China reports 2,666 new local coronavirus cases, 51 deaths in last 24 hours

 Of the new local cases, 2,472 infections were reported in Shanghai while the rest of the cases were reported in 17 other provincial-level regions

Mainland China reported 2,666 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 51 more deaths in the past 24 hours, the country’s National Health Commission said on Monday. Of the new local cases, 2,472 infections were reported in Shanghai while the rest of the cases were reported in 17 other provincial-level regions on the mainland including 79 in Jilin, 26 in Heilongjiang, and 14 in Beijing, Xinhua reported citing the commission.

The country also reported 17,528 locally transmitted asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, of which 16,983 local asymptomatic carriers were identified in Shanghai. As many as 29,178 confirmed COVID-19 cases are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals while 2,982 patients recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, China’s capital city Beijing is on high COVID-19 alert after the city recorded 21 new community cases on Sunday. Moreover, China has been witnessing surges in its big cities in the past few months including Shanghai, where residents have been in lockdown for four weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Omicron variant wipes out Delta completely in Tamil Nadu Covid cases

 A report of the state public health department said that 68.4 per cent of all whole-genome sequenced samples were of the BA.2 variant while 15.2 per cent were of the BA.1.1 variant.

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public health in a statement said that the Delta variant of Covid-19 is now totally replaced by the Omicron variant in the state. The report of the state public health department said that 68.4 per cent of all whole-genome sequenced samples were of the BA.2 variant while 15.2 per cent were of the BA.1.1 variant. The other variants are BA.1 (10.3 per cent ), B.1.1.529 (6 per cent), and BA.3 (0.05 per cent). The whole-genome sequenced samples did not have any Delta variant, the statement said. Interestingly in January 2022, while the Omicron variant represented 92 per cent of the samples, 4 per cent were of Delta and the rest were of other variants.

Lockdown 4.0: Do new govt rules pave the way for decision on IPL 2020?

I do not know why many literate people are thinking we are immune to the virus. This approach is depressing, says Dr Chatterjee

As India's cumulative figure for confirmed Covid-19 cases reached 96,169 on Monday with states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi witnessing a constant surge, medical experts have asserted that there is no point saying India has developed "herd immunity".

Dr Prasun Chatterjee, Associate Professor, Department of Geriatric Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) told ANI: "This pandemic cannot be overcome by thinking that tomorrow we will have herd immunity. Herd immunity has failed in the UK. There is no point in saying that India has developed herd immunity. We have tried to contain the virus through the lockdown."

"Mostly, we try to develop herd immunity through children because their immunity is very fresh. I do not know why many literate people are thinking we are immune to the virus. This approach is depressing," added Dr Chatterjee.He further said: "Herd immunity has a multiplier effect. If we develop it, we can protect many people but it is not so simple in the case of Covid-19. However, most importantly herd immunity can work only when there is some vaccination also."

While talking about immunity Dr Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, LNJP Hospital said, "When more people are exposed to any particular virus, some manifest it clinically whereas others sub-clinically and thus community starts building immunity at large."

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India coronavirus dispatch: Pandemic’s impact on South Asian countries

From the driving force behind economic policies in the coming future, to problems faced by the elderly, and whether or not you should switch on the AC – read these and more in today’s India dispatch

Here is a selection of pieces from across Indian publications on Covid-19. From the driving force behind economic policies in the coming future, to the problems faced by the elderly under lockdown, and whether or not you should switch on the air conditioner during this pandemic – read these and more in today’s India dispatch.

Expert Speak

Condition of the poor an emergency, govt must open sluice gates: Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, says in this interview that the two most urgent needs of migrant workers and the urban unemployed that the government must tackle immediately are food and housing. He explains why the government must issue temporary ration cards for three or six months and give them food. He also says the government must also open the sluice gates and get money out to these people.

Citizens Under Lockdown

At helplines for the elderly, distress calls for fear of dying alone: The problems of elderly callers ranged from a shortage of medicines and physical support to anxiety, fear and anxiousness. There were those with few resources to survive, while others who were entirely dependent on domestic help no longer available. Some were sick or vulnerable to infections and disease, and many complained of loneliness and anxiety. The biggest fear: dying alone with no family or friends around. Read here about how the lockdown has impacted the elderly citizens…Read Full Story

Covid-19 Factoid: India took just four days to add 5,000 coronavirus cases

While the rate at which new daily deaths get added to the global toll has been declining consistently, France, the fourth most affected country has shown some clear signs of improvement

Globally, now there are more than 2.6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus infection. While the number of fatalities stands at 185,504, recoveries so far have been 730,843. In other words, for every 10 closed cases, two cases have ended up as fatalities, and the rest have recovered. In India, the tally of confirmed cases is now well above 21,000, and death toll is at 686. A little less than 20 per cent of all reported cases have now recovered. There has been a drop in the number of new cases added, but the trajectory is still erratic.

