Tag: Coronavirus

National Viral

PM Modi’s Will Address The Nation On COVID-19 Outbreak

HT News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss the coronavirus outbreak and the steps taken to combat its further spread during his address to the nation at 8 pm today. He took the decision after chairing a high-level meeting to review the efforts to contain COVID-19.

PM Modi’s address to the nation

India has over 150 coronavirus cases and three deaths – Delhi, Mumbai and Karnataka. The government has decided to spread awareness about the issue and sensitize the people.

Result of the meeting

The participants discussed ways to strengthen the preparedness to battle the outbreak. It also included increasing the testing facilities. The government is seriously considering involving private laboratories in its efforts. The Health Ministry said that the situation was evolving and that the government was ready for every eventuality.

Indian Council for Medical Research (ICRM) is the nodal agency responsible for monitoring the preparedness for battling COVID-19. It has been directed to look for ways to involve private laboratories for boosting testing facilities.

Also, the government is trying to spread awareness in public and educate them about advantages social distancing in fighting with coronavirus. It is the only way of breaking the viral chain of transmission.

Steps taken to strengthen the preparedness

Various state governments have cancelled big ticket events including IPL; shut educational institutions, malls and multiplexes and banned big gatherings to initiate social distancing. The central government has shut down all national parks, museums and monuments. Private companies have allowed their employees … Read the rest

Viral

How to stay safe from COVID-19?

HT News

Together with China, India is also suffering from novel coronavirus. After China, the virus is wreaking havoc in different parts of the globe. However, it is under control in India right now and the stakeholders are spreading awareness about COVID-19. But there are more rumours than information.

Things to do to prevent coronavirus

• Practice personal hygiene

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub

• Keep washing hands even when they look clean

• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or tissue paper while coughing and sneezing

• Dispose off the used tissue safely

• Maintain a safe distance(1 meter/3 feet) from others especially those with flu-like symptoms

• Sneeze on the inner-side of the elbow and not on palms

• Monitor your body temperature and respiratory symptoms especially when feeling unwell. Wear a face mask while visiting a doctor

What not to do with coronavirus

• Avoid shaking hands

• Stay away, if you have flu-like symptoms

• Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth

• Don’t sneeze or cough on your palms

• Don’t spit at public places

• Avoid unnecessary travel especially in affected areas

• Neither sit in groups nor participate in events

• Don’t spread rumours

Coronavirus status in India

There are total of 166 coronavirus cases in India. So far, Maharashtra has received highest number of cases followed by Kerala. Also, 4 cases are reported from Noida in Delhi NCR. The government has ordered closure of schools and colleges till further notice to contain coronavirus.

Source: https://bit.ly/2U0q94Z

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Viral

West Bengal Reporting First COVID-19 Case Takes Total Tally To 142

HT News

After 142 coronavirus cases and 3 deaths, the government has stopped people coming from infected nations including European Union, Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan. Also, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has started exploring possibility of testing people with no travel history. ICMR is also considering including private laboratories for mass testing.

Highlights of the story

• West Bengal got its first COVID-19 case when a man arrived from England was tested positive in Kolkata airport. He was immediately admitted to infectious diseases hospital.

• Maharashtra with 39 COVID-19 cases is still the worst hit state in India.

• The man who died in Mumbai recently came from Dubai on March 5. He was admitted to a private hospital for respiratory problems but test positive for coronavirus. His wife is also infected with virus but she is stable.

• In Noida, two more people are tested positive for coronavirus. In Ladakh, three more coronavirus patients took the toll to 6.

• Presently people with a travel history to infected countries are tested for COVID-19 due to limited testing facility. But there is a loud cry to test everyone with coronavirus symptoms. South Korea showed by aggressive testing can help control COVID-19.

• ICMR director told that they weren’t averse to private labs testing COVID-19 and that they were making safety rules to allow private labs in mass testing.

• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned of economic devastation in the next six months due to coronavirus.

• Kerala government launched a mass hand washing campaign named “break the chain”.

• The World Health Organization appreciated India’s response and commitment to control COVID-19.

Source: https://bit.ly/3d7i6e9

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Viral

British Study Predicts 22 Million Dying Of Coronavirus In US And 5 Million In Britain

HT News

A crucial projection study by Neil Ferguson, a professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London prompted the British government to impose more stringent measures to contain COVID-19 outbreak.

