Beneficiaries between 18 years to 44 years of age get the Covid-19 vaccine at PMGP Colony in Mankhurd, Mumbai on Friday.
(Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)Coronavirus India Highlights: Covid-19 cases with variants of concern rose from 10.31 per cent of total infections in May to 51 per cent till June 20, top government officials told a parliamentary panel on Monday. Officials stressed that both Covaxin and Covishield work against these strains albeit with slightly reduced potency, news agency PTI reported.
Meanwhile, Covid Task Force chief Dr V K Paul said that there is no scientific data so far to establish that Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 adversely impacts vaccine efficacy. Speaking about the possibility of a third wave, he said it will not be fair to put a date on any Covid wave as virus behaviour is unpredictable.
India reported 46,148 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With 979 deaths in the last 24 hours, the daily count of deaths has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since April 12. Maharashtra, the only state to report more than 100 deaths, recorded 411 fatalities. The overall death toll has touched 3,96,730. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 3,02,79,331. There are 5,72,994 active cases at present and 2,93,09,607 people have recovered from the disease. Among states, Kerala was the topmost contributor with 10,905 new cases. Maharashtra had 9,974 cases.
Crowds are back in Manali as lockdown restrictions are lifted. (Photo: PTI)
It will be unfair to put a date for any Covid wave as the behaviour of coronavirus is unpredictable and a disciplined and effective pandemic response can help the country get away from any significant outbreak, Covid Task Force chief V K Paul said on Monday.
Amid rising concerns over the Delta plus variant of the virus, Paul, who is also a Niti Aayog Member, asserted that there is no scientific data so far to establish that the new variant is highly transmissible or reduces vaccine efficacy. More details here.
Covid-19 cases with variants of concern rose from 10.31 per cent of total infections in May to 51 per cent till June 20, top government officials told a parliamentary panel on Monday. Officials stressed that both Covaxin and Covishield work against these strains albeit with slightly reduced potency, news agency PTI reported.
For the first time in 14 months, Haryana’s Faridabad district Monday recorded no new Covid-19 cases. The last time this happened was on April 29, 2020. According to the daily bulletin issued by the health department, a total of 2,859 people were tested for the infection on the day. More details here.
CT scan and MRI to diagnose mucormycosis infection in post-Covid patients will be done free of cost in government hospitals and medical colleges, says Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar, adding that the costs for these tests have been capped at private hospitals and laboratories. (ANI)
The pandemic has negatively impacted children in situations of armed conflict, including hampering access to education, health and social services, says Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla. “It's therefore important that states keep child protection concerns at the core of response measures,” he adds. (ANI)
A total of 40,845 cases of mucormycosis have been reported in India so far, and the death toll from infection stands at 3,129, says Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. (PTI)
The Maharashtra government is ready to vaccinate 15 lakh people per day against Covid-19, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday as he cautioned people in light of the anticipated third wave of the pandemic and the danger of the Delta Plus variant.
Speaking virtually at the inauguration function of a jumbo COVID Care Centre (CCC) in suburban Malad, Thackeray said the need of the hour was to be more cautious and remain alert considering the threat of a possible third wave of the pandemic. Thackeray said the health of citizens was a priority for his government and there will be no compromise on protecting them from Covid-19.