Here are a few data trends to help you understand the present pandemic situation:

1. Growth in global number of fatalities is slowing down

Growth in daily deaths across the world in percentage terms has been on a decline consistently. In the past two weeks, the rate of growth has been under 10 per cent, even sub-5 per cent in last five days. While the global death toll stands at 185,504, the US alone accounts for more than 20 per cent of all reported deaths. Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom have also reported high numbers of fatalities.

2. France shows signs of improvement; daily new case additions on a decline

France is showing consistent improvement with its daily new case additions falling consistently in the past 15 days. The country is the fourth most affected in the world — next to the US, Spain and Italy — by number of total confirmed cases. With its current tally of cases at 159,877, it is one of the four countries to have reported more than 20,000 deaths in the pandemic…Read More

India coronavirus dispatch: Continuing legislative work through a crisis

From a continued shortage of safety gears for health workers, to unforeseeable dangers of mass surveillance, and whether to do rapid tests or not – read these and more in today’s India dispatch

Here’s a round-up of important coronavirus-related articles from across Indian publications. From a continued shortage of safety gears for health workers, to unforeseeable dangers of mass surveillance, and whether to do rapid tests or not – read these and more in today’s India dispatch.

Citizens Under Lockdown

Is India neglecting its migrant workers abroad? A question that may arise in the case of international migrant workers is of attribution of state responsibility. Should the host country be responsible for the workers who are residing there or should the source country (or country of origin) support its nationals? Arguably, a migrant worker contributes to both countries’ economy. Therefore, shouldn’t the migrant worker’s civil right to good health be a shared responsibility in times like these? Read more here.

Stroke is an exception, rush to hospital: People in an extremely vulnerable group need to follow the specific advice about their health condition. A healthy diet, regular physical activity (at home) and reduction of anxiety and stress. While the anxiety of contracting the virus is understandable, emergencies like a brain attack or stroke cannot wait. Read here on why prompt attention at the earliest is the only way to achieve the best outcomes.

Opinion

How crucial legislative work could continue in crisis: Many of our MPs are already interacting with their constituents and party colleagues via video conferencing. Therefore, the switch to a virtual meeting for legislative work might be easy. What will require work is the setting up of protocols for ensuring participation, security and robust technology. Read more here.

India will do everything to help humanity’s fight against Covid-19: PM Modi

“Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US partnership is stronger than ever. We shall win this together,” Modi tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India will do everything possible to help humanity’s fight against Covid-19 while responding to US President Donald Trump’s tweet. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump thanked India for the decision of lifting the export ban of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine.

“Fully agree with you President @realDonaldTrump. Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US partnership is stronger than ever. We shall win this together,” Modi tweeted. “India shall do everything possible to help humanity’s fight against Covid-19,” the prime minister added. Trump described Modi as “terrific” for allowing the export of hydroxychloroquine to the US, seen as a possible cure for COVID-19, saying India’s help in the extraordinary times “will not be forgotten”.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: Gujarat reports 55 new cases, Telangana 49, Rajasthan 30

India, the largest producer of hydroxychloroquine, agreed to lift the ban on the export of the medicine to the US after Trump spoke to Modi on phone last week. “Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!,” Trump said in a tweet.

President Trump has been pushing for the use of Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of Covid-19 patients ever since the United States has emerged as a hotspot of coronavirus, and has earlier even threatened to ‘retaliate’ if India did not lift the export ban…

India coronavirus dispatch: Fighting today, planning for tomorrow’s battles

New economic models around health care, human rights and democracy during a pandemic, and whether the summer heat will kill the coronavirus – read these and more in today’s India coronavirus dispatch

Here’s a round-up of important coronavirus-related articles in Indian publications. From planning for new economic models centered around health care, to value of human rights and democracy during pandemics, and whether the summer heat kill coronavirus — read these and more in today’s India coronavirus dispatch.

