The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday classified a new strain of COVID-19 as a "variant of interest." The EG.5 variant has been spreading rapidly in the United States, encompassing over 17% of cases. It has also been detected in China, South Korea, Japan and Canada. The WHO said that the new variant does not at present seem to pose an additional public health risk compared to other strains of COVID-19. "Collectively, available evidence does not suggest that EG.5 has additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating Omicron descendent lineages," the organization said. It said that a more comprehensive evaluation of the risk posed by EG.5 was needed. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, said that while EG.5 had increased transmissibility, infections were not more severe than other Omicron variants. "We don't detect a change in severity of EG.5 compared to other sublineages of Omicron that have been in circulation since late 2021," she said. Meanwhile, Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that updated vaccines to be offered in mid-to-late September will provide protection against the variant. "Right now, what we're seeing with the changes in the viruses, they're still susceptible to our vaccine, they're still susceptible to our medicines, they're still picked up by the tests," Cohen said. The CDC chief said that the mutations in the virus amounted to "small changes" and "subtypes of what we've seen before." "We are likely to see this as a recommendation as an annual COVID shot just like we have an annual flu shot," she said. Countries not reporting COVID-19 data, WHO says Meanwhile, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that many countries were not reporting coronavirus data to the organization. He said only 11% had reported hospitalizations and ICU admissions related to COVID-19. The WHO issued a set of recommendations for reporting data on the virus, particularly mortality and morbidity. It also urged countries to continue offering vaccination. "About a year ago, we were in a much better situation to either anticipate or act or be more agile," Van Kerkhove said. "And now the delay in our ability to do that is growing. And our ability to do this is declining." "What we cannot do right now is give you an accurate statistic of how many deaths are actually occurring for Covid-19," she said.

The cabinet division has issued five emergency directives to prevent Covid-19 transmission. The directives were issued on Friday. The five directives are: All the schools and colleges will remain closed till 6th February starting from January 21. The universities of the country will take such measures accordingly according to the direction. Gathering of people more than 100 persons is prohibited in the state, social, political or religion based programs. In this case the participants have to show Corona PCR test negative certificate within 24 hours and the certificate of corona vaccine. All the officials of government and private offices and mill-factories have to obtain corona vaccine certificates. The concerned authority will take responsibility in this regard. People at public places like markets, kitchen markets, bus stands, launch ghast, rail stations have to wear mask mandatory basis. Local administration and law enforcement agencies will monitor the matter. AH 

The World Health Organization (WHO) will hold an emergency meeting on the new coronavirus strain discovered in Africa, which may have an increased mutability, on Friday, the Financial Times has reported.   According to Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa, he expressed his concerns about the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 to the WHO representatives. After that, the Organization decided to hold an emergency meeting, he told the Financial Times. The Organization's experts will reportedly discuss whether the new strain should be defined as "concern" or "interest."   The Organization was unable to officially confirm these plans for TASS.   During a press conference Thursday, Tulio de Oliveira said that the new strain has a very high number of mutations, which poses a risk of a rapid spread of the disease.   According to the latest data, a total of 77 people in South Africa were diagnosed with this coronavirus variant. Four people were diagnosed in Botswana and one - in Hong Kong (a person that came from South Africa). Source: TASS/BSS AH

The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as "Mu", which was first identified in Colombia in January.   Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a "variant of interest", the global health body said Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.    The WHO said the variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and stressed that further studies were needed to better understand it.   "The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the bulletin said.   There is widespread concern over the emergence of new virus mutations as infection rates are ticking up globally again, with the highly transmissible Delta variant taking hold -- especially among the unvaccinated -- and in regions where anti-virus measures have been relaxed.   All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.    But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures.   The WHO currently identifies four Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries.   Five variants, including Mu, are to be monitored.   After being detected in Colombia, Mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.   The WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1 percent among sequenced cases. In Colombia, however, it is at 39 percent. Source: AFP/BSS AH

