Shockingly out of 195 nations in the world not one country has managed to meet the World Health Organization's air quality standards in the year 2021. A survey of pollution data in more than 6,400 cities across the world shows that the air quality has been worsening with smog even rebounding in certain areas.

Air quality worsens, smog rebounds after covid-19 related dip

As the world opens up after covid-19 lockdowns people are looking for new ways to emerge from that isolation. Rome's urban vegetable gardens are one area that's witnessing renewed interest.

Rome: Vegetable gardens see fresh interest, gardening to beat covid-19 pandemic isolation

China is battling its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the pandemic began. China is placing restrictions, locking down cities as Covid cases rise. China recently locked down Shenyang, a city of 9 million people. These stringent Covid lockdowns may pose a risk to China’s growth.

This could happen if China doesn’t control its worst Covid-19 outbreak

Despite the ongoing spread of COVID-19 across China, Foxconn has decided to resume operations in Shenzen. It also arranges for some of its staff to work in a bubble.

Foxconn resumes operations in Shenzhen: Some staff arranged to work in a bubble

&nbsp;India is considering making all adults eligible for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday, as infections grow in some countries and some Indians find it hard to travel abroad without a third dose.

Only frontline workers and those older than 60 are currently allowed to take booster doses in India, whether free in government centres or paid for in private hospitals.

The government is debating whether to provide boosters to other groups for free, said one of the sources, who both sought anonymity as the government has yet to make a decision.

A health ministry spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

The Serum Institute of India (SII), whose Covishield vaccine dominates India's immunisation programme, said on Monday it stopped the shot's production in December but still had a stock of 200 million doses. It has produced 1.9 billion doses in total.

Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told CNBC-TV18 that they would restart production of the vaccine, a version of the AstraZeneca&nbsp;shot, if demand returned through boosters or any other way.

India's health ministry, meanwhile, has urged states to boost COVID-19 surveillance measures, citing a resurgence in some parts of Asia and Europe. China and Italy have seen a recent rise in cases.

Infections in India, however, have fallen to their lowest in more than a year, with 1,549 new cases reported in the past 24 hours and 31 deaths. India's total infections now stand at more than 43 million, with 516,510 deaths.&nbsp;

The country of about 1.4 billion people has administered 1.81 billion vaccine doses, more than 20 million as boosters.

On Twitter, some Indians have said organisers of some events overseas have limited attendance to those who have taken booster doses. Countries such as Israel, for example, do not consider vaccination complete in the absence of booster doses.

India is considering making all adults eligible for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday, as infections grow in some countries and some Indians find it hard to travel abroad without a third dose.

India is considering making all adults eligible for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday, as infections grow in some countries and some Indians find it hard to travel abroad without a third dose. Only frontline workers and those older than 60 are currently allowed to take booster doses in India, whether free in government centres or paid for in private hospitals. The government is debating whether to provide boosters to other groups for free, said one of the sources, who both sought anonymity as the government has yet to make a decision. A health ministry spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The Serum Institute of India (SII), whose Covishield vaccine dominates India's immunisation programme, said on Monday it stopped the shot's production in December but still had a stock of 200 million doses. It has produced 1.9 billion doses in total. Its CEO Adar Poonawalla told CNBC-TV18 that they would restart production of the vaccine, a version of the AstraZeneca shot, if demand returned through boosters or any other way. India's health ministry, meanwhile, has urged states to boost COVID-19 surveillance measures, citing a resurgence in some parts of Asia and Europe. China and Italy have seen a recent rise in cases. Infections in India, however, have fallen to their lowest in more than a year, with 1,549 new cases reported in the past 24 hours and 31 deaths. India's total infections now stand at more than 43 million, with 516,510 deaths. The country of about 1.4 billion people has administered 1.81 billion vaccine doses, more than 20 million as boosters. On Twitter, some Indians have said organisers of some events overseas have limited attendance to those who have taken booster doses. Countries such as Israel, for example, do not consider vaccination complete in the absence of booster doses.

India may expand Covid booster dose for all adults: Reports

Omicron has threatened China's Zero COVID policy as it battles the worst COVID-19 wave in 2 years. Cases driven by the Omicron mutant variant has been forcing major cities in China into lockdowns. Now, China has reported 1st COVID-19 death in a year.

China reports 1st COVID-19 death in a year amid the ongoing COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron

Omicron has threatened China's Zero COVID policy as it battles the worst COVID-19 wave in 2 years. Cases driven by the Omicron mutant variant has been forcing major cities in China into lockdowns.

Omicron threatens China's Zero COVID policy as it battles worst COVID wave in 2 years

A new COVID-19 variant was first found in Israel and now, it has spread to several other countries including Cambodia, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Although the variant is spreading quite quickly, experts said that there is no need to worry as it is not considered lethal.<o:p></o:p>

Here’s everything we know about the new BA2.2 COVID-19 variant -<o:p></o:p>

The new variant is the combination of two Omicron sub-variants namely BA.1 and BA.2 and although it is being studied all around the world, Hong Kong scientists are currently calling it BA2.2.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reports-first-covid-19-deaths-in-more-than-a-year-463705">China reports first COVID-19 deaths in more than a year</a>

The Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data is trying to obtain more data in order to understand the strain better. Two COVID strains combining into a new variant is a common phenomenon, Israel’s Chief COVID Officer Salman Zarka said, adding that when there are two viruses in the same cell and it multiplies, “they exchange genetic material, creating a new virus.”<o:p></o:p>

What is the origin of the new variant?<o:p></o:p>

The variant was first found in Israel when two returning passengers tested positive at the Ben Gurion airport. Since then, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) reported three cases in Maharashtra, Puducherry and Ladakh. Similar cases were found in Cambodia, Thailand and Hong Kong while there were unconfirmed reports of the BA2.2 variant finding its way to United Kingdom. <o:p></o:p>

“It’s likely that they [the arriving passengers who tested positive] were infected before boarding the flight in Israel. The variant could have emerged here. We don’t know what it means yet,” Israeli Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash said in an interview with Israel’s Army Radio.<o:p></o:p>

However, Hong Kong researchers believe that the outbreak came from their country and The Centre for Medical Genomics at Mahidol University claimed the same in their Facebook post.<o:p></o:p>

What are the symptoms of the infection?<o:p></o:p>

The reported symptoms till now are mild symptoms of fever, headache and muscle dystrophy.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/final-game-changer-united-kingdom-ends-coronavirus-travel-restrictions-463566" hreflang="en">'Final game-changer': United Kingdom ends coronavirus travel restrictions</a>

"The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild symptoms of fever, headaches and muscle dystrophy, and do not require a special medical response," the Israel health authorities said in an official statement.<o:p></o:p>

How concerning is the new variant? <o:p></o:p>

The Israel health authorities have downplayed the new variant and they believe that the current evidence shows that it is not an extremely harmful variant.<o:p></o:p>

"The phenomenon of combined variants is well known," Israel's pandemic response chief, Salman Zarka told Army Radio. "At this stage, we are not worried about it leading to serious cases".<o:p></o:p>

A new COVID-19 variant was first found in Israel and now, it has spread to several other countries including Cambodia, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

