Iran's COVID-19 death toll has crossed 100,000 as the Delta variant spreads through West Asia's worst-affected nations. The country is struggling to contain the fifth wave of infections.

Iran battles fifth wave of COVID-19 infections, death toll crosses 100,000 mark

Sri Lanka is grappling with the surge in COVID-19 patients. The island nation announced a 10-day lockdown to curb the spread. Daily infections have double in more than a month to an average of over 3,000 cases.

COVID-19 cases and deaths surge in Sri Lanka, hospitals overflowing

New Zealand recorded its highest increase in Covid-19 cases since April 2020. Authorities warned that the current outbreak of Delta variant was like dealing with an entirely new virus.

New Zealand's virus-free run since February ended last week as a Delta variant outbreak erupted in Auckland. It quickly spread to capital Wellington.

On Tuesday, authorities reported 41 new Covid cases on Tuesday. This has taken number of infections in the country to 148.

Of the new cases, 38 are in Auckland and three are in Wellington. So far, eight people associated with the current outbreak are in hospital, the ministry said.

"Delta is unlike our previous experience. It is, as we know, highly infectious and transmissible and, as we have seen, spreads rapidly,” Bloomfield said at a news conference.

But he said it was reassuring to see the numbers were not rising exponentially and the majority were still in Auckland.

(With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand recorded its highest increase in Covid-19 cases since April 2020. Authorities warned that the current outbreak of Delta variant was like dealing with an entirely new virus.

New Zealand recorded its highest increase in Covid-19 cases since April 2020. Authorities warned that the current outbreak of Delta variant was like dealing with an entirely new virus. New Zealand's virus-free run since February ended last week as a Delta variant outbreak erupted in Auckland. It quickly spread to capital Wellington. On Tuesday, authorities reported 41 new Covid cases on Tuesday. This has taken number of infections in the country to 148. Of the new cases, 38 are in Auckland and three are in Wellington. So far, eight people associated with the current outbreak are in hospital, the ministry said. "Delta is unlike our previous experience. It is, as we know, highly infectious and transmissible and, as we have seen, spreads rapidly,” Bloomfield said at a news conference. But he said it was reassuring to see the numbers were not rising exponentially and the majority were still in Auckland. (With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand: Delta variant spreads rapidly, new cases emerge

Israel is witnessing effect on high Delta variant infection rate less than a month into Covid vaccine booster drive, say scientists and officials. Israel was impacted by the Delta variant just as the country was reaping benefits of its previous vaccine drive.

Delta hit Israel hard. The country went from single digit infections and zero deaths to 7500 daily cases last week. The week saw 150 deaths.

Third dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine begun to be administered to people over 60. It was the first country to do so.

<img alt="Israel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80b59851-52ea-45dc-85cf-39cae2650687" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2021-08-24T052413Z_3_LYNXMPEH7N04G_RTROPTP_4_HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-ISRAEL-BOOSTERS.JPG" />

On Thursday it expanded eligibility to 30-year-olds and up whose second dose was given at least 5 months prior, saying the age may drop further.

In the past 10 days, the pandemic is abating among the first age group, more than a million of whom have received a third vaccine dose, according to Israeli health ministry data and scientists interviewed by Reuters.

The rate of disease spread among vaccinated people age 60 and over - known as the reproduction rate - began falling steadily around Aug. 13 and has dipped below 1, indicating that each infected person is transmitting the virus to fewer than one other person. A reproduction rate of less than 1 means an outbreak is subsiding. https://tmsnrt.rs/3grj7kv

Scientists said booster shots are having an impact on infections, but other factors are likely contributing to the decline as well.

"The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading," said Eran Segal, data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government.

"This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity," Segal said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel is witnessing effect on high Delta variant infection rate less than a month into Covid vaccine booster drive, say scientists and officials. Israel was impacted by the Delta variant just as the country was reaping benefits of its previous vaccine drive.

Israel is witnessing effect on high Delta variant infection rate less than a month into Covid vaccine booster drive, say scientists and officials. Israel was impacted by the Delta variant just as the country was reaping benefits of its previous vaccine drive. Delta hit Israel hard. The country went from single digit infections and zero deaths to 7500 daily cases last week. The week saw 150 deaths. Third dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine begun to be administered to people over 60. It was the first country to do so. On Thursday it expanded eligibility to 30-year-olds and up whose second dose was given at least 5 months prior, saying the age may drop further. In the past 10 days, the pandemic is abating among the first age group, more than a million of whom have received a third vaccine dose, according to Israeli health ministry data and scientists interviewed by Reuters. The rate of disease spread among vaccinated people age 60 and over - known as the reproduction rate - began falling steadily around Aug. 13 and has dipped below 1, indicating that each infected person is transmitting the virus to fewer than one other person. A reproduction rate of less than 1 means an outbreak is subsiding. https://tmsnrt.rs/3grj7kv Scientists said booster shots are having an impact on infections, but other factors are likely contributing to the decline as well. "The numbers are still very high but what has changed is that the very high increase in the rate of infections and severe cases has diminished, as has the pace at which the pandemic is spreading," said Eran Segal, data scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an adviser to the government. "This is likely due to the third booster shots, an uptake in people taking the first dose and the high number of people infected per week, possibly up to 100,000, who now have natural immunity," Segal said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel's booster Covid vaccine drive shows effect on Delta variant spread

The Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam is currently witnessing a resurgence of COVID-19 infections fuelled by the Delta variant cases, with over 11,000 new cases and 737 deaths in 24 hours.

Vietnam COVID-19: Over 11,000 cases and 737 deaths in 24 hours

A British public health study has found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months.

It also found that those who get infected after receiving two shots of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the AstraZeneca vaccine may be of greater risk to others than under previous variants of the coronavirus.

Based on more than three million nose and throat swabs taken across Britain, the Oxford University study found that 90 days after a second shot of the Pfizer or Astrazeneca vaccine, their efficacy in preventing infections had slipped to 75% and 61%, respectively.

That was down from 85% and 68%, respectively, seen two weeks after a second dose. The decline in efficacy was more pronounced among those aged 35 years and older than those below that age.

"Both of these vaccines, at two doses, are still doing really well against Delta... When you start very, very high, you got a long way to go," said Sarah Walker, an Oxford professor of medical statistics and chief investigator for the survey https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19/covid-19-infection-survey/results/new-studies.

Walker was not involved in work on AstraZeneca's vaccine, which was initially developed by immunology experts at Oxford.

The researchers would not project how much more the protection would drop over time, but suggested that the efficacy of the two vaccines studied would converge within 4-5 months after the second shot.

Israel began administering third Pfizer doses last month to confront a surge in local infections driven by Delta. Several European countries are also expected to begin offering boosters to the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

Pfizer has said its vaccine's efficacy drops over time. Last month AstraZeneca said it was still looking into how long its vaccine's protection lasts and whether a booster dose would be needed to keep up immunity.

"The fact that we do see ... more viral load hints that indeed herd immunity might become more challenging," said co-author Koen Pouwels, also of Oxford University.

Herd immunity is when a large enough portion of the population is immune to a pathogen, either by vaccination or prior infection, stopping infection numbers from growing.

"Vaccines are probably best at preventing severe disease and slightly less at preventing transmission," said Pouwels.

The authors cautioned that the viral concentration in the throat was only a rough proxy for severity of symptoms and that they had no new data on the duration of infections.

The survey, which has yet to be peer-reviewed before publication in a scientific journal, underscores concerns by scientists that the Delta variant, first identified in India, can infect fully vaccinated people at a greater rate than previous lineages, and that the vaccinated could more easily transmit it.

To contrast periods before and after Delta became prevalent, the Oxford researchers analysed about 2.58 million swabs taken from 380,000 randomly picked adults between Dec. 1, 2020, and May 16, 2021, and 810,000 test results from 360,000 participants between May 17 and Aug. 1.

The study was conducted in partnership with Britain's Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

A British public health study has found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months.

A British public health study has found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months. It also found that those who get infected after receiving two shots of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the AstraZeneca vaccine may be of greater risk to others than under previous variants of the coronavirus. Based on more than three million nose and throat swabs taken across Britain, the Oxford University study found that 90 days after a second shot of the Pfizer or Astrazeneca vaccine, their efficacy in preventing infections had slipped to 75% and 61%, respectively. That was down from 85% and 68%, respectively, seen two weeks after a second dose. The decline in efficacy was more pronounced among those aged 35 years and older than those below that age. "Both of these vaccines, at two doses, are still doing really well against Delta... When you start very, very high, you got a long way to go," said Sarah Walker, an Oxford professor of medical statistics and chief investigator for the survey https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19/covid-19-infection-survey/results/new-studies. Walker was not involved in work on AstraZeneca's vaccine, which was initially developed by immunology experts at Oxford. The researchers would not project how much more the protection would drop over time, but suggested that the efficacy of the two vaccines studied would converge within 4-5 months after the second shot. Israel began administering third Pfizer doses last month to confront a surge in local infections driven by Delta. Several European countries are also expected to begin offering boosters to the elderly and people with weak immune systems. Pfizer has said its vaccine's efficacy drops over time. Last month AstraZeneca said it was still looking into how long its vaccine's protection lasts and whether a booster dose would be needed to keep up immunity. "The fact that we do see ... more viral load hints that indeed herd immunity might become more challenging," said co-author Koen Pouwels, also of Oxford University. Herd immunity is when a large enough portion of the population is immune to a pathogen, either by vaccination or prior infection, stopping infection numbers from growing. "Vaccines are probably best at preventing severe disease and slightly less at preventing transmission," said Pouwels. The authors cautioned that the viral concentration in the throat was only a rough proxy for severity of symptoms and that they had no new data on the duration of infections. The survey, which has yet to be peer-reviewed before publication in a scientific journal, underscores concerns by scientists that the Delta variant, first identified in India, can infect fully vaccinated people at a greater rate than previous lineages, and that the vaccinated could more easily transmit it. To contrast periods before and after Delta became prevalent, the Oxford researchers analysed about 2.58 million swabs taken from 380,000 randomly picked adults between Dec. 1, 2020, and May 16, 2021, and 810,000 test results from 360,000 participants between May 17 and Aug. 1. The study was conducted in partnership with Britain's Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

British study shows Covid-19 vaccine efficacy wanes under Delta variant

Organ donation has less uptake in India, when compared to western nations. Covid-19 pandemic raging over the last 18 months, has further dwindled down the number of organ donations, say health experts. 
 
