Covid-19 Archives - Page 3 of 8 - Lokmarg

China: Amid Rise In COVID Cases, Hospitals Cancel New Year Holiday

By LokMarg 1st January 2023

As COVID-19 cases in China continue to rise, hospitals in many cities have started working overtime during New Year’s day to fight against the epidemic, Global Times reported.

All employees of the Third Municipal Hospital of Qinhuangdao in China’s Hebei province cancelled their vacations during the New Year’s day holidays in 2023 to address the needs of patients undergoing medical treatment, Global Times reported citing a notice released on the WeChat account of the hospital on Thursday.
Hospitals in Chinese provinces, including Shanxi, Hebei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, and Heilongjiang issued a similar notice, as per the news report. Employees in local hospitals have been working overtime during the holidays to ensure the treatment of patients amid the epidemic wave as part of the overall coordination of the epidemic prevention and control departments to optimize epidemic prevention policies and ensure scientific treatment, according to Global Times.

Districts in Shanghai, including Jiading, Minhang, and Songjiang have improved their management measures for graded treatment to divert non-urgent COVID patients from top-tier hospitals as infections and critical cases peaked in recent days.

In order to address the peak of the epidemic that is expected to come during the New Year holidays, China’s Zhejiang province has given six tasks to local medical institutions, including improving the service capacity of fever clinics, improving service accessibility convenience and improving the ability to conduct treatment of local patients, according to Global Times.

Speaking at a briefing on the latest epidemic response on Tuesday, Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under the National Health Commission (NHC), stressed that more precise and scientific prevention and control must be taken as the time of the peak of the epidemic will vary in different regions of China.

Liang Wannian stated that the treatment of severe cases, and ensuring daily medical needs should be kept at an important spot while the prevention and control and treatment capacity building in rural areas should be placed in a more prominent position, as per the news report.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on December 28 announced that the US will require a negative COVID-19 test from all travellers arriving in the country from China as well as those from Hong Kong and Macau.

“CDC is announcing today that it will implement a requirement for a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery for air passengers boarding flights to the United States originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau,” the CDC said in a statement released on its website.

“CDC is announcing this step to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the United States during the surge in COVID-19 cases in the PRC given the lack of adequate and transparent epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data being reported from the PRC, it added. (ANI)

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China Facing Tough Challenges Due To COVID-19: Xi

By LokMarg 1st January 2023

China is facing “tough challenges” as it enters “a new phase” in its COVID-19 response, President Xi Jinping said in his annual new year’s address on Saturday

“We have now entered a new phase of COVID response where tough challenges remain,” Xi said in his new year message to the nation.
Calling the process of Covid responses “tough challenges,” Xi said that with extraordinary efforts, China has prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges.

“In 2022, we successfully convened the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). An ambitious blueprint has been drawn for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, sounding a clarion call of the times for us forging ahead on a new journey,” he said.

Talking about the Chinese economy, China’s President said that the country’s finance has remained the second largest in the world and enjoyed sound development, according to the statement.

He also said that the GDP is expected to exceed 120 trillion yuan for the whole year. Despite a global food crisis, China has secured a bumper harvest for the 19th year in a row, putting the country in a stronger position to ensure the food supply of the Chinese people.

“We have consolidated our gains in poverty elimination and advanced rural revitalization across the board. We have introduced tax and fee cuts and other measures to ease the burden on businesses, and made active efforts to solve the most pressing difficulties of deep concern to the people,” Xi said.

Recalling Former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, who passed away in November, Xi said that he paid high tribute to his towering achievements and noble demeanour, the statement reads.

“Today’s China is a country where dreams become a reality. The Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games concluded with a resounding success. Chinese winter sports athletes gave their all and achieved extraordinary results. Shenzhou-13, Shenzhou-14, and Shenzhou-15 soared into the heavens. China’s space station was fully completed and our “home in space” is roving in the deep-blue sky,” Xi said.

