Injuries in the world exceed 104.4 million ... and deaths 2.67 million

Britain: 4000 mutated strains of "Corona" ... and researchers are testing by combining two vaccines together

Two paramedics transfer a patient with "Corona" to the Royal London Hospital in the British capital.

EPA

Britain announced yesterday that the world is facing about 4000 strains of the mutated Corona virus, which causes "Covid-19" disease, which led to a race to improve vaccines, as researchers began testing a combination of two doses, one of the Pfizer vaccine, and the other of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

While a census showed that more than 104.41 million people were infected with the emerging corona virus worldwide, while the total number of deaths resulting from the virus reached two million 267 thousand and 646.

In detail, the British minister responsible for distributing vaccines in the United Kingdom, Nazem Al-Zahawi, said that there are, at present, about 4000 mutated strains of the virus, which causes "Covid-19" disease around the world, so all vaccine producers, including Pfizer, are trying And AstraZeneca, improving their vaccines.

Thousands of strains have been documented as the virus mutates, including the so-called British, South African and Brazilian strains, which seem to spread faster than others.

"It is highly unlikely that the current vaccine will not be effective with mutated strains, whether in Kent County or with other strains, especially when it comes to severe symptoms and treatment in hospitals," Al-Zahawi said to Sky News.

He added, "All manufacturers: Pfizer - Biontech, Moderna, Oxford - AstraZeneca, and others are looking at how to improve their vaccines, to make sure we are ready for any strain .. There are about 4,000 different types of (Covid) around the world now.

With the emergence of thousands of strains resulting from the mutation of the virus with its cloning, it is likely that only a very small minority of them will be important, and that the virus changes in a noticeable way, according to the British Medical Journal.

"We have the largest genome sequencing industry - we have about 50 percent of the genome sequencing industry in the world - and we maintain a library of all strains to be prepared to deal, whether in the fall or beyond, with whatever challenge the virus may present and produce the next vaccine," Al-Zahawi said.

Relatedly, Britain launched, yesterday, a trial to evaluate immune responses upon vaccination with two doses: one from the Pfizer vaccine, and the other from the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The British researchers based on the experiment said that the data on vaccinating people with two different types of vaccines, may help in understanding whether doses can be distributed more flexibly in the world.

Preliminary data on immune responses is expected around June.

The trial will test the immune responses to vaccination first with a dose of Pfizer, followed by a booster dose of AstraZeneca, and vice versa, with intervals of four to 12 weeks between the two doses.

More than 800 volunteers, ages 50 and over, are participating in the project, which includes people receiving vaccinations from the AstraZeneca-Oxford and Pfizer-Bionic vaccine.

There are eight different versions of the experiments being run.

People will receive two doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford, or Pfizer-Biontek, over 28 days, 12 weeks, or one of both over 28 days or 12 weeks.

The study will be conducted at eight sites across England and will last for up to 13 months.

The researchers said they hope that the research will allow them to determine whether people will develop better levels of antibodies to the Corona virus, when different vaccines are mixed.

The study does not include the British people who have already received their first dose, as part of the vaccine being offered nationwide.

In Ramallah, officials said that the Palestinians received 10,000 doses of the Russian (Sputnik V) vaccine, yesterday, to accelerate the launch of the vaccination campaign to prevent "Covid-19".

The Palestinian Minister of Health, Mai al-Kaila, told Voice of Palestine Radio that the quantity is sufficient to vaccinate 5,000 people, who will each receive two doses.

The shipment arrived by air in Israel, and then transferred to Ramallah.

Alkaila said that a shipment of vaccines will also arrive from China, but she did not specify when it will arrive or the type of vaccine.

A batch of about 37,000 doses of the Kovacs global vaccine distribution program is expected to arrive this month.

And the West Bank, where 3.1 million Palestinians live, announced that 101,508 cases of coronavirus infection were recorded, and 1,276 deaths.

As for the Gaza Strip, which has a population of two million, it has recorded more than 52,000 HIV infections and 527 deaths.

A Reuters census showed that more than 104.41 million people were infected with the emerging corona virus worldwide, while the total number of deaths resulting from the virus reached two million 267 thousand and 646.

And HIV infections have been recorded in more than 210 countries and regions, since the first cases were discovered in China in December 2019.

India Medical Association: 734 doctors died of Corona

Yesterday, the Medical Association of India said that the number of doctors who died from the emerging coronavirus is four times more than the number announced by the government, as the authorities work to strengthen the process of vaccinating health care workers against the Corona virus, to contain the outbreak of the virus.

The association added that 734 doctors have died from the virus, and not 162, as the government reported to Parliament.

Doctors and health care workers have borne the brunt of the outbreak of the virus in India, which has a population of 1.3 billion people, and has recorded 19.8 million cases, ranking second in terms of the number of infections after the United States, and 154,703 deaths from the virus.

Ministry of Health officials said, in a weekly statement, that about 45% of health care workers, the 9.6 million targeted for vaccination, received the first dose of the vaccine, between January 17 and the day before yesterday.

And the latest nationwide survey on antibodies to the Corona virus showed that about 21.5% of adults were infected with the virus, according to the most prominent medical research body.

The Indian Council of Medical Research survey included more than 35,000 people in 21 states from December 17 to January 8.

New Delhi - D.P.A.

- The Palestinians receive the first shipment of the Russian "Sputnik V" vaccine.

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