A new COVID-19 variant was first found in Israel and now, it has spread to several other countries including Cambodia, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Although the variant is spreading quite quickly, experts said that there is no need to worry as it is not considered lethal. Here’s everything we know about the new BA2.2 COVID-19 variant - The new variant is the combination of two Omicron sub-variants namely BA.1 and BA.2 and although it is being studied all around the world, Hong Kong scientists are currently calling it BA2.2. Also read | China reports first COVID-19 deaths in more than a year The Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data is trying to obtain more data in order to understand the strain better. Two COVID strains combining into a new variant is a common phenomenon, Israel’s Chief COVID Officer Salman Zarka said, adding that when there are two viruses in the same cell and it multiplies, “they exchange genetic material, creating a new virus.” What is the origin of the new variant? The variant was first found in Israel when two returning passengers tested positive at the Ben Gurion airport. Since then, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) reported three cases in Maharashtra, Puducherry and Ladakh. Similar cases were found in Cambodia, Thailand and Hong Kong while there were unconfirmed reports of the BA2.2 variant finding its way to United Kingdom. “It’s likely that they [the arriving passengers who tested positive] were infected before boarding the flight in Israel. The variant could have emerged here. We don’t know what it means yet,” Israeli Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash said in an interview with Israel’s Army Radio. However, Hong Kong researchers believe that the outbreak came from their country and The Centre for Medical Genomics at Mahidol University claimed the same in their Facebook post. What are the symptoms of the infection? The reported symptoms till now are mild symptoms of fever, headache and muscle dystrophy. Also read | 'Final game-changer': United Kingdom ends coronavirus travel restrictions "The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild symptoms of fever, headaches and muscle dystrophy, and do not require a special medical response," the Israel health authorities said in an official statement. How concerning is the new variant? The Israel health authorities have downplayed the new variant and they believe that the current evidence shows that it is not an extremely harmful variant. "The phenomenon of combined variants is well known," Israel's pandemic response chief, Salman Zarka told Army Radio. "At this stage, we are not worried about it leading to serious cases".

Everything we know about new COVID-19 variant found in multiple countries

Britain's medicines regulator has approved AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) antibody-based COVID-19 treatment for preventing infections in adults with poor immune response, marking a major step in the fight against the pandemic as infections surge globally.

The decision to grant approval for the treatment, Evusheld, was endorsed by the government's independent scientific advisory body, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said on Thursday.

Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem, the World Health Organization said this week, warning nations to remain vigilant.

Although 85% of Britons over the age of 12 have been vaccinated with two doses, some immune compromised individuals or those with a history of severe adverse reactions to a vaccine may need an alternative prevention option.

"While the COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the first-line defence against COVID-19, we know that some people may not respond adequately to these vaccines,' MHRA chief June Raine said.

Vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, but Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection.

The therapy was found to cut the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 77% in trials, with protection lasting for at least six months after a single dose, the MHRA said.

Evusheld has been also shown to save lives and prevent disease progression when given within a week of first symptoms. read more

Britain and AstraZeneca currently do not have an agreement for supply of Evusheld.

AstraZeneca in a statement said it hopes to see the therapy made available to Britons "as quickly as possible".

Evusheld is under a European review and has been authorised in the United States to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals with weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines. read more

The MHRA said that the treatment, given as an intra-muscular shot, should not be administered to people infected with the COVID-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus or who have had recent exposure to someone with the virus.

However, the regulator has cautioned that there was insufficient data to evaluate fully Evusheld's effectiveness against the highly contagiousOmicron variant, adding that it is liaising with AstraZeneca on that.

AstraZeneca in December said a lab study had found the treatment retained neutralising activity against Omicron. read more

Eli Lilly (LLY.N), Regeneron (REGN.O) and GSK (GSK.L) some other drugmakers working on antibody-based COVID-19 therapies. 
&nbsp;

Britain's medicines regulator has approved AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) antibody-based COVID-19 treatment for preventing infections in adults with poor immune response, marking a major step in the fight against the pandemic as infections surge globally.

Britain's medicines regulator has approved AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) antibody-based COVID-19 treatment for preventing infections in adults with poor immune response, marking a major step in the fight against the pandemic as infections surge globally. The decision to grant approval for the treatment, Evusheld, was endorsed by the government's independent scientific advisory body, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said on Thursday. Figures showing a global rise in COVID-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem, the World Health Organization said this week, warning nations to remain vigilant. Although 85% of Britons over the age of 12 have been vaccinated with two doses, some immune compromised individuals or those with a history of severe adverse reactions to a vaccine may need an alternative prevention option. "While the COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the first-line defence against COVID-19, we know that some people may not respond adequately to these vaccines,' MHRA chief June Raine said. Vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, but Evusheld contains lab-made antibodies designed to linger in the body for months to contain the virus in case of an infection. The therapy was found to cut the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 77% in trials, with protection lasting for at least six months after a single dose, the MHRA said. Evusheld has been also shown to save lives and prevent disease progression when given within a week of first symptoms. read more Britain and AstraZeneca currently do not have an agreement for supply of Evusheld. AstraZeneca in a statement said it hopes to see the therapy made available to Britons "as quickly as possible". Evusheld is under a European review and has been authorised in the United States to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals with weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines. read more The MHRA said that the treatment, given as an intra-muscular shot, should not be administered to people infected with the COVID-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus or who have had recent exposure to someone with the virus. However, the regulator has cautioned that there was insufficient data to evaluate fully Evusheld's effectiveness against the highly contagiousOmicron variant, adding that it is liaising with AstraZeneca on that. AstraZeneca in December said a lab study had found the treatment retained neutralising activity against Omicron. read more Eli Lilly (LLY.N), Regeneron (REGN.O) and GSK (GSK.L) some other drugmakers working on antibody-based COVID-19 therapies.

Britain approves AstraZeneca's preventative COVID therapy

More than 11 million Covid-19 cases were reported in the second week of March along with 43,000 deaths. Germany and South Korea reported their highest daily caseload since the beginning of the pandemic. Is India next on this list of outbreaks? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: India's fourth Covid-19 wave in June?

Omicron has fueled China's worst ever Wuhan virus outbreak. 28 out of 31 provinces in China have confirmed cases. Over 50 million people are under a lockdown. Palki Sharma tells you why China is struggling.

Gravitas: China locks down 50 million people

New wave of covid is ripping through Hong Kong. There has been a deadly Omicron surge and a rising number of covid-19 deaths, there's a scare that Hing Kong could run out of coffins within days.

Hong Kong: Rising deaths amid deadly Omicron surge

China's public health governance is expected to come under pressure in the coming weeks as the biggest wave yet of covid-19 cases hits the country.

China's health governance under pressure as fresh covid-19 cases hits country

In the last two years, the world has also witnessed a substantial increase in the number of diabetes cases prompting scientists to explore whether there could be a possible link of diabetes and covid-19.

Rise in cases of diabetes, possible link of covid-19 pandemic lifestyle?

Israel has reported two cases of the new COVID-19 variant after it was recorded during the PCR tests of two passengers arriving at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport. While this finding has given rise to fresh fears around the world, health officials in Israel played down the risks of this new variant.<o:p></o:p>

Here’s a look at everything that we know about the new COVID-19 variant –<o:p></o:p>

Combination of two variants – The Omicron variant of COVID-19 was responsible for a huge number of cases all around the world. The new strain found in Israel is the combination of two Omicron sub-variants namely BA.1 and BA.2. There is no official name given to this variant yet.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strain-hasnt-yet-been-seen-in-world-israel-reports-confirmed-cases-of-combined-omicron-and-ba2-strain-462847">Israel reports new coronavirus variant</a><o:p></o:p>

What are the symptoms - The patients have reported mild symptoms of fever, headache and muscle dystrophy. Both patients were teenagers and they did not require any kind of medical intervention.<o:p></o:p>

"The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild symptoms of fever, headaches and muscle dystrophy, and do not require a special medical response," the Israel health authorities said in an official statement.<o:p></o:p>

Source of the variant – The Israel health ministry were unable to confirm the source of the new COVID-19 variant and according to director-general Nachman Ash, the two passengers could have been infected even before boarding the flight. Hence, the source remains unknown at present.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-reports-more-than-600000-covid-cases-amid-omicron-surge-463065">South Korea reports more than 600,000 Covid cases amid Omicron surge</a><o:p></o:p>

How concerning is the new variant – The Israel health authorities have downplayed the new variant and they believe that the current evidence&nbsp;shows that it is not an extremely harmful variant.

