China is applying a zero tolerance approach towards the pandemic. A coastal city in the eastern end of country is conducting mass virus testing after a small outbreak was reported in the region, 43 locally transmitted covid-19 cases were recorded so the Chinese authorities rushed to impose restrictions the 2.75 million residents have been put under a strict travel curb.

Coastal city Huludao in China on high alert after COVID-19 surge

Carrie Lam, the head of the administration in Hong Kong said that the latest Covid wave had 'overwhelmed' Hong Kong. On Monday, the daily cases rose by about 20 times those over past two weeks. This has left hospitals short of beds. The health system is struggling to cope.

"The onslaught of the fifth wave of the epidemic has dealt a heavy blow to Hong Kong and overwhelmed the city's capacity of handling," Lam said, adding patients were having to wait longer to access isolation facilities.

"The situation is highly undesirable and the government feels worried and sorry about it," she said.

As the caseload soared, Lam said her administration would coordinate with Chinese officials to tackle the "aggravating situation".

China has said it would help the city with testing, treatment and quarantine, and secure resources from rapid antigen kits and protective gear to fresh vegetables.

Despite the latest surge, deaths in the global financial hub remain far less than similar-sized cities since the pandemic erupted two years ago.

But, with the healthcare system already overstretched, medical experts warn the city could see 28,000 daily infections by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry.

Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are already at 90% occupancy, data from the city's Hospital Authority showed, while isolation facilities are near full capacity.

Hong Kong is prioritising elderly, children and those in serious conditions in hospitals, said Larry Lee, chief manager at the city's Hospital Authority.

There are around 1,000 patients waiting to be hospitalised, authorities said on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Carrie Lam, the head of the administration in Hong Kong said that the latest Covid wave had 'overwhelmed' Hong Kong. On Monday, the daily cases rose by about 20 times those over past two weeks.

Carrie Lam, the head of the administration in Hong Kong said that the latest Covid wave had 'overwhelmed' Hong Kong. On Monday, the daily cases rose by about 20 times those over past two weeks. This has left hospitals short of beds. The health system is struggling to cope. "The onslaught of the fifth wave of the epidemic has dealt a heavy blow to Hong Kong and overwhelmed the city's capacity of handling," Lam said, adding patients were having to wait longer to access isolation facilities. "The situation is highly undesirable and the government feels worried and sorry about it," she said. As the caseload soared, Lam said her administration would coordinate with Chinese officials to tackle the "aggravating situation". China has said it would help the city with testing, treatment and quarantine, and secure resources from rapid antigen kits and protective gear to fresh vegetables. Despite the latest surge, deaths in the global financial hub remain far less than similar-sized cities since the pandemic erupted two years ago. But, with the healthcare system already overstretched, medical experts warn the city could see 28,000 daily infections by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are already at 90% occupancy, data from the city's Hospital Authority showed, while isolation facilities are near full capacity. Hong Kong is prioritising elderly, children and those in serious conditions in hospitals, said Larry Lee, chief manager at the city's Hospital Authority. There are around 1,000 patients waiting to be hospitalised, authorities said on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong 'overwhelmed' due to latest Covid wave: Carrie Lam

The recent Tonga volcanic eruption sent ripples through the Ionosphere. The Data was collected from the incident to help build an early-warning system.

Tonga eruption sent ripples through the Ionosphere

New Zealand's anti-vaccine protesters who have been showing opposition to vaccine mandates continue to demonstrate outside parliament as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern labeled the protests as being imported. Demonstrators continue to occupy the laws in front of the parliament for a seven straight day ignoring all calls by the police to leave the area.

New Zealand: Protesters denounce govt's Covid-19 vaccine rule, block streets outside parliament

India has delivered medical supplies to Kiribati as the island is dealing with the Covid outbreak for the first time in two years. The government of India sent a consignment of medical supplies, containing PPEs and medications, states the Ministry of External Affairs.&nbsp;

The relief material also includes pulse oximeters, swabs with VTM, specimen bags for swabs, PPE kits (surgical masks, gloves, N95 masks, shoe covers, hair caps) and emergency Covid medication supplies.

The Ministry claimed that this shows India’s commitment to providing "Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support," as an early responder in the Pacific region. "India remains committed to extend full support to Kiribati’s national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising from the pandemic," the statement read.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/remote-pacific-island-which-had-only-2-two-cases-until-now-goes-into-lockdown-446741">Also read |&nbsp;Remote Pacific island which had only 2 two cases until now goes into lockdown</a>

The Covid outbreak in Kiribati can be attributed to the low vaccination rate as only 33 per cent of 113,000 residents are fully vaccinated. Also, 59 per cent have received just one shot. &nbsp;

As per President Taneti Maamau the administration is using all of its resources to deal with the crisis. He also urged the citizens to get vaccinated.&nbsp;

There was no sign of an outbreak in the Pacific island because it was closed for two years. However, it reopened last month and this is when a jet transported 54 of the island nation's people back home.

Kiribati is one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is some 5,000km (3,100 miles) from its nearest continent, North America.

India has delivered medical supplies to Kiribati as the island is dealing with the Covid outbreak for the first time in two years. The government of India sent a consignment of medical supplies, containing PPEs and medications, states the Ministry of External Affairs.

India has delivered medical supplies to Kiribati as the island is dealing with the Covid outbreak for the first time in two years. The government of India sent a consignment of medical supplies, containing PPEs and medications, states the Ministry of External Affairs. The relief material also includes pulse oximeters, swabs with VTM, specimen bags for swabs, PPE kits (surgical masks, gloves, N95 masks, shoe covers, hair caps) and emergency Covid medication supplies. The Ministry claimed that this shows India’s commitment to providing "Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support," as an early responder in the Pacific region. "India remains committed to extend full support to Kiribati’s national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising from the pandemic," the statement read. Also read | Remote Pacific island which had only 2 two cases until now goes into lockdown The Covid outbreak in Kiribati can be attributed to the low vaccination rate as only 33 per cent of 113,000 residents are fully vaccinated. Also, 59 per cent have received just one shot. As per President Taneti Maamau the administration is using all of its resources to deal with the crisis. He also urged the citizens to get vaccinated. There was no sign of an outbreak in the Pacific island because it was closed for two years. However, it reopened last month and this is when a jet transported 54 of the island nation's people back home. Kiribati is one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is some 5,000km (3,100 miles) from its nearest continent, North America.

India sends medical supplies to Kiribati as the island struggles with its first Covid outbreak

With 98% of the population fully vaccinated, Vietnam has ended curbs on international flights. Now, vaccinated passengers need to self-isolate for only three days.

Vietnam ends COVID curbs on international flights as 98% of the population is fully vaccinated

As COVID-19 cases decline after a surge driven by the Omicron variant in the country, the Indian government has revised guidelines for International arrivals.

Indian government revises COVID-19 guidelines for International arrivals

With Covid witnessing downturn, 'Carnival of hope' begins in Venice

Vietnam&nbsp;will remove its&nbsp;COVID-19 restrictions on&nbsp;international&nbsp;passenger&nbsp;flights&nbsp;with all markets starting&nbsp;Feb.&nbsp;15, with no limitation on the number of&nbsp;flights, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Southeast Asian country imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic to keep out&nbsp;COVID-19, with some initial success, but that dealt a blow to its burgeoning tourism sector which accounted for about 10% of gross domestic product.

"Vietnam&nbsp;will lift restrictions on&nbsp;international&nbsp;flights&nbsp;starting&nbsp;February&nbsp;15. The frequency of&nbsp;flights&nbsp;will be restored to pre-pandemic level," Tuoi Tre said, citing Dinh Viet Son, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of&nbsp;Vietnam.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/norway-scraps-all-social-distancing-measures-amid-a-surge-in-omicron-cases-452657">Also read |&nbsp;Norway scraps all social distancing measures amid a surge in Omicron cases</a>

Vietnam&nbsp;has already informed its partners about that new policy and only China has not yet agreed to resume commercial&nbsp;flights&nbsp;with&nbsp;Vietnam, Son was quoted as saying.

