covid -19

The Union Health Ministry intends to convert the COVID “war room” into a “health emergency operation centre.” According to reports, the opening of this rebuilt centre will take place shortly.

The COVID-19 war room was established on the first floor of the Union Health Ministry’s Nirman Bhawan, which was the nerve centre of the country’s pandemic situation. The war room will now be renamed the Health Emergency Operation Centre, and it will be inaugurated by Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

The Health Emergency Operation Centre will function around the clock, similar to a COVID war room. This centre has been equipped for all forms of national health emergencies. Previously, the COVID war room was exclusively totally focused on keeping an eye on the COVID-19 situation in India.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India saw another increase in daily COVID cases on Thursday, with the country reporting 7,240 infections in the previous 24 hours.
On Wednesday, India experienced a roughly 41% increase in daily COVID cases, with the country recording 5,233 infections. This rise is thought to be the result of an increase in COVID cases in Maharashtra. Last night, the state reported 2,701 new coronavirus cases.
With the increase in COVID cases, the country’s active caseload now stands at 32,498, accounting for 0.08 percent of all positive cases in India.

The daily positive rate in the past 24 hours was 1.31 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was 2.13 percent, according to the Health Ministry.

The previous 24 hours witnessed 3,591 recoveries, bringing the total to 4,26,40,301. The recovery rate in India is at 98.71 percent.

In the previous 24 hours, India executed 3,40,615 COVID-19 tests. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country has done 85.38 crore (85,38,63,238) total tests so far.

So far, the country has administered about 194.59 crore (1,94,59,81,691) vaccine doses as part of the countrywide immunisation campaign. This was accomplished through 2,48,87,047 sessions.

So far, India has provided 3,77,26,718 cautionary doses to all beneficiaries.

COVID-19 immunisation for children aged 12 to 14 years old began on March 16, 2022. More than 3.47 crore (3,47,98,758) adolescents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination so far.

The number of daily COVID cases in India increased by over 41% on Wednesday, with the country recording 5,233 new infections in the previous 24 hours, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

India had registered 3,714 COVID instances as of Tuesday. This rise is thought to be driven by an increase in COVID cases in Maharashtra. Last evening, the state reported 1,881 new coronavirus cases, the most since February 18.

With the increase in COVID cases, the country’s active caseload now stands at 28,857, accounting for 0.07 percent of all positive cases in India.

Daily and weekly positive rates have also increased.

In the previous week, the daily positive rate was 1.67 percent.

According to the Health Ministry, the daily positive rate in the past 24 hours was 1.67 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was 1.12.

According to ministry data, the daily positivity rate on Tuesday was 1.21 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was 0.97 percent.

The past 24 hours also witnessed 3,345 recoveries, bringing the total to 4,26,36,710. India’s recovery rate is now at 98.72 percent.

In the previous 24 hours, India had performed 3,13,361 COVID-19 tests. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country has done 85.35 crore (85,35,22,623) total tests so far.

So far, the country has administered about 194.43 crore (1,94,43,26,416) vaccine doses as part of the countrywide immunisation campaign. This was accomplished through 2,481,41,726 sessions.

So far, India has provided 3,73,13,276 prophylactic dosages to all beneficiaries.

COVID-19 immunisation for children aged 12 to 14 years old began on March 16, 2022. More than 3.46 crore (3.46,80,050) adolescents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination so far.

Chile will see another surge of COVID-19 infections in the next two weeks, according to a local epidemics monitoring group on Tuesday.

Chile has been witnessing a fifth wave of COVID-19 infections for many weeks, and “we might be nearing the top in two or three weeks,” according to Felipe Elorrieta, head of the Mathematical Epidemiological Group for Epidemic and Pandemic Surveillance at the University of Santiago, Chile. The scientists examined data from the Chilean Ministry of Health, which revealed a 58% spike in COVID-19 cases in the previous 14 days.

“There were 8,500 (daily) instances last week.” We should be above 9,000 but below 10,000 this week, “according to Elorrieta.”

According to Elorrieta, the maximum number of daily infections is

According to Elorrieta, the maximum number of daily infections in this wave should be about 10,000, with a slower rate of transmission than in prior phases.

Furthermore, the association cautioned that hospitalizations in Chile have been steadily increasing since last week.

