The Indian Panorama

Tag: Johns Hopkins University

  • Shanghai becomes new Covid-19 epicentre with record cases for sixth consecutive day

    Shanghai becomes new Covid-19 epicentre with record cases for sixth consecutive day

    Beijing (TIP): Shanghai, the global financial hub and China’s biggest city, has become the epicentre of Covid-19 cases in the country as it set a record of six-straight days of logging around 20,000 cases, as the city ramped up mass testing to tackle the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

    The Chinese mainland reported 1,284 new locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases, including 322 in Shanghai, on Wednesday, China’s National Health Commission reported on April 7. April 5 also saw 21,784 new asymptomatic cases, including 19,660 in Shanghai, it said. Shanghai with a population of about 26 million, which remained under lockdown for several days, has already conducted three rounds of mass testing.

    Shanghai’s latest caseloads have established it as China’s new epicentre for the latest outbreak, pushing the national caseload to 22,995, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

    The outbreak in Shanghai, caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19, is becoming so serious that the city’s ruling Communist Party sent an open letter to rally members to help front-line health workers in their quest to find and snuff out the disease, the report said.

    It was the second letter since March 24 by cadres in the city where the party was established a century ago.

    China has already rushed thousands of personnel from various medical services of the military to Shanghai in a similar move to contain the coronavirus in Wuhan, where Covid-19 first emerged in 2019, December.

    Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, a member of the party’s Politburo, has been in Shanghai since Saturday to oversee the city’s anti-pandemic work. Shanghai has reported 114,000 cases since the latest wave of outbreaks started on March 1, recording more cases in a month than the previous two years combined.

    Wednesday’s new infection numbers surpassed the 13,436 cases recorded on February 12, 2000 in Wuhan, where the coronavirus outbreak was first reported, the Post report said.

    The city was under lockdown to enable health authorities to carry out a fresh round of mass tests since Sunday to spot every infection and break the transmission chain. The city had already undergone three rounds of tests involving every single resident, from April 3 to 6.

    Meanwhile, chaos had broken out in sporadic areas since Shanghai’s lockdown. People jostled and fought for food at the Nanhui quarantine centre on Wednesday before authorities brought the mayhem under control, the Post quoted blog posts on social media.

    “Trust in the local government has been eroded over the past few weeks since their pledge to protect people and ensure adequate food supply proved to be empty promises,” said Gordon Zhu, a Shanghai-based software developer.

    “Many people are starving amid the shutdown and they are desperate for meat, vegetables and rice,” he said, the Post reported. The coronavirus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late December, 2019. The deadly disease has killed at least 6,167,500 people across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University Covid-19 tracker. The world has also reported over 495,218,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases, it says. (PTI)

  • Global Covid-19 caseload tops 179.9 mn

    Washington (TIP): The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 179.9 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.89 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Friday, June 25, morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 179,928,730 and 3,898,531, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 33,590,360 and 603,149, respectively, according to the CSSE.

    In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 30,082,778 cases. The other worst countries with over 3 million cases are Brazil (18,243,483), France (5,826,134), Turkey (5,393,248), Russia (5,325,940), the UK (4,700,691), Argentina (4,350,564), Italy (4,255,665), Colombia (4,060,013), Spain (3,777,539), Germany (3,732,914) and Iran (3,140,129), the CSSE figures showed.

    In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 509,141 fatalities.

    Nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are India (391,981), Mexico (231,847), Peru (191,073), Russia (129,278), the UK (128,312), Italy (127,365), France (111,068) and Colombia (102,636).

                    Source: IANS

  • Global Covid-19 caseload tops 144.3mn

    Global Covid-19 caseload tops 144.3mn

    Washington (TIP): The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 144.3 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.06 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

    In its latest update on Friday, April 23,  morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 144,385,217 and 3,069,293, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 31,927,052 and 570,312, respectively, according to the CSSE.

    In terms of infections, India follows in the second place with 15,930,965 cases.

    The other countries with more than two million confirmed coronavirus cases are Brazil (14,167,973), France (5,469,674), Russia (4,682,573), Turkey (4,501,382), the UK (4,413,834), Italy (3,920,945), Spain (3,456,886), Germany (3,238,127), Argentina (2,796,768), Poland (2,731,256), Colombia (2,720,619), Iran (2,335,905) and Mexico (2,319,596), the CSSE figures showed.

    In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 383,502 fatalities.

    Nations with a death toll of over 50,000 are Mexico (214,079), India (184,657), the UK (127,597), Italy (118,357), Russia (105,328), France (102,323), Germany (81,030), Spain (77,496), Colombia (70,026), Iran (68,366), Poland (64,168), Argentina (60,620), Peru (58,604) and South Africa (53,995).             Source: IANS

  • Global Covid-19 caseload tops 125.3 mn

    Global Covid-19 caseload tops 125.3 mn

    Washington (TIP): The overall number of global Covid-19 cases has surpassed 125.3 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.75 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

    In its latest update on Friday morning, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 125,399,418 and 2,754,289, respectively.

    The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 30,076,486 and 546,507, respectively, according to the CSSE.

    Brazil follows in the second place with 12,320,169 cases and 303,462 fatalities.