He further added, ” The people’s armed forces marked the 95th birthday and all service members are marching confidently on the great journey of building a strong military. China’s third aircraft carrier Fujian was launched. C919, China’s first large passenger aircraft, was delivered. And the Baihetan hydropower station went into full operation… None of these achievements would have been possible without the sweat and toil of numerous Chinese people. Sparks of talent are coming together, and they are the strength of China!” (ANI)

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Thand Se Dar Nahi Lagta, Says Rahul On T-shirt Row

By LokMarg 31st December 2022

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday tackled the “T-shirt” controversy that appears to have taken the centre stage after he marched into Delhi borders on December 24 leading his Bharat Jodo Yatra with just a white T-shirt and trousers amid severe cold conditions.

Speaking to the media, the Congress MP gave an amusing response when quizzed on his winter woolen choices as the national capital saw mercury hover between 7 and 4 degrees Celsius over the past week.
In a light-hearted conversation with reporters, the Wayanad MP said that he is thinking of wearing a sweater once he starts feeling cold.

While addressing the press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, “Why is there so much hullabaloo over a T-shirt? I do not wear a sweater because I am not scared of winter. I am thinking of wearing a sweater once I start feeling cold.”

It is not like only social media users and others have raised the T-shirt issue, but several videos doing rounds have purportedly shown his mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi questioning him on his winter wardrobe.

Rahul Gandhi also said he considers the Bharatiya Janata Party as his “guru” (teacher) as the BJP shows him a roadmap and teaches him “what should never be done”.

Addressing a press conference, the Wayanad MP said, “I want them (BJP) to attack us aggressively, this will help the Congress party understand its ideology. I consider them (BJP) as my Guru, they are showing me the way and training me on what is not to be done.”

While talking about the Bharat Jodo Yatra which entered New Delhi on December 24 before taking a nine-day break, he said, “When I started this, I just took it as an ordinary yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Slowly we understood that this yatra has a voice & feelings.”

“The doors of Bharat Jodo Yatra are open for everyone, we are not going to stop anyone from joining us. Akhilesh ji, Mayawati ji, and others want “Mohabbat ka Hindustan”,” he said in an open invite to the other parties of the opposition ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Rahul Gandhi’s mass contacting campaign, Bharat Jodo Yatra, was issued cautionary notes by the Centre amid a rise in COVID-19 cases across neighboring countries.

So far, the Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, has covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and Haryana.

It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress has claimed.

With this yatra, Rahul Gandhi aims to mobilize the party cadre and unite the general public against the BJP’s “divisive politics in the country”. (ANI)

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UK Covid Test Mandatory For Travellers From China

UK To Make Covid Test Mandatory For Travellers From China

By LokMarg 31st December 2022

After India and Japan, the UK is also likely to make Covid-19 tests mandatory for travellers from China after the infection surged in the mainland, Reuters reported citing British media outlets.

The travellers from China have to produce a negative COVID test report.
According to Reuters citing UK media reports, the UK government is all set to announce the new China arrival policy without providing specific details about the time.

This comes at a time when the United States is considering imposing new Covid-19 measures on travellers coming from China amid the surge of new Covid cases, Reuters reported citing a US official.

“There are mounting concerns in the international community on the ongoing COVID-19 surges in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genomic sequence data, being reported from the PRC,” the officials said, using the initials of the People’s Republic of China, according to Reuters.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday announced that the RT-PCR test had been made mandatory for passengers coming from five countries including China.

“The RT-PCR test to be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid-19 infection, then he/she will be put under quarantine,” Health Minister Mandaviya said in a conversation with ANI.

Taking note of the rising cases of COVID globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that the Centre and States need to work in “tandem” and in a “collaborative spirit” as was done during the previous surges.

Meanwhile, Japan also imposed Mandatory testing for COVID-19 from December 30 upon arrival for travellers from China due to an increase in the number of confirmed cases there, the Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday.

