;

The study conducted by researchers from the Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences has found that vitamin D supplement helps reduce Covid-19 mortality rate, its severity and serum levels of inflammatory markers.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/experts-say-not-enough-evidence-to-conclude-that-vitamin-d-helps-fight-coronavirus-350527">Experts say 'not enough' evidence to conclude that vitamin D helps fight coronavirus</a>

For the research, the scientists studied several findings, including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Ovid up to December 16, 2020.

The research, published on the medRxiv* server, noted that three studies revealed that the mortality rate is lower among the intervention group than the control group.&nbsp;

Two of the studies found that the clinical outcomes on the basis of the World Health Organization (WHO) Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) score for Covid-19 were lower in patients who received vitamin D supplementation.&nbsp;

One study showed that people who received vitamin D had a lower rate of admission in the intensive care unit (ICU) and another study revealed a substantial reduction in serum levels of fibrinogen, which rises in any condition that causes inflammation or tissue damage.&nbsp;

There were divided opinions on the efficiency of vitamin D to help fight novel coronavirus, but a new study has provided some new answers regarding this. The study conducted by researchers from the Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences has found that vitamin D supplement helps reduce Covid-19 mortality rate, its severity and serum levels of inflammatory markers.

There were divided opinions on the efficiency of vitamin D to help fight novel coronavirus, but a new study has provided some new answers regarding this. The study conducted by researchers from the Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences has found that vitamin D supplement helps reduce Covid-19 mortality rate, its severity and serum levels of inflammatory markers. Also read | Experts say 'not enough' evidence to conclude that vitamin D helps fight coronavirus For the research, the scientists studied several findings, including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Ovid up to December 16, 2020. The research, published on the medRxiv* server, noted that three studies revealed that the mortality rate is lower among the intervention group than the control group. Two of the studies found that the clinical outcomes on the basis of the World Health Organization (WHO) Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI) score for Covid-19 were lower in patients who received vitamin D supplementation. One study showed that people who received vitamin D had a lower rate of admission in the intensive care unit (ICU) and another study revealed a substantial reduction in serum levels of fibrinogen, which rises in any condition that causes inflammation or tissue damage.

Vitamin D reduces coronavirus mortality rate: Study

United Kingdom has become the epicentre of Europe's COVID-19 outbreak once again. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is currently facing immense criticism and anger from the people over its handling of the pandemic.

COVID-19: UK urges citizens to obey rules as deaths surpass 81,000

Boris Johnson under fire as UK again faces onslaught of COVID-19

Bangkok remains on every traveller's bucket list but the COVID-19 pandemic has quieted even the most bustling of cities. Even with the rollout of vaccine people in Bangkok are not really sure when things will return to normal.

COVID-19 impact: Bangkok's iconic tourist sited are empty

Saudi Arabia's King Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday. The king received the jab three weeks after Saudi Arabia launched a three-phase vaccination programme. Saudi press agency said that the king received "the first dose of coronavirus vaccine" in Neom, the futuristic city on the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign on December 17 after receiving the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The health ministry said the programme would roll out in three phases, starting with people over 65 and those with chronic ailments or at high risk of infection.

People over 50 would be vaccinated next, with everyone else included in the third stage, the ministry said, adding that the vaccine would be free for citizens and residents.

Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 363,000 novel coronavirus cases, including more than 6,000 deaths -- the highest among the Gulf Arab states.&nbsp;

But the kingdom has also reported a high recovery rate.

Saudi Arabia has a population of more than 34 million, according to official figures.

(With AFP inputs)

Saudi Arabia's King Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday. The king received the jab three weeks after Saudi Arabia launched a three-phase vaccination programme.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman received COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday. The king received the jab three weeks after Saudi Arabia launched a three-phase vaccination programme. Saudi press agency said that the king received "the first dose of coronavirus vaccine" in Neom, the futuristic city on the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign on December 17 after receiving the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The health ministry said the programme would roll out in three phases, starting with people over 65 and those with chronic ailments or at high risk of infection. People over 50 would be vaccinated next, with everyone else included in the third stage, the ministry said, adding that the vaccine would be free for citizens and residents. Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 363,000 novel coronavirus cases, including more than 6,000 deaths -- the highest among the Gulf Arab states. But the kingdom has also reported a high recovery rate. Saudi Arabia has a population of more than 34 million, according to official figures. (With AFP inputs)

Saudi Arabia King Salman receives COVID-19 vaccine

Ecuador's ambassador to India Hector Cueva Jacome has expressed his confidence in Indian COVID vaccines, highlighting that are 'part of the solution'. He himself was part of phase-3 trials of Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. Jacome is the first foreign envoy to be part of phase 3 covid vaccine trials in India. Covaxin recently got approval from India's drug regulator.

Ambassador Jacome hasn't exhibited any "secondary effects" of the vaccine so far and exclusively told WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant&nbsp;Sibbal that his country is on the lookout for an 'efficient, secure, and affordable' vaccine. He explained that he wants "to show my country, the trust and confidence that the vaccine will work."

The envoy had visited Hyderabad last month as part of the foreign envoys' delegation to visit India's COVID vaccine centers.&nbsp; 
Interestingly, his wife also took part in the clinical trials and has termed the entire exercise "safe".

WION: How do you see the COVID situation globally, in Latin America but also how India has taken action?

Hector Cueva Jacome: I made a lot of research. And what is happening in the world? Normally in the western media, my counterparts say take care, they have more than 11 million cases in India, they are scared.&nbsp;

I tell, yes India has 11 million but you need to see all the picture. You have 11 million cases; you only have 3 lakh active cases. 97 per cent of cases are recovered, this is a huge number. India is very successful in containing the pandemic. You have a rate of 1.46 per cent of dead people, the lowest in the world. You are doing a lot of tests, you are doing well. When the pandemic started here in India, you did not have enough ventilators, now many countries are producing ventilators.&nbsp;

You have the medicines and in future, vaccines. In other countries, in Latin America, you had some problems. During the lockdown, during quarantine, many did come up with solutions to problems. You see the problems in Europe.&nbsp;

India is not the only example of good management of COVID-19, see what is happening in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda. They are doing a very well job in combating COVID-19. India is doing well.

WION: You took part in clinical trials when it comes to Covaxin, if you can tell us the reason you opted in, what prompted this decision of yours...

Hector Cueva Jacome: I am participating in medical trials. So, I don't know, if a got the vaccine. You have to remember that, in this medical trial, under the process, participants don't know if they got the vaccine or the placebo.&nbsp;

I don't know if it was a vaccine or placebo. That was 2-3 days ago when we got the injection. We have to wait for 28 days, to get the second dose. Then I have to wait for 14 days and get a blood test. Then I will get to know was it a vaccine or placebo.&nbsp;

I participated in medical trials and it is the best way to show my trust and confidence in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, the Indian vaccine industry. It was a pre-mediated decision.&nbsp;

When I sent all the details of phase 1, phase 2 to my friends, scientist friends in the US, Ecuador, in India they tell me, the vaccine is safe. It was not yesterday, I decided to be part of the medical trials. I want to show my country, the trust and confidence that the vaccine will work.

WION: Are you Confident of the Indian vaccine?

Hector Cueva Jacome: Let us focus on the vaccine industry. Almost 33 per cent or more vaccines all over the world are produced in India. So, after this number, you can see industry is working well.&nbsp;

You have, companies and industries like Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute that are well known around the world, companies who are very serious and they are not going to do something wrong. The vaccine is not just a business, it is more than that, it is survival. 33 &nbsp;per cent of global vaccines are made in India.

