Coronavirus News Highlights: Punjab CM orders fresh curbs on indoor, outdoor gatherings from March 1

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | First COVID-19 vaccine doses dispatched by COVAX arrive in Ghana

The World Health Organization's global vaccine sharing scheme COVAX delivered its first COVID-19 shots on Wednesday, as the race to get doses to the world's poorest people and tame the pandemic accelerates. A flight carrying 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India landed in Ghana's capital Accra, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), said in a joint statement. The delivery comes almost a year after the WHO first described the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic and eight months after the launch of the COVAX initiative, aimed at pooling funds from wealthier countries and non-profits to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it equitably around the world. (Reuters)

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Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | India commences supply of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa under Covax facility

India on Tuesday commenced the supply of 'Made in India' Covid-19 vaccines to Africa under the Covax facility. 

"Fulfilling our commitment to help the world with Covid-19 vaccines, supplies of Made in India vaccine commence today for Africa under Covax facility," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava tweeted.

Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as Covax, is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines led by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and others.

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Over 1.19 crore healthcare and frontline workers vaccinated against COVID-19: Govt

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to healthcare and frontline workers in the country has crossed 1.19 crore, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday.
A total of 1,19,07,392 vaccine doses have been administered through 2,53,434 sessions till 6 pm on Tuesday, according to a provisional report.

The beneficiaries include 64,71,047 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose, 13,21,635 HCWs who have taken the second dose and 41,14,710 frontline workers (FLWs) who have taken the first dose.

While the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, the vaccination of FLWs started from February 2

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | J-K adds 94 COVID-19 cases, tally rises to 1,26,019

Jammu and Kashmir on Monday recorded 94 new COVID-19 cases which took its tally to 1,26,019 while one more fatality pushed the death toll to 1,955, officials said.
Of the fresh cases, 72 were reported from the Kashmir division and 22 from the Jammu division, they said.

Srinagar district recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 40, including 32 travellers. Jammu district was second on the list with 10 fresh infections, according to the officials.

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Andhra Pradesh's COVID-19 tally goes up to 8,89,409 with addition of 70 new cases

Andhra Pradesh reported 70 fresh COVID-19 cases, 84 recoveries and one death in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Tuesday.
With the addition of the new infections, the tally went up to 8,89,409,according to the latest bulletin.

Recoveries rose to 8,81,666,while the toll mounted to 7,168, it said. The active cases now stood at 575, it added.

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Punjab CM orders fresh curbs on indoor, outdoor gatherings from March 1

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh today imposed a set of new restrictions amid the spike in cases of coronavirus in the state. According to new restrictions which will be implemented from 1 March,  the new cieling on number of people gathering indoors will be 100 and those gathering outdoors will be 200.

Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Health Ministry: "Over 1.17 crore vaccine doses administered across the country - 1.04 crore first doses and 12.61 lakh second doses. Active cases continue to be less than 1.50 lakh. If you look at average of deaths taking place daily, it was 92 last week- trend of less than 100 deaths." (ANI)

Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE Updates |  Union Home Ministry has decided to close Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) established COVID-19 centre in Delhi Cantt in line with the decision taken in a meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla this month. (ANI)

Coronavirus in Odisha LIVE Updates | Odisha's COVID-19 tally rises to 3,36,767 with 62 new cases

Odisha's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 3,36,767 today as 62 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said. Of the fresh cases, 37 were reported from quarantine centres and 25 detected during contact tracing. The state's COVID-19 death toll remained unchanged at 1,914 as no fresh fatality was reported since Friday last week. Fifty-three other coronavirus patients have died in the state due to comorbidities. Odisha now has 634 active cases, and 3,34,166 people have so far recovered from the disease. (PTI)

Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | Afghanistan begins COVID-19 vaccination drive amid rising violence

Afghanistan began its first COVID-19 vaccinations on Tuesday, administering doses initially to security force members, health workers and journalists, in a campaign that may face challenges from a sharp rise in violence. The war-damaged country received 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), which is producing the vaccine for mid-and low-income countries, earlier this month. In a ceremony at the presidential palace, acting health minister Waheed Majroh said the vaccines would be provided to 250,000 people, mostly from the security, health, education and media sectors. (Reuters)