Citizens Under Lockdown

The extraordinary men and women of these extraordinary times: Amid news of hoarding and misery, there are self-driven volunteers who have cut across barriers, across the country. Here are some of the people who have acted on the principle that a small act goes a long way. From cooking to ensure migrant labourers are fed, to working around the clock to bust WhatsApp myths, read here to know how Indians have responded to this extraordinary crisis….

Long Reads

Coronavirus is breaking the back of India’s restaurant industry: As India went into a lockdown last month, restaurants were ordered shut, though they were allowed to service takeout and home delivery orders. As a result, almost overnight, millions of people went out of work, at least temporarily. And if the pandemic does not subside soon enough, industry experts warn, a substantial section of the workforce might not even have workplaces to go back to. Read more.

Opinion

Democracy should not permit a trade-off: Epidemics provide an opportunity to do away with inconvenient checks and balances institutionalised in the media, the judiciary, and civil society. The dismantling of constitutions and institutions will have a major impact on societies. Read here to understand whether decisions to control the pandemic need to be at the expense of human rights and democracy.

It is time for digital leaders to flatten the curve of infodemic: An ‘infodemic’ — an over-abundance of noxious or false-but-benign, and occasionally useful information on Covid-19 — has hit the country harder than the pandemic itself. If there ever was a time to demonstrate vision and leadership, this is the time for the digital leaders to flatten the curve of the infodemic before it flattens the most vulnerable populations on the planet. Read more here.

Covid-19: India partially lifts ban on export of paracetamol and HCQ

HCQ is the same drug that US President Donald Trump had sought from India and warned of retaliation if India did not supply the drug

With coronavirus (Covid-19) spreading at a rapid pace in the country and the neighbourhood, India has partially eased restrictions on export of paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine. It has decided to licence paracetamol & Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on India’s capabilities, the Ministry of External Affairs announced.

HCQ is the same drug that US President Donald Trump had sought from India and warned of retaliation if India did not supply the drug. MEA said, “We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would, therefore, discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter”. “India has always maintained that the international community must display strong solidarity and cooperation. This approach also guided our evacuation of nationals of other countries,” Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said.

President Trump had called Prime Minister Modi, requesting him to supply the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine that is being used to treat Covid-19 patients and as prophylactic by the frontline health care workers deployed in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The Modi government had imposed a ban on export of the drug since the coronavirus outbreak hit India….Read More

Coronavirus: Traditional Chinese medicines and the Ayurveda connection

With life-threatening side-effects of conventional drugs, doctors in China used traditional medicines on patients

Business Standard had earlier reported how the Chinese tackled the first wave of coronavirus pandemic in the country through hospital isolation techniques, patient management and regulating professional and personal behaviour of medical personnel. But little is known about the drugs the Chinese deployed on patients which led to recoveries in many cases and extensive organ damage in others.

A report prepared by the Jack Ma Foundation based on notes prepared by frontline Chinese medical personnel throws light on the medication used on coronavirus patients and their consequences. The report also has extensive details of traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for various stages of the disease in an infected person.

The Chinese found that more than half the coronavirus-infected patients who were given a dose of the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir combined with the flu drug arbidol displayed signs of “abnormal liver function”. The HIV drug was one of the first drugs touted for treatment in the initial phase of the pandemic in India by the country’s health ministry. Administering lopanivir/ritonavir was also tied to diarrhoea, jaundice and abnormal rise of cholesterol levels in the blood among other consequences in coronavirus patients.

Combined with lopanivir, arbidol was found to further enhance the chances of jaundice. Chinese doctors stopped the use of this drug combination whenever the heart rate dropped below normal levels of 60 beats per minute. They recommended that using lopanivir/ritonavir with heart attack prevention drugs like statins, organ transplant facilitating drugs like immunosuppressants, schizophrenia drugs and other medications could lead to sudden cardiac death, severe coma and the death of muscle fibres which release a chemical into the blood, causing kidney failure. Such combinations were prohibited.

The history of the Tablighi Jamaat and its place in the Islamic world

A Sunni Islamic missionary movement, the Tablighi Jamaat is nearly one hundred years old

The world has been gripped by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic with more than a million people having been infected so far. More than 53,000 have died around the world while more than 2,12,000 have recovered. In India, the total number of cases exceeds 2,000 now. The number has doubled in very quick time and the biggest Covid-19 hotspot in the country has been the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in Nizamuddin, New Delhi where a congregation of thousands of people took place between 1-15 March….

What is Tablighi Jamaat?

