WORLDWIDE SPREAD BA.2 has been found in more than 80 countries and all 50 U.S. states. In a recent report, the WHO said BA.2 was dominant in 18 countries and it represented about 36% of sequenced omicron cases submitted in the most recent week to a publicly available international database where scientists share coronavirus data.

That's up from 19% two weeks earlier. In the United States, BA.2 caused about 4% of COVID cases during the week ending Feb. 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The percentage was lower in some regions and higher in others – hitting about 7% in New England. WHAT’S KNOWN BA.2 has lots of mutations.

It's been dubbed “stealth" because it lacks a genetic quirk of the original omicron that allowed health officials to rapidly differentiate it from delta using a certain PCR test.

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Maharashtra's declining trend in Covid cases continue, active tally at 6,663

MUMBAI :

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COVID Vaccine: Over 177.67 crore doses administered in India so far

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Delhi reports 258 fresh COVID cases in 24 hrs; positivity rate drops to 0.71%

₹500 from ₹2,000 earlier. However, the government has advised people to be more responsible and wear masks whenever they go outside.

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Odisha relaxes Covid curbs, bans Holi celebrations in public. Details

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Ontario COVID numbers: 849 people in hospital, 279 in intensive care

COVID on Monday with 279 in intensive care units as numbers continue to trend downward.This is up by seven hospitalizations but a decrease of two for ICUs since the previous day, though officials noted not all hospitals reported updated figures due to the weekend.Last Monday, there were 1,064 hospitalizations with 320 in ICU.The province recently began distinguishing between those who were admitted to hospital directly because of COVID, and those who were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for the virus.Those figures aren’t updated on Mondays due to incomplete data reporting from hospitals over the weekend.However, latest figures from last week show roughly 54 per cent of those hospitalized with COVID were admitted for other reasons. Of those in intensive care with the virus, roughly 18 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

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Target could raise workers pay up to $24 an hour this year

FILE PHOTO-A we're-hiring sign is posted outside of a Target store in Sausalito, California in 2019. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) NEW YORK - Workers at Target stores and distribution centers in places like New York, where competition for finding and hiring staff is the fiercest, could see starting wages as high as $24 an hour this year.The Minneapolis-based discount retailer said Monday that it will adopt minimum wages that range from $15 to $24 an hour, with the highest pay going to hires in the most competitive markets.

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UN report on climate change: Urgent action needed to secure a 'liveable' future

UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report said Monday if human-caused global warming isn’t limited to just another couple tenths of a degree, an Earth now struck regularly by deadly heat, fires, floods and drought in future decades will degrade in 127 ways with some being "potentially irreversible.""The cumulative scientific evidence is unequivocal: Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health," says the major report designed to guide world leaders in their efforts to curb climate change. Delaying cuts in heat-trapping carbon emissions and waiting on adapting to warming's impacts, it warns, "will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all."Today’s children who may still be alive in the year 2100 are going to experience four times more climate extremes than they do now even with only a few more tenths of a degree of warming over today's heat.

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COVID can cause severe heart diseases: Watch out for these 4 early symptoms

COVID, we usually refer to respiratory diseases. But recent studies have shown the virus can affect us in more ways than what we already know. Coronavirus can affect every organ of your body causing serious health issues like heart attack and stroke. Read here to understand how the virus is affecting your heart health, how severe it can be and also what are the common symptoms.

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This Morning fans urge Holly Willoughby to 'lick Phil's face' as Covid rules end

This Morning fans were not about to let Holly Willoughby off the hook with a past promise she'd made about "licking" Phillip Schofield's face when Covid-19 restrictions had ended. On Monday's show (February 28), the pair rubbed shoulders for the first time in ages as coronavirus restrictions across the UK were lifted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week.

