World Health Organization is now officially tracking 'real deal' Covid variant BA.X amid fears strain could explode and trigger fresh wave
1 year, 4 months ago

World Health Organization is now officially tracking 'real deal' Covid variant BA.X amid fears strain could explode and trigger fresh wave

Daily Mail  

A Covid variant dubbed the 'real deal' is being officially tracked by World Health Organization officials. But she said it needs monitoring due to its large number of mutations In a flu and Covid surveillance report, the UK Health Security Agency noted that the prevalence of EG.5.1 had jumped to 25.7 per cent by the end of July Alarm bells over the strain were first rung earlier this week, after a prominent online virus-tracker spotted two cases crop up in Denmark. Levels were highest among the over-85s and 75 to 84-year-olds Scientists have already called for the return of face masks because of the spin-off strain — yet to be officially named but dubbed BA.X. Covid hospitalisation rates are already starting to shoot up, sparking concern that the UK is on the brink of being hit by another wave Officials sequence around 240 samples from positive Covid tests every week to estimate the prevalence of each strain.

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History of this topic

COVID returns? Hospitalisation hits record high in THIS country | DEETS INSIDE
1 year, 2 months ago

COVID returns? Hospitalisation hits record high in THIS country | DEETS INSIDE

India TV News  

As winter approaches, health authorities in the United Kingdom have issued a warning for its citizens to prepare for another wave of COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency has claimed that the cases will 'further increase' as the season progresses, along with other 'winter respiratory viruses like flu'. As we enter the colder months and people begin to mix more indoors, …

Even cautious experts say don't panic over new Covid wave: CDC admits US in 'strongest place' ever in pandemic - while the World Health Organization says world is in 'a different phase' now
1 year, 4 months ago

Even cautious experts say don't panic over new Covid wave: CDC admits US in 'strongest place' ever in pandemic - while the World Health Organization says world is in 'a different phase' now

Daily Mail  

Global and US health chiefs have urged calm over rising Covid cases and new variants, pointing out that virtually everyone now has immunity against the virus. On Thursday, Dr Marion Koopmans — a virologist who advises the World Health Organization — said the world was now in a 'different phase' of the pandemic due to higher levels of immunity from …

Covid Infections have DOUBLED in US in past month amid rise of two mutant variants BA.2.86 and 'Eris', official data suggests
1 year, 4 months ago

Covid Infections have DOUBLED in US in past month amid rise of two mutant variants BA.2.86 and 'Eris', official data suggests

Daily Mail  

Covid infections in the US have nearly doubled in the past month amid the rise of two highly-mutated variants, official data suggests. Dr Thomas Moore, an infectious disease physician, told DailyMail.com while the US is seeing a rise in cases, they are not severe like past variants The data shows that positivity soared from 6.7 percent in the week ending …

WHO tracking new Covid variant BA. X amid fears it could lead to new explosion of cases
1 year, 4 months ago

WHO tracking new Covid variant BA. X amid fears it could lead to new explosion of cases

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The World Health Organization is monitoring a new coronavirus variant that …

New Covid wave has begun in UK and masks should be worn again, warn scientists
1 year, 4 months ago

New Covid wave has begun in UK and masks should be worn again, warn scientists

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Rates have risen since early July Prof Pagel predicted the …

New Covid variant BA.6 is 'probably' already in the US, experts warn - amid calls for masks to return
1 year, 4 months ago

New Covid variant BA.6 is 'probably' already in the US, experts warn - amid calls for masks to return

Daily Mail  

There is no evidence at this stage that it is more likely to cause severe disease A new Covid variant that has prompted calls for face masks to return is 'probably' already in the US, experts have told DailyMail.com. The variant may make shots less effective if it has evolved to look different enough from its ancestor — though most …

New Covid variant branded the 'real deal' could already be in BRITAIN, experts claim amid calls for return of face masks to slow spread of virus
1 year, 4 months ago

New Covid variant branded the 'real deal' could already be in BRITAIN, experts claim amid calls for return of face masks to slow spread of virus

Daily Mail  

A new Covid variant labelled the 'real deal' may already be in the UK, scientists claimed today. But one epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, tasked with tracking viral threats like Covid, said it could be 'Pi', the letter which follows Omicron in the Greek alphabet — the system officials use to name new strains. Meanwhile, Professor Christina Pagel, …