August 13 is observed as World Organ Donation Day every year to motivate people to pledge organ donation after death and to spread awareness and eliminate myths and fears regarding organ donation. 
 
During Covid pandemic lockdowns, fear of infection, and lack of awareness compounded the reduction in organ donation chances, the experts said. 
 
"The number of organ donations in our country has been very low in comparison to the western countries. Furthermore, there is a significant drop since the start of the pandemic, the reason being Covid recovered patients cannot donate immediately after recovering. Too much focus on Covid and the lack of awareness on organ donation are also the reason why this number has dropped significantly," Vishwanath S, HOD and Consultant - Nephrology, Transplant Physician, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru, told IANS. 
 
There are two ways to donate organs: a living donor -- a healthy person who donates one of a pair of organs such as the kidney or part of an organ such as the liver; and/or through Cadaveric donation -- when you harvest organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas) from brain dead people, as well as tissue donation, meaning taking tissues (skin, corneas, tendons, bone) from brain dead as well as those whose heart has stopped, but in that case it has to be done with limited time period. 
 
A single cadaveric donor can give life to about six-nine recipients (two kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, intestine, eyes and tissues). 
 
"Due to Covid-induced lockdowns and reduced traffic on the roads, accidents with consequent head injury and brain death related organ donors have reduced. On the other hand, even the recipients are unable to travel to transplant centres due to intra and interstate travel restrictions," Mukul Rastogi, Additional Director-Hepatology, Fortis Noida, told IANS. 
 
"There is also an apprehension regarding Covid status and potential transmission from deceased donors to recipients and healthcare providers. Similarly, there is a risk of recipients, live donors and the healthcare team inadvertently transmitting Covid to each other," he added. 
 
However, the doctors suggest that it is safe to donate after two-three months of Covid recovery. A complete vaccination before the process can make it safer, protecting both the donor and the recipient from the future infection of Covid. Even if they develop Covid, it will be very mild. 
 
"After the Covid pandemic, doctors have been extra cautious in the procedures of organ donation. It is safe to donate once you recover from Covid. Post-Covid, we assess whether there is any Covid-related involvement of the organs. If any person wants to donate organs post-recovery, we evaluate them completely. In cases when lungs are needed to be donated, we ensure there are no residual problems before donation," Vishwanath said. 
 
Moreover, with the availability of accurate tests (RT -PCR and antibody) for Covid with a rapid turnaround time (4-6 hours), it is possible to determine whether transplant can be safely performed, the doctors said. 
 
In India, every year almost 3.5 lakh people need some form of organ transplant but less than 11,000 transplants are carried out. The overall organ donation rate in India is quite low at around 0.52 per million population, compared with 36.07 donors per million in the US. 
 
The Cardiology Society of India reveals that over 50,000 patients need heart transplantation in a year but less than 250 actually get one. 
 
As per the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation, of the 21,395 kidneys transplanted in India between 1971 and 2015, only 783 were from cadaveric donors. Out of more than 50,000 people who need liver transplant, only 2,000 procedures are being done, according to Indian Society of Gastroenterology. 
 
"Organ donation in India needs to pick up the pace to match the humongous gap that is existing between patients who need organs and organ availability. As critical illnesses are on the rise, harvesting organs from deceased bodies and making it accessible to the one who needs should be the priority," D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals, in Hyderabad, told IANS.

Organ donation has less uptake in India, when compared to western nations. Covid-19 pandemic raging over the last 18 months, has further dwindled down the number of organ donations, say health experts.

Organ donation has less uptake in India, when compared to western nations. Covid-19 pandemic raging over the last 18 months, has further dwindled down the number of organ donations, say health experts. August 13 is observed as World Organ Donation Day every year to motivate people to pledge organ donation after death and to spread awareness and eliminate myths and fears regarding organ donation. During Covid pandemic lockdowns, fear of infection, and lack of awareness compounded the reduction in organ donation chances, the experts said. "The number of organ donations in our country has been very low in comparison to the western countries. Furthermore, there is a significant drop since the start of the pandemic, the reason being Covid recovered patients cannot donate immediately after recovering. Too much focus on Covid and the lack of awareness on organ donation are also the reason why this number has dropped significantly," Vishwanath S, HOD and Consultant - Nephrology, Transplant Physician, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru, told IANS. There are two ways to donate organs: a living donor -- a healthy person who donates one of a pair of organs such as the kidney or part of an organ such as the liver; and/or through Cadaveric donation -- when you harvest organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas) from brain dead people, as well as tissue donation, meaning taking tissues (skin, corneas, tendons, bone) from brain dead as well as those whose heart has stopped, but in that case it has to be done with limited time period. A single cadaveric donor can give life to about six-nine recipients (two kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, intestine, eyes and tissues). "Due to Covid-induced lockdowns and reduced traffic on the roads, accidents with consequent head injury and brain death related organ donors have reduced. On the other hand, even the recipients are unable to travel to transplant centres due to intra and interstate travel restrictions," Mukul Rastogi, Additional Director-Hepatology, Fortis Noida, told IANS. "There is also an apprehension regarding Covid status and potential transmission from deceased donors to recipients and healthcare providers. Similarly, there is a risk of recipients, live donors and the healthcare team inadvertently transmitting Covid to each other," he added. However, the doctors suggest that it is safe to donate after two-three months of Covid recovery. A complete vaccination before the process can make it safer, protecting both the donor and the recipient from the future infection of Covid. Even if they develop Covid, it will be very mild. "After the Covid pandemic, doctors have been extra cautious in the procedures of organ donation. It is safe to donate once you recover from Covid. Post-Covid, we assess whether there is any Covid-related involvement of the organs. If any person wants to donate organs post-recovery, we evaluate them completely. In cases when lungs are needed to be donated, we ensure there are no residual problems before donation," Vishwanath said. Moreover, with the availability of accurate tests (RT -PCR and antibody) for Covid with a rapid turnaround time (4-6 hours), it is possible to determine whether transplant can be safely performed, the doctors said. In India, every year almost 3.5 lakh people need some form of organ transplant but less than 11,000 transplants are carried out. The overall organ donation rate in India is quite low at around 0.52 per million population, compared with 36.07 donors per million in the US. The Cardiology Society of India reveals that over 50,000 patients need heart transplantation in a year but less than 250 actually get one. As per the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation, of the 21,395 kidneys transplanted in India between 1971 and 2015, only 783 were from cadaveric donors. Out of more than 50,000 people who need liver transplant, only 2,000 procedures are being done, according to Indian Society of Gastroenterology. "Organ donation in India needs to pick up the pace to match the humongous gap that is existing between patients who need organs and organ availability. As critical illnesses are on the rise, harvesting organs from deceased bodies and making it accessible to the one who needs should be the priority," D. Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals, in Hyderabad, told IANS.

Organ donation dropped significantly due to COVID-19: Experts

Videos of Chinese officials keeping citizens inside their houses have appeared on social media as the Delta variation of COVID-19 spreads.

Multiple videos emerged on Weibo, Twitter, and YouTube showing hazmat workers slamming iron bars over people's doors to prevent them from leaving.

According to a Taiwan News report, if someone is discovered to have opened their door more than three times, the authorities will lock them inside. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwij1KjS5K3yAhUCjuYKHXStCbIQFjAAegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw30iaDUzC7Jzu4ibK9Owl3q" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-19-all-you-need-to-know-about-delta-plus-variant-393450" target="_blank">COVID-19: All you need to know about&nbsp;Delta Plus&nbsp;variant</a>

As shown in a Twitter photo, people wearing full PPE gear can be seen hammering large metallic bars over a doorway in an X pattern at a house.

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The Chinese Communist Party is locking people inside their homes again. 
 
If someone in the building tests positive or has positive contact tracing, the whole building gets sealed for 14 to 21 days, sometimes longer. 
 
August 2021 <a href="https://t.co/LyArs7DQN6">pic.twitter.com/LyArs7DQN6</a>
— Things China Doesn't Want You To Know (@TruthAbtChina) <a href="https://twitter.com/TruthAbtChina/status/1424511477264785411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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大爷出来透一下气。<a href="https://t.co/4cQvpmn9Pt">pic.twitter.com/4cQvpmn9Pt</a>
— 习近彭 (@wakeupfrog01) <a href="https://twitter.com/wakeupfrog01/status/1424687889942679552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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小姑娘感谢来封门。 
专政铁拳，应用到防疫工作上。<a href="https://t.co/5I1s6LAnig">pic.twitter.com/5I1s6LAnig</a>
— 习近彭 (@wakeupfrog01) <a href="https://twitter.com/wakeupfrog01/status/1424669647513612302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, China reported 143 new cases, up from 125 the day before.

According to authorities, the highly transmissible delta form is mostly responsible for China's recent clusters.

The National Health Commission said that 108 of the new confirmed illnesses, the largest number since Jan. 20, were locally transmitted, up from 94 the day before, while the rest were imported.

Most local infections were in the eastern province of Jiangsu and the central province of Henan.

(With inputs from agencies)

Videos of Chinese officials keeping citizens inside their houses have appeared on social media as the Delta variation of COVID-19 spreads. Multiple videos emerged on Weibo, Twitter, and YouTube showing hazmat workers slamming iron bars over people's doors to prevent them from leaving.

Videos of Chinese officials keeping citizens inside their houses have appeared on social media as the Delta variation of COVID-19 spreads. Multiple videos emerged on Weibo, Twitter, and YouTube showing hazmat workers slamming iron bars over people's doors to prevent them from leaving. According to a Taiwan News report, if someone is discovered to have opened their door more than three times, the authorities will lock them inside. Also read | COVID-19: All you need to know about Delta Plus variant As shown in a Twitter photo, people wearing full PPE gear can be seen hammering large metallic bars over a doorway in an X pattern at a house. The Chinese Communist Party is locking people inside their homes again. If someone in the building tests positive or has positive contact tracing, the whole building gets sealed for 14 to 21 days, sometimes longer. August 2021 pic.twitter.com/LyArs7DQN6 — Things China Doesn't Want You To Know (@TruthAbtChina) August 8, 2021 × 大爷出来透一下气。pic.twitter.com/4cQvpmn9Pt — 习近彭 (@wakeupfrog01) August 9, 2021 × 小姑娘感谢来封门。 专政铁拳，应用到防疫工作上。pic.twitter.com/5I1s6LAnig — 习近彭 (@wakeupfrog01) August 9, 2021 × On Monday, China reported 143 new cases, up from 125 the day before. According to authorities, the highly transmissible delta form is mostly responsible for China's recent clusters. The National Health Commission said that 108 of the new confirmed illnesses, the largest number since Jan. 20, were locally transmitted, up from 94 the day before, while the rest were imported. Most local infections were in the eastern province of Jiangsu and the central province of Henan. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | COVID-19: China locks citizens behind iron bars as Delta variant surge

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a> has scaled back plans for a big 60th birthday party this weekend, paring down a guest list of the rich and famous numbering in the hundreds due to the spread of the Delta variant of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a>, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.&nbsp;

"The outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public guidelines and Covid safeguards in place," Hannah Hankins said in a statement issued a day after the planned bash drew criticism, mainly from conservatives.

"Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the president and Mrs Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends," Jenkins said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-bruce-springsteen-barack-obama-to-release-book-based-on-podcast-399774" hreflang="en">Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama to release book based on podcast</a>

The celebration is to take place Saturday on the upscale island of Martha's Vineyard, and it had been expected to draw hundreds of former Obama administration officials, Democratic donors and celebrities, reportedly including George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, according to The Washington Post.

It is to be held outdoors at an oceanside estate in full compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with all guests needing to be vaccinated and test negative for the virus, news reports said.

Still, conservatives lashed out at Obama, who turned 60 on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-obamas-teaming-up-with-netflix-for-film-tv-projects-again-397806" hreflang="en">Obamas teaming up with Netflix for film, TV projects again</a>

Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a loyalist of Obama's successor Donald Trump, took to Twitter to joke that "if this was President Trump's birthday," Democrats would be saying "How can someone be so reckless?" or "They're killing people."

"Is there an exception for parties attended by rich liberal celebrities?" demanded Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman.

The Trump administration made headlines on numerous occasions for organizing maskless events in the White House or in government departments, or holding campaign rallies, including at the height of the pandemic and before vaccines were widely available.&nbsp;

In particular, a ceremony in honor of Amy Coney Barrett, whom Trump appointed to the Supreme Court, was suspected of being a superspreader event that led to the infection of a dozen people, including Trump himself.&nbsp;

Eighteen Trump campaign rallies were the source of more than 30,000 coronavirus cases and likely led to more than 700 deaths, according to a December 2020 study by researchers at Stanford University.

President Joe Biden — who served as Obama's vice president — was not expected to attend the Obama party.

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Happy birthday, <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BarackObama</a>. I’m proud to call you a brother and a friend — and I’m grateful for your selfless service to this nation. <a href="https://t.co/jZ9XnX2Dxt">pic.twitter.com/jZ9XnX2Dxt</a>
— President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1422949440701308928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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But he didn't forget to send his best wishes, tweeting: "Happy birthday, @BarackObama. I'm proud to call you a brother and a friend — and I'm grateful for your selfless service to this nation."

Barack Obama has scaled back plans for a big 60th birthday party this weekend, paring down a guest list of the rich and famous numbering in the hundreds due to the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Barack Obama has scaled back plans for a big 60th birthday party this weekend, paring down a guest list of the rich and famous numbering in the hundreds due to the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. "The outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public guidelines and Covid safeguards in place," Hannah Hankins said in a statement issued a day after the planned bash drew criticism, mainly from conservatives. "Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the president and Mrs Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends," Jenkins said. Also read | Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama to release book based on podcast The celebration is to take place Saturday on the upscale island of Martha's Vineyard, and it had been expected to draw hundreds of former Obama administration officials, Democratic donors and celebrities, reportedly including George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, according to The Washington Post. It is to be held outdoors at an oceanside estate in full compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with all guests needing to be vaccinated and test negative for the virus, news reports said. Still, conservatives lashed out at Obama, who turned 60 on Wednesday. Also read | Obamas teaming up with Netflix for film, TV projects again Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a loyalist of Obama's successor Donald Trump, took to Twitter to joke that "if this was President Trump's birthday," Democrats would be saying "How can someone be so reckless?" or "They're killing people." "Is there an exception for parties attended by rich liberal celebrities?" demanded Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman. The Trump administration made headlines on numerous occasions for organizing maskless events in the White House or in government departments, or holding campaign rallies, including at the height of the pandemic and before vaccines were widely available. In particular, a ceremony in honor of Amy Coney Barrett, whom Trump appointed to the Supreme Court, was suspected of being a superspreader event that led to the infection of a dozen people, including Trump himself. Eighteen Trump campaign rallies were the source of more than 30,000 coronavirus cases and likely led to more than 700 deaths, according to a December 2020 study by researchers at Stanford University. President Joe Biden — who served as Obama's vice president — was not expected to attend the Obama party. Happy birthday, @BarackObama. I’m proud to call you a brother and a friend — and I’m grateful for your selfless service to this nation. pic.twitter.com/jZ9XnX2Dxt — President Biden (@POTUS) August 4, 2021 × But he didn't forget to send his best wishes, tweeting: "Happy birthday, @BarackObama. I'm proud to call you a brother and a friend — and I'm grateful for your selfless service to this nation."

Obama scales back 60th birthday bash over surging Delta variant

Months after declaring victory over the pandemic, China is testing citizens by the millions. What does this new outbreak say about China's vaccination record? Are Chinese jabs faltering against the Delta variant? Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Delta outbreak raises questions on Chinese vaccines

Many people had been hoping for "herd immunity" to kick in and protect the world against the deadly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> pandemic. However, a group of scientists has now warned that achieving herd immunity is "not a possibility" with the current spread of the Delta variant.

Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said that the fact that vaccines have been unable to stop the spread of Covid proves that achieving herd immunity is now a "mythical" concept.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-averaging-100000-new-covid-infections-a-day-404586">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-averaging-100000-new-covid-infections-a-day-404586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The problem with this virus is [it is] not measles. If 95% of people were vaccinated against measles, the virus cannot transmit in the population," he told the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on coronavirus. "The Delta variant will still infect people who have been vaccinated. And that does mean that anyone who’s still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus … and we don’t have anything that will [completely] stop that transmission."

It was also stressed upon that the existing vaccines are effective against coronavirus, but may not be able to prevent even fully vaccinated people from getting infected by the virus.

His warning has also come after a recent study by the Imperial College London showed that people between the age group of 18 to 64 have a 49 per cent lower risk of getting infected by coronavirus when compared to unvaccinated people. In addition to this, the researchers also added that fully vaccinated people have nearly half as much of a chance for testing positive, as unvaccinated people.

Many people had been hoping for "herd immunity" to kick in and protect the world against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. However, a group of scientists has now warned that achieving herd immunity is "not a possibility" with the current spread of the Delta variant.

Many people had been hoping for "herd immunity" to kick in and protect the world against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. However, a group of scientists has now warned that achieving herd immunity is "not a possibility" with the current spread of the Delta variant. Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, the head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said that the fact that vaccines have been unable to stop the spread of Covid proves that achieving herd immunity is now a "mythical" concept. WATCH | "The problem with this virus is [it is] not measles. If 95% of people were vaccinated against measles, the virus cannot transmit in the population," he told the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on coronavirus. "The Delta variant will still infect people who have been vaccinated. And that does mean that anyone who’s still unvaccinated at some point will meet the virus … and we don’t have anything that will [completely] stop that transmission." It was also stressed upon that the existing vaccines are effective against coronavirus, but may not be able to prevent even fully vaccinated people from getting infected by the virus. His warning has also come after a recent study by the Imperial College London showed that people between the age group of 18 to 64 have a 49 per cent lower risk of getting infected by coronavirus when compared to unvaccinated people. In addition to this, the researchers also added that fully vaccinated people have nearly half as much of a chance for testing positive, as unvaccinated people.

'Mythical': Herd immunity not possible with Delta variant, claims scientist

The rapid spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has pushed cases and hospitalizations in the United States to a six-month high. U.S. has reported 100,000 average daily cases of the COVID variant.

Wion Live Broadcast: Delta variant fuels covid surge in US

According to a recent study from Shaare Zedek Medical Center, neutralising antibodies begin to fade among kids who catch the virus after only four months.

Researchers at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, led by Prof. Yechiel Schlesinger, recently conducted the first-ever study into the prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in children attending the hospital's pediatric ward in collaboration with the Health Ministry.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/children-at-risk-of-long-covid-symptoms-new-study-finds-381039">Children at risk of long-Covid symptoms, new study finds</a>

Approximately 1,138 children under the age of 18, with a mean age of 4.4, were surveyed between October 18, 2020, and January 12, 2021, for the study that appeared in Acta Paediatrica. It was found that nearly one-third (or 29 per cent) of the children with coronavirus positive results were lacking neutralizing antibodies during that time.

Schlesinger explained that one-third of the patients didn't have antibodies when they were tested three weeks after onset of the disease.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the antibodies of the other two-thirds who had developed the disease more than four months ago had waned.

The study found that children reach their peak antibody level three months after diagnosis. The number of antibodies decreased significantly - much more than in adults. It may be indicative of a weaker long-term immune reaction among children.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/british-study-finds-almost-one-in-seven-suffer-long-covid-symptoms-374862" hreflang="en">British study finds almost one in seven suffer long Covid symptoms</a>

Schlesinger asserts that the disappearance of antibodies does not suggest these children are not protected. However, the disappearance does make one wonder whether those kids are truly protected.

As antibody levels decline, the likelihood of infection is higher. Separate studies have demonstrated this correlation.

Additionally, the study could have implications for understanding herd immunity, the possibility of a resurgence of an infection wave, and the development of childhood vaccines, he said.

It is also noteworthy that 10&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of children were found to have been infected, even though 41 per cent of those children did not know they were infected.

As a result of subsequent studies conducted in June and July 2021, which have yet to be published and are being written up, Schlesinger said that the percentage of children in Jerusalem with the virus has increased from 10 to 30&nbsp;per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/children-spread-coronavirus-more-efficiently-than-adults-study-383559">Children spread coronavirus 'more efficiently' than adults: Study</a>

Lastly, the researchers found no correlation between school openings and infection rates among children, as students who continued to attend schools for various reasons during the closed periods did not develop additional antibodies than students who stayed home.

Additionally, when the country reopened schools slowly, morbidity did not decrease.

According to a recent study from Shaare Zedek Medical Center, neutralising antibodies begin to fade among kids who catch the virus after only four months. Researchers at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, led by Prof.

