Maharashtra CM calls meeting of Covid-19 task force amid surge in cases

General Studies GS-I was conducted in the morning shift examination and the General Studies GS-II or CSAT paper will be conducted in the afternoon shift.  Candidates needs to appear for both the examinations in order to qualify the prelims.  According to candidates who wrote the morning shift examinations, there were questions on the recent greatest pandemic- coronavirus. Candidates also confirmed that there were some questions based on the Indian Heritage and culture along with the Aarogya Setu app.  Questions based on the covid-19 vaccines available in India - Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik were asked.  Apart from that candidates have said that the questions were tougher than the last few years. Technology based questions were also asked.

new coronavirus infections taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,76,817, while the daily positivity rate was recorded above one per cent after 34 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The active cases rose to 24,052 and the death toll climbed to 5,24,692 with 15 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.73 per cent, the ministry said.

Kerala reported 1,544 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, followed by Maharashtra (1,357 cases) Delhi (405 cases), Karnataka (222 cases), and Tamil Nadu (105 cases), respectively. Other states reported less than a hundred cases in a span of 24 hours.

PTI report.

Today we are reporting 4,400 community cases, 371 current hospitalisations, and eight deaths.  

London has died of Covid-19 in Moscow, according to reports.Dmitri Kovtun was one of two men who a UK inquiry ruled had poisoned Litvinenko’s tea with a rare radioactive substance back in 2006.Reports from state-owned Russian news agency Tass said Kovtun contracted coronavirus before dying in a Moscow hospital.Kovtun, along with Andrei Lugovoi, was accused of being behind Litvinenko’s assassination 16 years ago at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.Reports said Tass cited Lugovoi, now a member of Russia’s parliament, as saying that he was mourning the death of a “close and faithful friend”.A British public inquiry concluded in 2016 that the killing of the outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin, who died after drinking tea laced with radioactive polonium-210, had “probably” been carried out with the approval of the Russian president.The inquiry found the two Russian men had deliberately poisoned Litvinenko by putting the radioactive substance into his drink at the central London hotel, leading to an agonising death.The European Court of Human Rights also ruled last year, following a case brought by the deceased’s widow, Marina Litvinenko, that Russia was responsible for his killing.Russia has always denied any involvement in the death and had refused to comply with international arrest warrants issued for Kovtun and Lugovoi.

COVID-19 continues to recede in Quebec.According to data released by the Ministry of Health on Saturday, the number of patients in hospital due to COVID-19 rose from 1,067 to 1,038, and there are 28 people in intensive care, the same number as the day before.Eleven new deaths were added to the death toll. Quebec now counts 15,446 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.Health officials also reports 568 new cases Saturday.

An Ayrshire beauty boss who ‘rescued the industry’ during Covid is on cloud nine after being awarded an MBE.

Princess Charlene of Monaco, who had been away from public life for months due to health issues, has tested positive for Covid-19, the palace said in a statement.

For the past five consecutive days, Kerala has reported over 1000 coronavirus cases every day and a total of 48 COVID-related deaths have been logged in the same time span. Owing to this, Health Minister Veena George has called a high-level meeting to assess the situation.

Overall, Maharashtra on Saturday reported 1,357 new Covid cases. This is the third consecutive day when the state has seen more than 1,000 cases As many as 889 more people – highest across Maharashtra – tested positive for Covid-19 across Mumbai in the last 24 hours, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday.  Navi Mumbai municipal corporation reported 104 new cases while Thane and Pune city added 91 and 68 cases, respectively.

COVID-19 Saturday, with 107 patients in intensive care.The latest number of hospitalizations is a slight rise of two patients from Friday’s data. However, this is a drop of 10 patients in intensive care.This is also a significant drop of 194 hospitalizations in comparison to last Saturday’s hospitalizations which stood at 865.Of the 671 people hospitalized, around 41 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus, while about 59 per cent were admitted for other reasons but then tested positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 pandemic, the return of the RCMP Musical Ride is coinciding with the Platinum Jubilee of a monarch with whom members share a “very special” bond, says the force’s riding master.It’s a bond that dates back to 1969, when the RCMP presented Queen Elizabeth II with the jet-black horse that would go on to become her favourite — Burmese.Though the Queen took in the Platinum Jubilee parade from her balcony this year after suffering recent health issues, for years she led the Horse Guard Parade as part of Trooping the Colour from atop the steady mare gifted to her by the Canadian police force.“I would also say that it’s very personal and that we have had immediately a bond and an understanding revolved around horses,” said Sgt.-Maj. Scott Williamson, the RCMP’s riding master.

Covid-19. These types of viruses do not end quickly and fluctuations will keep happening. We should move toward normalcy," said Dr Sanjay Rai, senior epidemiologist at AIIMS.

lungs. So in case, the patient contracts severe infections, the walls and linings of the air sacs in the lungs are affected.  Symptoms: Excessive sputum production, coughing, chest congestion and difficulty in breathing. COVID can cause acute coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure, myocarditis, and arrhythmias.