Vietnam&nbsp;had already begun gradually resuming&nbsp;international&nbsp;flights&nbsp;with&nbsp;15&nbsp;markets&nbsp;from&nbsp;the beginning of this year while easing quarantine requirements, with vaccinated passengers now needing only three days of self-isolation.

The Southeast Asian country has recorded nearly 2.5 million&nbsp;COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, and around 39,000 deaths. Nearly 98% of its 98 million people have received at least two vaccine doses, official data showed.

Vietnam will remove its COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights with all markets starting Feb. 15, with no limitation on the number of flights, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday.

Vietnam will remove its COVID-19 restrictions on international passenger flights with all markets starting Feb. 15, with no limitation on the number of flights, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday. The Southeast Asian country imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic to keep out COVID-19, with some initial success, but that dealt a blow to its burgeoning tourism sector which accounted for about 10% of gross domestic product. "Vietnam will lift restrictions on international flights starting February 15. The frequency of flights will be restored to pre-pandemic level," Tuoi Tre said, citing Dinh Viet Son, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam. Also read | Norway scraps all social distancing measures amid a surge in Omicron cases Vietnam has already informed its partners about that new policy and only China has not yet agreed to resume commercial flights with Vietnam, Son was quoted as saying. Vietnam had already begun gradually resuming international flights with 15 markets from the beginning of this year while easing quarantine requirements, with vaccinated passengers now needing only three days of self-isolation. The Southeast Asian country has recorded nearly 2.5 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, and around 39,000 deaths. Nearly 98% of its 98 million people have received at least two vaccine doses, official data showed.

Vietnam to scrap all Covid curbs on international flights from Feb 15

South Korea has launched a self-treatment scheme for patients with mild coronavirus symptoms. As new infections are soaring to a new high the country is trying to free up medical resources for more serious cases, take a look.

South Korea turns to self-treatment as covid cases surge

Indian government here has revised guidelines for international arrivals. It has removed the category of at-risk countries which was introduced when the omicron variant of covid-19 emerged and recommended self-monitoring for 14 days for symptoms. The move comes as a relief for travel agents and firms.

India revises Covid-19 guidelines for international arrivals

Malaysia's coronavirus recovery council said on Tuesday it had recommended full reopening of borders March 1 onwards. Mandatory quarantine for travellers will by done away with as part of plans aimed at accelerating economic recovery. Malaysia has shut its borders since March 2020. It had frozen entry of foreign workers in order to try and contain the spread of coronavirus.

The recommendation comes as neighbours waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore.

Thailand on Monday said it was eyeing travel bubbles with Malaysia and China.

Muhyiddin Yassin, a former premier and chairperson of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a government advisory body, said travellers would have to undergo COVID-19 screening before departure and on arrival.

"This means tourists can visit, investors can enter... It means AirAsia can fly again, as an example," he told a news conference, referring to the Malaysia-based budget carrier.

At present, Malaysia allows quarantine-free entry to people from Singapore as part of a bilateral arrangement.

Daily coronavirus infections in Malaysia have surged in recent weeks to their highest in four months, driven by the Omicron variant.

It reported 13,944 new infections on Tuesday, adding to more than 2.9 million cases recorded overall, with over 32,000 deaths, among the highest fatality and infection rates in Asia per capita.

The majority of the cases were asymptomatic or mild due Malaysia's high vaccination rate, the health ministry said on Monday.

About 98% of Malaysia's adult population has received two doses of the vaccine and more than half a booster shot. About 89% of 12-17 year olds have been vaccinated and inoculations for children age 5-11 started last week.

(With inputs from agencies)

Malaysia's coronavirus recovery council said on Tuesday it had recommended full reopening of borders March 1 onwards. Mandatory quarantine for travellers will by done away with as part of plans aimed at accelerating economic recovery.

Malaysia's coronavirus recovery council said on Tuesday it had recommended full reopening of borders March 1 onwards. Mandatory quarantine for travellers will by done away with as part of plans aimed at accelerating economic recovery. Malaysia has shut its borders since March 2020. It had frozen entry of foreign workers in order to try and contain the spread of coronavirus. The recommendation comes as neighbours waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore. Thailand on Monday said it was eyeing travel bubbles with Malaysia and China. Muhyiddin Yassin, a former premier and chairperson of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a government advisory body, said travellers would have to undergo COVID-19 screening before departure and on arrival. "This means tourists can visit, investors can enter... It means AirAsia can fly again, as an example," he told a news conference, referring to the Malaysia-based budget carrier. At present, Malaysia allows quarantine-free entry to people from Singapore as part of a bilateral arrangement. Daily coronavirus infections in Malaysia have surged in recent weeks to their highest in four months, driven by the Omicron variant. It reported 13,944 new infections on Tuesday, adding to more than 2.9 million cases recorded overall, with over 32,000 deaths, among the highest fatality and infection rates in Asia per capita. The majority of the cases were asymptomatic or mild due Malaysia's high vaccination rate, the health ministry said on Monday. About 98% of Malaysia's adult population has received two doses of the vaccine and more than half a booster shot. About 89% of 12-17 year olds have been vaccinated and inoculations for children age 5-11 started last week. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19: Malaysia mulls full border reopening in March

Just a few days to go for Valentine's day and one would expect Paris which is known as a city of love to be full of hearts and roses and celebration, but what is currently happening on the ground is rather the complete opposite. The French police in fact fire tear gas at demonstrators fighting COVID curbs.

French Police fires tear gas at protestors fighting COVID curbs

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus.

The queen is not showing symptoms of COVID-19, according to an official at Buckingham Palace, who said the queen was being monitored closely. The official did not say whether the queen had been tested for the virus, nor did he offer specific details about when Charles, who tested positive Thursday, was last in contact with her. Charles was at Windsor Castle, where the queen is currently in residence, on Tuesday for an investiture ceremony, according to a palace official.

Elizabeth received a dose of coronavirus vaccine in January 2021 at Windsor Castle, along with her husband, Prince Philip. The palace has not confirmed any subsequent vaccine doses. Charles has said that he is fully vaccinated and boosted.

In recent weeks, the queen has begun appearing again in public after a difficult stretch last fall, when she cancelled a number of public engagements because of what Buckingham Palace officials described as exhaustion.

Philip died in April 2021 at the age of 99, and the queen was forced to isolate herself during his funeral service because of the pandemic. A photographer captured a poignant image of her, grieving alone and wearing a mask, in a choir stall at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor.

Charles, who is 73 and the heir to the throne, has gone into self-isolation, according to his household, Clarence House. He contracted and recovered from a mild case of the virus in March 2020, when it was first engulfing Britain. His representatives did not immediately comment on the severity of his infection this time.

Charles got the news that he had tested positive Thursday morning, according to Clarence House, and postponed a trip to Winchester, England, at the last minute. He “is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today’s events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible,” Clarence House said in a statement.

Speaking to Sky News in June 2020, Charles said he “got away with it quite lightly” the first time he contracted the virus.

“I was lucky in my case,” he said, “but I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.”

Charles’ wife, Camilla, tested negative for the virus and has continued with her schedule of public appearances, according to Clarence House.

On Wednesday evening, she and her husband attended a gala reception at the British Museum. Other guests included three senior British government officials: the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak; the home secretary, Priti Patel; and the health secretary, Sajid Javid.

The queen marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne Saturday at her country estate, Sandringham. In a statement issued that day, she said she hoped that when Charles succeeded her, Camilla would be known as queen — a major endorsement that the couple had long sought from the monarch.

“We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish,” Charles said in a statement. “As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.”

