So far only 20-30 cases - or less than 0.1% of the cases sequenced in India - have been identified with t ...More

So far only 20-30 cases - or less than 0.1% of the cases sequenced in India - have been identified with the AY.4.2 sublineage of the Delta variant, according to scientists at INSACOG, a consortium of leading Indian institutes engaged in SARS-COV 2 genome sequencing. ...Less

Most infections were unrecognised. The Delta- variant thus causes frequent unrecognised breakthrough infe ...More

Most infections were unrecognised. The Delta- variant thus causes frequent unrecognised breakthrough infections in adequately immunised subjects, reducing any herd-effect of immunity, and requiring reinstatement of preventive measures such as masking, the paper said. ...Less

The Delta- variant causes frequent unrecognised breakthrough infections. ...More

The Delta- variant causes frequent unrecognised breakthrough infections. ...Less

Facebook Inc is now called Meta, the company said on Thursday, in a rebrand that focuses on building the ...More

Facebook Inc is now called Meta, the company said on Thursday, in a rebrand that focuses on building the "metaverse", a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet. ...Less

In Mizoram four cases of Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of Covid-19 were reported. A senior official in Mizora ...More

In Mizoram four cases of Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of Covid-19 were reported. A senior official in Mizoram who did not want to be named told ET,” Four cases of Delta variant are reported from Aizawl district.” ...Less

The B.1.617.2 or Delta variant was first observed in India in late 2020. It has since spread around the g ...More

The B.1.617.2 or Delta variant was first observed in India in late 2020. It has since spread around the globe. The international team of researchers combined lab-based experiments and epidemiology of vaccine breakthrough infections, showing that the Delta variant is better at replicating and spreading than other commonly-observed variants. ...Less

Delta's ability to spread more easily makes it more of a risk to children and underscores the need for ma ...More

Delta's ability to spread more easily makes it more of a risk to children and underscores the need for masks in schools and vaccinations for those who are old enough, said Dr. Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. ...Less

Researchers at Public Health Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, UK, found that the Pfizer-BioNTech ...More

Researchers at Public Health Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, UK, found that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine offered better protection against the Delta variant compared to the Oxford-AstraZeneca preventive, known as Covishield in India. ...Less

The B.1.617.2 or Delta variant was first observed in India in late 2020. It has since spread around the g ...More

The B.1.617.2 or Delta variant was first observed in India in late 2020. It has since spread around the globe. ...Less

Delhi has sent 7,281 samples for genome sequencing to NCDC since the Covid-19 pandemic started. Genome se ...More

Delhi has sent 7,281 samples for genome sequencing to NCDC since the Covid-19 pandemic started. Genome sequencing data revealed the presence of the Delta variant in 2,709 of the 6,541 samples with lineages. ...Less

Taking to Twitter, the official handle of the Russian vaccine affirmed that Sputnik V's efficacy is bette ...More

Taking to Twitter, the official handle of the Russian vaccine affirmed that Sputnik V's efficacy is better on the Delta variant than any other vaccine that published results on the strain so far. ...Less

The highly transmissible variant, first identified in India in late-2020, is behind the fresh surge being ...More

The highly transmissible variant, first identified in India in late-2020, is behind the fresh surge being reported in countries like the UK, Israel, Russia and Australia. ...Less

The study found that the Delta variant not only dominated vaccine-breakthrough infections with higher vir ...More

The study found that the Delta variant not only dominated vaccine-breakthrough infections with higher viral loads compared with non-Delta infections (Ct value of 16.5 versus 19), but also generated greater transmission among the fully vaccinated HCWs. ...Less

The data also showed that the Delta variant has been found in 1,689 of the 5,752 samples from Delhi proce ...More

The data also showed that the Delta variant has been found in 1,689 of the 5,752 samples from Delhi processed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) so far. ...Less

First identified in India last year, the fast-spreading variant has now become dominant in countries like ...More

First identified in India last year, the fast-spreading variant has now become dominant in countries like the US and UK, leading to a significant spike in recent cases. It was also responsible for India's devastating second Covid wave. ...Less

It suggests that the immune response induced by the Omicron could effectively neutralise the Delta varian ...More

It suggests that the immune response induced by the Omicron could effectively neutralise the Delta variant, making the re-infection with Delta variant less likely, thereby displacing the Delta as dominant strain, the study said emphasising upon the need for Omicron-specific vaccine strategy. ...Less

Under the final stage of a plan outlined by Johnson in February, he had hoped to lift most social restric ...More