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Steven Bartlett defends Matt Hancock podcast as former health secretary addresses pandemic, No 10 parties and Dominic Cummings

his interview with Matt Hancock, insisting he’ll decide who does and does not appear on his podcast Diary Of A CEO.Today the anticipated interview with Hancock landed, which Bartlett previously said became ‘heated’ in parts as the former Health Secretary was grilled on his exit from the cabinet after being accused of breaking his own social distancing rules amid the pandemic in 2022.The MP stepped down from the front bench in June last year after leaked CCTV showed the then-married Hancock embracing and kissing advisor Gina Coledangelo, who was also married, in his office.Amid criticism of Hancock’s appearance on the podcast, in part owing to the fact he’s not a CEO, Bartlett today insisted it’s up to the audience whether they listen or not and that most of his guests aren’t CEOs, despite the podcast’s title.At the time the episode was teased, some had asked what Hancock was the CEO of, while others questioned why he was being given such a platform in which to attempt ‘reputation rehabilitation’.Flagging the episode, Bartlett began on Monday: ‘This is the first long-form interview @MattHancock has given since resigning as Health Secretary.

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What are the new Covid rules in Scotland? Two major changes today explained

A number of important Covid rule changes come into force in Scotland today.

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Is Covid 4th wave coming? IIT Kanpur scientists design model on next coronavirus peak, new variants

COVID wave is likely to hit India around mid to late June and it is likely to peak in August, a recent study by a team of Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur suggested. They further added that the fourth wave of the coronavirus is likely to continue for the next four months. Speaking about the severity of the infection, the team said that will depend on the coronavirus variant and the vaccination status across the country.

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BLACKPINK member Rosé diagnosed with COVID-19

Rosé of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has tested positive for COVID-19.Today (February 28), YG Entertainment shared in an official statement to Star News that the Korean-Australian musician has tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of a flight she had scheduled later the same day. The agency added that Rosé is currently asymptomatic.According to YG Entertainment, the singer had taken a PCR test prior to departure, and later received a positive result.

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India's Covid caseload surges to 4.29 crore; death toll climbs to 5,13,843

Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

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How to prepare kids for a post-pandemic life

The transition will include removal of masks and social distancing rules, something many parents are nervous about. Sharmeen Somani spoke with some experts and tells us how we can prepare our kids for a return to normal life.

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From fines on mask to metro travel, Delhi relaxes slew of Covid curbs from today; All you need to know

Delhi metro and trains. Besides, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has said that there will be no penalty on people travelling in private vehicles without the mask.

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10.8 million rapid antigen tests arrive; 14,633 community cases of COVID-19; 344 in hospital; 5 in ICU

Since Friday, 10.8 million Rapid Antigen Tests have arrived in the country. This follows 5.2 million that landed on Thursday.

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Eddie Vedder Says His COVID-19 Case Was ‘Pretty Serious’, Calls Return To Performing ‘A Gift’

Eddie Vedder is “grateful” to be back on stage after recovering from what he calls a “pretty serious” bout of COVID-19.

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Covid-19 restrictions: This state allows full occupancy at theatres, bars, clubs, hotels

Covid-19 cases, the Kerala government on Sunday lifted certain restrictions in the state and decided to allow 100% occupancy in theatres. The state government allowed bars, hotels, restaurants and theatres to function with full occupancy, in its order.

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COVID-19: Quebec reports 5 more deaths as hospitalizations continue to drop

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Businesses ready to do away with N.B. COVID mandates, says Restaurants Canada

New Brunswick lifting provincial vaccination requirements at businesses like restaurants, gyms and salons at 12:01 Monday morning, it’s going to be a more “normal” day than many have seen since last summer.For spots like Rocky’s Sports Bar in Saint John, it might mean seeing some more customers, too.“Proof of vaccination definitely limits the amount of customers we can host in an evening or in a day,” says owner Moe Arsenault.“It’s been a challenge, as everything in COVID has been for everybody.”Arsenault says he’s lost some regulars since proof of vaccination has been required at New Brunswick eateries in September.“It has been a deterrent for some consumers, for sure,” he says. New Brunswick lifting all COVID-19 restrictions March 14, proof of vaccination ending Feb.