The novel coronavirus pandemic is at a very dangerous stage at the moment, despite the global community's successes in fighting it, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.   "While we have progress in controlling the pandemic, it remains in a very dangerous phase," the WHO chief said at a meeting of the ACT Accelerator Facilitation Council. In the current situation, "the only way out is to support countries in the equitable distribution of PPE [personal protective equipment], tests, treatments and vaccines," he continued. Ghebreyesus added that states with sufficient instruments to fight the novel coronavirus have already started to ease pandemic-related restrictions. "Meanwhile, countries without access to sufficient supplies are facing waves of hospitalizations and death," he added. The WHO director general also raised the issue during another event on Tuesday, while attending the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High-Level Political Forum. In his address, Ghebreyesus noted "steep epidemic" in African, Asian and American countries. "In fact, these cases and deaths are largely avoidable," he said, calling upon the global community to "use all the tools at our disposal to prevent transmission." According to Ghebreyesus, the pandemic demonstrated that "relying on a few companies to supply global public goods is limiting and risky." "We have to learn the lessons of COVID-19," he said, calling upon the global community "to prepare for the next one." In late December 2019, Chinese officials informed the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Since the start of pandemic, 183,934,913 cases have been reported worldwide, while the death toll stands at 3,985,022. The number of cases grew by 326,231 in the past 24 hours, while the number of deaths increased by 6,347. The international partnership named the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, or ACT-Accelerator, was officially launched on April 24 by the WHO, the EU, France, and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates. As the WHO explained, the new initiative "is a unique partnership of many of the world's international health organizations who have come together to share, and build on, individual expertise to create a powerful global solution that will ensure equity in access to tests, vaccines, treatments across the world with one goal: to reduce the burden of the COVID-19.". Source: TASS/BSS AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Sunday) sought cooperation from all to effectively fight the second wave of the Coronavirus that increased infection and death rates recently. “We just want to say that we can be able to face the situation (arising out of the Coronavirus), InshaAllah. We want help from all to this end,” she said while distributing the “Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Purashkar 1424”. Joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital, the Prime Minister said all have to remain careful as the second wave of the Covid-19 has started increasing the infection and death rates. She asked all to maintain health guidelines properly to protect themselves and their families from the claws of the virus. The Prime Minister simultaneously asked all concerned to give importance on building food and agricultural goods processing industries in 100 economic zones that will immensely contribute to the development of agriculture alongside the industry. “We are setting up 100 economic zones. We want to prioritize building food and agriculture goods processing industries in the economic zones. Because, it will not only help boost industrial development, but also the agricultural one,” she said. She stressed the need for continued efforts to increase food production as its demand will definitely increase during the Coronavirus period. In this regard, she said that if Bangladesh can continue increasing its food production, it can help other countries as that food can be exported to other countries by meeting the local demand. The Premier however asked all to ensure quality of the produced foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk-egg and fish-meat to export those into foreign countries.         Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim spoke at the function held at the Osmani Smriti Auditorium. Senior Secretary of Agriculture Ministry Md. Mesbahul Islam gave a welcome address and presented credentials of the award recipients while Maya Rani Baul expressed her feelings about getting the award on behalf of the awardees. On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Agriculture Minister distributed the “Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Purashkar 1424” that included five gold medals, nine silver medals and 18 bronze medals among 32 persons and institutes for their contribution to the agriculture. A video documentary on activities of the Agriculture Ministry was also screened on the occasion. The Prime Minister also unveiled the covers of an edition comprising one hundred agriculture related comments of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman titled “Bani Chirosobuj” published by the Agriculture Ministry and a memorial book “Chironjib” at the function. Briefly spelling out various measures taken by her government, Sheikh Hasina said that they have been able to maintain economic growth amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister said that they have given 23 stimulus packages worth about Taka 1,28,0441 crore and gave assistance in various forms to over five crore people during the pandemic mainly to keep moving their lives and livelihoods.  She said that the Awami League government is the government which always gives the highest honour to the farmers, following footsteps of the Father of the Nation as he had taken measures giving priority to agriculture and farmers, as agriculture is currently contributing most to make the country self-dependent economically. The Prime Minister said they do not even deprive the sharecroppers as they are giving them loans without any collateral as the government's topmost priority is to engage them in food production with full strength.     Since assuming office in 1996, the AL government has been attaching the highest priority in agriculture and research that helped Bangladesh for the first time to be self-reliant in food production in only fives and the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) of the United Nations awarded Bangladesh for its remarkable achievements in agriculture within a short period of time in 1999.  The Prime Minister said that her government is currently working in six thematic areas of agriculture for attaining sufficiency in agriculture, food security and nutrition. These areas are - agricultural research and development, supply of agricultural materials, agricultural expansion, maintaining austerity in irrigation, facing impact of climate change and increase of institutional capacity and human resource development, she continued. Sheikh Hasina requested all to maintain the standard of foods to include those in the export list for what she said the government has taken initiatives to comply with the rules and regulations for exporting food and agricultural items abroad. The premier said to pursue the move, her government has established a phytosanitary in Shyampur which is playing an important role in maintaining standard for export agricultural items. The country has achieved the developing country status due to various measures taken by the government, she said and called upon all to maintain this status in future to become a developed and prosperous country as envisioned by the Father of the Nation. Source: BSS AH