"The phenomenon of combined variants is well known," Israel's pandemic response chief, Salman Zarka told Army Radio. "At this stage, we are not worried about it leading to serious cases".<o:p></o:p>

Watch |&nbsp;Report: Combo strain 'Deltacron' detected in Israel<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-combo-strain-deltacron-detected-in-israel-463017/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel has reported two cases of the new COVID-19 variant after it was recorded during the PCR tests of two passengers arriving at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport.

Israel has reported two cases of the new COVID-19 variant after it was recorded during the PCR tests of two passengers arriving at the country’s Ben Gurion Airport. While this finding has given rise to fresh fears around the world, health officials in Israel played down the risks of this new variant. Here’s a look at everything that we know about the new COVID-19 variant – Combination of two variants – The Omicron variant of COVID-19 was responsible for a huge number of cases all around the world. The new strain found in Israel is the combination of two Omicron sub-variants namely BA.1 and BA.2. There is no official name given to this variant yet. Also read | Israel reports new coronavirus variant What are the symptoms - The patients have reported mild symptoms of fever, headache and muscle dystrophy. Both patients were teenagers and they did not require any kind of medical intervention. "The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild symptoms of fever, headaches and muscle dystrophy, and do not require a special medical response," the Israel health authorities said in an official statement. Source of the variant – The Israel health ministry were unable to confirm the source of the new COVID-19 variant and according to director-general Nachman Ash, the two passengers could have been infected even before boarding the flight. Hence, the source remains unknown at present. Also read | South Korea reports more than 600,000 Covid cases amid Omicron surge How concerning is the new variant – The Israel health authorities have downplayed the new variant and they believe that the current evidence shows that it is not an extremely harmful variant. "The phenomenon of combined variants is well known," Israel's pandemic response chief, Salman Zarka told Army Radio. "At this stage, we are not worried about it leading to serious cases". Watch | Report: Combo strain 'Deltacron' detected in Israel (With inputs from agencies)

Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant found in Israel

South Korea reported more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases – the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic – on Wednesday. The latest wave of infections is fueled by the Omicron variant but the government believes that they are nearing the peak of&nbsp;the ongoing Omicron wave. <o:p></o:p>

The latest spike in cases is the “last biggest challenge” facing the country, Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said in a press briefing according to AFP. <o:p></o:p>

“If we overcome this crisis, we will step closer to returning to normalcy,” he added.

<o:p>Also read:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-scraps-covid-19-quarantine-for-international-travellers-462920">Vietnam scraps COVID-19 quarantine for international travellers</a><o:p></o:p>

According to the latest&nbsp;World Health Organisation (WHO) data, South Korea leads the world in newly reported cases in the last seven days with 2,358, 878 cases followed by Vietnam with 1,795,380.<o:p></o:p>

South Korea will lift mandatory quarantine on arrival for fully vaccinated visitors from March 21.<o:p></o:p>

On the domestic front, South Korea has already relaxed its social distancing rules after protests from small businesses who were clear that the rules were hampering their income. Currently, the country has a 11pm curfew for businesses and a six-person limit for most private gatherings.<o:p></o:p>

The South Korean government will take further decisions regarding the restrictions on Friday.

<o:p>Also read:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suspected-north-korea-missile-fails-after-launch-over-pyongyang-462817">Suspected North Korea missile fails after launch over Pyongyang</a><o:p></o:p>

When it comes to vaccination, the eligible population of South Korea has received both vaccination doses and the booster jabs. As a result, although the infection rate is extremely high, the number of deaths remain low.

The current situation has also put an immense amount of pressure on the healthcare system which has resulted in the abandonment of the ‘trace, test and treat’ system.

(With agency inputs)

South Korea reported more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases – the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic – on Wednesday. The latest wave of infections is fueled by the Omicron variant but the government believes that they are nearing the peak of the ongoing Omicron wave.

South Korea reported more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases – the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic – on Wednesday. The latest wave of infections is fueled by the Omicron variant but the government believes that they are nearing the peak of the ongoing Omicron wave. The latest spike in cases is the “last biggest challenge” facing the country, Sohn Young-rae, a senior health official, said in a press briefing according to AFP. “If we overcome this crisis, we will step closer to returning to normalcy,” he added. Also read: Vietnam scraps COVID-19 quarantine for international travellers According to the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data, South Korea leads the world in newly reported cases in the last seven days with 2,358, 878 cases followed by Vietnam with 1,795,380. South Korea will lift mandatory quarantine on arrival for fully vaccinated visitors from March 21. On the domestic front, South Korea has already relaxed its social distancing rules after protests from small businesses who were clear that the rules were hampering their income. Currently, the country has a 11pm curfew for businesses and a six-person limit for most private gatherings. The South Korean government will take further decisions regarding the restrictions on Friday. Also read: Suspected North Korea missile fails after launch over Pyongyang When it comes to vaccination, the eligible population of South Korea has received both vaccination doses and the booster jabs. As a result, although the infection rate is extremely high, the number of deaths remain low. The current situation has also put an immense amount of pressure on the healthcare system which has resulted in the abandonment of the ‘trace, test and treat’ system. (With agency inputs)

South Korea reports more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases amid Omicron wave

Vietnam announced on Wednesday that they will be scrapping quarantine and other travel restrictions when it comes to foreign visitors in a move that will see the borders completely reopening after two years.<o:p></o:p>

The Vietnamese government said that the changes will be implemented immediately and the foreign visitors will just have to provide a negative COVID-19 test on arrival. <o:p></o:p>

The Health Ministry also stated that visitors must monitor their own health during the first 10 days of their stay and notify medical professionals in Vietnam if they experience any COVID-19-like symptoms during that time period.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stealth-omicron-behind-chinas-virus-outbreak-says-expert-462588">'Stealth Omicron' behind China's virus outbreak, says expert</a>

According to the government website, Vietnam also announced the resumption of 15 days’ visa-free travel for citizens from 13 countries: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus.<o:p></o:p>

The country closed its border in March 2020 amid growing Coronavirus numbers before reopening to international tourism last November for visitors travelling in strict bubbles. According to an AFP report, the country saw 200,000 cases every day due to the Omicron variant.<o:p></o:p>

Although the number of cases dropped quite a bit due to the closed borders, the country suffered huge losses specially in the tourism industry. However, the health ministry believes that the situation “remains under control” with hospitalisation and death rates both staying low in the recent past.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-to-reopen-borders-after-nearly-two-years-of-covid-isolation-462820">New Zealand to reopen borders after nearly two years of Covid isolation</a><o:p></o:p>

According to the official data, Vietnam boasts of a high vaccination rate with around 98 per cent of adults receiving both vaccination doses and the country is currently trying to roll out booster shots.

<o:p>Watch |&nbsp;</o:p>Vietnam: No covid-19 curbs on international flights<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vietnam-no-covid-19-curbs-on-international-flights-453126/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With agency inputs)

Vietnam announced on Wednesday that they will be scrapping quarantine and other travel restrictions when it comes to foreign visitors in a move that will see the borders completely reopening after two years.

