India sees 30,615 new cases, 48% rise in Covid deaths in 24 hrs

COVID-19 will be lifted early next month.“On Saturday, Feb. 26, the government will announce a final decision about proceeding to Phase 2 of our plan to lift almost all restrictions on March 1,” Kenney tweeted Monday evening, saying it will be a “prudent decision based on the latest data.”The premier wrote there is “encouraging data” showing a “steep drop” in the Omicron variant wave of the pandemic.

John Mayer‘s touring drummer has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the musician withdrawing from Mayer’s concert in New York last night (February 21).Taking to Twitter, Mayer – sharing a monochrome image of himself facing an empty arena – wrote: “This afternoon, our drummer tested positive for COVID-19. We all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing you all at the show.”This afternoon, our drummer tested positive for COVID-19. Tonight's concert @TheGarden will go on as scheduled, with a very special presentation.

Despite a high COVID-19 infection rate, England is about to ditch the last of its COVID-19 restrictions, in a bid to start living with the virus for good. Redmond Shannon looks at what measures are disappearing, the strategy going forward, and why the rest of the United Kingdom is divided on England’s plan.

After nearly two years of shutting out most tourists due to COVID-19 restrictions, Australia has reopened its borders to fully vaccinated, international travellers.

This could be the last week that many Albertans will need to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic as the province prepares to enter the next stage of its plan to ease public health measures.

John Mayer is about to perform the second of two sold-out shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden as part of his Sob Rock Tour, but the second show is likely going to be a lot different than the first.

The booster rollout continues with more than 27,770 booster doses administered across the motu yesterday.

COVID-19: Quebec opposition says it’s time to end state of emergency The Barreau du Québec said Monday it’s time the government explain why it still needs emergency powers.“Does the current situation require keeping the state of emergency?” Catherine Claveau, head of the bar association, wrote in a statement. “Are the measures that will be maintained during the deconfinement plan justified? To answer these questions, the government must provide clear justifications for maintaining some ‘exceptional rules.”’Over the past two years, the Quebec government has used emergency powers to impose curfews, ban private gatherings and close businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms.

The blaring horns and snarled streets of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade in Ottawa are no more, but on Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested the work to heal the pandemic divisions in the country that the convoy exposed must now begin.

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. - Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys for the men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery wrapped their closing remarks in the federal hate crimes trial on Monday in Brunswick, Georgia.The jury received the case at about 3 p.m. on Monday and deliberated almost three hours before court went in recess for the day. Deliberations are set to restart at 9 a.m.

Boris johnson today (February 21) said that the response to the pandemic would be "vaccine led" as he announced that all lockdown restrictions will be ending by Thursday. Speaking after he announced all remaining Covid restrictions will be axed, the PM said there "may be significant resurgences" and "it's very possible that those will be worse than Omicron".Whitty said at a Downing Street press conference that new strains were to be expected and while some "will just disappear" others could escape vaccines and result in a fresh wave in hospitalisations.Prof Whitty said: “Some of those new variants will just disappear, but some of them will cause us significant problems and they could be either more vaccine escaping but as severe as Omicron, but the net effect would be actually more people end up in hospital because a lot of our protection is from vaccination, or it could be more intrinsically severe, because Omicron came from a much earlier variant.”He added we “could certainly end up with something which is more likely to lead to hospitalisations than Omicron”, adding that winters are expected to be “tricky” even in the absence of significant new variants due to the combination of Covid, flu and other respiratory problems.The Chief Medical Officer also urged Brits who test positive for Covid to self-isolate, even though they will no longer be forced to do so under law.“As we look at the next weeks, we still have high rates of Omicron and I would urge people in terms of public health advice, and this is very much the Government’s position, that people should still if they have Covid try to prevent other people getting it and that means self-isolating," he said.

In an address to the House of Commons today, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a plan for "living with COVID," phasing out free testing for most people and removing requirements to self-isolate after testing positive.

The Prime Minister has announced that British workers should "learn from Germany" and not go to work if they are feeling ill.

Lower percentages of US children visited an emergency department (ED) for any indication amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while adolescent girls accounted for the largest hikes in visits for mental illness, according to two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies published late last week in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).For both studies, the researchers mined pediatric ED visit data in the

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - California authorities are trying to capture Hank the Tank, a massive black bear estimated to weigh at least 500 pounds. They say he’s responsible for breaking into several homes in the South Lake Tahoe area.South Lake Tahoe Police said the latest incident with Hank happened Friday morning when he broke into a home on Catalina Drive in the Tahoe Keys area. Officers banged on the exterior of the home until Hank moved outside through the back door. RELATED: Frederick buzzing over black bear sighting"This bear did not break into a garage where trash was kept that he was sniffing out," authorities posted on their Facebook page.

