Coronavirus News Highlights: China to scrap quarantine for overseas arrivals

Follow the latest developments on the Covid-19 situation in India and the world with DH.

Delhi govt school teachers to be deployed at airport to ensure Covid protocol

Amid the rising globalCovidscare, teachers of Delhi government schools will be deployed at the Delhi airport for 15 days to ensureCovidappropriate behaviour by incoming passengers from abroad.

The teachers will be deployed as additional staff from December 31 to January 15.

The District Magistrate, West, on behalf of the District Disaster Management Authority has issued an order in this regard for their deployment as additional staff at the airport to ensureCovidprotocol. According to the order, a total of 85 staff, that includes teaching and non-teaching staff both, have been assigned duty to ensure theCovidprotocol duty in facilitating cum-handing of the passengers coming from abroad.

Devotees have to undergo RT-PCR test to meet the Dalai Lama

After five foreigners were found Corona positive in Bodh Gaya, the district administration has directed the officials of the Dalai Lama trust to makeCovidtest mandatory for those who want to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader during the Kaal Chakra Puja.

The Dalai Lama is currently in Bodh Gaya for the Kaal Chakra Puja which will continue for one month. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to give a spiritual speech from December 29 to 31.

China to scrap quarantine for overseas arrivals, say health authorities

China will scrap quarantine measures for overseas arrivals starting January 8, health authorities announced Monday, after nearly three years of strict pandemic border restrictions.

Beijing to distribute Pfizer antiviral drug amid unprecedented Covid wave

Beijing will begin distributing PfizersCovid19 drug Paxlovid to the citys community health centres in the coming days, state media reported on Monday.

The report comes as the city grapples with an unprecedented wave of infections which have severely strained its hospitals and emptied pharmacy shelves, CNN reported.

Hetero's Covid-19 oral drug gets WHO pre-qualification

Leading pharmaceutical company Hetero on Monday announced that it has received the World Health Organization Prequalification of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version ofCovid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir.

This is the first pre-qualification for a generic version of Pfizer'sCovid-19 oral antiviral drug 'Paxlovid', which the WHO called, the best therapeutic choice for high-risk patients to date.

China's Covid wave hits factories and consumer market

Chinas economy is under severe strain as a wave ofCovidcases sweeps across the country, according to a media report.

Since the world's second largest economy drastically eased itsCovidrestrictions earlier this month, there has been no clear data on the extent of the virus' spread on the national level. But several cities and provinces have said they were seeing tens of thousands of new cases per day, CNN reported.

The rapid spread of infection has driven many people indoors and emptied shops and restaurants. Factories and companies are also forced to shut down or cut production because of more workers getting sick, the report said.

Delhi govt sanctions Rs 104 crore for hospitals to procure general medicines amid fresh Covid scare

The Delhi government on Monday approved a budget of Rs 104 crore for hospitals to procure general medicines as part of preparations to deal with emergency situations amid a surge inCovidcases in some countries.

At a review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia directed the heads of government hospitals to share details of beds, ventilators, ICUs, human resources, oxygen plants, and medical logistics with the Health department by the evening.

"The surge inCovidcases globally is a matter of concern for everyone. Delhi hospitals have been asked to prepare well in advance and stay vigilant.

Xi urges steps to 'protect' lives as China lifts Covid curbs

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged officials to take steps to protect lives on Monday in his first public remarks onCovidsince Beijing dramatically loosened hardline containment measures this month.

Having been largely sheltered from the virus for much of the pandemic, China is now experiencing the world's biggest surge in infections after restrictions that torpedoed the economy were abruptly lifted.

People must wear masks while celebrating New Year: Karnataka Health Minister

In view of risingCovid-19 cases in some countries, the Karnataka government on Monday said masks will be compulsory during the New Year celebrations. Celebrations on New Year's Day should last only till 1 am, Health Minister K Sudhakar said. On the vaccination front, the minister said the government has insisted that people should take the booster dose. He appealed to senior citizens, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children to avoid crowded places.

Random Covid-19 tests being conducted at airports

Covid-19: Mock drill across states, UTs on Wednesday to ensure readiness of health facilities

A mock drill will be held on Wednesday across a number of health facilities in several states and Union territories to ensure their readiness to deal with any eventuality related toCovid-19, following an advisory by the Centre.

The exercise will focus on parameters such as availability of health facilities (covering all districts), capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds, and optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers.

We've set up task force committees under Dy Commissioners of respective districts who'll ensure that proper (Covid) guidelines are followed & quick inoculation (of vaccine) is done by setting up camps all across the districts, saysKarnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar.

Packed ICUs, crowded crematoriums: Covid roils Chinese towns

As China grapples with its first-ever nationalCovid-19 wave, emergency wards in small cities and towns southwest of Beijing are overwhelmed. Emergency rooms are turning away ambulances, relatives of sick people are searching for open beds, and patients are slumped on benches in hospital corridors and lying on floors for a lack of beds.

Covid guidelines won't impact normal life, business: Karnataka CM Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the guidelines which will be formulated to manage the evolvingCovidsituation in the state won't impact day-to-today life and business of the people.