By Tuesday, the South American country had recorded 3.7 million COVID-19 cases and 57,997 fatalities.

A programme dubbed “Har Ghar Dasak Campaign 2.0” was launched on Wednesday with the goal of increasing immunisation in all states and union territories (UTs) of the country while also raising awareness about the beneficiaries, according to officials from the Union Health Ministry.

This year’s campaign will run till July 31. The Union Health Ministry said that the immunisation of all beneficiaries whose second dose is due and who are eligible for a precaution dose will be highlighted through a door-to-door vaccination effort.

Vaccination coverage for children aged 12 to 18 will be provided through school-based efforts as well.

In a video conference on May 20, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed all states and UTs about the slow pace of COVID-19 vaccination and urged them to speed up the process by saturating all eligible beneficiaries.

During a video conference, the Union Health Secretary advised States and UTs to plan for a two-month “Har Ghar Dastak” campaign 2.0, focusing on door-to-door campaigns with campaigns for old age homes, schools/colleges, including out-of-school children (for targeted coverage of children aged 12-18 years), prisons, brick kilns, and other locations.

The Centre’s inaugural “Har Ghar Dastak” campaign, which focused on achieving 100% first-dose COVID-19 vaccination and clearing the backlog of second-dose vaccinations, ran through December 31.

The Central government began a nationwide COVID-19 immunisation programme on January 16, 2021, and the new phase of universalization of the COVID-19 vaccine began on June 21, 2021.

The government of India has been helping the states and UTs by supplying them with free COVID vaccinations as part of the nationwide vaccination drive.

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of active cases among officers and personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) is in the single digits.

On May 30, CAPFs had only six active cases, according to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Individual forces have reported zero active COVID cases: CRPF, National Security Guard (NSG), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), while Border Security Force (BSF) and Services Selection Board (SSB) have each recorded a single active case.

Meanwhile, four active cases have been reported by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

It is a significant victory in terms of security personnel safety because, by their very nature, security personnel are susceptible to infection because they live in barracks, dine in the same mess, and travel together, according to a senior official.

According to the data, a total of 1.11 lakh personnel were infected with COVID-19, with 1.10 lakh recovering and 356 succumbing to the virus.

The NSG was the least affected force, with only one death documented.

“All eligible workers have received a precautionary dose.” Personnel with comorbidities or other health difficulties were the only ones who were exempted, “he stated.

The official went on to say that steps would be taken in the future.

The Central Armed Police Forces will be deployed for the next Amarnath Yatra, and the ITBP has already been deployed for the Char Dham Yatra to ensure pilgrim safety and security.

Based on the record number of pilgrims that visited the Char Dham Yatra, we expect a record number of pilgrims to visit the Amarnath Yatra, which will begin in two years. Personnel from the CAPF will supervise the crowds and do other jobs that will require close interaction with the people, “according to a BSF officer.”

Another CRPF officer stated that they have gained strong immunity and are prepared to work at full capacity and with more confidence on all fronts.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was the most impacted by COVID-19 among the seven CAPFs at the height of the epidemic, with 33,244 employees afflicted and 136 deaths.

However, the force currently has no active COVID-19 cases.

“When COVID-19 was at its peak, we were assigned to election responsibilities. We’ve already gone through the worst of it. There is no need to be concerned because all workers have been vaccinated, including the precautionary dose. Yoga and other activities that you do on a regular basis might help you maintain your immunity “The CRPF officer went on to say.

All COVID-19 staff should wear a face mask, use hand sanitizer, and wash their hands often.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday, India recorded 2,745 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, 407 more than yesterday after a brief fall.

On Tuesday, the country recorded 2,338 new COVID cases, indicating a third consecutive day of a drop in new COVID cases. The number of active cases in the country has risen to 18,386 from 17,883 yesterday. The active cases account for 0.04 percent of the country’s entire caseload.

According to the Ministry, 2,236 COVID patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall number of recoveries to 4,26,17,810 since the outbreak began. The recovery rate is currently at 98.74%.

In the last 24 hours, 4,55,314 tests were performed, with a daily case positivity rate of 0.60 percent, down from 0.64 percent yesterday. The weekly positivity rate is 0.63 percent, up from 0.61 percent the day before, and 85.08 million COVID tests have been administered in the country.

