TIMES OF INDIA
THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jul 08, 2020, 05: 48: 10 IST
India recorded more than 1.57 lakh Covid-19 cases and 3,236 deaths from the virus in the first week of July alone. The country’s total Covid-19 caseload stood at 7.43 lakh, and death toll at 20,628. Stay with TOI for all live updates.
WHO acknowledges ‘evidence emerging’ of airborne spread
The WHO on Tuesday acknowledged “evidence emerging” of the airborne spread of the novel coronavirus, after a group of scientists urged the global body to update its guidance on how the respiratory disease passes between people. Benedetta Allegranzi, the WHO’s technical lead for infection prevention and control, said there was evidence emerging of airborne transmission of the coronavirus, but that it was not definitive. “…The possibility of airborne transmission in public settings — especially in very specific conditions, crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings — cannot be ruled out,” she said. However, the evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted…”
Kang: Shouldn’t shift focus from drugs, testing in race for vaccine
In the race for a vaccine against Covid-19, India must not lose its focus from drugs, diagnostics and contact-tracing which are critical to tackle the pandemic right now, says Gangandeep Kang, noted scientist and the first Indian woman to be inducted as a fellow of Royal Society in London. “I am worried that we are ignoring drugs, diagnostics and contact-tracing in favour of vaccine, which is meant for prevention. There shouldn’t be