(IANS)
The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron is 1.5 times more transmissible than the original Omicron strain, according to a study led by Danish researchers.
London, Jan 29: The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron is 1.5 times more transmissible than the original Omicron strain, according to a study led by Danish researchers.
Omicron, which is also referred to as B.1.1.529, has three main substrains, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Researchers at Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI) found that BA.2 appeared to be one and a half times more contagious than BA.1, Newsweek reported.
"Of course, we follow the development closely, and if BA.2 is more contagious, it may mean that the wave of infections will be higher and will extend further into February compared to the previous projections," Tyra Grove Krause, an infection epidemiology expert at SSI, was quoted as saying.
The subvariant BA.2, dubbed with the moniker "Stealth Omicron", is rising around the world with at least 55 countries, including India, reporting cases to a global variant tracking database.
The database also showed that nearly half of US states have confirmed the presence of BA.2 with at least 127 known cases nationwide as of Friday, CNBC reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement Friday, said although BA.2 has increased in proportion to the original Omicron strain in some countries, it is currently circulating at a low level in the US.
As of January 26, BA.1 was still the most common Omicron sub-variant worldwide, accounting for 98 per cent of cases at that time, the SSI said.
But, BA.2 developed quickly and has become Denmark's dominant Covid type.
While there is no evidence that BA.2 is more severe than BA.1, both sub variants have many differences in their mutations. In fact, the difference between BA.1 and BA.2 is greater than the difference between the original "wild strain" and the Alpha variant.
"The BA.2 variant has five unique mutations on a key part of the spike protein the virus uses to attach to human cells and invade them," Troels Lillebaek, the chairman of Denmark's committee that conducts surveillance of Covid variants, told CNBC.
Mutations on this part of the spike, known as the receptor binding domain, are often associated with higher transmissibility.
Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency said that BA.2 has a "substantial" growth advantage over the original omicron.
However, a preliminary assessment found that BA.2 doesn't appear to reduce the effectiveness of vaccines any more than the original Omicron. A booster dose was 70 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic illness from BA.2 two weeks after receiving the shot, compared with 63 per cent effectiveness for the original omicron strain, the report said.
(IANS)
New Delhi, Dec 6: The government has set up three counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist schools in Odisha for training police personnel, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanad Rai responded in a written reply to a query whether the National Bureau of Police Research and Development (NBPR&D) has considered setting up a Central Detective Training School in Odisha to improve training methods of State Police while investigating and dealing with cases in Left Wing Extremist (LWE) areas due to a high incidence of LWE insurgency in the state.
Read: Odisha News
"There is no proposal by the Bureau of Police Research and Development to set up a Central Detective Training Institute in Odisha. However, the Government has set up Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorist Schools for training police personnel. Three such schools have been set up in Odisha," said the MoS.
To strengthen the training inputs in the states affected by insurgency and terrorism, during the 11th Plan period, a scheme was approved for the establishment of 20 Counter Insurgency and Anti Terrorist Schools (CIATSs) four each in the states of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha at the cost of Rs 52.40 crores. In these Schools, 75,000 police personnel were likely to get trained for combating terrorism and Naxalism.
The proposed training mainly is outdoor and does not require large-scale permanent constructions. Most of the required infrastructure is temporary. The contribution of this MHA towards the scheme is to provide funds mainly for the establishment of CIAT Schools, recurring expenditure thereon and equipment upgradation.
Read: National News
The land for these schools is to be provided by the concerned state governments. They are also to provide administrative support for running the CIAT Schools. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) is to sign the Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to this effect with the respective state. (ANI)
Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: The Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) directed District Collectors to immediately assess the damage caused to crops due to rains under the influence of cyclone Michaung.
In a letter to the Collectors, SRC Satyabrata Sahu, said, "I am to say that widespread rain has been observed across that state during the past couple of days under the influence of Cydone "Michaung', which might have caused damage to standing Kharif crops and horticulture crops. To ameliorate the sufferings of the affected farmers, Agricultural Input Subsidy (AIS), as per norms of the State Disaster Response Fund, will be provided to farmers sustaining crop loss of 33% and above."
The SRC also requested the Collectors to conduct field-level crop loss assessment through joint inquiry by the officials of the Revenue and Disaster Management department and Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment department through eye estimation to ascertain the crop area damaged of 33% and above, and submit ULB/ Bock GP/village-wise report as per the format enclosed by December 12.
"While assessing the extent of crop loss, the land schedule/ROR of affected farmers should be verified from Bhulekh. Collectors will accord approval of crop loss (famer-wise extent of crop area damaged as assessed) and intimate requirement of funds or disbursement of AIS as admissible," the letter stated.
The officer of the Special Relief Commissioner further mentioned that geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs of the damaged crop area must be taken during assessment and preserved in the case records.
Read: Odisha News
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm Michaung has weakened and won't have any disastrous impact.
In the next 12 hours, the cyclonic storm will move north-northeastward and further weaken. Its impact has also decreased, the IMD informed.
New Delhi, Dec 6: Twenty four seats have been reserved in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir as "PoK is ours," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Parliament on Wednesday.
Tabling the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha, Shah said that earlier, Jammu had 37 seats but now it has 43, while Kashmir had 46 seats, now it has 47 seats.
He said that the Delimitation Commission, set up by the Centre for the delimitation of asssembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, has reserved 24 seats for PoK.
Also Read: Two J&K Bills Brought To Give Justice To Those Deprived Of Rights For Last 70 Yrs: Shah
Shah said, "The Delimitation (Commission) went everywhere in J-K. The representatives of several communities, including Kashmiri migrants and people displaced in PoK, had submitted applications to them regarding their representation in state assembly. I am happy that the commission has taken cognizance of this and the (then) Election Commissioner of India has nominated two seats in state assembly for Kashmiri migrants and one seat for a person displaced in PoK, which has been occupied unauthorizedly by Pakistan."
"Earlier there were 37 seats in Jammu (division), now there are 43. Earlier there were 46 in Kashmir, now there are 47. And 24 seats for PoK have been reserved, Kyuki Woh Hamara Hai (because PoK is ours)," he added.
The Union minister said that now there will be five nominated members in J-K Assembly.
Shah was speaking in Lok Sabha during the debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
"Earlier two women were nominated by the Governor in state assembly. And now, two of the Kashmiri migrants, out of whom one of must be a woman, and one person from PoK, will be nominated," he said.
Also Read: National News
During the debate, Shah also said that these bills pertain to bringing justice to those against whom injustice was done.
He said that, as per figures, around 46,631 families and 1,57,967 people were displaced in their own country. "This bill is to give them rights and representation," he added. (ANI)