In the previous 24 hours, 10,91,110 immunisation shots were administered as part of the nationwide vaccination drive, bringing the total number of vaccines administered in the country to 1,93,57,20,807.

According to the largest trial of its kind, three doses of the same COVID-19 vaccination or a mix of different jabs work effectively in preventing infections, even against distinct variations. The findings, which were published in The BMJ, imply that the number of vaccination doses, rather than the combination of vaccine types, appears to be the key to boosting immunity and should help shape future public health decisions. While individual COVID-19 vaccinations are well-known, the efficiency of vaccine combinations is less obvious, especially for certain groups, such as the elderly and those who are immunocompromised, according to the researchers.

Despite a quick drop in COVID-19 infections and deaths, they stated it’s critical to determine which vaccination combinations are most effective due to worries about diminishing vaccine immunity and novel variations. From March 8, 2022, researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) combed through 38 WHO COVID-19 databases for published studies and preprints on a weekly basis. They found 53 studies with over 100 million people that used 24 different COVID-19 vaccine regimens and seven distinct vaccine types for analysis. “While a three-dose mRNA regimen appears to be the most successful in avoiding COVID-19 infections, any heterologous or homologous three-dose regimen works comparably well in preventing COVID-19 infections, even against various variations,” the researchers wrote.

A homologous regimen consists of three doses of the same vaccination, whereas a heterologous regimen consists of a third dosage that differs from the initial shots. Three doses of either mRNA vaccine appear to be most effective (96%) against non-severe COVID-19 infections and most effective (95%) in lowering COVID-19-related hospital admissions, according to the researchers. They also found that using an mRNA booster after two doses of adenovirus vector vaccines has a good efficacy of 88%. According to the researchers, any three-dose regimen — heterologous or homologous — generates stronger immunity in all age groups, including the over-65s, than a two-dose homologous regimen.

According to them, a third booster dose is required to avoid infection caused by the Omicron form. According to the study, in immunocompromised individuals, a third mRNA booster dose, given as part of a heterologous or homologous protocol, significantly enhances protection over two doses. The effectiveness of three dose immunisation regimens against COVIOD-19-related death, however, remains unknown, according to the data.

These are statistical assessments of findings from observational studies and randomised controlled trials.

Due to a lack of data, the researchers were unable to determine the optimal time interval for prime boost or boosting regimens.

If you have COVID and are at home, you may be wondering how long you will remain contagious. You don’t want to isolate for longer than necessary, but you also don’t want to endanger the health of your friends and coworkers—or even strangers.

Unless they have substantial ongoing or new symptoms, patients with COVID in Australia are expected to be isolated for seven days (then the fine print in state and territory rules says they should stay away for longer).

So, what are the risks of leaving home after a week if you’re still contagious?

What study has been done on Omicron’s infectious period? Omicron has a three-day incubation period (the time between infection and the onset of symptoms), with the person becoming infectious a day or two before symptoms appear.

Omicron symptoms last 5–6 days on average, compared to 7–10 days for Delta and earlier forms. Because of the higher number of mutations on its spike protein, Omicron is more infectious because it is better at evading the body’s immune system.

The Omicron variation appears to induce milder sickness and more asymptomatic infections, as well as being stronger at evading the human immune system, which explains the high rate of breakthrough cases with the Omicron form.

What if my RAT test is still positive on day 6 or 7?

Rapid antigen tests (RATs) may not detect COVID until at least two days following exposure to the virus, according to data from the Omicron epidemic.

RATs are also less accurate if you don’t have any symptoms, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). As a result, you’re more than likely to test positive on a RAT a few days after exposure. If you don’t have any symptoms, you could obtain a false negative result in the days afterward.

Because of their great sensitivity, PCR tests are more likely to detect viral particles earlier than RATs, and PCR will continue to detect viral particles for longer.

Even if the person is not contagious, relying on this test could lengthen the period of isolation. Despite this, the “gold standard” for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection is still a PCR test.

Most states don’t require a positive RAT or PCR test to be released from isolation, but they do recommend that those who still have symptoms (such as a sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, or a runny nose) continue to be isolated. If you have symptoms and take a RAT test, a positive result could mean you’re still contagious.

