COVID
More UK Easter flights disrupted amid COVID staff absences
British travelers faced more disruptions during the Easter holiday break as two major airlines, British Airways and easyJet, canceled about 100 flights Wednesday.
British Airways canceled two flights because of coronavirus-related staff absences, on top of more than 70 flights that it had canceled in advance as part of adjustments to its schedule. Budget carrier easyJet scrubbed at least 30 flights to or from London's Gatwick airport.
The aviation industry is suffering from staff shortages because of both a surge in coronavirus-related staff sickness in the U.K. and a shortage of workers because of pandemic-related job cuts.
British Airways and easyJet have canceled hundreds of flights since the weekend, which marked the start of a two-week Easter school holiday break.
EasyJet said it will operate most of its 1,545 flights planned for Wednesday, with a “small proportion" canceled in advance to give customers enough time to book new ones.
The airline says the number of crew illnesses are at more than double normal levels because of high COVID-19 infection rates across Europe.
British Airways said many of its cancellations include flights that were cut when it decided last month to reduce its schedule until the end of May to boost reliability amid rising COVID-19 cases.
READ: After 2 years, India resumes int'l flights
Infections across the U.K. have soared again with the rapid spread of the more transmissible omicron BA.2 variant, reaching record levels last week when official figures showed that some 1 in 13 people had the virus.
The Easter school holidays are the first time many families in Britain have booked trips abroad after two years of pandemic restrictions. All remaining virus measures, including mandatory self-isolation for those infected and testing requirements for international travel, were scrapped in February and March.
Global Covid cases top 493 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 493 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 493,604,859 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,158,583 Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 80,208,810 cases so far and 982,576 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Read: COVID outbreak 'extremely grim' as Shanghai extends lockdown
The prevalence of Covid-19 in the UK has reached record levels, with about one in 13 people estimated to be infected with the virus in the past week, according to the latest figures from Britain’s official statistics agency, reports AP.
Some 4.9 million people were estimated to have the coronavirus in the week ending March 26, up from 4.3 million recorded in the previous week, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.The latest surge is driven by the more transmissible Omicron variant BA.2, which is the dominant variant across the UK.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,029,839 on Tuesday, as 795 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, 58 deaths were recorded since Monday morning, taking the Covid death toll in the country to 521,416.
Read: Bangladesh reports 36 new Covid cases, no death
Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 30,042,272 infections as of Wednesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 660,786.
Covid Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 35 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,51,867.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,123 as no death was reported during the period.
The daily positivity rate dropped to 0.52 per cent, the lowest since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020, after testing 6,836 samples during the period.
On Monday, the number of infections was higher as 61 new cases were reported with one death, taking the positivity rate to 0.78 per cent.
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read: COVID-19 cases rise in Shanghai with millions under lockdown
The recovery rate rose to 96.59 per cent with the recovery of 899 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Earlier on March 27, Bangladesh logged its lowest daily positivity rate at 0.54 per cent reporting 43 cases with zero death.
The country reported its first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 infections, since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.
Global Covid cases top 490 million
The overall number of Covid cases has now surpassed 490 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 490,610,853 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,150,934 Sunday morning.
The US has recorded 80,150,804 cases so far and 982,533 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,028,131 on Sunday, as 2,356 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the health ministry's latest data.
Besides, 193 deaths due to the pandemic have been recorded since Saturday morning, pushing up the death toll to 521,374.
READ: Global Covid cases top 488 million
Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 29,995,575 infections as of Saturday, while its Covid death toll rose to 660,371.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 56 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,51,714.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,122 as no death was reported during the period.
On Friday, 81 new cases were reported with no death.
The daily positivity rate decreased to 0.88 per cent from Friday’s 1.09 per cent after testing 6,367 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 96.47 per cent with the recovery of 717 more patients during the 24-hour period.
Bangladesh reports 56 new Covid cases, no death
Bangladesh logged 56 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning, taking the total caseload to 19,51,714.
As per the latest government data, the country’s total fatalities remained unchanged at 29,122 as no death was reported during the period.
On Friday, 81 new cases were reported with no death.
The daily positivity rate decreased to 0.88 per cent from Friday’s 1.09 per cent after testing 6,367 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 96.47 per cent with the recovery of 717 more patients during the 24-hour period.
