11. What is India’s rank in the global coronavirus innovation rankings for countries?
[A] 32
[B] 26
[C] 30
[D] 25
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [32]
Notes:
- India fell six spots to the 32nd place in the global coronavirus innovation rankings for countries, as per a report prepared by StartupBlink in association with Health Innovation Exchange, UNAIDS.
- The report features the top-ranked 40 countries and 100 cities in the world based on innovative solutions developed to face the pandemic.
- These rankings are for innovations made specific to the Covid-19 pandemic, and also take into consideration the population of the country.
- The innovations are segmented into different categories – prevention (vaccine, protective and sanitation, automation, etc), diagnostics (telehealth diagnostics, big data and profiling, test kits, etc), treatment (telehealth treatment, ventilator and medical devices, medication, etc), grants and support initiatives (grants, relief funds, hackathons and targeted challenges, etc), information (databases, crisis communication, etc), life and business adaptation (community and mental health, education, work, shopping, etc).
12. As per the Sero survey conducted by the CSIR, the recurrence of coronavirus outbreak in March is due to the lack of ……….?
[A] Antigens
[B] Antibodies
[C] Lymphocytes
[D] White Blood Cells
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Antibodies]
Notes:
As per the Sero survey conducted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the recurrence of coronavirus outbreak in March could be due to lack of meaningful antibodies in seropositive people after a peak in September 2020.
The CSIR conducted a sero-survey on 10,427 people from 17 states and two union territories. The average sero positivity was 10.14 per cent, among the sample people.
13. Which country has released the world’s first animal vaccine against the novel coronavirus?
[A] China
[B] Russia
[C] USA
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Russia]
Notes:
The world’s first animal vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been registered in Russia. It has been as ‘Carnivac-Cov’.
As per the country’s agriculture safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor, the immunity lasts for six months after the vaccination. The use of this vaccine is expected to prevent the development of virus mutations.
14. In which country, the world’s first baby with antibodies against the novel coronavirus is reported to be born?
[A] India
[B] USA
[C] China
[D] Brazil
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
It has been reported that the world’s first baby with antibodies against the novel coronavirus is born in the USA.
The mother was vaccinated against COVID-19 during 36th week of her pregnancy which resulted in development of antibodies in both mother and the baby.
15. Which institution in its global report in coronavirus, estimated that most economies will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2022?
[A] Ind-Ra
[B] Moody’s
[C] S&P
[D] CRISIL
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Moody’s]
Notes:
Moody’s Investors Service released its global report in coronavirus and highlighted that though the credit challenges arising out of COVID-19 will be short-lived, most economies will not return to pre-pandemic activity levels until 2022.
It expects a slow and bumpy global recovery and uncertainty around the macroeconomic outlook remains higher than the usual level.
16. As per the third round of the Sero survey by ICMR, how many Indians out of every five were infected by the coronavirus?
[A] 0.5
[B] 1
[C] 2
[D] 5
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [0.5]
Notes:
As per the third round of the serological survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) finds that nearly one in five Indians were infected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
This nation-wide survey found the affected cases till December 2020. A serological test detects whether a person has antibodies to the Sars-Cov-2, which indicates the occurrence of past infection.
17. A team of scientists from which organisation has entered China, to probe the source of Coronavirus?
[A] FAO
[B] WHO
[C] CDC
[D] John Hopkins University
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [WHO]
Notes:
A team of Scientists from the World Health Organisation arrived in Wuhan province of China, to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
In December 2019, the disease emerged from the central Chinese city after which it spread to the entire world. Earlier, WHO claimed that China has not permitted WHO to undertake the COVID-19 origin mission.
18. As per the researchers of US- NIH, the tiny antibodies from which animal, is said to work against the coronavirus?
[A] Lemur
[B] Sloth
[C] Llama
[D] Mule
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Llama]
Notes:
As per the researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), tiny antibodies, or “nanobodies” from a Llama named ‘Cormac’ works against the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
The researchers suggest that at least one of these nanobodies (called NIH-CoVnb-112) can prevent infections and detect virus particles by grabbing the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins.
19. A new powerful mutation of the coronavirus named ‘B.1.1.7’, has been found in which country?
[A] China
[B] United Kingdom
[C] Italy
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United Kingdom]
Notes:
‘B.1.1.7’, a new powerful mutation of the coronavirus, has been found in the United Kingdom. This lineage has unusually large number of genetic changes.
The variant carries 14 defining mutations including seven in the spike protein, which is often responsible for how the virus interacts with a human cell. This is a relatively large number of changes compared to various variants found in circulation globally.
20. Utah Mink, the first wild animal to be infected by coronavirus, belongs to which country?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] United States
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [United States]
Notes:
The United States Agriculture Department has recently confirmed the first known case of the coronavirus in a wild animal, a mink.
Earlier, Denmark decided to cull several farmed minks after they were infected by the virus. The virus was also found in zoo tigers and household cats and dogs. But this is the first free-ranging and native wild animal being confirmed with the infection.
