While official figures of recent Covid-19 infections and deaths are hard to come by, social media has been flooded with videos and images of overcrowded healthcare facilities as well as crematoriums…reports Asian Lite News
India is keeping a close eye on the Covid-19 situation in China but there is no specific guideline for Indians living there as of now, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
“We are keeping a close eye on the situation evolving in China. There is no advisory or specific guideline by the MEA for Indians living in China as of now,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in response to a question at the weekly media briefing.
Indian nationals living in China would be expected to follow guidelines issued by the local health authorities, he added.
Bagchi also pointed out that India had helped other countries as the pharmacy of the world after the Covid-19 outbreak.
The past few days have seen China reporting an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases after it relaxed stringent curbs under its ‘zero-Covid policy’ after huge country-wide protests.
While official figures of recent Covid-19 infections and deaths are hard to come by, social media has been flooded with videos and images of overcrowded healthcare facilities as well as crematoriums.
Reviewing the Covid-19 situation in India amid a sharp spike in cases in China and several other countries, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya had on Wednesday directed officials to stay alert and step up surveillance.
The review came a day after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare sent a letter to States and Union Territories citing the COVID-19 situation in the USA, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and China.
Through the letter, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan requested all States and Union Territories (UTs) to gear up the genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through the SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network.
In the last six months, India reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is driving the current surge of infections in China…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair on Thursday afternoon a high-level meeting to review the Covid-19 situation and its related aspects in the county
In the last six months, India reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is driving the current surge of infections in China. Sources said there are currently 10 different variants of Covid-19 in the country, with the latest being BF.7.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment, and management of the pandemic.
He urged people to follow Covid-appropriate behavior and get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Emphasizing that the pandemic is not over yet, he asked officials to be fully geared up to challenge and step up surveillance.
Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases globally, the central government briefed all states to conduct genome sequencing of samples, the additional chief secretary of Health Manoj Agarwal informed on Wednesday.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), the central government briefed all states on the increasing trend of Covid-19 variants in parts of the world and asked them to ensure that whole genome sequencing is done in all states,” he said.
There has been an alarming surge in Covid cases in China, Japan, South Korea, France, and the United States. The spike is being blamed on the new Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which has also been detected in four Indian states.
Maharashtra CM to chair review meeting
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be chairing a review meeting to discuss the current Covid situation and preparedness in the state on Thursday afternoon.
He will be chairing the review meeting just before the state cabinet meeting, which is going to be held in the evening. Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state government will be establishing a task force in collaboration with the central government to keep an eye on the state’s Covid situation.
“To monitor the Covid situation in the state, the state government will form a committee/ task force in coordination with the Centre,” said Fadnavis in the State Assembly.
As per the Maharashtra health department, the state recorded 30 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. However, no deaths have been reported so far.
Health experts have already issued several guidelines to the common people, to avoid the spread of Covid-19. People have been asked to avoid crowded places and regularly check their blood sugar levels.
“Those who have not taken vaccines till now have been advised to get themselves vaccinated,” said Dr P Sale of Mumbai.
Commenting on the rise in Covid-19 cases in some other countries including China, Dr Pallavi Saple, Dean of JJ Hospital said, “Rise of Covid cases in other countries including China may be due to poor vaccination, not having good quality vaccine, or being very restrictive.”
“Right now, things are under control in India. But we must be cautious,” she added.
Centre briefs states to ensure genome sequencing
Amid a fresh global surge in Covid-19 cases, the central government has briefed all states to conduct genome sequencing of samples, the additional chief secretary of Health informed on Wednesday.
Speaking to ANI, Additional Chief Secretary of Health, Manoj Agarwal said the central government briefed all states to ensure proper screening international passengers, as well as genome sequencing, on Tuesday. “Yesterday (Tuesday), the central government briefed all states on the increasing trend of Covid-19 variants in parts of the world and asked them to ensure that whole genome sequencing is done in all states,” he said.
There has been an alarming surge in Covid cases in China, Japan, South Korea, France and the United States.
The spike is being blamed on new Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which has also been detected in four Indian states.
Amid the fresh Covid scare, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high-level meeting to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment and management of the pandemic.
He urged people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Emphasising that the pandemic is not over yet, he asked officials to be fully geared up to challenge and step up surveillance.
In the last six months, India reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is driving the current surge of infections in China.
Sources said there are currently 10 different variants of Covid-19 in the country, with the latest being BF.7. (ANI)
The 42nd American President is the latest of the ‘Presidents’ Club’ to test positive for the virus…reports Asian Lite News
Former US President Bill Clinton announced that he has tested positive for Covid-19, with mild symptoms.