The Tablighi Jamaat (Society for Spreading Faith) is a Sunni Islamic missionary movement that urges Muslims to return to a pure form of Sunni Islam and be religiously observant, especially with respect to dressing, personal behaviour, and rituals.The founder, Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi, completed his education at a Deoband madrassa, and while working among the people of Mewat, often questioned how Islam could be renewed, outside of education. He decided that only with “physical movement” away from one’s original place, could one leave behind one’s “Esteem for life and its comfort” for the cause of God. In 1927, Tablighi Jamaat was founded.

What were the aims of Tablighi Jamaat?

It aimed to recapitulate the practices of Prophet Muhammed, from 7th Century AD, and was concerned with the rise of westernisation and secularisation, and not just the Hindu or Christian inroads into the Muslim community (conversions). In the mid 1920’s Ilyas enjoined upon his followers, the practice of gasht (preaching rounds) and adopting local village councils (Panchayats) — reaching out to Muslims who lived near a mosque and summoning them to study the Quran and pray.

India coronavirus dispatch: Why we must prepare for the long haul

From a proposal for future lockdowns, to mapping of coronavirus hotspots, and how the civil society can aid government response to Covid-19 – read these and more in today’s India dispatch

Here is a roundup of articles from news publications in India on how the country is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic — from a proposal for future lockdowns, to mapping of coronavirus hotspots, and how the civil society could aid government response to Covid-19.

Expert Speak

How Covid-19 will hit India: Why is India at such a grave risk from the coronavirus? What are the different ways in which the rural and urban India are likely to be affected? And what has the disease laid bare about the long-term consequences of insufficient health systems? Read this interview with epidemiologist and economist Ramanan Laxminarayan, who directs the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy in Washington, DC.

Citizens Under Lockdown

Lockdown causing further shortage at blood banks: The situation at blood banks has worsened during the lockdown, with hospitals making do with fewer employees, and fewer donors coming forward due to restrictions on people’s movement and the fear of contracting Covid-19 at a hospital or clinic. Read more on how hospitals and patients are managing this crisis. Exodus shows essential role migrants play in functioning of Indian cities: Most migrant workers live in cramped rented rooms or must sleep on the footpath, lack documents to access benefits such as rations in the city, do not have family members in the city, and have little savings to draw upon. Read this interview with Tariq Thachil, associate professor at Vanderbilt University, on India’s migrant labourer during a lockdown…Keep Reading

World coronavirus Dispatch: ‘Painful’ US experience, dubious China figures

From some scary new death toll projections coming from the US to a tobacco maker’s bid to produce vaccines and Saudi planning to postpone hajj, read these and more in today’s international dispatch

US President Donald Trump has warned that the next two weeks will be painful, as new projections by experts fix the potential death toll at 240,000. This is despite stringent social-distancing measures being followed in the country. “We’re going through the worst thing that the country’s probably ever seen,” Trump said. Elsewhere, there is growing scepticism around the official pandemic numbers reported from China, which added only 68 new cases yesterday. Residents of Wuhan, where the virus originated, have dismissed official figures. Most people believe deaths could be as many as 40,000, not the 2,400 officially reported from the city. From a global point of view, we may be underestimating the coronavirus death toll.

Let’s look at the global statistics:

Total confirmed cases: 874,081

Change over previous day: 74,032

Total deaths: 43,291

Total recovered: 185,196

Nations hit with most cases: US (189,633), Italy (105,792), Spain (102,136), China (82,308), and Germany (72,383).

UN estimates on pandemic crisis: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the coronavirus the biggest threat the world faced since the World War II. The UN also launched a report on the potential impact which predicted among other things that 25 million jobs around the world will be lost and there will be up to 40 per cent “downward pressure” on global foreign investment. Read more here.

Tackling ICU beds shortage: With a shortage of ICU beds, European nations are on a building and hiring spree, putting together makeshift hospitals and shipping coronavirus patients out of overwhelmed cities via high-speed trains. London is putting up 4,000 beds in a massive convention centre. Dozens of hotels across Spain are turned into recovery rooms, while in Milan beds are being put on fair grounds. Read more here.

Indian IT firms unlikely to lay off employees amid coronavirus lockdown

With high employee utilisation level and low bench strength, Indian IT companies are in a better position to absorb the adverse impact on cost for now

Despite the grim business outlook owing to the global spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), Indian information technology (IT) services firms are unlikely to resort to any major staff retrenchment, given the sensitivity of the issue.

