Health

Washington, Jul 29 (PTI) US biotechnology company Moderna's experimental vaccine to prevent COVID-19 induced robust immune response and rapidly controlled the novel coronavirus in the upper and lower airways of monkeys exposed to SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published on Tuesday.

The candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-developed by scientists at Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US.

Guwahati/Silchar, Jul 28 (PTI) Assam Assembly's Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the sixth MLA from the ruling BJP to get infected by the coronavirus in the state.

Laskar's driver has also tested positive for the infection, officials said.

"With a very sad heart I would like to inform that I have been tested Covid-19 positive (+ve) from the first swab sample test few minutes back. I was not feeling well was since morning (sic)," Laskar said on his Facebook page.

Thiruvananthapuram, July 27 (PTI) The Kerala government on Monday said a complete lockdown was not a solution to halt the spread of coronavirus but containment measures in affected areas will be further strengthened as the state's infection tally touched 19,727 with 702 fresh cases.

A special cabinet meeting held on Monday decided not to go in for a total lockdown in the state, a line suggested at the all-party meeting last week, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Ahmedabad, Jul 28 (PTI) The Gujarat government has increased the fine for not wearing face mask and spitting in public places in the state to Rs 500 from Rs 200 announced earlier.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday, the government said in a release.

Except for some parts of the state like the municipal limits of Ahmedabad and Surat, the government had earlier fixed Rs 200 as fine for not wearing face mask. This will be increased to Rs 500 starting August 1, the release said.

Bengaluru, Jul 28 (PTI) Former Karnataka Minister Raja Madangopal Naik has died of COVID-19 at a hospital in Kalaburagi, a health department official said on Tuesday.

He was 69 and is survived by his wife and two sons.

"He was admitted to the ESIC hospital in Kalaburgi about a week ago and passed away on Monday," the official told PTI.

Naik, who had stints in Congress, BJP and the JD(S), was a minister in the Congress government headed by M Veerappa Moily.

Chennai, Jul 27 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday launched a free mask distribution scheme to benefit over 69 lakh families in the first phase, as part of measures to help fight COVID-19.

Palaniswami gave away the masks to five people at the Secretariat marking the inauguration of the first phase of the scheme, which would witness distribution tobeneficiaries through ration shops.

26 July 2020; MEMO: Israeli protest leaders calling for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s resignation announced their intention to petition the Supreme Court if water cannons are used against protesters, i24 News reported.

Protest movement leader and organiser Gonen Ben Yitzhak slammed the police for using the controversial control method, and said it was “far from harmless”

Bhopal, Jul 25 (PTI) BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur on Saturday appealed people to recite the Hanuman Chalisa five times a day till August 5, which she believes will rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic.

`Bhoomi pujan' or the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya is to take place on August 5.

25 July 2020; MEMO: Israeli occupation police arrested on Friday at dawn 55 Israelis who took part in demonstrations against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, news agencies reported.

According to Israel Radio, thousands of angry Israelis took part in demonstrations staged near Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, and many clashes erupted between them and police.

Bhopal, Jul 25 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that he has tested coronavirus positive.

Chouhan shared the news on Twitter in the morning.