Vietnam announced on Wednesday that they will be scrapping quarantine and other travel restrictions when it comes to foreign visitors in a move that will see the borders completely reopening after two years. The Vietnamese government said that the changes will be implemented immediately and the foreign visitors will just have to provide a negative COVID-19 test on arrival. The Health Ministry also stated that visitors must monitor their own health during the first 10 days of their stay and notify medical professionals in Vietnam if they experience any COVID-19-like symptoms during that time period. Also read | 'Stealth Omicron' behind China's virus outbreak, says expert According to the government website, Vietnam also announced the resumption of 15 days’ visa-free travel for citizens from 13 countries: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus. The country closed its border in March 2020 amid growing Coronavirus numbers before reopening to international tourism last November for visitors travelling in strict bubbles. According to an AFP report, the country saw 200,000 cases every day due to the Omicron variant. Although the number of cases dropped quite a bit due to the closed borders, the country suffered huge losses specially in the tourism industry. However, the health ministry believes that the situation “remains under control” with hospitalisation and death rates both staying low in the recent past. Also read | New Zealand to reopen borders after nearly two years of Covid isolation According to the official data, Vietnam boasts of a high vaccination rate with around 98 per cent of adults receiving both vaccination doses and the country is currently trying to roll out booster shots. Watch | Vietnam: No covid-19 curbs on international flights (With agency inputs)

Vietnam scraps COVID-19 quarantine for international travellers

WHO: Sub-variant of Omicron detected in 57 countries, likely to be more severe

New Zealand has decided to bring forward the opening of its international borders after more than two years of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country implemented&nbsp;some of the toughest isolation rules in the world,&nbsp;but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern believes that it is time to return to normalcy as she said that the possible influx of tourists will a massive boost to the nation's economy.

“We’re ready to welcome the world back,” The Guardian quoted Ardern as saying. “New Zealand will be ready with open arms.”

"Closing our border was one of the first actions we took to stop COVID-19, over two years ago, and its reopening will spur our economic recovery throughout the remainder of the year," she added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/47-million-southeast-asians-plunge-into-extreme-poverty-after-the-pandemic-asian-development-bank-462728">4.7 million Southeast Asians plunge into extreme poverty after the pandemic</a>

The New Zealand government has announced that vaccinated tourists from Australia will be able to enter the country without any isolation period from April 12. It means that the Australian tourists will be able to visit New Zealand for the Easter school holidays next month.

“We are ready to roll out the green and gold carpet to our Australian neighbours, and in time for the school holidays,” tourism minister Stuart Nash said. “We have missed you.”

On the other hand, vaccinated tourists from visa-waiver countries which includes the US, UK, Canada, Singapore, Germany and others will also be allowed entry from May 1.

While the strict measures were able to keep the COVID-19 infection rates in check, various industries like tourism and agriculture took a massive hit. According to Tourism Industry Aotearoa, the total tourism expenditure fell by 37 per cent- a loss of around $15.6bn – in 2021.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-urges-children-to-get-vaccinated-as-india-starts-inoculation-drive-for-12-14-age-group-462794">India starts inoculation drive for 12-14 age group</a>

With 72 per cent of the adult population having received the booster shot and 95 per cent of those aged 12 and above getting both vaccination shots, the government believes that it is the right time to end the restrictions.

The visitors must be vaccinated and they will have to provide negative Covid tests upon arrival.

The border is not expected to completely reopen until October for travellers all around the world but the government has hinted that they may consider opening the borders ahead of schedule.

Watch |&nbsp;New Zealand borders to reopen; Visa-Waiver countries tourists can travel from May 1

&nbsp;

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(With agency inputs)

New Zealand has decided to bring forward the opening of its international borders after more than two years of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country implemented some of the toughest isolation rules in the world, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern believes that it is time to return to normalcy as she said that the possible influx of tourists will a massive boost to the nation's economy.

New Zealand has decided to bring forward the opening of its international borders after more than two years of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country implemented some of the toughest isolation rules in the world, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern believes that it is time to return to normalcy as she said that the possible influx of tourists will a massive boost to the nation's economy. “We’re ready to welcome the world back,” The Guardian quoted Ardern as saying. “New Zealand will be ready with open arms.” "Closing our border was one of the first actions we took to stop COVID-19, over two years ago, and its reopening will spur our economic recovery throughout the remainder of the year," she added. Also read | 4.7 million Southeast Asians plunge into extreme poverty after the pandemic The New Zealand government has announced that vaccinated tourists from Australia will be able to enter the country without any isolation period from April 12. It means that the Australian tourists will be able to visit New Zealand for the Easter school holidays next month. “We are ready to roll out the green and gold carpet to our Australian neighbours, and in time for the school holidays,” tourism minister Stuart Nash said. “We have missed you.” On the other hand, vaccinated tourists from visa-waiver countries which includes the US, UK, Canada, Singapore, Germany and others will also be allowed entry from May 1. While the strict measures were able to keep the COVID-19 infection rates in check, various industries like tourism and agriculture took a massive hit. According to Tourism Industry Aotearoa, the total tourism expenditure fell by 37 per cent- a loss of around $15.6bn – in 2021. Also read | India starts inoculation drive for 12-14 age group With 72 per cent of the adult population having received the booster shot and 95 per cent of those aged 12 and above getting both vaccination shots, the government believes that it is the right time to end the restrictions. The visitors must be vaccinated and they will have to provide negative Covid tests upon arrival. The border is not expected to completely reopen until October for travellers all around the world but the government has hinted that they may consider opening the borders ahead of schedule. Watch | New Zealand borders to reopen; Visa-Waiver countries tourists can travel from May 1 (With agency inputs)

New Zealand to reopen borders after nearly two years of Covid isolation

India will start vaccinating children in the 12 to 14 age group from Wednesday. Along with this age group of children, all Indian citizens above the age of 60 are also eligible for a booster shot against Covid-19.

All above 60 to get booster shot in India

In a bid to normalise French people's daily lives, the government will ease most of its Covid restrictions on Monday. This means President Emmanuel Macron’s vaccine pass and compulsory indoor mask-wearing in schools and many public spaces will now come to an end.&nbsp;

Interestingly, this comes just a few days before April’s presidential vote. Also, at a time when there is a surge in Covid cases.&nbsp;

Defending the government's decision, French Prime Minister Jean Castex in a recent interview said that there had been a surge in cases “like everywhere in Europe."

He further added that the pressure on hospital emergency wards was going down. Also, the BA2 variant of Omicron was more contagious but “seemingly less dangerous”.

Also, he “strongly recommended people who are vulnerable because of their age or pathologies to keep wearing masks in indoor spaces."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/apple-products-to-get-delayed-as-foxconn-stops-ops-amidst-chinas-worst-covid-outbreak-462120">Also read |&nbsp;Apple products to get delayed as Foxconn stops ops amidst China’s worst Covid outbreak</a>

As per the polls, Macron seems to be winning the re-election.&nbsp;

Earlier in January, protestors were seen demonstrating on the streets as the government mandated the vaccine pass policy. About two thousand people took to streets of Paris to express anger against the vaccine pass. The protesters lashed out at the vaccine passes which they said were discriminatory and excessive.

The French vaccine pass took effect on January 24, replacing a health pass that showed proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or past infection.

Health minister, Olivier Véran, said that the government remained “extremely vigilant," and contamination rates had shown a 20 per cent increase over the last week. He also defended the government’s decision to lift restrictions but said vulnerable people “must continue to protect themselves."

(With inputs from agencies)

In a bid to normalise French people's daily lives, the government will ease most of its Covid restrictions on Monday. This means President Emmanuel Macron’s vaccine pass and compulsory indoor mask-wearing in schools and many public spaces will now come to an end.

In a bid to normalise French people's daily lives, the government will ease most of its Covid restrictions on Monday. This means President Emmanuel Macron’s vaccine pass and compulsory indoor mask-wearing in schools and many public spaces will now come to an end. Interestingly, this comes just a few days before April’s presidential vote. Also, at a time when there is a surge in Covid cases. Defending the government's decision, French Prime Minister Jean Castex in a recent interview said that there had been a surge in cases “like everywhere in Europe." He further added that the pressure on hospital emergency wards was going down. Also, the BA2 variant of Omicron was more contagious but “seemingly less dangerous”. Also, he “strongly recommended people who are vulnerable because of their age or pathologies to keep wearing masks in indoor spaces." Also read | Apple products to get delayed as Foxconn stops ops amidst China’s worst Covid outbreak As per the polls, Macron seems to be winning the re-election. Earlier in January, protestors were seen demonstrating on the streets as the government mandated the vaccine pass policy. About two thousand people took to streets of Paris to express anger against the vaccine pass. The protesters lashed out at the vaccine passes which they said were discriminatory and excessive. The French vaccine pass took effect on January 24, replacing a health pass that showed proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or past infection. Health minister, Olivier Véran, said that the government remained “extremely vigilant," and contamination rates had shown a 20 per cent increase over the last week. He also defended the government’s decision to lift restrictions but said vulnerable people “must continue to protect themselves." (With inputs from agencies)

France to ease Covid curbs just before April’s presidential vote

Indian government has announced that the country will start its covid-19 vaccination for 12 to 14 years old from March 16. The health ministry said that the Corbevax will be administered to the new age group as it is India's first indigenously developed covid-19 vaccine.