According to a recent study from Shaare Zedek Medical Center, neutralising antibodies begin to fade among kids who catch the virus after only four months. Researchers at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, led by Prof. Yechiel Schlesinger, recently conducted the first-ever study into the prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in children attending the hospital's pediatric ward in collaboration with the Health Ministry. Also read | Children at risk of long-Covid symptoms, new study finds Approximately 1,138 children under the age of 18, with a mean age of 4.4, were surveyed between October 18, 2020, and January 12, 2021, for the study that appeared in Acta Paediatrica. It was found that nearly one-third (or 29 per cent) of the children with coronavirus positive results were lacking neutralizing antibodies during that time. Schlesinger explained that one-third of the patients didn't have antibodies when they were tested three weeks after onset of the disease. Meanwhile, the antibodies of the other two-thirds who had developed the disease more than four months ago had waned. The study found that children reach their peak antibody level three months after diagnosis. The number of antibodies decreased significantly - much more than in adults. It may be indicative of a weaker long-term immune reaction among children. Also read: British study finds almost one in seven suffer long Covid symptoms Schlesinger asserts that the disappearance of antibodies does not suggest these children are not protected. However, the disappearance does make one wonder whether those kids are truly protected. As antibody levels decline, the likelihood of infection is higher. Separate studies have demonstrated this correlation. Additionally, the study could have implications for understanding herd immunity, the possibility of a resurgence of an infection wave, and the development of childhood vaccines, he said. It is also noteworthy that 10 per cent of children were found to have been infected, even though 41 per cent of those children did not know they were infected. As a result of subsequent studies conducted in June and July 2021, which have yet to be published and are being written up, Schlesinger said that the percentage of children in Jerusalem with the virus has increased from 10 to 30 per cent. Also read | Children spread coronavirus 'more efficiently' than adults: Study Lastly, the researchers found no correlation between school openings and infection rates among children, as students who continued to attend schools for various reasons during the closed periods did not develop additional antibodies than students who stayed home. Additionally, when the country reopened schools slowly, morbidity did not decrease.

Study suggests that Children may have a weaker immune response to Covid

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid</a> patients and their families are taking over hospitals across the US, seeking doctors and nurses as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta variant</a> spreads coast-to-coast.

As the nation witnessed a fresh outbreak of coronavirus infections, the United States recorded its highest weekly rate of new cases. Bloomberg reports that new cases in the US topped 761,216 in the week ended Sunday, the highest number since early February.

Efforts to mitigate the disease are falling short, the number of unvaccinated patients in intensive care is similar to the winter wave.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-warns-citizens-against-travel-to-france-over-covid-concerns-404436">US warns citizens against travel to France over Covid concerns</a>

In the US, Delta began its march in Ozarks and the south, in regions and states with low vaccination rates. However, the surge shows that even the best-vaccinated areas do not have sufficient immunity to prevent the easy-to-spread variant.

Delta wave experts say there won't be the same death toll as last year as vaccinated individuals are much less likely to die than those who are unvaccinated.&nbsp;

Vaccinated areas have generally seen a relatively slow increase in hospitalisations. However, the waves for these infections are just beginning, and sometimes it can take weeks to send people to the ICU.

As a result, there's little doubt the pandemic isn't over with America, and even less so in places where people have refused vaccinations or ignored mask mandates and other safety measures.

Also read |&nbsp;​​​​​​​<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-recorded-highest-new-covid-19-cases-worldwide-in-past-week-who-401286">US recorded highest new COVID-19 cases worldwide in past week: WHO</a>

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, hospital utilisation nationwide is expected to rise in the coming weeks, and there are already too few people to take care of patients.

Although vaccination rates have risen as a result of concerns about the Delta variant, millions of people remain sceptical about the vaccine, especially in conservative-leaning areas.

According to Ajay Sethi, an associate professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, halting transmission would require 90 per cent vaccination, which is impossible since children under 12 are not eligible for shots.

(With inputs from agencies)

Covid patients and their families are taking over hospitals across the US, seeking doctors and nurses as the Delta variant spreads coast-to-coast. As the nation witnessed a fresh outbreak of coronavirus infections, the United States recorded its highest weekly rate of new cases.

Covid patients and their families are taking over hospitals across the US, seeking doctors and nurses as the Delta variant spreads coast-to-coast. As the nation witnessed a fresh outbreak of coronavirus infections, the United States recorded its highest weekly rate of new cases. Bloomberg reports that new cases in the US topped 761,216 in the week ended Sunday, the highest number since early February. Efforts to mitigate the disease are falling short, the number of unvaccinated patients in intensive care is similar to the winter wave. Also read | US warns citizens against travel to France over Covid concerns In the US, Delta began its march in Ozarks and the south, in regions and states with low vaccination rates. However, the surge shows that even the best-vaccinated areas do not have sufficient immunity to prevent the easy-to-spread variant. Delta wave experts say there won't be the same death toll as last year as vaccinated individuals are much less likely to die than those who are unvaccinated. Vaccinated areas have generally seen a relatively slow increase in hospitalisations. However, the waves for these infections are just beginning, and sometimes it can take weeks to send people to the ICU. As a result, there's little doubt the pandemic isn't over with America, and even less so in places where people have refused vaccinations or ignored mask mandates and other safety measures. Also read | US recorded highest new COVID-19 cases worldwide in past week: WHO According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, hospital utilisation nationwide is expected to rise in the coming weeks, and there are already too few people to take care of patients. Although vaccination rates have risen as a result of concerns about the Delta variant, millions of people remain sceptical about the vaccine, especially in conservative-leaning areas. According to Ajay Sethi, an associate professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin, halting transmission would require 90 per cent vaccination, which is impossible since children under 12 are not eligible for shots. (With inputs from agencies)

US hospitals overwhelmed as cases of Delta variant caused covid reported

The latest covid outbreak continues to make alarming inroads across the US. Experts say children are now more likely to get infected with COVID-19. The latest surge has been fuelled by a highly contagious delta variant.

COVID surge continues to make alarming inroads across US

China's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus cases</a> hit a seven-month high on Tuesday after a cluster at a test site helped drive up numbers as the Delta variant challenges Beijing's grip on the pandemic.

State media has described the current outbreak -- which has sparked local lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions -- as the most severe since the virus emerged in the central city of Wuhan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-tests-all-residents-as-chinas-virus-cases-reach-six-month-high-404132">Wuhan tests all residents as China's virus cases reach six-month high</a>

Authorities had brought domestic infections down to virtually zero, allowing economic activity to rebound albeit with tight border restrictions.

But now, cases are rising.

On Tuesday, Chinese health authorities reported 143 new coronavirus infections -- 108 of them locally transmitted.

Dozens of cases in recent days have been linked to a COVID-19 testing site in eastern Yangzhou city.

In a sign of the anxiety over even relatively minor outbreaks, several officials have been issued warnings for mishandling mass testing, which city authorities said allowed the virus to spread.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-records-highest-daily-covid-19-cases-in-current-outbreak-403296">China records highest daily COVID-19 cases in current outbreak</a>

Yangzhou city authorities said, "a small number of party members and cadres have yet to perform their duties properly".

The city of about 4.6 million people has so far conducted five rounds of widespread testing, collecting 1.6 million samples in an attempt to stamp out the spread.

The latest surge started after infections among airport cleaners in neighbouring Nanjing city sparked a chain of cases across the country.

Tuesday's numbers are the highest since January, when the country logged 144 new cases and 126 domestic infections, mostly in the northern regions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-resurgence-in-wuhan-leads-to-testing-of-1123-million-403810">Coronavirus resurgence in Wuhan leads to testing of 11.23 million</a>

Authorities are now working to shore up confidence that the latest resurgence is controllable.

"We have successfully contained the epidemic in Guangzhou, and the epidemic in Nanjing is gradually being put under control," the official Xinhua news agency cited infectious diseases specialist Zhang Wenhong as saying.

China's coronavirus cases hit a seven-month high on Tuesday after a cluster at a test site helped drive up numbers as the Delta variant challenges Beijing's grip on the pandemic.

China's coronavirus cases hit a seven-month high on Tuesday after a cluster at a test site helped drive up numbers as the Delta variant challenges Beijing's grip on the pandemic. State media has described the current outbreak -- which has sparked local lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions -- as the most severe since the virus emerged in the central city of Wuhan. Also read | Wuhan tests all residents as China's virus cases reach six-month high Authorities had brought domestic infections down to virtually zero, allowing economic activity to rebound albeit with tight border restrictions. But now, cases are rising. On Tuesday, Chinese health authorities reported 143 new coronavirus infections -- 108 of them locally transmitted. Dozens of cases in recent days have been linked to a COVID-19 testing site in eastern Yangzhou city. In a sign of the anxiety over even relatively minor outbreaks, several officials have been issued warnings for mishandling mass testing, which city authorities said allowed the virus to spread. Also read | China records highest daily COVID-19 cases in current outbreak Yangzhou city authorities said, "a small number of party members and cadres have yet to perform their duties properly". The city of about 4.6 million people has so far conducted five rounds of widespread testing, collecting 1.6 million samples in an attempt to stamp out the spread. The latest surge started after infections among airport cleaners in neighbouring Nanjing city sparked a chain of cases across the country. Tuesday's numbers are the highest since January, when the country logged 144 new cases and 126 domestic infections, mostly in the northern regions. Also read | Coronavirus resurgence in Wuhan leads to testing of 11.23 million Authorities are now working to shore up confidence that the latest resurgence is controllable. "We have successfully contained the epidemic in Guangzhou, and the epidemic in Nanjing is gradually being put under control," the official Xinhua news agency cited infectious diseases specialist Zhang Wenhong as saying.

China Covid cases hit seven-month high as Delta variant challenges Beijing

Students across the United States have begun to head back to school, starting in Atlanta this week. But parents’ hopes for a return to normal instruction in the fall have begun to evaporate as the highly contagious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">delta variant</a> drives up cases and hospitalizations.

With policymakers from local school boards to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/the-white-house">White House</a> scrambling to balance public health and children’s learning needs, a patchwork of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> rules is emerging nationwide, provoking debates, division and anxieties among families, teachers and education officials.

Some large school districts like Los Angeles are requiring all staff members to get tested for the virus each week. States led by Democrats, including New Jersey, California and Illinois, have imposed statewide mask mandates in schools.

Also read |&nbsp;Delta variant fuels concerns for children's health in Florida

Meanwhile, states with Republican-controlled governments, such as Florida, Arizona and Arkansas, have forbidden districts to impose mask rules, casting mandates as an infringement on personal freedom and parental rights.

New York City will retain its school mask requirement, but the state of New York has not imposed a statewide policy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a> and federal health officials have emphasized that remote learning should not be used as a strategy to counter the delta variant surge. Even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised their guidance last week and called for universal masking in schools, the agency stressed the need for students to return to class.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-19-schools-begin-reopening-in-the-us-403746/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“We can and we must open schools this fall, full time,” Biden said recently. “It’s better for our children’s mental and emotional well-being, and we can’t afford another year out of the classroom.”