READ: Bangladesh reports 81 new Covid cases, no death
Covid situation in March
In March, the country reported 85 Covid-linked deaths and 8,000 new cases while 66,639 patients recovered from the disease, according to DGHS.
Among the 85 deaths during the period, 44 were unvaccinated patients, 11 were vaccinated with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, 28 with the second dose and two with the third dose.
On March 27, Bangladesh logged its lowest daily positivity rate at 0.54 per cent reporting 43 cases with zero death.
The country reported first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.
Global Covid cases top 485 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 485 million as the pandemic enters into its third year.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 485,153,138 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,132,345 Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 80,019,128 cases so far and 978,648 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,021,982 on Tuesday, as 1,259 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the health ministry data.
Besides, as many as 35 deaths due to the pandemic were reported since Monday morning, taking the total death toll to 521,070.
Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 29,887,191 cases as of Wednesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 659,508.
The number of new coronavirus cases globally increased by 7% last week, driven largely by rising infections in the Western Pacific, even as reported deaths from Covid fell, the World Health Organization said.
Read: Govt urged to reject offer for Covid-19 vaccine from any tobacco company
There were more than 12 million new weekly cases and just under 33,000 deaths, a 23% decline in mortality, according to the UN health agency’s report on the pandemic issued late Tuesday, reports AP.
Confirmed cases of the virus had been falling steadily worldwide since January but rose again last week, due to the more infectious Omicron variant and its subvariant BA.2, in addition to the suspension of Covid protocols in numerous countries in Europe, North America and elsewhere.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged 69 fresh Covid cases with one death in 24 hours till Tuesday morning.
The fresh numbers took the country’s total caseload to 19,51,432, while the death toll mounted to 29,120.
On Monday, the number of infections was higher as 81 new cases were reported with one death.
The daily positivity rate declined a bit to 0.75 per cent from Sunday’s 0.86 per cent after testing 9,281 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The lone death was reported from Dhaka division and the deceased was a man aged between 61-70.
Read: Hong Kong’s COVID toll leads some to eco-friendlier coffins
Besides, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 96.32 per cent with the recovery of 747 more patients during the 24-hour period.
The country reported its first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 infections, since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.
Global Covid cases near 474 million
The overall number of Covid cases is rapidly approaching 474 million as the pandemic enters into its third year.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 473,942,775 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,098,277 Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 79,803,443 cases so far and 973,213 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Read: Long COVID hits children far less than adults: study
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 43,010,971 on Tuesday with 1,581 new cases registered in 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, as many as 33 deaths due to the pandemic since Monday morning took the total death toll to 516,574.
Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 29,691,641 cases as of Wednesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 658,005.
Situation in Bangladesh
Beximco gets sub-licence to produce Pfizer's Covid drug
Beximco Pharma has got a sub-licence from the United Nations-backed Medicines Patent Pool to produce a generic version of Paxlovid, Pfizer's oral treatment for Covid.
Beximco will manufacture this drug – a combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir – in Bangladesh following successful technology transfer and manufacturing regulatory approvals.
Nirmatrelvir is a novel main protease inhibitor that specifically blocks the activity of the enzyme needed for SARS-CoV2 viral replication.
Read: Raise awareness about consumers’ rights: Tipu
Ritonavir is a strong cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitor and pharmacokinetic boosting agent for nirmatrelvir.
Paxlovid got the emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration in December 2021 for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older).
The sub-licence was granted under a voluntary licencing agreement between Pfizer and Medicines Patent Pool to facilitate broader global access to this antiviral combination.
Read South Sudanese delegation visits Beximco, Pran-RFL, Walton manufacturing units
On 20 January 2022, Beximco got a sublicence from Medicines Patent Pool to produce another Covid drug, molnupiravir, which was developed by MSD and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
Beximco Pharma Managing Director Nazmul Hassan said: "We are delighted that Medicines Patent Pool has granted us a sub-licence to produce Pfizer's breakthrough Covid-19 treatment, which builds on the licence granted to us in January 2022 for the production of molnupiravir."
Pfizer asks US to allow 4th COVID vaccine dose for seniors
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to authorize an additional booster dose of their COVID-19 vaccine for seniors, saying data from Israel suggests older adults would benefit.