Under the final stage of a plan outlined by Johnson in February, he had hoped to lift most social restrictions on June 21, meaning pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and other hospitality venues could fully reopen. That much-anticipated step was pushed back to July 19. ...Less

Earlier, the CDC had considered the Delta variant to be a variant of interest. It also underscore delta t ...More

Earlier, the CDC had considered the Delta variant to be a variant of interest. It also underscore delta to be 50 per cent faster than the Alpha variant, thus making it two times faster than original Covid-19 strain. ...Less

As per the study, the variant is less sensitive to neutralising antibodies from recovered individuals, wi ...More

As per the study, the variant is less sensitive to neutralising antibodies from recovered individuals, with higher replication efficiency as compared to the Alpha variant. The study is available online as a non-peer reviewed preprint version in Research Square, an expanded set of services and tools for expert research assistance. ...Less

The vaccines work by training your body to recognize and fight the spike protein that coats the coronavir ...More

The vaccines work by training your body to recognize and fight the spike protein that coats the coronavirus and helps it invade the body's cells. Delta's mutations fortunately weren't different enough to escape detection. ...Less

Mahindra shared news on Delta variant raging across the world, pointing out that it's not something to ig ...More

Mahindra shared news on Delta variant raging across the world, pointing out that it's not something to ignore. ...Less

"The Delta variant is more transmissible than other circulating variants and we estimate that by the end ...More

"The Delta variant is more transmissible than other circulating variants and we estimate that by the end of August it will represent 90 percent" the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said. ...Less

AY.4.2, dubbed "Delta Plus" and now named VUI-21OCT-01 by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has been ...More

AY.4.2, dubbed "Delta Plus" and now named VUI-21OCT-01 by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has been under closer scrutiny in recent days after evidence indicated that it spread more quickly than the dominant Delta variant. ...Less

"I know that globally there is currently a lot of concern about the Delta variant, and the WHO is concern ...More

"I know that globally there is currently a lot of concern about the Delta variant, and the WHO is concerned about it too," Director-General Ghebreyesus said at a WHO press briefing on Friday. ...Less

"The whole situation is so dynamic because of the variants that are now circulating and...the Delta varia ...More

"The whole situation is so dynamic because of the variants that are now circulating and...the Delta variant is well on its way to becoming the dominant variant globally because of its significantly increased transmissibility," Swaminathan said responding to a question at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday. ...Less

There were 5,472 new cases of the Delta variant reported in latest weekly figures, taking the total confi ...More

There were 5,472 new cases of the Delta variant reported in latest weekly figures, taking the total confirmed cases of the variant to 12,431, PHE said, adding it had overtaken Alpha, the variant first identified in England's Kent, as Britain's dominant variant. ...Less

The B.1.617 variant of the virus, which has in part been blamed for India's explosive outbreak, has been ...More

The B.1.617 variant of the virus, which has in part been blamed for India's explosive outbreak, has been dubbed a triple mutant variant since it is split into three lineages. ...Less

The Delta variant, which first emerged in India, has caused a rise in cases in the UK, prompting question ...More

The Delta variant, which first emerged in India, has caused a rise in cases in the UK, prompting questions about whether social distancing restrictions will be lifted as planned from June 21. ...Less

Public Health England (PHE), which has been conducting regular analysis of COVID-19 variants of concern ( ...More

Public Health England (PHE), which has been conducting regular analysis of COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC), said on Monday that the latest analysis shows that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 96 per cent effective against hospitalisation after two doses and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 92 per cent effective against hospitalisation after two doses. ...Less

The Delta variant, B.1.617.2, is 50 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, B1.117, first dis ...More

The Delta variant, B.1.617.2, is 50 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, B1.117, first discovered in the UK, say researchers from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). ...Less

Five out of the seven domestically developed vaccines in China's mass inoculation scheme are inactivated ...More

Five out of the seven domestically developed vaccines in China's mass inoculation scheme are inactivated vaccines. These include shots from Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm used in countries such as Brazil, Bahrain and Chile. ...Less

Delta is more transmissible than the virus that cause the common cold. ...More

Delta is more transmissible than the virus that cause the common cold. ...Less

This virus has spread to at least 90 countries and is 50% more transmissible than the alpha variant (the ...More

This virus has spread to at least 90 countries and is 50% more transmissible than the alpha variant (the variant first identified in Kent), which is around 50% more transmissible than the original coronavirus that caused the pandemic. ...Less

The genomic analysis carried out as part of the study showed the Delta variant’s presence in the majority ...More