Though this approach is in line with big US firms such as Salesforce and Morgan Stanley, whose chief executive officers have taken the public stand of not laying off employees, Indian IT firms, however, are not expected to take such a pledge publicly. This is primarily because unlike many US firms, Indian IT firms never had any layoff policy owing to its political sensitivities though employee retrenchment due to “under performance” is common. Globally, the chief executive officers of prominent companies such as Salesforce, Visa, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Bank of America, and FedEx have taken the pledge not to pursue any significant layoffs in 2020.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India toll 27, cases 1024; global deaths top 33,000

Even Cognizant, which has Indian roots with 65 per cent of its employees in India, has announced paying an additional 25 per cent of the basic pay to most of its staffers in India. “Indian IT services firms are not likely to take any public stand on layoffs like many US firms. But firing staffers owing to business disruption and consequent demand slowdown is not likely to happen in big way,” said a source familiar with the thought process. “Increments, bonuses, and variable payouts are going to be on hold for the middle and senior managements.”

Many large corporations, including Bajaj Auto, the Vedanta group, and the Essar group have stated not to reduce their headcount. As far as Indian IT services firms are concerned, 55-60 per cent of their operating expenses comprise wages. So, any decision not to reduce the staff base can adversely impact their cost structure.

Coronavirus lockdown: Rs 60k-crore income support plan for poor in works

The scheme could mean transferring Rs 5,000-6,000 into the bank accounts of 80-100 million poor families, Business Standard has learnt

The Narendra Modi government is said to be considering an income support scheme for those worst hit by the slump in economic activity owing to the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant nationwide lockdown. The scheme could mean transferring Rs 5,000-6,000 into the bank accounts of 80-100 million poor families, Business Standard has learnt. A one-time transfer of Rs 6,000 each into 100 million accounts will cost the exchequer Rs 60,000 crore. However, given how dynamic the situation is, officials are not yet willing to give the monetary size of the package.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: Over 3 bn in lockdown as global toll tops 20,000

There are also discussions on allowing a deferment of equated monthly instalments (EMIs) for targeted individuals, and loan repayments for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). But this will require providing some support to the banking system as well, sources said. These measures are likely to be part of a comprehensive economic package to fight the downturn in the country, which is currently locked down to contain the spread of coronavirus. The package can be announced any day now.

News agency Reuters reported that the size of the economic package could be anywhere between Rs 1.5 trillion and Rs 2.3 trillion. Any stimulus package will not only include the monetary component of an income support scheme, but also for MSMEs and others. As of Wednesday, COVID-19 had infected 440 ,321 people globally and over 606 in India.“Economic activity has come to a near halt. Work in factories, workshops, farms, the services sector, and other labour-intensive sectors has just stopped. The poorest families, especially those dependent on daily wages, will not be able to survive the lockdown,” said a person aware of the deliberations in the COVID-19 economic response task force.

Pak raises Kashmir issue at Saarc Covid-19 line; 'churlish', says India

PM proposed the creation of an emergency fund to combat the pandemic and pitched India’s initial offer of $10 million

It was “churlish” of Pakistan to politicise a humanitarian issue by raking up the Kashmir matter at a video conference between SAARC leaders held with an aim to chalk out a joint strategy to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Indian government sources said on Sunday. “Pakistan sent their Health Minister who was uncomfortable in speaking. He was given a slip. It’s a churlish approach. This is a humanitarian issue and Pakistan tried to politicise the humanitarian issue,” the government sources said.

They criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s absence from the conference, noting that the initiative witnessed the participation of leaders of all SAARC nations including Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after undergoing a kidney transplant. “Even Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli participated a day after he was discharged from the hospital. Each leader participated from the SAARC except Pakistani PM Imran Khan,” sources said.

The Pakistani side was represented by Zafar Mirza, State Minister for Health, who in his address at the conference, said that it was imperative that the lockdown in Kashmir be lifted in view of the health emergency after the coronavirus outbreak. “It is a matter of concern that COVID-19 has been reported from Jammu and Kashmir. In view of the health emergency, it is imperative that all lockdown in the territory must be lifted immediately,” Mirza said at the conference. “Opening up communications and movement will facilitate the dissemination of information, allow distribution of medical supplies, and enable containment and relief efforts to proceed unimpeded,” he added. Restrictions have been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following the Indian government’s move to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution that accorded special status to the region.