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Wednesday, March 18, 2026
TopicCOVID-19

Topic: COVID-19

Coronavirus or Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is a viral disease that turned into a pandemic in early 2020. The first known case was recorded in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Coronavirus has multiple variants such as Delta and Omicron, and its most common symptoms are fever, chills and sore throat.

The virus spreads through liquid particles when the infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes – it has a high multiplication rate. Therefore, the world had taken measures to quarantine or isolate those infected. While the disease can be mild and recoverable, those older or with underlying medical conditions are more likely to be adversely affected. The disease caused according to WHO estimates 3 million deaths in 2020.

Private doctors who worked during pandemic & died of Covid eligible under PM insurance scheme, says SC

Bhadra Sinha -
The SC reserved judgment to prescribe broad guidelines for implementing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana Package: Insurance Scheme for Health workers fighting COVID-19.

‘Covid was an opportunity’—book launch on India’s pandemic fight draws many govt officials

Akanksha Mishra -
The launch of ‘At War with the Single Strand’, attended by numerous senior officials from the science and health ministries, was all about India’s ‘scientific triumph’ over Covid-19.

COVID-19 pandemic may have aged your brain, even if you weren’t infected, finds UK study

Akanksha Mishra -
ScientiFix, our weekly feature, offers you a summary of the top global science stories of the week, with links to their sources.

Centre plans population-level study amid concerns over sudden deaths among young Indians, ‘Covid link’

Sumi Sukanya Dutta -
The Union Ministry of Health's research department is collaborating with New Delhi-based health research organisation, INCLEN International, for the analysis.

COVID-19 cases rise in India. But here’s why no one needs a booster shot just yet

Sumi Sukanya Dutta -
As of 26 May, India had 1,010 active COVID-19 cases—up by 753 compared to last week, when active cases stood at 257.

Some Asian countries report surge in COVID-19 cases. But no reason to panic, at least not yet

Sumi Sukanya Dutta -
Dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants in Singapore & Hong Kong are subvariants of JN.1, which is a sub-lineage of the BA.2.86 omicron variant first seen in Denmark in July, 2023.

Covid to Kumbh—India counts on civil servants during crises

R Balasubramaniam -
The ability to stay calm under pressure, collaborate across lines of authority, and find solutions is not trained overnight—it’s developed through years of fieldwork and trust in the system.

5 yrs on, 72% Americans say COVID-19 pandemic widened Left-Right gulf, finds latest Pew survey

Vandana Menon -
Five years on, COVID-19 reshaped US work, tech & faith. 32% still work remotely, while misinformation & political divides persist, impacting public trust & health policies.

Behind rush to return to agriculture in post-Covid Haryana, state’s ‘struggle to create jobs’

Sushil Manav -
A NABARD report shows number of agricultural households in Haryana rose from 34% to 58% in 5 yrs up to 2021-22, a sharper increase than in other agrarian states, signaling economic stress.

Individuals, businesses are increasingly defaulting on microloans. Both lenders & borrowers at fault

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Data from microfinance industry bodies shows microloan delinquency ratios are rising once again, after having fallen consistently 2021 onwards. Lenders must do deeper checks, say experts.
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Opinion

Strait of Hormuz crisis shows limits of US, say Chinese. ‘India most vulnerable’

Sana Hashmi -
Chinese online discourse situates the crisis within a broader geopolitical context, particularly the hesitancy of US allies to support Washington.

Salar Jung Museum at 75 is also a story of what Hyderabad lost

Kabul hospital bombing unravels the laws of war. It puts our civilisation in danger

+TFP

Economy

Amid supply crunch, govt offers 10% additional commercial LPG to states. But there’s a condition

Udit Bubna -
India faces LPG shortage amid supply disruptions from Strait of Hormuz closure due to prolonged West Asia conflict.

Defence

Indian borders to US schools, Indian firm bags orders to supply surveillance drones to Texas schools

Snehesh Alex Philip -
The company had secured orders worth over Rs 100 crore from the Indian Army in November last year. Its UAVs are deployed along India’s borders with Pakistan & China.

National Interest

Peaceful power transfers followed uprisings in India’s neighbourhood. It’s a sign of mature democracies

Shekhar Gupta -
Rating democracies is a tricky business. I am only using the simple metric of who in the Indian subcontinent has had the most peaceful, stable, normal political transitions and continuity.

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