Coronavirus News Highlights: Today is the 323rd day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. So far, India has recorded more than 1.08 crore confirmed COVID-19 cases, including over 1.55 lakh deaths. A total of 1.05 crore people have recuperated from COVID-19 in the country so far. However, there are 1.48 lakh active cases. India's recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 97.16 percent. Globally, over 10.71 crore people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 23.45 lakh have died so far. India, along with many countries, has granted emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccines and has started the process of vaccinating healthcare workers and high-risk groups. India's regulator has granted restricted emergency use approval for two vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin. More than 66 lakh people have been given their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in India so far.
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Coronavirus Live updates | Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan:
Central Drugs Standards & Control Org, headed by DCGI, has granted permission to manufacture 2 COVID-19 vaccines based on the prescribed procedure & after due evaluation of pre-clinical & clinical trial data.
Coronavirus Live updates | Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan:
Only Covishield & Covaxin are being used for vaccination drive in country. Both vaccines being supplied to States/UTs are safe & immunogenic & should be used expeditiously to rapidly confer protection to prioritised beneficiaries.
Coronavirus Live updates | 285 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths, no new case in 13 districts
Gujarat recorded 285 new coronavirus cases and two deaths in the last 24 hours, the state Health Department said on Thursday evening.
The caseload in the state thus rose to 2,64,450, while the death toll due to the pandemic reached 4,399. Both the latest fatalities were reported from Ahmedabad district.
With 302 patients being discharged, the number of recoveries rose to 2,58,270, the release said.
Gujarat''s rate of recovery went up to 97.66 per cent on Thursday. There are only 1,781 active cases in the state at present, 30 of them are on ventilators.
Coronavirus Live updates | DGP among 72,204 frontline workers vaccinated so far in Himachal
As many as 6,090 frontline workers including Director general of Police Sanjay Kundu were administered the COVID-19 vaccine in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, taking the number of people who have received the jabs in the state so far to 72,204, a senior health official said.
The number of frontline workers receiving the jab has increased to 10,915 after beginning of the second phase of the vaccination drive on Wednesday.
Earlier, 61,289 healthcare workers had been vaccinated in 1,133 sessions during the first phase from January 16 to February 9, Special Secretary (Health) Nipun Jindal said.
Coronavirus Live updates | Not perfect, but saves lives, AstraZeneca says as Africa backs COVID-19 shot
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is not perfect, but will have a big impact on the pandemic, its chief executive predicted on Thursday, as the drugmaker pledged to double output by April and the African Union gave its backing for the shot.
The two-dose inosculation, developed with Oxford University, has been hailed as a “vaccine for the world” because it is cheaper and easier to distribute than some rivals.
But its rapid approval in Europe and elsewhere has been clouded by doubts over its most effective dosage and interval between doses.
Data at the weekend also showed it was less effective against a fast-spreading variant of the virus in South Africa, prompting the country to pause rollout of the shot, and the company has also been embroiled in a row with the European Union over supply delays.
Coronavirus Live updates | Chhattisgarh rejects Bharat Biotech vaccine approved without efficacy data
India, which has reported the world’s second-highest number of COVID-19 cases after the United States, has vaccinated more than 7 million front-line workers since January 16 using COVAXIN developed by Bharat Biotech as well as a vaccine licenced from AstraZeneca and Oxford University.
So far the government has ordered 10 million COVAXIN doses and 21 million AstraZeneca shots, locally made by the Serum Institute of India for low- and middle-income countries.
Bharat Biotech, which created COVAXIN with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, has said efficacy data from the late-stage clinical trial on nearly 26,000 volunteers will be out by next month, leading to criticism from epidemiologists that it was approved too hastily for emergency use.
Coronavirus Live updates | EAM at World Sustainable Development Summit-High Level Round Table on Rebooting Green Growth:
After a year of pandemic, we're seeing optimism around us. COVID-19 may have devastated world economy,causing immeasurable damage. Millions lost their jobs andmany pushed back into poverty.
Coronavirus Live updates | Mobile labs for COVID-19 testing to soon be available in Maharashtra: CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said mobile laboratories for COVID-19 testing will soon be made available across the state.
