In a first, women have outnumbered men in India
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In a first, women have outnumbered men in India

For the first time in history, there is more female population in India than men. According to the government's National Family and Health Survey (NFHS), there are 1,020 women for every 1,000 men between 2019 and 2021. These numbers are historic for a country where female infanticide is still carried out and violence against women is rather common. Parents, too, are in favour of having sons over daughters, although this is now relevant only in rural India.  The last survey in 2015 had found 991 women per 1000 men. According to the new report, rural India contributes the most, with 1,0

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Community transmission of Omicron confirmed in the UK
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Community transmission of Omicron confirmed in the UK

The UK’s Health Minister, Sajid Javid on Monday told Parliament that the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 has now reached the community transmission level in various regions of England. As of December 7, a total of 336 cases of the variant have been reported in England. 261 of these cases are in England, while the rest are in Scotland and Wales. This also includes cases with no links to international travel, which helped to find out that community transmission across England can now be confirmed. Mr. Javid also informed the Parliament that Nigeria has been added to the UK’s list of coun

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Omicron has now spread to about one-third of the US states
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Omicron has now spread to about one-third of the US states

The United States health officials said on Sunday that the Omicron variant of Covid19 has spread to about one-third of US states, but the Delta version remains the bigger problem, with the majority of Covid-19 cases belonging to the earlier variant. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, told CNN that there is not a great deal of severity caused by Omicron, while also adding that it is early to draw conclusions and a lot more research on the variant is needed. As per Reuters, at least 15 US states have reported Omicron cases so far: California, Colorado, Connecticut,

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Pre-departure Covid test now mandatory to travel to UK
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Pre-departure Covid test now mandatory to travel to UK

In order to protect its citizens from Omicron, Covid’s new variant, the UK government has announced that those travelling into the country will need to show a negative coronavirus test before departure. A negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within the last 48 hours before boarding a flight has been made must. This is applicable to travellers from all countries above the age of 12. The UK government is also in talks to take further decisive action to contain the new variant. Earlier, the UK earlier banned flights from South Africa while also putting 10 African countries on its red lis

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US has extended transit mask mandate through mid-March
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US has extended transit mask mandate through mid-March

Each country is releasing its own fresh guidelines to protect its citizens from Covid’s new variant Omicron. The USA on its part has extended requirements for travellers to wear masks while journeying – be it on airplanes, buses, trains or at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had earlier extended the transportation mask order through January 18, and it has now been further extended through mid-March. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also said that it will soon impose stricter Covid-19 testing rules for passengers traveling to the c

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WHO has warned against “Blanket” Omicron travel bans
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WHO has warned against “Blanket” Omicron travel bans

In the wake of several countries shutting borders and imposing travel bans, the World Health Organization has warned blanket travel bans will not prevent the spread of Omicron, and will do more harm than good. As per the WHO, travel bans could dissuade countries from sharing data about the new virus. But it has also advised unvaccinated people to avoid traveling to areas where the virus is active. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was understandable for countries to seek protection for their citizens against a variant that has not been fully understood yet. But he asked for rati

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Japan bars all new foreign visitors for protection from Omicron
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Japan bars all new foreign visitors for protection from Omicron

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Monday that the country will impose strict border measures and ban all incoming foreign travelers for one month due to Covid’s Omicron variant. However, international arrivals will be open for Japanese nationals or foreign residents returning to the country. Japan is one of the few countries where the borders have been shut for tourists for most of the pandemic. Earlier this month, the government of Japan had decided to allow business travellers, foreign students and other visa holders to enter the country. However, the decision has been

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Covid’s new variant ‘Omicron’ is spreading rapidly in South Africa
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Covid’s new variant ‘Omicron’ is spreading rapidly in South Africa

The surge in the number of new Covid19 cases in South Africa has led to worry among health experts, who feel that the new variant named omicron is highly transmissible. The latest Covid hotspot identified in the country is the Tshwane University of Technology, where several students tested positive. However, the variant is already active in all of South Africa’s nine provinces. While the number of confirmed cases are still low compared to the 25,000 cases that were being confirmed regularly in the last wave, they have been increasing at a quick rate. Reportedly, the virus spread after so

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Russia to launch Sputnik Light Covid Vaccine in India in December
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Russia to launch Sputnik Light Covid Vaccine in India in December

The Russian Direct Investment Fund has said that Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine will be available in India by December this year. CEO of Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev told reporters that they have Pune’s Serum institute as their production partner, and hope that Sputnik Light will help in India’s vaccination campaign. Earlier in the day, the Russian vaccine maker announced that Sputnik vaccine for children aged 12-17 will be approved by Russia's Health Ministry soon and the shots will roll out by the end of the year. In recent weeks, Russia has seen a big spike in C

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WHO warns of 2.2 million Covid deaths in Europe by March
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WHO warns of 2.2 million Covid deaths in Europe by March

As Europe continues to see nearly 4,200 Covid19 cases a day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the continent’s death toll from the virus could exceed 2 million by March. WHO European regional director Dr. Hans Kluge said Europe has said that the continent needs to take a “vaccine plus” approach to the crisis. What this means is that along with getting fully vaccinated, people should continue to comply with other precautions like covering the face with a mask, maintaining social distance and frequently sanitizing their hands. Kluge further said in a statement that

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