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus.

Prince Charles has been reinfected with the coronavirus and met recently with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, raising questions about whether the 95-year-old monarch is at risk of contracting the virus. The queen is not showing symptoms of COVID-19, according to an official at Buckingham Palace, who said the queen was being monitored closely. The official did not say whether the queen had been tested for the virus, nor did he offer specific details about when Charles, who tested positive Thursday, was last in contact with her. Charles was at Windsor Castle, where the queen is currently in residence, on Tuesday for an investiture ceremony, according to a palace official. Elizabeth received a dose of coronavirus vaccine in January 2021 at Windsor Castle, along with her husband, Prince Philip. The palace has not confirmed any subsequent vaccine doses. Charles has said that he is fully vaccinated and boosted. In recent weeks, the queen has begun appearing again in public after a difficult stretch last fall, when she cancelled a number of public engagements because of what Buckingham Palace officials described as exhaustion. Philip died in April 2021 at the age of 99, and the queen was forced to isolate herself during his funeral service because of the pandemic. A photographer captured a poignant image of her, grieving alone and wearing a mask, in a choir stall at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. Charles, who is 73 and the heir to the throne, has gone into self-isolation, according to his household, Clarence House. He contracted and recovered from a mild case of the virus in March 2020, when it was first engulfing Britain. His representatives did not immediately comment on the severity of his infection this time. Charles got the news that he had tested positive Thursday morning, according to Clarence House, and postponed a trip to Winchester, England, at the last minute. He “is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend today’s events in Winchester and will look to reschedule his visit as soon as possible,” Clarence House said in a statement. Speaking to Sky News in June 2020, Charles said he “got away with it quite lightly” the first time he contracted the virus. “I was lucky in my case,” he said, “but I’ve had it, and I can so understand what other people have gone through.” Charles’ wife, Camilla, tested negative for the virus and has continued with her schedule of public appearances, according to Clarence House. On Wednesday evening, she and her husband attended a gala reception at the British Museum. Other guests included three senior British government officials: the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak; the home secretary, Priti Patel; and the health secretary, Sajid Javid. The queen marked the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne Saturday at her country estate, Sandringham. In a statement issued that day, she said she hoped that when Charles succeeded her, Camilla would be known as queen — a major endorsement that the couple had long sought from the monarch. “We are deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish,” Charles said in a statement. “As we have sought together to serve and support Her Majesty and the people of our communities, my darling wife has been my own steadfast support throughout.”

Prince Charles tests positive for Covid, raising concerns about risk to Queen

Russia reported a record daily high of coronavirus cases. On Thursday (February 10), the country reported 197,076 Covid infections. Out of the total cases reported, 70 per cent were caused by Omicron variant. The variant continues to spread across the country.&nbsp;

In past 24 hours, Russia recorded 701 deaths, as per numbers with government's coronavirus task force.

On Wednesday, Russia had confirmed 183,103 new Covid cases. The number was up by about 20,000 than the previous day. Russia's federal response centre reported that 659 deaths had taken place.

In addition, the response centre said that 20,178 people infected with COVID-19 have been hospitalized over the past 24 hours, a 0.03% decrease from the day before.

At the same time, 97,163 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals across the country, according to the response centre.

 
Moscow logged 11,521 new COVID-19 cases and 82 deaths in the same period.

On Thursday, Reuters reported reason behind French President Emmanuel Macron having been seated at a great distance from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Two sources in Macron's entourage told Reuters that Macron was asked to take a Russian Covid test before meeting Putin in Moscow. As Macron refused, he was seated at the opposite end of a 13-foot long table.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Russia reported a record daily high of coronavirus cases. On Thursday (February 10), the country reported 197,076 Covid infections. Out of the total cases reported, 70 per cent were caused by Omicron variant.

Russia reported a record daily high of coronavirus cases. On Thursday (February 10), the country reported 197,076 Covid infections. Out of the total cases reported, 70 per cent were caused by Omicron variant. The variant continues to spread across the country. In past 24 hours, Russia recorded 701 deaths, as per numbers with government's coronavirus task force. On Wednesday, Russia had confirmed 183,103 new Covid cases. The number was up by about 20,000 than the previous day. Russia's federal response centre reported that 659 deaths had taken place. In addition, the response centre said that 20,178 people infected with COVID-19 have been hospitalized over the past 24 hours, a 0.03% decrease from the day before. At the same time, 97,163 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals across the country, according to the response centre. Moscow logged 11,521 new COVID-19 cases and 82 deaths in the same period. On Thursday, Reuters reported reason behind French President Emmanuel Macron having been seated at a great distance from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Two sources in Macron's entourage told Reuters that Macron was asked to take a Russian Covid test before meeting Putin in Moscow. As Macron refused, he was seated at the opposite end of a 13-foot long table. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia reports record high in daily Covid cases

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).&nbsp;

The United Kingdom was one of the countries that faced the wrath of the Omicron variant as Covid cases continued to rise in the UK after the 'variant of concern' was first detected last year in November.&nbsp;

In December and January, more than 20 Premier League games were called off due to COVID-19 outbreaks at several clubs. More than 100 cases were reported over the Christmas period as the teams didn't even have enough players to fulfil fixtures.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-it-worse-than-racism-west-ham-player-reacts-to-kurt-zoumas-cat-abuse-controversy-watch-452164">'Is it worse than racism?': West Ham player reacts to Kurt Zouma's cat abuse controversy - Watch</a>

To tackle the situation, the League had adopted several emergency measures such as increased testing of players and club staff, which included both lateral flow and PCR testing.&nbsp;

However, the number of cases has since come down to manageable levels and the League said lateral-flow testing "will revert to twice weekly from Monday".&nbsp;

The League said, "While the requirement to ensure social distancing indoors is maintained, restrictions such as wearing face coverings in indoor areas and limiting treatment time will be removed."&nbsp;

"The Premier League's COVID-19 Emergency Measures remain under regular review, with the aim of them expiring at the end of this month.," it added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/christian-eriksen-look-for-a-return-to-normal-life-with-brentford-as-he-returns-to-premier-league-451527">Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League</a>&nbsp;

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At today’s Premier League Shareholders’ meeting, it was decided to remove a number of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures from Friday, 11 February 
 
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Also, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that there could be an early end to all coronavirus restrictions in the country if cases continue to fall.&nbsp;The government could remove the legal requirement to self-isolate for positive Covid cases.

"Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions - including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive - a full month early," Johnson said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

A shareholders' meeting on Thursday (February 10) has decided that English Premier League will remove a number of emergency measures related to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The United Kingdom was one of the countries that faced the wrath of the Omicron variant as Covid cases continued to rise in the UK after the 'variant of concern' was first detected last year in November. In December and January, more than 20 Premier League games were called off due to COVID-19 outbreaks at several clubs. More than 100 cases were reported over the Christmas period as the teams didn't even have enough players to fulfil fixtures. ALSO READ | 'Is it worse than racism?': West Ham player reacts to Kurt Zouma's cat abuse controversy - Watch To tackle the situation, the League had adopted several emergency measures such as increased testing of players and club staff, which included both lateral flow and PCR testing. However, the number of cases has since come down to manageable levels and the League said lateral-flow testing "will revert to twice weekly from Monday". The League said, "While the requirement to ensure social distancing indoors is maintained, restrictions such as wearing face coverings in indoor areas and limiting treatment time will be removed." "The Premier League's COVID-19 Emergency Measures remain under regular review, with the aim of them expiring at the end of this month.," it added. ALSO READ | Christian Eriksen look for a return to 'normal life' with Brentford as he returns to Premier League At today’s Premier League Shareholders’ meeting, it was decided to remove a number of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures from Friday, 11 February Full statement: https://t.co/3V22Wl7cO6 pic.twitter.com/WAeikknKSA — Premier League (@premierleague) February 10, 2022 × Also, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that there could be an early end to all coronavirus restrictions in the country if cases continue to fall. The government could remove the legal requirement to self-isolate for positive Covid cases. "Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions - including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive - a full month early," Johnson said on Wednesday.