India to vaccinate 12-14 year old against covid-19

In recent days, scientists have reported that a hybrid of the omicron and delta coronavirus variants has been popping up in several countries in Europe. Here’s what is known about the hybrid, which has picked up the Frankensteinian nicknames of deltamicron or deltacron.

How was it found?

In February, Scott Nguyen, a scientist with the Washington, D.C., Public Health Laboratory, was inspecting GISAID, an international database of coronavirus genomes, when he noticed something odd.

He found samples collected in France in January that researchers had identified as a mix of delta and omicron variants. In rare cases, people can be infected by two coronavirus variants at once. But when Nguyen looked closely at the data, he found hints that this conclusion was wrong.

Instead, it looked to Nguyen as though each virus in the sample actually carried a combination of genes from the two variants. Scientists call such viruses recombinants. When Nguyen looked for the same pattern of mutations, he found more possible recombinants in the Netherlands and Denmark. “That led me to suspect that these might be real,” he said.

Nguyen shared his findings in an online forum called cov-lineages, where scientists help one another track new variants. These collaborations are essential to double-check possible new variants: A supposed delta-omicron recombinant found in January in Cyprus turned out to be a mirage resulting from faulty laboratory work.

“There’s a lot of proof that’s needed to show that it is real,” Nguyen said.

It turned out that Nguyen had been right.

“That day, we rushed to double-check what he suspected,” said Etienne Simon-Loriere, a virus expert at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. “And, yeah, we quickly confirmed that it was the case.”

Since then, Simon-Loriere and his colleagues have found more samples of the recombinant virus. They eventually obtained a frozen sample from which they successfully grew new recombinants in the laboratory, which they are now studying. On March 8, the researchers posted the first genome of the recombinant on GISAID.

Where has the new hybrid been found?

In a March 10 update, an international database of viral sequences reported 33 samples of the new variant in France, eight in Denmark, one in Germany and one in the Netherlands.

As first reported by Reuters, the genetic sequencing company Helix found two cases in the United States. Nguyen said he and his colleagues were taking a fresh look at some database sequences from the United States in an effort to find more cases.

Is it dangerous?

The thought of a hybrid between delta and omicron might sound worrisome. But there are a number of reasons not to panic.

“This is not a novel concern,” Simon-Loriere said.

For one thing, the recombinant is extremely rare. Although it has existed since at least January, it has not yet shown the ability to grow exponentially.

Simon-Loriere said that the genome of the recombinant variant also suggested that it wouldn’t represent a new phase of the pandemic. The gene that encodes the virus’s surface protein — known as spike — comes almost entirely from omicron. The rest of the genome is delta.

The spike protein is the most important part of the virus when it comes to invading cells. It is also the main target of antibodies produced through infections and vaccines. So the defences that people have acquired against omicron — through infections, vaccines or both — should work just as well against the new recombinant.

“The surface of the viruses is super-similar to omicron, so the body will recognize it as well as it recognizes omicron,” Simon-Loriere said.

Scientists suspect that omicron’s distinctive spike is also partly responsible for its lower odds of causing severe disease. The variant uses it to successfully invade cells in the nose and the upper airway, but it doesn’t do so well deep in the lungs. The new recombinant may display the same penchant.

Simon-Loriere and other researchers are conducting experiments to see how the new recombinant performs in dishes of cells. Experiments on hamsters and mice will provide more clues. But those experiments won’t yield insights for several weeks.

“It’s so fresh that we don’t have any results,” Simon-Loriere said.

Where do recombinant viruses come from?

People are sometimes infected with two versions of the coronavirus at once. For example, if you go to a crowded bar where several people are infected, you might breathe in viruses from more than one of them.

It’s possible for two viruses to invade the same cell at the same time. When that cell starts producing new viruses, the new genetic material may be mixed up, potentially producing a new, hybrid virus.

It’s probably not uncommon for coronaviruses to recombine. But most of these genetic shuffles will be evolutionary dead ends. Viruses with mixtures of genes may not fare as well as their ancestors did.

Are we really calling it deltacron?

For now, some scientists are referring to the new hybrid as the AY.4/BA.1 recombinant. That will probably change in the weeks to come.

A coalition of scientists has come up with a system for formally naming new lineages of coronaviruses. They give recombinant viruses a two-letter abbreviation starting with X. XA, for example, is a hybrid that arose in December 2020 from a mixture of the alpha variant and another lineage of coronaviruses called B.1.177.

It’s likely that Nguyen’s new recombinant will be designated XD.

But on March 8, this process became muddled when a second team of French researchers posted a study online with their own analysis of the same recombinant. Like Simon-Loriere and his colleagues, they isolated the virus. But in the title of their study, which has not been published yet in a scientific journal, they called it deltamicron.

Nguyen criticized the team for not crediting Simon-Loriere’s team for originally sharing the first recombinant virus genomes. He also criticized the scientists for unleashing lurid nicknames for the recombinant that were immediately picked up in news articles and social media posts claiming that it was a hoax or had been produced in a lab.

“These unconventional names are stirring a hornet’s nest of conspiracy theories,” Nguyen said.

It remains to be seen how well the name XD sticks.

In recent days, scientists have reported that a hybrid of the omicron and delta coronavirus variants has been popping up in several countries in Europe. Here’s what is known about the hybrid, which has picked up the Frankensteinian nicknames of deltamicron or deltacron.

