First possible case of BA.4 variant of the Sars-CoV-2 has been detected in India

HT Daily News Wrap

The first possible case of an infection with the BA.4 variant of the Sars-CoV-2 has been detected in India, Singer Kanika Kapoor got married to businessman Gautam Hathiramani, After being champions of the inaugural IPL season, Rajasthan Royals have never again competed in a season finale, and other top news in this bulletin.
India on Friday stepped up surveillance at all international entry points for monkeypox infections amid growing global concerns of an unusual outbreak that has led to around 100 cases being suspected in parts of Europe, US and Australia. Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday surrendered before Patiala chief judicial magistrate (CJM) to serve the one-year prison term handed out to him by Supreme Court in a 1988 road rage case on Thursday. Nearly 45 minutes after Sidhu walked into the courtroom around 4 pm, CJM Amit Malhan signed off on the conviction warrant and ordered him to be sent to Patiala central jail after a quick medical checkup at Mata Kaushlya Hospital. Sidhu’s lawyer HPS Verma told court that the former Punjab Congress chief, aged 58, underwent surgery, is on medication and needs a special diet which should not include wheat flour. “We have apprised the court about medical and special food facilities,” Sidhu’s media adviser Surinder Dalla said, hoping that the court would consider the request. The first possible case of an infection with the BA.4 variant of the Sars-CoV-2 has detected in India, people involved in the genome surveillance of the coronavirus have said, adding that it does not yet pose a concern since it is an offshoot of the Omicron variant, which has already spread widely in the country. /The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) in its latest bulletin said the BA.2 variant continues to be dominant in India. “BA.2.10 and BA.2.12 are BA.2 sub-lineages that have been detected and many old BA.2 sequences have been reclassified into these new sub-lineages. So far these sub-lineages are not reported to be associated with increase severity of disease,” said INSACOG in its latest bulletin on results of genome sequencing. Over the next decade, India will need to be a responsible economy that focuses on reforms in the power sector, education and health to make up for the losses inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and must cut down on government litigation chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said on Friday. Singer Kanika Kapoor got married to businessman Gautam Hathiramani on Friday. The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony attended by family and close friends at a five-star hotel in London. The bride and the groom chose pastel shades for the special occasion. Pictures and videos from the ceremony shared by their friends on their Instagram accounts revealed details of the ceremony. Kanika walked the aisle under a ‘phoolon ki chaadar’ to a rendition of Mohammed Rafi’s classic song Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hain. A video from the varmala ceremony showed Gautam playfully backing off before bowing down so Kanika could put the garland on him. After being champions of the inaugural IPL season, Rajasthan Royals have never again competed in a season finale. They have a great chance this year after finishing second on the points table following their five-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings on Friday. The top two teams will get two cracks at the Ahmedabad final, starting with Qualifier 1 where the Royals take on Gujarat Titans on May 24.