THE One Show will have a new line-up this week after Jermaine Jenas was ruled out with Covid. Viewers were expecting to see him on the show today but were greeted instead by Lauren Laverne and Angellica Bell.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a list of steps in the next part of England's Covid plan.

JUPITER, Fla. - Major League Baseball’s negotiations to salvage opening day resume at a new venue Monday: Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.Colorado Rockies CEO Dick Monfort, chairman of the owners’ labor policy committee, was expected to join a management delegation that includes Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem, the clubs’ lead negotiator.Bruce Meyer, the union’s chief negotiator, was expected to be joined by players. The site of negotiations is about 3 miles from the home of New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer, among the eight players on the union’s executive subcommittee.The ballpark usually would be the spring training home of the Miami Marlins and St.

COVID-19 as the province entered a new phase of reopening Monday.Pandemic-related hospitalizations stood at a total of 1,776, an increase of 18 from the previous day. Of those patients, 119 were in intensive care units, an increase of five.In the last 24 hours, 101 people were admitted to Quebec hospitals while 83 were discharged.It’s the first net increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province since Feb.

COVID-19 despite a significant slowdown in the effort to immunize that segment of the population, the province’s health department contends.Provincial figures show around 65 per cent of children five to 11 have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the lowest rate of any age group eligible for the shot.“Quebec is continuing its vaccination campaign for children under 12. Appointments are available across Quebec for this age group,” Health Department spokesman Robert Maranda said in an email.“Quebec will not abandon its efforts, as long as people want to get the vaccine, they will be able to receive it.” Quebec adds 3 new COVID-19 deaths as hospitalizations rise Fifty per cent of children five to 11 got their first dose of vaccine between Nov.

coronavirus in spring 2020 and the number of people having Covid-19 recorded on their death certificate has now risen to more than 183,000 according to the Office for National Statistics.

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Rye Jr. High School students launched a mini boat in 2020 that landed in Norway last week. (Photo courtesy of Rye Jr.

Queen’s Covid scare will not deter the Royal Family from being an “example” following the Government's expected relaxing of restrictions, a royal expert has insisted.Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen would continue to carry out “light duties” despite showing “mild cold like” symptoms. Despite calls from royal fans for the reigning monarch to rest, it seems as though The Firm look set to carry on as normal as Kate Middleton looks to continue onto her trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.

WASHINGTON - An organizer of one of the truck convoys headed to D.C. later this week says there are plans to shut down the Capital Beltway.Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather"We will be along the Beltway where the Beltway will be shut down," Bob Bolus said in an interview Sunday.Bolus owns a truck parts and towing business in Scranton.

NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans zoo has officially named its baby Sumatran orangutan: "Roux."The infant was born on Christmas Eve 2021 at the Audubon Zoo and has been getting round-the-clock care since a few days after his birth because Menari, a first-time mother, wasn’t producing enough milk. The Audubon Zoo said the name Roux paid homage to New Orleans and is a French term for "a reddish-brown like the color of an orangutan's fur and the thickening base used to make gumbo."The zoo's orangutan care team narrowed their selection of names to three — Rudy, Roux and Maymuun — and asked the public to vote on the winner."We are grateful to the community for helping us pick a name and extremely overwhelmed by the nearly 10K total votes that were cast," Audubon Zoo’s Curator of Primates Liz Wilson said in a statement. "Our team feels that Roux perfectly fits the newest member of our orangutan family and loves that it pays homage to his New Orleans roots." The great apes with long red hair are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Elderly and vulnerable people will be offered another booster jab by the government, following recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Covid-19 curbs in Maharashtra may be relaxed further in March as daily new cases continue to show a declining trend, said state health minister Rajesh Tope on Monday. 

Omicron BA.2 is more transmissible than the previously identified BA.1 subvariant, it will not cause another surge, the official asserted. 

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The Queen is reportedly set on continuing with her royal duties despite battling Covid-19 behind closed doors. Buckingham Palace confirmed that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 95, caught the deadly bug on 20 February as they released a statement explaining that she's been experiencing "mild cold symptoms". While she remains in isolation as she recovers from the virus, the Queen will only cancel one face-to-face appointment and go ahead with her scheduled meetings over phone and video calls this week, according to the Daily Mail.

