Covid test of the students were conducted after majority of them showed symptoms of cold and cough
Based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a Variant of Concern, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.
According to the source, the Union government has allowed the commercial export of both vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin - in view of sufficient stock of the vaccines available with the states and Union Territories, and also with the manufacturers.
First identified in South Africa this week, the strain has spread to nearby countries, including Botswana. Israel has identified a case of a Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations "in a person who returned from Malawi".
Amid reports of new COVID variant, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday (Nov 23) issued an advisory for all states and union territories.
The variant, which could be named 'Nu' by the World Health Organization in the coming days, has caused an "exponential" rise in infections in South Africa and has already spread to three countries, including Hong Kong and Botswana, where it is believed to have emerged.
On Thursday, the Centre issued directives to all states and Union Territories to conduct rigorous screening and testing of all international travellers coming from or transiting through South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana from where the new COVID-19 variant has been reported.
All the Covid-19 infected students have been fully vaccinated and their symptoms are not serious.
The new variant of COVID-19, feared to have a high amount of spike mutations unseen before, has been detected in South Africa, with authorities there confirming 22 positive cases associated with it on Thursday.
The South African news outlet reported that with Gauteng emerging as the epicentre of the fourth wave of the pandemic once again, it's no surprise that the province has recorded the most number of infections from the B.1.1.529 variant.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare said earlier that nearly 100 countries have agreed to the mutual acceptance of vaccination certificates of India's Covid-19 vaccines and the vaccination process.
The new variant has been red-flagged by scientists over an alarmingly high number of spike mutations that might make the virus more resistant to vaccines, increase its transmissibility and lead to more severe COVID-19 symptoms.
An increase of 193 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The nine months period proposed by the European Commission gives an additional three months to EU member states to administer a booster dose on time.
The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (34,544,882 infections and 466,980 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,055,238 infections and 613,642 deaths).
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