In a tweet late Wednesday, the 76-year-old said: “I’ve tested positive for Covid. I’ve had mild symptoms, but I’m doing fine overall and keeping myself busy at home.
“I’m grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, which has kept my case mild, and I urge everyone to do the same, especially as we move into the winter months.”
The 42nd American President is the latest of the ‘Presidents’ Club’ to test positive for the virus.
President Joe Biden contracted Covid-19 this summer, and former President Donald Trump had tested positive in October 2020.
Former President Barack Obama also experienced a mild case earlier this year.
Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths have remained flat in the US in recent weeks, though the virus’ impact is not gone.
On an average, more than 300 Americans die and 3,400 people are hospitalised each day with Covid-19, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just 12 per cent of eligible people in the US have gotten their updated Covid-19 booster, according to the CDC, and about 1 in 5 people nationwide remain completely unvaccinated.
Pregnant women are eligible for both a free flu and Covid-19 booster vaccine this winter.Getting your winter vaccines in pregnancy is just as important as ever
Pregnancy can be an exciting, yet vulnerable time for any woman, but Covid-19 fears and isolation have added an extra strain. It feels like it is all behind us now, but viruses like Covid-19 and flu can spread more easily in winter when we all mix more indoors, so healthcare experts are advising expectant mums to make sure they get their vaccines.
Over a million babies were born in the UK during the height of the pandemic. We talked to three mums about their decisions on vaccination and their experiences of having a baby during the pandemic.
Samira
DR RAHIM
“I was lucky enough to have my baby in the latter part of the pandemic,” says Paediatrician and mum of three Dr Kiran Rahim, “Lots of things felt weird and strange at a time of happiness, like my husband not being allowed in for a scan. Many services like drop-in weight clinics and breastfeeding support were cancelled due to Covid restrictions. The worst part was the lack of contact with health visitors.”
“I had my two Covid vaccines and then a booster and a flu jab while pregnant”, says Dr Rahim. “And as a frontline healthcare worker, I am eligible for Covid-19 booster and flu jab this winter which I have just had, whilst still breastfeeding. Both immunisations are safe at any stage of pregnancy, and many millions of doses have been administered worldwide to pregnant women.”
While the vaccines are safe, there are risks from both viruses during pregnancy.
“Complications from Covid and flu while pregnant can be very dangerous for both mother and baby. In the very worst cases, they can lead to death or stillbirth,” says Dr Rahim. “There are new variants of Covid all the time, it’s unpredictable and the risks are still out there. The flu virus can also change each year, so it’s important to boost your protection to both viruses before winter.”
“This is not the time to be complacent,” says Dr Rahim. Falling ill presents additional risks while pregnant. Vaccines are our best line of defence, which are freely available on the NHS and easy to get.
Tanviha
TANVIHA
Unfortunately, trainee clinical scientist Tanviha Quaraishi-Akhtar experienced some of these complications first-hand. Tanviha had an emergency C-section after falling seriously ill with Covid, giving birth at just 33 weeks. She was so unwell with Covid that she couldn’t hold her premature son before he was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit.
“Just a week later, I was in ICU alone, in a medically induced coma. I almost died and was kept unconscious for over two months. I finally met and held my son when he was 12 weeks old. It is so sad to think I missed out on these important early months. Had the vaccine been available whilst I was pregnant, I would have definitely accepted it, and my experience could have been avoided”.
As a scientist, Tanviha believes it’s so important for people in the Asian community to make sure they get their information about vaccines from a reliable source like the NHS website – there’s far too much misinformation out there and you shouldn’t trust everything you read on social media.
Samira
SAMIRA
“I got the Covid vaccine while pregnant last year, and I’d do it again,” says influencer and blogger Samira Ahmed. “I was really sick with the Delta variant in my first trimester and was lethargic for months after recovering. I was so worried that getting sick had harmed my baby. I wanted to avoid catching it again and got vaccinated – it was a load off my mind.”
Samira also makes sure her four-year-old gets the flu vaccine as a nasal spray. “I don’t want him to miss out on school and vaccines make these things avoidable.” I also had him vaccinated each autumn when he was a pre-schooler.
A UK study found that pregnant women admitted to a hospital with Covid infection having received 2 or 3 vaccine doses, were less likely to have more severe disease or require intensive care admission than women who had not been vaccinated. However, uptake of vaccines is lower in Asian communities – last winter, for example, just 29% of Pakistani pregnant women had the flu jab.