Speaking at the launch of three laboratory vans for COVID-19 testing, Thackeray said these mobile laboratories can carry out 3,000 tests per day and reports would be available in 24 hours.
Tests will be conducted at the mobile labs for Rs 499, said Mumbai municipal commissioner I S Chahal who was present on the occasion.
The mobile labs by Spice Heath, which are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), have been set up at Bandra Kurla Complex, National Sports Club of India in Worli and NESCO in Goregaon.
Coronavirus Live updates | Mexico to receive 1 million doses of Indian-made Covid-19 vaccine, says Prez Lopez Obrador
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at a news conference on Wednesday informed that the country would receive around a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine sent from India in the early hours of Sunday.
Indian envoy to Mexico Manpreet Vohra also announced, "To assist #Mexico's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, I am delighted to confirm that 500,000 Made-in-India vaccines are scheduled to reach here on Sunday," tweeted the Indian Embassy in Mexico.
Coronavirus Live updates | 'We're at war with this virus': Inside Joe Biden's response to COVID-19
The meetings begin each day not long after dawn. Dozens of aides report in, coffee in hand, joining by Zoom from agency headquarters, their homes or even adjacent offices. The sessions start with the latest sobering statistics meant to focus the work and offer a reminder of what's at stake: new coronavirus cases, people in hospitals, deaths. But they also include the latest signs of progress: Covid-19 tests administered, vaccine doses shipped, shots injected.
Where the last administration addressed the pandemic with the vernacular of a natural disaster — using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's mantra of a “federally supported, state managed and locally executed" response — Biden's team is borrowing from the Pentagon and the doctrine of overwhelming force. “We're at war with this virus," Covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said in an interview with The Associated Press between Sunday morning meetings on the response. “We're taking every resource and tool the federal government has to battle on every front."
Coronavirus Live updates | Saudi Arabia bans travel from 20 countries, including India
Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases, Saudi Arabia suspended entry of people for at least 20 countries, including India, said Indian Embassy in Riyadh on on Thursday. Indian Embassy posted its advisory on Twitter mentioning, "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia vide its circular dated 2nd February 2021 have temporarily suspended entry into the Kingdom for passengers coming from the following 19 countries, in addition to India."
Saudi Arabia has restricted travel from India, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States of America, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, and Japan. The coronavirus count in Saudi Arabia has reached 371,356, according to Johns Hopkins University. The death toll has increased to 6,415.
Coronavirus Live updates | Instagram bans Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over COVID-19 vaccine misinformation: Report
Photosharing platform Instagram, owned by Facebook Inc, has removed the account of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for posting misleading information about COVID-19, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Kennedy, the nephew of late President John F. Kennedy, and his representatives could not immediately be reached for a comment. Facebook and Instagram did not respond to a request for comment.
The company permanently removed the account "for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines," the Journal said citing an Instagram spokeswoman. Kennedy, a lawyer and environmentalist, is the son of the late former U.S. Senator, U.S. Attorney General and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
Coronavirus Live updates | Goa to host two carnival parades amid COVID-19 pandemic
Goa will host only two carnival float parades instead of six this year in light of the COVID- 19 pandemic, a senior official said on Thursday. The parades will be held on February 13 and 14 in Panaji and Margao in South Goa respectively due to curbs imposed to contain the spread of infection, said Nikhil Desai, managing director of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
The tourism department usually hosts parades at six cities across the state, and this would be the first time in the history of the coastal state''s tourism that only two parades will be held, he said. Mythological character King Momo will be heralding the colourful float parades. All COVID-19 restrictions will be in place during the parade, which will be attended by thousands of people, the official added.
Coronavirus Live updates | Odisha logs 95 new COVID-19 cases, over 3.61 lakh frontline workers inoculated
Odisha's COVID-19 caseload on Thursday mounted to 3,35,984 after 95 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said.
The toll remained unchanged at 1,910 as no fresh fatality was reported since Monday. Of the 95 cases, 56 were reported from various quarantine centres, and the rest detected during contact tracing, the official said.
Sundergarh reported the maximum number of fresh cases at 20, followed by Cuttack at 11 and Puri at nine. Eleven of the state's 30 districts, including Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, and kendrapara, did not register any new case since Tuesday. Malkangiri and Nayagarh continue to remain coronavirus-free with no active case left in the two districts, he said.