The genomic analysis carried out as part of the study showed the Delta variant’s presence in the majority of the samples, but there also were other variants such as Alpha, Kappa, Delta AY.1 (known as the Delta-plus variant in samples from MP and Rajasthan) and Delta AY.2. ...Less

There is limited information available on the duration of protective immune response post-infection, vacc ...More

There is limited information available on the duration of protective immune response post-infection, vaccination or breakthrough infection. ...Less

The senior Cabinet minister said the spread of the Delta variant, behind a recent rise in coronavirus inf ...More

The senior Cabinet minister said the spread of the Delta variant, behind a recent rise in coronavirus infections in the country, had made the unlocking plans set for June 21 more difficult. ...Less

Physical activity is essential for maintaining good health and a strong immune system. ...More

Physical activity is essential for maintaining good health and a strong immune system. ...Less

B.1.617.2, or the Delta variant has accounted for over 80% of new Covid-19 cases in the country. It has m ...More

B.1.617.2, or the Delta variant has accounted for over 80% of new Covid-19 cases in the country. It has mutations in its spike protein, which helps it bind to the ACE2 receptors present on the surface of the cells more firmly, making it more transmissible and capable of evading the body’s immunity, said NK Arora, co-chair of INSACOG. ...Less

Five different SARS-CoV-2 variants were chosen and scientists studied how the human immune system respond ...More

Five different SARS-CoV-2 variants were chosen and scientists studied how the human immune system responded to them. The variants included Alpha, Delta, and three others that emerged before Alpha. In the study published in Microbiology Spectrum journal, the researchers found that the immune system could not produce the defence molecules against the Delta variant as effectively as the other variants. While infection due to the other four variants alerted the immune system quickly, the Delta variant could silently replicate in the host cells. ...Less

China's national capital on Monday classified one area as medium-risk and a residential community as high ...More

China's national capital on Monday classified one area as medium-risk and a residential community as high risk for COVID-19 as total cases in the city rose to 21 while 33 cases were reported in different parts of the country, which officials attributed to virulent Delta variant. ...Less

Earlier this month, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had said that new Covid infectio ...More

Earlier this month, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had said that new Covid infections with the Delta variant account for 51.7 per cent of the infections in the US. ...Less

The Delta variant, also referred to as a "double mutant" because it carries two mutations, is 55 per cent ...More

The Delta variant, also referred to as a "double mutant" because it carries two mutations, is 55 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant (initially detected in the United Kingdom) and will rapidly become the dominant strain of coronavirus globally, said the WHO. ...Less

The Delta variant was primarily responsible for the second wave between February and June 2021, resulting ...More

The Delta variant was primarily responsible for the second wave between February and June 2021, resulting in large number of deaths. Doctors fear that even as the Omicron variant is resulting in the rise in number of infections, it is the Delta variant that is proving alarming for hospitals. ...Less

"I have already urged leaders across the world to ensure that by this time next year, 70% of all people i ...More

"I have already urged leaders across the world to ensure that by this time next year, 70% of all people in every country are vaccinated," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, adding that would effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic. ...Less

A new study by India’s top health research body has found that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has the pote ...More

A new study by India’s top health research body has found that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has the potential to infect both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, though the study is based on a relatively small sample size. ...Less

The study conducted at Emory University demonstrated that subjects who received a booster dose of Covaxin ...More

The study conducted at Emory University demonstrated that subjects who received a booster dose of Covaxin (BBV152) six months after getting a primary two-dose series have witnessed neutralising of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta variants, the vaccine major said in a statement. ...Less

Despite the Covishield injection, hospital officials disclosed, nearly 10% of the employees tested positi ...More

Despite the Covishield injection, hospital officials disclosed, nearly 10% of the employees tested positive for Covid. The infection rate was significantly higher in doctors and nurses than in other hospital staff, possibly due to higher exposure. ...Less

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that people who were infected with Omicron, especially ...More

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found that people who were infected with Omicron, especially those who were vaccinated, developed enhanced immunity to the Delta variant. "The increase in Delta variant neutralization in individuals infected with Omicron may result in decreased ability of Delta to re-infect those individuals," the scientists said. ...Less

The study also found that the spread of the Beta or Delta variants was due to increased transmissibility, ...More

The study also found that the spread of the Beta or Delta variants was due to increased transmissibility, rather than immune escape. ...Less

The Beta variant, which was first detected in South Africa, caused a second wave at the beginning of this ...More