Gloomy scientists call for people to start wearing Covid masks again as they sound alarm over new variant BA.6 that has 'a lot of new mutations'
1 year, 4 months ago

Gloomy scientists call for people to start wearing Covid masks again as they sound alarm over new variant BA.6 that has 'a lot of new mutations'

Daily Mail  

Experts today sounded the alarm over a fresh Covid wave after detecting a variant that has 'a lot of new mutations'. Meanwhile, Professor Christina Pagel, a mathematician from University College London who sits on Independent SAGE, said: 'To everyone else — very very early days but this coronavirus variant has a LOT of new mutations that makes it v different …

UK Covid cases rise amid waning immunity
1 year, 5 months ago

UK Covid cases rise amid waning immunity

The Telegraph  

Official figures for Covid cases in the UK have crept up in recent weeks because of waning immunity and bad weather keeping people indoors, according to experts. Its records show that 3.7 per cent of 4,403 respiratory specimens were identified as Covid, compared with 3.6 per cent of 4,535 cases two weeks earlier. The Zoe Health Study, which takes its …

Mapped: Worst areas in UK for Covid cases amid fears over new Arcturus variant
1 year, 8 months ago

Mapped: Worst areas in UK for Covid cases amid fears over new Arcturus variant

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} England’s North …

XBB.1.16 has potential to drive fresh Covid wave? Former AIIMS director answers
1 year, 9 months ago

XBB.1.16 has potential to drive fresh Covid wave? Former AIIMS director answers

Hindustan Times  

Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said the new XBB.1.16 variant of coronavirus could be driving the recent rise in Covid-19 cases but stressed there was no need to worry as long as it doesn't lead to severe illness, hospitalisation and deaths. India recorded 1,134 new fresh infections on Tuesday, the highest in 138 days, while the active …

What we know about ‘Kraken’ Covid Variant XBB.1.5; why it's causing concern
1 year, 11 months ago

What we know about ‘Kraken’ Covid Variant XBB.1.5; why it's causing concern

Hindustan Times  

A new Covid variant that was first detected last year has quickly become the dominant strain in the US — and picked up a creepy moniker along the way. The original XBB variant has already caused waves of infection in countries including Singapore and India since the WHO first raised concern about it last October. Health authorities are warning it …

UK detects over 700 cases of XBB, BQ.1 variants of coronavirus
2 years, 2 months ago

UK detects over 700 cases of XBB, BQ.1 variants of coronavirus

India Today  

Health officials in the United Kingdom have warned about two new strains of Covid-19--BQ.1 and XBB-- which are driving the surge in cases of the viral infection in the country. XBB and BQ.1 are descendants of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and experts warned that a “swarm” of such subvariants could lead a fresh Covid wave across Europe and North …

WHO chief scientist warns of another wave of Covid, urges people to take booster shots | Top points
2 years, 2 months ago

WHO chief scientist warns of another wave of Covid, urges people to take booster shots | Top points

India Today  

The chief scientist at the World Health Organisation, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, on Thursday said some countries may go through "another wave of infections" with the XBB variant of the Covid-19 virus. The WHO chief scientist said that monitoring and tracking are the key steps to ensuring that another wave of infections do not occur. According to her, when the Omicron …

Don't ditch those masks! New COVID surge in U.K. shows what's waiting for us this fall
2 years, 3 months ago

Don't ditch those masks! New COVID surge in U.K. shows what's waiting for us this fall

Raw Story  

I don't know what it's like in your neck of the woods, but here in our small town on the edge of the Poconos, fall is finally here. COVID numbers are as hard to find as people wearing masks in the supermarket, even though health care experts say the current statistics are likely a "massive underestimate," according to U.S. News, …

Covid restrictions could return if rising cases make NHS backlog worse
2 years, 5 months ago

Covid restrictions could return if rising cases make NHS backlog worse

The Telegraph  

NHS organisations in Sussex, Norfolk and Norwich and the Midlands said the increase in cases in their communities necessitated a return to mask-wearing. The number of people in hospital in England who have tested positive for Covid has climbed to its highest level for nearly three months. However, while patient numbers are up week-on-week by 25 per cent, the rate …

Is a fourth Covid wave upon us?
2 years, 8 months ago

Is a fourth Covid wave upon us?