WION: Have you approached the Indian government for the COVID vaccine?

Hector Cueva Jacome: Indian govt is a very good friend of mine and the Ecuadorian govt. They are very generous with my govt. During the beginning of the pandemic, India gave many donations of many medicines to my country. India will be very generous. I contacted people in MEA and in the Indian govt.&nbsp;

First, you need to solve problems here in India, then you have to go forward in other countries. I am sure, Indian vaccines are going to be part of solutions in the future for COVID-19 control.&nbsp;

People used to think, vaccines will be going to clear everything, we need to be more careful about that. COVID-19 is long term, a 10 km race and we need to check in Latin American countries--not only vaccine but also RT PCR tests, affordable test, effective test.&nbsp;

Tests in our country are expensive, here in India you go to any Lab and get RT PCR tests at Rs 800 or $10. In the future here in India, you will produce tests that will give tests in 30 min. Here in India, you will produce a nasal vaccine, by Bharat biotech and SII.&nbsp;

It will be a cheaper vaccine. We are on the right path. I want to tell you something very personal, when I decided to take part in a medical trial, I said to my wife that I will take part, she said, are you going to participate. She said you know, I am participating also. She is the real hero because it is part of my job to try to get solutions to my country, she is a real hero.

WION: Since you were part of the vaccine trial, have any other diplomats also shown any keenness?

Hector Cueva Jacome: You know, people are really interested to know, how was it. If I had secondary effects. We don't have any effects. They are really surprised. Some people yes, want to participate. Let's see what happens.&nbsp;

The trials will finish this week. 25000 volunteers have participated. All the diplomats are keen, interested in the effects, results of phase 3 medical trials of Bharat Biotech COVID vaccine and also SII. Vaccine right now is expensive and we are not a rich country.&nbsp;

We are developing countries, so we need to save our budget and be careful about it. All the countries in Latin America, have an economic disaster.&nbsp;

We need to be careful about the money of our people and govt. Maybe we can have an option, efficient, secure and affordable option for our people, to our region.

WION: Maam, you could have opted out, but you opted in..any reason?

Toya Cardenas Saldarriaga: It is very safe. It is safe for us, this is the reason.

Ecuador's ambassador to India Hector Cueva Jacome has expressed his confidence in Indian COVID vaccines, highlighting that are 'part of the solution'. He himself was part of phase-3 trials of Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech.

Ecuador's ambassador to India Hector Cueva Jacome has expressed his confidence in Indian COVID vaccines, highlighting that are 'part of the solution'. He himself was part of phase-3 trials of Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. Jacome is the first foreign envoy to be part of phase 3 covid vaccine trials in India. Covaxin recently got approval from India's drug regulator. Ambassador Jacome hasn't exhibited any "secondary effects" of the vaccine so far and exclusively told WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal that his country is on the lookout for an 'efficient, secure, and affordable' vaccine. He explained that he wants "to show my country, the trust and confidence that the vaccine will work." The envoy had visited Hyderabad last month as part of the foreign envoys' delegation to visit India's COVID vaccine centers. Interestingly, his wife also took part in the clinical trials and has termed the entire exercise "safe". WION: How do you see the COVID situation globally, in Latin America but also how India has taken action? Hector Cueva Jacome: I made a lot of research. And what is happening in the world? Normally in the western media, my counterparts say take care, they have more than 11 million cases in India, they are scared. I tell, yes India has 11 million but you need to see all the picture. You have 11 million cases; you only have 3 lakh active cases. 97 per cent of cases are recovered, this is a huge number. India is very successful in containing the pandemic. You have a rate of 1.46 per cent of dead people, the lowest in the world. You are doing a lot of tests, you are doing well. When the pandemic started here in India, you did not have enough ventilators, now many countries are producing ventilators. You have the medicines and in future, vaccines. In other countries, in Latin America, you had some problems. During the lockdown, during quarantine, many did come up with solutions to problems. You see the problems in Europe. India is not the only example of good management of COVID-19, see what is happening in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda. They are doing a very well job in combating COVID-19. India is doing well. WION: You took part in clinical trials when it comes to Covaxin, if you can tell us the reason you opted in, what prompted this decision of yours... Hector Cueva Jacome: I am participating in medical trials. So, I don't know, if a got the vaccine. You have to remember that, in this medical trial, under the process, participants don't know if they got the vaccine or the placebo. I don't know if it was a vaccine or placebo. That was 2-3 days ago when we got the injection. We have to wait for 28 days, to get the second dose. Then I have to wait for 14 days and get a blood test. Then I will get to know was it a vaccine or placebo. I participated in medical trials and it is the best way to show my trust and confidence in the Indian pharmaceutical industry, the Indian vaccine industry. It was a pre-mediated decision. When I sent all the details of phase 1, phase 2 to my friends, scientist friends in the US, Ecuador, in India they tell me, the vaccine is safe. It was not yesterday, I decided to be part of the medical trials. I want to show my country, the trust and confidence that the vaccine will work. WION: Are you Confident of the Indian vaccine? Hector Cueva Jacome: Let us focus on the vaccine industry. Almost 33 per cent or more vaccines all over the world are produced in India. So, after this number, you can see industry is working well. You have, companies and industries like Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute that are well known around the world, companies who are very serious and they are not going to do something wrong. The vaccine is not just a business, it is more than that, it is survival. 33 per cent of global vaccines are made in India. WION: Have you approached the Indian government for the COVID vaccine? Hector Cueva Jacome: Indian govt is a very good friend of mine and the Ecuadorian govt. They are very generous with my govt. During the beginning of the pandemic, India gave many donations of many medicines to my country. India will be very generous. I contacted people in MEA and in the Indian govt. First, you need to solve problems here in India, then you have to go forward in other countries. I am sure, Indian vaccines are going to be part of solutions in the future for COVID-19 control. People used to think, vaccines will be going to clear everything, we need to be more careful about that. COVID-19 is long term, a 10 km race and we need to check in Latin American countries--not only vaccine but also RT PCR tests, affordable test, effective test. Tests in our country are expensive, here in India you go to any Lab and get RT PCR tests at Rs 800 or $10. In the future here in India, you will produce tests that will give tests in 30 min. Here in India, you will produce a nasal vaccine, by Bharat biotech and SII. It will be a cheaper vaccine. We are on the right path. I want to tell you something very personal, when I decided to take part in a medical trial, I said to my wife that I will take part, she said, are you going to participate. She said you know, I am participating also. She is the real hero because it is part of my job to try to get solutions to my country, she is a real hero. WION: Since you were part of the vaccine trial, have any other diplomats also shown any keenness? Hector Cueva Jacome: You know, people are really interested to know, how was it. If I had secondary effects. We don't have any effects. They are really surprised. Some people yes, want to participate. Let's see what happens. The trials will finish this week. 25000 volunteers have participated. All the diplomats are keen, interested in the effects, results of phase 3 medical trials of Bharat Biotech COVID vaccine and also SII. Vaccine right now is expensive and we are not a rich country. We are developing countries, so we need to save our budget and be careful about it. All the countries in Latin America, have an economic disaster. We need to be careful about the money of our people and govt. Maybe we can have an option, efficient, secure and affordable option for our people, to our region. WION: Maam, you could have opted out, but you opted in..any reason? Toya Cardenas Saldarriaga: It is very safe. It is safe for us, this is the reason.

Indian vaccines part of solution: Ecuador envoy who participated in phase 3 Covaxin trials

In a relief to health systems around the world which are buckling under the recent rapid spread of the coronavirus, scientists have found that two drugs used to fight arthritis cut the risk of death from Covid-19.

