A 46-year-old man in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, died of Covid-19 after a four-day course of antibiotics failed to alleviate his severe breathlessness and cough. The man, an alcoholic, had severely damaged lungs due to pneumonia, and a subsequent CT scan confirmed the coronavirus infection, leading to containment measures.
Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced the detection of the Omicron RF.5 variant in four COVID-19 samples from Kadapa district, confirmed by genome sequencing in Pune. While the variant is being monitored by WHO and health officials, there is currently no indication it is more dangerous than other Omicron strains, and public vigilance is advised over panic.
Polling for three parliamentary seats and 29 assembly constituencies were held on October 30, an exercise being seen as a barometer of the political mood in the country ahead of assembly elections in politically critical Uttar Pradesh as well as other states.