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Kerala eases Covid curbs, allows full occupancy in theatres, restaurants, bars. Details here

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM :

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Millions of Biden's free COVID at-home tests still unclaimed

WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly half of the 500 million free COVID-19 tests the Biden administration recently made available to the public still have not been claimed as virus cases plummet and people feel less urgency to test.Wild demand swings have been a subplot in the pandemic, from vaccines to hand sanitizer, along with tests. On the first day of the White House test giveaway in January, COVIDtests.gov received over 45 million orders. Now officials say fewer than 100,000 orders a day are coming in for the packages of four free rapid tests per household, delivered by the U.S.

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Ontario reports 842 in hospital with COVID-19, 281 in intensive care

Ontario hospital with COVID-19 on Sunday, as the province continues to work to control the ongoing pandemic.The latest data released by the province also said 281 people were receiving care in an intensive care unit (ICU). Ontario reports 1,024 in hospital with COVID-19, 284 in intensive care The numbers reflect a drop in both hospitalizations and ICU admissions from numbers provided by the province on Saturday, when 1,024 people were in hospital and 284 were in intensive care.842 people are hospitalized with #COVID19.

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Maharashtra sees further decline in new Covid-19 cases, active tally drop to 7,228

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Patti LuPone Tests Positive for COVID-19 & Will Miss 'Company' Performances

Patti LuPone has tested positive for COVID-19.

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Delhi: New Covid cases, deaths rise; positivity rate also up. Details here

Covid-19 cases in the past few days, Delhi recorded a slight increase in daily new cases as 484 new COVID19 infections today. The active cases in Delhi stood at 2,086, while the case positivity rate also rose to 0.95 per cent from 0.83 per cent on Saturday, the mega city's health department data shows.

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Was China's Huanan market epicentre of Covid start? WHO's top scientist answers

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Hong Kong’s covid-19 regime sparks rush for exit by spooked residents

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All Covid curbs lifted; here's what changes in Delhi from tomorrow

Covid-19 lifts night curfew:

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India's 4th COVID wave in June: IIT Kanpur scientists predicts duration, peak, severity of next variant

covid wave in mid to late June, and the surge is to continue for about 4 months, a recent study by a team of IIT Kanpur scientists has suggested. The severity, however, will depend on the nature of the variant, the vaccination status across the country.

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Queen's battle with Covid has Royal Family 'holding their breath', says insider

Royal Family are 'terrified' and 'holding their breath' over the Queen's Covid struggles.The 95-year-old monarch tested positive for the virus last week and has not been seen in public since.In that time, the Queen's virtual engagements were also all postponed while she fought off the virus, something that a source close to the family says has left Royals deeply worried.Speaking to OK magazine, a source close to the family said that the Queen may have been diagnosed with Covid at the worst possible time. They said: “Everyone in the family is praying that Her Majesty is going to be okay.

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Good news on Omicron: Subvariant BA.2 unlikely to cause another COVID surge. Experts explain why

Omicron, a new study has revealed that those who have been infected with COVID subvariant BA.1 are less likely to get infected with BA.2. subvariant. This is because BA.1 version of the Omicron coronavirus variant provides strong protection against the latter. The study also indicates that widely circulating BA.2 is unlikely to cause a major wave of infections in countries that have already witnessed an Omicron peak led by the previously identified subvariant.

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Saturday Night Takeaway's Ant & Dec announce important mental health campaign milestone on the show

Saturday Night Takeaway. ITV launched the campaign in 2019 on Britain's Got Talent by pausing the show for 60 seconds, encouraging people to start a conversation with a loved one.

