In China, the recent Covid-19 surge has emerged as a ‘source of concern’ for other countries to remain vigilant and step up preparations against the coronavirus infection. With several countries imposing Covid prevention measures for travelers from China, India has also started random testing of international passengers from December 24.
According to an order by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airlines are required to direct their crew members to lead and bring identified 2% of international passengers to the testing facility at the airport. India has mandated a Covid-19 negative test report for travelers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand.
The US officials also stated that the government may impose new Covid-19 measures on travelers to the country from China over concerns about the lack of transparent data coming from Beijing.
Some hospitals and funeral homes in China have been overwhelmed as the virus spreads largely unchecked across the country of 1.4 billion people. China said on Monday it would stop requiring inbound travelers to go into quarantine starting from January 8 in a major step towards easing curbs on its borders, which have been largely shut since 2020.
Research groups have predicted that the death toll could rise to millions amid fears that new mutants could emerge as a new wave of infections quickly spreads throughout the vast country.
Catch all the latest updates on Covid-19 here
Table of Contents
50% of the passengers in flights from China positive: Milan
Milan health authorities said that almost half of the passengers on two flights from China tested positive for Covid-19.
Maharashtra reports 36 new cases, one death
Maharashtra reported 36 new coronavirus positive cases on Wednesday taking the overall infection tally to 81,36,588, the health department said. The death toll rose to 1,48,416 with one fatality in the last 24 hours.
No need to expect Chinese situation on Covid for India: Experts
"There is no reason to expect that the Chinese situation, which is specifically shaped by the zero-Covid policies that the country implemented for almost three years, will predict anything in India," Satyajit Rath, adjunct faculty at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune told news agency PTI
SII to provide 2 crore free doses of Covishield to Centre
Citing the rising cases of the Covid-19 virus, the Serum Institute of India (SII) has announced to provide two crore doses of Covishield vaccine to the central government free of cost
India may see surge in Covid cases in mid-January: Health Ministry
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that according to the trends, the country might see a rise in Covid-19 cases in mid-January. States are assessing their operation readiness to deal with large number of Covid-19 cases.
Covid-19: US intelligence report reveals China’s ambition for biological weapons
Scepticism around China's plans to develop biological weapons are not new. A recent US intelligence report claims that China had admitted to wanting to develop biological weapons long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world.
A declassified report on the Intelligence Community's (IC) response to the Covid-19 pandemic was made public on 15 December by the House Intelligence Committee after a two-year investigation.
Japan records 415 Covid deaths today, highest-ever single day count
Japan on Wednesday recorded 415 Covid-19 deaths, the highest-ever count for a single day, health ministry data showed.
The country counted 216,219 newly confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, up 4% from a week earlier, the data also showed, approaching the record high of some 260,000 a day in August.
In the past seven days, Japan had the world's largest confirmed Covid-19 infections and the second-most deaths after the United States, according to a tally by the World Health Organization. (Reuters)
China: Funeral homes, hospitals under ‘intense pressure’ as Covid cases surge
Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surging Covid-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to consider new travel rules on Chinese visitors.
“Almost all of the patients have Covid," one emergency department pharmacy staff member said.
The hospital has no stocks of Covid-specific medicine and can only provide drugs for symptoms such as coughing, she said. (Reuters)
Covid-19: Taiwan to test arrivals from China from January 1
Taiwan will test arrivals from China for Covid-19 from January 1 in response to a surge in cases there, the government said on Wednesday. (Reuters)
Hong Kong to scrap Covid tests for arrivals, vaccine pass: Report
International travellers to Hong Kong will no longer need to do a mandatory PCR Covid-19 test on arrival, local broadcaster TVB said on Wednesday citing sources, adding that the city's vaccine pass required to enter most venues would also be scrapped.
Hong Kong leader John Lee is due to hold a media briefing at 3.30pm (0730 GMT) to give further details. (Reuters)
Covid: Philippine Transport chief in favour of imposing curbs for Chinese travelers
Philippine Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista said he’s in favor of imposing Covid measures including testing on inbound travelers from China.
“I think we should be very cautious because if they have a lot of Covid cases, we should be careful about Chinese visitors coming into the Philippines," Bautista told reporters Wednesday.
Bharat Biotech, Biological E hold 250 million doses of Covid vaccines
The two major Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturing units, Biological E and Bharat Biotech, together are holding about 250 million Covid vaccine doses ready to dispatch as and when orders are received. (PTI)
Covid: China to start issuing new passports as virus curbs ease
The Chinese government says it will start issuing new passports as it dismantles anti-virus travel barriers, setting up a potential flood of millions of tourists out of China for next month's Lunar New Year holiday.
That raises the possibility of an influx of free-spending Chinese visitors to revenue-starved destinations in Asia and Europe in what usually is the country's busiest travel season. But it also presents a danger, as tourists might spread Covid-19 as infections surge in China. (PTI)
China reopening borders leads other countries to restrict entry
Countries across the globe are implementing or considering measures to test or restrict travelers from China as the country of 1.4 billion abandons its Covid Zero policy and prepares to reopen borders in early January.
The US is considering new coronavirus precautions for people traveling from China due to mounting concerns over the renewed risk of infections spreading, according to American officials who asked not to be identified discussing internal thinking. (Bloomberg)
Mother-child duo, returning from China, test Covid positive in TN
A woman and her six-year-old daughter, who returned from China via Colombo, tested positive for Covid-19 at the Madurai airport in Tamil Nadu, a senior health official said on Wednesday.