But with mask rules varying from state to state, and even within states and counties, the long-awaited return to school has many parents confused and unnerved.

Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Southern California, said certain mask mandates make sense, but interventions “should be tied to the metrics.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/long-term-covid-symptoms-very-rare-in-children-study-confirms-402937">Long term Covid symptoms very rare in children, study confirms</a>

Cases may rise as school gets underway, he said, but severe illness in children from Covid&nbsp;is rare. In the last year and a half, about 64,700 people in California have died from the virus. Klausner said just 23 deaths were of children between 5 and 17 years old.

Students across the United States have begun to head back to school, starting in Atlanta this week. But parents’ hopes for a return to normal instruction in the fall have begun to evaporate as the highly contagious delta variant drives up cases and hospitalizations.

Students across the United States have begun to head back to school, starting in Atlanta this week. But parents’ hopes for a return to normal instruction in the fall have begun to evaporate as the highly contagious delta variant drives up cases and hospitalizations. With policymakers from local school boards to the White House scrambling to balance public health and children’s learning needs, a patchwork of coronavirus rules is emerging nationwide, provoking debates, division and anxieties among families, teachers and education officials. Some large school districts like Los Angeles are requiring all staff members to get tested for the virus each week. States led by Democrats, including New Jersey, California and Illinois, have imposed statewide mask mandates in schools. Also read | Delta variant fuels concerns for children's health in Florida Meanwhile, states with Republican-controlled governments, such as Florida, Arizona and Arkansas, have forbidden districts to impose mask rules, casting mandates as an infringement on personal freedom and parental rights. New York City will retain its school mask requirement, but the state of New York has not imposed a statewide policy. President Joe Biden and federal health officials have emphasized that remote learning should not be used as a strategy to counter the delta variant surge. Even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised their guidance last week and called for universal masking in schools, the agency stressed the need for students to return to class. “We can and we must open schools this fall, full time,” Biden said recently. “It’s better for our children’s mental and emotional well-being, and we can’t afford another year out of the classroom.” But with mask rules varying from state to state, and even within states and counties, the long-awaited return to school has many parents confused and unnerved. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Southern California, said certain mask mandates make sense, but interventions “should be tied to the metrics.” Also read | Long term Covid symptoms very rare in children, study confirms Cases may rise as school gets underway, he said, but severe illness in children from Covid is rare. In the last year and a half, about 64,700 people in California have died from the virus. Klausner said just 23 deaths were of children between 5 and 17 years old.

Delta variant fuels anxiety and mask debates as students return to school

As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-cases-top-200-million-worldwide-as-delta-variant-poses-threat-403243">coronavirus</a> cases surge in the United States, top US infections disease expert Anthony Fauci warned that if another variant comes into the country then it could mean "trouble".

Coronavirus cases touched a six-month high in the US with over 100,000 infections reported on Wednesday as the Delta variant continued to surge in the country.

The US recorded 95,000 cases over a seven day average with Florida, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisana, Alabama and Mississippi the hardest-hit states with hospitalisations rising in several areas.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-york-govt-gives-new-incentives-for-people-getting-vaccinated-against-coronavirus-401500/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Florida has been hit hard with hospitalisations rising to with the virus spreading to children.

“People who are not getting vaccinated mistakenly think it’s only about them. But it isn’t. It’s about everybody else, also,” Fauci said.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAD) chief said the US government is planning to give booster shots to Americans who have low immunity as he warned that cases could reach 200,000 a day.

“If another one comes along that has an equally high capability of transmitting but also is much more severe, then we could really be in trouble,” Fauci said.

Fauci declared that although the current vaccines are proving to be effective against the virus but it might not be the case if a new variant emerges.

Germany, France and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/naftali-bennett-says-israel-doing-world-a-great-service-with-covid-booster-shots-403283">Israel</a> have also begun giving booster doses to their citizens.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Moderna said its vaccine remains strong for at least six months and the variant-specific boosters it is testing has shown good results with "robust" antibody response to Delta.

The company said the vaccine produced 93 per cent efficacy after the second dose in the final phase 3 trial. Moderna is set to file its results with the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) this month.

Meanwhile, the US government said it plans to allow fully vaccinated travellers into the country in a "safe and sustainable manner" even as the country battles the Delta virus.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

As coronavirus cases surge in the United States, top US infections disease expert Anthony Fauci warned that if another variant comes into the country then it could mean "trouble".

As coronavirus cases surge in the United States, top US infections disease expert Anthony Fauci warned that if another variant comes into the country then it could mean "trouble". Coronavirus cases touched a six-month high in the US with over 100,000 infections reported on Wednesday as the Delta variant continued to surge in the country. The US recorded 95,000 cases over a seven day average with Florida, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisana, Alabama and Mississippi the hardest-hit states with hospitalisations rising in several areas. Watch: Florida has been hit hard with hospitalisations rising to with the virus spreading to children. “People who are not getting vaccinated mistakenly think it’s only about them. But it isn’t. It’s about everybody else, also,” Fauci said. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases(NIAD) chief said the US government is planning to give booster shots to Americans who have low immunity as he warned that cases could reach 200,000 a day. “If another one comes along that has an equally high capability of transmitting but also is much more severe, then we could really be in trouble,” Fauci said. Fauci declared that although the current vaccines are proving to be effective against the virus but it might not be the case if a new variant emerges. Germany, France and Israel have also begun giving booster doses to their citizens. Meanwhile, Moderna said its vaccine remains strong for at least six months and the variant-specific boosters it is testing has shown good results with "robust" antibody response to Delta. The company said the vaccine produced 93 per cent efficacy after the second dose in the final phase 3 trial. Moderna is set to file its results with the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) this month. Meanwhile, the US government said it plans to allow fully vaccinated travellers into the country in a "safe and sustainable manner" even as the country battles the Delta virus. (With inputs from Agencies)

Coronavirus cases reach record high in US as Fauci fears another variant

Video-streaming service Netflix will require its workers at its offices to be vaccinated for COVID-19, confirms a global entertainment website.&nbsp;

 
The same rule is applicable to headquarters in Los Gatos, California, The visitors will also have to show proof of vaccination for their Sunset Blvd. location in Los Angeles as well, another news site reported.&nbsp;

 
While the employees have not fully returned to work in their offices, they can currently work there if they choose to. No date has been set for an official return to the offices yet. It’s not clear when the policy will be implemented and the streaming giant declined to comment, reports confirm.&nbsp;

 
Netflix joins other big American companies— Disney, Facebook, Google, Twitter, The Washington Post and The New York Times—in requiring all salaried and non-union hourly U.S. workers to be vaccinated against the virus.&nbsp;

 
In July, Netflix was the first major studio to require vaccines for cast and crew working in ‘Zone A’ of its U.S. productions. Other top studios and guilds have reached a short-term return-to-work agreement that allowed producers to voluntarily require vaccines for Zone A on their sets.&nbsp;

 
Several other major studios are currently mandating vaccines on a case-to-case basis on their respective production works.

 
These mandates have been put into effect following the arrival of delta variant of COVID-19 that has reportedly spread in America.

 
In Los Angeles, the Department of Public Health has noted recent outbreaks on the sets of ‘The Masked Singer’, ‘S.W.A.T.’ and the reboot of ‘House Party’ as well as the offices of Endemol Shine North America, various reports claim.&nbsp;

Video-streaming service Netflix will require its workers at its offices to be vaccinated for COVID-19, confirms a global entertainment website. The same rule is applicable to headquarters in Los Gatos, California, The visitors will also have to show proof of vaccination for their Sunset Blvd.

Video-streaming service Netflix will require its workers at its offices to be vaccinated for COVID-19, confirms a global entertainment website. The same rule is applicable to headquarters in Los Gatos, California, The visitors will also have to show proof of vaccination for their Sunset Blvd. location in Los Angeles as well, another news site reported. While the employees have not fully returned to work in their offices, they can currently work there if they choose to. No date has been set for an official return to the offices yet. It’s not clear when the policy will be implemented and the streaming giant declined to comment, reports confirm. Netflix joins other big American companies— Disney, Facebook, Google, Twitter, The Washington Post and The New York Times—in requiring all salaried and non-union hourly U.S. workers to be vaccinated against the virus. In July, Netflix was the first major studio to require vaccines for cast and crew working in ‘Zone A’ of its U.S. productions. Other top studios and guilds have reached a short-term return-to-work agreement that allowed producers to voluntarily require vaccines for Zone A on their sets. Several other major studios are currently mandating vaccines on a case-to-case basis on their respective production works. These mandates have been put into effect following the arrival of delta variant of COVID-19 that has reportedly spread in America. In Los Angeles, the Department of Public Health has noted recent outbreaks on the sets of ‘The Masked Singer’, ‘S.W.A.T.’ and the reboot of ‘House Party’ as well as the offices of Endemol Shine North America, various reports claim.

Netflix to require vaccination for its office workers, visitors to show proof of vaccination

The Delta Variant has breached China's virus defences with 18 cities & 27 provinces reporting cases. #Wuhan is the epicentre once again with authorities planning to test all 11 million residents. WION's Palki gets you the latest images & developments of the outbreak.

Gravitas: Delta Variant breaches China's virus defences

A White House official took to Twitter to call out western media for not mentioning an important point while quoting CDC’s warning about the Delta variant of coronavirus.

In an internal paper, the US Centers for Sickness Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that the Delta variant of coronavirus can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous strains of COVID-19.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-covid-19-variant-can-be-passed-on-even-by-those-vaccinated-us-top-health-body-402016">Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body</a>

US' CDC had stressed that the Delta variant can be transmitted from vaccinated people too. However, the officials also stressed that the unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated.

Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC.&nbsp;

However, turns out, some western media houses missed stating the whole fact and only mentioned that the vaccinated people can get infect and transmit Delta variant Covid cases.

Looking at media reports, White House's Deputy Director of Strategic Communications &amp; Engagement and a member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, Ben Wakana, took to Twitter to call out all these said media reports.

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Completely irresponsible. 
 
3 days ago the CDC made clear that vaccinated individuals represent a VERY SMALL amount of transmission occurring around the country. 
 
Virtually all hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated. 
 