Odisha currently has 801 active cases -- 146 alone in Sundergarh -- while as many as 3,33,220 patients have recovered from the highly infectious disease. Fifty-three COVID-19 patients died in the state due to comorbidities. The positivity rate stands at 4.22 per cent. Over 79.55 lakh sample tests have been conducted in the state, including 25,188 on Wednesday. The coastal state has so far inoculated over 3.61 lakh frontline workers, the official added.
Coronavirus Live updates | Over 13,000 railway health care staff vaccinated against COVID-19
Over 13,000 railway health care staff have been vaccinated against COVID-19 during the pan-India vaccination drive in a phased manner, the Railway Ministry said on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha regarding vaccination of railway employees, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that vaccination of railway employees is being done in a phased manner.
"In the first phase railway, health care staff are being vaccinated. Till now, 13,117 Railway health care staff have been vaccinated. 3,70,316 frontline, Railway employees have been identified for vaccination in the next phase," he stated. The question was asked by PP Chaudhary, Lok Sabha MP from Pali, Rajasthan.
Coronavirus Live updates | Telangana adds 146 new cases, no death
Telangana recorded 146 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the total positives to over 2.96 lakh while after nearly nine months no death was reported, the state government said on Thursday. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 25, followed by Rangareddy and Karimnagar with 11 and 10 respectively, it said in a bulletin, providing details as of 8 PM on February 10.
The total number of cases stood at 2,96,134 while recoveries were at 2,92,696. As many as 1,825 patients are under treatment and 29,755 samples were tested on Wednesday. The toll remains at 1,613. Cumulatively, over 82.13 lakh samples have been tested. The samples tested per million population was over 2.20 lakh, the bulletin said. The case fatality rate in the state was 0.54 per cent, while it was 1.4 per cent at the national level. The recovery rate in Telangana was 98.83 per cent, while it was 97.2 per cent in the country.
Coronavirus Live updates | Mandatory Covid-19 negative report for those travelling from Kerala: Maharashtra
The Udhhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra has made it mandatory to submit Covid-19 negative report for those travelling from Kerala. "All incoming passengers from Kerala will have to present RT-PCR negative test reports," Maharashtra Govt said. Similar travel restrictions are already in place for four states — Delhi, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat.
The travel restrictions on Kerala comes a day after state's active cases touched 64,390 on Wednesday, the highest in the country. With this Kerala's Covid-19 caseload stands at 9.83 lakh. Of the total active cases in the country, 1,41,511, Maharashtra accounts for 35,917.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, those without RT-PCR test reports shall have to compulsorily undergo RT-PCR test at the airports concerned at their own cost. They will be allowed to go home only after undertaking the tests. Those who test positive will have to be treated as per the existing protocol.
Coronavirus Live updates | No new COVID-19 cases detected in Arunachal in two days
No new COVID-19 cases were detected in Arunachal Pradesh in the last two days, a senior health department official said on Thursday. There are four active cases in the state at present, said State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa. In all, Arunachal Pradesh has reported 16,831 COVID-19 cases.
While 16,771 patients have recovered, 56 people succumbed to the infection. So far, 3,98,385 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state, including 754 on Wednesday, Dr Jampa said. State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said that 20,280 health workers have received COVID vaccines so far in the state.
The health department has been carrying out the inoculation drive four days a week -- Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Seven persons have so far reported adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), Padung said. The state has received 32,000 doses of Covishield vaccines.
Coronavirus Live updates | SC refuses to entertain plea on preventing sale of fake COVID-19 vaccines
The Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking direction to the Centre for framing "strict" guidelines to prevent any chance of sale of fake coronavirus vaccines in the country. A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said that though it understood the "motivation" behind filing of the PIL, it cannot pass general directions.
"We understand your motivation but you file a concrete case. We cannot pass general directions. We are not the legislature," the bench told lawyer Vishal Tiwari who filed the plea in his personal capacity. "If you (lawyer) want to persue this issue, you make out a case with concrete facts. We will allow you to withdraw with liberty to file it afresh," the bench said in the hearing conducted through video-conferencing.
