Celebrations are being held on a massive scale for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
In several regions, colourful processions are held to mark the festival
In some places such as Gujarat, the festival is preceded by nine nights of dancing - or Navratri - where people wear colourful clothes and perform traditional dances with small sticks - dandiyas - and synchronised claps. On the 10th day, effigies of Ravan, his brother and son are burnt to mark the victory of good over evil. Large crowds gather to watch this spectacle and erupt into cheers as crackling flames engulf the effigies.
Sometimes, firecrackers are lit in tandem, but over the past couple of years, environmentalists and politicians have been urging people to refrain from lighting fireworks due to the rising levels of air pollution. In northern India, Ramlila - a theatrical performance based on Ram's life - is performed in cities and towns. Performers dress up as different characters from the Hindu epic Ramayan and enact scenes in front of large crowds.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Multiomic comparison shows a reduction in circulating monocytes correlated with persistent post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosisIn a new study, researchers identified distinguishing immune features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with late-resolving pulmonary fibrosis (LR COVID-PF) and early-resolving (ER COVID-PF).
Read more »
Waning of vaccine effectiveness against moderate and severe covid-19 among adults in the US from the VISION network: test negative, case-control studyObjective To estimate the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against moderate and severe covid-19 in adults by time since second, third, or fourth doses, and by age and immunocompromised status. Design Test negative case-control study. Setting Hospitals, emergency departments, and urgent care clinics in 10 US states, 17 January 2021 to 12 July 2022. Participants 893 461 adults (≥18 years) admitted to one of 261 hospitals or to one of 272 emergency department or 119 urgent care centers for covid-like illness tested for SARS-CoV-2. Main outcome measures The main outcome was waning of vaccine effectiveness with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine during the omicron and delta periods, and the period before delta was dominant using logistic regression conditioned on calendar week and geographic area while adjusting for age, race, ethnicity, local virus circulation, immunocompromised status, and likelihood of being vaccinated. Results 45 903 people admitted to hospital with covid-19 (cases) were compared with 213 103 people with covid-like illness who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 (controls), and 103 287 people admitted to emergency department or urgent care with covid-19 (cases) were compared with 531 168 people with covid-like illness who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. In the omicron period, vaccine effectiveness against covid-19 requiring admission to hospital was 89% (95% confidence interval 88% to 90%) within two months after dose 3 but waned to 66% (63% to 68%) by four to five months. Vaccine effectiveness of three doses against emergency department or urgent care visits was 83% (82% to 84%) initially but waned to 46% (44% to 49%) by four to five months. Waning was evident in all subgroups, including young adults and individuals who were not immunocompromised; although waning was morein people who were immunocompromised. Vaccine effectiveness increased among most groups after a fourth dose in whom this booster was recommended. Conclusions Effecti
Read more »
Covid inquiry first preliminary hearing to beginThe inquiry's first module looks at pandemic preparedness, as campaigners say lessons must be learned.
Read more »
Vaccinated individuals infected with Omicron less likely to experience long COVID symptomsVaccinated individuals infected with Omicron less likely to experience long COVID symptoms Coronavirus Disease COVID Omicron Vaccine LongCOVID UZH_en USI_university medrxivpreprint
Read more »
Study reveals immune characteristics of long-COVIDStudy reveals immune characteristics of long-COVID Coronavirus COVID19 LongCOVID Rheumatology PASC ragoninstitute BrighamWomens MassGeneralNews MIT medrxivpreprint
Read more »
Covid hospital admissions rise 50 per cent in a week fuelling 'new wave' fearsThe number of patients in hospital with covid has risen sharply for the first time since the peak of the last wave
Read more »