Pandemic treaty draft negotiations to begin in February 2023

Ensuring equity and solidarity, promoting preparedness while respecting sovereignty will form the crux of this document

Governments discuss over 300 proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations

This is the 2nd meeting where countries worldwide came together to strengthen the mechanism in place to mitigate public health threats

भविष्य की महामारियों के लिए तैयार नहीं है कोई भी देश, कोविड-19 ने खोली पोल

महामारी ने स्वास्थ्य के क्षेत्र के सामने अनगिनत चुनौतियां खड़ी कर दी हैं

PRET: WHO launches initiative to make world better prepared for future pandemics

The current focus of the initiative is on respiratory viruses but will soon include other groups of pathogens

Greater trust in government, people could have reduced COVID-19 caseload, fatality rate: Study

Less corrupt government resulted in more widespread, efficient COVID-19 vaccine coverage in some countries

Is COVID-19 pandemic nearing its end? Experts weigh in

Whether or not to ‘call off’ a pandemic goes beyond epidemiology of disease    

Fourth wave? COVID-19 cases rising in India as mask mandate lifted, schools reopen 

Rise in cases not yet an early sign of a new variant in circulation, say experts

Preempting pandemics: Viral discovery is not enough to stop another contagion; here is why

Despite hundreds of novel coronaviruses being sampled, the COVID-19 pandemic grew over an order of magnitude beyond its 2003 SARS counterpart

COVID-19 third wave: The world is still dangerously unprepared

World enters an endless loop of disease outbreaks and remains dangerously unprepared for such crises even in third year of the COVID-19 pandemic

Omicron: What we know so far

The recent variant of concern threatens to derail the process of normalisation across the world. Here’s a quick primer

COVID-19 did originate in Wuhan’s Huanan seafood market: Studies

Understanding the origin of what led to such a scale of devastation is critical in preventing future pandemics

COVID-19: New data on South Africa hospitalisations reveals how omicron dodges vaccines 

Some 22.6% of those hospitalised currently in South Africa are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

COVID-19: Did SARS-CoV-2 originate in raccoon dogs from Wuhan wet market? New data gives links

Meanwhile, Israel reports new COVID-19 variant — a combination of BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants of Omicron

World Environmental Health Day: One Health approach is key in preventing pandemics

A healthier environment can reduce global burden of disease by a quarter

Run-up to pandemic treaty: WHO’s 10 proposals call for high-level council, changes to health regulations

Observers had earlier criticised the absence of independent monitoring for ensuring compliance with the pandemic accord

COVID-19: Activists slam Centre’s affidavit washing hands off compensation for vaccine mortality

There was a huge lack of transparency about vaccine-related complications in the government’s awareness campaigns, activists said

COVID-19: After 2.5 years, Micronesia in the Pacific records its first outbreak

Barely a fortnight before Micronesia had planned to lift its quarantine and travel restrictions on August 1, 42 people have tested positive for …

Obesity, overweightedness scale epidemic levels in Europe: WHO

Unfavourable eating habits, activity patterns during COVID-19 pandemic add to problem

Reason for hope? Analysis of first Omicron patients in Gauteng paints encouraging picture

Fewer people administered specialist care, in-hospital death-rate significantly lower with decline in average length of hospital stay, analysis shows

कोविड-19 रिस्पॉन्स रणनीति में संशोधन करे भारत, विशेषज्ञों की सलाह

कोविड-19 प्रोटोकॉल ने पाया कि टीकाकरण अभियान में सुस्ती आई है

Countries agree to sustainably finance WHO amid COVID-19 pandemic

The aim is to reach 50 per cent of WHO’s budget by 2028-2029 if possible

Now, TB test recommended for COVID-19 patients in case of persisting cough

Experts hail decision as opportunity to increase detection of both COVID-19 and TB

Pandemic treaty: Draft urges cooperation, equity, transparency but misses independent monitoring

Draft has evolved from a working document circulated earlier this year in July and builds on the comments made by member states, domain experts …

New sublineages of Omicron’s BA.2 detected in India: How the virus has evolved over time

Sublineages might be behind recent rise in COVID-19 cases  

Neanderthal-inherited gene variant helps in protecting against severe COVID-19: Study 

A protective Neanderthal-derived haplotype confers approximately 23% reduced risk of becoming critically ill on infection with SARS-CoV-2