The Beta variant, which was first detected in South Africa, caused a second wave at the beginning of this year whereas the Delta variant, first detected in India, is driving the current third wave in South Africa, resulting in increased lockdown restrictions as the number of infections and deaths have already surpassed those of the previous two waves. ...Less

Professor Adam Finn, who advises on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told the ...More

Professor Adam Finn, who advises on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told the BBC that the country is now in a firm race between the vaccines and the Delta variant - first identified in India. ...Less

The study authors noted that Delhi's overall seropositivity was reported to be 56.1 per cent which was ex ...More

The study authors noted that Delhi's overall seropositivity was reported to be 56.1 per cent which was expected to confer some protection from future outbreaks through herd immunity. Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from a disease that can occur when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection. ...Less

The results come as an increase in so-called "breakthrough" infections caused by the Delta variant among ...More

The results come as an increase in so-called "breakthrough" infections caused by the Delta variant among vaccinated individuals continues to raise questions about whether the vaccines offer broad protection against newly arising variants. ...Less

This phenomenon took place because of mutation in the Delta variant which led to a much faster immune res ...More

This phenomenon took place because of mutation in the Delta variant which led to a much faster immune response in hosts triggering a rapid generation of antibodies thereby paving the way for `herd immunity’ against the virus, Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre says. ...Less

"The new variants will leave unvaccinated people even more vulnerable than they are or were a month ago. ...More

"The new variants will leave unvaccinated people even more vulnerable than they are or were a month ago. This is a serious concern. Especially because of what experts are calling the Delta variant. It's a variant that is more easily transmissible, potentially deadlier and particularly dangerous for young people," Biden said. ...Less

“The current gap of 12 to 16 weeks has two problems: first, it leaves people with one dose exposed for th ...More

“The current gap of 12 to 16 weeks has two problems: first, it leaves people with one dose exposed for that much time to the risk of severe Covid with the delta variant, and second, it promotes the development of further mutations and new variants,” said Arvinder Soin, a surgeon and leading liver transplant specialist at Medanta Medicity. ...Less

The variant, first identified in India, is believed to be about 60% more contagious than Alpha, the versi ...More

The variant, first identified in India, is believed to be about 60% more contagious than Alpha, the version of the virus that thrashed Britain and much of Europe earlier this year, and perhaps twice as contagious as the original coronavirus. The Delta variant is now driving outbreaks among unvaccinated populations in countries like Malaysia, Portugal, Indonesia and Australia. ...Less

The study was conducted by CCBM in collaboration with the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at Varanasi wher ...More

The study was conducted by CCBM in collaboration with the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at Varanasi wherein they sequenced genomes of coronavirus in Varanasi and adjoining areas. ...Less

On Wednesday, China reported its highest daily number of local coronavirus cases in months at 71. The num ...More

On Wednesday, China reported its highest daily number of local coronavirus cases in months at 71. The number of new cases has been increasing for five consecutive days since July 30. Mass testing and contact tracing campaigns have uncovered a trail of Delta variant infections. ...Less

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The Delta variant is more easily transmitted than the original COVID-19 variant and is becoming the globa ...More

The Delta variant is more easily transmitted than the original COVID-19 variant and is becoming the globally dominant version of the disease, the World Health Organization's chief scientist said on Friday. ...Less

At least 18 provinces in China have sounded alarm about Covid-19 as more than 300 domestic cases were det ...More

At least 18 provinces in China have sounded alarm about Covid-19 as more than 300 domestic cases were detected in 10 days, posing great challenges to the country as it deals with the worst epidemic in months, official media reported. ...Less

Researchers led by Imperial College London, UK, found that vaccinated people clear the infection more qui ...More

Researchers led by Imperial College London, UK, found that vaccinated people clear the infection more quickly, but the peak viral load among them is similar to that seen in unvaccinated individuals, which may explain why they can still readily pass on the virus at home. ...Less

The EU document -- essentially a QR code available on smartphones or on paper -- shows whether the bearer ...More

The EU document -- essentially a QR code available on smartphones or on paper -- shows whether the bearer is vaccinated with one of the European Union's approved jabs (from BioNTech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson), or whether they have recovered from an infection or recently tested negative. ...Less

Some experts warn that the delta variant may be 100 per cent more transmissible than the previously domin ...More

Some experts warn that the delta variant may be 100 per cent more transmissible than the previously dominant variant, alpha. But we don't think that transmissibility alone explains delta's dominance. ...Less

It comes as the country reported 8,125 new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period, another record daily high ...More