Findings have shown that tocilizumab and sarilumab – both IL-6 receptor antagonists – have a significant impact on COVID-19 patient survival, reducing mortality by 8.5 percent.

Treating critically ill coronavirus&nbsp;patients with these two arthritis drugs significantly improves survival rates and reduces the amount of time patients need intensive care.

That would mean that for every 12 patients treated with one of the two drugs, an extra life would be saved, said Anthony Gordon, an Imperial College London professor of anaesthesia and critical care who co-led the study.

The data will boost confidence that some existing drugs could be repurposed to help with the pandemic that has killed more than 1.87 million people and crushed global economies.

It also comes as countries struggle to contain two variants of the virus found in South Africa and Britain that are more transmissible and have driven a surge in infections.

The data, from around 800 severely ill COVID-19 patients involved in an international study known as the REMAP-CAP trial showed that the two drugs reduced mortality rates from 35.8% in a control group to 27.3% among patients receiving either tocilizumab or sarilumab.

The results also showed that on average, patients treated with Actemra or Kevzara recovered more swiftly and were able to be discharged from intensive care units around seven to 10 days earlier than those who did not get these drugs.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a relief to health systems around the world which are buckling under the recent rapid spread of the coronavirus, scientists have found that two drugs used to fight arthritis cut the risk of death from Covid-19.

In a relief to health systems around the world which are buckling under the recent rapid spread of the coronavirus, scientists have found that two drugs used to fight arthritis cut the risk of death from Covid-19. Findings have shown that tocilizumab and sarilumab – both IL-6 receptor antagonists – have a significant impact on COVID-19 patient survival, reducing mortality by 8.5 percent. Treating critically ill coronavirus patients with these two arthritis drugs significantly improves survival rates and reduces the amount of time patients need intensive care. That would mean that for every 12 patients treated with one of the two drugs, an extra life would be saved, said Anthony Gordon, an Imperial College London professor of anaesthesia and critical care who co-led the study. The data will boost confidence that some existing drugs could be repurposed to help with the pandemic that has killed more than 1.87 million people and crushed global economies. It also comes as countries struggle to contain two variants of the virus found in South Africa and Britain that are more transmissible and have driven a surge in infections. The data, from around 800 severely ill COVID-19 patients involved in an international study known as the REMAP-CAP trial showed that the two drugs reduced mortality rates from 35.8% in a control group to 27.3% among patients receiving either tocilizumab or sarilumab. The results also showed that on average, patients treated with Actemra or Kevzara recovered more swiftly and were able to be discharged from intensive care units around seven to 10 days earlier than those who did not get these drugs. (With inputs from agencies)

New treatment reduces mortality in Covid patients, study finds

COVID-19 survivors may have protective immunity against serious disease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus for months, or even years after the infection, a study suggests.

The findings, based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, suggest that nearly all survivors of the disease have the immune cells necessary to fight re-infection.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/portuguese-nurse-dies-two-days-after-getting-the-pfizer-covid-vaccine-354526">Portuguese nurse dies two days after getting the Pfizer Covid vaccine</a>

"Our data suggest that the immune response is there -- and it stays," Professor Alessandro Sette from La Jolla Institute for Immunology in the US.

The researchers measured antibodies, memory B cells, helper T cells and killer T cells -- all four components of immune memory -- at the same time.

The study, published in the journal Science, helps clarify some concerning data from other institutes, which showed a dramatic drop-off of COVID-fighting antibodies in the months following infection.

Some feared that this decline in antibodies meant that the body wouldn't be equipped to defend itself against reinfection.

Sette explained that a decline in antibodies is very normal.

"Of course, the immune response decreases over time to a certain extent, but that's normal," he noted.

"That's what immune responses do. They have a first phase of ramping up, and after that fantastic expansion, eventually the immune response contracts somewhat and gets to a steady state," Sette added.

The researchers found that virus-specific antibodies do persist in the bloodstream months after infection.

They said the body also has immune cells called memory B cells at the ready, adding that if a person encounters SARS-CoV-2 again, these cells could reactivate and produce antibodies to fight re-infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses its "spike" protein to initiate infection of human cells, so the researchers looked for memory B cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 spike.

They found that spike-specific memory B cells actually increased in the blood six months after infection.

"COVID-19 survivors also had an army of T cells ready to fight reinfection. Memory CD4+ "helper" T cells lingered, ready to trigger an immune response if they saw SARS-CoV-2 again," the researchers said.

Many memory CB8+ "killer" T cells also remained, ready to destroy infected cells and halt a reinfection, they said.

"The different parts of the adaptive immune systems work together, so seeing COVID-fighting antibodies, memory B cells, memory CD4+ T cells and memory CD8+ T cells in the blood more than eight months following infection is a good sign," said LJI Professor Shane Crotty.

"This implies that there's a good chance people would have protective immunity, at least against serious disease, for that period of time, and probably well beyond that," Crotty said.

However, the researchers cautioned that protective immunity does vary dramatically from person to person.

They saw a 100-fold range in the magnitude of immune memory.

"People with a weak immune memory may be vulnerable to a case of recurrent COVID-19 in the future, or they may be more likely to infect others," the researchers said.&nbsp;

COVID-19 survivors may have protective immunity against serious disease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus for months, or even years after the infection, a study suggests.

COVID-19 survivors may have protective immunity against serious disease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus for months, or even years after the infection, a study suggests. The findings, based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, suggest that nearly all survivors of the disease have the immune cells necessary to fight re-infection. Also read | Portuguese nurse dies two days after getting the Pfizer Covid vaccine "Our data suggest that the immune response is there -- and it stays," Professor Alessandro Sette from La Jolla Institute for Immunology in the US. The researchers measured antibodies, memory B cells, helper T cells and killer T cells -- all four components of immune memory -- at the same time. The study, published in the journal Science, helps clarify some concerning data from other institutes, which showed a dramatic drop-off of COVID-fighting antibodies in the months following infection. Some feared that this decline in antibodies meant that the body wouldn't be equipped to defend itself against reinfection. Sette explained that a decline in antibodies is very normal. "Of course, the immune response decreases over time to a certain extent, but that's normal," he noted. "That's what immune responses do. They have a first phase of ramping up, and after that fantastic expansion, eventually the immune response contracts somewhat and gets to a steady state," Sette added. The researchers found that virus-specific antibodies do persist in the bloodstream months after infection. They said the body also has immune cells called memory B cells at the ready, adding that if a person encounters SARS-CoV-2 again, these cells could reactivate and produce antibodies to fight re-infection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses its "spike" protein to initiate infection of human cells, so the researchers looked for memory B cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 spike. They found that spike-specific memory B cells actually increased in the blood six months after infection. "COVID-19 survivors also had an army of T cells ready to fight reinfection. Memory CD4+ "helper" T cells lingered, ready to trigger an immune response if they saw SARS-CoV-2 again," the researchers said. Many memory CB8+ "killer" T cells also remained, ready to destroy infected cells and halt a reinfection, they said. "The different parts of the adaptive immune systems work together, so seeing COVID-fighting antibodies, memory B cells, memory CD4+ T cells and memory CD8+ T cells in the blood more than eight months following infection is a good sign," said LJI Professor Shane Crotty. "This implies that there's a good chance people would have protective immunity, at least against serious disease, for that period of time, and probably well beyond that," Crotty said. However, the researchers cautioned that protective immunity does vary dramatically from person to person. They saw a 100-fold range in the magnitude of immune memory. "People with a weak immune memory may be vulnerable to a case of recurrent COVID-19 in the future, or they may be more likely to infect others," the researchers said.

