What is the Lambda variant of coronavirus?
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has mutated multiple times ever since the pandemic began with some strains being more infectious and deadlier than others. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified four of those mutations as variants of concern: Alpha, Beta,
Complete lockdown is no solution to tackling surging cases: Asad Umar
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar has announced a number of measures to ensure vaccination of people against COVID-19 in high-risk sectors. Briefing the media persons along with Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan, the
COVID-19: Pakistan records 3,262 cases as situation worsens
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded another 3,262 cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, as the situation gets out of control amid the fourth wave. The latest figures from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) reported 3,262 cases and 39 deaths
Pakistan administers record half million vaccines doses in a day
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has increased its coronavirus vaccination drive and administered a record 525,000 people in a single day. “For the first time, we crossed half a million doses of vaccination yesterday,” National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar.
Return to normal
Pakistan has ranked third in the ‘Global Normalcy Index’ out of 50 countries released by the renowned ‘The Economist’ magazine. Prime Minister Imran Khan is elated that the government’s efforts despite fervent criticism at home have been globally acknowledged. The
Fourth wave
It has become a norm that once we start witnessing a decline in coronavirus cases, we tend to become rather indifferent to the pandemic. As the cases started falling, we reverted to our normal routine but are now facing another
Pakistan reports lowest COVID-19 positivity ratio in three months
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to witness a decline in the number of coronavirus cases as it reported less than 2,000 cases on Friday, while the positivity ratio was at the lowest level in three months. According to the National Command and
India asks social media firms to remove reference to ‘Indian variant’ of coronavirus
NEW DELHI: India’s information technology (IT) ministry has written to all social media companies asking them to take down any content that refers to an “Indian variant” of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization said on May 11 that the
COVID-19: Pakistan reports 4,213 cases, 79 deaths
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported in marginally dip in coronavirus cases and deaths on Sunday, as the government warns that the virus is spreading fast across the country amid the third wave. This comes a day after the death toll from the
Daily coronavirus vaccinations cross 100,000 for first time: Asad Umar
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar announced that more than 100,000 people were inoculated against the coronavirus a day ago, which was the highest during the ongoing vaccination drive. The federal minister, who also heads the National
PM expresses solidarity with India battling ‘dangerous’ coronavirus wave
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India as the country battles a ‘dangerous’ wave of coronavirus. “I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave
PM to chair NCC meeting on coronavirus situation today
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on COVID-19 today to discuss the worsening situation in the country. The prime minister summoned the NCC on COVID-19 after holding a meeting with Minister
Katrina Kaif recovers from coronavirus, thanks everyone who checked up on her
MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif said she has tested negative for the coronavirus 10 days after she contracted the virus. The actress took to Instagram to share her health update, while thanking people, who checked up on her. “Negative (everyone
Pakistan records 5,050 coronavirus cases, 114 deaths
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded more than five thousand while over a hundred people lost their lives from the novel coronavirus as the government extended restrictions amid the third wave of the pandemic. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC),
Lockdown, curfew imposed in Indian state as virus surge worsens
MUMBAI: India’s wealthiest state Maharashtra, home to the country’s financial capital Mumbai, will impose a weekend lockdown and night curfew on 110 million people as it battles a spike in COVID-19 cases India reported 93,249 new daily infections on Sunday,
Biden to end vaccine priority, make all adults eligible by May 1
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said he would direct US states to make all adults eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by May 1 and urged Americans in a televised address to stay vigilant against the virus, hours after he signed a
WHO team visits Chinese virus lab in Wuhan
BEIJING: World Health Organization inspectors visited a laboratory in China’s Wuhan city on Wednesday that American officials suggested could have been the source of the coronavirus. The inspection of the Wuhan virology institute, which conducts research on the world’s most
WHO experts arrive in Wuhan for fieldwork on COVID-19 origins
BEIJING: Experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) visited a Wuhan hospital on Friday as the fieldwork began in a closely watched coronavirus origins probe in a food market presumed to be “ground zero” of the pandemic. The WHO investigation
China reports first COVID-19 death in eight months
BEIJING: China on Thursday reported its first death from Covid-19 in eight months as the country battles to contain a resurgence in cases and prepares for the arrival of an expert team from the WHO. More than 20 million people
Wuhan virus cases may be 10 times higher than reported: Study
BEIJING: The number of coronavirus cases in Wuhan where the outbreak was first detected may have been 10 times higher than official figures suggest, according to a study by Chinese health authorities. About 4.4 percent of the city’s 11 million
Vaccine purchasing
The clinical trial results of several potential COVID-19 vaccines have shown promising results and are effective against the disease. This has given hope to countries around the world that it may finally be heading towards normalcy. Pharmaceutical companies including Moderna
Vaccine optimism
The world is weary of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over a million people and decimated economies globally. With a second wave of infections and many countries slipping back into a lockdown, the news of a potentially effective vaccine
Pakistan has less than 10,000 active COVID-19 cases
ISLAMABAD: There are now 9,031 active COVID-19 patients in Pakistan as 278,425 people have recovered from the disease so far. According to the latest statistics, 450 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country after tests of 24,231 people over the
Emirates to cover coronavirus-related medical costs of passengers
DUBAI: Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, has announced to cover coronavirus-related medical costs of passengers. “Emirates will cover its passengers for COVID-19 related medical expenses and quarantine costs when they travel on board Emirates, to and from
Global coronavirus death toll exceeds 400,000
NEW YORK: The coronavirus pandemic has killed 400,000 people since it emerged late last year as the number of cases surge in Brazil and India. A total of 400,052 deaths have now been recorded, a figure that has doubled in
COVID-19 cases in South Asia growing, not exploding: WHO
GENEVA: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the number of COVID-19 cases in India and other countries has been doubling every three weeks but the epidemic is not growing exponentially in the country and South Asia region. “In South
Living with a virus
Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again said the coronavirus is here to stay and without any chances of a vaccine or effective treatment expected this year, we will have to live with the virus. This comes with a stark
Nation will have to learn to live with virus: PM Imran
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the nation will have to learn to live with coronavirus for some time as a cure is not coming anytime soon. While expressing his views on the situation, the prime minister said
A virus among us
The WHO has warned that coronavirus may never go away. The global health agency and experts around the world are unable to predict when the virus will disappear and life will return to normal. The only way to end the
Facebook, Google allow employees to work remotely until year end
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook and Google said it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread