Coronavirus News Highlights: India added 35,178 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,22,85,857, while the national recovery rate improved to 97.52 percent, the highest since March 2020, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll climbed to 4,32,519 with 440 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am. The active cases declined to 3,67,415, the lowest in 148 days, and comprise 1.14 percent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, the ministry said. A reduction of 2,431 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. As many as 17,97,559 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 49,84,27,083 . The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.96 percent. It has been less than three percent for the last 23 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.95 percent. It has been below three percent for the last 54 days, according to the ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,14,85,923, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 percent, the data stated. Cumulatively, 56.06 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive so far. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
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Maharashtra's COVID-19 situation is a lot better today. Celebrations should be observed in a manner that COVID-19 cases don't rise. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has appealed to the people for no political gatherings: Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
In view of the upcoming festivals, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to the people to not violate Covid protocols in the state.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi reports 36 new
COVID-19 cases, 4 deathsDelhi reported 36 new COVID-19 cases, 76 recoveries, and 4 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total cases 14,37,192
Total recoveries 14,11,688
Death toll 25,077
Active cases 427
Positivity rate 0.05 %
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
It is a moment of pride that Thailand's govt has done a webinar with us to learn about the strategies and experiences adopted by the state to prevent the spread of COVID19. Our doctors also shared the treatment protocol of black fungus: Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij
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The US government has said it plans to make COVID-19 vaccine booster shots widely available to all Americans starting on September 20 as infections rise from the Delta variant of COVID19: Reuters
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 56.57 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in India
India has administered more than 56.57 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses till now, including over 48 lakh doses administered today, as per the 7 pm provisional report: Government of India
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai adds 283 cases, 5 deaths in past 24 hours
Mumbai reported 283 new coronavirus positive cases and five deaths on August 18, which took its infection tally to 7,40,007 and toll to 15,930, a civic official said.
The city's average case doubling rate improved to 2,057 days from 1,986 days that was recorded on August 17, he said.
At present, there are 2,686 active COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.
After witnessing less than 200 COVID-19 cases on two consecutive days in a row, the city reported a marginal rise in the daily infection count as well as fatalities on Wednesday as compared to Tuesday, when there were 198 cases and two deaths, the lowest since March 9, 2020.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India provided 2,00,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for UN Peacekeeping personnel worldwide in March
As a reflection of our deep commitment to ‘Protecting the Protectors’, the Government of India has provided 2,00,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for UN Peacekeeping personnel worldwide in March this year. Peacekeeping continues to play a crucial role in India’s vision for international peace and security: EAM S Jaishankar
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
COVID-19 restrictions eased in Himachal Pradesh for “all goods carriers, daily/weekend commuters or people who intend to commute for medical purpose. Children below 18 years of age, accompanied by parents with vaccination certificates (double doses) or negative RT-PCR reports, will also be excluded.”
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Himachal Pradesh reports 261 new COVID-19 cases, 230 recoveries, and 1 death in the last 24 hours.
Total positive cases: 2,10,980
Active cases: 2733
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Tamil Nadu reports 1,797 fresh COVID-19 cases, 31 deaths
Tamil Nadu reports 1,797 fresh COVID-19 cases, 1,908 discharges, and 31 deaths today.
Active cases: 20,083
Total discharges: 25,39,540
Death toll: 34,610
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a statement: “Due to shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, there will be no vaccination in government and municipal corporation-run centres in Mumbai on August 19 and 20. Vaccination will resume from August 21.”
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | No vaccination drive in Mumbai on August 19, 20 due to shortage
The ongoing coronavirus vaccination drive will be halted for two consecutive days in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
COVID-19 vaccine will not be administered at any Mumbai vaccination centre on August 19 and August 20 due to lack of vaccine supply.
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99% of the eligible population has been vaccinated in Rudraprayag. One lakh people will be vaccinated in 100 wards of Dehradun on Aug 22. Our target is to vaccinate Uttarakhand's entire population within 4 months. We've received 19 lakh doses this month: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 74% of Uttarakhand’s eligible population vaccinated: CM
All eligible people in Bageshwar district and Khirsu block of Pauri Garhwal have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the first dose. 74% of the eligible population in Uttarakhand has been jabbed: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami
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Kerala reports 21,427 new cases, 179 deaths, 18,731 recoveries; test positivity rate at 15.5%
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Tamil Nadu schools to reopen for Classes 9 to 12 from September 1
The Tamil Nadu government on August 18 announced that it will allow the reopening of schools for Classes nine to 12 from September 1, 2021, while ensuring strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
The Tamil Nadu government has made it mandatory for all teachers and other staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a prerequisite for school reopening.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Odisha's Covid vaccination coverage tops 2 crore mark
Over 2 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the State of Odisha so far. The vaccination programme is going on since January 16, 2021.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has informed this through his Twitter handle on Wednesday.
"Crossing a historic milestone in #COVID19 vaccination, #Odisha has administered two crore vaccine doses across the State. Commend the hard work and commitment of our healthcare workers in ensuring a swift inoculation process to save precious lives. #OdishaCares," Patnaik tweeted.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Rates of physical and psychological aggression among couples increased six to eight-fold at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, according to a new study.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Vaccine stockpiling by nations may bring new COVID-19 variants
Vaccine nationalism may strongly impact global trajectories of Covid-19 case numbers and increase the potential emergence of novel variants, warn researchers.
A team of researchers from the US and Canada projected forward the incidence of Covid-19 cases under a range of vaccine dosing regimes, vaccination rates, and assumptions related to immune responses.