In the last 24 hours 54 more people have died due to coronavirus infection across the country. With this figure the number of deaths has reached at 13,399. In this period 3,883 new Covid-19 cases were traced in the country. As a result the number of infections has surged to 8,44,970. The information was delivered through the regular press release of the health directorate on Friday. On Thursday the number of deaths was 63 and 3,840 new Covid cases were traced across the country. The press release said, in the last 24 hours 21,373 samples were collected across the country and of those 20,882 samples were tested. The total count of tested samples has reached at 62,88,539. The rate of traced cases was 18.59 per cent comparing to the samples tested in the last 24 hours. The overall rate of coronavirus traced cases was 13.44 per cent comparing to the total samples tested. In this period 1,955 people have recovered from the disease and the recovery count has risen to 7,78,421. AH   

Another 47 people died from coronavirus infection in the country in last 24 hours. With this the number of death has reached at 13,118. In this period fresh 2,436 coronavirus cases have been traced across the country. With this figure the number of infected people has surged to 8,26,922. On Saturday (yesterday) the number of death due to coronavirus was 39 and the number of infected persons was 1,637. The information was delivered by the health directorate at its regular press briefing on Sunday. The notice said, in this period total 18,473 samples were collected in 512 government and non-government laboratories across the country and of those 18,749 samples were tested. With this figure the number of tested sample has reached at 61,75,112. The Covid-19 case rate comparing to the new tests conducted has reached at 12.99 per cent. The tracing rate has reached 13.39 comparing to the total tests conducted so far. During the period 2,242 people have recovered from the deadly disease and taking the toll of recovery into 7,66,266. The rate of recovery has reached at 92.66 per cent. AH   

The deadly coronavirus infection and its symptoms have caused 15 deaths afresh in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). The deaths occurred in the last 24 hours starting from 8 am (Thursday) to 8 am (Friday). RMCH Deputy Director Saiful Ferdaus confirmed the information. Saiful Ferdaus said, of the 15 deceased 8 were from Rajshahi district, 6 were from Chapainawabganj and 1 was from Natore district. He also said, in the last 24 hours total 373 samples were tested in RMCH and of them 143 were detected with coronavirus infection. The tracing rate is 38.33 per cent comparing to the tests conducted. Meanwhile, district administration has declared ‘lockdown’ in Rajshahi starting from 5 pm today and it will be effective till midnight 0f June 17. AH  

The government has extended the tenure of ongoing ‘restrictions’ as coronavirus situation is yet to come under control. Now the restrictions have been extended till midnight of June 16. A circular has been issued in this regard by the cabinet division at around 4 pm on Sunday. Earlier on May 30 the tenure of restrictions or lockdown was extended till June 6. Mentionable, to prevent corona transmission in the country the government imposed strict restrictions for seven days starting from April 5. Then it was extended for two more days. As the corona situation did not come under control then the government extended the tenure of ‘all out strict restrictions’ from April 14 to 21. Later the lockdown was extended till midnight May 30 in several stages. In the next stage the tenure of restrictions was extended till midnight of June 6 restoring the ongoing conditions to prevent corona transmission. In this period inter-district bus, launch and train services were allowed for operation as well as public transport. Besides, hotels and restaurants were allowed to open keeping half of the seats vacant for taking food. AH