The measure applies to travellers from mainland China and those who visited it within the past seven days. They are required to take a COVID-19 test upon their arrival in Japan. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days. The Kyodo news agency said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the decision on Tuesday.

In November, China saw a record increase in local COVID-19 outbreaks. Due to the deterioration of the epidemiological situation, the authorities introduced partial lockdowns in some areas while also forcing their residents to undergo PCR testing on a daily basis.

In particular, starting from November 24, restrictive measures were tightened in a number of China’s major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Against this background, some Chinese cities — Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and others — were hit by mass protests. The rioters demanded the immediate lifting of lockdowns, the abolition of regular PCR testing, and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

On Friday, media reported that about 37 million people in China could have contracted COVID-19 on a single day last week, making the country’s outbreak the largest in the world.

It was noted that up to 248 million people, or nearly 18 per cent of the population, were likely to have contracted the coronavirus in the first 20 days of December.

The Embassy of Japan in Beijing has said that many employees of Japanese firms operating in China are getting infected with COVID-19 and are being asked to work from home, NHK World reported.

Plants are also functioning with lower capacities in China. Speaking to NHK, Yoshikawa Akinobu, head of the Japan External Trade Organization’s office in Qingdao, said that COVID-19 began spreading quickly around December 16. (ANI)

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WHO Asks China To Share Real-Time Data On COVID Situation

By LokMarg 31st December 2022

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with Chinese officials and again asked for specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation in China, according to the statement released by the WHO website.

In the high-level meeting, WHO asked for more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths — and data on vaccinations delivered and vaccination status, especially in vulnerable people and those over 60 years old.
WHO reiterated the importance of vaccination and boosters to protect against severe disease and death for people at higher risk.

China’s National Health Commission and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration briefed WHO on China’s evolving strategy and actions in the areas of epidemiology, monitoring of variants, vaccination, clinical care, communication, and R&D.

During the meeting, WHO called on China to strengthen its clinical management and impact assessment, and expressed willingness to provide support in these areas, as well as on risk communications on vaccination to counter hesitancy. WHO also invited Chinese Scientists to engage more closely in COVID-19 expert networks including clinical management. WHO has invited Chinese scientists to present detailed data on viral sequencing at a meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution on January 3, according to the statement.

“WHO stressed the importance of monitoring and the timely publication of data to help China and the global community to formulate accurate risk assessments and to inform effective responses,” the statement reads.

Earlier, on Thursday, Ghebreyesus held a press conference and said that the global body remains concerned over the evolving situation in China as COVID-19 infections witness a new spike in the country after curbs were eased.

Tedros said that the WHO will continue to offer its support for clinical care and protect the shattering healthcare system of China.

“We remain concerned about the evolving situation and continue encouraging #China to track the #COVID19 virus and vaccinate the highest risk people. We continue to offer our support for clinical care and protecting its health system,” Tedros wrote on Twitter.

Regarding the travel restrictions and guidelines issued by several countries for travellers from China, Tedros said that due to the unavailability of an apt amount of information from China about the outbreak, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in such ways.

“In the absence of comprehensive information from #China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations. #COVID19,” Tedros tweeted. (ANI)

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Two Intl Passengers Covid Positive At Mumbai Airport

By LokMarg 28th December 2022

Two international passengers were found Covid positive during random sampling at the Mumbai International airport, the Maharashtra Health department informed on Wednesday.

Further, according to the Health Department, both samples have been sent for whole genome sequencing.
Amid the ongoing spike in Covid infections across several countries, the screening of international passengers arriving in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur airports has been on since December 24.

“All passengers are being thermally scanned and 2 percent of random samples are being sent for Covid test. All positive samples are being referred for whole genome sequencing (WGS),” read an official statement from Maharashtra Health Department.

It said that as per instructions from the Centre, an online mock drill of all secondary

and tertiary healthcare facilities in the state was accomplished on December 27, as part of the ongoing review of the preparedness of hospitals in the light of the global Covid scenario.