Coronavirus Live updates | India goes past 7 million vaccine doses, gives states deadlines to speed up
India paced up its covid-19 vaccination drive this week, becoming the quickest in the world to go past 7 million vaccine doses on Wednesday. Around 37% of these doses were given in just the last seven days. But with some states still lagging in progress, the health ministry has now come up with strict deadlines for completing the first phase.
Starting Saturday, India will get its first set of fully-vaccinated healthcare and frontline workers. The ones who got their first dose on 16 January, the first day of vaccination, will get their second and final dose from that day, the health ministry said. States have been asked to complete the first-round vaccination of all healthcare workers by 20 February.
So far, 57% of the registered healthcare workers and 13% of the registered frontline workers have got their first dose, the ministry said. The coverage is less than 40% in seven states and Union territories, including Punjab and Tamil Nadu, and has exceeded 65% in 13 states, including Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. As a proportion of states’ populations, Gujarat and Kerala have the best progress, with over nine doses given per 1,000 people. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Odisha are close, with around eight doses administered per 1,000 people.
Coronavirus Live updates | Scientists unravel what makes some people COVID-19 super-spreaders
Obesity, age, and the state of COVID-19 infection influence the number of virus particles an infected person breathes out, according to a new study which says these factors determine if a person becomes a super-spreader of the virus. The observational study, published in the journal PNAS, assessed 194 healthy people and also examined the findings of an experimental study of nonhuman primates with COVID-19.
According to the researchers, including those from Harvard University in the US, exhaled aerosol particles vary greatly between subjects, depending on their age, state of viral infection, and body mass index (BMI). Body mass index is the ratio of a person''s weight to the square of their height in metres, and the scientists said older people with a higher BMI and an increasing degree of COVID-19 infection had three times the number of exhaled respiratory droplets as others in the study groups.
The analysis revealed that 18 per cent of the human subjects accounted for 80 per cent of the exhaled particles of the group -- reflecting a distribution of exhaled aerosol particles that follows the 20/80 rule. According to this rule, which is seen in other infectious disease epidemics, 20 per cent of infected individuals are responsible for 80 per cent of transmissions.
The scientists also found that the aerosol droplets in nonhuman primates increased as infection with COVID-19 progressed, reaching peak levels a week after infection before falling to normal after two weeks. As infection with COVID-19 progressed, they said the viral particles got smaller, reaching the size of a single micron at the peak of infection. These tiny particles, the researchers said, are more likely to be expelled as people breathe, talk or cough and can also stay afloat much longer, travel farther in the air and penetrate deeper into the lungs when inhaled.
They said the increase in exhaled aerosols occurred even among those with asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. "We''ve seen a similar increase in droplets during the acute infection stage with other infectious diseases like tuberculosis," said Chad Roy, a co-author of the study from Tulane National Primate Research Center in the US.
Coronavirus Live updates | Malaysia offers COVID-19 vaccinations to foreign residents, undocumented migrants
Malaysia will extend its free COVID-19 vaccination programme to all foreigners residing in the country, including students, refugees and undocumented migrants, the government said on Thursday. The Southeast Asian country is expected to begin its vaccine rollout at the end of this month, aiming to cover at least 80% of its 32 million population within a year.
"A safe environment free from COVID-19 can only be achieved when as many Malaysian residents as possible are immunised," the government committee on vaccine supply said in a statement. "During a pandemic, providing vaccinations is a humanitarian step." The committee, however, said priority will be given to Malaysians, with the vaccination schedule for foreigners to be announced at a later date. Separately, science minister Khairy Jamaluddin said foreigners eligible for free vaccinations will include asylum-seekers registered with the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR and undocumented migrants.
"(The committee) will be discussing further on how this can be implemented," he said on Twitter, adding that authorities will bring in state governments, foreign embassies and non-government organisations to assist in vaccine distribution. Malaysia has secured more than enough vaccines to reach its targets after agreeing supply deals with U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and German partner BioNTech, Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute as well as China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and CanSino Biologics.
It had also secured two separate vaccine shipments from AstraZeneca PLC, including one arranged under the global COVAX facility. The first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines is expected to arrive on Feb. 26. Malaysia has seen a sharp spike in coronavirus infections in recent weeks, after having largely reined in the epidemic for most of last year. That has pushed total cases past 250,000, including 923 deaths, as of Wednesday.
