Tokyo, May 22: A study by Japan’s Yokohama City University showed that 96% of people previously infected with Coronavirus still had antibodies a year after recovery, Kyodo News Agency reported.
The study looked at results from 250 people aged 21-78 who tested positive for the virus between February and April last year and found that those COVID-19 patients who showed more severe symptoms all had antibodies in the following year, while 97% of those with mild or no symptoms had antibodies in the first six months after being ill.
The study also found that only 69% of people who were sick with mild or no symptoms of COVID-19 last year had antibodies to fight the South African variant six months after being ill, 75% against the Indian variant, 81% against the Brazilian variant and 85% against the UK variant.
The study further showed that these percentages declined in the following year.
The study concluded that former COVID-19 patients who were ill in the first few months of the pandemic, especially if they had mild or no symptoms, must still be vaccinated in order to avoid being infected with a COVID-19 variant from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil or India.
Canberra, May 22: Australian school students from more than 50 cities and towns from across the country came out on the streets to impress upon the government the need to take immediate actions to mitigate climate change.
The students were particularly angry on Australian government’s decisions for investing in the non renewable gas industry.
The past week saw Scott Morrison led Australian government allocate more than ASD 58 million towards the expansion of the Australian gas industry.
ABC News Australia quoted student climate activist Natasha Abhayavikrama saying ” government has shown that they are are not taking effective action on climate, climate crisis is happening now, we have only seven years until it becomes Irreversible, they are subsidizing fossil fuel industries and funding gas especially”
New Delhi, May 22: India reported 2,57,299 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the infection tally to 2,62,89,290, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.
Besides, the country also saw 4,194 more fatalities due to the virus, pushing the toll to 2,95,525. On Friday, the country recorded 4,209 deaths.
With 3,57,630 recoveries recorded in the last 24 hours, India’s daily recoveries outnumbered the new Covid cases for the ninth consecutive day. On Friday, India reported 3,57,295 recoveries.
The active caseload in the country is 29,23,400 comprising 11.12 per cent of the total infections while 2,30,70,365 people have recovered from disease so far amounting 87.76 per cent of the recovery rate.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 32,64,84,155 samples have been tested so far for coronavirus, of which 20,66,285 tests were conducted in the past one day, the highest tests done in one day. The previous highest tests in a day were conducted on Friday (20,61,683).
Meanwhile, the case fatality rate stands at 1.12 per cent.
On the vaccination front, total 19,33,72,819 people have been vaccinated across the country till now, of which 14,58,895 doses administered in the past 24 hours.
Maharashtra, which has been the most-affected state in the country, saw highest 1,263 deaths in the past 24 hours, followed by Tamil Nadu (467 ), Karnataka (353), Delhi (252), Punjab (172), UP (172), West Bengal (159), Kerala (142), Rajasthan (129), Uttarakhand (116), Haryana (112), Andhra Pradesh (104) and Chhattisgarh (96).
On Friday, India had registered 2,59,591 new Covid-19 cases and 4,209 deaths.
Reykjavik, May 20: The Arctic Council, during it’s 12th ministerial meeting here on Thursday unanimously adopted a new strategic plan for the region’s development till 2030.
Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson introduced the 10-year strategic plan. The plan was adopted unanimously as
none of the delegates objected.
The forum also marked the Arctic Council’s 25th anniversary and the transfer of the two-year chairmanship from Iceland to Russia.
As the new chair, Russia expects to ensure
investment, research and trade projects in the Arctic for the sustainable development of the region.
The concept was developed in line with the goals set by President Vladimir Putin in the 2035 Arctic Strategy. It emphasizes the role of the council as a key association for coordinating international activities in the region and strengthening relations between Arctic states.
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a high-level intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation in the region with a focus on environmental protection. The council includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Canada, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 20: CPI(M) Veteran Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Kerala for the second time along with 20 ministers here on Thursday.
Mr Vijayan led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to the consecutive victory in the April 6 Assembly election.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Vijayan and the new ministers in the presence of 500 people, amid COVID protocol, at the Central Stadium at 1530 hours.
Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) politburo member had won from the Dharmadam seat in North Kerala’s Kannur district with a margin of 50,123 votes.
Earlier, he had been elected to the assembly in 1970, 1977, 1991 and 1996.