"There is also a threat from the delta plus variant. Even though the daily number of Covid-19 cases is falling, people should continue to follow the Covid-appropriate behaviour. We are ready to vaccinate 15 lakh people per day," he said. (PTI)
Kerala reports 8,063 fresh cases, 110 deaths and 11,529 recoveries. The death toll now stands at 12,989 while 27,87,496 patients have recovered from the disease, so far. The positivity rate is 9.44%. (ANI)
Dr V K Paul further says, “Process for getting World Health Organisation's emergency use approval for Covaxin is proceeding very well. Hope the decision comes soon. The government is also discussing ways to approve Pfizer, Moderna's Covid vaccines in India at the earliest.” (PTI)
Covid Task Force chief Dr V K Paul on Monday said that there is no scientific data so far to establish that Delta plus variant of Covid-19 adversely impacts vaccine efficacy. Speaking about the possibility of a third wave, he said it will not be fair to put a date for any Covid wave as virus behaviour is unpredictable. (PTI)
Covid curbs extended in West Bengal till July 15; public buses to operate with 50 per cent capacity, says CM Mamata Banerjee. (PTI)
Andhra Pradesh reports 2224 new cases, 4174 recoveries and 31 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Students who joined the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in 2020 prepared long and hard for one of the toughest entrance exams in the country — the Common Admission Test (CAT) — but have been unable to live the IIM experience fully due to the coronavirus outbreak. While some students got to be on campus for a few months, they had to soon return amid the worsening Covid crisis. Read the full report here.
Once international travel resumes, the first 5 lakh tourists who come to India will not have to pay visa fees, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced.
"We are announcing about 8 economic relief measures, of which four are absolutely new and one is specific to health infrastructure. For Covid-affected areas, Rs 1.1 lakh crores credit guarantee scheme and Rs 50,000 crores for the health sector," Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Andhra Pradesh CMO Monday said that the ongoing curfew in the state will be relaxed in 8 districts where COVID positivity rate is less than 5 per cent from July 1.
Liquor shops, restaurants and other shops will be closed from 9 pm. The curfew, which will be relaxed from 6 am to 9 pm, will come into effect from July 1 to July 7, the CMO said. It will continue to be operational from 9 pm to 6 am.
However, the curfew will not be relaxed in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Chittoor and Prakasam districts. The curfew relaxations will be in place from 6 am to 6 pm only, the CMO further added.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Monday wrote to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, requesting him to increase the allocation of vaccines to the state and also increase the sub-allocation of vaccines for government institutions to 90 per cent, news agency ANI reported.
The Covid-19 situation in Kolhapur continues to be a cause of concern, as the only district in Maharashtra with a mortality rate of 3 per cent for over a month. In the number of active cases, Kolhapur trails only Mumbai and Thane.
As of June 27, Kolhapur had a mortality rate of 3.05 per cent, with the number of active cases in the district increasing. A total of 4,651 people in the district have died of Covid-19, while its recovery rate is 89.25 per cent.
Maharashtra, in contrast, has a Covid-19 mortality rate of 2.01 per cent while the recovery rate is 96.75 per cent. On June 27, Mumbai district’s recovery rate was 96 per cent.
Drug major Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Monday announced the commercial launch of COVID-19 treatment drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), at a maximum retail price of Rs 990 per sachet, reported PTI.
The company will supply the drug to major government as well as private hospitals across India, Dr Reddy's said in a regulatory filing.
"In the initial weeks, the company will make the drug available in hospitals across metros and Tier 1 cities, and subsequently expand the coverage to the rest of India," it added.
The drug manufactured by the company has a purity of 99.5 per cent and is being sold commercially under the brand name 2DG. The maximum retail price (MRP) of each sachet has been fixed at Rs 990, with a subsidised rate offered to government institutions, Dr Reddy's said.
Delhi BJP leaders sat on a dharna at the Jantar Mantar on Monday, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over his government 'inflating' the city's oxygen need during the second wave of coronavirus, PTI reported.
Leading the protest along with MPs, MLAs and office bearers of the party, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also said Kejriwal should be "arrested for criminal negligence".
"The interim report of a Supreme Court committee has said that the Kejriwal government raised a four-time higher demand of oxygen than actual consumption that caused shortage in other states and led to deaths of Covid patients. Kejriwal himself is responsible for this and should step down from his post," Gupta said.
Vaccine major Serum Institute of India chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla on Monday said he has taken up the issues faced by Indians who have taken the Covishield jab travelling to the European Union at highest levels and hoped to resolve them soon.
