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Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 22:12
Herd immunity observed in Mumbai's poorest areas
By Agencies
Wednesday, July 29, 2020, 22:12 By Agencies

Medical staff wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear takes temperature reading of a man as they conduct a door-to-door medical screening inside Dharavi slums to fight against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Mumbai on June 24, 2020. (INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP)

SYDNEY / HANOI / DUBAI / CAIRO / TOKYO - Around six in ten people living in some of India’s biggest slums have antibodies for the novel coronavirus indicating they’ve recovered from infection, in what appears to be one of the highest population immunity levels known worldwide.

Over 30 Nepali police personnel have been infected with the coronavirus in the last three days as the Himalayan country saw sudden spike in COVID-19 cases

The findings, from a July serological survey of 6,936 people across three suburbs in India’s financial center of Mumbai, may explain why a steep drop in infections is being seen among the closely-packed population, despite new cases accelerating overall in the hard-hit country.

“Mumbai’s slums may have reached herd immunity,” said Jayaprakash Muliyil, chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of India’s National Institute of Epidemiology, and the retired head of one of its premier medical colleges. “If people in Mumbai want a safe place to avoid infection, they should probably go there.” 

ALSO READ: Aussie PM: Virus spread in aged care facilities a 'health crisis'

The findings of the study, which was conducted by municipal authorities and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, suggest that despite efforts to contain its spread, Mumbai’s poorest places may have unwittingly pursued the controversial strategy of herd immunity. This describes an approach in which infection is allowed to run through a population to faster neutralize the pathogen’s threat.

About 57 percent of surveyed people in the slums of Dahisar, Chembur and Matunga had antibodies in their blood, compared to 21.2 percent found in an April study in New York City, and 14 percent reported in Stockholm in May.

The findings from Mumbai’s slums, where the population is young and less pre-disposed to severe cases of COVID-19, may support public health strategies more focused on protecting the vulnerable without trying to suppress the virus completely.

With social distancing more or less impossible, Mumbai’s slums are singularly well-suited for the coronavirus’s spread. 

Yet the slums have seen steep drops in infections in recent weeks after cases first erupted in April, even as India’s overall cases grow at the fastest pace globally. .

The serological findings suggest another possibility: The crisis may be largely over because the virus has spread efficiently, not because it was stopped.

“One explanation is they did an excellent job containing it, the other is that herd immunity has been reached,” Muliyil said. “The virus does its work. The virus doesn’t worry about your quarantine and it is much more efficient than your efforts to contain it.”

Growing herd immunity may also be behind the dip in cases in the capital city of New Delhi, said Muliyil, where a study in early July found that a quarter of the population had been exposed.

Epidemiologists generally believe that infection levels must reach 60 percent to create herd immunity. But exposure concentrated in the populations least able to socially distance could still slow the overall spread of infection.

In Mumbai overall, new cases dropped to the lowest tally in almost three months this week, although the July antibody survey found only 16 percent had been exposed to the virus among those living in places where social distancing is more feasible, like apartment buildings and houses.

India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 1.5 million-mark on Wednesday, reaching 1,531,669, the federal health ministry said.

Afghanistan

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday confirmed 105 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 36,473.

A total of 408 tests were conducted within the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement.

One patient died within the period, taking the death toll to 1,271, the statement added.

Australia

Australian officials have sent an emergency medical team, usually deployed to disaster zones, to aged care homes in the city of Melbourne to try help contain a rapidly spreading outbreak of the coronavirus.

Another hotspot, in inner-city Sydney, has forced a senior adviser to Prime Minister Scott Morrison into self-isolation.

Aged care homes are at the centre of the Victoria outbreak. National Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said there were 679 active COVID-19 cases linked to the homes, including workers.

In Sydney, officials are grappling with several virus clusters that have sprung up at pubs, restaurants and schools.

Queensland will close its borders to all visitors from Sydney from Saturday, after declaring Australia’s most-populous city a coronavirus hotspot.

Australia has recorded just over 15,300 cases and 167 deaths as of Tuesday.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh reported over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total to reach more than 232,000, with 3,035 deaths so far.

"3,009 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 232,194," Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Wednesday afternoon.

"Thirty-five deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh and total fatalities stood at 3,035," she said.

Cambodia

Cambodia confirmed seven new imported COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the total number of infections in the country to 233, said a Health Ministry's statement.

Four COVID-19 positive cases were found on Cambodian peacekeepers, who returned to Cambodia on July 10 from Mali after taking part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission, the statement said, adding that they are among a group of 80 returned Blue Helmet peacekeepers.

