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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

RG Kar rape victim’s parents dismiss NCRB report calling Kolkata ‘safest city’

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Kolkata, Oct 4: The parents of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday, have refuted the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) published, where Kolkata has been termed as the safest city across the country.

As per the NCRB report, Kolkata for 2023 (latest available) has recorded the lowest cognisable offences per lakh people, which is the fourth time in a row.

On Saturday, while speaking to the media persons, the parents of the R.G. Kar victim rubbished this part of the NCRB report, and claimed that these findings were not based on proper field research and probably the report was prepared to please anyone.

“Was my daughter secured, and that too at her workplace? Was the senior citizen at Kultali in South 24 Parganas district, who became a victim of gang-rape this week, safe? No one is secure here. I do not know who prepared the report. It seems that the report was prepared while sitting in the comfort of the office and without any proper field-based research,” the victim’s mother said.

The victim’s father expressed doubts over the credibility of those in the NCRB who have prepared the report.

“I do not know who in NCRB is responsible for preparing such reports. Even if I believe that the report of Kolkata being the safest city in the country, does that not mean the safety aspect in other Indian cities is unimaginable? I doubt that the NCRB had been misled, and hence the outcome was such a report,” the victim’s father said.

According to him, the only possibility is that the police personnel in Kolkata do not register most of the complaints filed by common people, and hence the crime figures in the city are projected as low.

“We can realise what the reality is since our daughter left. Probably, the experiences are the same,” he added.

As per the latest report of NCRB, Kolkata recorded 83.9 cognisable offences per lakh people in 2023, the lowest among the 19 cities.

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Crime

Palghar Crime: Naigaon Police Arrest 35-Year-Old Murder Accused From Ship At Okha Port In Gujarat After Month-Long Manhunt

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Palghar, Maharashtra: In a significant breakthrough, the Naigaon Police have arrested a murder accused who had been absconding for nearly a month. The accused, Sunil Kharpat Prajapati (35), was traced and detained from a ship docked at Okha-Dwarka port in Gujarat after a meticulous manhunt.

The case dates back to September 7, 2025, when a dispute broke out between two workers of Synergy Hygiel Company at Kaman, Vasai (East). The deceased, Dilip Saroj, and the accused, Prajapati, had been given money by their employer, Prakash Ghunkar Chamaria, to share expenses for meals. However, Prajapati allegedly withheld the amount from Saroj, sparking a heated quarrel.

According to police, during the altercation, Prajapati assaulted Saroj with a blunt object, inflicting severe injuries on his head, eyes, and right arm. Saroj succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, leading police to upgrade the charges to murder under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Given the gravity of the crime, senior officers formed two dedicated teams from the Crime Detection Branch to trace the fugitive. Acting on credible intelligence, investigators learned that the accused had taken shelter aboard a vessel at Okha port in Gujarat. Over 200 ships in the vicinity were thoroughly searched before police located Prajapati hiding on one of them.

He was taken into custody and later confessed to his role in the crime during questioning, officials said. The accused is now in police custody, and further investigation is underway.

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Crime

TN cough syrup samples adulterated; production halted after child deaths in MP, Rajasthan

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Chennai, Oct 4: Authorities have detected adulteration in samples of cough syrups produced by a city-based pharmaceutical company, prompting an immediate halt in production and intensifying regulatory action after recent child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) confirmed that test results of syrups collected during an inspection at the firm’s manufacturing unit in Sunguvarchathram, Kancheepuram district, revealed the medicines were adulterated.

The company has been ordered to explain the findings and cease production until further notice.

The crackdown follows the Tamil Nadu government’s statewide ban on the cough syrup brand Coldrif, enforced from October 1, after concerns that the medicine may have been linked to the death of at least 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to suspected kidney failure.

Health authorities have also cleared stocks of the syrup from the local market to prevent further risk.

According to officials, the same manufacturer had supplied its cough syrups to multiple states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Puducherry, raising concerns about the reach of the potentially unsafe product.

Samples collected last week were sent to state-run laboratories for detailed analysis, and the initial results confirmed contamination.

The ripple effect of the safety scare has been felt across states. On Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh government announced a ban on the sale of Coldrif after nine child deaths were reported since September 7 due to suspected renal failure.

At least 13 children, including cases from Chhindwara and Nagpur, remain under treatment. In Rajasthan, the crisis has triggered administrative action.

The state government suspended its Drug Controller, Rajaram Sharma, following allegations of influencing the process of drug quality determination.

The Rajasthan Medical and Health Department has also halted the supply of 19 medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based Kaysons Pharma until further review and safety clearance.

Health experts say the episode underscores gaps in quality control and the urgent need for stricter oversight of pharmaceutical production and distribution.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu are expected to intensify inspections of local drug makers and coordinate with other states to track and recall any potentially unsafe consignments.

With public safety concerns mounting, officials said further updates on the manufacturer’s explanation and long-term corrective measures will follow once investigations conclude.

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