Covishield is the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India by the Pune-based vaccine maker.
“I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the EU, I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries,” Poonawalla said in a tweet.
Noting that India's Covid vaccination drive "keeps gaining" momentum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that "vaccines for all, free for all" remains the government's commitment, reported PTI.
Modi was reacting to a tweet of the Union Health Ministry that put out an infographic saying India has achieved another milestone as the total number of jabs administered here is more than in countries like the US, the UK, Germany, France and Italy. India administered 323.66 million doses by 8 am on Monday, it said.
The prime minister said, "India's vaccination drive keeps gaining momentum! Congrats to all those who are driving this effort. Our commitment remains vaccines for all, free for all."
Pune is close to inoculating 50 lakh people as the district has stepped up its vaccination drive.
While Mumbai has already crossed the 50-lakh mark, Pune has so far administered 43.48 lakh doses.
Rubal Agarwal, additional municipal commissioner with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), told The Indian Express that in areas under PMC’s jurisdiction, more than 16 lakh people have been vaccinated and efforts are on to step up vaccination at housing societies. “We are increasing the number of private hospitals that are giving vaccines and are also taking forward our aim of vaccination at the society level,” Agarwal added.
Uttarakhand government Monday extended the ongoing Covid-19 curfew in the state by one week with some relaxations, news agency ANI reported.
While gyms will open at 50 per cent capacity, markets can remain open in the state for 6 days.
The Union Health Ministry Monday said more than 1.15 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, PTI reported.
Over 31.69 crore vaccine doses have been provided by the Centre to states and UTs so far through the Government of India free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category. Of this, the total consumption, including wastage is 30,54,17,617 doses, the ministry said.
"More than 1.15 crore (1,15,22,543) balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered," the ministry said.
The Union Health Ministry Monday said India has overtaken the United States in the total number of Covid vaccine doses given till date.
While India has administered a total of 32,36,63,297 doses till date, the United States used 32,33,27,328 doses.
“India achieves another milestone in #COVID19 vaccination and overtakes USA in total number of #CovidVaccine doses administered,” the Health Ministry said in a tweet.
With Covid cases remaining low in the city, gymnasiums and yoga institutes will reopen in the city after over two months. Weddings, which were so far allowed only in homes or in court, can also be held in banquet halls or hotels, but not with more than 50 people. Last week. bars, parks and gardens were allowed to reopen.
Several activities, however, still remain shut. Read on to know what is open and what remains shut as per the latest unlock guidelines.
With Covid cases remaining low in the city, gymnasiums and yoga institutes will reopen in the city after over two months. Weddings, which were so far allowed only in homes or in court, can also be held in banquet halls or hotels, but not with more than 50 people. Last week. bars, parks and gardens were allowed to reopen.
Several activities, however, still remain shut. Read on to know what is open and what remains shut as per the latest unlock guidelines.
The Union Health Ministry Monday said that India has overtaken the USA by administering 32,36,63,297 doses of COVID-19 vaccines till date.
A new study in PLOS One has flagged the low likelihood that SARS-CoV-2 contamination on hospital surfaces is infectious. The study was conducted at UC (University of California) Davis Medical Center. In April 2020, an interdisciplinary team investigated if there was virus contamination of frequently used surfaces in ICU and staff meeting areas at the medical facility. At that time the role of fomites (surfaces) in spreading the disease was highly debated. They collected multiple samples during the first (April 2020) and the second (August 2020) waves of Covid-19 from surfaces and HVAC filters in the hospital.
India reported 46,148 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.
With 979 deaths in the last 24 hours, the daily count of deaths has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since April 12. Maharashtra, the only state to report more than 100 deaths, recorded 411 deaths. The overall death toll has touched 3,96,730.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stand at 3,02,79,331. There are 5,72,994 active cases at present and 2,93,09,607 people have recovered from the disease. Among states, Kerala was the topmost contributor with 10,905 new cases. Maharashtra had 9,974 cases.