Protective immunity against novel coronavirus may last for over eight months: Study

The world has begun its vaccination drive as COVID-19 continues to batter economies and infect more and more people, But the virus is now mutating.

Death toll in South Africa crosses 30,000, know risks of South Africa COVID-19 variant

India, the second hardest-hit country from the pandemic, continues to see a decline in new cases of COVID-19. Moreover, in an important announcement, the country has now pledged to start its inoculation drive against COVID-19.

India continues to report law rate of COVID-19 cases

The United States has reported more than 3,900 coronavirus-related deaths in a single day, a new record of daily deaths since the onset of the pandemic in the country.

News Alert: United States report more than 3,900 deaths due to COVID-19 in 24-hrs

Whereas by January 01, vaccination expectations of 20 million Americans had ceased after a dull start. The United States now faces new challenges in the fight against COVID-19.

United States faces new challenges in fight against COVID-19

WION exclusive ground report: Risks of  South Africa COVID-19 variant

One of the senior-most officials in the United States has claimed that a "growing body of evidence" suggests that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is potentially the "most credible source" for the origin of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">novel coronavirus</a>.&nbsp;

US's Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger said China's claims of the virus originating from Wuhan market are false.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-who-will-bear-the-cost-of-the-pandemic-354078/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Pointing to the latest intelligence inputs, Pottinger said that: ''there is a growing body of evidence that the lab is likely the most credible source of the virus", as quoted by Daily Mail.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/traces-of-coronavirus-found-on-auto-parts-packaging-in-china-354384">Traces of coronavirus found on auto parts packaging in China</a>

He also said that Covid-19 may have escaped via a "leak or an accident".&nbsp;

Pottinger made these commends in a Zoom videoconference with British MPs last week and come at a time when experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) are preparing to travel Wuhan to know the virus's origins

Sam Armstrong, communications director at the Henry Jackson Society foreign policy think-tank said that when a "senior and respected" intelligence official is pushing these claims, the UK government must "seek both answers about and compensation for Covid-19.'

Wuhan is coronavirus's first epicentre and Beijing has constantly denied the involvement of the high-security lab in the region behind the leak of Covid-19.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a WHO team will arrive in China in January to find the coronavirus origins and recently one of the team members told news agency AFP that they will explore all avenues and will not focus on finding the "guilty" country or authority.&nbsp;

One of the senior-most officials in the United States has claimed that a "growing body of evidence" suggests that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is potentially the "most credible source" for the origin of the novel coronavirus.

One of the senior-most officials in the United States has claimed that a "growing body of evidence" suggests that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is potentially the "most credible source" for the origin of the novel coronavirus. US's Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger said China's claims of the virus originating from Wuhan market are false. Watch | Pointing to the latest intelligence inputs, Pottinger said that: ''there is a growing body of evidence that the lab is likely the most credible source of the virus", as quoted by Daily Mail. Also read | Traces of coronavirus found on auto parts packaging in China He also said that Covid-19 may have escaped via a "leak or an accident". Pottinger made these commends in a Zoom videoconference with British MPs last week and come at a time when experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) are preparing to travel Wuhan to know the virus's origins Sam Armstrong, communications director at the Henry Jackson Society foreign policy think-tank said that when a "senior and respected" intelligence official is pushing these claims, the UK government must "seek both answers about and compensation for Covid-19.' Wuhan is coronavirus's first epicentre and Beijing has constantly denied the involvement of the high-security lab in the region behind the leak of Covid-19. Meanwhile, a WHO team will arrive in China in January to find the coronavirus origins and recently one of the team members told news agency AFP that they will explore all avenues and will not focus on finding the "guilty" country or authority.

'Growing evidence' suggests Covid-19 originated from Wuhan lab: Senior US official

The United States on Saturday saw its highest number yet of coronavirus cases recorded in one day, with more than 277,000 infections.

The US is the hardest-hit country in the world by the pandemic with 20.4 million cases overall and just under 350,000 deaths.

Notably, the country has floundered in its efforts to quell Covid-19, with its vaccination programme beset by logistical problems and overstretched hospitals.

More than 4.2 million people in the US have already received their first jabs, with 13 million doses distributed, but that falls well behind the 20 million inoculations that President Donald Trump's administration promised by the end of 2020.

Infections have been surging in recent months, with top US government scientist Anthony Fauci warning just days after Christmas that the worst of the pandemic may be yet to come, driving the country to a "critical point" as holiday travel spreads the virus.

(with inputs)

The United States on Saturday saw its highest number yet of coronavirus cases recorded in one day, with more than 277,000 infections. The US is the hardest-hit country in the world by the pandemic with 20.

The United States on Saturday saw its highest number yet of coronavirus cases recorded in one day, with more than 277,000 infections. The US is the hardest-hit country in the world by the pandemic with 20.4 million cases overall and just under 350,000 deaths. Notably, the country has floundered in its efforts to quell Covid-19, with its vaccination programme beset by logistical problems and overstretched hospitals. More than 4.2 million people in the US have already received their first jabs, with 13 million doses distributed, but that falls well behind the 20 million inoculations that President Donald Trump's administration promised by the end of 2020. Infections have been surging in recent months, with top US government scientist Anthony Fauci warning just days after Christmas that the worst of the pandemic may be yet to come, driving the country to a "critical point" as holiday travel spreads the virus. (with inputs)

US sets a new record, marks 277,000 Covid cases in 24 hours

Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

Interacting with reporters, earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that a total of 38 people have been found positive since coming to Delhi from the UK recently, and kept in a separate institutional isolation unit on the LNJP Hospital premises.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-expert-panel-recommends-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-353889/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

"Four such patients have been found infected with the new UK strain of COVID-19. The persons who came in their contact have been also traced and tested, and its not in them. So, only these four cases of new strain in Delhi so far," he said.

"Flights have been stopped and those who came before that are being traced and tested rigorously," he added.

In the evening, a senior official said that a total of seven persons who have recently arrived in Delhi from the UK have been found infected with the new strain of COVID-19.

"Four of these have their addresses in Delhi, while the rest are from other places," he said.

Delhi recorded 574 fresh COVID-19 cases and 13 new fatalities on Thursday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 0.7 per cent, authorities said.

The infection tally in the city mounted to over 6.25 lakh and death toll rose to 10,536, they said, adding over 81,000 tests were conducted the previous day.

"Positivity rate has dropped to 0.8 per cent (on Wednesday) from 15.26 per cent on November 7. About 85 per cent beds are vacant, so the situation has improved a lot. And, so, it had been decided to make LNJP Hospital and GTB Hospital into partial COVID-19 facilities now. All services, including the OPD will be soon resumed gradually," Jain said.

As per the latest health bulletin, an order has been issued to create separate institutional isolation facility in four private hospitals on payment basis, for international passengers who have travelled from or transited through the UK in the past four weeks ( November 25 to December 24) and tested positive.

These facilities are --Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket; Batra Hospital &amp; Research Centre, Tughlakabad Institutional Area; Fortis Super Specialty Hospital, Vasant Kunj; and Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, the order said.

On the preparedness for the vaccination, Jain said, work is on to set up 1,000 vaccination centres.

"Also, so far we are aware that the vaccines will be made available freely by the central government," he said.

On the night curfew in Delhi in view of New Year's celebrations, Jain said the COVID-19 situation is under control right now, but huge gatherings could spell trouble again, and therefore, the curfew has been imposed.