Biological E cuts price of its Covid vaccine to ₹250 per dose Biological E had earlier said the price of Corbevax has been reduced to ₹250 from ₹840 a dose, inclusive of GST, for private vaccination centres. It would result in end users paying a price of ₹400 a dose, including taxes and administration charges, the company had said in a statement.

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ANI, “The long-term impact might not be much right now. The number of cases might increase which doesn't matter much as RNA virus keeps mutating. Increased severity & death toll matters, which is unlikely." Speaking about the current COVID situation, he said that in the view of the second and third waves, the situation in our country can be considered great right now.

The Maharashtra government on Saturday made the use of face masks mandatory in the state as the Covid-19 spike continues. According to a public order, masks have been made compulsory in closed public spaces such as trains, buses, cinemas, auditorium, offices, hospitals, colleges, and schools.

A Lanarkshire MSP has welcomed funding for people with Long Covid in South Lanarkshire.

COVID-19 rapid tests — a tool that experts consider vital to fighting the pandemic — will not be shipped to Canadian provinces and territories come year’s end, and some fear “it may be too soon” for such a decision.“Rapid tests are an amazing tool. So if not those, then what,” Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s faculty of information, questioned while speaking to Global News Friday.

Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada, said that the risk of exposure to monkeypox “isn’t exclusive to any group or setting.”“Anyone, no matter their gender or sexual orientation, could get infected and spread the virus if they come into close contact, including intimate sexual contact with an infected person or a contaminated object,” she added.Outbreaks of diseases like monkeypox becoming more frequent, WHO warnsAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO) website, monkeypox is a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans and it comes from the same family of viruses that causes smallpox, which was declared to be eradicated in 1980.Monkeypox symptoms consist primarily of skin lesions on the mouth and genitals, and they can also include fever and headaches, as well as joint and muscle pain, according to the WHO.Globally, there are 550 confirmed cases in 30 non-endemic countries where the virus has not usually been found.Canada confirmed its first two cases of monkeypox on May 19 when two individuals in Quebec tested positive for the rare disease.Monkeypox cases in Canada are suspected to have originated from a local sauna in Montreal, doctors have told Global News.However, government officials have so far stayed clear of confirming the origin of monkeypox in Canada citing concerns of privacy and stigmatization. Montreal sauna suspected origin of Canada’s monkeypox outbreak: doctors Despite the growing number of cases since then, deputy chief public health officer Dr.

Novavax Inc’s NVAX.OCOVID-19 vaccine, even as the company’s data showed it could reduce the chances of mild-to-severe disease.In Novavax’s nearly 30,000 patient trial, conducted between December 2020 and September 2021, there were four cases of a type of heart inflammation calledmyocarditis detected within 20 days of taking the protein-based shot.“These events raise the concern for a causal association with this vaccine, similar to the association documented with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines,” FDA staff wrote in briefing documents released on Friday. COVID vaccine-related heart inflammation lower for kids than teens: U.S.

Covid-19 cases reporting 4,041 new infections, the highest daily tally in nearly three months.

(With inputs from agencies)

Today we are reporting 6,291 community cases, 369 current hospitalisations, and 11 deaths. 

SAN FRANCISCO - A judge on Friday sentenced a former U.S. Air Force sergeant to 41 years in federal prison for fatally shooting a security guard outside the Oakland federal courthouse during George Floyd protests two summers ago.That was the plea deal that 33-year-old Steven Carrillo had signed earlier this year for shooting and killing federal protective service officer David Patrick Underwood, and wounding a second officer on May 29, 2020, in Oakland. If he didn't take the plea, he could have faced the death penalty. He is accused of driving to Oakland with Millbrae resident Robert Alvin Justus Junior, and taking advantage of the distraction afforded by protesters marching through the city’s downtown, before firing his gun. A week later, authorities tracked Carrillo to his home in Santa Cruz County, where he's suspected of killing Sgt.

near-death experience battling COVID and cancer. In an interview set to air on CBS “Sunday Morning” this Sunday, the 72-year-old recounted how serious his fight with lymphoma became after getting diagnosed with COVID and spending five weeks in the ICU. “Oh, man — what a journey,” Bridges recounted before admitting he “couldn’t breathe” and went through “amazing pain” during the ordeal.When interviewer Ben Mankiewicz asked whether he had moments where he thought, “Well, this might be it,” the “Big Lebowski” star responded, “Oh, the doctors, yeah – my wife would ask, ‘Is he gonna die?’ And they say, ‘We’re doing the best we can.’ They wouldn’t reassure her that it was all gonna be fine.”  Bridges, who this year is celebrating 45 years of marriage to Susan Geston, also pondered that it was interesting how different people deal with mortality.