Coronavirus Live updates | Singapore Airlines starts flights with crew fully vaccinated against COVID
Singapore Airlines (SIA) began operating flights on Thursday with full sets of crew members vaccinated against COVID-19 as the city-state seeks to rejuvenate its status as an international travel hub. The airline said pilots and cabin crew on three international flights from Singapore had received both of the required doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The Singapore government has urged workers at the national airline to sign up for its inoculation program in a bid to make SIA the world's first carrier with all staff vaccinated against COVID-19. Singapore Airlines said Thursday's three flights with a fully vaccinated crew - to Jakarta, Bangkok and Phnom Penh - were among the first in the world.
The carrier said more than 90% of its cabin crew and pilots have signed up for the vaccine. Around 85% of those have received at least the first dose, and many have begun getting the second dose, it added. SIA expects all those who have signed up to receive the second dose by the end of March.
Coronavirus Live updates | Benefits of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine outweigh risks: WHO
The World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) said on Wednesday that the benefits of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the potential risks. "The data reviewed by WHO support the conclusion that the known and potential benefits of AZD1222 outweigh the known and potential risk," SAGE said in a set of interim recommendations.
Citing trial data taken from studies in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil that saw participants receive two standard doses, SAGE said that the AstraZeneca vaccine showed 63.09 percent efficacy. SAGE also recommends that the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine be given at an interval of eight to 12 weeks between shots, and the experts appeared that the vaccine appears to be safe for individuals aged 65 and above.
"Immune responses induced by the vaccine in older persons are well documented and similar to those in other age groups. This suggests it is likely that the vaccine will be found to be efficacious in older persons. The trial data indicate that the vaccine is safe for this age group," the expert group said.
Coronavirus Live updates | Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls PM Narendra Modi for vaccine supply
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday telephoned his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi seeking covid-19 vaccine supplies and lauding India’s role as the pharmacy of the world. During the conversation, the two leaders also discussed global economic recovery after the pandemic and challenges posed by climate change.
“Was happy to receive a call from my friend @JustinTrudeau. Assured him that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines sought by Canada. We also agreed to continue collaborating on other important issues like Climate Change and the global economic recovery," Modi said in a Twitter post.
A readout of the conversation from Modi’s office later said: “Prime Minister Trudeau informed Prime Minister Modi about Canada's requirements of COVID-19 vaccines from India. Prime Minister assured the Canadian PM that India would do its best to support Canada's vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already."
Coronavirus Live updates | WHO panel suggests 8-12 week interval between Covishield doses
An expert panel of the Word Health Organization has suggested an 8-12 week interval between two doses of the covid-19 vaccine developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. The vaccine is also manufactured by Serum Institute of India under the brand Covishield.
“In light of the observation that two-dose efficacy and immunogenicity increase with a longer interdose interval, WHO recommends an interval of 8 to 12 weeks between the doses. If the second dose is inadvertently administered less than 4 weeks after the first, the dose does not need to be repeated," the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) said on Wednesday.
It added that if administration of the second dose is inadvertently delayed beyond 12 weeks, it should be given at the earliest possible opportunity, and that another dose will not be required if the booster shot is given less than six weeks after the first despite the risk of lower efficacy. The recommendation comes in the backdrop of the Indian regulator’s directive that the two doses should be given only four to six weeks apart even though evidence from the clinical trials conducted by Oxford and AstraZeneca in the UK showed that the vaccine had only around 54% efficacy as compared to 79% if the gap is 12 weeks.
Coronavirus Live updates | COVID virus could have come through frozen food, unlikely from lab: WHO
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes covid-19 could have come through the food chain, as frozen products can provide a surface for transmission, according to a hypothesis of the joint international expert team convened by the World Health Organisation (WHO) investigating the origin of the virus in Wuhan in China, the epicentre of the virus.
The team that consisted of 17 Chinese experts and counterparts from other countries, looking at epidemiology, molecular research and animal and environment, visited hospitals and other sites in Wuhan, including the Huanan Market where the virus was first detected.