    The other countries with more than 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases are India (11,787,534), France (4,484,658), Russia (4,442,492), the UK (4,332,907), Italy (3,464,543), Spain (3,247,738), Turkey (3,120,013), Germany (2,732,130), Colombia (2,359,942), Argentina (2,278,115), Mexico (2,214,542) and Poland (2,154,821), the CSSE figures showed.

    In terms of deaths, Mexico comes in the third place with 200,211 fatalities.

    Nations with a death toll of over 50,000 are India (160,692), the UK (126,684), Italy (106,799), Russia (95,010), France (93,535), Germany (75,549), Spain (74,420), Colombia (62,519), Iran (62,142), Argentina (55,092), South Africa (52,535), Poland (50,860) and Peru (50,656).

    Source: IANS

  • World faces around 4,000 COVID-19 variants as researchers explore mixed vaccine shots

    World faces around 4,000 COVID-19 variants as researchers explore mixed vaccine shots

    London (TIP): The world faces around 4,000 variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, prompting a race to improve vaccines, Britain said on Thursday, Feb 4, as researchers began to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots. Thousands of variants have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and Brazilian variants which appear to spread more swiftly than others.

    British Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said it was very unlikely that the current vaccines would not work against the new variants. “Its very unlikely that the current vaccine won’t be effective on the variants whether in Kent or other variants especially when it comes to severe illness and hospitalisation,” Zahawi told Sky News.

    “All manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and others, are looking at how they can improve their vaccine to make sure that we are ready for any variant — there are about 4,000 variants around the world of COVID now,” Zahawi added.

    While thousands of variants have arisen as the virus mutates on replication, only a very small minority are likely to be important and to change the virus in an appreciable way, according to the British Medical Journal.

    The so called British variant, known as VUI-202012/01, has mutations including a change in the spike protein that viruses use to bind to the human ACE2 receptor — meaning that it is probably easier to catch.

    “We have the largest genome sequencing industry — we have about 50 per cent of the world’s genome sequencing industry — and we are keeping a library of all the variants so that we are ready to respond — whether in the autumn or beyond — to any challenge that the virus may present and produce the next vaccine,” Zahawi said.

    VACCINE RACE

    The novel coronavirus — known as SARS-CoV-2 — has killed 2.268 million people worldwide since it emerged in China in late 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.

    Israel is currently far ahead of the rest of the world on vaccinations per head of population, followed by the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, the United States and then Spain, Italy and Germany. Britain on Thursday launched a trial to assess the immune responses generated if doses of the vaccines from Pfizer and AstraZeneca are combined in a two-shot schedule.

  • Indian American Advay Misra among Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youthhonorees

    Indian American Advay Misra among Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youthhonorees

    Johns Hopkins University honors world’s brightest students

    BALTIMORE / NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Advay Misra, a student from New York, has been honored as one of the brighteststudents in the world by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

    Advay, a student at PS 59 Beekman Hill International Elementary School, was honored for their exceptional performance on the SAT, ACT, or similar assessment taken as part of the CTY Talent Search. CTY uses above-grade-level testing to identify advanced students from around the world and provide a clear picture of their trueacademic abilities. More than 15,000 students in grades two through eight tested through CTY’s Talent Search between July 1, 2019and June 30, 2020, representing all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands,and Armed Forces installations in Europe and the Pacific, as well as more than 70 countries. Nearly 1,400students from this group who scored in the top 9% on their test were 2020 Grand Honors awardees.

    “This is especially commendable in a year that has been difficult for students everywhere. The global pandemichas affected nearly every part of your lives, from daily school routines to the special celebrations you lookforward to all year. Nonetheless, you have demonstrated outstanding academic potential, and we hope you andyour family will take the time to celebrate it together,” said Dr. Virginia Roach, CTY’s Executive Director. “Intimes like these, we are reminded that the world needs leaders, educators, health care providers, artists, creators,and problem solvers, and we hope you will use your talents to find success in college and your career, serve yourcommunity, and cultivate a love of learning that will last a lifetime.” Five of the students who tested through CTY’s Talent Search between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 achieved aperfect score on the reading or math section of their test. In addition, more than 160 testers under age 13achieved a score of 700 or higher on the math or verbal section of the SAT, and in turn, qualified for CTY’sJulian C. Stanley Study of Exceptional Talent. Honorees also qualified for CTY’s summer, online, and familyprograms, through which academically advanced students meet and form a community of engaged learners withother bright students from around the world.

    Typically, there are more than 9,700 enrollments by bright pre-college students in CTY Summer Programs, held at two-dozen sites in the United States and Hong Kong on campuses ranging from Johns Hopkins and Princetonto Loyola Marymount and Dominican Universities. Last year, there were more than 20,600 enrollments in CTYOnline Programs courses and more than 1,400 enrollments in CTY Family Academic Programs.

    AboutTheJohns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

    A global leader in gifted education since 1979, CTY is focused on recognizing academic talent in exceptionalelementary, middle, and high school students and supporting their growth with courses, services, and resourcesdesigned to meet their specific needs. CTY draws students from 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide.

    Each year, CTY awards more than $5 million in need-based financial aid to families.

    (Based on a Johns Hopkins Press Release)