Studies show that protection provided by Covid-19 vaccines decreases over time, even if you’ve had previous doses of the vaccine. So, it’s important you ‘top up’ your immunity this autumn. Pregnancy alters how the body handles infections such as flu, which is why you are advised to get the flu vaccine too. It’s safe to get both vaccines together. They do not contain live viruses and cannot infect the baby. Find out how to book your vaccine appointments now at your GP surgery, or local pharmacy or check with your maternity service. Visit nhs.uk/wintervaccinations
Free flu and Covid-19 booster vaccine for pregnant womenDr KiranSamiraSamiraTanviha
At one point a large group began shouting, “Down with the Chinese Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping, free Urumqi!”, according to witnesses and videos, in a rare public protest against the Chinese leadership…reports Asian Lite News
Protests simmered in Shanghai early on Sunday, as residents in several Chinese cities, many of them angered by a deadly fire in the country’s far west, pushed back against heavy COVID-19 curbs nearly three years into the pandemic.
A fire on Thursday that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, has sparked widespread public anger as many internet users surmised that residents could not escape in time because the building was partially locked down, which city officials denied.
In Shanghai, China’s most populous city and financial hub, residents gathered on Saturday night at the city’s Wulumuqi Road – which borrows its name from Urumqi – for a vigil that turned into a protest in the early hours of Sunday.
“Lift lockdown for Urumqi, lift lockdown for Xinjiang, lift lockdown for all of China!” the crowds in Shanghai shouted, according to a video circulated on social media.
At one point a large group began shouting, “Down with the Chinese Communist Party, down with Xi Jinping, free Urumqi!”, according to witnesses and videos, in a rare public protest against the Chinese leadership.
A large group of police looked on and sometimes tried to break up the crowd.
Meanwhile, Joyce Karam, senior US correspondent at The National, also posted a video on her Twitter handle in which people were seen protesting against COVID-19 restrictions in Wulumuqi Road. “Rare protests erupt in #China’s largest city over Covid restrictions & gov. rules. “We want freedom” the crowd chants in this video from Wulumuqi road tonight,” Karam tweeted.
While sharing the protest video on Twitter, Axial Vibe Studio Co-founder Vivian Wu wrote, “Scale of the protest tonight in Shanghai. Notice police didn’t do anything but stand calmly watching ppl protest and shout. It’s not benevolence. My guess: they need to ask for directives from the top authorities. Police might be stunned as nobody dares to do so for decades.”
Surge in infections
China is battling a surge in infections that has prompted lockdowns and other restrictions in cities across the country as Beijing adheres to a zero-COVID policy even as much of the world tries to coexist with the coronavirus.
China defends President Xi Jinping’s signature zero-COVID policy as life-saving and necessary to prevent overwhelming the healthcare system. Officials have vowed to continue with it despite the growing public pushback and its mounting toll on the world’s second-biggest economy.
Videos from Shanghai widely shared on Chinese social media showed crowds facing dozens of police and calling out chants including: “Serve the people”, “We don’t want health codes” and “We want freedom”.
Some social media users posted screenshots of street signs for Wulumuqi Road, both to evade censors and show support for protesters in Shanghai. Others shared comments or posts calling for all of “you brave young people” to be careful. Many included advice on what to do if police came or started arresting people during a protest or vigil.
Anger nationwide
Shanghai’s 25 million people were put under lockdown for two months earlier this year, an ordeal that provoked anger and protest.
Chinese authorities have since then sought to be more targeted in their COVID curbs, but that effort has been challenged by a surge in infections as China faces its first winter with the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
While low by global standards, China’s case numbers have hit record highs for days, with nearly 40,000 new infections reported by health authorities on Sunday for the previous day.
On Friday night, crowds took to the streets of Urumqi, chanting “End the lockdown!” and pumping their fists in the air after the deadly fire, according to videos circulated on Chinese social media.
Many of Urumqi’s 4 million residents have been under some of the country’s longest lockdowns, barred from leaving their homes for as long as 100 days.
In Beijing, 2,700 km (1,700 miles) away, some residents under lockdown staged small protests or confronted local officials on Saturday over movement restrictions, with some successfully pressuring them into lifting the curbs ahead of a schedule.
A video shared with Reuters showed Beijing residents in an unidentifiable part of the capital marching around an open-air carpark on Saturday, shouting “End the lockdown!”
The Beijing government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
The next few weeks could be the worst in China since the early weeks of the pandemic both for the economy and the healthcare system, Mark Williams of Capital Economics said in note last week, as efforts to contain the outbreak will require additional localised lockdowns in many cities.
