Omicron variant less severe than Delta for kids younger than 5 years, claims study – Top Covid Updates

Covid-19 April 4 Latest News: A study has claimed that children younger than 5 years who are infected with the Omicron have less risk of severe health outcomes than those infected with the Delta variant of coronavirus. The research was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. The study 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, as per PTI.

Meanwhile, according to the official data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday, India recorded less than 1000 new Covid-19 cases for the first time in 715 days. Globally however, the scenario is quite different. According to a Reuters report, China has sent the military and thousands of healthcare workers into Shanghai to help conduct Covid tests for all of its 26 million residents. Multiple provinces such Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Beijing have reportedly sent healthcare workers to Shanghai with some estimates putting the total number at more than 10,000.

Here are some of the top updates on Covid situation from India and around the globe:

– Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary on Monday said that Covid-19 medicines and instruments are being sold at a GST rate of five per cent while other medicines are sold at a GST rate between five and 12 per cent ever since the pandemic started.

– India recorded 913 new Covid-19 infections and 13 deaths, as per official data provided by the Health Ministry on Monday. The virus tally rose to 4,30,29,044, while the active infection count fell below 13,000.

– The active case count comprises 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate remained at 98.76 per cent. A reduction of 416 cases has been recorded in the number of active infections in a span of 24 hours.

– A total of 79.10 crore tests for the detection of COVID-19 have been conducted so far, including 3,14,823 in the last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.

– Maharashtra’s Thane district reported eight new Covid infections on Sunday, taking the tally of cases to 7,08,804, an official told PTI. The Covid death toll remained unchanged at 11,883 as no fresh fatality was reported in the district.

– Ladakh reported one fresh COVID-19 case, taking the infection tally to 28,225 in the Union Territory on Monday, officials said.

– According to the data shared by Delhi’s health department, the national capital reported 85 cases of Covid-19 and zero deaths due to the infection on Sunday. Delhi’s positivity rate stood at 0.86 per cent. The People’s Liberation Army on Sunday dispatched more than 2,000 medical personnel recruited from across the army, navy and joint logistics support forces to Shanghai, an armed forces newspaper reported, as per Reuters. The move is part of China’s largest public health response since it tackled the initial Covid outbreak in Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus was first discovered in early 2020.

– Shanghai, which began a two-stage lockdown last Monday that has been expanded to confine practically all residents to their homes, reported 8,581 asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and 425 symptomatic COVID cases for April 3, reported Reuters. Residents were also asked to self-test using antigen tests.