Premier League will remove many COVID-19 emergency measures

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;reported 986 new coronavirus infections on Thursday as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak which medical experts warn could see 28,000 daily cases by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry.

The rise in cases, up 10-fold since Feb. 1, is proving to be the biggest test for the global financial hub's "dynamic zero" policy of virus suppression, which has turned it into one of the world's most isolated cities.

Following mainland China,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;is trying to curb outbreaks as soon as possible, in contrast with many other places that are trying to "live with COVID", relying on high vaccination rates to bring protection while easing restrictions.

The fast-spreading Omicron variant is testing both approaches, though experts have said&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's strategy looks increasingly unsustainable with cases ballooning.

Leader Carrie Lam said she was "deeply sorry and anxious" as residents, including elderly and children, queued for hours at testing centres and to enter isolation facilities after daily infections doubled to a record 1,161 cases on Wednesday.

Writing on her official Facebook page, Lam said the government was working hard to enhance capacity and that the fast-spreading infections, hitting places like elderly care homes, were the last thing she wanted to see.

"Citizens have to wait for a long time to receive testing and a large number of people who have tested positive have been waiting for a long time for isolation facilities," she said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-third-news-company-shutters-amid-chinese-crackdown-on-dissent-441939">Also read |&nbsp;Hong Kong: Third news company shutters amid Chinese crackdown on dissent</a>

"I am deeply sorry and anxious."

Lam said the city was not able to try to live with the virus because more than 50% of the elderly have not been vaccinated.

About 82% of the city's residents have had at least one vaccine shot but many elderly people have been hesitant. Three elderly have died this week from coronavirus, authorities said on Thursday.

However, vaccination rates have finally started to surge in recent days, particularly among older folk, as infections climb and even tougher anti-virus measures like vaccine passports are being put in place.

TEST CENTRES

Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has reported more than 4,000 infections over the past two weeks, versus just two in December, taking its tally to more than 18,000 since the outbreak began in 2020, with 216 deaths, figures that are much lower than those seen in other major cities around the world.

The city could see 28,000 new cases a day by the end of March, with its tally of deaths rising to 1,000 by June, health experts from the University of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;said this week.

The experts modelled scenarios that they said indicated&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;could only return to a "zero-covid" state if the entire city was locked down for two to three months.

The government declined to comment directly on speculation of a lockdown, reiterating that people needed to take all measures to contain the virus and limit social activities.

They have responded to the latest surge with the toughest suppression measures yet, despite an increasing social and economic toll on the city's 7.5 million residents.

Public gatherings of more than two people are banned from Thursday while gatherings in homes have also been restricted. The rules add to already strict measures that have forced restaurants to close from 6. p.m. and shut most churches to schools, gyms and cinemas.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-tragic-who-reports-130-million-cases-and-500000-deaths-linked-to-omicron-451604">Also read |&nbsp;'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron</a>

About 200,000 people in the Discovery Bay residential area, where many foreigners live, have been ordered to get tested after the government said it detected coronavirus in sewage.

Typically, people are mandated to test if they have been in an area where infections are detected, and tens of thousands have thronged testing centres across the city in recent days with queues stretching hundreds of metres.

Ching Tang, a 50-year old resident waiting to get vaccinated, said the pandemic has greatly affected many aspects of life.

"Some older people don't even dare to go out. They stockpile food for many days. Everyone is worried...I hope the government can do better."

Hong Kong reported 986 new coronavirus infections on Thursday as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak which medical experts warn could see 28,000 daily cases by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry.

Hong Kong reported 986 new coronavirus infections on Thursday as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak which medical experts warn could see 28,000 daily cases by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry. The rise in cases, up 10-fold since Feb. 1, is proving to be the biggest test for the global financial hub's "dynamic zero" policy of virus suppression, which has turned it into one of the world's most isolated cities. Following mainland China, Hong Kong is trying to curb outbreaks as soon as possible, in contrast with many other places that are trying to "live with COVID", relying on high vaccination rates to bring protection while easing restrictions. The fast-spreading Omicron variant is testing both approaches, though experts have said Hong Kong's strategy looks increasingly unsustainable with cases ballooning. Leader Carrie Lam said she was "deeply sorry and anxious" as residents, including elderly and children, queued for hours at testing centres and to enter isolation facilities after daily infections doubled to a record 1,161 cases on Wednesday. Writing on her official Facebook page, Lam said the government was working hard to enhance capacity and that the fast-spreading infections, hitting places like elderly care homes, were the last thing she wanted to see. "Citizens have to wait for a long time to receive testing and a large number of people who have tested positive have been waiting for a long time for isolation facilities," she said. Also read | Hong Kong: Third news company shutters amid Chinese crackdown on dissent "I am deeply sorry and anxious." Lam said the city was not able to try to live with the virus because more than 50% of the elderly have not been vaccinated. About 82% of the city's residents have had at least one vaccine shot but many elderly people have been hesitant. Three elderly have died this week from coronavirus, authorities said on Thursday. However, vaccination rates have finally started to surge in recent days, particularly among older folk, as infections climb and even tougher anti-virus measures like vaccine passports are being put in place. TEST CENTRES Hong Kong has reported more than 4,000 infections over the past two weeks, versus just two in December, taking its tally to more than 18,000 since the outbreak began in 2020, with 216 deaths, figures that are much lower than those seen in other major cities around the world. The city could see 28,000 new cases a day by the end of March, with its tally of deaths rising to 1,000 by June, health experts from the University of Hong Kong said this week. The experts modelled scenarios that they said indicated Hong Kong could only return to a "zero-covid" state if the entire city was locked down for two to three months. The government declined to comment directly on speculation of a lockdown, reiterating that people needed to take all measures to contain the virus and limit social activities. They have responded to the latest surge with the toughest suppression measures yet, despite an increasing social and economic toll on the city's 7.5 million residents. Public gatherings of more than two people are banned from Thursday while gatherings in homes have also been restricted. The rules add to already strict measures that have forced restaurants to close from 6. p.m. and shut most churches to schools, gyms and cinemas. Also read | 'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron About 200,000 people in the Discovery Bay residential area, where many foreigners live, have been ordered to get tested after the government said it detected coronavirus in sewage. Typically, people are mandated to test if they have been in an area where infections are detected, and tens of thousands have thronged testing centres across the city in recent days with queues stretching hundreds of metres. Ching Tang, a 50-year old resident waiting to get vaccinated, said the pandemic has greatly affected many aspects of life. "Some older people don't even dare to go out. They stockpile food for many days. Everyone is worried...I hope the government can do better."

Hong Kong Covid infections surge, experts warn of 30,000 cases a day

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on.

Activists chanted the Maori haka and yelled "hold the line", as they scuffled with a phalanx of officers moving to clear a makeshift settlement on the lawns of parliament.

Officers used pepper spray on a number of protesters who dragged two of their colleagues into the crowd, but only minor injuries were reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/canadian-anti-vax-trucker-protest-fires-up-copycat-protests-451654">Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests</a>

Police moved in early Thursday after taking a hands-off approach to the first two days of protests, warning the crowd to leave or face arrest.

They were punched and kicked amid cries of "this is not democracy", "shame on you" and "drop the mandate".

The protest began Tuesday as a copycat of a "Freedom Convoy" action by Canadian truckers, with hundreds of semi-trailers and campervans jamming streets in central Wellington.

Many of the vehicles left after 24 hours but a hard core of several hundred activists remained, vowing to stay "as long as it takes".

Wellington City Council, which also took a low-key approach in the protest's early stages, said its parking officers had started issuing tickets to convoy vehicles blocking city streets.

Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said patience had worn thin among Wellington residents at the disruption, urging police to act.

"Roads are blocked in the city, businesses have had to shut, people felt threatened and intimidated by some of the protesters," he told Radio&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;prior to the police operation.

&nbsp;Police 'disappointed'&nbsp;

Wellington police commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said more than 150 extra officers were brought in from outside the capital to clear the protest.

"It is disappointing that despite the grounds being officially closed to the public earlier today, a number of protesters are refusing repeated requests to leave the precinct," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-protests-echo-globally-with-a-copycat-demonstration-planned-in-france-451793">Canadian protests echo globally, with a copycat demonstration planned in France</a>&nbsp;

In a rare move, authorities closed the parliamentary precinct to the public to prevent reinforcements from joining the protest. &nbsp;

The police edged forward across the parliament grounds but pulled back behind barricades late in the afternoon as demonstrators cheered and claimed victory.

Parnell said it could take days to disperse the crowd, accusing some activists of using children as human shields to frustrate police.

"This was never going to be a short task," he told reporters when the tactics were questioned.

One woman, who refused to give her name, accused police of provoking the crowd.

"This has been a peaceful protest, what they've done is a disgrace," she said.

Watch |&nbsp;Two weeks of Canada truckers protest, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls it unacceptable

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/two-weeks-of-canada-truckers-protest-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-calls-it-unacceptable-451922/embed" width="560"></iframe>

"I never thought I'd see this in&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand."

But locals in the capital have complained about being abused for wearing masks and several businesses near parliament have closed after staff were harassed for enforcing vaccine mandates.

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;requires mandatory Covid vaccinations for people working in sectors such as health, law enforcement, education and defence, with those who refuse the jab facing the sack.

Proof of vaccination must also be shown to enter restaurants, sports events and religious services.

The "Freedom Convoy" of truckers in Canada has gridlocked the capital, Ottawa since late last month, prompting city authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of New Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on.

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of New Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on. Activists chanted the Maori haka and yelled "hold the line", as they scuffled with a phalanx of officers moving to clear a makeshift settlement on the lawns of parliament. Officers used pepper spray on a number of protesters who dragged two of their colleagues into the crowd, but only minor injuries were reported. Also read | Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests Police moved in early Thursday after taking a hands-off approach to the first two days of protests, warning the crowd to leave or face arrest. They were punched and kicked amid cries of "this is not democracy", "shame on you" and "drop the mandate". The protest began Tuesday as a copycat of a "Freedom Convoy" action by Canadian truckers, with hundreds of semi-trailers and campervans jamming streets in central Wellington. Many of the vehicles left after 24 hours but a hard core of several hundred activists remained, vowing to stay "as long as it takes". Wellington City Council, which also took a low-key approach in the protest's early stages, said its parking officers had started issuing tickets to convoy vehicles blocking city streets. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said patience had worn thin among Wellington residents at the disruption, urging police to act. "Roads are blocked in the city, businesses have had to shut, people felt threatened and intimidated by some of the protesters," he told Radio New Zealand prior to the police operation. Police 'disappointed' Wellington police commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said more than 150 extra officers were brought in from outside the capital to clear the protest. "It is disappointing that despite the grounds being officially closed to the public earlier today, a number of protesters are refusing repeated requests to leave the precinct," he said. Also read | Canadian protests echo globally, with a copycat demonstration planned in France In a rare move, authorities closed the parliamentary precinct to the public to prevent reinforcements from joining the protest. The police edged forward across the parliament grounds but pulled back behind barricades late in the afternoon as demonstrators cheered and claimed victory. Parnell said it could take days to disperse the crowd, accusing some activists of using children as human shields to frustrate police. "This was never going to be a short task," he told reporters when the tactics were questioned. One woman, who refused to give her name, accused police of provoking the crowd. "This has been a peaceful protest, what they've done is a disgrace," she said. Watch | Two weeks of Canada truckers protest, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls it unacceptable "I never thought I'd see this in New Zealand." But locals in the capital have complained about being abused for wearing masks and several businesses near parliament have closed after staff were harassed for enforcing vaccine mandates. New Zealand requires mandatory Covid vaccinations for people working in sectors such as health, law enforcement, education and defence, with those who refuse the jab facing the sack. Proof of vaccination must also be shown to enter restaurants, sports events and religious services. The "Freedom Convoy" of truckers in Canada has gridlocked the capital, Ottawa since late last month, prompting city authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Police and covid protestors clash at New Zealand parliament

Covid-19 has now entered Hong Kong supply chains affecting the availability of essential products and food items. As more and more truck drivers are testing positive for the virus the transport and delivery services have halted, here's our report.

Hong Kong imposes strict Covid curbs as virus outbreak affects supply chains

The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal.

The plan to give permanent status to thousands of "streateries" outside of restaurants and bars has the support of Mayor Eric Adams and the New York Hospitality Alliance, an industry association.

Opponents say outside dining has created unsanitary conditions, helped draw more rats to sidewalks, drawn noise complaints in some neighborhoods and reduced the number of available parking spaces.

The Uniformed Firefighters Association has complained the sheds have narrowed streets so much as to delay their response and prevent them from safely raising ladders to windows.

The Coalition United for Equitable Urban Policy, an alliance of local businesses and residents, held a "Chuck the Sheds" protest rally over the weekend.

The 51-member council body will vote on the bill at a later date if it makes it through a committee vote.

The outdoor cafes were first permitted on a temporary basis under an “Open Restaurants” initiative to help offset the closure of indoor dining because of the pandemic, and later when severe capacity restrictions were imposed.

Restaurants were quick to set up makeshift structures of plywood and plastic sheeting, and many later installed more elaborate structures, some with heaters, suggesting they hoped the program was here to stay.

City officials and the restaurant industry have lauded the initiative for saving thousands of restaurants from closing permanently and enabling tens of thousands of workers to keep their jobs.

More than 12,000 restaurants and bars across New York, once the pandemic epicenter, take part in the program and 360 streets have been shut down to cars to expand space for outdoor restaurant eating, according to an online tracker.

Council member Marjorie Velázquez, who sponsored the bill, said the temporary program saved more than 100,000 jobs citywide.

"Beyond its positive economic impact, outdoor dining reimagined what the city could do with our streets," said Velázquez, who chaired the committee holding the hearing.

Council members at Tuesday's hearing questioned whether the city transportation department had the capacity to oversee such a program.

Some, concerned about the thousands of complaints logged against some restaurants, questioned what standards and enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure safety and cleanliness.

The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal.

The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal. The plan to give permanent status to thousands of "streateries" outside of restaurants and bars has the support of Mayor Eric Adams and the New York Hospitality Alliance, an industry association. Opponents say outside dining has created unsanitary conditions, helped draw more rats to sidewalks, drawn noise complaints in some neighborhoods and reduced the number of available parking spaces. The Uniformed Firefighters Association has complained the sheds have narrowed streets so much as to delay their response and prevent them from safely raising ladders to windows. The Coalition United for Equitable Urban Policy, an alliance of local businesses and residents, held a "Chuck the Sheds" protest rally over the weekend. The 51-member council body will vote on the bill at a later date if it makes it through a committee vote. The outdoor cafes were first permitted on a temporary basis under an “Open Restaurants” initiative to help offset the closure of indoor dining because of the pandemic, and later when severe capacity restrictions were imposed. Restaurants were quick to set up makeshift structures of plywood and plastic sheeting, and many later installed more elaborate structures, some with heaters, suggesting they hoped the program was here to stay. City officials and the restaurant industry have lauded the initiative for saving thousands of restaurants from closing permanently and enabling tens of thousands of workers to keep their jobs. More than 12,000 restaurants and bars across New York, once the pandemic epicenter, take part in the program and 360 streets have been shut down to cars to expand space for outdoor restaurant eating, according to an online tracker. Council member Marjorie Velázquez, who sponsored the bill, said the temporary program saved more than 100,000 jobs citywide. "Beyond its positive economic impact, outdoor dining reimagined what the city could do with our streets," said Velázquez, who chaired the committee holding the hearing. Council members at Tuesday's hearing questioned whether the city transportation department had the capacity to oversee such a program. Some, concerned about the thousands of complaints logged against some restaurants, questioned what standards and enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure safety and cleanliness.

