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.
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)
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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.