Unreal to not put that in context. <a href="https://t.co/BbmSNvQlrb">https://t.co/BbmSNvQlrb</a>
— Ben Wakana (@benwakana46) <a href="https://twitter.com/benwakana46/status/1421176263042027524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Vaccinated people do not transmit the virus at the same rate as unvaccinated people and if you fail to include that context you're doing it wrong,"&nbsp;Wakana tweeted.

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Let’s be clear. If 10 vaccinated people walk into a room full of COVID, about 9 of them would walk out of the room WITH NO COVID. Nine of them.
— Ben Wakana (@benwakana46) <a href="https://twitter.com/benwakana46/status/1421243350347362308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Explaining his earlier tweet, he added in a new tweet, "Let’s be clear. If 10 vaccinated people walk into a room full of COVID, about 9 of them would walk out of the room WITH NO COVID. Nine of them."

A White House official took to Twitter to call out western media for not mentioning an important point while quoting CDC’s warning about the Delta variant of coronavirus.

A White House official took to Twitter to call out western media for not mentioning an important point while quoting CDC’s warning about the Delta variant of coronavirus. In an internal paper, the US Centers for Sickness Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that the Delta variant of coronavirus can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous strains of COVID-19. Also read | Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body US' CDC had stressed that the Delta variant can be transmitted from vaccinated people too. However, the officials also stressed that the unvaccinated people were 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated. Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC. However, turns out, some western media houses missed stating the whole fact and only mentioned that the vaccinated people can get infect and transmit Delta variant Covid cases. Looking at media reports, White House's Deputy Director of Strategic Communications & Engagement and a member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, Ben Wakana, took to Twitter to call out all these said media reports. Completely irresponsible. 3 days ago the CDC made clear that vaccinated individuals represent a VERY SMALL amount of transmission occurring around the country. Virtually all hospitalizations and deaths continue to be among the unvaccinated. Unreal to not put that in context. https://t.co/BbmSNvQlrb — Ben Wakana (@benwakana46) July 30, 2021 × "Vaccinated people do not transmit the virus at the same rate as unvaccinated people and if you fail to include that context you're doing it wrong," Wakana tweeted. Let’s be clear. If 10 vaccinated people walk into a room full of COVID, about 9 of them would walk out of the room WITH NO COVID. Nine of them. — Ben Wakana (@benwakana46) July 30, 2021 × Explaining his earlier tweet, he added in a new tweet, "Let’s be clear. If 10 vaccinated people walk into a room full of COVID, about 9 of them would walk out of the room WITH NO COVID. Nine of them."

'Irresponsible': White House official calls out western media for missing facts

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains.

This variant requires a different way to educate the public about the hazard, according to the document "Improving communications around vaccination breakthroughs and vaccine effectiveness."&nbsp;

The document, titled 'Improving communications around vaccine breakthrough and vaccine effectiveness,' stated that the Delta variant necessitated a new approach to help the public understand the threat, including making it clear that unvaccinated people were more than 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated.&nbsp; 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-expand-state-of-emergency-as-covid-19-shadows-olympics-401684">Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics</a>

"The immediate next step for the agency is to acknowledge that the war has changed," it said.

According to the study, recommended preventive actions include making vaccinations mandatory for health care providers in order to protect the vulnerable, as well as a return to universal face mask use.

Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC. Experts also stressed that vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmissions in the country, and majority of the hospitalisations and deaths are unvaccinated people.

Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-16-more-cases-of-covid-19-emerge-taking-the-total-number-to-169-401091">Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169</a>

This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019.&nbsp;

According to the Global Times, a new wave of COVID-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality.

All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city.&nbsp;

The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains. This variant requires a different way to educate the public about the hazard, according to the document "Improving communications around vaccination breakthroughs and vaccine effectiveness." The document, titled 'Improving communications around vaccine breakthrough and vaccine effectiveness,' stated that the Delta variant necessitated a new approach to help the public understand the threat, including making it clear that unvaccinated people were more than 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated. Also read | Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics "The immediate next step for the agency is to acknowledge that the war has changed," it said. According to the study, recommended preventive actions include making vaccinations mandatory for health care providers in order to protect the vulnerable, as well as a return to universal face mask use. Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC. Experts also stressed that vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmissions in the country, and majority of the hospitalisations and deaths are unvaccinated people. Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday. Also read | Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169 This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019. According to the Global Times, a new wave of COVID-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality. All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city. The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities. (With inputs from agencies)

Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body

Kenya is witnessing a jump in Coronavirus cases due to the Delta variant. The country is extending the nighttime curfew and banning public gatherings and in-person meetings to slow the spread of the coronavirus, warning that hospitals are becoming overwhelmed. Kenya has a positivity rate of 14 percent as of Friday compared with about seven percent last month.

Kenya adopts new measures to curb COVID spread due to Delta variant

The Olympics host city&nbsp;Tokyo, as well as&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;and&nbsp;Malaysia, announced a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections&nbsp;on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta&nbsp;variant</a>&nbsp;of the disease.

Cases surged in Sydney as well, where police cordoned off the central business district to prevent a protest against a strict lockdown that will last until the end of August.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-expand-state-of-emergency-as-covid-19-shadows-olympics-401684">Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics</a>

Police closed train stations, banned taxis from dropping passengers off downtown and deployed 1,000 officers to set up checkpoints and to disperse groups. The government of New South Wales reported 210 new&nbsp;infections&nbsp;in Sydney and surrounding areas from the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;outbreak.

Tokyo's metropolitan government announced a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of 4,058&nbsp;infections&nbsp;in the past 24 hours, topping 4,000 for the first time. Olympics organisers reported 21 new&nbsp;COVID-19 cases related to the Games, bringing the total to 241 since July 1.

The&nbsp;record&nbsp;comes a day after Japan extended its state of emergency for&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;to the end of August, expanding it to three prefectures near&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;and the western prefecture of Osaka in light of the recent spike in&nbsp;infections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-16-more-cases-of-covid-19-emerge-taking-the-total-number-to-169-401091">Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169</a>

Olympics organisers said on Saturday they had revoked accreditation of a Games-related person or people for leaving the athletes' village for sightseeing, a violation of measures imposed to hold the Olympics safely amid the pandemic.

The organisers did not disclose how many people had their accreditation revoked, if the person or people involved were athletes, or when the violation took place.

Malaysia, one of the hotspots of the disease, reported 17,786 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of&nbsp;infections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-to-bar-travel-from-malaysia-thailand-to-curb-deltas-spread-399928">Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta's spread</a>

More than 100 people gathered in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the pandemic and calling on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to quit.

Protesters carried black flags and held up placards that read “Kerajaan Gagal” (failed government) – a hashtag that has been popular on social media for months.

Thailand&nbsp;reported a daily&nbsp;record&nbsp;of 18,912 new coronavirus&nbsp;infections, bringing the country's total accumulated cases to 597,287. The country also reported 178 new deaths, also a daily&nbsp;record, taking total fatalities to 4,857.

The government said the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;accounted for more than 60 per cent of the cases in the country and 80 per cent&nbsp;of the cases in Bangkok.

The&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;is not necessarily more lethal than other&nbsp;variants, but much more transmissible, Supakit Sirilak, the director-general of the Medical Science Department, told Reuters.

China is also battling an outbreak of the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;in the eastern city of Nanjing, traced to airport cleaners who worked on a flight from Russia.

COVID-19&nbsp;infections&nbsp;have increased by 80 per cent&nbsp;over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.

"Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference.

The US&nbsp;Centers for Disease Control said the&nbsp;variant, first detected in India and now dominant across the globe, is as contagious as chickenpox and far more contagious than the common cold or flu. It can be passed on even by vaccinated people, and may cause more serious disease than earlier coronavirus strains.

The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced a record number of COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the disease.

The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced a record number of COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the disease. Cases surged in Sydney as well, where police cordoned off the central business district to prevent a protest against a strict lockdown that will last until the end of August. Also read | Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics Police closed train stations, banned taxis from dropping passengers off downtown and deployed 1,000 officers to set up checkpoints and to disperse groups. The government of New South Wales reported 210 new infections in Sydney and surrounding areas from the Delta variant outbreak. Tokyo's metropolitan government announced a record number of 4,058 infections in the past 24 hours, topping 4,000 for the first time. Olympics organisers reported 21 new COVID-19 cases related to the Games, bringing the total to 241 since July 1. The record comes a day after Japan extended its state of emergency for Tokyo to the end of August, expanding it to three prefectures near Tokyo and the western prefecture of Osaka in light of the recent spike in infections. Also read | Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169 Olympics organisers said on Saturday they had revoked accreditation of a Games-related person or people for leaving the athletes' village for sightseeing, a violation of measures imposed to hold the Olympics safely amid the pandemic. The organisers did not disclose how many people had their accreditation revoked, if the person or people involved were athletes, or when the violation took place. Malaysia, one of the hotspots of the disease, reported 17,786 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a record number of infections. Also read | Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta's spread More than 100 people gathered in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the pandemic and calling on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to quit. Protesters carried black flags and held up placards that read “Kerajaan Gagal” (failed government) – a hashtag that has been popular on social media for months. Thailand reported a daily record of 18,912 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country's total accumulated cases to 597,287. The country also reported 178 new deaths, also a daily record, taking total fatalities to 4,857. The government said the Delta variant accounted for more than 60 per cent of the cases in the country and 80 per cent of the cases in Bangkok. The Delta variant is not necessarily more lethal than other variants, but much more transmissible, Supakit Sirilak, the director-general of the Medical Science Department, told Reuters. China is also battling an outbreak of the Delta variant in the eastern city of Nanjing, traced to airport cleaners who worked on a flight from Russia. COVID-19 infections have increased by 80 per cent over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday. "Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference. The US Centers for Disease Control said the variant, first detected in India and now dominant across the globe, is as contagious as chickenpox and far more contagious than the common cold or flu. It can be passed on even by vaccinated people, and may cause more serious disease than earlier coronavirus strains.

Delta variant rampant in Asia; Olympics COVID tally rises to 241

The Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday.&nbsp;

This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019.&nbsp;

According to the Global Times, a new wave of Covid-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality.

All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city.&nbsp;

The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities.&nbsp; 
 
Watch: World witnesses one of the biggest slumps in birth rates due to COVID pandemic

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-witnesses-one-of-the-biggest-slumps-in-birth-rates-due-to-covid-pandemic-401774/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Despite the fact that the number of new cases is still in the hundreds, concerns have been raised about the infection's widespread spread across provinces.