New York considers making outdoor dining a permanent fixture

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid. Most of the Covid curbs in the country were lifted in October but almost all students were taking online classes since last year.

Health ministry said that almost all schools in the country would reopen by mid-February.

On Monday, Vietnam reported 16,815 new COVID-19 cases, including 16,809 locally transmitted and six imported, according to its Ministry of Health.

The Vietnamese capital Hanoi reported the highest number of infections on Monday with 2,988 cases, followed by central Nghe An province with 1,247 cases and central Da Nang city with 935 cases.

The infections brought the country`s total tally to 2,35,8786 with 38,424 deaths. Nationwide, 2,122,380 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered.

Some 182.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 29 million third shots, have been administered, said the ministry.

Vietnam has by far gone through four coronavirus waves of increasing scale, complication and infectivity.As of Monday, the country has registered over 2.35 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April last year, according to the ministry.

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid.

Vietnam opened most of its schools on Monday (February 7) to welcome 17 million students across the country. Country's health ministry announced plans to start vaccinating children five-years and older against Covid. Most of the Covid curbs in the country were lifted in October but almost all students were taking online classes since last year. Health ministry said that almost all schools in the country would reopen by mid-February. On Monday, Vietnam reported 16,815 new COVID-19 cases, including 16,809 locally transmitted and six imported, according to its Ministry of Health. The Vietnamese capital Hanoi reported the highest number of infections on Monday with 2,988 cases, followed by central Nghe An province with 1,247 cases and central Da Nang city with 935 cases. The infections brought the country`s total tally to 2,35,8786 with 38,424 deaths. Nationwide, 2,122,380 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered. Some 182.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 29 million third shots, have been administered, said the ministry. Vietnam has by far gone through four coronavirus waves of increasing scale, complication and infectivity.As of Monday, the country has registered over 2.35 million locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April last year, according to the ministry.

Schools open in Vietnam, more to open by middle of month

It has been four days since the start of the Beijing Olympics 2022, what was expected to be grand affair has been low-key and controversial despite the zero-Covid policy.

China locks down city on Vietnam border as COVID cases surge

Hong Kong has announced strict new coronavirus restrictions as authorities put fresh limits on private gatherings. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has announced ban on private gatherings of more than two families. The measures are being taken to combat record new infections.

Shortage of vegetables has added to the misery of citizens as truck drivers found positive for Covid were not allowed in the city from Chinese mainland.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-infections-in-hong-kong-reach-record-high-testing-capacity-to-ramp-up-451091">Covid infections in Hong Kong reach record high, testing capacity to ramp up</a>

The Asian financial hub reported a record 625 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with cases likely to continue rising rapidly, authorities said. There were 2,600 infections over the past two weeks compared with just two in December.

Residents in the working-class Tsuen Wan district said they were frustrated by the spike in vegetable prices, and felt let down by the government.

"The price has gone up many times," said a resident with the family name Ngai, pointing to the cost of bean sprouts, which he said had increased approximately tenfold.

"Hong Kong people are having a hard time," he added.

Responding to the worrying trend, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said public gatherings would be limited to two people from four currently, while churches and hair salons would close from Thursday (February 10), joining a slew of venues already closed.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong has announced strict new coronavirus restrictions as authorities put fresh limits on private gatherings. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has announced ban on private gatherings of more than two families.

Hong Kong has announced strict new coronavirus restrictions as authorities put fresh limits on private gatherings. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has announced ban on private gatherings of more than two families. The measures are being taken to combat record new infections. Shortage of vegetables has added to the misery of citizens as truck drivers found positive for Covid were not allowed in the city from Chinese mainland. Also Read | Covid infections in Hong Kong reach record high, testing capacity to ramp up The Asian financial hub reported a record 625 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with cases likely to continue rising rapidly, authorities said. There were 2,600 infections over the past two weeks compared with just two in December. Residents in the working-class Tsuen Wan district said they were frustrated by the spike in vegetable prices, and felt let down by the government. "The price has gone up many times," said a resident with the family name Ngai, pointing to the cost of bean sprouts, which he said had increased approximately tenfold. "Hong Kong people are having a hard time," he added. Responding to the worrying trend, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said public gatherings would be limited to two people from four currently, while churches and hair salons would close from Thursday (February 10), joining a slew of venues already closed. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong restricts private gatherings to combat Covid

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their Twenty20 series in Australia, the country`s cricket board said on Tuesday.

Mendis was named in the 20-member squad last month after returning from a suspension imposed for breaching the team`s bio-bubble anti-coronavirus protocols during their tour of England in July.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lanka-tour-of-australia-lankans-to-play-two-t20is-in-sydney-in-revised-series-schedule-446208">Sri Lanka tour of Australia: Lankans to play two T20Is in Sydney in revised series schedule</a>

"Mendis was found to be positive during a routine Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)," the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board said in a statement.

"Mendis is currently undergoing Covid-19 protocols and placed in isolation since Monday."

The five-match T20 series is set to begin in Sydney on Friday.

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their Twenty20 series in Australia, the country`s cricket board said on Tuesday. Mendis was named in the 20-member squad last month after returning from a suspension imposed for breaching the team`s bio-bubble anti-coronavirus protocols during their tour of England in July.

Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their Twenty20 series in Australia, the country`s cricket board said on Tuesday. Mendis was named in the 20-member squad last month after returning from a suspension imposed for breaching the team`s bio-bubble anti-coronavirus protocols during their tour of England in July. ALSO READ: Sri Lanka tour of Australia: Lankans to play two T20Is in Sydney in revised series schedule "Mendis was found to be positive during a routine Rapid Antigen Test (RAT)," the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board said in a statement. "Mendis is currently undergoing Covid-19 protocols and placed in isolation since Monday." The five-match T20 series is set to begin in Sydney on Friday.

Covid scare in Sri Lankan camp as Kusal Mendis tests positive ahead of Australia T20Is

Hong Kong's "zero-Covid" policy was on the ropes Saturday as authorities announced a record number of new infections, sending officials scrambling to ramp up testing capacity and warning that a tightening of virus-control measures could be needed.

Like mainland China and much of East Asia, Hong Kong has long followed a strategy of fighting the virus through contact tracing, targeted lockdowns and lengthy quarantines.

And as much of the world has chosen to open up and live with Covid-19, the city has dug in its heels, with Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam insisting she was still committed to achieving "zero-Covid" even as infections mount.

On Saturday the city recorded 351 confirmed cases, its highest daily figure since the pandemic began, with 161 cases being either untraceable or pending investigation.

"Based on the current growth rate of cases, we estimate that (medical isolation) facilities will soon be unable to quarantine all patients," health chief Sophia Chan told reporters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-bones-are-sticking-out-i-cry-every-day-russian-athlete-claims-food-at-beijing-winter-olympics-inedible-451017">Also read |&nbsp;'My bones are sticking out, I cry every day': Russian athlete claims food at Beijing Winter Olympics inedible</a>

Chan urged Hong Kongers to stay at home to slow the spread of the virus, though said that sewage analysis had revealed the virus had already been found in much of the city.

Health officials also said they would loosen rules that have seen thousands of close contacts of infected people detained in a government facility, suggesting they may be able to quarantine at home depending on their risk level.