"The matter will be discussed in the cabinet. There is a need to create awareness among the people and administer booster doses. The mask should be worn compulsorily. The meeting will primarily focus on precautions and preventive measures," CM Bommai stated.

Modelling data foresees low circulation of Covid virus in J&K, says health expert

Modelling data from credible agencies do not foresee any majorCovidwave in Jammu and Kashmir, a leading pulmonologist said, but advised people to take precautionary measures as models "can go horribly wrong".

In a series of tweets, SKIMS Director Dr Parvaiz Koul said, "Modelling data from credible agencies (like from University of Washington) predict a low circulation of the virus for coming weeks in JK (Jammu and Kashmir), but models can go horribly wrong.

"So stay calm, observe routine precautions and vaccinate if you haven't, as per the advisories. NO PANIC PLEASE. Safety saves. Better safe than sorry."

Masks mandatory inside public spaces, for New Year celebrations which are to end before 1 am: Karnataka Health Minister

Two covid positive cases have been detected at the Kolkata Airport

China races to vaccinate elderly, but many are reluctant

Chinese authorities are going door to door and paying people older than 60 to get vaccinated against Covid-19. But even as cases surge, 64-year-old Li Liansheng said his friends are alarmed by stories of fevers, blood clots and other side effects.(AP)

Covid: Delhi authorities start taking stock of arrangements in hospitals

Officials on Monday began physically visiting all government hospitals in Delhi to ascertain their preparedness to deal with any eventuality in view of the surge in Covid cases in some countries, authorities said.(PTI)

UP activates administrative machinery to test Covid readiness, mock drills in all hospitals on Tue

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday activated the administrative machinery to test Covid preparedness and management, including conduct of mock drills at medical colleges and hospitals across the state, after two fresh cases were reported from Unnao and Agra.(PTI)

Pakistan ill-prepared to tackle new Covid-19 variant's arrival

Pakistan's health authorities appear to be ill-prepared to stop the arrival of the new coronavirus variant in the country, which is spreading fast in some countries including China, a media report said on Monday.(PTI)

Four foreigners -3 from Myanmar & 1 from Bangkok-have tested positive for Covid-19 at Gaya airport

Karnataka Health Minister and Revenue Minister will hold meeting with Technical Advisory Committee to discuss new Covid guidelines for the state

Man from China tests Covid positive in Bengaluru airport: Report

Mandaviya will hold a meeting via video conferencing with the IMA today on Covid situation and preparedness

Active Covid cases in India rise to 3,428

India logged 196 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases marginally increased to 3,428, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,302).(PTI)

Nainital High Court: All officers, staff, lawyers and parties will be able to enter the court only after wearing masks

Beijing, Shanghai residents back to work as China eases into living with Covid

Mask-wearing Beijing and Shanghai commuters crowded subway trains on Monday, with China's two biggest cities moving closer to living with Covid-19, as millions have been infected with the virus across the country.

After years of ruthless anti-coronavirus curbs, President Xi Jinping scrapped the country's zero-Covid policy in the face of protests and a widening outbreak.

Thane records 2 new Covid-19 cases; active tally at 8

Maharashtra's Thane district has reported two new Covid-19 cases, raising its infection count to 7,47,393, a health official said on Monday.(PTI)

China reports no new Covid deaths for Dec 25

China reported no new Covid-19 deaths in mainland for Dec. 25, the same a day earlier, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.(Reuters)

Maharashtra temple bodies make masks must amid Covid scare

Amid the growing Covid-19 cases in some parts of the world, several temple managements in Maharashtra have either made the use of face masks compulsory or advised people to use them in the wake of the holiday rush and New Year festivities.

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Delhi airport: Random Covid test of intl passengers continues for 2nd day; some test positive

The random Covid test of arriving international passengers continued for the second day at Delhi airport on Sunday, and some passengers have tested positive, according to an official.

At the Delhi airport, as many as 455 passengers have been subjected to random coronavirus testing, starting from 10 am on Saturday till 7 pm on Sunday. Out of them, less than half per cent are positive cases, an official at Genestrings Diagnostic Centre said.(PTI)

Chhattisgarh sees one Covid-19 case, active tally now eight

Chhattisgarh on Sunday reported one Covid-19 case at a positivity rate of 0.33 per cent, taking the tally to 11,77,749, an official said. The death toll and recovery count remained unchanged at 14,146 and 11,63,595, respectively.(PTI)

Rising Covid cases likely to keep markets volatile

With the next week being the end of the calendar year and no major event lined up, markets may remain lacklustre for the week. We would enter the calendar year 2023 (CY23) with uncertain global factors, like recessionary fears, geo-political risks and rising Covid cases in China that could keep the equity markets volatile.

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It's safe to wear masks in crowded places: TN Health Minister Ma Subramanian

Tamil Nadu never announced any relaxation in following Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and it is safe to wear a mask in crowded places, state Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Sunday amid a surge in coronavirus infections overseas.

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Covid spreading rapidly in China, new signs suggest

China’s outbreak is straining not only its government’s credibility and its health care system, but also the ability to provide basic fever-reducing medications.

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