Coronavirus Highlights: India Records 3,303 New Covid Cases In 24 Hours

40 new COVID-19 cases in Telangana

Gujarat records 14 COVID-19 cases, no deaths

COVID-19: Punjab reports 27 new cases

580 fresh Covid cases in Haryana; 473 from Gurugram alone

Madhya Pradesh logs 29 new COVID-19 cases; active tally at 95

COVID-19: Tamil Nadu logs 73 new infections, zero fatalities

Mumbai's daily COVID-19 count again dips below 100; no new death, active tally at 562

Odisha logs 7 new COVID-19 cases, next three-four weeks crucial for state

Emotional To Economic: The Costs Of China's Zero-Covid Policy Summed Up
China is facing the biggest test yet of its draconian approach to COVID-19, with a lockdown for most people in Shanghai for more than a month crippling the commercial capital and Beijing scrambling to contain an outbreak and avert a similar crisis.

As most other countries in the world are learning to live with the virus, China's "dynamic Covid-zero" policy is taking a heavy toll on economic growth, posing significant challenges for companies and causing fatigue and frustration among residents. Read how it adds up here.

Covid virus could evolve in animals, spawn variants that can jump back to humans: scientists
The role of "animal reservoirs" in the spread of Covid is still being studied but evidence of zoonosis, or the virus jumping from animals to humans, is growing and scientists are concerned this new frontier could potentially spawn dangerous and difficult to monitor mutants.

While there is no consensus about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, many scientists believe it likely jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another species being sold live in a market in Wuhan, China.

Some experts also forward the theory that the highly mutated Omicron variant, which caused a deluge of cases globally, including in India, emerged from animals, potentially rodents, rather than an immune compromised human.

Delhi Covid Cases Rising But Hospitalisation Rate Low, Says Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said that though COVID-19 cases have increased in the capital, people are not developing severe disease and the hospitalisation rate is low.

"Though Covid cases have increased in Delhi, people are not developing severe disease and the hospitalisation rate is low. This is because our population is fully vaccinated and a large number of people have had the disease in the past," Mr Jain told reporters.

Covid-Hit Beijing Keeps Guard Up To Avert Shanghai-Like Lockdown Misery
China's capital Beijing closed some public spaces and stepped up checks at others on Thursday, as most of the city's 22 million residents embarked on more COVID-19 mass testing aimed at averting a Shanghai-like lockdown.

As Beijing rolled out three rounds of mass testing this week across a number of districts, it locked down a number of residential compounds, office blocks and a university after infections were found while shutting some schools, entertainment venues and tourist sites.

Over 19.58 crore Covid vaccine doses are available with States, UTs, says Centre
"More than 193.04 Crore (1,93,04,24,025) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through the Government of India (free of cost channel) and through the direct state procurement category, of which more than 19.58 Crore (19,58,22,570) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered," said an official statement.

Chinese Megacity Cancels Flights, Mass Tests After 1 Suspected Covid Case
The Chinese megacity of Guangzhou cancelled hundreds of flights Thursday and launched mass testing of 5.6 million people after one suspected Covid case, as the battle to contain the coronavirus sweeps across the country.

China is facing its worst outbreak since the peak of the first wave in early 2020, with eastern Shanghai recording dozens of daily deaths and the capital Beijing sealing off whole neighbourhoods where handfuls of cases have been detected.

India records 3,303 new Covid cases in 24 hours, 39 deaths
India reported 3,303 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 4,30,65,496. The total Covid-related deaths in the country rose to 5,23,693 with 39 additions. Kerala also added a backlog of 26 deaths.

Two Indian origin men get jail for lying about vaccination status
A Singapore sent two Indian origin men to five-day jail in a case involving lying about their Covid vaccination status to enter a bar. One man was caught falsely impersonating the other in order to fake his vaccination status for entry, leading to both men facing jail.

Covaxin For Kids: Bharat Biotech's Covaxin Cleared For 6-12 Age Group By Drugs Regulator
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) today gave emergency use authorisation to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for children between the age group of 6-12 amid an uptick in the Covid cases in schools.