COVID testing is used to identify people who are currently infected with the virus.

As a result, RATs can detect the great majority of contagious illnesses in crowded settings, including long-term care institutions, businesses, and schools.

Meanwhile, new research (including data from the [National Basketball Association’s extensive COVID testing programme]) suggests that with the Omicron variant, up to half of those infected could still be infectious on day five (the recommended isolation period in the United States) – and possibly beyond.

Isolation is for seven days in Australian states and territories if the person has no symptoms.

It has been suggested that isolating for eight days and wearing a mask to protect others for a total of ten days might be preferable.

Those who are released from isolation in the Northern Territory are required to wear a mask for an additional seven days. After being isolated, South Australians are instructed to wear a mask for three days.

After that, what about masks?

If patients are still symptomatic after their seven-day isolation period, they may become contagious. Most people are no longer infectious after 10 days. Regardless of the variation, multiple studies have demonstrated that after day ten, there is very little, if any, transmission.

People are deemed non-infectious once they have fully recovered from the sickness and have no symptoms, as the virus load they carry is very low.

A person who has recently recovered from COVID does not need to wear a mask because they are not at danger of re-infection with the same variety. As a result, they do not pose a COVID risk to others.

However, after 12 weeks, when reinfection is a possibility, they will need to reassess their advice.

Your age and immunological condition can influence the extent of protection you get from vaccination or previous COVID infection. It’s also worth mentioning that recovering from Omicron won’t prevent you from seasonal colds and flu, or COVID variations in the future—but wearing a mask might.

Those who are immunocompromised, on the other hand, should wait 20 days before leaving isolation because it has been established that such individuals shed viruses for longer.

Advice on when to leave the house

Early detection of infection and implementation of public infection prevention measures are essential for protecting ourselves and our community from transmissible diseases such as COVID.

RAT testing needs to be combined with preventative measures, including isolation till symptoms diminish and wearing masks in indoor places and at public events until RAT tests are uniformly sensitive enough to detect the absence of the virus with certainty.

After COVID-19, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association will hold special trials to promote the sport in the valley.

The trials are available to all age groups, including senior citizens. The players have responded tremendously to this effort, and they are going to these trials with vim and excitement, especially after the COVID-19 epidemic, which restricted these players to their homes owing to the extremely infectious nature of the disease. But now that everything has returned to normal, the trials have begun. This comes amid the Indian Premier League, in which Union Territory players like Umran Malik and Abdul Samad have had opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.

The players’ morale is quite strong, and they hope that more young people from the valley will get the chance to participate in the IPL and demonstrate their abilities at the national and international levels as well. A large number of young players from far-flung locations are taking part in the tryouts at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium under the supervision of expert coaches, trainers, and selectors.

The management is doing everything possible to recruit dynamic players and provide them with all of the resources necessary to revitalise and promote cricket on a broad scale.

Sameer Ahmad, a player, said, “A trial was started last year too.” There are a lot of talented players in Kashmir. There are many players who did not get a chance before but are now getting chances. When players get chances, only then can we find out how good they are. A lot of players do not progress because of a lack of chances.

Sheikh Usad, another player, stated, “It’s a fantastic concept.” Cricket has gained popularity as a result of the IPL. Parents want their children to participate, and it will spotlight local talent that will be developed. There are other trials in other districts. There will be senior trials first, followed by a shortlisting of players. Then they will play matches and be shortlisted again; Jammu players will also go through trials and be shortlisted; matches will be played and players will be shortlisted; and lastly, the Ranji team will be formed.

Kashmir Cricket’s Administrative Head, Sheikh Majid, stated, “Cricket and the IPL have become highly commercialised.” That is why so many people wish to pursue it as a career.

This talent hunt is taking place in both Kashmir Valley and Jammu at the same time; we started with women’s and men’s U-19, then moved on to U-23 categories, and are currently holding seniors’ trials. Now, 90 lads will be chosen from the valley. Following the completion of matches, selected players will be shortlisted and placed in camps. It’s all dependent on performance. “

Majid went on to say that when state players become stars, they serve as a major source of encouragement and motivation for the next generation.

“Umran Malik is a big influence for young people.” “There is no substitute for hard effort,” he continued.