Delta variant sends deaths soaring in remote French Polynesia

PAPEETE, August 24 : Covid infections are soaring in the sparsely populated Pacific territory of French Polynesia, with health authorities reporting 54 deaths from the virus over the weekend as the Delta variant spreads among a largely unvaccinated population. More than 300 people have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic hit the remote archipelago -- home to 280,000 inhabitants. Over half of those deaths have come in the last three weeks. The territory has so far recorded 7,591 infections, though the true figure is likely higher as most asymptomatic people are not being tested. High rates of diabetes and obesity have made the population more vulnerable. The territory's limited health care system has struggled to cope, with one major hospital setting up beds in hallways to handle the rising number of patients. Bodies have been loaded onto refrigerator trucks to relieve pressure on the overwhelmed morgue. The Polynesian archipelago is now under a curfew and the Society Islands -- which include the largest island of Tahiti and other more densely populated areas -- are under lockdown. But the rules, which allow for a modicum of economic activity, have been difficult to enforce. The territory's president Edouard Fritch was forced to apologise after being spotted playing guitar at a wedding party attended by hundreds of maskless people in defiance of the regulations. Schools have been closed for at least two weeks and efforts are being made to teach online but many underprivileged students do not have access to the internet. The French government has voiced alarm about Covid-19 infection rates in its overseas.RSS

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Know major difference between Omicron and Delta variant of COVID-19

JAN 16: The surge of cases of the Omicron variant across the globe is raising concern among people, as it is hard to differentiate between the symptoms of the new COVID-19 variant, the Delta variant, or just the common cold. Many scientists and experts have said that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant, and many countries are witnessing a sharp rise in the number of cases of the new COVID-19 variant, but fewer fatalities as compared to the second wave of the pandemic. There are several ways to differentiate between the symptoms of the Delta variant and the Omicron variant. However, it must be noted that if one is experiencing any of the basic COVID-19 symptoms, they should get themselves tested at the earliest. Many experts have suggested that as compared to the Delta variant, which led to the second wave of the global pandemic, the symptoms of the Omicron variant are milder. This means that the cold, cough, and fever one might experience will be comparatively mild. In some cases, one infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, might not experience breathlessness, which is a common symptom of the Delta variant. This is because the new variant multiplies in the throat and not the lungs, as per studies. The impact of the Omicron variant is likely to be minimal on the lungs and respiratory health of a person. Most of the people across the globe infected with the new COVID-19 variant have been experiencing little to no symptoms, as per reports. Most of the patients infected with Omicron are experiencing fever, headache, a stuffy nose, and cough. It is still hard to differentiate between the two infections as testing a person for Omicron requires genome sequencing. As the Omicron cases across the world are on the rise, it is best advised to take all the necessary precautions like wearing a face mask at all times when out of the house, using hand sanitizers, and maintaining proper social distancing norms. DELTA VS OMICRON: ORIGIN OF THE VARIANT The Omicron variant was first detected in Botswana (on November 11) and three days later in South Africa, which has since then reported an increasing number of cases caused by the new COVID-19 variant. Meanwhile, the Delta variant was first identified in India in December 2020 as it swept rapidly through the country before reaching the United Kingdom and the United States. According to Yale Medicine, the Delta variant is currently the predominant SARS CoV-2 variant, accounting for more than 99 percent of COVID-19 cases. DELTA VS OMICRON: DIFFERENCE IN MUTATIONS Gene sequencing of the Omicron variant showed that it had more mutations than the Delta variant of COVID-19. Researchers found 43 mutations in the spike proteins of the Omicron variant as compared to 18 found in Delta. DELTA VS OMICRON: VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS A recent study report published in the Lancet showed that the Covishield vaccine was effective in fighting the deadly Delta variant during its surge in India and led to the development of antibodies. Globally, vaccines have been able to counter Delta, however the same cannot be said about the Omicron variant yet. Scientists speculate that Omicron could render vaccines less effective as it shares several key mutations with two previous variants, Beta and Gamma, that made them less vulnerable to vaccines. However, this is still being researched. Omicron has 26 unique mutations, many of them in regions targeted by vaccine antibodies.

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Study: COVID-19 Omicron variant neutralized by booster dose

The new COVID-19 Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant.

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Study: COVID-19 Omicron variant neutralized by booster dose

The new COVID-19 Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant.

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Is Omicron as serious as Delta variant?

The omicron is not as lethal as the previously discovered variant, but it certainly can be potent enough to destroy the respiratory systems of unvaccinated individuals.

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Is Omicron as serious as Delta variant?

The omicron is not as lethal as the previously discovered variant, but it certainly can be potent enough to destroy the respiratory systems of unvaccinated individuals.

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COVID-19 Delta variant may evade vaccine immunity

COVID-19 Delta variant may have increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity: Study

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COVID-19 Delta variant may evade vaccine immunity

COVID-19 Delta variant may have increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity: Study

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Delta variant mutation may be more transmissible: UK health agency

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed Friday that the Delta variant sub-lineage (Delta AY42) was designated a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) on Oct 20, 2021, and has been given the official name VUI-21OCT-01.

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New Delta variant mutation found in Japan

A group of Japanese researchers said a new mutation of the COVID-19 Delta variant had been discovered for the first time in Japan

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Sri Lanka launches probe over three new mutations of Delta variant

Three new mutations of the Delta variant have been identified in Sri Lanka. The country has launched an investigation to identify the implications of the three new mutations to see if it is more contagious than the original Delta variant. COLOMBO, Aug. 20: Sri Lanka's health experts on Thursday said an investigation had been launched to identify the implications of three new mutations of the Delta variant found mainly from capital Colombo to see if it is more contagious than the original Delta variant. State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana said in the parliament earlier this week that three new mutations of the Delta variant had been identified in Sri Lanka, which might explain why the virus was spreading rapidly in the country. Head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences of the Sri Jayawardenapura University Professor Neelika Malavige said the three variants had been found from gene sequencing done by health experts around 10 days ago, and they were now probing to identify its implications. The three new mutations had mainly been identified in Colombo which has been identified as the epicenter of the Delta variant. Sri Lanka's total COVID-19 patient count reached 372,079 after 2,720 patients tested positive for the virus earlier in the day, statistics showed. The present active patient count in the country increased to 46,761. The death toll from the virus reached 6,604. Sri Lanka presently has imposed a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time and public gatherings remain banned until further notice.

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