“(As many as) 36 new (Covid) cases were reported in the state today. One Covid death was also reported. The case fatality rate in the state was 1.82 percent. Also, 36 patients were discharged today on recovery from Covid-19, taking the total number of recoveries, so far, to 79,88,008. The recovery rate in the state was at 98.17 percent and, as of today, there are 164 active cases in the state,” read a health bulletin issued by the state Health department.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Health department said two passengers from Dubai tested positive for Covid-19 at Chennai airport.

“Two passengers who arrived from Dubai tested positive at the Chennai airport today. Both of them hailed from the Alangudi district of Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai. Their test samples have been sent to State Public Health Laboratory,” the state Health department said. (ANI)

Shah To Hold High-Level Meet On Leh-Ladakh, J-K This Eve

By LokMarg 28th December 2022

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold two back-to-back high-level meetings in Leh-Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday evening, top government sources said.

The meeting on Leh-Ladakh will take place at 3 pm and that of Jammu and Kashmir at around 4 pm, the sources, privy to the development, told ANI.
The meetings, to be held in the North Block office of the Ministry of Home Affairs, will be attended by the Lieutenant Governors of both the Union Territories of Ladakh and J-K.

Besides the L-Gs, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the two UTs will also be present in the meeting.

As per sources, developmental projects in both the UTs as well as security-related matters and other issues will be discussed in the meetings.

It is also expected that both the UTs will be advised to take essential steps in the wake of the Covid threat. The UTs will also be suggested to boost their medical items and procure them as per needs and circulate messages in all the village surveillance committees for being active. (ANI)

China To Drop COVID-19 Quarantine For Inbound Travellers From Jan 8

By LokMarg 27th December 2022

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, China on Monday announced an end to the coronavirus quarantine rule for inbound travelers from January 8, reported Reuters.

The National Health Commission scrapped the rule which had been in place since the start of the pandemic three years ago.
China’s management of COVID-19 will also be downgraded to the less strict Category B from the current top-level Category A, the health authority said in a statement.

However, travelers will still require a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to enter the country, reported Reuters.

Further, the National Health Commission also stopped announcing daily Covid-19 cases on Sunday, and passed the baton to a disease control agency, a practice more in line with the management of lower-level infectious diseases.

Authorities will also no longer refer to Covid-19 as a form of pneumonia.

While Covid-19 has always been a category B infectious disease in China – a class that also includes HIV, viral hepatitis, and H7N9 bird flu – authorities have managed it as category A, empowering local governments to impose strong measures such as lockdowns, isolation, and quarantine.

It also allows them to enlist law enforcement to aid with disease control.

Meanwhile, cases have surged since China largely dismantled its zero-tolerance policy towards the coronavirus in recent weeks, inducing nationwide shortages of test kits and medication.

The intensity and magnitude of the country’s first nationwide outbreak have remained largely a mystery as official figures from the central government remain low, reported The New York Times (NYT).

The government has a narrow definition of which deaths should count as caused by Covid. Anecdotal evidence, like social media postings of hospital morgues overcrowded with body bags, is quickly taken down by censors.

Now, a picture is emerging of the virus spreading like wildfire. One province and three cities have reported Covid estimates far exceeding official tallies in recent days, reported NYT.

At a news conference on Sunday, an official in Zhejiang Province, home to 65 million people, estimated that daily Covid cases there had exceeded one million.

In the eastern city of Qingdao, population 10 million, a health minister said on Friday that there were roughly half a million new cases each day, a number he expected would rise sharply in the coming days, local news sites reported.

In Dongguan, a city of seven million in central Guangdong Province, a city health commission report on Friday estimated between 250,000 and 300,000 new cases daily.

And in northwestern Shaanxi Province, officials in Yulin, a city of roughly 3.6 million people, logged 157,000 infected on Friday, with models estimating that more than a third of the city’s population had already been infected, according to local media.