With Covid cases in the city on a steady decline, the number of hospitals beds occupied by patients has also dipped. However, Covid patients in the ICU and on ventilators now far outnumber those in general wards — with or without oxygen support.
According to Delhi government data, out of the 27,284 beds set aside for Covid patients in hospitals, 1,037 are occupied. Of these, 930 are either admitted in the ICU or are on ventilators. The remaining 107 are in wards, most of them on oxygen support.
Devotees arrived at Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan on Monday to offer prayers as the state government permitted the reopening of religious places from today.
Below are some visuals from this morning:
The number of daily cases of Covid-19 has further dropped to 112 in Gujarat on Sunday, taking the total tally to 8,31,508, while three others died, taking the toll to 10,051. The state has 3,687 active cases with 21 on ventilator. Among 112 new cases, Ahmedabad reported 24 cases followed by 21 from Vadodara, 20 from Surat and nine from Rajkot. The two municipal corporations of Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar reported one death each and the third was reported from Vadodara rural. On Sunday, 2,40,985 persons were vaccinated across the state where 2.48 crore of the population have been inoculated so far. --ENS
Hours after PM Narendra Modi spoke in his monthly radio programme, 'Mann ki Baat', Rahul Gandhi took a dig at him saying, there is only one 'Kaam ki Baat' (important topic to talk about) and that is 'stop the shortage of vaccines', while everything else is are tricks to distract attention.
Delhi reports 89 new Covid-19 cases, 285 recoveries and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active cases: 1,568 Total recoveries: 14,07,401 Death toll: 24,965 Positivity rate: 0.12%.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday urged people to embrace yoga as an essential party of daily life to fight the pandemic better. “We all should make Pranayam and Yoga an essential part of our daily life and together we should spread it in the society. With this, we will not only be able to face the disaster brought by this pandemic, but also will be successful in building a healthy society and nation,” Kovind wrote on Twitter.
Haryana government issues order to extend lockdown till July 5 with some relaxations in the state.
Delta Plus variant of coronavirus, which several experts say is more infectious, needs to be addressed with vaccination and safety measures such as wearing face masks, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) representative to Russia Melita Vujnovic has said. “Vaccination plus masks, because just a vaccine is not enough with ‘Delta.’ We need to make an effort over a short period of time, otherwise there would be a lockdown,” Vujnovic said on the live YouTube show, according to news agency ANI. (See Photo Gallery here)
The Indo-Japanese partnership during the Covid-19 crisis is more relevant for global stability and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. The PM was speaking after virtually inaugurating a Japanese Zen garden and Kaizen Academy set up at the premises of the Ahmedabad Management Association.
Modi in his address via video conference said the opening of the Zen garden and the Kaizen Academy in Ahmedabad will deepen ties between the two countries. "The current Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, is a very straight-forward person. PM Suga and I believe during this Covid-19 pandemic crisis, the Indo-Japanese friendship and our partnership has become even more relevant for global stability and prosperity. Today, when we are facing several global challenges, it is the need of the time that our friendship and relationship get stronger day by day," Modi said. (PTI)
In a first-of-its-kind exercise in Karnataka, a month-long extensive health check-up drive for children below 16 years has been launched across Haveri district as part of the preparation to face a possible third wave of Covid-19, state Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai said. "Haveri has become the first district in the State to start a first-of-its-kind health check-up drive exclusively for children. We are making sure that no child is malnourished," Bommai, an MLA from Shiggaon in the district, told PTI.
