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Omicron more contagious, less dangerous than Delta: Israeli scientist

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The Omicron variant, with more than 30 mutations on its spike protein, may not be as dangerous as the Delta and Alpha and other variants of coronavirus, which has so far claimed more than five millions lives across the world. However, the variant appears to be more contagious, said a scientist from Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Israel.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron has spread to nearly 38 countries, but no deaths have yet been reported.

“We have to say this with a lot of caution, but if we look at the currently available information, there is reason to believe that the variant is spreading fast, but maybe it is not so dangerous,” Prof. Dror Mevorach, a senior physician was quoted as saying to Jerusalem Post.

South Africa’s Tshwane District Omicron Variant Patient Profile showed that 80 per cent of hospital admissions in the previous two weeks were people below age 50, the vast majority of whom did not require oxygen support.

This can be explained in several ways, including the lower age of the patients, or that the course of the Omicron variant is milder, Mevorach said.

Some experts have also suggested that if Omicron is more infectious but milder, it could make corona more similar to the flu.A

Mevorach agreed, saying that “it would really be good news for the world. I think that we have had indications of vaccinated people getting infected, but it appears that their disease is mild”.

If this is so, he said different scenarios might emerge.

“We might need to accept that some people are going to get sick, and treat them with the antiviral treatments that are about to become available, or the vaccines might be slightly tweaked to be more effective,” he said. “However, I’m not really sure that we will need to do it. The first option might be good enough.”

Mevorach also expressed optimism that the protection granted by the booster will last for a long time, the report said.

“What I have seen in immunological studies is that the booster really increases the antibodies, and I think it will give a longer-lasting immunity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the number of Omicron Covid-19 variant cases in Israel have rose from seven to 11, the Israeli Health Ministry has said in a statement.

While the WHO said on December 3 that it had still not seen any reports of deaths related to Omicron, the new variant’s spread has led to warnings that it could cause more than half of Europe’s Covid-19 cases in the next few months.

A preliminary study by researchers in South Africa, where the variant was first reported on November 24, suggests it is three times more likely to cause reinfections compared to the Delta or Beta strains.

South African doctors said there had been a spike in children under five admitted to hospital since Omicron emerged, but stressed it was too early to know if young children were particularly susceptible.

Crime

Mumbai: St Xavier’s College Receives Bomb Threat; No Explosives Found

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Mumbai: St Xavier’s College in Mahim, Mumbai, received a bomb threat on Tuesday, said the official.

According to the Mumbai police, St Xavier’s College in Mahim, Mumbai, received a bomb threat. Nothing suspicious was found by the police, and they believe this is primarily a hoax threat.

The police are taking appropriate action and investigating.

More details awaited.

This comes after a series of bomb threats earlier this week caused panic across the city.

On Wednesday, threat emails were received at multiple locations, including the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Vidhan Bhawan, and the High Court.

Police, including the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) team, are present on the scene, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the Mumbai police, threat mail has been received at BSE, Vidhan Bhawan and the High Court this morning.

“Adequate security measures have been taken and are in place. Necessary legal action is being taken at the respective police stations,” Mumbai Police said.

On March 8, a hospital in Mumbai received a bomb threat via email, claiming that an “LED blast” would be carried out on the premises.

The email sparked significant panic among patients and staff.

In response, the Mumbai Police’s Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducted a thorough inspection of the hospital.

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Crime

Mumbai Shocker: Husband Pushes Wife To Death In Front Of Running Local Train At Mulund Station; Arrested

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Mumbai: A 42-year-old man, who was captured on CCTV, while pushing his wife before a running local train owing to marital discord, has been arrested in Surat. The accused, Rajukumar Gupta, an electrician, went absconding with his younger son after pushing Pushpa, 36, to her death on the morning of March 14. Hours before the incident, the victim had even lodged a police complaint.

According to victim’s brother Kamlesh Kumar Gupta, 30, who is a soldier, the couple had frequent quarrels and hence he had come to take his sister and his elder nephew, 15, back to their UP native. In his complaint to the Kurla GRP, Kamlesh, who lives in UP, said that on March 14, when they were set to go to UP, Rajukumar and Pushpa again had an argument, prompting the latter to approach the police. Kamlesh said that subsequently, he, Pushpa and her 15-year-old son reached the Mulund station.

However, he realised that he had forgotten his Army ID card at Rajukumar’s house. Hence, he along with his nephew went back, however, an enraged Rajukumar locked the duo inside the house. The accused then arrived at the Mulund station, where he saw his wife standing on platform 1. He pushed her in front of a running local train and fled, said the FIR.

Commuters alerted the station master, following which the railway authorities rushed Pushpa to a government hospital, where she was declared dead. Kamlesh said that he somehow managed to alert neighbours, who helped open the door.

Police said the CCTV footage from the station has captured the incident. Based on the complaint, the Kurla GRP has registered an FIR against Rajukumar under section 103 (punishment for murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

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Crime

Mira Bhayandar Hospital Shocker: 89-Year-Old Patient On Ventilator Bitten By Rat, Sparking Outrage Over Safety Lapses

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Mira Bhayandar: A shocking and infuriating incident has come to light at the Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Hospital in Mira Bhayandar, where an elderly woman in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was reportedly bitten by a rat. The incident has raised serious questions regarding the lack of hygiene and security within the hospital’s most critical department.

The victim, 89-year-old Suhasini Mathekar, was admitted to the hospital on March 12 following health complaints. Due to her critical condition, she was placed on a ventilator in the ICU located on the fourth floor of the facility.

On the morning of March 13, family members visiting the ICU were horrified to discover that a rat had bitten the elderly woman’s hand. According to the family, the rodent scurried away only after they intervened.

The victim’s family has leveled serious allegations against the hospital staff. They have questioned how the doctors and nurses on night duty failed to notice the presence of a rat or the distress of a patient in such a sensitive environment.

“It is shocking that such an incident could occur in a supposedly sterile and highly monitored zone like the ICU,” a family member stated. Public outrage is mounting over the perceived administrative apathy, with many calling for a high-level inquiry into the hospital’s management.

The presence of rodents in an ICU points to a complete breakdown of sanitation and safety protocols. Such lapses not only affect individual patients but also pose a significant infection risk to everyone in the ward.

The family has officially demanded A thorough investigation into the conduct of the staff on duty. An immediate audit of the hospital’s cleanliness and pest control measures. And Strict action against those responsible for the lapse to ensure such a traumatic event never recurs.

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