It comes as the country reported 8,125 new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period, another record daily high since the end of February, and Public Health England (PHE) found that infections from the Delta variant - the B1.617.2 variant of concern (VOC) first identified in India - rose by nearly 30,000 in a week to hit 42,323. ...Less

"The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccina ...More

"The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants is to prevent the spread of disease, and vaccination is the most powerful tool we have," said Dr Rochelle Walensky, director if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a US Senate hearing Tuesday. ...Less

WHO revealed new names amid criticism that those given by scientists were complicated. ...More

WHO revealed new names amid criticism that those given by scientists were complicated. ...Less

Given Delta's immune system evasion ability, the study cautioned that strong ‘infection control measures’ ...More

Given Delta's immune system evasion ability, the study cautioned that strong ‘infection control measures’ and boosting vaccine response would be necessary for health-care workers even in the post-vaccination era, since hospitals receive numerous vulnerable patients with poor immunity or with co-morbidities. ...Less

Public Health England (PHE), which has been tracking variant of concerns (VOCs) on a weekly basis, said i ...More

Public Health England (PHE), which has been tracking variant of concerns (VOCs) on a weekly basis, said its data shows an increased risk of hospitalisation with Delta VOC compared to Alpha - the VOC first detected in the Kent region of England. ...Less

This study indicated that the majority of the clinical cases in the breakthrough were infected with the D ...More

This study indicated that the majority of the clinical cases in the breakthrough were infected with the Delta variant and only 9.8 per cent cases required hospitalization while fatality was observed in only 0.4 per cent cases. Breakthrough infection is if one gets infected even after immunisation. ...Less

Studies have shown that the available vaccines work against the delta variant. ...More

Studies have shown that the available vaccines work against the delta variant. ...Less

PHE also said that early evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of hospitalisation with Delta c ...More

PHE also said that early evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of hospitalisation with Delta compared to Alpha, although more data is needed to have a more definitive view on that. ...Less

Dr Sriram Subramaniam, professor in UBC faculty of medicine's department of biochemistry and molecular bi ...More

Dr Sriram Subramaniam, professor in UBC faculty of medicine's department of biochemistry and molecular biology, said that Omicron has greater binding affinity than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, with levels more comparable to what seen with the Delta variant. ...Less

"So far, we have seen a muted response to the new variant. I think what we have gone through the first lo ...More

"So far, we have seen a muted response to the new variant. I think what we have gone through the first lockdown and the second wave, generally, people believe so far that it will spread but it's much milder, unless it takes a complete U turn and becomes really violent like the previous Delta variant. I think we will just ride through this," Puneet Dhawan, senior VP, operations, at Accor India and South Asia, said. ...Less

The number of infections is currently rising sharply, driven primarily by the spread of the highly contag ...More

The number of infections is currently rising sharply, driven primarily by the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, but the number of deaths is increasing at a slower rate, the data showed. ...Less

The Delta variant was first detected in India. It is proven to be more contagious than other variants. ...More

The Delta variant was first detected in India. It is proven to be more contagious than other variants. ...Less

"Compounded by more transmissible variants, like Delta, which is quickly becoming the dominant strain in ...More

"Compounded by more transmissible variants, like Delta, which is quickly becoming the dominant strain in many countries, we are in a very dangerous period of this pandemic," Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing on Friday. ...Less

"The sample of one of the two infected persons is different from the delta variant. Hence, we had sent it ...More

"The sample of one of the two infected persons is different from the delta variant. Hence, we had sent it to the Indian Council for Medical Research. It may take another two to three days to get the report," the Minister told reporters. ...Less

The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India in December and is spreading quickly ac ...More

The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first detected in India in December and is spreading quickly across the globe. In some parts of America, the delta strain accounts for more than 80 per cent of new infections, including some Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. ...Less

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 has been shown to be less effective against the highly contag ...More

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 has been shown to be less effective against the highly contagious Delta variant, TASS news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the vaccine's developers. ...Less

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, will likely provide further reassurance t ...More

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, will likely provide further reassurance the shot is effective against the variant among younger people as the U.S. drug watchdog considers authorising use of the vaccine on children as young as five. ...Less

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that the measures are based on those already d ...More

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that the measures are based on those already deployed in other hotspots of the highly transmissible B1.617.2 variant of concern (VOC), which was first detected in India ...Less

Russia has so far ruled out a new lockdown to fight surging Delta infections, even as it reported 697 dea ...More

