The World Health Organization says early evidence suggests the Omicron variant is spreading faster than the highly permeable Delta variant, but is associated with less severe coronavirus disease – although it is too early to draw firm conclusions.
Read | Omicron over-blinds immune response, report says
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opinion | Need for a strong citizen registration system
you can track coronavirus Cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and state levels Here, a list of state helpline number also available.
Here are the latest developments,
Karnataka
Karnataka government decides to wait for next one week for new COVID-19 rules
The Karnataka government has decided to adopt a “wait and see” policy to announce a new set of guidelines after technical advisory committee chairman MK Sudarshan, informed officials that the current situation of COVID-19 There is no need to press the panic button as in positive statistics. Cases are less in the state.
A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai discussed in detail the pandemic situation in the state, triggered by cases of Omicron, a new variant of COVID-19.
He said that after looking at the situation in the next one week, new norms for epidemic management would be issued. -Bangalore Bureau
Tamil Nadu
Nine students of Anna University test positive for COVID-19, saturation test being done
Nine out of 300 students subjected to RT-PCR test were found positive for the infection after one person tested positive for COVID-19 at Anna University’s ACTECH campus hostel on Wednesday. Health Minister Ma, all 763 students of the campus are being tested now. Subramaniam said.
“The Greater Chennai Corporation has conducted saturation tests for all the students of the campus after one student tested positive on Wednesday. A total of 300 students were tested out of which nine were found infected and admitted to Government Corona Hospital, Guindy. They are all asymptomatic and doing well,” he told reporters soon after inspecting the university campus on Thursday.
International
Time of day affects immune response to COVID vaccination: Study
According to an observational study, antibody levels were higher when people received the COVID-19 vaccine in the afternoon than in the morning.
Research published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms demonstrates that our internal 24-hour circadian clock controls many aspects of physiology, including infectious disease and response to vaccination. -PTI
National
9,419 fresh Covid infections registered in India, active cases rise to 94,742
With 9,419 more people testing positive for Covid in a day, India’s infections rose to 3,46,66,241, while active cases rose to 94,742, according to data updated by the Union health ministry on Thursday.
The death toll rose to 4,74,111 after 159 fresh people died, showed data updated at 8 am.
The daily increase in new coronavirus infections has been recorded below 10,000 for 13 consecutive days and below 50,000 for 165 consecutive days.
The Health Ministry said that the active cases have risen to 94,742, comprising 0.27% of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.36%, the highest since March 2020. is the most. -PTI
America
US FDA authorizes AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 antibody drug
The US drug regulator said on Wednesday that it has authorized AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail to prevent COVID-19 infection in individuals who have a weakened immune system or a history of serious side effects from coronavirus vaccines.
While vaccines rely on an intact immune system to develop targeted antibodies and infection-fighting cells, AstraZeneca’s therapy Avushield contains lab-designed lab-designed drugs to stay in the body for months to stop the virus in case of infection. manufactured antibodies.
“Vaccines have proven to be the best defense available against COVID-19,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. -Reuters
South Africa
South African regulator approves Pfizer booster vaccine after rise in Covid cases
South Africa has approved the use of Pfizer’s coronavirus booster vaccine for people over the age of 18, amid growing concern after a record nearly 20,000 infections overnight were largely caused by new and highly-mutated omicrons. Responsible for the version.
The South African Health Products Authority (SAHPRA) on 8 December approved the use of Pfizer’s Comirneti® COVID-19 vaccine after BioNTech and Pfizer announced that two doses of their vaccine may not be enough to protect against the Omicron variant. .
International
Pfizer says COVID-19 booster offers protection against Omicron
Pfizer said Wednesday that a booster of its COVID-19 vaccine could provide significant protection against the new Omicron variant, even though the initial two doses appear significantly less effective.
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said that while the two doses may not be strong enough to stop the infection, lab tests showed a 25-fold increase in the level of antibodies capable of fighting Omicron. For those who have not yet received a booster, the companies said two doses could still prevent serious illness or death. -ap
UK
UK PM announces work-at-home, vaccine passports in England
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a tightening of virus restrictions in England on Wednesday as an Omicron-type increase in cases, including guidance on working from home and mandatory vaccine passports.