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Covid-19 update: India logs 10,273 fresh Covid-19 cases, 243 deaths in last 24 hours

#COVID19 cases, 20,439 recoveries, and 243 deaths in the last 24 hours.Active case: 1,11,472 (0.26%)Daily positivity rate: 1.00%Total recoveries: 4,22,90,921Death toll: 5,13,724 Total vaccination: 1,77,44,08,129 pic.twitter.com/Qtyuy9lm72

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Declining cases of Covid-19 and Omicron signal the end of pandemic? Expert speaks

covid cases are on a decline, all are thinking is it the indicator of the end of this pandemic? Will this pandemic end now or if not now when is it going to end? Seeing the waning cases, countries have started opening up their borders and relaxing curbs that were in force to contain the spread of the virus.

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Fully Vaccinated travellers exempted from COVID test

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Director-General of Health Services has announced that fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the country are exempted of a pre-departure COVID-19 test.This measure will come into effect from the 1st of March 2022.Read the latest guidelines for travellers below :

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Delhi Metro: Standing passengers allowed from tomorrow as all covid curbs lifted

Covid-19 cases, the Delhi Metro will allow passengers in standing position in trains from Monday onwards.

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70% of eligible Kiwis boosted; 14,941 community cases of COVID-19; 305 in hospital; 5 in ICU; 1 death

More than two thirds of eligible New Zealanders have now had their booster, a huge step in the fight against the spread of Omicron in our communities.

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How will Alberta avoid repeating ‘Open for Summer’ COVID-19 case spike?

COVID-19 cases in Alberta grew last year after the province’s Open for Summer restrictions relaxation went into effect. When asked how to avoid a repeat of that situation in 2022, Premier Jason Kenney said the province is looking at data from places where Omicron hit earlier than in Alberta when making decision on moving forward.

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Quebec reports 14 more COVID-19 deaths, another drop in hospitalizations

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Shifting COVID-19 approach from public health restrictions to personal responsibility: Kenney

Premier Jason Kenney said some people will be happy most public health restrictions are ending March 1, while other people will not, and said everyone will have to determine their own risk level and shift focus from a societal approach to personal responsibility when it comes to limits: “We cannot continue on as we have the past two years indefinitely — we are going to break society if we keep doing that.”

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Alberta health minister details which COVID-19 restrictions will end on March 1

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping shares details on the public health restrictions being removed when Alberta moves to Step 2 of its reopening plan come Tuesday, March 1.

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Kenney asks for patience, compassion as Albertans move forward after 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions

After nearly two years of on and off COVID-19 health measures, Premier Jason Kenney said everyone had different levels of comfort when it comes to relaxing restrictions and asked citizens to be patient and compassionate as people make individual choices about things like continuing to wear masks in public.

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Alberta to end most remaining COVID-19 restrictions on March 1

COVID-19 “numbers continue to decline rapidly,” Premier Jason Kenney announced the province will move forward to Step 2 of its reopening plan come Tuesday, March 1.The announcement was made during the official opening ceremony of the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital in northwestern Alberta.Step 2 of the government’s plan to reopen includes:“We are in a position to safely move to Step 2 of our path back to normal and remove the vast majority of remaining public health measures in Alberta,” Kenney said.According to a government news release issued on Feb.

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Covid-19: Hospitalisations down 47, ICU down 4

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has decreased by 47, according to the Department of Health.

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Covid waning, celebrate Mahashivratri, Holi with fervour, MP CM tells people

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Maharashtra records slight dip in daily Covid count, positivity at 1.12%

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United States	Cases: 46 252 513 Deaths: 750 423 Recovered: 0
India	Cases: 34 321 025 Deaths: 459 652 Recovered: 0
Brazil	Cases: 21 835 785 Deaths: 608 235 Recovered: 0
United Kingdom	Cases: 9 215 683 Deaths: 141 607 Recovered: 0
Russia	Cases: 8 494 589 Deaths: 237 619 Recovered: 0

How BA.2 stealth omicron can affect the future of Covid-19 pandemic

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