More time and more data will help clarify whether infections are rising or falling in these areas…reports Asian Lite News
The latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest one in 37 people in the UK has coronavirus, a rise from one in 50 the week before.
Experts warn of a “notable rise” in older people in England and Wales.
They say vaccines are the best defence against the virus and urge people aged 50 and over and others eligible for booster jabs to get them. There are fears of a flu and Covid “twindemic” this winter.
Sarah Crofts, deputy director for the ONS Covid survey, said there was a need for close monitoring as we moved through colder months.
She added: “Infections have risen again across much of the United Kingdom, continuing the pattern of steady increases seen over recent weeks, although Scotland and the North East of England had uncertain trends in the latest week.”
More time and more data will help clarify whether infections are rising or falling in these areas.
The latest ONS figures suggest Covid is infecting around 2.7% of the population – around 1.7 million people overall.
But the proportion of people infected is higher in older age groups. In people aged 70 and over around 3.7% have the virus in England.
Dr Mary Ramsay, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said it was “particularly worrying” that the number of infected older people was rising “because they are the age group that are likely to get severe Covid and go to hospital.”
She said people over 50 should be encouraged to get their boosters to protect them and help prevent them ending up in hospital, but also to protect the NHS from pressures that are likely to get worse over the winter.
Everyone in England aged 50 and over is now able to book a Covid booster and flu jab.
Over-50s in Wales and Northern Ireland are also already eligible for both jabs. The Scottish government says that it will begin inviting 50 to 64-year-olds soon. The number of people in hospital with Covid has also been rising in the last few weeks.
As of 12 October, figures show there were 10,608 patients in hospital who had a positive coronavirus test.
That was up 10% on the week before but still far below the levels at the beginning of the pandemic.
Around two-thirds of patients in hospital who test positive for Covid are being treated primarily for other things.
But they may need to be isolated from other patients, putting extra demand on hospitals.
Those future waves of infection “do not need to translate into future waves of death, because we have tools that can prevent infections,” she said…reports Asian Lite News
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that future coronavirus waves are expected and that governments across the world need to remain vigilant and ready to respond to any threat that may emerge.
“We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing in Geneva on Wednesday.
According to the WHO, during the week of September 5-11, the number of new weekly cases worldwide decreased by 28 per cent over the previous week to more than 3.1 million. The number of new weekly deaths was down 22 per cent to just under 11,000.
Tedros likened the pandemic response to a marathon race.
“Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap the rewards of all our hard work.”
The virus is “circulating at a very intense level around the world at the present time. And, in fact, the number of cases that are being reported to the WHO we know are an underestimate,” Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, said.
“We feel there are far more cases that are actually circulating than are being reported to us,” she added.
“We expect there to be future waves of infection, potentially at different time points throughout the world, caused by different subvariants of Omicron or even different variants of concern,” she noted.
Those future waves of infection “do not need to translate into future waves of death, because we have tools that can prevent infections,” she said.
Even as the pandemic wanes, people should maintain high levels of vigilance, said Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.
The world is fighting “a highly mutable evolving virus that has shown us, time and time again in two-and-a-half years, how it can adapt and how it can change,” Ryan added.
According to the statement, the modeling also indicates that females are twice as likely as males to have long Covid…reports Asian Lite News
At least 17 million people in the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region experienced the post-Covid-19 condition, or long Covid, in the first two years of the pandemic, said a statement from the United Nations health agency.
“Governments and health partners must collaborate to find solutions based on research and evidence,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, in the statement on Tuesday.
With millions of people likely to be affected by the aftereffects of contracting Covid during the pandemic “for years to come,” WHO urged countries in the region to “take post Covid-19 condition seriously by urgently investing in research, recovery, and rehabilitation”.
The findings, which cover the years 2020 and 2021, come from a recent international “new modeling” study done for WHO Europe by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine in the US.
It shows a “staggering 307-per cent increase in new long Covid cases identified between 2020 and 2021, driven by the rapid increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases from late 2020 and throughout 2021”.
According to the statement, the modeling also indicates that females are twice as likely as males to have long Covid.
Among severe Covid-19 cases requiring hospitalisation, one in three females and one in five males are likely to develop long Covid.
The WHO defines the long Covid as “a constellation of long-term symptoms that some people experience after having Covid-19, such as fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction (for example, confusion, forgetfulness, or a lack of mental focus and clarity)”.
“For these goals to be achieved, we need all countries in the region to recognise that long Covid is a serious problem, with serious consequences and requires a serious response to stop the lives of those affected from getting any worse,” Kluge added.
