Genome sequencing tests show Omicron dominating in Karnataka: Health Minister Sudhakar
Bengaluru(PTI): With COVID-19 cases surging in Karnataka, genome sequencing tests conducted in the state show that Omicron variant is still dominating in the state.
In this regard, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted on Wednesday stating that most people with COVID-19 symptoms are infected by the BA.2 sub-variant of the Omicron variant of novel coronavirus.
"Which strain is dominating in Karnataka? As per the genome sequencing sample: March 2021 - December 2021: 90.7% Delta January 2022 - April 2022: 87.80% Omicron May 2022 - June 2022: 99.20% Omicron," Sudhakar tweeted.
According to him, amongst the Omicron variants, currently BA.1.1.529 and BA.1 have dipped to 8.60 per cent and 0.04 per cent, respectively.
However, BA.2 sub-lineage has increased from 80.60 per cent to 89.40 per cent since May, the minister tweeted. Sudhakar said the new variants -- BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5 -- are observed to be in their nascent phases.
The data shared by him shows that last year from March to December, Delta and its sub-lineages dominated but this year Omicron was the dominant variant of the novel coronavirus.
The state had on Tuesday reported 738 fresh cases while on Monday there were 530 new infections. There were, however, zero fatalities on both days.
According to the health officials, the latest surge in cases is due to Omicron, which is not a deadly variant as compared to Delta that had wreaked havoc in 2021.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