During the camp, which started on June 25 and will conclude on July 30, 2.75 lakh children under the age of 16 in the district will be screened, he said, adding, teachers and parents will also be subjected to check-up and vaccinated. The district Incharge Minister said the drive was started keeping in view the report furnished by the Technical Advisory Committee to the State government, saying that the potential third wave may affect children. "Since it has not been decided yet to vaccinate children, it is important to take care of the health of the children and protect them from malnutrition," the Minister said. (PTI)
The roll-out of Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V at various private hospitals in the Delhi-NCR region has been delayed again, officials said on Sunday. "We do not have a clarity on the dates of the vaccine roll-out," a spokesman of Apollo Hospitals said. Indraprastha Apollo here had earlier said that it would tentatively start administering the two-dose vaccine by June 25. An official of Madhukar Rainbow Children's Hospital said the facility has also not received Sputnik V doses so far from Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories, the marketing partner for the vaccine in the country.
"There is a delay on the part of the suppliers. They have not shared any specific reason for it. I think it could be related to the supply of both the doses together," he said. Sputnik V uses two different viruses that cause the common cold (adenovirus) in humans. The two doses, given 21 days apart, are different and not interchangeable. Fortis Healthcare, which had said that it would make Sputnik V available at its Gurgaon and Mohali hospitals, has also not started administering the Russian vaccine to people so far. (PTI)
Mizoram's Covid-19 tally rose to 19,324 on Sunday as 233 more people, including 62 children, tested positive for the infection, while two fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 91, a health official said. Aizawl district registered the highest number of new cases at 127, followed by Kolasib (41) and Lunglei (15), he said.
Only five new patients have travel history, while 228 fresh infections were detected during contact tracing, the official said. Mizoram now has 4,370 active cases, while 14,863 people have recovered from the infection thus far, including 309 on Saturday. The recovery rate among the Covid-19 patients in the state stands at 76.91 per cent, while the mortality rate is at 0.47 per cent. (PTI)
Puducherry added 231 fresh Covid-19 cases on Sunday, taking the tally to 1,16,645, while three more fatalities pushed the toll to 1,744. Recoveries outnumbered fresh cases with 331 people being discharged from hospitals, taking the active cases to 2,672. In all, 1,12,229 people have recovered from the disease so far.
Puducherry accounted for two deaths, both of whom were 70 year-old women and another person in Karaikal, Health and Family Welfare Services Director S Mohan Kumar said in a release. The Union Territory reported the maximum number of 170 cases, followed by Karaikal 31, Mahe 22 and Yanam 8, he said A total of 8,148 samples were tested in the last 24 hours ending at 10 am, taking the cumulative number of speciemens examined so far to 12,84,089. The positivity rate stood at 2.84 per cent. (PTI)
Odisha's Covid-19 tally surpassed the 9 lakh-mark on Sunday as 3,408 more people tested positive for the infection, while 39 fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 3,887, a health official said. The fresh infections recorded in all the 30 districts took the state's caseload to 9,00,470. As many as 1,943 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 1,465 fresh infections were detected during contact tracing, he said.
Khurda district, of which Bhubaneswar is a part, registered the highest number of new cases at 582, followed by Cuttack (553) and Jajpur (258). Khurda also recorded the highest number of fresh fatalities at nine, followed by five each in Bargarh, Cuttack and Nayagarh, and three each in Sambalpur and Sundargarh. Fifty-three other coronavirus patients have died due to comorbidities thus far. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today encouraged people to overcome vaccine hesitancy, underlining that even his nonagenarian mother has taken anti-Covid shots as he urged people not to believe in negative rumours relating to the vaccine.
"I urge you all - trust science. Trust our scientists. So many people have taken the vaccine. I have taken both doses. My Mother is almost hundred years old, she has taken both vaccines too. Please do not believe any negative rumours relating to vaccines. Let us never believe in negative rumours relating to the vaccine," PM Modi said as he addressed the nation on the 78th edition of his monthly radio address, "Mann Ki Baat".
As the national capital lifts lockdown restrictions, Delhi Police on Sunday said they have penalised over 1.3 lakh people in the last week for not wearing masks in public places. They also recorded a sharp rise in people flouting social distancing norms.
