News Analysis India

Tag: covid-19

  • IISc researchers provide alternative mechanism to render viruses like SARS-CoV-2 inactive

    By PTI

    BENGALURU: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science have developed a new approach that provides an alternative mechanism to render viruses like SARS-CoV-2 inactive, according to IISc.

    In a study published in ‘Nature Chemical Biology, the researchers report the design of a new class of artificial peptides or mini proteins that can not only block virus entry into our cells but also clump virions (virus particles) together, reducing their ability to infect.

    A protein-protein interaction is often like that of a lock and a key, the Bengaluru-based IISc noted in a statement.

    This interaction can be hampered by a lab-made mini protein that mimics, competes with, and prevents the ‘key’ from binding to the ‘lock’, or vice versa.

    In the new study, the team has exploited this approach to design mini proteins that can bind to, and block the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

    This binding was further characterized extensively by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and other biophysical methods.

    These mini proteins are helical, hairpin-shaped peptides, each capable of pairing up with another of its kind, forming what is known as a dimer.

    Each dimeric ‘bundle’ presents two ‘faces’ to interact with two target molecules.

    The researchers hypothesized that the two faces would bind to two separate target proteins, locking all four in a complex and blocking the targets’ action.

    “But we needed proof of principle,” says Associate Professor in the Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), IISc, and the lead author of the study, Jayanta Chatterjee.

    The team decided to test their hypothesis by using one of the mini proteins called SIH-5 to target the interaction between the Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 protein in human cells.

    The S protein is a trimer, a complex of three identical polypeptides.

    Each polypeptide contains a Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) that binds to the ACE2 receptor on the host cell surface.

    This interaction facilitates viral entry into the cell.

    The SIH-5 mini protein was designed to block the binding of the RBD to human ACE2.

    When a SIH-5 dimer encountered an S protein, one of its faces bound tightly to one of the three RBDs on the S protein trimer, and the other face bound to an RBD from a different S protein.

    This ‘cross-linking’ allowed the mini protein to block both S proteins at the same time, the statement said.

    “Several monomers can block their targets,” says Chatterjee.

    “(But) cross-linking of S proteins blocks their action many times more effectively. This is called the avidity effect.”

    Under cryo-EM, the S proteins targeted by SIH-5 appeared to be attached head-to-head.

    “We expected to see a complex of one spike trimer with SIH-5 peptides. But I saw a structure that was much more elongated,” says Assistant Professor at MBU and one of the corresponding authors, Somnath Dutta.

    Dutta and the others realised that the spike proteins were being forced to form dimers and clumped into complexes with the mini protein.

    This type of clumping can simultaneously inactivate multiple spike proteins of the same virus and even multiple virus particles.

    “I have worked with antibodies raised against the spike protein before and observed them under a cryo-EM. But they never created dimers of the spikes,” says Dutta.

    The mini protein was also found to be thermostable, it can be stored for months at room temperature without deteriorating.

    The next step was to ask if SIH-5 would be useful for preventing COVID-19 infection.

    To answer this, the team first tested the mini protein for toxicity in mammalian cells in the lab and found it to be safe.

    Next, in experiments carried out in the lab of Raghavan Varadarajan, a Professor at MBU, hamsters were dosed with the mini protein, followed by exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

    These animals showed no weight loss and had greatly decreased viral load as well as much less cell damage in the lungs, compared to hamsters exposed only to the virus.

    The researchers believe that with minor modifications and peptide engineering, this lab-made mini protein could inhibit other protein-protein interactions as well.

  • Govt clears Corbevax as Covid booster shot for adults, can be clubbed with other jabs

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: Hyderabad-based Pharmaceuticals firm Biological E Ltd (BE) on Saturday announced that its Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax has been cleared by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) as a heterologous Covid-19 booster for 18 plus population after their primary vaccination with two doses of Covishield and Covaxin.

    With this, Biological E Limited’s Corbevax has become the first Covid-19 vaccine in India to be approved by the DCGI as a heterologous Covid-19 booster dose.

    ALSO READ: India reports 3962 new Covid cases, 26 fatalities 

    The Corbevax booster can be given six months after administration of the second dose of the vaccine. The adults fully vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin can take Corbevax as their third or booster dose.

    WATCH |

    “BE has furnished clinical trials data to the DGCI who after a detailed evaluation and deliberation with Subject Experts Committee, granted their approval for administering Corbevax vaccine as a heterologous booster dose”, said vaccine manufacturer in a statement.

    ALSO READ: Centre writes to five states over rise in COVID cases, weekly positivity rates

    “We are very happy with this approval, which will address the need for Covid-19 booster doses in India. We have crossed yet another milestone in our Covid-19 vaccination journey. This approval reflects once again the sustained world class safety standards and high immunogenicity of Corbevax,” Mahima Datla, Managing Director of Biological E Ltd, said.

  • Covid-19: HC calls for strict action against air passengers violating masking, hygiene norms

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday called for strict action against those found violating masking and hand hygiene norms at airports and in aircraft, observing that the Covid-19 pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up its ugly head.