Currently the U.S. urges two primary shots followed months later by a booster dose for everyone age 12 and older. The new application seeks to add a fourth shot only for the over-65 population that has been hit hardest by the pandemic.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control would have to approve the request. If so, a key question would be how soon seniors would be advised to roll up their sleeves.
While authorities say the vaccinations continue to offer strong protection against severe illness, they haven’t held up as well against milder infections especially those due to the omicron mutant. With COVID-19 cases finally plummeting after the intense omicron surge, public health experts are starting to look ahead to what next steps might be needed — if a new variant crops up or, barring that, whether to try shoring up coronavirus protection in the fall at the same time people get flu vaccinations.
Read: Global Covid cases top 461 million
Speaking to CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla signaled the company’s plans.
“The protection that you are getting from the third, it is good enough, actually quite good for hospitalizations and deaths. It’s not that good against infections,” he said. “But we are just submitting those data to the FDA and then we will see what the experts also will say outside Pfizer.”
The U.S. booster campaign was based on evidence that the shots’ effectiveness, particularly against milder infections, was waning about six months after the last dose. Calls for a third shot grew once it became clear the vaccines weren’t as strong against the omicron mutant as they were against earlier versions of the virus.
Many scientists say the ultimate goal of vaccination is to prevent severe illness, not mild infections, and early CDC data show the shots still are doing a good job at that. During the omicron wave, effectiveness against hospitalization was 91% in people who had gotten their booster two months earlier, and 78% by the fourth month after that booster.
Pfizer based its new application on data from Israel, which already was offering a second booster to people age 60 and older and health care workers.
While some early data left unclear just how much benefit another shot offered — or for how long — Pfizer said Tuesday that an analysis of health records of more than 1.1 million Israeli seniors showed confirmed infections were two times lower and rates of severe illness were four times lower among those who got two boosters instead of just one.
Read: Symptoms of Omicron: How is it different from Covid-19 Variant Delta
Pfizer also cited an ongoing study of healthcare workers that tracked a jump in virus-fighting antibodies after getting the additional booster.
In the U.S. so far, a fourth dose is recommended only for people with severely weakened immune systems, who need three doses to begin with for the best chance at any protection.
Global Covid cases top 461 million
The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 461 million as the pandemic enters into its third year.
According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 461,461,685 while the death toll from the virus reached 6,050,929 Wednesday morning.
The US has recorded 79,586,694 cases so far and 966,386 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows.
Read: Symptoms of Omicron: How is it different from Covid-19 Variant Delta
India's Covid-19 tally rose to 42,996,062 on Tuesday, as 2,568 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry's data.
Besides, 97 related deaths since Monday morning took the total death toll to 515,974.
Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 29,441,039 cases as of Tuesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 655,878.
Covid Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh logged zero Covid-related death in 24 hours till Tuesday morning after more than three months amid signs that the pandemic is easing with declining positivity rate.
The country, however, logged 217 more infections during the 24-hour period.
On December 9 last year, Bangladesh logged zero Covid-related death with 262 cases.
The country reported first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year, along with 178 infections, since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020.
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The daily positivity rate declined to 1.54 per cent from Monday’s 1.75 per cent after testing 14,074 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
With the latest figures, the caseload rose to 19,49,942 in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.49 per cent.
The recovery rate rose to 95.61 per cent with the recovery of 1,600 more patients during the 24-hour period.
On January 28, Bangladesh logged its previous highest daily positivity rate at 33.37 per cent reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths.
Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.
India logs 2,503 new COVID-19 cases, total rises to 42,993,494
India's COVID-19 tally rose to 42,993,494 on Monday, as 2,503 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours across the country, showed the federal health ministry's latest data.
Besides, as many as 27 deaths due to the pandemic since Sunday morning took the total death toll to 515,877.
This is after nearly two years when the number of deaths due to the pandemic has fallen to below 50.
Read: Global Covid cases near 457 million
There are still 36,168 active COVID-19 cases in the country despite a fall of 1,901 active cases during the past 24 hours. This was the 49th consecutive day when the number of active cases declined in the country.
So far 42,441,449 people have been successfully cured and discharged from hospitals so far, out of which 4377 were discharged during the past 24 hours in the country.