Queen contracting Covid after they beg her to “rest” after Buckingham Palace revealed she would continue “light duties”.Her Majesty, 95, is said to be experiencing mild cold-like symptoms and is currently self-isolating at Windsor Castle.However, officials at the Palace have worried users on Twitter after revealing she would continue working in some capacity.The announcement has led to many calling for the Queen to “rest” and to take a “duvet day”.Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Sunday: “Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid.“Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.The Queen is the latest member of the Royal Family to test positive for Covid following Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.One Twitter user said: “Oh come on, I'm no royalist but she's got Covid and she's bloody 95 years old, let the lass have a duvet day.”Another commented: “She’s 95 years old, with Covid and working. Surely our queen is allowed a few days off to rest! I was unmovable, wrapped in blankets sipping tea for days with Covid.”While another user said: “‘Light duties’.

FILE - Jamal Edwards poses on the red carpet on arrival for the BRIT Awards 2019 in London on Feb. 20, 2019.

The Pacific Highway border crossing in Surrey was open again on Sunday, but the second closure in as many weeks of the key link with the U.S. is raising questions about managing protests against COVID-19 measures. Kamil Karamali reports.

Covid-19 vaccine Covovax for the 12 to 17 year age group, reported PTI, quoting sources, on Monday. 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has postponed a cabinet meeting to have a security briefing and to finalise plans for the removal of all of remaining Covid-19 restrictions, his spokesman said.

MOSCOW - The U.S. and Russian presidents have tentatively agreed to meet in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to stave off Moscow's invasion of Ukraine as heavy shelling continued Monday in a conflict in eastern Ukraine that is feared will spark the Russian offensive.French President Emmanuel Macron sought to broker a possible meeting between U.S.

Queen is reported to be managing life with the coronavirus after testing positive for it. Lots of people will be concerned about the Queen's health as the virus can be more unpleasant for the elderly to deal with.At 95, the Queen is in a more vulnerable category than those younger than her when they get the virus, this includes Royal Family member and son Prince Charles, who also tested positive.The virus is easier to deal with if the person infected has been vaccinated and this is why the government has attempted to roll out the jab in such huge numbers.It is vital protection in limiting or avoiding the harm the coronavirus can pose.So is the Queen vaccinated and is she having symptoms?The Queen is vaccinated and received her first dose in January 2021 and the follow-up jabs have also been administered, according to reports.Her Majesty previously encouraged people to get vaccinated and "think about other people rather than themselves".In February last year, she said: "It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised at how easy it was to get the vaccine.

Covid-19 infection has an adverse effect on the patient's gut health, a new study by researchers from King's College London in the UK has found. 

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The Queen's Covid diagnosis has forced the Royal Family to face the 'cold hard reality' of their precarious situation, an expert has claimed.In one of the most tumultuous periods for the Queen and fellow royals in living memory, the family has had to absorb Harry and Meghan quitting, the death of Prince Phillip, and more recently the allegations made against Prince Andrew.And according to Royal expert Daniela Elser, the latest news that the Queen has Covid will make projecting stability to the British public an even harder job.Following the Queen's diagnosis, Buckingham Palace put out a short statement, that many including Daniela Elser took umbrage with.It read: "Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid.“Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines."The brevity of the statement rankled many, and writing in NewsAu, Elsner delivered her riposte.She said: "Buckingham Palace might be resolutely intent on projecting an image of a united royal family cheerily getting on with the job – but that blithe optimism looks like it’s increasingly flying in the face of cold hard reality."The commentator added that the short statement over the monarch's diagnosis was telling for the precious 'situation' the royal family is in.She added: "This whole situation highlights what is only going to become a more pressing and painful headache for the royal house, which is, how to manage news about Her Majesty’s health."The news of the Queen's illness comes just days after she was pictured using a walking stick.

Omicron BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1, it will not cause another surge, a COVID task force clarified and added that those who have been infected by BA.1 might not be infected by stealth Omicron. This comes at a time when recent lab studies indicated that the recently identified subvariant could cause as severe infections as the Delta and other variants. 

JUSTIN Bieber has tested positive for Covid after the opening night of his Justice tour, as now the next show is postponed. The pop star learned he had Covid on Saturday, but is reportedly not experiencing severe symptoms.

Shocking — and, frankly, disturbing — security camera footage has captured the moment hundreds of birds fell out of the sky in Mexico.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russia on Sunday rescinded earlier pledges to pull tens of thousands of its troops back from Ukraine's northern border, a move that U.S. leaders said put Russia another step closer to what they said was the planned invasion of Ukraine.

JENKINTOWN, Pa. - Scores of people gathered in Washington DC Sunday in support of Ukraine and many of them from the Delaware Valley. Several FOX 29 spoke to have family and friends in Ukraine.Buses filled with Ukrainian activists from the Philadelphia area pulled into the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Abington after a day of protest at the Lincoln Memorial amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine."I sure hope peace is possible," Natalie Firko commented.

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