Study on COVID-19

The study compares the coronavirus epidemic with the devastating flue of 1918 and draws strong parallels between the two outbreaks. The report paints a worse picture of COVID-19. Based on data collected from Italy that is the worst hit country after China, the report predicts about half a million deaths in Britain and 2.2 million in the US, if no mitigating measures are taken at all.

The report further says that even the government’s previous measures – home isolation of suspects – could result in 250,000 deaths and the health system crumbling under the pressure. But the new measures by the British government could flatten the peak.

Britain announces new measures to curb COVID-19

Prime Minister Boris Johnson closed down social life to save the world’s fifth largest economy from the outbreak. Also, people over 70-years with health issues are advised to go in isolation. People are advised to follow social distancing by avoiding clubs, pubs and theaters.

The study helped the British government changed its position on the outbreak. Those in the government said that it had acted on the advice of the experts.

British government criticized

Earlier the government was criticized for not taking swift actions to contain the spread of COVId-19. Some health experts said that Italy, Spain and France were taking better lock-down measures in comparison to Britain.

Source: https://bit.ly/2IYqYFi

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Viral

What Are Different Stages Of Coronavirus Outbreak?

HT News

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that India was at the second stage of coronavirus pandemic. At this stage, there’s no fear of community transmission.

Stage 2 of coronavirus outbreak

ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava explained that India was on Stage 2 of the outbreak and not on Stage 3 where there was fear of community outbreak. Also, Mr. Bhargava hoped that Stage 3 would never arrive in India.

He further said that preventing the outbreak from reaching to Stage 3 depended on India’s response like closing borders and proactive stage. But he said that it was difficult to say that community transmission won’t happen.

Different stages of an outbreak

Stage 1: Transmission is imported from foreign nations through air traffic.

Stage 2: Local transmission starts after people start coming into contact with affected persons. For example, family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues of infected persons are tested positive for the infection.

In local transmission, the virus spread remains limited to certain pockets. Since its source is visible, it is easier to contain the virus at this level as opposed to community transmission.

Stage 3: It is the stage of community transmission where people start getting infection even without coming into contact with infected persons or getting exposed to infection.

At this stage, it becomes very difficult to track source of infection. Italy and Spain are in the Stage 3 of coronavirus spread.

Stage 4: It is the worst stage where disease becomes an endemic and there seems no end point. China is at the Stage 4 of COVID-19.

Source: https://bit.ly/2vBialG

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Viral

Trial Of Coronavirus Vaccine Begins In US

HT News

US health officials made an announcement about start of the first human trial of a candidate vaccine against the new coronavirus in Seattle. This test is a ray of hope in the global fight against the disease.

But the vaccine has to pass more trials in phases before it is termed safe and it could take from 12 to 18 months before it is made available for public.

COVID-19 vaccine

US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with Cambridge, Massachusetts based biotechnology company Modern has been developing a vaccine called mRNA-1273 to defeat COVID-19.

The trial involves 45 healthy adult volunteers between the age group of 18 to 55 years. They will be kept under observation for a period of 6 weeks and the trail on the first volunteer would start on Wednesday. Funding for the trial was provided by the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

COVID-19 has already infected more than 175,000 people and claimed over 7,000 lives so far. But there is no approved vaccine for this infection. Head of infectious diseases at the NIH said that finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection was an urgent public health priority.

The Moderna vaccine will use a messenger RNA that contains the genetic information of the spike. The messenger will grow the spike inside the human body and elicit response without actually infecting a person with the full-blown virus. US-based Gilead Sciences has already developed an antiviral treatment called remdesivir and it is in the final stages of developing the vaccine.

Source: https://bit.ly/3b1BffO

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Viral

Canadian PM Announces Shutdown From Quarantine

HT News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada was closing its borders to most foreigners except for Americans. Stay home as much as possible advised Justin. The Canadian PM and his family are under isolation after his wife Sophie tested positive for COVID-19.

Canada takes strict measure

The move comes after the number of coronavirus cases in Canada jumped from a few dozen two weeks ago to more than 400 and four deaths. Earlier the virus was traced to foreign travels but today local transmission of the virus is also traced.

Exemptions to US

Justin said that US citizens were exempted because Canada had high level of integration of the two economies and the coordination that they had. Also, the exemptions are provided to air crews, diplomats and immediate family members of Canadian citizens. Also, truck drivers that make regular deliveries across Canada borders. Also, the government will help its citizens that are stranded overseas because they are suspect.