The rapid emergence of cases in Beijing after more than 175 days since the last incidence is causing concern among officials.&nbsp;

The local government of the capital city, which has a population of around 22 million people and is home to top officials such as President Xi Jinping, safeguarded the city for several months in preparation for the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) centenary festivities on July 1.&nbsp;

As of July 30, mainland China had a total of 92,930 confirmed coronavirus cases.

China's death toll from the coronavirus remained unchanged at 4,636.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday.

The Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday. This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019. According to the Global Times, a new wave of Covid-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality. All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city. The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities. Watch: World witnesses one of the biggest slumps in birth rates due to COVID pandemic Despite the fact that the number of new cases is still in the hundreds, concerns have been raised about the infection's widespread spread across provinces. The rapid emergence of cases in Beijing after more than 175 days since the last incidence is causing concern among officials. The local government of the capital city, which has a population of around 22 million people and is home to top officials such as President Xi Jinping, safeguarded the city for several months in preparation for the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) centenary festivities on July 1. As of July 30, mainland China had a total of 92,930 confirmed coronavirus cases. China's death toll from the coronavirus remained unchanged at 4,636. (With inputs from agencies)

China faces worst COVID-19 outbreak since Wuhan; surge of Delta variant in 15 cities

Jack Whitehall-starrer ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’—the movie-screen adaptation of Norman Bridwell’s famous children’s book by the same name—has official been postponed and will not release on September 17, various media outlets claim.

 
As per reports, this decision was made in the wake of growing concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant.&nbsp;

 
For the unversed, ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ is the film adaptation of author Norman Bridwell’s beloved children’s book series about a 25-foot-tall red dog and his owner, a child named Emily Elizabeth.&nbsp;

 
Directed by Walt Becker, ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’ stars Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, John Cleese and Tony Hale in lead roles.

Jack Whitehall-starrer ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’—the movie-screen adaptation of Norman Bridwell’s famous children’s book by the same name—has official been postponed and will not release on September 17, various media outlets claim.

Jack Whitehall-starrer ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’—the movie-screen adaptation of Norman Bridwell’s famous children’s book by the same name—has official been postponed and will not release on September 17, various media outlets claim. As per reports, this decision was made in the wake of growing concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant. For the unversed, ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ is the film adaptation of author Norman Bridwell’s beloved children’s book series about a 25-foot-tall red dog and his owner, a child named Emily Elizabeth. Directed by Walt Becker, ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’ stars Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, John Cleese and Tony Hale in lead roles.

Jack Whitehall-starrer ‘Clifford The Big Red Dog’ release delayed amid Delta variant concerns

The world is at risk of losing hard-won gains in fighting COVID-19, as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads, but WHO-approved vaccines remain effective against the disease, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

The US&nbsp;Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has described the Delta variant of the coronavirus as being as transmissible as chickenpox and cautioned it could cause severe disease, the Washington Post said, citing an internal CDC document.

COVID-19 infections have increased by 80&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Deaths in Africa, where only 1.5&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of the population is vaccinated - rose by 80 per cent&nbsp;over the same period.

"Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference.

The Delta variant has been detected in 132 countries, becoming the dominant global strain, according to the WHO.

"The vaccines that are currently approved by the WHO all provide significant protection against severe disease and hospitalization from all the variants, including the Delta variant," said WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan.

"We are fighting the same virus but a virus that has become faster and better adapted to transmitting amongst us humans, that's the change," he said.

Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, said that the Delta variant is about 50&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;more transmissible than ancestral strains of SARS-CoV-2, that first emerged in China in late 2019.

A few countries have reported increased hospitalization rates, but higher rates of mortality have not been recorded from the Delta variant, she said.

Ryan warned that Delta "is a warning that this virus is evolving, but it is also a call to action, that we need to move now, before more dangerous variants emerge".

Tedros, who traveled to Tokyo last week, said he wanted to use the Olympics platform to spread a message on vaccine solidarity.

"Do you really accept 1.5% vaccination in Africa while in some countries it is already 70%?...Is it really wrong to go to the mountain top of the Olympics to call for solidarity? Are you saying that's wrong? I hope not. So, that's why I went," he said.

Rising COVID-19 cases in Tokyo have cast a shadow over the event and organisers on Friday (July 30) reported 27 new Games-related COVID-19 cases including three athletes, bringing the total since July 1 to 220.

"Japan did did its best and IOC of course, they did their best to minimize risk, because nobody should expect zero risk," Tedros said.

Ryan said the risk management in place for the Olympics was extremely comprehensive.

The world is at risk of losing hard-won gains in fighting COVID-19, as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads, but WHO-approved vaccines remain effective against the disease, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

The world is at risk of losing hard-won gains in fighting COVID-19, as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads, but WHO-approved vaccines remain effective against the disease, the World Health Organization said on Friday. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has described the Delta variant of the coronavirus as being as transmissible as chickenpox and cautioned it could cause severe disease, the Washington Post said, citing an internal CDC document. COVID-19 infections have increased by 80 per cent over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Deaths in Africa, where only 1.5 per cent of the population is vaccinated - rose by 80 per cent over the same period. "Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference. The Delta variant has been detected in 132 countries, becoming the dominant global strain, according to the WHO. "The vaccines that are currently approved by the WHO all provide significant protection against severe disease and hospitalization from all the variants, including the Delta variant," said WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan. "We are fighting the same virus but a virus that has become faster and better adapted to transmitting amongst us humans, that's the change," he said. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, said that the Delta variant is about 50 per cent more transmissible than ancestral strains of SARS-CoV-2, that first emerged in China in late 2019. A few countries have reported increased hospitalization rates, but higher rates of mortality have not been recorded from the Delta variant, she said. Ryan warned that Delta "is a warning that this virus is evolving, but it is also a call to action, that we need to move now, before more dangerous variants emerge". Tedros, who traveled to Tokyo last week, said he wanted to use the Olympics platform to spread a message on vaccine solidarity. "Do you really accept 1.5% vaccination in Africa while in some countries it is already 70%?...Is it really wrong to go to the mountain top of the Olympics to call for solidarity? Are you saying that's wrong? I hope not. So, that's why I went," he said. Rising COVID-19 cases in Tokyo have cast a shadow over the event and organisers on Friday (July 30) reported 27 new Games-related COVID-19 cases including three athletes, bringing the total since July 1 to 220. "Japan did did its best and IOC of course, they did their best to minimize risk, because nobody should expect zero risk," Tedros said. Ryan said the risk management in place for the Olympics was extremely comprehensive.

Hard-won gains at risk as Delta variant spreads, says World Health Organization

New research has shown that relaxing restrictions like mask-wearing and social distancing when most people have been vaccinated greatly increases the risk of vaccine-resistant variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

At a time when nearly 60 percent of Europeans have received at least one vaccine dose, the authors said their modelling study showed the need to maintain non-vaccination measures until everyone is fully jabbed.&nbsp;

To predict how the SARS-CoV-2 virus might mutate in response to vaccination campaigns, a pan-European team of experts simulated the probability of a vaccine-resistant strain emerging in a population of 10 million people over three years.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-wuhan-virus-is-making-a-comeback-in-the-united-states-401281/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Variables included vaccination, mutation and transmission rates,&nbsp;including recurring "waves" of infections and declines in the number of cases in response to lockdowns.&nbsp;

Predictably, the model showed that a rapid rate of vaccination reduced the risk of a resistant strain emerging.&nbsp;

But in what the authors called a "counterintuitive result", the model showed that the highest risk of resistant strains emerging came when a large proportion of the population was vaccinated, but not large enough to ensure herd immunity.&nbsp;

This is in essence where much of Europe is currently, where the Delta variant is spreading rapidly.

The authors said the model showed a threshold of 60 percent of the population vaccinated, after which resistant variants were more likely to occur.&nbsp;

The situation in the US, where 60 percent of adults are fully vaccinated and 80 percent of new cases are caused by the Delta variant,&nbsp;is similar.

"Vaccines are our best bet to beat this pandemic" said co-author Simon Rella, from Austria's Institute of&nbsp;Science&nbsp;and Technology (IST).

"What our model showed is that when most people are vaccinated, the vaccine-resistant strain has an advantage over the original strain.&nbsp;

"This means that the vaccine-resistant strain spreads through the population faster than the original strain at a time when most people are vaccinated," Rella told journalists in an online briefing.

Viruses constantly mutate in response to environmental constraints, such as growing immunity and response measures designed to limit transmission.&nbsp;

With SARS-CoV-2, the Delta variant is significantly more infectious than the original virus variant, but there is currently little evidence to suggest it is more deadly.

'Evolution is powerful'

Authors said that their research highlighted the need to maintain other anti-Covid measures until everyone is vaccinated.&nbsp;

"Of course we hope that vaccine-resistance does not evolve over the course of this pandemic, but we urge caution," said Fyodor Kondrashov, an IST researcher and study co-author.&nbsp;

"Evolution is a very powerful force and maintaining some reasonable precautions throughout the whole vaccination period may actually be a good tool to control this evolution."

Currently, just over one billion people around the world are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with many countries,&nbsp;particularly in Africa and South America,&nbsp;yet to start widespread rollouts due to lack of supply. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"Without global coordination, vaccine resistant strains may be eliminated in some populations but could persist in others," said the study, published in Nature Scientific Reports.&nbsp;

"Thus, a truly global vaccination effort may be necessary to reduce the chances of a global spread of a resistant strain."

Reacting to the study, Nick Davies, assistant professor of Mathematical Modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it showed the need for every country to "do their part to avoid creating fertile grounds for viral evolution".

"But ultimately, dealing with the emergence of a vaccine escape strain is really a global issue, not a national one," said Davies, who was not involved in the research.&nbsp;

"As soon as a vaccine escape mutant emerges somewhere, it becomes everybody's problem."

(With inputs from agencies)

New research has shown that relaxing restrictions like mask-wearing and social distancing when most people have been vaccinated greatly increases the risk of vaccine-resistant variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.