“Frozen animal products, mainly seafood, were sold at Huanan Market, along with products made from wild and farmed animals, some of which came from other parts of China or were imported. So, there is the potential to continue to follow this lead and further look at the supply chain and animals that were supplied to the markets in frozen and other processed and semi-processed form, or raw form," said Dr Peter Ben Embarek from WHO at a press conference in Wuhan, China, at the end of a four-week mission to the city.
Refuting the theory that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was made in laboratory, the scientists said that the virus that causes covid-19 probably jumped from animals to humans and is “extremely unlikely" to have come from a laboratory.
Coronavirus Live updates | 364 new COVID-19 cases in Thane, 5 more deaths
With the addition of 364 new cases ofcoronavirus, the infection count in Maharashtra's Thane district has reached 2,56,549,an official said on Thursday. Apart from these new cases reported on Wednesday, five more people also succumbed to the viral infection, taking the death toll in the district to 6,194, he said. Currently, the COVID-19 fatality rate in the district is 2.41 per cent, he said.
So far, 2,47,232 patients have recuperated from the infection, taking the recovery rate to 96.37 per cent. There are 3,123 active COVID-19 cases in the district at present, the official said. In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 45,400,while the death toll stands at 1,199, an official from the district administration said.
Coronavirus Live updates | Mizoram reports 2 new COVID-19 cases
Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the state's tally to 4,390, an official said on Thursday.
The two fresh cases were reported from the Lawngtlai district, he said. One of the patients has symptoms of COVID-19, while the other is asymptomatic, the official said.
Mizoram at present has 22 active cases, while 4,359 people have recovered from the virus so far. The COVID-19 death toll in the state is nine. Altogether, 2,18,043 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till date, including 601 on Wednesday.
Coronavirus Live updates | Need to find out if Kerala, Maharashtra have mutant coronavirus strain, says AIIMS chief
India has been seeing a downward trend in the number of new daily coronavirus infections. Most states are currently reporting fresh cases in the hundreds or in two-digits, with the exception of Maharashtra and Kerala. While the number of daily cases being reported in Maharashtra has declined considerably, it is still remarkably higher than the rest of the nation. Similarly, in Kerala, which had once set an example for effective COIVD-19 management, daily coronavirus infections are still being reported in the thousands.
As per data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, together, these two states account for 71 percent of the total COVID-19 caseload of the past week. Out of a total 80,536 fresh cases being reported last week, 56,932 came from Kerala and Maharashtra; of this, 39,260 cases came from Kerala alone.
A News 18 report quoting IANS stated that All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria has hinted at the possibility of the presence of the mutant strain of Sars-CoV-2 in these two states.
Coronavirus Live updates | Fall in India’s COVID-19 case count: Is it sustainable, and why complacency is risky
Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College in Jaipur, the main public health institution leading Rajasthan’s efforts to combat Covid-19, is seeing 25-30 Covid admissions these days, a drop of almost 10 times from the peak. The hospital, which used to have 800 Covid-19 inpatients at any point from September to December, now has less than 200 patients.
“The situation is much better. For at least the last five days deaths have dropped to zero,” Dr Sudhir Bhandari, Senior Professor of Medicine and Principal and Controller of SMS Medical College, told Moneycontrol. The active cases in Rajasthan now stand at 1,435. Rajasthan alone has seen 3,18,384 cases and 2,774 deaths so far. To be sure the decline in Covid-19 cases isn’t confined to Rajasthan but across the country. As of today, February 10, India has 1.41 lakh active cases, representing just 1.3% of the country’s Total Positive Cases.
Coronavirus Live updates | India records 12,923 fresh cases, 108 more fatalities
India's COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,08,71,294 with 12,923 fresh cases reported in a day, while the number of recoveries has surged to 1,05,73,372, the health ministry said on Thursday. The death toll in the country due to the viral disease has gone up to 1,55,360 with 108 more people succumbing to it, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,05,73,372, which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.26 percent, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.43 percent. The country currently has 1,42,562 active COVID-19 cases, which account for only 1.31 percent of its total caseload, the data stated.
Coronavirus Live updates | Germany plans to extend lockdown until March 14
Germany plans to extend restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus until March 14, according to a draft agreement for talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel and leaders of the 16 federal states on Wednesday. The number of new daily infections in Germany has been falling, prompting some regional leaders to push for a timetable to ease the lockdown, but concerns are growing about the impact of more infectious variants of the virus on case numbers.