The woman, hailing from Virudhunagar near Madurai, and her daughter were subjected to RT-PCR test at the airport when they landed on Tuesday and the results turned positive for coronavirus, the official said. (PTI)
India logs 188 new Covid cases in 24 hours
India logged 188 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 3,468, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,647). The death toll stands at 5,30,696, the data updated at 8 am stated. (PTI)
Covid-19: Long queues in Chinese hospitals
There were long queues inside and outside the hospital’s emergency department and at an adjacent fever clinic on Tuesday evening. Most of those arriving in ambulances were given oxygen to help with their breathing.
“Almost all of the patients have Covid," one emergency department pharmacy staff member said.
The hospital has no stocks of Covid-specific medicine and can only provide drugs for symptoms such as coughing, she said. (Reuters)
Covid: 4 travelers from Myanmar tested positive at Delhi airport
Four in ternational travellers from Myanmar tested positive for the Coronavirus infection at the Delhi airport on Monday. The Genome sequencing of their samples is being done, the sources said. (ANI)
Chinese hospitals 'extremely busy' as Covid spreads unchecked
Chinese hospitals were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surge of Covid-19 infections strained resources in the last major country to move towards treating the virus as endemic.
Staff at Huaxi, a big hospital in the southwestern city of Chengdu, said they were extremely busy caring for patients with Covid, as they have been ever since curbs were eased on December 7. (Reuters)
Covid: Bihar witnesses rise in active cases, no need for panic, says Expert
Bihar has witnessed a more than ten-fold rise in active Covid-19 cases, since last weekend, according to figures released by the state health department.
The state, which had zero active case till Sunday, now has 14, with Gaya accounting for 12 of these.
Notably, Gaya is witnessing an influx of pilgrims from abroad who are heading for Bodh Gaya, less than 20 km away, to attend the discourses of the Dalai Lama. (PTI)
China’s mainland reports 3 new Covid deaths
China reported three new COVID-19 deaths in mainland for Dec. 27, compared with one death a day earlier, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.
The death toll was raised to 5,245. (Reuters)
Covid-19: Karnataka Health Minister urges citizens to get 3rd dose
Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar inspected the 'mock drill' conducted in various hospitals of the state.
"People should join hands with government measures and take precautionary measures. There are about 8.5 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine available in the state and I urge everyone to get the third dose," Minister Sudhakar said. (ANI)
Covid-19: Delhi reports 16 new cases in 24 hours
Delhi logged 16 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, with a case positivity rate of 0.44 per cent, stated a bulletin issued by the Delhi Health Department on Tuesday.
With the fresh infections, the active cases in the city stand at 39.
However, with no death from Covid reported over the last 24 hours, the overall toll in the national capital remained at 26,521. (ANI)
Covid mock drills: Govt hospitals in Punjab, Haryana 'prepared' for surge in cases
Punjab and Haryana health ministers on Tuesday monitored the Covid mock drills in various government hospitals of their states, conducted as part of a nationwide exercise to check preparedness to deal with any surge in cases.
Punjab Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra took stock of the mock drill held at district hospital, Mohali, where he visited the 120-bed special Covid Isolation Ward in the hospital and inquired about the availability of oxygen, ventilators, health staff, and essential medicines, among other facilities. (PTI)
Covid-19: India-based Hetero’s Paxlovid generic gets WHO back
India's Hetero said on Tuesday that its generic version of Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for Covid-19 developed by Pfizer Inc, was added to the World Health Organization's prequalification list, which serves as a benchmark for procurement of medicines by developing countries.
The treatment bundles two nirmatrelvir pills and one ritonavir pill and will be manufactured at Hetero's plants in India, where the drug has emergency use authorization from the country's drugs controller general.
Covid-19: Air India Express’ new guidelines for travelers from UAE
Air India Express travellers from the United Arab Emirates(UAE) to India are required to complete their COVID 19 vaccination doses and take other precautions like using masks and physical distancing as per the new COVID-19 guidelines issued by airline.
The recommendation has advised all the visitors to complete their immunisation as per approved in their country. The children below 12 years of age are exempted from post-arrival random testing under the guideline.
Delhi: Mansukh Mandaviya visited Safdarjung Hospital to review Covid preparedness
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday visited Safdarjung Hospital in the national capital to review the mock drill being undertaken for ensuring the readiness of hospital infrastructure for Covid-19 management.
He had an informal interactive session with the Heads of Departments and staff of Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. (ANI)
UP: Mock drill conducted in 400 hospitals to check Covid preparedness
In the wake of an uptick in Covid cases globally, mock drills were conducted in 400 dedicated hospitals spread across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday in which the focus was on ensuring the availability of ventilators, medicines, and oxygen.
This comes after the Centre directed the states to conduct mock drills at all Covid hospitals as part of precautionary measures to check the preparedness of medical facilities in case of a spike in domestic COVID cases.
Telangana govt sets up ICU beds for Covid, other emergencies
The Government of Telangana has equipped the Golconda Area Hospital with ICU beds for Covid-19 and other emergencies. The hospital officials say that they are ready to face any calamity.
“We are ready to handle patients there if anyone is without oxygen support. We have done a mock drill today in all this regard checking the ventilators, nebulizers, oxygen ports and high-flow machines. We have arranged it all in an organized way," said an Anaesthetist of Area Hospital, Golconda, Amir. (ANI)
Covid mock drill in Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar Hospital have enough oxygen plants
Jammu & Kashmir | We have 6 oxygen plants with a capacity of 5,600 litres per minute & 1,700 oxygen cylinders. We have enough drug supplies. Today during the mock drill we checked the pressure & purity of the oxygen plant here in the hospital: Dr Muzaffar, SMHS Hospital, Srinagar pic.twitter.com/asfk00uD59
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2022
Covid-19: US weighs new prevention measures amid China’s surge in cases
The US government may impose new Covid-19 measures on travelers to the United States from China over concerns about the "lack of transparent data" coming from Beijing, the officials said on Tuesday.
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