In recent days, scientists have reported that a hybrid of the omicron and delta coronavirus variants has been popping up in several countries in Europe. Here’s what is known about the hybrid, which has picked up the Frankensteinian nicknames of deltamicron or deltacron. How was it found? In February, Scott Nguyen, a scientist with the Washington, D.C., Public Health Laboratory, was inspecting GISAID, an international database of coronavirus genomes, when he noticed something odd. He found samples collected in France in January that researchers had identified as a mix of delta and omicron variants. In rare cases, people can be infected by two coronavirus variants at once. But when Nguyen looked closely at the data, he found hints that this conclusion was wrong. Instead, it looked to Nguyen as though each virus in the sample actually carried a combination of genes from the two variants. Scientists call such viruses recombinants. When Nguyen looked for the same pattern of mutations, he found more possible recombinants in the Netherlands and Denmark. “That led me to suspect that these might be real,” he said. Nguyen shared his findings in an online forum called cov-lineages, where scientists help one another track new variants. These collaborations are essential to double-check possible new variants: A supposed delta-omicron recombinant found in January in Cyprus turned out to be a mirage resulting from faulty laboratory work. “There’s a lot of proof that’s needed to show that it is real,” Nguyen said. It turned out that Nguyen had been right. “That day, we rushed to double-check what he suspected,” said Etienne Simon-Loriere, a virus expert at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. “And, yeah, we quickly confirmed that it was the case.” Since then, Simon-Loriere and his colleagues have found more samples of the recombinant virus. They eventually obtained a frozen sample from which they successfully grew new recombinants in the laboratory, which they are now studying. On March 8, the researchers posted the first genome of the recombinant on GISAID. Where has the new hybrid been found? In a March 10 update, an international database of viral sequences reported 33 samples of the new variant in France, eight in Denmark, one in Germany and one in the Netherlands. As first reported by Reuters, the genetic sequencing company Helix found two cases in the United States. Nguyen said he and his colleagues were taking a fresh look at some database sequences from the United States in an effort to find more cases. Is it dangerous? The thought of a hybrid between delta and omicron might sound worrisome. But there are a number of reasons not to panic. “This is not a novel concern,” Simon-Loriere said. For one thing, the recombinant is extremely rare. Although it has existed since at least January, it has not yet shown the ability to grow exponentially. Simon-Loriere said that the genome of the recombinant variant also suggested that it wouldn’t represent a new phase of the pandemic. The gene that encodes the virus’s surface protein — known as spike — comes almost entirely from omicron. The rest of the genome is delta. The spike protein is the most important part of the virus when it comes to invading cells. It is also the main target of antibodies produced through infections and vaccines. So the defences that people have acquired against omicron — through infections, vaccines or both — should work just as well against the new recombinant. “The surface of the viruses is super-similar to omicron, so the body will recognize it as well as it recognizes omicron,” Simon-Loriere said. Scientists suspect that omicron’s distinctive spike is also partly responsible for its lower odds of causing severe disease. The variant uses it to successfully invade cells in the nose and the upper airway, but it doesn’t do so well deep in the lungs. The new recombinant may display the same penchant. Simon-Loriere and other researchers are conducting experiments to see how the new recombinant performs in dishes of cells. Experiments on hamsters and mice will provide more clues. But those experiments won’t yield insights for several weeks. “It’s so fresh that we don’t have any results,” Simon-Loriere said. Where do recombinant viruses come from? People are sometimes infected with two versions of the coronavirus at once. For example, if you go to a crowded bar where several people are infected, you might breathe in viruses from more than one of them. It’s possible for two viruses to invade the same cell at the same time. When that cell starts producing new viruses, the new genetic material may be mixed up, potentially producing a new, hybrid virus. It’s probably not uncommon for coronaviruses to recombine. But most of these genetic shuffles will be evolutionary dead ends. Viruses with mixtures of genes may not fare as well as their ancestors did. Are we really calling it deltacron? For now, some scientists are referring to the new hybrid as the AY.4/BA.1 recombinant. That will probably change in the weeks to come. A coalition of scientists has come up with a system for formally naming new lineages of coronaviruses. They give recombinant viruses a two-letter abbreviation starting with X. XA, for example, is a hybrid that arose in December 2020 from a mixture of the alpha variant and another lineage of coronaviruses called B.1.177. It’s likely that Nguyen’s new recombinant will be designated XD. But on March 8, this process became muddled when a second team of French researchers posted a study online with their own analysis of the same recombinant. Like Simon-Loriere and his colleagues, they isolated the virus. But in the title of their study, which has not been published yet in a scientific journal, they called it deltamicron. Nguyen criticized the team for not crediting Simon-Loriere’s team for originally sharing the first recombinant virus genomes. He also criticized the scientists for unleashing lurid nicknames for the recombinant that were immediately picked up in news articles and social media posts claiming that it was a hoax or had been produced in a lab. “These unconventional names are stirring a hornet’s nest of conspiracy theories,” Nguyen said. It remains to be seen how well the name XD sticks.

New ‘Deltacron’ variant is rare and similar to Omicron, experts say

China is currently battling a surge in covid-19 cases, the country has reported more than 3000 new covid-19 cases which is the highest figure since February 2020.

China records 3400 new covid-19 cases on Sunday, steps up covid measures

The last thing on anybody’s mind these days in Ukraine seems to be COVID-19.

With millions of people on the move fleeing the Russian invasion, health systems disrupted, and testing and vaccination programs suspended in many places, health officials fear that conditions could spread disease. But the pandemic, they said, was no longer a top priority.

“People are not frightened about COVID anymore,” said Dr. Marta Saiko, head of the therapy department at the Clinical Municipal Emergency Hospital here in western Ukraine. “People are frightened of the war.”

The chaos of war has made it impossible to gauge how the pandemic is progressing. Coronavirus testing has largely been suspended since the war began Feb. 24, and physicians have been told to make an observation of clinical symptoms without bothering with a laboratory test, Dr. Oleksandr Matskov, deputy director of the General Public Health Center of Ukraine, said in a written response to questions.

As a result, new recorded cases have declined sharply in the past two weeks, but “the decrease also may be natural,” he added, noting that the omicron variant surge was already waning before Russian troops and tanks crossed the border.

The invasion has brought attacks on some of the largest cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and the second-largest city, Kharkiv, causing an exodus of people and a breakdown in services. Half the population of Kyiv, a city of about 3 million, has left, the mayor said this past week. Other cities are under siege with little or no access to medical services, Matskov wrote.

Ukraine has a relatively low COVID-19 vaccination rate, barely one-third of the population, and millions of people fleeing their homes have crowded into evacuation trains, resettlement centers, temporary housing and underground shelters — conditions ripe for a new surge of infections. The areas of Ukraine that remain relatively safe from the war for now face new problems as the medical networks in those regions are overloaded by the influx of displaced people, Matskov said.

For the average Ukrainian these days, COVID-19 ranks low on the list of worries.

“It faded into the background,” said Olexander, 46, a seaman who was returning from his job in Norway to join his family in Odessa in southern Ukraine. He declined to give his surname for security in wartime conditions. “Our enemy is much more frightening.”

His company in Norway had insisted on very strict rules during the pandemic, he said, but in Ukraine no one was bothering. He was resting inside a tent at the railway station in Lviv, waiting for the night train to Odesa. The half-dozen people inside were not wearing masks.

“I am vaccinated, and at home, they all got sick with COVID already,” he said with a shrug. He was going home to defend his city and his brother had already enlisted, he said.

Recently, Ukraine has also been grappling with a rare outbreak of polio, which spreads through the kind of unsanitary conditions and water contamination that are common in a refugee crisis. Compounding the threat, vaccination for polio and other diseases has slowed worldwide during the coronavirus pandemic.

Europe had been certified as polio-free, but in October, 20 people in Ukraine tested positive for the virus, which can cause fever and paralysis, and then it spread to a second region in the country. The outbreak seems to have been contained, but two patients were affected by paralysis, Matskov said.

The outbreak was identified by genetic sequencing to match a variant in Tajikistan, indicating that the virus was brought by someone traveling from Tajikistan. It is hard to tell when the threat has abated, because most people infected with poliovirus show no symptoms but can still spread it for weeks or months.

“The risk of the spread of polio has increased significantly since the beginning of the war, as there are crowds of people in shelters, places of temporary residence of refugees at the borders, which cannot provide adequate sanitation and hygiene,” Matskov wrote. “Due to the damage to the infrastructure and the humanitarian crisis, there are interruptions in the supply of drinking water and food.”

Like much of Europe, Ukraine experienced a coronavirus surge earlier this year, averaging more than 35,000 cases per day in early February and more than 200 daily deaths by the middle of the month, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The official figures declined rapidly from those highs — and then fell to zero in the days immediately after the Russian invasion, indicating a rupture in reporting.

Matskov said cases were once again being registered as before in the regions not directly affected by fighting. For Wednesday, he said, there were 6,112 cases and 115 deaths.

Ukrainians had been relatively disciplined about wearing masks inside shops and restaurants and on public transport before the war, but most people seem to have abandoned any protocol. As refugees have crammed on to trains and into station waiting halls, social distancing became impossible and there is barely a mask to be seen amid the crowds.

Saiko, at the hospital in Lviv, said she had 32 patients with COVID-19 in her ward, four of them in intensive care at midweek, she said. Only one patient had died this past week, she said.

The caseload was much less than that of previous months, she said. “Now it’s usually four or five patients a day, and it used to be 20 to 25 a day.”