"We have a highly fragile situation," Winfried Kretschmann, Greens premier of the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, told Spiegel Online. "We can see in other countries, such as Portugal, how quickly the tide can turn." Under the draft agreement, which may yet change during the afternoon meeting, some exceptions will be made to a strict lockdown which has been in place since mid-December. Hairdressers will be allowed to reopen from March 1 and individual states can decide on how to re-start school classes. Merkel, who has adopted a cautious approach throughout the pandemic, has said nurseries and primary schools take priority.
Coronavirus Live updates | New covid cluster in Australia's Melbourne sparks mass testing
Health authorities in Australia's Victoria state ramped up contact tracing and prepared for more mass testing of residents in Melbourne after a new COVID-19 cluster linked to a quarantine hotel grew to eight cases on Thursday. More than 22,500 test results were conducted in the past 24 hours in Australia's second most populous city Melbourne and authorities urged residents to get tested amid fears of community transmission from a worker at the Holiday Inn in the city.
The new outbreak in Melbourne, where the Australia Open tennis tournament is underway, has stirred fears of a fresh wave of infections in the state hardest hit by COVID-19. Victoria had more than 20,000 cases last year and over 800 deaths, forcing authorities to implement a strict lockdown lasting more than 100 days, the most severe action taken by any Australian state.
Coronavirus Live updates | Benefits of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine outweigh risks: WHO
The World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) said on Wednesday that the benefits of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the potential risks. "The data reviewed by WHO support the conclusion that the known and potential benefits of AZD1222 outweigh the known and potential risk," SAGE said in a set of interim recommendations.
Citing trial data taken from studies in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil that saw participants receive two standard doses, SAGE said that the AstraZeneca vaccine showed 63.09 percent efficacy. SAGE also recommends that the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine be given at an interval of eight to 12 weeks between shots, and the experts appeared that the vaccine appears to be safe for individuals aged 65 and above
Coronavirus Live updates | 2,090 more health workers get COVID-19 vaccine in Assam
At least 2,090 health workers in Assam received the shots of COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, taking the total number of people inoculated so far to 1,10,602, according to a bulletin issued by the National Health Mission. ''Covishield'' vaccine was given to 2,053 beneficiaries at 69 session sites, while 37 received ''Covaxin'' shots at two sites.
No case of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) was reported during the day, it said. The COVID-19 tally in Assam mounted to 2,17,267 as the northeastern state reported 11 new cases, the bulletin said. The new cases include five from Kamrup Metropolitan and two from Dibrugarh districts. The fresh cases were detected out of 18,027 samples tested with a positivity rate at 0.06 per cent.
No coronavirus death was reported during the day, the NHM bulletin said. The total number of fatalities due to the infection stood at 1,086, while 1,347 COVID patients have died for other reasons. Assam currently has 327 active cases, and three migrated to other states. Seventeen patients were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,14,507, the bulletin said. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients is at 98.73 per cent. The state has so far conducted 66,21,149 sample tests for COVID-19, it added.
Coronavirus Live updates | Delhi to start 82 additional Covid-19 vaccination sites from February 11
The Delhi administration has decided to increase the number of vaccination sites from the existing 183 to 265. The planned 82 vaccination sites will become operational from February 11. Meanwhile, over 14,700 beneficiaries received Covid-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on Wednesday in the fourth week of the inoculation drive, the highest number of people vaccinated in a day since the start of the exercise.
The target set for Wednesday was 18,300, and the turnout was 80%, as per data shared by the officials. On Tuesday, the corresponding figures were 12,717, a turnout of more than 54%. Besides, healthcare workers, frontline workers, who include, police, civil defence staff, DJB and electricity department employees, among others, are also getting jabs since the last couple of days. Also, the number of scheduled days, from initially being four days -- Monday, Tuesday, Thurday and Saturday -- have now been extended been extended to six days a week, Monday-Saturday.
Coronavirus Live updates | WHO panel recommends Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65
A World Health Organization panel has recommended COVID-19 shots for all, including in people aged 65 and older. The benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine developed byAstraZenecaand Oxford University outweigh any risks, the panel said on Wednesday.In interim recommendations on the shot, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts onImmunisation(SAGE) panel said the vaccine should be given in two doses, with an interval of around 8 to 12 weeks between the first and second doses.
