This live blog session has been ended, thank you for being with us. For more news, views and updates log in toMoneycontrol.com.
Coronavirus News Live Updates: Today is the 339th day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. The daily rise in coronavirus infections was registered above 16,000 for the third consecutive day on Saturday, pushing India's case tally to 1,10,79,979, while the recoveries surged to 1,07,63,451, according to the latest Union Health Ministry data. A total of 16,488 infections were reported in a day, while the death toll increased
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Government has fixed the price of vaccine dose at Rs 250 at private hospital: Report
This live blog session has been ended, thank you for being with us. For more news, views and updates log in toMoneycontrol.com.
The COVID-19 death toll in Haryana rose to 3,047 on Saturday with three more fatalities, while 199 new cases pushed the infection count to 2,70,610, a health department bulletin said. One fatality each was recorded in Gurgaon, Ambala and Karnal districts, it said.
During the past 24 hours, the count of new cases doubled in Gurgaon, from 29 a day earlier to 62 on Saturday, while Karnal, Kurukshetra and Panchkula reported 33, 29 and 20 new cases respectively. The number of active cases in the state jumped from 1,103 on Friday to 1,205 on Saturday while 2,66,358 people have recovered from the infection. The recovery rate was 98.43 per cent, it stated. (PTI)
Pakistan’s aviation authority on Saturday extended the existing restrictions for all inbound travellers for another two weeks as the nation continues to witness a surge in the number of coronavirus cases.
In a notification, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said that the instructions issued on December 31, 2020 would remain in place till March 14. It means that the category list of countries, classified under categories A, B and C would be followed. According to the list, Category A countries "do not require COVID-19 PCR test before entry into Pakistan". There are 24 countries in the categories including Australia, China, Iraq, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Travel from Category C countries to Pakistan is restricted and "only allowed as per guidelines of NCOC (National Command and Operations Centre)", said the PCAA. These countries are 15 in number and include South Africa, United Kingdom, Ireland and The Netherlands. The PCCA said that restrictions specified in a January 29 notice for Category C countries will remain effective till March 14.
PTI
India on Saturday said if members of the WTO would fail to deliver on a proposal on waiving certain intellectual property obligations to deal with COVID-19 pandemic, it would impact global growth and livelihood. In October 2020, India and South Africa submitted a proposal suggesting a waiver for all WTO (World Trade Organization) members on the implementation, application and enforcement of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19.
The agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights or TRIPS came into effect in January 1995. It is a multilateral agreement on intellectual property (IP) rights such as copyright, industrial designs, patents and protection of undisclosed information or trade secrets. "If we fail in the next one or two quarters or not delivering on that, let me tell you that it is not the question of equity, we are coming in the way of global growth and livelihood. It is not that we are coming in the way of life.
"It is a very simple economics that for a commercial interest of let us say USD 30 to USD 40 billion of annual vaccine output of few companies, we are coming in the way of USD 6-7 trillion of global GDP output in one year," Indian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Brajendra Navnit, said at the Asia Economic Dialogue. Developed and rich nations are opposing the proposal.
PTI
After injecting shots against COVID-19 to over 3.6 lakh beneficiaries, authorities in Delhi are now set for the roll-out of the second phase of the inoculation drive on March 1. In the second phase, people aged above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities will be vaccinated.
At Delhi government hospitals, doctors and other medical staff were upbeat about the second phase of the drive. Over 13,000 beneficiaries had received anti-COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, a significant fall from the number of people who had got the shots a day before, according to data shared by officials. READ MORE.
Chandigarh recorded 60 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the infection count to 21,719, a medical bulletin issued here said. No COVID-19-related death was reported on Saturday. The death toll stands at 351, it said. No COVID-19-related death was reported on Saturday.
3,792 newCOVID-19 cases and 18 deaths were reported in Kerala today.Active cases in the state stand at 50,514 and death toll at 4,182, said a statement issued by theKerala government.
For the fourth consecutive day, Maharashtra reported over 8,000 new coronavirus cases. The state, in the last 24 hours, reported 8,623 new cases with Mumbai clocking 987 new cases. In Amravati, the lockdown has been extended till March 8.
Private hospitals functioning asCOVIDvaccinationcentresmay recover a charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose, the Union government said on February 27.The announcement wasmade a couple of days after the Union Cabinet paved the way for involvement of private sector in the second phase of vaccination drive, beginning from March 1.
While the vaccine doses would be given free of cost at state-runCOVIDVaccination Centers (CVCs), the same would be administered at a cost at private facilities.
"States have been explained that the private hospitals functioning asCVCscan charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose along with the electronic and financial management mechanism in this regard," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare noted in an official release.READ FULL REPORT
"To ramp up the COVID vaccination capacity manifold, significantly large number of private facilities is being involving. Around 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, more than 600 hospitals empanelled under CGHS and other private hospitals empanelled under State Govts. Health Insurance Schemes can participate as COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs). Health Departments of State Governments have already initiated dialogue with these private hospitals so that they can be encouraged to participate in this drive as CVCs. A list of all these private hospitals has been uploaded on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Health Authority," the Health Ministry said in a press release.
The cost of the COVID19 vaccine at private hospitals has been capped at Rs 250 per dose, including Rs 100 as a service charge: Official sources
— ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021
Vaccination at government facilities will be free of cost.
The Odisha government on Saturday said week-long home isolation will be mandatory for people coming by plane or train from five high-risk states even as 86 new COVID-19 cases pushed the tally to 3,37,104, a health department official said.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, P K Mohapatra in a partial modification to the instructions issued on Friday to district authorities and others, has clarified that at present the precautionary measures may be limited to passengers coming from five high-risk states instead of 12 states named earlier.
The week-long home isolation will be mandatory for the people coming by train and flight from five high risk states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
PTI