Double-vaccinated and twice boosted, Jill Biden is “only experiencing mild symptoms” and has been prescribed a course of Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with Covid-19…reports Asian Lite News
US First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for Covid-19, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Jill Biden, 71, began to develop cold-like symptoms on Monday evening and a PCR test came back positive, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the spokesperson.
Double-vaccinated and twice boosted, Jill Biden is “only experiencing mild symptoms” and has been prescribed a course of Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with Covid-19.
The US first lady, the spokesperson added, will isolate for at least five days.
She is currently staying at a private residence in South Carolina and will return home after she receives two consecutive negative tests.
President Xi’s Zero-Covid policy fails as new areas come under coronavirus infection. The latest additions are tourism hubs of Tibet and Hainan. Due to the enforcement of lockdowns in an abrupt manner, tens of thousands of tourists are stranded now……. A special report by Ram Mohan
Zero-Covid policy, propagated by Chinese President Xi Jinping, appears to have failed terribly. Coronavirus infections are spreading to new areas in China even as the old infected areas remain hotspots. Despite the harshest restrictions on public movement, which led to a loss of livelihoods and huge mental harassment, the Zero-Covid policy did not work. And now the coronavirus infection is spreading to new areas of China while government agencies feel helpless.
The latest additions are tourism hubs of Tibet and Hainan. Due to the enforcement of lockdowns in an abrupt manner, tens of thousands of tourists are stranded now. Ironically, China was the first to declare that the country was free from Covid-19 in early 2021. However, the country is struggling to prevent new infections, though the other parts of the world appear to be free of the Covid-19 pandemic now. Under the Zero-Covid policy, people are forced to stay at home.
Hainan hosts the tourist city of Sanya—also referred to as Hawaii of China. Many people from China especially Shanghai had rushed to Sanya for a vacation after months of rigorous lockdowns. But now they are stuck in Sanya as the public movement has been suspended after new 263 cases were reported. Other cities in Hainan province such as Haikou, Wuzhishan, Ledong and Chengmai too are facing strict restrictions since China’s medical agencies are failing miserably to stop coronavirus. Total cases in Hainan have crossed 2,500-figure. Zhou Changqiang, the head of Hainan’s health commission, said “We still have many shortcomings and weaknesses in COVID epidemiologic investigation, testing and treatment.” The situation remains the same in other parts of China even as the areas that were unaffected so far are coming under the Covid-19’s grip.
Tibet had reported just one asymptomatic patient since the Covid-19 pandemic originated in China and reached across the globe like wildfire. A few days ago, Tibet has found 28 new Covid patients, leading to panic in the region. Now, Chinese agencies are building makeshift hospitals with a capacity of over 3,000 beds. The sparsely populated Tibet largely remained unaffected till recently since the pandemic broke out. But it has now become vulnerable as Chinese authorities could not contain the pandemic in the country. Now, Tibetans are at higher risk of getting infected as China’s Health Commission has stated that the people from the hilly areas are more prone to chronic respiratory diseases and low blood pressure levels.
People in new Covid areas are worried about Shanghai-styled long-duration lockdowns, which can impact their jobs, basic freedom and mental health. Those who were quarantined in Covid centre did not get beds or blankets, and people stuck at home struggled to get food and medicine. Even kids including infants were forcibly separated from their parents. Chinese people shared their woes on social media, leading to a public outcry against Xi’s Zero-Covid policy.
Many women in China do not want to have babies or delay pregnancy thanks to the Zero-Covid trauma. “I definitely don’t want my children to carry the uncertainty of living in a country where the government can just come to your door and do whatever they want,” said 30-year-old Jiang. She is a media professional. Dr Brian Hall, a mental health researcher at a Shanghai-based university said the ‘Zero Covid’ policy was taking a significant toll on the mental health and well-being of Chinese people. “I am concerned about how these lockdowns may affect people’s livelihoods, which have knock-on effects on their mental health, especially among those with precarious working conditions, migrants, and young adults,” he said.
Newly infected areas are now heading to stringent lockdowns as the government has shut down pubs, restaurants and malls as well as started suspending train and air services. Given the past experiences, there are high possibilities that even grocery shops would be shut down in accordance with the Zero-Covid policy. This has caused chaos in Hainan and Tibet, where tourists can be seen being stranded at airports. China’s GDP has taken a hit due to Xi’s Zero-Covid policy. Now policy expansion to new areas can hurt the Chinese economy more as well as cause a huge negative impact on people’s livelihoods and mental health.