DPRK

Following the announcement that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is investigating its first possible coronavirus case, authorities reminded foreigners living in Pyongyang to abide by anti-coronavirus measures, the Russian embassy there said on Wednesday.

DPRK’s foreign ministry circulated a notice on Tuesday telling foreigners not to leave the city, hold large meetings, and to wear masks, among other rules, the embassy said in a post on its Facebook page.

DPRK declared a state of emergency and introduced tougher curbs against the coronavirus, state media reported, after it locked down the town of Kaesong, on the border with the South, to tackle what could be its first publicly confirmed infection.

Indonesia

The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,381 within one day to 104,432, with the death toll adding by 74 to 4,975, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry also said 1,599 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 62,138.

Iran

Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 298,909 on Wednesday after an overnight registration of 2,636 new infections, state TV reported.

At her daily briefing, Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said out of the new cases in the past 24 hours, 1,604 have been hospitalized.

The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 16,343 Iranians, up by 196 in the past 24 hours, she said.

Besides, 259,116 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 4,027 remain in critical condition.

According to Lari, 2,405,862 lab tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in Iran as of Wednesday.

She said that 25 provinces are either in high-risk or on alert condition over the disease.

Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb 19.

Iraq

Iraq's Health Ministry reported 2,747 COVID-19 cases and 77 more deaths, bringing the total infections to 115,332 and the death toll to 4,535. 

Riyadh Abdul-Amir, head of the Health Ministry's Public Health Department, predicted that a partial curfew would return after the full curfew imposed during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stressed that the committee will oppose any recommendations to fully lift the curfew due to the risk of eading the coronavirus infections by social gatherings and the public's non-compliance with the ministry's health restrictions.

Israel

Israel recorded the highest daily hike in COVID-19 infections with 2,308 new cases confirmed on Tuesday, taking the total confirmed cases to 66,293. The death toll in Israel rose to 486 after 12 new fatalities were added.

A restaurant worker, wearing a protective face mask, waits for clients at a restaurant in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on July 16, 2020, following the easing of measures against the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic. (MOHAMMED HUWAIS / AFP)

Japan

Japan confirmed 1,002 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, exceeding 1,000 for the first time, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.  

The western Japanese prefecture of Osaka found a record 220 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, NHK reported, citing unidentified officials. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said the prefecture found 155 on Tuesday.

Tokyo reported 250 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, TV Asahi reported, marking 21 days in a row where infections have been in triple digits. 

US Forces stationed in Japan will begin announcing coronavirus cases and provide lists of infections at bases in a move aimed at reassuring Japanese amid growing concern over outbreaks among military personnel, US Forces Japan announced in a press release.

People wearing face masks wait to cross at "Shibuya Crossing" in the Shibuya shopping and entertainment district in Tokyo on July 26, 2020. (KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP)

Jordan

Jordan on Tuesday reported six cases of coronavirus, increasing the total number to 1,182, according to its health ministry.

The new cases included four arrivals from Saudi Arabia, one from Iraq and one from Britain, and all have been put in quarantine at designated hotels, the ministry said in a statement.

Kazakhstan 

Kazakhstan has extended its lockdown over the novel coronavirus for two more weeks until mid-August and the restrictions will then be eased gradually, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Wednesday.

Kyrgyzstan 

Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday registered 688 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its total to 34,512. Meanwhile, 18 people died over the past day, raising the death toll to 1,347. 

The situation in Kyrgyzstan has stabilized over the past week and the number of COVID-19 cases has declined, Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov said Tuesday during an online briefing. However, he said that it is too early to talk about a favorable situation.

Lebanon

Lebanon's total number of COVID-19 infections increased on Tuesday by 141 cases to 4,023, while the death toll went up by three to 54.

The Lebanese cabinet agreed on Tuesday to adopt a new period of general mobilization against the pandemic from Aug. 3 to Aug. 30, in a bid to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

READ MORE: Duterte says virus intervention prevented millions of cases

Malaysia

Malaysia reported another 13 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, bringing the national total to 8,956.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that eight of the cases are imported and five more are local transmissions.

Mongolia

Mongolia confirmed two more COVID-19 cases after 630 tests had been carried out in the last 24 hours, a local health official said on Wednesday.

The authorities announced that all kindergartens and general educational schools across the country would open on Sept. 1 while vocational training and production centers shall restart on Sept. 14. 

University students will return to classes on Oct. 5, the government's press office said in a statement.

The Asian country has confirmed 291 COVID-19 cases so far, with no local transmissions or deaths.

Myanmar

Myanmar authorities announced on Wednesday further extension of the restriction of operating international air services at the Yangon International Airport until August 31, according to a notice from the Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited (YACL), the operator of the airport.

The extension was made in order to continue to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Myanmar effectively, the notice said.