The Delhi government has imposed night curfew from 11 pm to 6 am on December 31 and January 1 to avoid large gatherings during New Year celebrations due to COVID-19 and its highly transmissible UK strain.

Amid mounting concerns over the new variant of the COVID-19, the Delhi government had earlier said that people who had arrived here recently from that country, are being traced and tested, while an institutional quarantine facility has been set up separately for positive cases at the LNJP Hospital.

According to the Thursday bulletin, out of the total number of 18,718 beds in COVID hospitals, 16,622 are vacant.

It said that 108 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights. 
The Delhi government had significantly ramped up testing in the past few weeks, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark.

The number of tests done per million, as on Wednesday, was over 4.5 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 86 lakh.

The bulletin said that 6,09,322 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far.

The number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 4085 on Thursday.

The number of people in home isolation dropped to 2,761 on Thursday.

Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.

Seven persons who recently arrived in Delhi from the UK and tested positive for COVID-19, have been found infected with the new strain of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday. Interacting with reporters, earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that a total of 38 people have been found positive since coming to Delhi from the UK recently, and kept in a separate institutional isolation unit on the LNJP Hospital premises. Watch | "Four such patients have been found infected with the new UK strain of COVID-19. The persons who came in their contact have been also traced and tested, and its not in them. So, only these four cases of new strain in Delhi so far," he said. "Flights have been stopped and those who came before that are being traced and tested rigorously," he added. In the evening, a senior official said that a total of seven persons who have recently arrived in Delhi from the UK have been found infected with the new strain of COVID-19. "Four of these have their addresses in Delhi, while the rest are from other places," he said. Delhi recorded 574 fresh COVID-19 cases and 13 new fatalities on Thursday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 0.7 per cent, authorities said. The infection tally in the city mounted to over 6.25 lakh and death toll rose to 10,536, they said, adding over 81,000 tests were conducted the previous day. "Positivity rate has dropped to 0.8 per cent (on Wednesday) from 15.26 per cent on November 7. About 85 per cent beds are vacant, so the situation has improved a lot. And, so, it had been decided to make LNJP Hospital and GTB Hospital into partial COVID-19 facilities now. All services, including the OPD will be soon resumed gradually," Jain said. As per the latest health bulletin, an order has been issued to create separate institutional isolation facility in four private hospitals on payment basis, for international passengers who have travelled from or transited through the UK in the past four weeks ( November 25 to December 24) and tested positive. These facilities are --Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket; Batra Hospital & Research Centre, Tughlakabad Institutional Area; Fortis Super Specialty Hospital, Vasant Kunj; and Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, the order said. On the preparedness for the vaccination, Jain said, work is on to set up 1,000 vaccination centres. "Also, so far we are aware that the vaccines will be made available freely by the central government," he said. On the night curfew in Delhi in view of New Year's celebrations, Jain said the COVID-19 situation is under control right now, but huge gatherings could spell trouble again, and therefore, the curfew has been imposed. The Delhi government has imposed night curfew from 11 pm to 6 am on December 31 and January 1 to avoid large gatherings during New Year celebrations due to COVID-19 and its highly transmissible UK strain. Amid mounting concerns over the new variant of the COVID-19, the Delhi government had earlier said that people who had arrived here recently from that country, are being traced and tested, while an institutional quarantine facility has been set up separately for positive cases at the LNJP Hospital. According to the Thursday bulletin, out of the total number of 18,718 beds in COVID hospitals, 16,622 are vacant. It said that 108 beds in COVID care centres are occupied by persons under quarantine, including travellers who have returned by Vande Bharat Mission and bubble flights. The Delhi government had significantly ramped up testing in the past few weeks, with the count on several times crossing the 60,000-mark. The number of tests done per million, as on Wednesday, was over 4.5 lakh while the total number of tests stood at over 86 lakh. The bulletin said that 6,09,322 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far. The number of containment zones in Delhi dropped to 4085 on Thursday. The number of people in home isolation dropped to 2,761 on Thursday.

Delhi: 38 UK returnees found positive for COVID; new strain detected in seven patients 

Will 2021 bring any relief from the pandemic? Will the global economy rebound? How will the world tackle China's aggression? How will India engage with the world? Palki Sharma brings you the WION's forecast for 2021.

Gravitas: What's in store for India and the world in the New Year

Despite the growing COVID-19 & rising number of infections, Japan will be hosting the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics & the Paralympics in 2021. WION brings you a report.

Japan: Olympics, Paralympics on track despite surge in infections

The new strain of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">novel coronavirus </a>has led to an increase in concerns due to its ability of high transmission.&nbsp;

And a new report has claimed that the mutation is targetting the young people as most of the cases have been reported in people under 20 years of age. &nbsp;

The report by the Imperial College in London also suggests that measures like social distancing that have been taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 do not work against the new variant.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/drug-prices-to-hike-in-2021-as-pandemic-jolts-revenues-report-353861">Drug prices to hike in 2021 as pandemic jolts revenues: Report</a>

Earlier, it was believed that the deadly virus targets the young and children, but now it seems young are vulnerable to it and they can spread it to millions more.&nbsp;

In the United Kingdom, the recent estimates show that the variant has infected secondary children the most.

The deadly strain is the most prevalent amongst the young in South Africa and in India a two-year-old and a six-year-old have been infected.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-mutated-wuhan-virus-targets-the-young-353941">WATCH|</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-mutated-wuhan-virus-targets-the-young-353941/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

However, Britain's top medical expert Neil Ferguson says that the symptoms to young people will be the same as seen in adults.

"From previous strains of this virus, we know that children were less likely to get infected and certainly much less likely to get symptoms than adults, which is unusual for a respiratory virus in the sense that most respiratory viruses transmit most efficiently in children. So one possibility is this virus has changed in some way, which doesn't particularly target children, just makes children more like adults, a little bit, even in terms of symptoms or viral replication or transmission or both," said Ferguson.&nbsp;

The findings, though, are still in its early days and time will tell whether the new strain will become a new headache in 2021 or not.&nbsp;

The new strain of novel coronavirus has led to an increase in concerns due to its ability of high transmission. And a new report has claimed that the mutation is targetting the young people as most of the cases have been reported in people under 20 years of age.

The new strain of novel coronavirus has led to an increase in concerns due to its ability of high transmission. And a new report has claimed that the mutation is targetting the young people as most of the cases have been reported in people under 20 years of age. The report by the Imperial College in London also suggests that measures like social distancing that have been taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 do not work against the new variant. Also read | Drug prices to hike in 2021 as pandemic jolts revenues: Report Earlier, it was believed that the deadly virus targets the young and children, but now it seems young are vulnerable to it and they can spread it to millions more. In the United Kingdom, the recent estimates show that the variant has infected secondary children the most. The deadly strain is the most prevalent amongst the young in South Africa and in India a two-year-old and a six-year-old have been infected. WATCH| × However, Britain's top medical expert Neil Ferguson says that the symptoms to young people will be the same as seen in adults. "From previous strains of this virus, we know that children were less likely to get infected and certainly much less likely to get symptoms than adults, which is unusual for a respiratory virus in the sense that most respiratory viruses transmit most efficiently in children. So one possibility is this virus has changed in some way, which doesn't particularly target children, just makes children more like adults, a little bit, even in terms of symptoms or viral replication or transmission or both," said Ferguson. The findings, though, are still in its early days and time will tell whether the new strain will become a new headache in 2021 or not.