Continental response

The measure is called continental response to the deadly outbreak. The Transport Minister Marc Garneau told that the measure would take effect starting midday on Wednesday. And the response integrates critical supply chains to continue supply of food and essential goods that Canadians need in their daily life.

Canada has begun to shut down after the announcement. Everything including courthouses to gyms and from restaurants to schools, every business is shutting down. Airlines are directed to Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver that have good public screening methods.

Source: https://bit.ly/2xOCTTT

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Viral

Coronavirus Infects Spreads To Uttarakhand

HT News

The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 110 that includes 17 foreigners – 16 Italian tourists and a Canadian. Uttarakhand reported its first case of COVID-19 on Sunday. The number of people died due to coronavirus is two – one each from Delhi and Karnataka.

Coronavirus spread in the country

With 32 positive cases, Maharashtra has the highest number of COVID-19cases in the country. Kerala has recorded 22 cases and it includes three patients that were discharged last month. Uttar Pradesh has 12 coronavirus patients and Delhi has 7. Ladakh has 3 patients of coronavirus and Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana have two each. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each.

Steps taken to contain the virus

According to health ministry data, 12,76,046 passengers have been screened at 30 designated airports. The government has traced the 4,000 people that came into contact with 93 COVID-19 patients. Also, there are 42,000 people under community surveillance.

The data further says that are sufficient personal protective equipment (PPEs). Also, that over 80,50,000 N95 masks and PPEs have been procured for health workers.

The government said that there was little need to panic because it wasn’t a community transmission. The infection had been tracked and there had been only a few cases of local transmission. It further said that it wasn’t a health emergency in India.

It also clarified that the suspected case of COVID-19, a 71-year man in Maharashtra, was tested negative. He returned from Saudi Arabia recently and died in a private hospital.

Source: https://bit.ly/2TThtND

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International

US Summoned Chinese Ambassador Over His Tween On US Army’s Role In Coronavirus

HT News

Taking serious note of a senior Chinese official tweeting that the US military started the COVID-19 pandemic, the US on Friday summoned China’s ambassador, Cui Tiankai. Also, the top US diplomat for Asia, David Stilwell, made a stern presentation to Cui.

US sent summon to China

The China was trying to deflect criticism its role in starting a global pandemic and not telling the world, said a State Department official. He further said that spreading conspiracy theories was dangerous and that they won’t tolerate that for the good of Chinese people and the world.

Tweet of Chinese official

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted that patient zero in the global pandemic might have come from the United States – not the Chinese metropolis Wuhan that was the epicenter of the pandemic.

Tweeting in both Mandarin and English, he said that it might be the US army that brought the epidemic to Wuhan. He further asked US to make its data public to be transparent. But Zhao has a history of making provocative statements on social media.

Cui’s response to US

Ambassador Cui Tiankai is known for his diplomatic approach that is in stark contrast with Zhao. The ambassador said that the China looked forward to work closely with the US to fight COVID-19 for a secure future.

Conspiracy theories

Earlier there was a theory that Russia had systematically spread disinformation that US was behind the coronavirus in an effort to damage US reputation. Similarly, Iran’s firebrand former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, asked WHO to investigate why adversaries of US are hardest hit with virus.

Source: https://bit.ly/3cRPjtY

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International

COVID-19 Is A National Emergency In US

HT News

US President Donald Trump declared coronavirus a national emergency and free up $50 billion in federal funds to vastly ramp the testing facility to battle against the outbreak. He said that he was declaring a national emergency to unleash the full power of the federal government.

Donald Trump on battling COVID-19

He said that the next eight weeks were crucial but he was hopeful of winning the battle. The all US States are asked to set emergency centers. Also, the federal government will partner with private companies to accelerate production of test kits for coronavirus.

Trump also asked every hospital to activate emergency preparedness plan to provide medical assistance to Americans everywhere. He said that the government would remove every obstacle to deliver the care the Americans are entitled to.

The US health secretary also got new authority to waive a series of regulations like telemedicine and allowing medical facilities to bring more staff.

US authorities were criticized

The authorities were facing criticism over lack of test kits that allowed the virus to take the country into its grip. Earlier the Trump administration announced that it was funding $1.3 billion in two labs that would develop the kits that give authentic results in one hour. These firms are DiaSorin Molecular of California and QIAGEN of Maryland.

Meanwhile the US Food and Drug Administration has already given green signal to Swiss Pharmaceutical giant Roche to develop a faster COVID-19 kit. Also, Roche has promised that half of the kits would be available early next week.

Source: https://bit.ly/3aZAmV7

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