New Zealand

New Zealand is proposing to charge a small proportion of the people entering the country for some of the costs of their quarantine.

The government expects to pass legislation within the next few days to allow the cost recovery to proceed, Housing Minister Megan Woods said Wednesday in Wellington. She expects regulations to be in place to allow the charges within two or three weeks.

Citizens who return home for less than 90 days will incur the charges, as will those who travel overseas for vacations or business and need to quarantine on return. There will be an exemptions framework in place to allow for waivers on compassionate or economic grounds, Woods said. The cost will be NZ$3,100 (US$2,060) per adult in a room with further charges for extra adults and children.

The proposal is expected to impact about 3,000 travelers and generate less than NZ$10 million of revenue, she said.

New Zealand reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, with the number of active cases in the country reaching 23, all in managed isolation facilities, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

Nepal

Over 30 Nepali police personnel have been infected with the coronavirus in the last three days as the Himalayan country saw sudden spike in COVID-19 cases on Tuesday in nearly one month, the Nepal police said.

"In the last three days, 31 police personnel employed at the police headquarters in Kathmandu have been identified to be infected with the virus," Senior Superintendent of Police Kuber Kadayat told Xinhua on Tuesday.

"With the new cases, total COVID-19 cases in Nepal reached 19,063," Jageshwor Gautam, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, told a press briefing on Tuesday.

Australian Defence Force personnel escort their staff into the Epping Gardens aged care facility in the Melbourne suburb of Epping on July 28, 2020 as the city battles fresh outbreaks of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (WILLIAM WEST / AFP)

Oman

Oman reported 1,067 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, raising the tally of infections to 74,858, including 371 deaths.

Pakistan

Pakistan is at risk for a second wave of virus infections during the upcoming Eid holidays as millions travel to their home towns and mingle at family and religious gatherings. The South Asian nation -- with the second highest number of infections in Asia -- has had some respite over the last few weeks with the rate of new infections slowing.

But experts warn the chances of a resurgence are high, with Friday marking the start of the religious holiday. They added that the testing rate remains one of the lowest in the world, making it difficult to assess the path of the epidemic.

Palestine

Palestine announced 481 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 13,938, including 82 deaths and 5,518 recoveries.

Qatar 

Qatar's Health Ministry announced 283 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the total confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 109,880, including 106,603 recoveries and 167 deaths.

The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Tuesday announced 190 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily infections, as the total infections climbed to 3,017.

The center said that the tally of cases includes 579 recoveries and 67 deaths so far.   

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, the worst-hit Arab country, announced 1,897 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in the kingdom to 270,831. 

This is lowest daily hike in infections in the country since June 2, and it is also the third consecutive day that Saudi Arabia's daily count of new infections fell below 2,000.

The Saudi Health Ministry also reported 29 new deaths and 2,688 more recoveries, raising the death toll to 2,789 and the total recoveries to 225,624.

People stand outside new residential property in Auckland on June 19, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

The Republic of Korea

South Korea reported 48 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Wednesday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 14,251.

The daily caseload rebounded after staying below 30 for the past two days amid the continued imported cases and small cluster infections.

Of the new cases, 34 were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 2,363.

The Phillipines

The number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines surged to 85,486 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,874 new infections on Wednesday.

The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 26,996 after 388 more patients survived the disease.

The death toll also increased to 1,962 after 16 more patients died, the DOH said.

Turkey

Turkey confirmed 963 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, raising the total infections to 227,982, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

Meanwhile, 15 people died from the virus, taking the death toll to 5,645, while 1,092 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 211,561, he said.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday announced 369 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 59,546.

The death toll from the virus rose to 347 in UAE after two more patients died, and the total number of recoveries increased to 52,905 after 395 more patients recovered.

Vietnam

Vietnam, virus-free for months, was bracing for another wave of COVID-19 infections on Wednesday after state media reported new cases in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands linked to a recent outbreak in the central city of Danang.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the current wave of infections was different to the second wave Vietnam fought in March and every province and city in the Southeast Asian country was at risk, state broadcaster Vietnam Television (VTV) reported.

Vietnam’s health ministry on Wednesday reported eight new locally transmitted coronavirus cases linked to three hospitals in the central city of Danang, taking the outbreak to 30 infections since the virus resurfaced at the weekend.

Vietnam has registered a total of 446 coronavirus cases altogether, with no deaths. Nearly 83% of the infected patients have recovered, the health ministry said.

Yemen

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,703 on Tuesday, as 12 new cases were confirmed.

The Yemeni Health Ministry said in a press statement that the number of recoveries rose to 840, while the death toll climbed to 484 in the areas under its control, including the southern port city of Aden.


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