Does new Covid-19 strain affect young people more?

The central, befuddling economic reality of the United States at the close of 2020 is that everything is terrible in the world, while everything is wonderful in the financial markets.

It’s a macabre spectacle. Asset prices keep reaching new, extraordinary highs, when around 3,000 people a day are dying of the coronavirus and 800,000 people a week are filing new unemployment claims. Even an enthusiast of modern capitalism might wonder if something is deeply broken in how the economy works.

To better understand this strange mix of buoyant markets and economic despair, it is worth turning to the data. As it happens, the numbers offer a coherent narrative about how the United States arrived at this point — one with lessons about how policy, markets and the economy intersect — and reveal the sharp disparity between the pandemic year’s haves and have-nots.

Income

It starts, as so many epic tales do, with a table of data from the National Income and Product Accounts — namely, “Personal Income and Its Disposition, Monthly.”

This report captures how Americans are earning and spending, two activities that the coronavirus drastically altered in 2020. By combining the numbers from March through November (the latest available) and comparing them with the same period in 2019, we can see more clearly the pandemic’s whipsaw effects.

The first important observation: Salaries and wages fell less, in the aggregate, than even a careful observer of the economy might think. Total employee compensation was down only 0.5% for those nine months, more akin to a mild recession than an economic catastrophe.

That might seem impossible. Large swaths of the economy have been shut down; millions are out of work. The number of jobs employers reported having on their payrolls was down 6.1% in November compared with a year earlier, according to separate Labor Department data.

So how can the number of jobs be down 6% but employee compensation be down only 0.5%? It has to do with which jobs have been lost. The millions of people no longer working because of the pandemic were disproportionately in lower-paying service jobs. Higher-paying professional jobs were more likely to be unaffected, and a handful of other sectors have been booming, such as warehousing and grocery stores, leading to higher incomes for those workers.

The arithmetic is as simple as it is disorienting. If a corporate executive gets a $100,000 bonus for steering a company through a difficult year, while four $25,000-per-year restaurant workers lose their jobs entirely, the net effect on total compensation is zero — even though in human terms a great deal of pain has been incurred.

So wages, salaries and other forms of workers’ compensation dropped only a little — $43 billion over the nine months — despite mass unemployment. But there is more to the story.

For all the attacks on the coronavirus relief bill that Congress passed in late March, the degree to which it served to support the incomes of Americans, especially those who lost jobs, is extraordinary.

Americans’ income from unemployment insurance benefits was 25 times higher from March through November 2020 than in the same period of 2019. That partly reflects that millions more jobless people were seeking benefits, of course. But it also reflects a $600 weekly supplement to jobless benefits that the act included through late July — along with a program to support freelance and contract workers who lost jobs and who otherwise would have been ineligible for benefits.

In total, unemployment insurance programs pumped $499 billion more into Americans’ pockets from March to November than the previous year; $365 billion of it was a result of the expansion in the coronavirus relief bill.

The $1,200 checks to most U.S. households that were included in that legislation contributed a further $276 billion to personal income — much of which accrued to families that did not experience a drop in earnings.

And the law’s signature program to encourage businesses to keep people on their payrolls, the Paycheck Protection Program, prevented a collapse in “proprietor’s income” — profits that accrued to owners of businesses and farms. This income rose narrowly, by $29 billion, but would have fallen by $143 billion if not for the PPP and a coronavirus food assistance program.

These are remarkable numbers. When it’s all tallied up, Americans’ cumulative after-tax personal income was $1.03 trillion higher from March to November of 2020 than in 2019, an increase of more than 8%. Some of the pessimism among economic forecasters (and journalists) in the spring reflected a failure to understand just how large and influential those stimulus payments would turn out to be.

But income also is only part of the story. Big changes in 2020 also took place on the other side of the ledger: spending.

Spending

By turning to another riveting story, “Personal Consumption Expenditures by Major Type of Product, Monthly,” we see a pattern that may seem obvious with hindsight but was not as easy to predict while the economy was collapsing during the spring.

The obvious part was a decline in spending on services. All those restaurant reservations never made, flights not taken, and sports and concert tickets not bought added up to serious money. Services spending fell by $575 billion, or nearly 8%.

Less obvious were some of the other patterns affecting consumer spending in a pandemic. Americans spent meaningful dollars — those they would not or could not spend on services — on stuff. Durable goods spending was up by $60 billion (a better chair for working from home, or maybe a new bicycle), while nondurable goods spending rose by $39 billion (think of the bourbon purchased for consumption at home that in an alternate universe would have been logged as “services” consumption in a bar).

But the extra spending on stuff did not exceed the drop in spending on services. And thanks to lower rates, households’ personal interest payments and other miscellaneous outlays dropped by $59 billion.

Not only were U.S. households, in the aggregate, taking in more money, but they were also spending less of it. Total outlays fell by $535 billion.

Saving

This combination of soaring personal income and falling spending pushed Americans’ savings rate through the roof. From March through November, personal savings was $1.56 trillion higher than in 2019, a rise of 173%. Normally the savings rate bounces around in a narrow range, around 7% just before the pandemic. It spiked to 33.7% in April, its highest level on record dating to 1959.

Even as millions of individuals faced great financial hardship this year, Americans in the aggregate were building savings at a startling rate. It had to go somewhere. But where? Holding on to extra cash was one option — and sure enough, currency in circulation has spiked by $260 billion since February, a 14% increase. Deposits in commercial banks are way up — by 19% since the first week of March.

Or, for those a little more comfortable with risk, there was investing in stocks, which helps explain the 16% rise in the S&amp;amp;P 500 for 2020. For those comfortable with a lot of risk — and with taking advantage of the market’s momentum — there was buying a market darling stock like Tesla or trading options.

Or you could have used the occasion of the pandemic to buy a new house. Home sales surged, and the S&amp;amp;P CoreLogic national home price index was up 8.4% in October from a year earlier.

Essentially, the rise in savings among the people who have avoided major economic damage from the pandemic is creating a tide lifting the values of nearly all financial assets.

Certainly the Federal Reserve plays a role. The central bank has lowered interest rates to nearly zero, promised to keep them there for years, bought government debt and supported corporate bond markets. But the surge in asset prices has made its way into many sectors far from any form of Fed support, like stocks and Bitcoin. And the surge had, if anything, accelerated this fall despite a lack of additional stimulative action from the Fed.

The Fed played a big part in engineering the stabilization of the markets in March and April, but the rally since then probably reflects these broader dynamics around savings.

Just because you can explain these market gains does not mean that high asset prices will hold. You could tell a story in which the economy roars back as people are vaccinated, and the entire pattern reverses itself, with the savings rate turning negative as Americans spend down their stockpiled wealth on trips and other luxuries that were off-limits in 2020. It could spur inflation, which, if severe enough, could cause the Fed to back off its easy money approach sooner than people now think.

But the 2021 economic narrative has yet to be written — and if 2020 teaches one thing, it is that the story arc is more unpredictable than you might think.

The central, befuddling economic reality of the United States at the close of 2020 is that everything is terrible in the world, while everything is wonderful in the financial markets.