Johnson said at a briefing that since the rate of omicron cases was doubling every two to three days, it was “a proportionate and responsible thing for England to move to Plan B”.
The prime minister said that as part of the measures, the government is recommending work at home in England from Monday.
He said the government would make it mandatory for the first time in a week to show a Covid vaccine passport in England, while the developed administrations of Scotland and Wales have already taken similar measures.-afp
Karnataka
Confusion over the discharge protocol of Omicron patients
Although three contacts of the 46-year-old Omicron-infected government anesthetist tested negative for COVID-19, twice in a 48-hour period, they were from the state-run Boring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, designated Omicron. Discharge treatment facilities have become a matter of contention between the treating doctors and health officials.
While three doctors, an anaesthetist, a cardiothoracic surgeon and a vascular surgeon, were initially discharged on Tuesday and left the hospital premises, they were asked by the hospital authorities to come back late at night because Their genome sequencing reports have not yet arrived. And, accordingly the doctor returned to the hospital.
China
China approves BRI COVID-19 treatment in adults, adolescents
China’s medical products regulator said on Wednesday that it has approved the use of BRI Biosciences’ neutralizing antibody cocktail for COVID-19, a first-of-its-kind treatment against the virus moving forward in the country .
The combination of BRII-196/BRII-198 showed a 78% reduction in hospitalization and death in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing severe disease in a Phase III clinical trial, Brii said in October.
The National Medical Products Administration said the BRI subsidiary’s drug was approved for the treatment of mild COVID-19 and “common type” of illness, including hospitalizations in adults and minors aged 12-17 years. had a high risk of being admitted or dying. -Reuters
Denmark
Denmark reimposes some COVID-19 restrictions
Denmark will again impose restrictions aimed at halting the rapid spread of COVID-19, including the new Omicron variant, the country’s prime minister said on Wednesday.
The new restrictions include the closure of primary schools from December 15 and restaurants and bars from midnight on Friday. They also encourage Danes to work from home and cancel social gatherings such as Christmas parties.
“It is still our assessment that it is possible to keep large sections of Danish society open, thanks to the great support for vaccines,” Prime Minister Mette Fredriksson said at a news conference. -Reuters
Andhra Pradesh
Omicron threat in Chittoor haunts officials
At a time when the medical and health authorities of Chittoor district were heaving a sigh of relief with “negligible number of daily counts” of COVID cases, the threat of the Omicron variant has once again kept them on their toes. Unlike other districts, the temporary population of pilgrims visiting Tirumala and Srikalahasti has made the work of the authorities difficult.
Senior officials on the duties of the COVID Task Force observed that apart from screening of cases arriving at Tirupati airport, tracing the arrival of passengers going home via trains and road transport after landing in Mumbai or New Delhi was a hefty task. was being proved.
Tamil Nadu
Rapid PCR test fee cut at the airport
Chennai Airport has reduced the prices of Rapid PCR and RT-PCR tests “excluding revenue share”. The new rates were effective from Tuesday. A senior airport official said Hindlabs, which was charging ₹3,400 for the rapid PCR test, will now deposit ₹2,900. Similarly, the rate of RT-PCR test has been reduced from ₹100 to ₹600 per test.
America
US OKs new COVID-19 antibody drug for high-risk patients
Federal health officials on Wednesday authorized a new COVID-19 antibody drug for people with serious health problems or allergies who may not get adequate protection from vaccination.
Antibody drugs have been a standard treatment for COVID-19 infection for more than a year. But the AstraZeneca antibody drug approved Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration is different. It is the first authorized for long-term prevention against COVID-19 infection rather than short-term treatment. ,PTI
Maharashtra
Maharashtra’s first Omicron case patient discharged from hospital after testing negative
The first patient of the Omicron version of coronavirus, residing in Maharashtra’s Thane district, was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday after testing negative for the infection, a civic official said.
The patient, a 33-year-old marine engineer from Kalyan Dombivli municipal area, had arrived at the Delhi airport from South Africa via Dubai in the last week of November.
He had boarded the flight from South Africa on 24 November. On arrival at the New Delhi airport, he was tested for RT-PCR. By the time he reached Mumbai, he was informed by the Delhi airport authorities that he had tested positive for COVID-19. ,PTI
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