Omicron Coronavirus India Live News, Coronavirus Vaccination Statistics and Registration Latest Updates, Covid-19 Cases and Deaths in India Recent Updates, Covid-19 Restrictions March 2nd Live Updates:
People who are Covid-19 positive may have several variants of the virus hidden from the immune system in different parts of the body, according to the findings of two studies, reported PTI. According to PTI, the studies demonstrate how the virus can evolve distinctly in different cell types, and adapt its immunity, in the same infected host. The studies are published in the journal Nature Communications.
Internationally, US President Joe Biden has launched a new initiative that will allow Americans to get tested for Coronavirus at a pharmacy and if tested positive, they can immediately receive free antiviral pills. Biden made the announcement during his State of the Union speech. The President also urged his countrymen to prepare for new Covid variants in future. “We must prepare for new variants. Over the past year, we’ve gotten much better at detecting new variants. If necessary, we’ll be able to deploy new vaccines within 100 days instead of many more months or years,” Biden said, reported PTI.
India, on the other hand, is slowly going restriction free and opening up its cities, schools, gyms, parks, and cinemas. After a hiatus of months, life seems to be back to normal with many offices also resuming pre-Covid mandatory in-person attendance. But is it too soon? After the IIT-Kanpur study, now a BHU expert has said that authorities should wait till May before they decide to lift all the coronavirus restrictions. Prof Anil Kumar Gulati, former head of the microbiology department at Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU said that the virus is and will remain in circulation. Hence the chance of mutation are very much there. Though he doesn’t expect any rerun of the Delta variant, Prof Gulati feels that officials should wait before taking any drastic measure.
Meanwhile, India recorded 7,554 new Covid-19 cases, 223 deaths and and 14,123 recoveries, according to the official data shared by the Union Ministry of Health on Wednesday morning. The country’s active caseload stands at 85,680.
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Coronavirus Omicron Live News:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announces further relaxations in COVID-19 restrictions, with effect from 3rd March. 500 people to be allowed at weddings & other related events; 250 people can take part in funerals and other related events. (ANI)
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government's decision to continue with a rule making full vaccination mandatory for using public transport, including local trains, violated the fundamental rights. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik said the high court should have extended its `suo motu jurisdiction' (power to act on its own) and struck down several Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the state. – PTI
The number of new coronavirus cases reported globally dropped by 16% last week, marking a month-long decline in COVID-19 infections, according to figures from the World Health Organisation. In its weekly report on the pandemic issued late Tuesday, the U.N. health agency also said that deaths fell by 10%, continuing a drop in fatalities first seen last week. WHO said there were more than 10 million new cases and about 60,000 deaths globally. (AP)
Meghalaya on Wednesday recorded 19 new cases, one less than the previous day, pushing the tally to 93,516, a senior health department official said. Health Services Director Dr Aman War said the COVID-19 death toll rose to 1,580 as two more persons succumbed to the infection. Meghalaya now has 158 active Covid-19 cases, while 91,778 people have recovered from the disease, War said. Of the 19 new cases, eight were reported from East Khasi Hills district, six from Ri Bhoi and one each from East Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills district respectively. The state has tested over 13.61 lakh samples for COVID-19 till date, he said. A total of 23.55 lakh people have been inoculated in the state, War said. (PTI)
Any decision to impose a COVID-19 lockdown in Hong Kong will take into account the global financial hub's status and ensure basic needs, the government said on Wednesday, urging anxious residents who thronged supermarkets this week to stay calm. Authorities reported a new daily record of 55,353 new infections, with 117 deaths in the Chinese-ruled city. Infections have surged more than 500 times from about 100 cases a day at the beginning of February. The government said it was still planning and “refining” a compulsory mass COVID-19 testing scheme, details of which will be revealed once confirmed. The government would “safeguard the status of Hong Kong as a financial centre when implementing the Compulsory Universal Testing scheme (CUT)”, it said. (Reuters)
Odisha on Wednesday recorded its lowest daily spike in COVID-19 cases in two months as 143 more people, including 28 children, tested positive for the infection, taking the state's caseload to 12,85,349, a health bulletin said. Six more people succumbed to the infection, pushing the state's coronavirus death toll to 9,085, it said. The daily positivity rate was at 0.28 per cent as 50,481 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. (PTI)
Puducherry witnessed a further dip in new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday with only five people reported to have contracted the infection. In a press release, Director of Health G Sriramulu said the overall case tally shot up to 1,65,731 in the Union Territory. While Puducherry district registered three new cases, Karaikal and Yanam regions reported one case each. Mahe, an enclave of the UT in Kerala, had no fresh case, the Director said. (PTI)
The international reputation of Hong Kong as a financial hub has been “very damaged”, prominent businessman and government adviser Allan Zeman said on Wednesday, as authorities' confusing messages over their coronavirus strategy spread alarm. The unusually critical comments by a pro-Beijing businessman come amid fears of a citywide lockdown and uncertainty regarding plans to test 7.4 million residents for the virus, which sparked an exodus of people last month. (Reuters)
Ladakh reported 29 fresh Covid cases that took the infection tally to 28,045, officials said on Wednesday. The number of active cases stands at 144, they said. The Union Territory has recorded 228 Covid-related deaths — 168 in Leh and 60 in Kargil, they said, adding no death was reported on Tuesday. As many as 35 patients — 32 in Leh and three in Kargil — were cured and discharged from hospitals, taking the overall recoveries to 27,673, they said. All the new cases were reported from Leh district, officials said. A total of 623 sample reports were found negative in Ladakh, they said. All the 144 active cases are from Leh district, they added. (PTI)
➡️ More than 177.70 Cr vaccine doses provided to States/UTs.