The central, befuddling economic reality of the United States at the close of 2020 is that everything is terrible in the world, while everything is wonderful in the financial markets. It’s a macabre spectacle. Asset prices keep reaching new, extraordinary highs, when around 3,000 people a day are dying of the coronavirus and 800,000 people a week are filing new unemployment claims. Even an enthusiast of modern capitalism might wonder if something is deeply broken in how the economy works. To better understand this strange mix of buoyant markets and economic despair, it is worth turning to the data. As it happens, the numbers offer a coherent narrative about how the United States arrived at this point — one with lessons about how policy, markets and the economy intersect — and reveal the sharp disparity between the pandemic year’s haves and have-nots. Income It starts, as so many epic tales do, with a table of data from the National Income and Product Accounts — namely, “Personal Income and Its Disposition, Monthly.” This report captures how Americans are earning and spending, two activities that the coronavirus drastically altered in 2020. By combining the numbers from March through November (the latest available) and comparing them with the same period in 2019, we can see more clearly the pandemic’s whipsaw effects. The first important observation: Salaries and wages fell less, in the aggregate, than even a careful observer of the economy might think. Total employee compensation was down only 0.5% for those nine months, more akin to a mild recession than an economic catastrophe. That might seem impossible. Large swaths of the economy have been shut down; millions are out of work. The number of jobs employers reported having on their payrolls was down 6.1% in November compared with a year earlier, according to separate Labor Department data. So how can the number of jobs be down 6% but employee compensation be down only 0.5%? It has to do with which jobs have been lost. The millions of people no longer working because of the pandemic were disproportionately in lower-paying service jobs. Higher-paying professional jobs were more likely to be unaffected, and a handful of other sectors have been booming, such as warehousing and grocery stores, leading to higher incomes for those workers. The arithmetic is as simple as it is disorienting. If a corporate executive gets a $100,000 bonus for steering a company through a difficult year, while four $25,000-per-year restaurant workers lose their jobs entirely, the net effect on total compensation is zero — even though in human terms a great deal of pain has been incurred. So wages, salaries and other forms of workers’ compensation dropped only a little — $43 billion over the nine months — despite mass unemployment. But there is more to the story. For all the attacks on the coronavirus relief bill that Congress passed in late March, the degree to which it served to support the incomes of Americans, especially those who lost jobs, is extraordinary. Americans’ income from unemployment insurance benefits was 25 times higher from March through November 2020 than in the same period of 2019. That partly reflects that millions more jobless people were seeking benefits, of course. But it also reflects a $600 weekly supplement to jobless benefits that the act included through late July — along with a program to support freelance and contract workers who lost jobs and who otherwise would have been ineligible for benefits. In total, unemployment insurance programs pumped $499 billion more into Americans’ pockets from March to November than the previous year; $365 billion of it was a result of the expansion in the coronavirus relief bill. The $1,200 checks to most U.S. households that were included in that legislation contributed a further $276 billion to personal income — much of which accrued to families that did not experience a drop in earnings. And the law’s signature program to encourage businesses to keep people on their payrolls, the Paycheck Protection Program, prevented a collapse in “proprietor’s income” — profits that accrued to owners of businesses and farms. This income rose narrowly, by $29 billion, but would have fallen by $143 billion if not for the PPP and a coronavirus food assistance program. These are remarkable numbers. When it’s all tallied up, Americans’ cumulative after-tax personal income was $1.03 trillion higher from March to November of 2020 than in 2019, an increase of more than 8%. Some of the pessimism among economic forecasters (and journalists) in the spring reflected a failure to understand just how large and influential those stimulus payments would turn out to be. But income also is only part of the story. Big changes in 2020 also took place on the other side of the ledger: spending. Spending By turning to another riveting story, “Personal Consumption Expenditures by Major Type of Product, Monthly,” we see a pattern that may seem obvious with hindsight but was not as easy to predict while the economy was collapsing during the spring. The obvious part was a decline in spending on services. All those restaurant reservations never made, flights not taken, and sports and concert tickets not bought added up to serious money. Services spending fell by $575 billion, or nearly 8%. Less obvious were some of the other patterns affecting consumer spending in a pandemic. Americans spent meaningful dollars — those they would not or could not spend on services — on stuff. Durable goods spending was up by $60 billion (a better chair for working from home, or maybe a new bicycle), while nondurable goods spending rose by $39 billion (think of the bourbon purchased for consumption at home that in an alternate universe would have been logged as “services” consumption in a bar). But the extra spending on stuff did not exceed the drop in spending on services. And thanks to lower rates, households’ personal interest payments and other miscellaneous outlays dropped by $59 billion. Not only were U.S. households, in the aggregate, taking in more money, but they were also spending less of it. Total outlays fell by $535 billion. Saving This combination of soaring personal income and falling spending pushed Americans’ savings rate through the roof. From March through November, personal savings was $1.56 trillion higher than in 2019, a rise of 173%. Normally the savings rate bounces around in a narrow range, around 7% just before the pandemic. It spiked to 33.7% in April, its highest level on record dating to 1959. Even as millions of individuals faced great financial hardship this year, Americans in the aggregate were building savings at a startling rate. It had to go somewhere. But where? Holding on to extra cash was one option — and sure enough, currency in circulation has spiked by $260 billion since February, a 14% increase. Deposits in commercial banks are way up — by 19% since the first week of March. Or, for those a little more comfortable with risk, there was investing in stocks, which helps explain the 16% rise in the S&amp;P 500 for 2020. For those comfortable with a lot of risk — and with taking advantage of the market’s momentum — there was buying a market darling stock like Tesla or trading options. Or you could have used the occasion of the pandemic to buy a new house. Home sales surged, and the S&amp;P CoreLogic national home price index was up 8.4% in October from a year earlier. Essentially, the rise in savings among the people who have avoided major economic damage from the pandemic is creating a tide lifting the values of nearly all financial assets. Certainly the Federal Reserve plays a role. The central bank has lowered interest rates to nearly zero, promised to keep them there for years, bought government debt and supported corporate bond markets. But the surge in asset prices has made its way into many sectors far from any form of Fed support, like stocks and Bitcoin. And the surge had, if anything, accelerated this fall despite a lack of additional stimulative action from the Fed. The Fed played a big part in engineering the stabilization of the markets in March and April, but the rally since then probably reflects these broader dynamics around savings. Just because you can explain these market gains does not mean that high asset prices will hold. You could tell a story in which the economy roars back as people are vaccinated, and the entire pattern reverses itself, with the savings rate turning negative as Americans spend down their stockpiled wealth on trips and other luxuries that were off-limits in 2020. It could spur inflation, which, if severe enough, could cause the Fed to back off its easy money approach sooner than people now think. But the 2021 economic narrative has yet to be written — and if 2020 teaches one thing, it is that the story arc is more unpredictable than you might think.

Why markets boomed in a year of human misery

With 21,821 new coronavirus infections and 299 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 1,02,66,674 on Thursday, while the death toll touched 1,48,738, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

The tally of active cases stands at 2,57,656 while the total recoveries have reached 98,60,280.

A total of 1,48,738 people have succumbed to coronavirus in the country, according to MoHFW.

Kerala has reported 65,572 active COVID-19 cases while Maharashtra has reported 54,206 active cases.

Delhi has reported 5,838 active cases, 6,08,434 recoveries and 10,523 fatalities.

In a major development, terming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days.