She said cases could increase because of the influx of people into Lviv from other parts of the country, but the hospital has the largest COVID-19 ward and can manage 730 patients at a time. Supplies, she added, were “good enough.”

The last thing on anybody’s mind these days in Ukraine seems to be COVID-19. With millions of people on the move fleeing the Russian invasion, health systems disrupted, and testing and vaccination programs suspended in many places, health officials fear that conditions could spread disease.

The last thing on anybody’s mind these days in Ukraine seems to be COVID-19. With millions of people on the move fleeing the Russian invasion, health systems disrupted, and testing and vaccination programs suspended in many places, health officials fear that conditions could spread disease. But the pandemic, they said, was no longer a top priority. “People are not frightened about COVID anymore,” said Dr. Marta Saiko, head of the therapy department at the Clinical Municipal Emergency Hospital here in western Ukraine. “People are frightened of the war.” The chaos of war has made it impossible to gauge how the pandemic is progressing. Coronavirus testing has largely been suspended since the war began Feb. 24, and physicians have been told to make an observation of clinical symptoms without bothering with a laboratory test, Dr. Oleksandr Matskov, deputy director of the General Public Health Center of Ukraine, said in a written response to questions. As a result, new recorded cases have declined sharply in the past two weeks, but “the decrease also may be natural,” he added, noting that the omicron variant surge was already waning before Russian troops and tanks crossed the border. The invasion has brought attacks on some of the largest cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and the second-largest city, Kharkiv, causing an exodus of people and a breakdown in services. Half the population of Kyiv, a city of about 3 million, has left, the mayor said this past week. Other cities are under siege with little or no access to medical services, Matskov wrote. Ukraine has a relatively low COVID-19 vaccination rate, barely one-third of the population, and millions of people fleeing their homes have crowded into evacuation trains, resettlement centers, temporary housing and underground shelters — conditions ripe for a new surge of infections. The areas of Ukraine that remain relatively safe from the war for now face new problems as the medical networks in those regions are overloaded by the influx of displaced people, Matskov said. For the average Ukrainian these days, COVID-19 ranks low on the list of worries. “It faded into the background,” said Olexander, 46, a seaman who was returning from his job in Norway to join his family in Odessa in southern Ukraine. He declined to give his surname for security in wartime conditions. “Our enemy is much more frightening.” His company in Norway had insisted on very strict rules during the pandemic, he said, but in Ukraine no one was bothering. He was resting inside a tent at the railway station in Lviv, waiting for the night train to Odesa. The half-dozen people inside were not wearing masks. “I am vaccinated, and at home, they all got sick with COVID already,” he said with a shrug. He was going home to defend his city and his brother had already enlisted, he said. Recently, Ukraine has also been grappling with a rare outbreak of polio, which spreads through the kind of unsanitary conditions and water contamination that are common in a refugee crisis. Compounding the threat, vaccination for polio and other diseases has slowed worldwide during the coronavirus pandemic. Europe had been certified as polio-free, but in October, 20 people in Ukraine tested positive for the virus, which can cause fever and paralysis, and then it spread to a second region in the country. The outbreak seems to have been contained, but two patients were affected by paralysis, Matskov said. The outbreak was identified by genetic sequencing to match a variant in Tajikistan, indicating that the virus was brought by someone traveling from Tajikistan. It is hard to tell when the threat has abated, because most people infected with poliovirus show no symptoms but can still spread it for weeks or months. “The risk of the spread of polio has increased significantly since the beginning of the war, as there are crowds of people in shelters, places of temporary residence of refugees at the borders, which cannot provide adequate sanitation and hygiene,” Matskov wrote. “Due to the damage to the infrastructure and the humanitarian crisis, there are interruptions in the supply of drinking water and food.” Like much of Europe, Ukraine experienced a coronavirus surge earlier this year, averaging more than 35,000 cases per day in early February and more than 200 daily deaths by the middle of the month, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The official figures declined rapidly from those highs — and then fell to zero in the days immediately after the Russian invasion, indicating a rupture in reporting. Matskov said cases were once again being registered as before in the regions not directly affected by fighting. For Wednesday, he said, there were 6,112 cases and 115 deaths. Ukrainians had been relatively disciplined about wearing masks inside shops and restaurants and on public transport before the war, but most people seem to have abandoned any protocol. As refugees have crammed on to trains and into station waiting halls, social distancing became impossible and there is barely a mask to be seen amid the crowds. Saiko, at the hospital in Lviv, said she had 32 patients with COVID-19 in her ward, four of them in intensive care at midweek, she said. Only one patient had died this past week, she said. The caseload was much less than that of previous months, she said. “Now it’s usually four or five patients a day, and it used to be 20 to 25 a day.” She said cases could increase because of the influx of people into Lviv from other parts of the country, but the hospital has the largest COVID-19 ward and can manage 730 patients at a time. Supplies, she added, were “good enough.”

Chaos of war in Ukraine could fuel new COVID-19 surge, doctors say

Driven by the Omicron variant of the COVID-19, the coronavirus cases in China is surging. At present, China reported the Highest daily COVID-19 cases in 2 years.

China: Highest daily COVID-19 cases in 2 years as Omicron fuels the surge

It's a fact as to how some issues garner more attention than others. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been one such issue. From revolving around all Covid-related stories for the past two years to now focussing on every small development in Ukraine - this is how media attention shifted in a span of two weeks. &nbsp;

Russia invaded Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, leading to one of the worst conflicts in Europe. As the world was busy focussing on the atrocities in Ukraine, World Health Organisation's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the pandemic is 'far from over,' as global Covid deaths crossed the 6 million mark.&nbsp;

The first outbreak in Pacific islands&nbsp; 
Two years on, several Pacific islands are experiencing their first outbreak. Earlier this week, Niue became the second island in the Pacific to lose its Covid-zero status after reporting its first case of Covid. As per the government, the case arrived from New Zealand. Chatham islands also reported its first case over the weekend.

As per WHO, there are just eight countries that are Covid-free. These include Tuvalu, Tokelau, Saint Helena, Pitcairn Islands, Nauru, and the Federated states of Micronesia. The disease has ripped nations all across the globe.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-hong-kong-leader-says-city-is-not-yet-past-covid-peak-461568">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19: Hong Kong leader says city is not yet past Covid peak&nbsp;</a>

Situation in China seems to get worse&nbsp; 
As Russia continued to bomb Ukraine, killing hundreds of people, many were losing lives due to this one disease which has severely impacted the nation.&nbsp;

The situation in China seems to be deteriorating again, this time even worse than the Wuhan outbreak in 2020. The nation has reported 1,524 Covid cases, its highest daily figure since 2020. Meanwhile, a lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge. Changchun is the capital of Jilin province and an important industrial base. It has ordered the residents to work from home.&nbsp;As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities."

The health commission said that China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time as Covid outbreaks spread.&nbsp;

Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases. Recently, Shanghai ordered its schools to close and shift to online instruction. The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pics-even-after-two-years-covid-19-still-torments-the-entire-world-461393">Also read |&nbsp;Pics: Even after two years, COVID-19 still torments the entire world</a>

Temporary bridge in Hong Kong&nbsp; 
Hong Kong, the densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge. As the situation worsens, a temporary bridge has been built in Hong Kong to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid makeshift hospital.&nbsp;Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that China aims to ensure that Hong Kong has enough food and other supplies during the outbreak.&nbsp;

To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. Beijing, on the other hand, has provided 29 million&nbsp;rapid antigen tests and 54 million&nbsp;masks as of Tuesday.

Earlier, Lam had said that all Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus testing. "The coming one to three months are crucial in fighting the pandemic," Lam told a press briefing.