➡️ More than 14.45 Cr doses still available with States/UTs to be administered.https://t.co/NBfjJcKZhopic.twitter.com/6yCUCLcPd2
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 2, 2022
Almost two years after India went into the world's biggest lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19, students headed back to school in Maharashtra state on Wednesday, a sign of normal life resuming as infection rates fall. India's daily coronavirus infections rose by less than 10,000 for a third straight day on Wednesday, a level last seen in late December before the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, data from the health ministry showed. Last week, Maharashtra state minister Aaditya Thackeray said schools in the state's largest city, Mumbai, would resume pre-COVID attendance, reinstating all activities in view of declining cases. “Essentially it is more to do with the kind of severity India has seen, both amongst adults and children infected with the Omicron variant,” said Uma Chandra Mouli Natchu, a professor of infectious diseases at St John's Research Institute in Bengaluru. (Reuters)
Japan prepared on Wednesday to extend infection controls in some regions amid high numbers of hospital patients hit by the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The central government has received requests from five prefectures, including Osaka and Kyoto in western Japan, to extend measures set to expire on Sunday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. (Reuters)
Hong Kong's ambition to become a hub for green and sustainable business is under threat as the city persists with stringent COVID-19 border controls, making it tougher for financial institutions to attract sector specialists. Bankers and advisors said the risks of Beijing's “zero-COVID” policy, which has already led to a broader talent crunch in the Chinese territory, are growing as most other countries significantly ease restrictions introduced to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Flight bans, lengthy and costly quarantine requirements, limited access to public services and the threat of families being separated should one member test positive for the virus have all spooked potential talent. (Reuters)
Single-day COVID-19 recoveries outnumbered fresh cases in Arunachal Pradesh, as 47 more people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, while 12 new infections were reported, a health department official said here on Wednesday. The fresh cases pushed the virus tally in the northeastern state to 64,439, he said. The COVID-19 death toll in the northeastern state remained at 296, as no fresh fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. (PTI)
➡️ Over 76.91 Cr COVID Tests conducted so far.
➡️ Weekly Positivity Rate currently at 1.06%.
➡️ Daily Positivity Rate stands at 0.96%. pic.twitter.com/8TX3jaIv6I
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 2, 2022
➡️ India’s Cumulative #covid19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 177.79 Cr (1,77,79,92,977).
➡️ More than 8 Lakh doses administered in the last 24 hours.
➡️ More than 2 Cr Precaution Doses administered so far. https://t.co/s8j7TOuBqx pic.twitter.com/XcsnszTTE0
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 2, 2022
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 10,019 on Wednesday as two more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said. The Union territory now has eight active cases, while 9,882 people have recovered from the disease so far, including three in the last 24 hours, it said. The coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 129 as no fresh fatality was recorded. The administration has thus far tested over seven lakh samples for COVID-19, and fully vaccinated 3.02 lakh people. (PTI)
Visuals from Andhra Education Society in Wadala pic.twitter.com/LmKYw56ENh
— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2022
The Biden administration will announce on Wednesday a national preparedness plan for COVID-19, mapping out how “to move forward safely and get back to our more normal routines,” the White House said in a statement. To be unveiled by top White House COVID-19 advisers including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the plan comes as coronavirus infections decline in the United States and masking and social distancing guidelines are eased. “We've reached a new moment in the fight against COVID-19 where severe cases are down to a level not seen since July of last year,” President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday night. (Reuters)
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday said his administration has launched a new initiative that will allow Americans to get tested for COVID-19 at a pharmacy and immediately receive free pills if they test positive. “We're launching the “Test to Treat” initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they're positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot, at no cost,” Biden said during his State of the Union speech. The United States has ordered more of these treatments than any other country in the world, Biden said, adding Pfizer Inc will offer the U.S. 1 million pills in March and more than double that in April. (Reuters)
With the addition of 30 coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra increased to 7,08,332, an official said on Wednesday. These cases were reported on Tuesday, he said. As the virus claimed the life of one person, the death toll in the district went up to 11,876. Thane's COVID-19 mortality rate is 1.67 per cent, he added. In neighbouring Palghar district, the caseload grew to 1,63,392, while the death toll is 3,392, another official said. (PTI)
The Utah House of Representatives approved new rules on Tuesday that limit where members of the press can film and interview lawmakers, following similar action taken by the Utah Senate two weeks ago. The rules extend pandemic-era restrictions on when journalists can report from the floors of state legislative chambers. Journalists covering the Utah Legislature must now ask for permission to interview lawmakers on the floor of the House of Representatives and other restricted areas. TV reporters must ask committee chairs for permission to film speakers and crowds from behind the dais where lawmakers sit in committee hearings. (AP)
Wearing riot gear and using pepper spray, New Zealand police on Wednesday moved in on the hundreds of protesters who have been camped outside the nation's Parliament for more than three weeks. It was the most significant use of force yet by authorities against the protesters, who oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates. Police also began towing some of the 300 or so cars, vans and trucks that protesters have used to block streets in the area. (Ap)
We’re launching the COVID19 “Test to Treat” initiative, so people can get tested at a pharmacy and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost: US President Joe Biden (ANI)
Hawaii plans to lift its COVID-19 quarantine requirement for travellers this month, meaning that starting on March 26 those arriving from other places in the US won't have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to avoid sequestering themselves for five days. Hawaii is the only US state to implement a coronavirus quarantine program of this kind. Gov. David Ige said at a news conference the requirement saved lives and was a major factor in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the islands. Hawaii has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the nation. (AP)