This would free up hospital beds and take into account the fact that the Omicron variant -- which makes up the majority of Hong Kong's new cases -- causes milder symptoms, authorities added.

Last month authorities locked down thousands of residents of a public housing estate after a superspreader event, prompting criticism that the city's population density made home quarantine unfeasible.

Hong Kong's spike in cases came on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year holidays, during which the government warned against families gathering for festivities.&nbsp;

City leader Lam earlier said authorities could further tighten virus-control measures next week.

Hong Kong has recorded more than 15,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with 213 deaths.

Hong Kong's "zero-Covid" policy was on the ropes Saturday as authorities announced a record number of new infections, sending officials scrambling to ramp up testing capacity and warning that a tightening of virus-control measures could be needed.

Hong Kong's "zero-Covid" policy was on the ropes Saturday as authorities announced a record number of new infections, sending officials scrambling to ramp up testing capacity and warning that a tightening of virus-control measures could be needed. Like mainland China and much of East Asia, Hong Kong has long followed a strategy of fighting the virus through contact tracing, targeted lockdowns and lengthy quarantines. And as much of the world has chosen to open up and live with Covid-19, the city has dug in its heels, with Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam insisting she was still committed to achieving "zero-Covid" even as infections mount. On Saturday the city recorded 351 confirmed cases, its highest daily figure since the pandemic began, with 161 cases being either untraceable or pending investigation. "Based on the current growth rate of cases, we estimate that (medical isolation) facilities will soon be unable to quarantine all patients," health chief Sophia Chan told reporters. Also read | 'My bones are sticking out, I cry every day': Russian athlete claims food at Beijing Winter Olympics inedible Chan urged Hong Kongers to stay at home to slow the spread of the virus, though said that sewage analysis had revealed the virus had already been found in much of the city. Health officials also said they would loosen rules that have seen thousands of close contacts of infected people detained in a government facility, suggesting they may be able to quarantine at home depending on their risk level. This would free up hospital beds and take into account the fact that the Omicron variant -- which makes up the majority of Hong Kong's new cases -- causes milder symptoms, authorities added. Last month authorities locked down thousands of residents of a public housing estate after a superspreader event, prompting criticism that the city's population density made home quarantine unfeasible. Hong Kong's spike in cases came on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year holidays, during which the government warned against families gathering for festivities. City leader Lam earlier said authorities could further tighten virus-control measures next week. Hong Kong has recorded more than 15,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with 213 deaths.

Covid infections in Hong Kong reach record high, testing capacity to ramp up

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations?

Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered?

It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America.

That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.”

You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one.

We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1!

Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.”

But that leaves the question: What &lt;em&gt;were&lt;/em&gt; the right questions? What did we miss?

A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.)

Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries.

Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling.

The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones.

“One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.”

The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one.

When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older.

But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much.

More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent.

This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections.

“When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.”

When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me.

The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.”

What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters.

Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me:

"If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction."

There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies.

So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them?

When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination.

I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ”

That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins.

That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed.

We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer.

What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them?

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended better masks from the beginning, how many people would have worn them and for how long? If the Biden administration had flooded stores with cheap rapid tests, would people have used them? If boosters had been pushed earlier, and more loudly, would the United States no longer trail peer nations in vaccinations? Put differently: How much would getting our pandemic policies right have mattered? It’s easy to speak as if policy smoothly reshapes reality. I’m more guilty of that than most. But policy lies downstream of society. Mandates are not self-executing; to work, policies need to be followed, guidance needs to be believed. Public health is rooted in the soil of trust. That soil has thinned in America. That isn’t to absolve policymakers of responsibility for their mistakes, but it is to wonder about the power they actually wield, in a country that led the world in vaccine development but lags Chile, Vietnam and Brazil in vaccine deployment. A recent interview with Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist, drove that point home for me. “In Denmark, people are in favor of vaccines, with more than 81% of adults doubly vaccinated, but also very opposed to vaccine mandates,” he told The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. “There are no political parties in Parliament that are loudly advocating for vaccine mandates.” You know what’s better than a vaccine mandate? A society that doesn’t need one. We began this pandemic by asking the wrong questions, and thus we got the wrong answers. Rewind to October 2019. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Nuclear Threat Initiative release the Global Health Security Index. It ranks 195 countries on their pandemic preparedness. Each country is judged on prevention policy, on detection capabilities, on response infrastructure, on health system capacity, on international cooperation and on underlying risk. The news is reassuring, at least if you live in the United States: We’re No. 1! Then, only months later, we get an actual, once-in-a-century pandemic. The United States fails the test. We have more infections, more deaths, more pain and suffering and division and grief. Our performance doesn’t just fall short of rich countries like Germany and Denmark. It falls short of far poorer countries, too. The Global Health Security Index was measuring the wrong things. The researchers later noted that tucked inside the report was a finding about the United States that would prove more predictive of our response: “It had the lowest possible score on public confidence in the government.” But that leaves the question: What were the right questions? What did we miss? A paper published Tuesday in The Lancet tries to unravel the mystery — and not just for the United States. It’s built atop new data that tries to adjust for differences in testing and gaps in reporting to paint a clearer picture of case numbers and fatality rates across 177 countries from Jan. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. (I do want to note that the data here remains far from perfect, and there is inevitably noise, randomness and distortion in these comparisons. We live in a fallen world, and yet still we try and understand.) Looked at in an international context, the magnitude of America’s failure comes clear. So too do the successes of other countries. Over the first 21 months of the pandemic, the United States had 545 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents. Uruguay had 472. The United Kingdom 374. Canada 346. Germany 188, Switzerland 164. But it’s our peers in Asia that really put us to shame. Japan had 67 cases per 1,000. Singapore 59. South Korea 28. Taiwan seven. These numbers are so low as to be baffling. The United States does better when you measure the ratio of cases that lead to death. There, our performance is at least middling. Our infection fatality rate was 4.55 per 1,000 cases. That’s lower than Germany (6.34) and Switzerland (5.56) but higher than South Korea (3.24) or Singapore (0.68). Still, our far larger number of cases mean we’ve grieved far more loss. And we’re not the only ones. “One reason this pandemic is an epidemiological mystery is because you see a surprising amount of variation among nations in close geographic proximity,” Thomas Bollyky, director of the global health program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and one of the paper’s authors, told me. “Bulgaria, Namibia and Bolivia have fatality rates twice as high as their neighbors, Turkey, Angola and Colombia.” The researchers tested everything they could think of for predictive power. They looked at gross domestic product, population density, altitude, age, obesity, smoking, air pollution, cancer rates, exposure to previous beta-coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome, health insurance coverage, pandemic preparedness ratings, trust in government, trust in fellow citizens, hospital beds per capita and more. It’s a dizzying suite of possibilities, and they run the numbers one by one. When it comes to deaths caused by infections, no single variable explains everything or even all that much, with the exception of age. The coronavirus strikes the old with particular viciousness, and so the age of a population explains 47% of the variation in fatality ratios between countries. This helps explain why richer countries have seen a disproportionate number of deaths: Richer countries are older. But age was alone in its ability to predict fatality rates. Nothing else — not body mass index, not smoking, not air pollution, not cancer prevalence, not universal health care, not hospital beds — explained very much. More unexpected was what the researchers found when they looked at the factors that predicted how many people got infected. Some of the obvious candidates — population density, GDP per capita and exposure to past coronaviruses — failed to predict much in the way of outcomes. But both trust in government and trust in fellow citizens proved potent. This yields the paper’s most striking finding: Moving every country up to the 75th percentile in trust in government — that’s where Denmark sits — would have prevented 13% of global infections. Moving every country to the 75th percentile of trust in their fellow citizens — roughly South Korea’s level — would have prevented 40% of global infections. “When confronted with a novel, contagious virus the best way for governments to protect their citizens is to convince them to take the measures to protect themselves,” Bollyky said. “Especially in free societies the success of that effort depends on trust — trust between citizens and their government, and trusts between citizens themselves.” When Bollyky told me that, I thought back to an essay I’d read in The New York Times by Hitoshi Oshitani, a key adviser to Japan’s government, that had been nagging at me. The Japanese government, he said, understood that the virus was airborne, and they made sure their citizenry knew it. The message became that “People should avoid the three C’s, which are closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. The Japanese government shared this advice with the public in early March, and it became omnipresent. The message to avoid the three C’s was on the news, variety shows, social media and posters. ‘Three C’s’ was even declared the buzzword of the year in Japan in 2020.” What struck me about this, when I first read it, was what it left unsaid. Japan was much quicker to understand airborne transmission than the United States, but we knew it soon enough. We certainly knew it by the time of the delta surge, when Japan again performed far better than we did. We know it now, and Japan is still performing better than we are. It is what we do with what we know that matters. Trust is regularly polled in international surveys, and so the researchers had access to those numbers. But I suspect trust is only a cousin of what we’re really trying to measure here. Solidarity is perhaps closer to the social sentiment the pandemic demanded. Poring over this data left me thinking about something my colleague Zeynep Tufekci told me: "If you’re in the 19th century, and you’re just puzzling over yellow fever, and you don’t even have germ theory, and you don’t understand mosquito vectors — it’s hard. It’s really hard. I read those histories, and I want to give them clues. But right now, we have everything in place. And it’s our dysfunction that’s holding us back. It’s the global, political dysfunction; our U.S.-specific dysfunction." There are lots of policy recommendations that work to curb the coronavirus: Masking, social distancing, vaccinations, testing, quarantining and so on. But for any of them to work, they need to be followed. This has been, certainly, the Biden administration’s insuperable challenge. It can make vaccines available, but it can’t make people take them. It can make masks available, but it can’t make people wear them. The context for the Biden administration’s entire response was a Republican Party divided over the legitimacy of the 2020 election and aware that the road to 2024 ran through opposition to Biden’s coronavirus policies. So what if you assume political polarization and media disinformation are here to stay, and you need to work around them, rather than ignoring them? When you reframe the question, other possibilities reveal themselves. As an example: Only 36% of Republicans trust Anthony Fauci. I think the Republican campaign against him has been largely unfair, but that he is particularly polarizing among the people the Biden administration most needs to reach is simply a fact, and one it has chosen to ignore. Perhaps new voices were needed, including high-profile ones chosen for their appeal to those most inclined to doubt Biden and avoid vaccination. I asked Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, about the absence of messengers with credibility among Republicans, and his response struck me as understandably but depressingly fatalistic. “I think this question of polarization around vaccinations is very, very complicated,” he replied. “I mean, you saw President Trump get booed when he himself advocated people getting booster shots. So this isn’t as simple as ‘Can you put more conservatives out there talking about vaccinations?’ ” That’s certainly true. And I don’t mean to single out Fauci or overestimate the value of replacing him. Any Republican who joined the Biden administration would be seen as a traitor by much of the conservative base. But improvements are made on the margins. That our political and social problems are maddeningly difficult to solve doesn’t make them any less necessary to at least try and ease. Whatever basket of pandemic policies the Biden administration tries — be they the vaccine mandates the Supreme Court just gutted, or new testing infrastructure, or variant-specific boosters — will not work if the social context in which those policies play out continues to deteriorate. And it is deteriorating: 88% of Americans say the pandemic has left us more divided, which is higher than in any of the other 16 countries Pew surveyed. We erred this time by believing ourselves not just more capable, but also more united, than ultimately proved true. Now that we know the truth about ourselves, and the havoc our divisions will wreak on any pandemic response, the problem we need to solve becomes clearer. What does good pandemic policy look like for a low-trust, high-dysfunction society?

