‘Omicron 6 times more transmissible than Delta, could infect even vaxxed’

‘Omicron 6 times more transmissible than Delta, could infect even vaxxed’

Experts Say Cocktail Drugs Might Not Help

Syed.Akbar@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:28.11.2021

The newly emerged variant of concern B.1.1.529 (Omicron) may not respond to monoclonal antibody therapy or cocktail treatment, experts fear.

Based on preliminary analysis of Omicron infections in South Africa and elsewhere, experts suggest that it has six times higher potential to spread (R value) than the Delta variant that had triggered the second wave in India. It could also evade the immune system. It may also cause vaccine breakthrough infections.

Dr Vinod Scaria of the Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB) said Omicron has 32 spike mutations and some of them suggest the possibility of S-gene dropout. This means some primers (used in RT-PCR test to detect the virus) targeting the spike gene locus might not work.

The Delta variant, which causes heavy infections and mortality, responds to monoclonal antibody therapy. However, its offspring, the Delta plus, did not respond to this therapy, considered a miracle treatment for Covid-19 in initial stages of infection. After the Delta plus, Omicron is the second variant of concern that may not respond to monoclonal antibody treatment.

According to Mercy Rophina, research scholar at IGIB, the new lineage carries a total of 53 variants precisely including 32 spike protein variants. “Most of the observed variants are found to possess resistance against immunity and other functional implications. Six variants with spike receptor binding domain on G339D, S373P, G496S, Q498R and Y505H are found resistant to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) including etesevimab, bamlanivimab, casirivimab, imdevimab and their cocktails,” Rophina tweeted.

In a series of tweets on the new variant, Scaria, an expert in genome sciences, said at least one case of B.1.1.529 in Israel seems to have received a Covid-19 vaccine booster, suggesting the variant can cause vaccine breakthrough infections.

“The disease severity is yet to be known, which is the most important point to consider. While vaccine breakthrough infections per se are not the major concern (Delta also caused vaccine breakthrough infections), transmissibility and clinical outcomes (severity and mortality) are the key points,” he said.

Rophina, who is from Scaria’s lab, compiled the structural context of the immune escape mutations in Omicron.

Scaria said three mutations in the S1/S2 furin cleavage site possibly suggests better cell entry (and may be transmissibility). He, however, added that properties of single mutations don’t always add up when they occur in combination. Nevertheless, they give potential directions to explore.

Full report on www.toi.in

TESTING TIMES CONTINUES: A health worker collects a man’s swab sample in Jammu on Sunday

Omicron reportedly has 30+ mutations in spike protein region, may bypass vaccines: AIIMS chief

New Delhi:

The new Omicron variant of coronavirus has reportedly got over 30 mutations in the spike protein region giving it the potential to develop a immunoescape mechanism, and thus the efficacy of vaccines against it needs to be evaluated critically, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guelria has said.

“The new variant of coronavirus reportedly has got more than 30 mutations at the spike protein region and therefore has the potential of developing immunoescape mechanisms. As most vaccines (work by) forming antibodies against the spike protein, so many mutations at the spike protein region may lead to a decreased efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines,” AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guelria said.

In such a scenario, the efficacy of vaccines including those in use in India needs to be evaluated “critically”, he said. The future course of action will depend on what more data on its transmissibility, virulence and immunoescpae shows, he said. PTI

Man flies from Dubai with severed thumb just in time

Man flies from Dubai with severed thumb just in time

New Delhi:28.11.2021

Unable to afford medical treatment in Dubai, a 34-year-old Indian carpenter flew into Delhi with a severed thumb wrapped in a bandage after 22 hours of the incident. A delay of two hours would have drastically reduced the chances of recovery.

Sandeep, who hails from Rajasthan, lost his left thumb while working on a saw machine in September. His modest income did not allow him treatment in Dubai. Doctors there put the thumb between the fingers and wrapped a bandage around it.

On arriving in India, the family took him to Aakash Healthcare, it being the nearest hospital to the airport.

The saw had cut three vessels causing loss of 300ml of blood in less than 24 hours, doctors at the hospital said. He had a successful surgery and is recovering well, they said. PTI

Maternity protection right can’t be infringed, says HC

Maternity protection right can’t be infringed, says HC

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:28.11.2021

Observing that the right to maternity protection cannot be infringed, the Madras high court directed the reinstatement of an anganwadi worker who was terminated from service for availing leave for more than seven months during her pregnancy.

Petitioner K R Kanimozhi, an anganwadi worker at Vadavanpatti village in Sivaganga district, had conceived twins through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) after being childless for 11 years. As doctors advised her bed rest for the entire gestation period, she submitted a leave letter during October 2013 and extended the leave periodically. She delivered in June 2014, but the authorities issued a showcause notice and subsequently terminated her from service in 2014 for absence of duty beyond six months citing a GO passed in 1995. She filed two petitions before the HC Madurai bench in 2014 challenging the termination order and seeking reinstatement with monetary benefits.

The authorities in their counter stated that she had availed of 229 days leave, which attracted termination having exceeded six months.

The judge observed that as per Rule 18(1) of the Tamil Nadu Government Fundamental Rules, the employee is entitled to take leave exceeding six months on production of medical certificate. Since the petitioner had produced a medical certificate, she is also entitled to relief under the provision. Hence, the judge set aside the termination order and directed the authorities to reinstate her in service forthwith.

