All stories by K J M Varma
Virus cannot be man made: Wuhan lab denies coronavirus link
Rediff.com19 Apr 2020'Never believed that we humans have the capability at this time to create such a virus'
3 lakh more rapid test kits sent from China: Indian envoy
Rediff.com18 Apr 2020This is in addition to 6.50 lakh Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits dispatched from China earlier this week. India is procuring the medical supplies from China in recent weeks to ensure availability of adequate supplies. The Rapid Antibody Test Kits deliver results in 15 minutes and work on blood samples instead of nasal swabs to tell whether a patient has ever been exposed to the novel virus.
China's Wuhan revises COVID-19 stats, toll up by 1,290
Rediff.com17 Apr 2020The Wuhan municipal headquarters in a notification said the revisions were made in accordance with related laws and regulations as well as the principle of being responsible for history, the people and the deceased.
'China may be hit by second wave of coronavirus in Nov'
Rediff.com16 Apr 2020Zhang Wenhong, who heads the Covid-19 clinical expert team in Shanghai and leads the infectious disease department at one of the eastern metropolitan city's top hospitals, expects that in the long term, countries will have to take a flexible approach to recurring outbreaks.
6.50 lakh COVID-19 kits dispatched from China: India envoy
Rediff.com16 Apr 2020In a tweet, India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri said the medical kits were dispatched early on Thursday from Guangzhou Airport in southern China. Over two million test kits being procured from China will be sent to India in the next 15 days, Misri told PTI in Beijing.
China shuts down largest makeshift hospital in Wuhan
Rediff.com15 Apr 2020Thousands of medical workers deployed in the capital of central Hubei province from across the nation also left Wuhan after completing their mission.
Timely facilitation of COVID-19 kits will help Sino-India ties: Envoy
Rediff.com14 Apr 2020As its factories resumed operations after over two-month of grim battle against coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, specially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.
Lessons to learn from Wuhan to contain COVID-19
Rediff.com13 Apr 2020Wang Xinghuan, the head of the Wuhan Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain) Hospital, advocated the use of facial masks specially in cities like New York which are experience a higher rate of cases and casualties of coronavirus.
China reports 108 new COVID-19 cases, toll reaches 3,341
Rediff.com13 Apr 2020Chinese officials say imported cases are on the rise as hundreds of people are returning to the country from various COVID-19 hotspots abroad, even though the deadly virus has been contained in epicentres of Hubei province and its capital Wuhan.
China to re-test recovered COVID-19 patients, denies cover-up
Rediff.com10 Apr 2020The move comes a day after China lifted the 76-day lockdown in Wuhan, where the pandemic originated. China's National Health Commission (NHC) on Thursday reported 63 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 61 imported ones taking the total to 1,104 cases.
Strict lockdown only way to contain COVID-19: Indians in Wuhan
Rediff.com9 Apr 2020'India had done the right thing to go for a nationwide lockdown, but the major problem for the country could surface when the monsoon season arises as people's immunity levels go down.'
China lifts 73-day lockdown of virus epicentre Wuhan
Rediff.com8 Apr 2020The Wuhan lockdown was lifted even as epidemiologists warned that it is not the time to completely lower the guard and ease on full-scale restrictions, considering the looming asymptomatic patients and possible rebound in infections, the official media reported.
China says no new coronavirus deaths for first time
Rediff.com7 Apr 2020It is a landmark in China's over two-month-long fight against the deadly virus as the country continued to report coronavirus deaths till Sunday, especially from the epicentre Hubei province.
Coronavirus can last on face masks for a week: Study
Rediff.com6 Apr 2020'If you want to protect yourself just maintain good hygiene, wash your hands often and try not to touch your face, your mouth or nose without cleaning first'
China sees 39 new COVID-19 cases; Beijing remains under epidemic control
Rediff.com6 Apr 2020The overall confirmed cases on the mainland have reached 81,708 by Sunday, including 1,299 patients still being treated, 77,078 patients discharged after recovery, and 3,331 people died of the disease.
China halts to honour coronavirus victims, 'martyrs'
Rediff.com4 Apr 2020With flowers pinned to their chests, Xi and other Chinese leaders paid a silent tribute in front of the national flag to the victims of the COVID-19, which is regarded as the worst public health disaster in China's history.
China reports 48 new coronavirus cases, 1 death
Rediff.com31 Mar 2020The overall confirmed cases on the mainland have reached 81,518 as of Monday, which included 3,305 people who died of the of disease.
China reports 67 new imported coronavirus cases
Rediff.com26 Mar 2020The government has downgraded the risk level of Wuhan for Covid-19 outbreak from high to medium, according to official media reports.
COVID-19 epicentre Wuhan resumes bus services after 9-week lockdown
Rediff.com25 Mar 2020The Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday that majority of the imported cases are the Chinese nationals returning from abroad.
Amid coronavirus pandemic, man dies of hantavirus in China
Rediff.com24 Mar 2020Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents and can cause varied disease syndromes in people worldwide, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which is the leading national public health institute of the United States.