    The high court said all such persons, who are found to be violating these norms, should be booked and fined and they should be placed on the no-fly list and added that it is essential to introduce sufficient deterrence to enforce compliance of norms.

    It said it is noticed that very often the norms are not implemented on the ground with the seriousness with which they are framed and therefore, it is essential for the authorities, including Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure that the implementation on the ground is effected properly.

    “For this purpose, we are of the view that the DGCA should give separate binding directions to all airlines to authorise the staff at airports and in aircraft, including air hostesses, captains, pilots and others to take strict action against passengers and others who violate the masking and hand hygiene norms,” a bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta said.

    The court noted the submission of DGCA’s advocate Anjana Gosain, who herself is inflicted with Covid-19 and appeared through video conferencing, that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued another an order on May 10, calling for strict enforcement of Covid-19 protocol.

    She said the authorities are seriously implementing norms regarding masking at airports and in aircraft by all concerned.

    “The issuance of said order, in our view, is the right step since the pandemic has not abated and keeps springing up its ugly head,” the bench said, adding that guidelines are always in place and it is the practical compliance which becomes a problem and “we falter”. It said let necessary steps be taken and further action taken report be placed before the court and listed the matter for further hearing on July 18.

    The court’s order came in a PIL, registered on the experience of a sitting judge of the high court while travelling by a domestic flight during the pandemic.

    Justice C Hari Shankar had on March 8, 2021, taken suo motu cognisance of the situation after witnessing passengers not wearing masks properly during transportation from airport to the flight and their stubborn reluctance to wear mask properly.

    The court, which had issued various guidelines to the DGCA and airlines for immediate compliance, had said it was constrained to pass the order because of an alarming situation which was witnessed by the judge himself during an Air India flight from Kolkata to New Delhi on March 5, 2021.

    During the hearing, the court observed that people may not wear N-95 masks in flights but they must at least wear a surgical mask as the idea is to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

    Doctors also wear surgical mask the whole day, the bench said, adding that only at the time of meals the passengers can take off the mask and the moment they finish their meals, they have to wear it again.

    “People violating should be physically removed from the area if they have to be,” it said.

    The DGCA had earlier informed the court that they were taking action against passengers who were not properly wearing mask after repeated warnings and they will be de-boarded before departure and may be treated as “unruly passengers”.

    The DGCA had also said in its circular that passengers shall wear masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel.

    The mask shall not be moved below the nose except under exceptional circumstances, it had said.

    “CISF or other police personnel deployed at the entrance of the airport shall ensure that no one is allowed to enter the airport without wearing a mask,” it had said.

    In case, any passenger is not following Covid-19 protocol, they should be handed over to security agencies after proper warning. If required, they may be dealt as per law, it had said.

    The high court had earlier taken strong note of an “alarming situation” of passengers not properly wearing masks in flights and issued guidelines to all domestic airlines and DGCA for strict compliance, including penal action for offenders and periodical checks of the aircraft.

    “Passengers in a flight are in a closed air-conditioned environment, and, even if one of the passengers suffers from Covid-19, the effect on other passengers could be cataclysmic. It is a matter of common knowledge that being within arm’s length distance of a Covid-19 carrier, even if he is asymptomatic and is merely speaking, is more than sufficient to transmit the virus,” it had said.

    If despite being reminded, he or she refuses to follow the protocol, action should be taken against the passenger in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DGCA or Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including placing him or her on a ‘no-fly’ regimen, either permanently or for a stipulated, sufficiently long, period, it had said.

  • 2,745 new COVID cases in India; active infections rise to 18,386

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: With 2,745 new coronavirus infections being recorded in a day, India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,31,60,832, while the active cases increased to 18,386, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

    The death toll climbed to 5,24,636 with six fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

    The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.

    An increase of 503 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.60 per cent and weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 0.63 per cent, according to the health ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,17,810, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

    The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 193.57 crore.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

    The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

    The six new fatalities include two from Kerala and one each from Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

    A total of 5,24,636 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,860 from Maharashtra, 69,742 from Kerala, 40,107 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,210 from Delhi, 23,520 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,204 from West Bengal.

    The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

  • India records 2,338 Covid cases, 19 deaths; active infections rise to 17,883

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India recorded 2,338 new Covid infections in a day that took its case tally to 4,31,58,087 while the number of active cases rose to 17,883, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

    The death toll climbed to 5,24,630 with 19 more people succumbing to the viral disease, the data updated at 8 am stated.

    According to the ministry, active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.74 per cent.

    India’s active caseload increased by 185 in 24 hours.

    The daily positivity rate was 0.64 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.61 per cent, the data showed.

    A total of 85.04 crore tests to detect COVID-19 have been conducted so far of which 3,63,883 were carried out in the last 24 hours.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,15,574, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

    The total number of vaccine doses administered in the country so far has exceeded 193.45 crore.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

    The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore COVID-19 cases on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

  • Goverment to release benefits under PM CARES for Children tomorrow 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release benefits under the ‘PM CARES for Children’ on Monday via video-conferencing, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said on Sunday.