India Today  

After two years of erratic classes, Ritesh Nangia, a 32-year-old Faridabad-based yoga teacher, was looking forward to offline sessions with his students again. In panic, people are making hasty decisions,” says Dr Sushila Kataria, an internal medicine specialist in New Delhi. “Till confirmation whether a new wave or a new variant is upon us, the best advice is adherence to …

Covid outbreaks now shrinking in 96% of England's neighbourhoods
2 years, 11 months ago

Covid outbreaks now shrinking in 96% of England's neighbourhoods

Daily Mail  

Coronavirus cases are now falling in virtually every area of England, official figures show as the Omicron wave continues to collapse with deaths six times lower than in the second wave. Official figures show cases spiked at 76,000 during the Alpha-fuelled wave, while three times as many cases were recorded at the peak of 246,000 this winter Despite the number …

Covid UK: 'Less than 20% chance' government will activate plan B, Whitehall sources say
3 years, 2 months ago

Covid UK: 'Less than 20% chance' government will activate plan B, Whitehall sources say

Daily Mail  

The chance of ministers activating their winter Covid 'Plan B' is less than 20 per cent, Government sources claimed today — but face masks might make a partial comeback in schools. The surge in infections 'will eventually lead to high levels of immunity in children' which will see cases plateau and then fall, Professor Edmunds said. High infection rates among …

Over 10,000 Covid cases reported in UK for first time since February
3 years, 6 months ago

Over 10,000 Covid cases reported in UK for first time since February

India Today  

The UK's latest surge in coronavirus infections gathered pace on Thursday with new confirmed cases rising above 10,000 for the first time in nearly four months as a result of the spread of the more contagious delta variant. The government's chief medical adviser, Professor Chris Whitty, said the height of the current surge is “still uncertain” but that it “will …

CDC reviewing new data that suggests coronavirus variant identified in UK could be more deadly
3 years, 11 months ago

CDC reviewing new data that suggests coronavirus variant identified in UK could be more deadly

CNN  

CNN — Scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are speaking with UK health officials to learn more about British data that suggests a new coronavirus variant could be more deadly. A UK report released Friday states there is “a realistic possibility” that the new variant has a higher death rate than other variants. While the data …

COVID New Strain: Madras HC Asks Centre To Take Concerns Raised In Plea Seriously & Issue Measures To Contain Its Spread
4 years ago

COVID New Strain: Madras HC Asks Centre To Take Concerns Raised In Plea Seriously & Issue Measures To Contain Its Spread

Live Law  

While entertaining a Plea containing "certain genuine concerns" pertaining to the new COVID Virus Strain originally detected in the United Kingdom, the Madras High Court on Wednesday said, " It is imperative that the Union takes the concerns indicated in the petition seriously and obtains expert advice to issue immediate measures to ensure that the further spread may be averted." …

UK reports another new 'more contagious' Covid variant, govt goes for tighter restrictions
4 years ago

UK reports another new 'more contagious' Covid variant, govt goes for tighter restrictions

India TV News  

The UK's Health Secretary on Wednesday revealed that a second "more contagious" variant of coronavirus linked to South Africa has been detected in the nation. Matt Hancock told journalists that the two cases of the new variant were "contacts of cases who have travelled" from the nation "over the past few weeks." Just as we've got a tiered system in …

New COVID-19 variant identified in the UK but experts say coronavirus vaccines should still be effective
4 years ago

New COVID-19 variant identified in the UK but experts say coronavirus vaccines should still be effective

ABC  

A new variant of the virus causing COVID-19 has been identified in the UK, with the health minister there warning it could be more infectious. Yet experts around the world say it is not at all unexpected for the SARS-Cov-2 virus to mutate, and there is no evidence yet that this new variant will be harder to control with vaccines. …

Newer, faster Covid strain sends London into strictest lockdown, WHO to probe variant
4 years ago

Newer, faster Covid strain sends London into strictest lockdown, WHO to probe variant

India Today  

UK, where the vaccination against Covid-19 has already begun, is set to enter into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions starting Wednesday. This new variant is responsible for "faster spread which is leading to cases doubling in some areas every seven days," Health Secretary Matt Hancock said adding that "swift and decisive action" is the need of the hour. "We …

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