Russia has so far ruled out a new lockdown to fight surging Delta infections, even as it reported 697 deaths on Saturday -- setting a new record for the fifth straight day. Russia had hoped its vaccination campaign would tamp down a new wave, but it has met with widespread scepticism and a sluggish rollout, with only 16 percent of Russia's 146 million people having been jabbed. ...Less

Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in August from the month before. That uptick caught economis ...More

Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in August from the month before. That uptick caught economists looking for a downturn by surprise. ...Less

"The Delta variant will have the upper hand over the summer, it's more a matter of weeks than months," Sp ...More

"The Delta variant will have the upper hand over the summer, it's more a matter of weeks than months," Spahn told a news conference, adding the variant currently makes up more than 15% of coronavirus cases reported in Germany. ...Less

"Delta is the predominant variant in the state for the last three months and Delta-plus has been detected ...More

"Delta is the predominant variant in the state for the last three months and Delta-plus has been detected in only eight cases in MP," health commissioner Akash Tripathi said. ...Less

“There has been concern about whether increasing vaccination breakthroughs in India are because of a new ...More

“There has been concern about whether increasing vaccination breakthroughs in India are because of a new variant. It is noted that UK, with a population of about 6.7 crore, has reported about 18 lakh cases and 1.2 lakh vaccination breakthroughs with Delta, since April 2021. ...Less

"With the Delta variant now the dominant strain in many places worldwide and posing a higher risk of hosp ...More

"With the Delta variant now the dominant strain in many places worldwide and posing a higher risk of hospitalisation than previous variants seen in the UK, it is reassuring to see that vaccination offers such high protection from death very shortly after the second dose," said Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute, and EAVE II study lead. ...Less

“The second and third infections occurred after she took both her shots and had developed antibodies,” sa ...More

“The second and third infections occurred after she took both her shots and had developed antibodies,” said Dr Jayanthi Shastri, head of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in Mumbai’s Kasturba Hospital, the lead author of a study tracing the doctor’s Covid infections. ...Less

WHO said the four current 'Variants of Concern' being monitored closely - Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta - ...More

WHO said the four current 'Variants of Concern' being monitored closely - Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta - are widespread and have been detected in all WHO regions. ...Less

In its COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update released on Tuesday, the World Health Organisation said tha ...More

In its COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update released on Tuesday, the World Health Organisation said that an overall rise in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant is reported across all WHO regions. ...Less

It spreads more easily because of mutations that make it better at latching onto cells in our bodies. ...More

It spreads more easily because of mutations that make it better at latching onto cells in our bodies. ...Less

President Cyril Ramaphosa in a national broadcast on Sunday announced that the new measures would go into ...More

President Cyril Ramaphosa in a national broadcast on Sunday announced that the new measures would go into effect from midnight of June 27 for a fortnight, after which it will be reviewed. Shortly before the president's address, the Health Ministry announced that in the preceding 24 hours, 15,036 new cases and 122 deaths were reported from complications caused by Covid-19. ...Less

The vaccines remain powerfully effective against severe illness and death, and the agency said infections ...More

The vaccines remain powerfully effective against severe illness and death, and the agency said infections in vaccinated people were comparatively rare. But the revelation follows a series of other recent findings about the delta variant that have upended scientists’ understanding of the coronavirus. ...Less

Efficacy is the degree to which a vaccine prevents disease, and possibly also transmission, under ideal a ...More

Efficacy is the degree to which a vaccine prevents disease, and possibly also transmission, under ideal and controlled conditions, while effectiveness refers to how well it performs in the real world. Although a vaccine that has high efficacy would be expected to be highly effective in the real world, it is unlikely to translate into the same effectiveness in practice. Immunologist Bal noted that vaccine effectiveness is also about the extent of morbidity encountered during infectious disease. ...Less

The 'Delta Plus' variant is a sub-lineage of the Delta variant which was first detected in India. Some sc ...More

The 'Delta Plus' variant is a sub-lineage of the Delta variant which was first detected in India. Some scientists say this new mutation is a cause for concern as, when coupled with other features of the Delta variant could make it more transmissible. ...Less

So far, it is hard to tell how much the new strain will disrupt the global growth rebound that has helped ...More

So far, it is hard to tell how much the new strain will disrupt the global growth rebound that has helped power risk assets higher in recent months. ...Less

The research, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, is the first large-scale study to compare the hea ...More

The research, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, is the first large-scale study to compare the health outcomes of coronavirus infection from Omicron and Delta in the age group which is not yet vaccinated. The finding led by researchers at the Case Western Reserve University in the US show that the Omicron variant is 6-8 times more infectious than the Delta variant. ...Less