According to a data released by Police Headquarters, more than 1.53 lakh challans were issued against offenders from June 19 till June 26. Read more
More than 31.51 crores (31,51,43,490) vaccine doses have been provided by the Government of India to states and Union Territories so far, says Union Health Ministry. (ANI)
On March 17 last year, the ‘Doctor Fish’ pedicure set arrived at Kavya Beauty Salon, among the popular beauty parlours in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar City. The owner, Kavya Sharma, was confident that the neon blue-lit tank teeming with hundreds of Red Garra fish — to nibble dead skin off people’s feet — would be a success. The Rs 65,000 set which she bought from Ghaziabad was for her latest venture, a plush unisex salon next to her two existing beauty parlours (for men and women). An ‘ultra-sonic facial bed’ and an array of ‘chemical treatment’ products also lined the racks of the swanky 13X54 ft space that she had rented for Rs 25,000 a month.
Five days later, the Prime Minister announced the Janata Curfew, and within hours Kavya’s salons shut down. Through the year, as the Covid-19 cases went up and down, Kavya spent anxious hours over her mounting losses, the expiry dates on her facials and peels, and her fish. (Read Ankita Dwivedi Johri's report)
With the addition of 432 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has gone up to 5,30,720, an official said on Sunday. Besides these new cases reported on Saturday, the virus also claimed the lives of 18 more people, raising the death toll in the district to 10,629.
The Covid-19 mortality rate in Thane is two per cent, he added. Details of recovered and under-treatment patients were not provided by the district administration. In neighbouring Palghar district, the Covid-19 case count has gone up to 1,16,033, while the death toll has reached 2,537, another official said. (PTI)
India recorded 50,040 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the preceding 24 hours, the Union ministry of health and family welfare informed on Sunday in its daily bulletin — a marked rise from its spike of 48,698 new cases a day ago. As many as 1,498 new fatalities were also recorded in the same duration.
The Covid-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 7,446 on Sunday as five more people tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said. Twenty more people were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,265, it said, adding the Union territory now has 54 active cases. The archipelago has thus far registered 127 coronavirus deaths. The administration has tested over 4 lakh samples for Covid-19 so far. (PTI)
When the nationwide lockdown was announced in March last year, artist Umesh Singh was in Varanasi, preparing for exhibitions in the coming months. The 2019 postgraduate from Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, Hyderabad, was looking forward to leveraging the attention his work had received at the 2018-19 Students’ Biennale and the Serendipity Arts Festival and was hopeful that an early communication with gallerists and art collectors would help his career get off to a flying start. “People had appreciated my work at both forums and there were several inquiries. I was expecting some of the work to find buyers,” says Singh, 28. (Read Vandana Kalra's report)
The Odisha government has urged the Centre to reduce allocation of Covid-19 vaccines to the private sector from the current 25 per cent to 5 per cent.
State Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das raised the issue in a letter to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday. “For the state of Odisha, the government and private vaccine allocation ratio of 75:25 may be revised to 95:5 ratio, keeping in mind the ground reality. Procurement by private hospitals in the state is negligible. Till date, only seven private hospitals in Odisha have been able to procure vaccines from the manufacturers,” Das said in the letter, adding that private hospitals provide services to only 5 per cent of the state’s population. (Read Aishwarya Mohanty's report)
With India’s domestic shortage hitting its Covid vaccine supplies and disrupting global supply chains dependent on manufacturing here, moves are afoot to advance the Quad vaccine initiative towards the “end of 2021” — a year ahead of the earlier 2022 deadline, The Sunday Express has learnt.
On March 12, at the first summit of the leaders of the Quadrilateral grouping, a Quad vaccine initiative was announced under which India would manufacture US vaccines with Japanese funding and Australian logistical support for countries in the Indo-Pacific. The original timeline provided for the supply of at least 1 billion vaccines by the end of 2022. (Read Subhajit Roy's report)