New research has shown that relaxing restrictions like mask-wearing and social distancing when most people have been vaccinated greatly increases the risk of vaccine-resistant variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. At a time when nearly 60 percent of Europeans have received at least one vaccine dose, the authors said their modelling study showed the need to maintain non-vaccination measures until everyone is fully jabbed. To predict how the SARS-CoV-2 virus might mutate in response to vaccination campaigns, a pan-European team of experts simulated the probability of a vaccine-resistant strain emerging in a population of 10 million people over three years. Variables included vaccination, mutation and transmission rates, including recurring "waves" of infections and declines in the number of cases in response to lockdowns. Predictably, the model showed that a rapid rate of vaccination reduced the risk of a resistant strain emerging. But in what the authors called a "counterintuitive result", the model showed that the highest risk of resistant strains emerging came when a large proportion of the population was vaccinated, but not large enough to ensure herd immunity. This is in essence where much of Europe is currently, where the Delta variant is spreading rapidly. The authors said the model showed a threshold of 60 percent of the population vaccinated, after which resistant variants were more likely to occur. The situation in the US, where 60 percent of adults are fully vaccinated and 80 percent of new cases are caused by the Delta variant, is similar. "Vaccines are our best bet to beat this pandemic" said co-author Simon Rella, from Austria's Institute of Science and Technology (IST). "What our model showed is that when most people are vaccinated, the vaccine-resistant strain has an advantage over the original strain. "This means that the vaccine-resistant strain spreads through the population faster than the original strain at a time when most people are vaccinated," Rella told journalists in an online briefing. Viruses constantly mutate in response to environmental constraints, such as growing immunity and response measures designed to limit transmission. With SARS-CoV-2, the Delta variant is significantly more infectious than the original virus variant, but there is currently little evidence to suggest it is more deadly. 'Evolution is powerful' Authors said that their research highlighted the need to maintain other anti-Covid measures until everyone is vaccinated. "Of course we hope that vaccine-resistance does not evolve over the course of this pandemic, but we urge caution," said Fyodor Kondrashov, an IST researcher and study co-author. "Evolution is a very powerful force and maintaining some reasonable precautions throughout the whole vaccination period may actually be a good tool to control this evolution." Currently, just over one billion people around the world are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with many countries, particularly in Africa and South America, yet to start widespread rollouts due to lack of supply. "Without global coordination, vaccine resistant strains may be eliminated in some populations but could persist in others," said the study, published in Nature Scientific Reports. "Thus, a truly global vaccination effort may be necessary to reduce the chances of a global spread of a resistant strain." Reacting to the study, Nick Davies, assistant professor of Mathematical Modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it showed the need for every country to "do their part to avoid creating fertile grounds for viral evolution". "But ultimately, dealing with the emergence of a vaccine escape strain is really a global issue, not a national one," said Davies, who was not involved in the research. "As soon as a vaccine escape mutant emerges somewhere, it becomes everybody's problem." (With inputs from agencies)

Study says risk of vaccine-resistant variants highest when most inoculated

China has reported&nbsp;64 new COVID-19 cases&nbsp;as the country battled its worst outbreak in months due to a&nbsp;Delta variant-fuelled surge.

Gene sequencing results of 52 cases linked to the outbreak showed they have all contracted the Delta strain, Ding Jie, deputy director at the city's centre for disease control and prevention, said at a news briefing on Friday.

Cases in the early stage of the outbreak were workers at Nanjing Lukou International Airport who cleaned an airplane after it arrived on a flight from Russia, Ding said. The gene sequence of the virus found in samples of the workers were identical to that from an infected person arriving from the flight, he said.

"After their work was complete, due to cleaning and protective measures not meeting standards, it's possible some staffers got infected, causing the virus to spread among cleaning staff," Ding said.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been locked down in Jiangsu province, of which Nanjing is the capital, while 41,000 came under stay-at-home orders in Beijing's Changping district.

At least 206 infections across China have been linked to the cluster, and the outbreak is geographically the largest in several months.

It challenges Beijing's aggressive containment efforts which have relied on mass testing, lockdowns and swift contact tracing.

The novel coronavirus emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019 and ever since, China has taken a zero-tolerance approach to infections, quickly testing large swathes of its population and tracing the contacts of positive cases.

Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China stand at 92,811, and the death toll remains 4,636.

(With inputs from agencies)

China has reported 64 new COVID-19 cases as the country battled its worst outbreak in months due to a Delta variant-fuelled surge. Gene sequencing results of 52 cases linked to the outbreak showed they have all contracted the Delta strain, Ding Jie, deputy director at the city's centre for disease control and prevention, said at a news briefing on Friday.

China has reported 64 new COVID-19 cases as the country battled its worst outbreak in months due to a Delta variant-fuelled surge. Gene sequencing results of 52 cases linked to the outbreak showed they have all contracted the Delta strain, Ding Jie, deputy director at the city's centre for disease control and prevention, said at a news briefing on Friday. Cases in the early stage of the outbreak were workers at Nanjing Lukou International Airport who cleaned an airplane after it arrived on a flight from Russia, Ding said. The gene sequence of the virus found in samples of the workers were identical to that from an infected person arriving from the flight, he said. "After their work was complete, due to cleaning and protective measures not meeting standards, it's possible some staffers got infected, causing the virus to spread among cleaning staff," Ding said. Hundreds of thousands of people have been locked down in Jiangsu province, of which Nanjing is the capital, while 41,000 came under stay-at-home orders in Beijing's Changping district. At least 206 infections across China have been linked to the cluster, and the outbreak is geographically the largest in several months. It challenges Beijing's aggressive containment efforts which have relied on mass testing, lockdowns and swift contact tracing. The novel coronavirus emerged in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019 and ever since, China has taken a zero-tolerance approach to infections, quickly testing large swathes of its population and tracing the contacts of positive cases. Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China stand at 92,811, and the death toll remains 4,636. (With inputs from agencies)

China battles biggest Covid outbreak in months as Delta resurgence continues

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said. Vaccination rates remain low in the region.

WHO said that the highly transmissible Delta variant has been recorded in 15 out of 22 countries and territories of the region from Morocco to Pakistan.

"The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement.

"Most of the new cases and hospitalised patients are unvaccinated people. &nbsp;We are now in the fourth wave of Covid-19 across the region," said Ahmed al-Mandhari, director of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region.

As of the last week of July, "only 41 million people, or 5.5 percent, of the region's population, had been fully vaccinated," the WHO said.

There is an increase in infections by 55 per cent. Deaths have risen by 15 per cent. More than 310,000 case and 3,500 deaths have been recorded weekly.

Countries such as Tunisia, which has suffered the biggest number of Covid-19 deaths in North Africa, have been struggling to contain the outbreak.

Critical shortages of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds have stretched the capacities of healthcare systems regionally.

WHO noted the rapid spread of the Delta variant was quickly making it "the dominant strain" in the region.

According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness.

(With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said.

World Health Organisation said on Thursday that Delta variant was behind the "surge" in coronavirus outbreak in West Asia. This has triggered a "fourth wave", it said. Vaccination rates remain low in the region. WHO said that the highly transmissible Delta variant has been recorded in 15 out of 22 countries and territories of the region from Morocco to Pakistan. "The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement. "Most of the new cases and hospitalised patients are unvaccinated people. We are now in the fourth wave of Covid-19 across the region," said Ahmed al-Mandhari, director of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region. As of the last week of July, "only 41 million people, or 5.5 percent, of the region's population, had been fully vaccinated," the WHO said. There is an increase in infections by 55 per cent. Deaths have risen by 15 per cent. More than 310,000 case and 3,500 deaths have been recorded weekly. Countries such as Tunisia, which has suffered the biggest number of Covid-19 deaths in North Africa, have been struggling to contain the outbreak. Critical shortages of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds have stretched the capacities of healthcare systems regionally. WHO noted the rapid spread of the Delta variant was quickly making it "the dominant strain" in the region. According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness. (With inputs from agencies)

West Asia virus surge due to Delta variant: WHO

The World Health Organization reported&nbsp;that the Delta variant is causing a surge in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> outbreaks,&nbsp;triggering a "fourth wave"&nbsp;in the Middle East where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccination rates</a> are low.

From Morocco to Pakistan, 15 of the 22 territories and countries under the purview of the global health body have been infected with the highly transmissible strain.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-deaths-surge-by-21-cases-can-exceed-200-million-in-two-weeks-who-401228">Coronavirus deaths surge by 21% , cases can exceed 200 million in two weeks: WHO</a>

"The circulation of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta variant</a> is fuelling the surge in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement.

Comparing last month to the previous month, infection rates soared by 55 per cent, while mortality rates surged by 15 per cent. Weekly, the number of cases has exceeded 310,000 and the death toll has reached 3,500.

The WHO noted that the Delta variant was quickly becoming "the dominant strain" in the region due to its rapid spread.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-variant-now-in-three-chinese-provinces-401421">Delta variant now in three Chinese provinces</a>

Among the newly hospitalized and newly diagnosed are many people unvaccinated against COVID-19. In this region, the virus is approaching its fourth wave, noted Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region director.

As of the last week of July, the WHO reports that only 41 million people, or merely 5.5 per cent of the region's population, were fully vaccinated.

The regional healthcare system has been forced to stretch its resources due to a critical shortage of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds.

North African countries like Tunisia, which have seen the most COVID-19 deaths, are struggling with containing the outbreak.

The amount of virus found in the first samples of Delta variant patients was 1,000 times higher than the samples taken from patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, making it far more contagious., according to an article published in the journal Virological.

(With inputs from agencies)

The World Health Organization reported that the Delta variant is causing a surge in coronavirus outbreaks, triggering a "fourth wave" in the Middle East where vaccination rates are low.

The World Health Organization reported that the Delta variant is causing a surge in coronavirus outbreaks, triggering a "fourth wave" in the Middle East where vaccination rates are low. From Morocco to Pakistan, 15 of the 22 territories and countries under the purview of the global health body have been infected with the highly transmissible strain. Also read | Coronavirus deaths surge by 21% , cases can exceed 200 million in two weeks: WHO "The circulation of the Delta variant is fuelling the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in an increasing number of countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region," it said in a statement. Comparing last month to the previous month, infection rates soared by 55 per cent, while mortality rates surged by 15 per cent. Weekly, the number of cases has exceeded 310,000 and the death toll has reached 3,500. The WHO noted that the Delta variant was quickly becoming "the dominant strain" in the region due to its rapid spread. Also read | Delta variant now in three Chinese provinces Among the newly hospitalized and newly diagnosed are many people unvaccinated against COVID-19. In this region, the virus is approaching its fourth wave, noted Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region director. As of the last week of July, the WHO reports that only 41 million people, or merely 5.5 per cent of the region's population, were fully vaccinated. The regional healthcare system has been forced to stretch its resources due to a critical shortage of oxygen tanks and intensive care beds. North African countries like Tunisia, which have seen the most COVID-19 deaths, are struggling with containing the outbreak. The amount of virus found in the first samples of Delta variant patients was 1,000 times higher than the samples taken from patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, making it far more contagious., according to an article published in the journal Virological. (With inputs from agencies)

World Health Organization blames Delta variant for Middle East virus surge

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