100 sub-registrar offices deemed ‘most sensitive’

100 sub-registrar offices deemed ‘most sensitive’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

A total of 100 sub registrar offices (SRO) spread over the state have been identified as the most sensitive offices, where sub registrars cannot continuously function for more than one year as the registration department has introduced categorisation of the SROs. The new guidelines have been rolled out with an aim to arrest irregularities during registrations.

Out of the100 'most sensitive' SROs, 38 are located in Chennai zone comprising the city, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Some 200 SROs are categorised as sensitive offices, and 275 as normal offices. A sub registrar will work in the most sensitive SRO for a year, followed by three years at normal offices, before being posted in a sensitive SRO, as per the new norms. The categorisation is based on the volume of documents registered and revenue generated in the respective SROs. The move is aimed at averting registration officials preferring to work in high income generating urban centres, which is leading to competition among them, enhancing transparency and eradicating irregularities during registrations, a government order said.

In a recent government order, registration secretary B Jothi Nirmalasamy said that sub registrars must work in sensitive and normal SROs for a period two and three years, respectively. On the other hand, the state government has decided to accord administrative sanction for providing two more IP cameras in the record rooms in all the 575 SROs at an estimated cost of Rs5.97 crores. It is aimed at curtailing the movement of touts and arrest illegal activities, another government order said, adding that the IP camera facility was conceived with various objectives including remote monitoring of activities of SROs from the headquarters and respective zonal offices. Currently, SROs have three IP cameras installed including the entrance.

The move is aimed at averting registration officials preferring to work in high income generating urban centres, which is leading to competition among them

Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

The city will experience heavy rain for one more day before it subsides to light spells of rain for the rest of the week.

A met department forecast for the city and the suburbs said that thunderstorms with heavy rain are likely to occur for the next 24 hours.

After this, the rain will reduce into light to moderate showers in some areas. It may remain so till Wednesday after which there is a possibility of a dry spell till a new system is formed in the Bay of Bengal.

The met department has said that a low pressure area is likely to form over south Andaman Sea around November 30. "It is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards during subsequent 48 hours," the forecast said. However, the system is not likely to bring rain to Chennai as per the current forecast. The met department says that it may bring rain over north coastal Andhra and Odisha from December 3.

There was intermittent heavy rain throughout the day on Sunday. The southern suburbs received the maximum rain causing inundation in many neighbourhoods. and Meenambakkam 61mm, West Tambaram received 42.5mm, Chennai received 11mm rain. Nungambakkam 9.8 mm Anna University 20mm, MRC Nagar 21mm, Taramani 22 and Nandanam 17mm.

Private weather bloggers said that there will be intermittent rain till Wednesday but there will not be intense spells. The heavy rain is shifting to the southern districts.

The city is receiving rain due to the impact of a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area and Sri Lanka.

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

Traffic was disrupted in some parts of OMR and Thazhambur, off the IT corridor, was cut off on Sunday after excess rainwater from water bodies spilled on to roads. While at least four locations between Semmencherry and Kalavakkam were flooded, roads in Thazhambur were under almost six ft of water.

Water bodies breached. Water from the Padur lake ran over OMR from west to east, slowing down traffic, while Semmencherry was waterlogged and motorists took the service road. The stretch near Kelambakkam came under a thick sheet of water. Social media platforms were flooded with videos of OMR turning into a stream and part of the bridge near Kelambakkam developing cracks.

S Vasudevan, councillor of Muttukadu panchayat, said the road from Padur to Kelambakkam was inundated, inconveniencing motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders. “A street at Padur has been dug to facilitate the movement of water from a lake that had entered the area and which is flowing on OMR,” he said.

At Thazhambur, about 7km north of Padur, the entire area was under a thick sheet of water. C R Raghunathan, a resident, said the area which is homes to about 10,000 people was cut off from the rest of the city. “There is no boat service available to ferry the locals," he said.

Chengalpet administration officials said buses and tractors are available to ferry people. Pointing out that there is a missing link of 300 metres of water channel, an official said steps are being taken to construct a culvert to avert flooding.

NO RESPITE: A flooded stretch on OMR near Sathyabama University in Chennai on Sunday

₹17L bribe for AE job: EPS’s PA arrested

₹17L bribe for AE job: EPS’s PA arrested

Senthil.Kumaran@timesgroup.com

Salem:28.11.2021

The Salem district crime branch police on Sunday arrested G Mani alias Nadupatty Mani, 50, the political personal assistant of former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami, for allegedly taking ₹17 lakh as bribe from a man by promising him government job.

According to police, the accused, who has been EPS’s assistant for more than 10 years, was arrested based on a complaint lodged on October 24 by G Tamilselvan, 29, of Neyveli.

Tamilselvan in his complaint said he handed over ₹17 lakh to Mani and K Selvakumar, 45, an AIADMK functionary from Kadayampatty, after they promised him assistant engineer job with the Tamil Nadu transport corporation. But they reneged on their promise.

Search on for AIADMK cadre Selvakumar

When Tamilselvan wanted his money back, they paid him just ₹4 lakh and also threatened him, the complaint said. “Based on Tamilselvan’s complaint, the district crime branch police registered a case under sections 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC and initiated an inquiry,” DCB DSP A V Elamurugan said. “We arrested Mani at his house near Deevattipatti on Sunday morning,” the DSP said, adding that they are searching for Selvakumar. A few days ago, the Salem district court dismissed an bail moved by Mani. Meanwhile, state secretary of CPI R Mutharasan on Sunday urged the state government to initiate an inquiry with the former chief minister. “These irregularities wouldn’t have happened without his knowledge,” he said.