SAGE also said that even where questions have been raised about the vaccine's efficacy against a South African variant of the coronavirus, "there is no reason not to recommend its use".South Africa this week paused its rollout of theAstraZenecavaccine after data from a small trial showed it did not protect against mild to moderate illness from the 501Y.V2 variant of the coronavirus now dominant in the country.
Coronavirus Live updates | CDC recommends double masking to help slow Covid-19 spread
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wednesday began recommending that Americans wear a cloth mask over a medical mask to slow the spread of Covid-19, along with other options to improve mask fit. The guidance followed the release of an agency study that found double masking can boost protection from aerosolized particles. Government officials have previously said the CDC was waiting to gather evidence on double masking.
Americans should ensure that masks fit tightly on their face and have layers, both of which improve protection, the agency’s guidance says. There are several routes to do that, including wearing a disposable mask beneath a cloth mask or choosing a mask with multiple layers of fabric, according to the recommendation. Double-masking with two disposable masks, or with a KN95, isn’t recommended.
Coronavirus Live updates | 19 states did not report any covid-19 deaths, shows health ministry data
No covid-19 deaths were reported from 19 states in India in the last 24 hours, the data available with the union health ministry showed. States like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Jharkhand, Puducherry, Manipur, Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Andman &Nicobar Islands, Ladakh (UT), Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli didn’t contribute to the covid-19 death count.
At least 94 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours with six States accounting for 80.85% of the daily deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (35). Kerala follows with 19 daily deaths and Punjab has reported 8 casualties, the union health ministry data showed. Though the covid-19 pandemic is showing signs of receding but the cases continue to rise. Over 11,067 new daily cases were recorded in the last 24 hours whereas 13,087 patients have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours. There are 1,41,511 active covid-19 cases in the country. Two States – Kerala and Maharashtra- account for 71% of the total Active Cases of the country, the government data showed. The data further showed that 83.31% of the daily new cases are from 6 States.
Coronavirus Live updates | India to do its best provide COVID-19 vaccine to Canada: PM Modi to Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau and assured that India will do its best to facilitate supplies of Covid-19 vaccines sought by Canada. "Was happy to receive a call from my friend Justin Trudeau. Assured him that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines sought by Canada," PM Modi said in a tweet.
The two leaders also reiterated the common perspective shared by India and Canada on many important geopolitical issues. They agreed to continue the close collaboration between both countries in fighting global challenges like climate change and the economic impacts of the pandemic. "We also agreed to continue collaborating on other important issues like Climate Change and the global economic recovery," he said.
Expressing his appreciation, the Canadian Prime Minister said that if the world managed to conquer COVID-19, "it would be significant because of India's tremendous pharmaceutical capacity, and Prime Minister Modi's leadership in sharing this capacity with the world".
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Odisha's COVID-19 tally mounts to 3.35 lakh, more than 3.61 lakh vaccinated
Odisha's COVID-19 tally climbed to 3.35 lakh yesterday after 92 more people tested positive for the virus, while the number of people inoculated so far has reached 3.61 lakh, a health department official said.
The coastal state's coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 1,910 as no new fatality was reported since February 9, the official said. (Input from PTI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates |
Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stand at 1.08 crore. This number includes cases related to foreign nationals, reported active cases, patients who have recovered and the COVID-19 death toll in the country.
While 1.05 crore patients have recovered, 1.55 lakh have died. Total active cases in the country stand at 1.41 lakh.
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates |
Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 10.71 crore, according to the Reuters tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at more than 23.45 lakh.
With over 2.72 crore reported cases so far, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE coverage of the novel coronavirus pandemic, its socio-economic impact and the massive vaccination drive across the world.
The COVID-19 outbreak has spread across 220 countries and territories. Today is the 323rd day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the infectious disease. Daily cases being reported in India have been dropping consistently over the last couple of months. Thus, the reopening process is also speeding up. Yet, states and Union Territories have continued to impose some local restrictions when and where required.
India began its massive COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16. Over 66 lakh beneficiaries have been given at least the first dose so far.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for the latest updates through the day.