France sees an upward trend&nbsp;

France, also, is experiencing a surge in cases as it prepares to lift most Covid restrictions. After weeks of steady decline, Covid infections are going up again, according to the public health body, Santé Publique France.&nbsp; 
On Friday, France recorded 73,000 fresh cases.&nbsp;

Guillaume Rozier, founder of the government-sponsored website CovidTracker, while speaking to AFP said, "The rise in cases is most apparent in northern France and along the Mediterranean coast, roughly corresponding to the areas where children returned to school earliest (on February 21)."

Cases in the UK rising again&nbsp; 
While several European nations have eased restrictions, the situation in the United Kingdom seems to be getting a little out of control. Experts have warned that there can be a resurgence of the virus as cases among older people are increasing. The warning came after nearly 100,000 swabs were collected from people all across England.&nbsp;

Latest estimates from the Office for national statistics (ONS) have revealed that Covid infections are increasing across the UK as every one person in 25 is infected. Sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2, is believed to be the most common strain in most of the UK.

WHO voiced its frustration 
While countries are trying to move on from the pandemic, WHO recently voiced its frustration at people marking the second anniversary. It insisted that the real alarm came six weeks earlier. However, few people just bothered to sit up and take notice.

WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern, meaning the highest level of alarm in the global health regulations on January 30, 2020. This was done when outside of China, fewer than 100 cases and no deaths had been reported.

WHO chief Tedros, however, described the worsening situation as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The WHO is not marking the anniversary and is still frustrated at the fact that governments did not heed the original alert.

"The world was possessed with the word pandemic," said WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan.

"The warning in January was way more important than the announcement in March. Do you want the warning to say you've just drowned, or would you like the warning to say the flood is coming?"

Slowly but surely governments have come around to the idea that Covid may be endemic like the flu and have asked people to live with it. WHO, however, is warning against such a conclusion.

It's a fact as to how some issues garner more attention than others. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been one such issue. From revolving around all Covid-related stories for the past two years to now focussing on every small development in Ukraine - this is how media attention shifted in a span of two weeks.

It's a fact as to how some issues garner more attention than others. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been one such issue. From revolving around all Covid-related stories for the past two years to now focussing on every small development in Ukraine - this is how media attention shifted in a span of two weeks. Russia invaded Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, leading to one of the worst conflicts in Europe. As the world was busy focussing on the atrocities in Ukraine, World Health Organisation's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the pandemic is 'far from over,' as global Covid deaths crossed the 6 million mark. The first outbreak in Pacific islands Two years on, several Pacific islands are experiencing their first outbreak. Earlier this week, Niue became the second island in the Pacific to lose its Covid-zero status after reporting its first case of Covid. As per the government, the case arrived from New Zealand. Chatham islands also reported its first case over the weekend. As per WHO, there are just eight countries that are Covid-free. These include Tuvalu, Tokelau, Saint Helena, Pitcairn Islands, Nauru, and the Federated states of Micronesia. The disease has ripped nations all across the globe. Also read | COVID-19: Hong Kong leader says city is not yet past Covid peak Situation in China seems to get worse As Russia continued to bomb Ukraine, killing hundreds of people, many were losing lives due to this one disease which has severely impacted the nation. The situation in China seems to be deteriorating again, this time even worse than the Wuhan outbreak in 2020. The nation has reported 1,524 Covid cases, its highest daily figure since 2020. Meanwhile, a lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge. Changchun is the capital of Jilin province and an important industrial base. It has ordered the residents to work from home. As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities." The health commission said that China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time as Covid outbreaks spread. Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases. Recently, Shanghai ordered its schools to close and shift to online instruction. The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high. Also read | Pics: Even after two years, COVID-19 still torments the entire world Temporary bridge in Hong Kong Hong Kong, the densely populated metropolis is in the throes of a record virus surge. As the situation worsens, a temporary bridge has been built in Hong Kong to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid makeshift hospital. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that China aims to ensure that Hong Kong has enough food and other supplies during the outbreak. To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. Beijing, on the other hand, has provided 29 million rapid antigen tests and 54 million masks as of Tuesday. Earlier, Lam had said that all Hong Kongers must undergo three rounds of compulsory coronavirus testing. "The coming one to three months are crucial in fighting the pandemic," Lam told a press briefing. France sees an upward trend France, also, is experiencing a surge in cases as it prepares to lift most Covid restrictions. After weeks of steady decline, Covid infections are going up again, according to the public health body, Santé Publique France. On Friday, France recorded 73,000 fresh cases. Guillaume Rozier, founder of the government-sponsored website CovidTracker, while speaking to AFP said, "The rise in cases is most apparent in northern France and along the Mediterranean coast, roughly corresponding to the areas where children returned to school earliest (on February 21)." Cases in the UK rising again While several European nations have eased restrictions, the situation in the United Kingdom seems to be getting a little out of control. Experts have warned that there can be a resurgence of the virus as cases among older people are increasing. The warning came after nearly 100,000 swabs were collected from people all across England. Latest estimates from the Office for national statistics (ONS) have revealed that Covid infections are increasing across the UK as every one person in 25 is infected. Sub-variant of Omicron, called BA.2, is believed to be the most common strain in most of the UK. WHO voiced its frustration While countries are trying to move on from the pandemic, WHO recently voiced its frustration at people marking the second anniversary. It insisted that the real alarm came six weeks earlier. However, few people just bothered to sit up and take notice. WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern, meaning the highest level of alarm in the global health regulations on January 30, 2020. This was done when outside of China, fewer than 100 cases and no deaths had been reported. WHO chief Tedros, however, described the worsening situation as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The WHO is not marking the anniversary and is still frustrated at the fact that governments did not heed the original alert. "The world was possessed with the word pandemic," said WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan. "The warning in January was way more important than the announcement in March. Do you want the warning to say you've just drowned, or would you like the warning to say the flood is coming?" Slowly but surely governments have come around to the idea that Covid may be endemic like the flu and have asked people to live with it. WHO, however, is warning against such a conclusion.

Media focus shifted from Covid to Ukraine in just two weeks. But virus is not done yet

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry. Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases.

A lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge.&nbsp;

As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities."

The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-builds-new-bridge-to-hong-kong-amid-covid-surge-460602">Also read |&nbsp;China builds new bridge to Hong Kong amid Covid surge</a>

In Hong Kong, a temporary bridge has been built to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project.&nbsp;

To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city.

"Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong.

(With inputs from agencies)

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry.

In its highest daily figure since the Wuhan outbreak, China on Saturday 1,524 coronavirus cases. As cases surge, China will be introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, states the Health Ministry. Several Chinese cities have been recording a surge in cases. A lockdown has been imposed in the northeastern Chinese city of nine million people Changchun as Covid cases continue to surge. As per the new rules, only one person will be allowed out every two days to buy "daily necessities." The asymptomatic infections caused by the Omicron variant have driven Beijing's daily count to an all-time high since it contained the first national outbreak in early 2020. Also read | China builds new bridge to Hong Kong amid Covid surge In Hong Kong, a temporary bridge has been built to help bring in material from the mainland for the Covid-19 makeshift hospital. Nearly 2,000 Chinese contractors from the China State Construction Engineering are in Hong Kong for this project. To battle the surge in cases, doctors and nurses from the mainland have also been allowed to work in the city. "Infections in vaccinated individuals are more likely to be asymptomatic than infections in unvaccinated individuals, and vaccine coverage is now very high in China," explains Ben Cowling, an epidemiology professor at the University of Hong Kong. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: China records highest daily cases in two years

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, scores of people are fleeing the conflict but it has also increased the risk of COVID-19 infection among the refugees.

Heightened risk of COVID-19 infection among refugees fleeing Russian invasion of Ukraine

According to a US Fed Report, the government paid $1 Billion to American media to promote COVID-19 vaccines. Pfizer vaccine data reveals side effects.

US Fed Report: Government paid $1 Billion to American media to promote COVID-19 vaccines

Pics: Even after two years, COVID-19 still torments the entire world

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