These numbers contrast sharply with those from China’s national health commission, which on Friday reported about 4,000 Covid cases for the entire country, reported NYT.

Health experts and state media outlets have downplayed Covid’s severity, focusing on stories of recovery rather than of severe illness. The result has been a one-sided presentation of an outbreak that some experts believe could cause over a million deaths in the coming few months.

Notably, the Communist Party has cast aside the restrictive “zero Covid” policy, which set off mass protests that were a rare challenge to the Communist leadership.

Meanwhile, there is a shortage of medicine, as Covid rips through parts of China, millions are struggling to find treatment — from the most basic cold remedies to take at home to more powerful antivirals for patients in hospitals.

Gripped with grief and anxiety, many in China want a national reckoning over the hard-line Covid policy. Holding the government accountable may be a quixotic quest, reported NYT.

Despite Beijing’s assurances that the situation is under control, data on infections has become more opaque amid loosened pandemic constraints. As Covid sweeps across the Chinese capital, Beijing looks like a city in the throes of a lockdown — this time, self-imposed by residents.

China has acknowledged only seven deaths from Covid in the past two weeks and a few thousand new cases daily, which health experts call a vast to undercount, reported NYT. (ANI)

Sisodia Directs Hospitals To Boost Covid Preparedness

By LokMarg 26th December 2022

Amid the continuing global surge in Covid-19 cases, the Delhi government on Monday directed all public hospitals in the national capital to ramp up preparations and augment supplies in anticipation of rising infections in the coming days.

According to an official statement issued on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia chaired a review meeting with directors and medical superintendents of government hospitals during which he asked them to prepare for a rise in Covid cases in the near future.
Sisodia directed the hospital heads to take stock of Covid-preparedness and ensure that all requirements, in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Union Health Ministry, are met.

He also directed them to submit a compliance report to the Health department.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party government in the national capital approved a budget of Rs 104 crore for government hospitals to procure general medicines and prepare for Covid-induced contingencies in the immediate future.

Reviewing the Covid-related arrangements at public hospitals, Sisodia directed that the details with regard to beds, ventilators, ICUs, number of doctors and nurses, oxygen plants, field staff, and medicines are to be shared with the Health Department by Monday evening.

“According to the directions of the Union government, a mock drill will be organized in all hospitals on Tuesday, December 27, to ensure operational readiness for effective Covid management. In case of any gaps, the issue will be addressed immediately by the health officials concerned,” Sisodia added.

The focus of the mock drill will be on assessing bed capacities, human resources, referral resources, testing capacities of hospitals, medical logistics, telemedicine services, and medical oxygen, among others, the deputy CM said.

Apart from the operational preparations for Covid, the government also sanctioned funds totalling Rs 104 crores to enable government hospitals to stock up on life-saving medicines.

Sisodia said, “This amount has been approved by the government to ensure that there is no shortage of any medicines in government hospitals and they are well prepared to deal with an emergency.” (ANI)

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K’taka: Masks Compulsory In Restaurants, Pubs, Theatre, Schools

By LokMarg 26th December 2022

In the wake of a surge in Covid cases in several countries, wearing masks has been made compulsory inside restaurants, pubs, theatre halls, schools, and colleges in Karnataka.

Health Minister of Karnataka K. Sudhakar said to ANI, “There’s no need to panic. But we have to take precautions from now on.”
Ahead of New Year celebrations, there will be a huge crowd in pubs and restaurants. Therefore the Covid protocols have to be followed strictly, said the minister.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a virtual meeting with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) at 4 pm today on Covid-19 preparedness, situation, and awareness, IMA informed ANI.

Recently, IMA also issued an advisory and appealed to the public to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour with immediate effect.

“As per the available reports, nearly 5.37 lakh new cases have been reported in last 24 hours from major countries like USA, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil,” read the statement of IMA. (ANI)

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