Opinion: The Covid policy that really mattered wasn’t a policy

Lata Mangeshkar was cremated with full state honors. PM Modi, megastar Shah Rukh Khan and veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar were among the celebrities who paid tribute to Lata Mangeshkar at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

Lata Mangeshkar Last Rites: World leaders pay tribute to musical legend

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday granted emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine. Announcement about the single-dose vaccine was made by Mansukh Mandaviya, India's Health Minister.

"DCGI has granted emergency use permission to single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India. This is the ninth COVID-19 vaccine in the country. This will further strengthen the nation's collective fight against the pandemic," Mandaviya tweeted.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
DCGI has granted emergency use permission to Single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India. 
 
This is the 9th <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> vaccine in the country. 
 
This will further strengthen the nation's collective fight against the pandemic.
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) <a href="https://twitter.com/mansukhmandviya/status/1490339254450282497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The go-ahead came after recommendations of an expert panel &nbsp;of India's central drug authority&nbsp;

Sputnik-Light is the same as component-1 of Sputnik V.

An official source said in light of recommendations of Subject Expert Committee (SEC) following a meeting on January 31, Dr Reddy's Laboratories presented its proposal for grant of permission to import Sputnik Light for restricted emergency use and booster dose vaccination along with analysis of safety and efficacy data including its benefit against Omicron.

The firm presented that Sputnik Light vaccine is approved in 29 countries, including Russia and Argentina.

"The SEC on COVID-19 of the CDSCO, which deliberated on the application by Dr Reddy's Laboratories, noted the safety and immunogenicity data presented by the firm from the Indian study is comparable with that of the ongoing Phase-3 clinical trial interim data from Russia," the source said.

The interim data of efficacy trial from Russia has shown 65.4 per cent efficacy, 21 days after immunization.

"After detailed deliberation, the SEC had recommended grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situation subject to various regulatory provisions including," the source said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday granted emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine. Announcement about the single-dose vaccine was made by Mansukh Mandaviya, India's Health Minister.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday granted emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine. Announcement about the single-dose vaccine was made by Mansukh Mandaviya, India's Health Minister. "DCGI has granted emergency use permission to single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India. This is the ninth COVID-19 vaccine in the country. This will further strengthen the nation's collective fight against the pandemic," Mandaviya tweeted. DCGI has granted emergency use permission to Single-dose Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine in India. This is the 9th #COVID19 vaccine in the country. This will further strengthen the nation's collective fight against the pandemic. — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 6, 2022 × The go-ahead came after recommendations of an expert panel of India's central drug authority Sputnik-Light is the same as component-1 of Sputnik V. An official source said in light of recommendations of Subject Expert Committee (SEC) following a meeting on January 31, Dr Reddy's Laboratories presented its proposal for grant of permission to import Sputnik Light for restricted emergency use and booster dose vaccination along with analysis of safety and efficacy data including its benefit against Omicron. The firm presented that Sputnik Light vaccine is approved in 29 countries, including Russia and Argentina. "The SEC on COVID-19 of the CDSCO, which deliberated on the application by Dr Reddy's Laboratories, noted the safety and immunogenicity data presented by the firm from the Indian study is comparable with that of the ongoing Phase-3 clinical trial interim data from Russia," the source said. The interim data of efficacy trial from Russia has shown 65.4 per cent efficacy, 21 days after immunization. "After detailed deliberation, the SEC had recommended grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situation subject to various regulatory provisions including," the source said. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian regulator grants emergency use permission to Sputnik Light Covid vaccine

India's one of the most iconic singers, Lata Mangeshkar has died due to COVID-19 complications. The mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar are being taken to the crematorium in Shivaji Park

India bids goodbye to musical legend Lata Mangeshkar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Lata Mangeshkar at Mumbai's Shivaji Park where the state funeral of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar is being held.

PM Narendra Modi paid tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar

When asked about what her biggest achievement was, Lata Mangeshkar often said it was her fans who showered her with love and affection over the decades. Two such fans from West Bengal paid a tribute to the singer on her 92nd birthday in September last year.

Fans pay tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar

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