This time, the LDF won 99 seats out of the 140 Assembly seats compared to 91 seats in the 2016 Assembly election, paving way for a second consecutive term for Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, altering the four-decades-long electoral tradition in Kerala where there was alternative shift of power between the LDF and United Democratic Front (UDF)
Those who took oath as ministers are K Krishnankutty, JD(S), AK Saseendran, NCP, K Radhakrishnan, CPI-M, J Chinchurani, CPI, Roshy Augustine, KC(M), P Rajeev, CPI-M, K Rajan, CPI, Veena George, CPI-M, Prof R Bindu, CPI-M, MV Govindan Master, CPI-M, PA Mohamed Riyas, CPI-M, Ahamed Devarkovil, INL, V Abdurahiman, National Secular Conference, V Sivankutty, CPI-M, Antony Raju, Democratic Kerala Congress, GR Anil, CPI, KN Balagopal, CPI-M, Saji Cheriyan, CPI-M, P Prasad, CP and VN Vasavan, CPI-M,
Except Chief Minister, A K Saseendran and K Krishnankutty , all other ministers are fresh faces.
Ahead of the ceremony, a virtual music programme of 54 singers aired at the venue.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury among others also attended the oath-taking ceremony.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 19: The swearing-in ceremony of the 21-member Cabinet led by Pinarayi Vijayan will be held at the Central Stadium here on Thursday at 1530 hrs amid COVID protocol.
Earlier, CPI(M) state committee has selected Pinarayi Vijayan as parliamentary party leader paving the way for making him the Chief Minister for a second consecutive term. Following which Pinarayi Vijayan called on Governor Arif Mohammed Khan staking claim to form the Government.
Ahead of the Government formation, CPI(M), CPI and other allies in Left Democratic Front (LDF) have decided their ministers for the CPI(M)-led Government.
The CPI(M) has released a list of ministers. MV Govindan, K Radhakrishnan, Saji Cheriyan, KN Balagopal, P Rajeev, VN Vasavan, V Sivankutty, Muhammed Riyas, Dr R Bindhu, Veena George and Abdul Rahman will be the ministers from the CPM.
This is also to be noted that Vijayan has decided to drop all the sitting ministers including health minister KK Shailaja and Excise Minister TP Ramakrishnan.
The CPI(M) has also selected MB Rajesh as Speaker of the Kerala Assembly and KK Shailaja as Party Whip. TP Ramakrishnan has been appointed as the Parliamentary Party Secretary.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the central stadium in the presence of 500 people. Though Vijayan will be sworn in as the Chief Minister, the portfolio for the rest of the ministers has not been made public yet.
Notably, Muhammed Riyas, who is the son-in-law of Vijayan and is the national president of DYFI, has also been included in the list of Ministers.
The CPI-M led Left Democratic Front won 99 seats in the 140-member assembly.
Meanwhile, the CPI also announced its list of ministers. K Rajan, P Prasad, J Chinchu Rani and GR Anil will represent CPI in the new cabinet. Chinchu Rani will be the first woman from CPI to become a minister after 1964.
CPI has also elected E Chandrasekharan as legislature party leader and PS Supal as legislature party secretary.
Meanwhile, Kerala Congress (M) named Roshy Augustine as leader of their party’s parliamentary party committee and N Jayaraj deputy leader and chief whip. Roshy Augustine will be the minister representing Kerala Congress (M) in the Pinarayi cabinet.
K Krishnankutty of Janata Dal (S), Indian National League (INL) legislator Ahammad Devarkovil, Democratic Congress Kerala (DCK) leader Antony Raju and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader AK Saseendran will also be Ministers in the new cabinet.
Meanwhile, Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has announced that their MLAs and MPs will not attend the swearing-in ceremony alleging COVID protocol violation in the oath-taking ceremony organised by the state administration by inviting 500 people during the triple lockdown in Thiruvananthapuram due to surge in COVID-19 cases.
UDF convener MM Hassan said Congress workers, MPs and MLAs will witness the ceremony virtually considering the COVID-19 situation in the state. However, he made it clear that the ceremony will not be boycotted by the UDF.
All of them will see the function virtually for avoiding physical presence at the stadium, he clarified. He also suggested a simple ceremony for the oath-taking due to the lockdown.
New Delhi, May 18: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that the cyclonic storm Tauktae is getting weaker and lay centred over Saurashtra, about 160 km southwest of Ahmedabad, 75 km south of Surendranagar and 45 km Northeast of Amreli in Gujarat.
According to IMD’s latest update at 1330 hrs, it would move north-northeastwards and to weaken gradually into a deep depression during next six hours, bringing light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Gujarat region, including Saurashtra today.
Gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 Kmph is likely to prevail over Gulf of Khambat and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea during next six hours. It is likely to reduce gradually thereafter whereas squally wind speed reaching 40-50 gusting to 60 kmph along and off extreme north Maharashtra coast during next six hours.
Gale winds speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100Kmph likely to prevail over Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over Surendranagar, Rajkot, Anand, South Ahmedabad, 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph over Diu, Gir Somnath,Junagarh, Kheda, Bharuch, Jamnagar, Porbandar &Morbi during next six hours and gradually decrease thereafter.
Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65kmph likely to prevail along and off Dadra, NagarHaveli, Daman, Valsad, Navsari, Surat districts and 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph over Devbhoomi Dwarka & Kutch during next six hours and gradually to decrease thereafter.
Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 Kmph is likely to prevail over South Rajasthan from the evening of May 18 to 19th early morning.
The national weather department also forecast that the tidal wave above astronomical tide is likely to inundate coastal areas during next three hours wherein about 1-2 meter high over Anand, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu & Bhavnagar, Bharuch, southern parts of Ahmedabad.
Geneva, May 17: Long working hours led to 7,45,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, a 29 per cent increase since 2000, according to the latest estimates by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization published in Environment International Monday.
In a first global analysis of the loss of life and health associated with working long hours, WHO and ILO estimate that, in 2016, 3,98,000 people died from stroke and 3,47,000 from heart disease as a result of having worked 55 hours or more a week. Between 2000 and 2016, the number of deaths from heart disease due to working long hours increased by 42 per cent, and from stroke by 19 per cent.
This work-related disease burden is particularly significant in men (72 per cent of deaths occurred among males), people living in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, and middle-aged or older workers. Most of the deaths recorded were among people dying aged 60-79 years, who had worked for 55 hours or more per week between the ages of 45 and 74 years.
With working long hours now known to be responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease, it is established as the risk factor with the largest occupational disease burden. This shifts thinking towards a relatively new and more psychosocial occupational risk factor to human health.
The study concludes that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with an estimated 35 per cent higher risk of a stroke and a 17 per cent higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working 35-40 hours a week.
Further, the number of people working long hours is increasing, and currently stands at 9 per cent of the total population globally. This trend puts even more people at risk of work-related disability and early death.
The new analysis comes as the COVID-19 pandemic shines a spotlight on managing working hours; the pandemic is accelerating developments that could feed the trend towards increased working time.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way many people work,“ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Teleworking has become the norm in many industries, often blurring the boundaries between home and work. In addition, many businesses have been forced to scale back or shut down operations to save money, and people who are still on the payroll end up working longer hours. No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease. Governments, employers and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers.”
“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” added Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, at WHO. “It’s time that we all, governments, employers, and employees wake up to the fact that long working hours can lead to premature death”.
Kolkata, May 17: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday started a sit-in demonstration in front of CBI office at Nizam Palace here, protesting against the arrest of two of her cabinet colleagues Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim and MLA Madan Mitra along with ex-Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee.
Earlier, the four were arrested by CBI in connection with the Narada scam. The Narada tapes were released in 2016.
The chief minister demanded that she too be arrested as she protested at Nizam Palace.
The Trinamool Congress supporters staged a protest against the arrests in front of Nizam Palace. The party supporters demanded the release of the Trinamool leaders. They shouted slogans against BJP and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
TMC has appealed to Kolkata Police to taken action against CBI officials who have arrested the Bengal ministers.
The party has written to the Kolkata police commissioner and accused CBI of working at the behest of BJP and Bengal governor.
The CBI has asked for additional central forces for deployment as the agitators are trying to break the barricade in front of the Nizam Palace.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Biman Banerjee claimed that the arrest process was illegal.
He said that to arrest the MLA, it is necessary to get the permission of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In this case, it was not taken.
The governor’s approval of the charge sheet is illegal.
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee in a tweet said, “I urge everyone to abide by the law and refrain from any activity that violates lockdown norms for the sake of the larger interest of Bengal and its people. We have utmost faith in the judiciary & the battle will be fought legally.”
Minister of State for health Chandrima Bhattacharya claimed that this was a political ploy of the BJP.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asked, “Why was an FIR not lodged against Mukul Roy who is now the national vice-president of the BJP? Roy had taken money from former IPS officer Mirza. Also, why has Suvendu Adhikari, who is now the leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, not been arrested? He was also seen taking money in the tapes.”
Mr Ghosh said, “That’s because they have joined the BJP and got protection. This is nothing but a revenge tactic by the BJP as they lost the Assembly polls.”
However, State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted, “Concerned at alarming situation. Call upon Mamata Banerjee to follow constitutional norms & rule of law. Police must take all steps to maintain law & order. Sad- situation is being allowed to drift with no
tangible action by authorities.”
Earlier in the day Mr Hakim, Mr Mukherjee, Mr Mitra and Mr Chatterjee were arrested by the CBI from their homes and taken to the Central agency’s office in the state capital.
Mr Hakim said that he has been arrested by the CBI concerning the Narada sting operation case.
While he was being taken to the CBI office, Hakim said, “I have been arrested by the CBI in the Narada case.”
He alleged that he was arrested without any prior notice.