COVID variant B.1.617, first detected in India, is forcing UK to rethink its approach
While Britain would not delay plans to ease restrictions on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the spread of the variant could force the government to change course
India's COVID situation hugely concerning, vaccine supply key challenge, says WHO Chief
Ghebreyesus added that the WHO is responding to the COVID-19 surge in India and has shipped thousands of oxygen concentrators, tents for mobile field hospitals, masks and other medical supplies
COVID-19 Fact Check: Double-masking causes no breathing problem, even if you have respiratory issues
Wearing two masks nearly doubles their effectiveness and helps keep the virus at bay.
From supply chains to vaccines, China has frequently thrown spanner into works of India's COVID-19 battle
From tactfully disallowing Chinese firms to participate in BMC's global vaccine tender to exorbitant pricing of necessary equipment, India's battle against COVID-19 has often run into rough weather with China
Health
Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson vaccines effective against B1617 variant of COVID-19, says top US health official
"The data is coming in, and it looks very encouraging that the US-approved vaccines do have effectiveness against this variant called B1617," Dr Francis Collins, Director of the National Institute of Science said
Religious and political events among factors that accelerated COVID-19 transmission in India, says WHO
The WHO said that India continues to account for 50 pecent of global cases and 30 percent of global deaths even as the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths globally decreased slightly this week, with over 55 lakh cases and over 90,000 deaths
WHO could have sounded COVID-19 alarm 'sooner', says independent global panel report
The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response in its report said early responses to the outbreak detected in Wuhan in December 2019 "lacked urgency", with February 2020 being a costly "lost month" as countries failed to heed the alarm
COVID-19 strain: WHO has not used term ‘Indian variant’ for B.1.617, says Union health ministry
The ministry dismissed media reports that have used the term "Indian variant" for the B.1.617 mutant strain as 'unfounded' and 'having no basis'
COVID-19 variant responsible for India's massive outbreak found in 44 countries: WHO
Outside of India, it said that Britain had reported the largest number of Covid cases caused by the variant.
Coronavirus News Updates: India is in 'dire straits' as it opened up prematurely, says Dr Fauci on COVID crisis
Coronavirus News Updates: "India made the incorrect assumption that they were finished with COVID, and what happened? They opened up prematurely and wind up having a surge right now that is extremely devastating," America's top infectious disease expert said
Goa prescribes Ivermectin for all above 18 to fight COVID-19 even as experts flag concern: All you need to know
Ivermectin is an oral drug used to treat parasitic infections. The World Health Organisation has warned against the general use of Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19
WHO classifies India's COVID-19 mutation as 'variant of concern', Delhi flags vaccine shortage; 3.6 lakh cases today
Flagging the higher infectiousness of the B.1.617 variant of COVID-19, which was first found in India last October, the WHO said it might possibly have some increased resistance to vaccine protections
Health
WHO approves China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use
Sinopharm is a two jab inactivated vaccine and its easy storage requirements make it highly suitable for low-resource settings, the WHO said in a statement
Tokyo Olympics 2020: WHO backs IOC, organisers to make right calls on Covid-19 risk
WHO said certain safety decisions regarding athletes, spectators and the Olympic village and venues could only be taken closer to the Games, which are due to open on 23 July.
WHO will set up data hub in Berlin to anticipate and respond to future pandemic threats
The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence has been set up in Berlin and will begin operating later this year.
Joe Biden restricts travel to US from India, cites 'extraordinarily high COVID-19 caseloads'
The new travel restrictions have been imposed for an indefinite period and will require another presidential proclamation to be ended
COVID-19 variant causing surge in cases in India found in at least 17 other countries: WHO
The WHO recently listed B.1.617 as a "variant of interest" but has stopped short of declaring it a "variant of concern".
Indian-origin Dr Soumya Swaminathan joins international team of experts to prep for future pandemics
The UK-led Pandemic Preparedness Partnership will report to world leaders at June’s UK-hosted G7 Summit.
WHO against use of vaccine passports for international travel as it would promote inequality
Some have criticized that the passport would lead to discrimination between young, old and rich, poor.
Greta Thunberg urges nations to 'step up' fight against COVID-19 vaccine inequality
It's unethical that young, healthy people in high-income countries are getting vaccines when at-risk groups in low- and middle-income countries aren't.