Meanwhile, a total of 17,20,49,274 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to December 30. Of these, 11,27,244 samples were tested yesterday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

(With inputs from agencies)

With 21,821 new coronavirus infections and 299 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 1,02,66,674 on Thursday, while the death toll touched 1,48,738, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

With 21,821 new coronavirus infections and 299 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 1,02,66,674 on Thursday, while the death toll touched 1,48,738, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. The tally of active cases stands at 2,57,656 while the total recoveries have reached 98,60,280. A total of 1,48,738 people have succumbed to coronavirus in the country, according to MoHFW. Kerala has reported 65,572 active COVID-19 cases while Maharashtra has reported 54,206 active cases. Delhi has reported 5,838 active cases, 6,08,434 recoveries and 10,523 fatalities. In a major development, terming the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK as a "big step forward", AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said that India will have the COVID-19 vaccine within days. Meanwhile, a total of 17,20,49,274 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to December 30. Of these, 11,27,244 samples were tested yesterday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). (With inputs from agencies)

21,821 new cases take India's COVID-19 tally to 1,02,66,674

2020 is about to end. But the truth about the origin of this pandemic remains shrouded in mystery. Recently, some journalists launched a hidden hunt within China to trace the origins. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what they found.

Gravitas: The 'hidden hunt' for COVID-19 origins

The Union Health Ministry has said that India has crossed a significant milestone in its fight against coronavirus, with the national COVID-19 recovery rate crossing 96 per cent, one of the highest globally.

"The total recovered cases have crossed 98.6 lakhs (98,60,280), the highest globally. The gap between active cases and recoveries is continuously increasing and stands at 96,02,624," the ministry highlighted.

Further, the active cases have drastically declined to 2.57 lakh.

The total positive cases of the country are 2,57,656 and now comprise merely 2.51 per cent of the total cases.

"With a high number of COVID patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate, India's steady trend of registering dipping active cases continues," the ministry said.

A total of 21,822 new confirmed cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours in the country whereas 26,139 new recoveries were registered in the same period.

It has led to a net decline of 4,616 cases from the total active caseload, the ministry underlined.

Of the new recovered cases, 77.99 per cent are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,707 newly recovered cases, 4,913 people recovered in Maharashtra followed by 1,588 in Chhattisgarh.

The ministry said that 79.87 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs.

Kerala has reported the highest daily new cases at 6,268. It is followed by Maharashtra with 3,537 new cases.

Also, 299 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours with ten states and UTs accounting for 80.60 per cent of these.

Maharashtra reported maximum casualties with 90 new fatalities.

Kerala and West Bengal both follow with 28 daily deaths.

India's COVID-19 caseload increased to 1,02,66,674 with &nbsp;21,822 new infections being reported in a day while the death toll rose to 1,48,738 with 299 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Union Health Ministry has said that India has crossed a significant milestone in its fight against coronavirus, with the national COVID-19 recovery rate crossing 96 per cent, one of the highest globally.

The Union Health Ministry has said that India has crossed a significant milestone in its fight against coronavirus, with the national COVID-19 recovery rate crossing 96 per cent, one of the highest globally. "The total recovered cases have crossed 98.6 lakhs (98,60,280), the highest globally. The gap between active cases and recoveries is continuously increasing and stands at 96,02,624," the ministry highlighted. Further, the active cases have drastically declined to 2.57 lakh. The total positive cases of the country are 2,57,656 and now comprise merely 2.51 per cent of the total cases. "With a high number of COVID patients recovering every day and the sustained fall in the mortality rate, India's steady trend of registering dipping active cases continues," the ministry said. A total of 21,822 new confirmed cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours in the country whereas 26,139 new recoveries were registered in the same period. It has led to a net decline of 4,616 cases from the total active caseload, the ministry underlined. Of the new recovered cases, 77.99 per cent are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs. Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,707 newly recovered cases, 4,913 people recovered in Maharashtra followed by 1,588 in Chhattisgarh. The ministry said that 79.87 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala has reported the highest daily new cases at 6,268. It is followed by Maharashtra with 3,537 new cases. Also, 299 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours with ten states and UTs accounting for 80.60 per cent of these. Maharashtra reported maximum casualties with 90 new fatalities. Kerala and West Bengal both follow with 28 daily deaths. India's COVID-19 caseload increased to 1,02,66,674 with 21,822 new infections being reported in a day while the death toll rose to 1,48,738 with 299 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid recovery rate in India crosses 96%, decline in active cases

With 20,550 new coronavirus infections and 286 deaths in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally stood at 1,02,44,853 on Wednesday, while the death toll touched 1,48,439, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

Till now, 9,83,4141 have recovered. Currently, there are 2,62,272 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 95.99 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent.

Kerala currently has the highest number of active cases at 65,039, while Maharashtra currently has 55,672 active coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

Delhi has 6,122 coronavirus cases, while the death toll in the national capital stands at 10,502.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 17,09,22,030 samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far, including 11,20,281 COVID-19 samples in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

With 20,550 new coronavirus infections and 286 deaths in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally stood at 1,02,44,853 on Wednesday, while the death toll touched 1,48,439, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

With 20,550 new coronavirus infections and 286 deaths in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally stood at 1,02,44,853 on Wednesday, while the death toll touched 1,48,439, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. Till now, 9,83,4141 have recovered. Currently, there are 2,62,272 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 95.99 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent. Kerala currently has the highest number of active cases at 65,039, while Maharashtra currently has 55,672 active coronavirus cases. Delhi has 6,122 coronavirus cases, while the death toll in the national capital stands at 10,502. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 17,09,22,030 samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far, including 11,20,281 COVID-19 samples in the last 24 hours. (With inputs from agencies)

India reports 20,550 new COVID-19 cases, 286 deaths

A representative-elect from Louisiana died of Covid-19 Tuesday, the first member of Congress to succumb to the disease.

Republican Luke Letlow, 41, had been elected to Louisiana's 5th district and was due to be sworn in on Sunday.

"It is with heavy hearts that @FirstLadyOfLA and I offer our condolences to Congressman-elect Luke Letlow's family on his passing after a battle with COVID-19," Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards tweeted.

"I am heartbroken that he will not be able to serve our people as a U.S. Representative, but I am even more devastated for his loving family," Edwards said.

Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two young children.

"The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time," his family said in a statement to US media. "A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time."

Edwards said he has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of Letlow's funeral.

Letlow had announced on December 18 that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was quarantining at home. He was hospitalized three days later.

Letlow is the first member of the US Congress to die of Covid-19.

The US has seen a troubling surge in coronavirus cases in recent months. As of Monday evening, the country had recorded 19,526,228 cases with 337,918 deaths, both by far the worst tolls in the world.

A representative-elect from Louisiana died of Covid-19 Tuesday, the first member of Congress to succumb to the disease. Republican Luke Letlow, 41, had been elected to Louisiana's 5th district and was due to be sworn in on Sunday.

A representative-elect from Louisiana died of Covid-19 Tuesday, the first member of Congress to succumb to the disease. Republican Luke Letlow, 41, had been elected to Louisiana's 5th district and was due to be sworn in on Sunday. "It is with heavy hearts that @FirstLadyOfLA and I offer our condolences to Congressman-elect Luke Letlow's family on his passing after a battle with COVID-19," Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards tweeted. "I am heartbroken that he will not be able to serve our people as a U.S. Representative, but I am even more devastated for his loving family," Edwards said. Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two young children. "The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time," his family said in a statement to US media. "A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time." Edwards said he has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of Letlow's funeral. Letlow had announced on December 18 that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was quarantining at home. He was hospitalized three days later. Letlow is the first member of the US Congress to die of Covid-19. The US has seen a troubling surge in coronavirus cases in recent months. As of Monday evening, the country had recorded 19,526,228 cases with 337,918 deaths, both by far the worst tolls in the world.

First US Congressmember dies of Covid-19

covid-19

Covid 19, News on Covid 19, stories on Covid 19, articles on Covid 19, Covid 19 stories at Wion, Covid 19 news, Covid 19 latest news

covid 19