Brad Johnson, best known for his work on Melrose Place, has sadly passed away at the age of 62.

In a detailed review ahead of next week's advisory committee meeting, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff today said the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine will likely provide meaningful protection against the Omicron variant, but they raised concerns about the potential for rare cardiac conditions after vaccination.

A US survey study published today in JAMA Network Open reveals that screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer fell 6% and 11%, respectively, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A study of 4,737 COVID-19 patients in Israel conducted during the Omicron surge concludes that Pfizer's antiviral drug Paxlovid roughly halves the risk of severe COVID-19 or death, according to findings published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.For the retrospective cohort study, researchers analyzed data on

One of the biggest obstacles to ending COVID-19 has been the misinformation that leads people to reject vaccinations. WHO’s donors are supporting work to bring accurate health information to all corners of the world so that people can protect themselves from COVID-19, polio and other diseases.

Booster COVID-19 vaccination was tied to a 57% reduction in cases among 2,613 National Basketball Association (NBA) players and staff who were regularly screened for infection during the Omicron variant surge, according to a research letter published yesterday in JAMA.

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A fried chicken shop boss has been disqualified after wrongly claiming more than £50,000 in covid support cash. Ifraz Nabi, 41, has been banned from running companies for seven years after he abused the Eat Out to Help Out and covid furlough schemes for his takeaway New York Krispy Fried Chicken in Levenshulme.

COVID-19 pandemic as hospitalizations continued to fall Friday.There were 1,067 patients hospitalized with the disease, a net drop of 38. In the last day, there were 63 admissions and 101 discharges.Intensive care unit cases related to the health crisis came to a total of 28, a rise of four.The daily tally includes 542 new novel coronavirus cases based on PCR screening, which only certain high-risk groups can access.On that note, 12,095 PCR tests were administered in the latest roundup.Officials say 219 additional rapid test results were reported by Quebecers in the last day.

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UFC star Paulo Costa is reported to have been questioned by police after he allegedly hit a nurse over his Covid-19 vaccination certificate in his native Brazil.The middleweight fighter is reported to have been questioned in his hometown of Contagem for allegedly hitting a nurse with his elbow over his vaccination certificate, as reported by a number of local news outlets. The nurse who claims the UFC star hit her spoke to local radio station Itatiaia and said that the fighter attended a vaccination centre, walked around for a few minutes before then saying that he had already been vaccinated.

COVID on Friday, with 117 in intensive care.This is down by one for hospitalizations and a decrease of two for ICUs since the previous day.Last Friday, there were 948 hospitalizations with 154 in ICU indicating a drop in figures week-over-week.According to latest data for hospitalizations, 58 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19. For those in ICUs, 38 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

Bloomberg reported adding “The forecast is particularly bleak in developing countries like India. " Currently, the employment gap between men and women is about 58 percent point. And closing that gap could expand India’s GDP by close to a third by 2050, as per an analysis from Bloomberg Economics.

NEW DELHI : Even as newer variants of the contagious SARS-CoV-2 continue to emerge, experts stress on the need to formulate newer composition for covid-19 booster doses.  Hinting at the fact that to be completely secure and something close to that, one will have to have at least three to four Covid-19 booster shots. The vaccines that are being administered now protect against severe Covid-19, hospitalizations and deaths.

Covid-19 protocols. DGCA’s advocate Anjana Gosain, who herself is inflicted with Covid-19 and appeared through video conferencing, said the authorities are seriously implementing norms regarding masking at airports and in aircraft by all concerned.

India on Friday recorded another surge in the number of fresh cases of Covid-19 as 4,041 new infections were reported in the last 24 hours. This is the highest daily tally in nearly three months. Earlier, India had recorded as many as 4,194 COVID-19 cases on March 11.

Justin Trudeau says his government will be addressing reports of Chinese fighter jet pilots “buzzing” Canadian planes over international waters directly with Chinese officials to ensure it is not part of an “escalatory pattern.”Global News first reported citing multiple government sources that Chinese jets have repeatedly flown so close to a Canadian surveillance plane in the Asia-Pacific region that Canadian pilots could make eye contact with Chinese pilots, who have sometimes shown their middle fingers.“We take this situation very seriously,” Trudeau told reporters while speaking at an event in the Siksika First Nation in Alberta on Thursday.“The fact that China would have chosen to do this is extremely troubling, so we will be bringing it up directly with Chinese officials and (government) counterparts and ensuring that this doesn’t continue to be part of an escalatory pattern.” Canada alarmed as Chinese fighter pilots ‘buzz’ Canadian planes over international waters The Canadian CP-140 Aurora plane is currently taking part in Operation Neon, part of United Nations efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea and prevent the rogue nation’s development of weapons of mass destruction. The plane is flown frequently by multiple, rotating crews.Sources told Global News there have been approximately 60 of these types of intercepts with Chinese fighter jets since Christmas.