    The government had launched the initiative on May 29 last year to support children who lost parents, legal guardian, adoptive parents or surviving parent to COVID-19 from March 11, 2020, to February 28, 2022.

    In a statement, the ministry said the prime minister will transfer scholarships to school-going children. A PM CARES for Children passbook and health card under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will also be handed over to them, it added.

    The children, along with their guardians and the district magistrate concerned, will join the event through virtual mode. The event will be attended by ministers, MPs and MLAs of the respective states and union territories, it said.

    The objective of the scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protection of children in a sustained manner by providing them boarding and lodging, empowering them through education and scholarships, equipping them for self-sufficient existence with financial support of Rs 10 lakh on attaining 23 years of age and ensuring their well-being through health insurance.

    The portal “http://pmcaresforchildren.in/” is a single window system that facilitates approval process and all other assistance for children under the scheme.

  • Sharp spike in missing children cases due to Covid impact: NGOs call for increased sensitisation, vigilance

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Child rights NGOs have flagged a sharp rise in the number of children who have gone missing in the last two years due to the social impact of COVID-19.

    In order to prevent the situation for worsening, the organisations have called for the immediate strengthening of child protection committees at the village level, sensitising and training parents, and urged the government to make adequate budget allocation in this connection.

    As per the latest figures of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 59,262 children went missing in India in 2020.

    With 48,972 children remaining untraced from the previous years, the total number of missing children has gone up to 1,08,234.

    There is almost a 13 times rise in the number of cases of missing children reported annually between 2008 and 2020, the NCRB said. As per the data, 7,650 cases of missing children were reported in 2008.

    In the last two years, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), Kailash Satyarthi Foundation’s sister organisation alone has rescued around 12,000 children from across the country Dhananjay Tingal, its executive director, said.

    “This is ample proof to show that after the pandemic, child trafficking has increased manifold,” he told PTI. On average, 29 children in Madhya Pradesh and 14 in Rajasthan went missing every day in 2021, according to a new report by NGO Child Rights and You (CRY), which gathered the information through RTIs.

    Tingal said some children were being trafficked with the consent of their parents, while few others voluntarily went with the traffickers. “Ultimately, a large majority of these children went missing,” he said.

    He urged employees of railways, roadways and others to immediately intervene if they come across any unaccompanied child or a child who is begging in public transport systems.

    “Subsequently, such children must be brought under the umbrella of the government’s safety net,” he said.

    Prabhat Kumar, deputy director, Child Protection, Save the Children, said increased poverty has become an overarching reason for children to go missing or become victims of trafficking.

    He said the situation has worsened due to no schooling or lack of continuity in learning activities due to COVID-19-enforced lockdown and restrictions.

    Soha Moitra, regional director (North), CRY, said many families in rural areas were already in debt, and the economic burden due to the pandemic increased further.

    The pressure of paying back loans contributed to the trafficking of children of such families, for labour and marriage. She said mandatory use of face masks often made it difficult to identify traffickers and kidnappers.

    “The government departments concerned in collaboration with the local administrative bodies and civil society organisations should come forward to create regular awareness on the importance of education of children with constructive activities,” Moitra said.

    In 2020, despite the complete nationwide lockdown for nearly four months, March to June, 59,262 children (13,566 boys, 45,687 girls, nine transgender children) were reported missing.

    The share of missing girl children has increased from about 70 per cent in 2018 to 71 per cent in 2019, and further to 77 per cent in 2020, according to NCRB data.

    On the other hand, the share of untraced children from the previous years accounted for about 42 per cent in 2018, 39 per cent in 2019, and 45 per cent in 2020 of the total missing children.

  • India logs 2,628 Covid cases in a day, 18 deaths

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India saw a single day rise of 2,628 new coronavirus infections, taking the infection tally to 4,31,44,820, while the active cases have increased to 15,414, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Thursday.

    The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 5,24,525 with 18 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprised 0.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the health ministry said.

    An increase of 443 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.58 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.51 per cent, according to the health ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,04,881, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

    The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 192.82 crore.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

  • Active COVID-19 cases dip to 14,832

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India added 2,022 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,38,393, while the active cases dipped to 14,832, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

    The death toll climbed to 5,24,459 with 46 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the ministry said.

    A decrease of 123 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.69 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.49 per cent, according to the ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,99,102, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

    The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 192.38 crore.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

  • Active COVID-19 cases in country dip to 14,832: Union Health Ministry

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India added 2,022 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,38,393, while the active cases dipped to 14,832, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll climbed to 5,24,459 with 46 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

    The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the ministry said.

    A decrease of 123 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.69 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.49 per cent, according to the ministry.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,99,102, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

    The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 192.38 crore.

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

    It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

    The 45 new fatalities include 43 from Kerala and one each from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab.

    A total of 5,24,459 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,856 from Maharashtra, 69,586 from Kerala, 40,106 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,201 from Delhi, 23,519 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,203 from West Bengal. The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.