They did so in two model regions: One with high access to vaccines (HAR) and a low-access region (LAR). The models also allowed for the regions to be coupled either through case importation, or the evolution of a novel variant in one of the regions. The study is published in the journal Science.
"Certain countries such as Peru and South Africa that have had severe Covid-19 outbreaks have received few vaccines, while many doses have gone to countries experiencing comparatively milder pandemic impacts, either in terms of mortality or economic dislocation," said Caroline Wagner, Assistant professor of bioengineering at McGill University.
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Four persons have been booked for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms during BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra attended by Union Minister Kapil Patil in Thane, under sections 188, 269 & 270 of IPC: Police in Thane, Maharashtra
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Air India issues quarantine rules for domestic passengers
Air India has issued a complete list of state-wise quarantine rules for domestic passengers travelling amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “While every effort is made to update this information, it is the sole responsibility of the passenger to ensure his or her eligibility to comply with the entry regulations of the respective State Government. Air India, Air India Express and their subsidiaries accept no liability in this regard,” the national carrier has said in a circular. In the circular, the AI has mentioned the health check requirements, quarantine requirements and exemptions and additional information, if any, for air travellers.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Japanese Grand Prix cancelled because of COVID-19 pandemic
This year's Japanese Grand Prix was cancelled following discussions between the government and race promoters, Formula One organizers said Wednesday. The race in Suzuka had been scheduled for October 10, between the events in Turkey and the United States. "The decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country," F1 said in a statement.
"Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks." The decision creates another dent in F1's calendar of Asia-based races following the cancellation of the Australian and Chinese GPs. "Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest from locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond," F1 said in the statement.
Most of the series is being staged in Europe and the Middle East this season, with organizers initially planning 23 races. The 11th race was held last weekend, when French driver Esteban Ocon won a chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton. The Japanese government pushed ahead with the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. New infections in Tokyo tripled during the 17 days of the Olympics, which finished on Aug. 8, although medical experts said the surge was not directly linked to the Games.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Sputnik V booster dose yield issues, slows production ramp up
Indian drug makers who have signed up with the Russian sovereign fund RDIF to contract manufacture Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, are now facing scaling up issues especially with the booster or the second dose. The delay in scale-up has pushed the commercial rollout of the vaccine till the third quarter of FY22 from the second quarter.
"There has been a challenge," said R Ananthanarayanan, CEO and Managing Director, Strides Pharma Science, referring to the Sputnik V second component. "There is some interaction, but we are doing it ourselves. We have been able to validate both the components of the vaccine on small scale and we are on track to achieve commercial production in the third quarter of FY22," Ananthanarayanan added. Stelis Biopharma (associate of Strides Pharma) is among eight Indian drug makers signed up with RDIF to manufacture Sputnik V vaccine. The company is producing 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Will Indians need Covid-19 booster dose? What SII chairman Cyrus Poonawalla says
Serum Institute of India (SII) chairman Cyrus Poonawalla has said that taking a third or `booster dose' of Covishield, the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by his firm was desirable, news agency PTI reported. He also said that he, along with 7000 SII employees, had already taken the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine Covishield.
"After six months, the antibodies go down and that is why I have taken the third dose. We have given the third dose to our seven to eight thousand SII employees. For those who have completed the second dose, it is my request to take a booster dose (third dose) after six months," Poonawalla was speaking in Pune after receiving the Lokmanya Tilak award.
He also said that the ideal gap between two doses of Covishield should be two months. “The ideal gap between two doses of Covishield is two months though the Union government increased it to three months because of dose shortage," he said. Meanwhile, Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor at Christian Medical College Vellore said that there is no data that shows a need for booster vaccines presently in India."In India (and elsewhere), we do not have any data showing that anyone who has received two doses of vaccine needs booster vaccines at this time," ANI quoted Dr Kang as saying.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mizoram logs 600 fresh COVID-19 cases, one more fatality
Mizoram on Wednesday reported 600 fresh COVID-19 cases, raising the tally to 49,950, while the death toll mounted to 185 with one more fatality, a health department official said. Over 133 children and two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were among the newly-infected patients, he said. The northeastern state now has 9,084 active cases and 40,681 people have recovered from the disease.
Aizawl district reported the highest fresh number of new cases at 312, followed by Kolasib (88) and Mamit (42), the official said. The state's recovery rate stood at 81.44 percent and the death rate at 0.37 percent. Mizoram has tested more than 7.53 lakh samples for COVID-19 so far. According to State Immunisation Officer Lalzawmi, over 6.47 lakh people have been vaccinated till Tuesday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Serum Institute's Cyrus Poonawalla says booster dose of Covishield is needed
Serum Institute of India (SII) Chairman Cyrus Poonawalla said a third or booster dose of Covishield is needed six months after the second dose of the vaccine. On August 13, Ponawalla said he and several SII employees have taken the third dose of Covishield, AstraZeneca's vaccine against COVID-19, according to a PTI report.
"After six months, the antibodies go down and that is why I have taken the third dose. We have given the third dose to our seven to eight thousand SII employees. For those who have completed the second dose, it is my request to take a booster dose (third dose) after six months," Poonawalla said, as quoted by the news agency.
The SII Chairman said the ideal gap between two doses of Covishield is two months, as against the 12-16 week gap mandated by the government. He also said he was not in favour of mixing two different vaccines. "I am against the mixing of two different vaccines. There is no need to mix two different vaccines," he said. However, he later clarified that such mixing can be resorted to if a particular vaccine is not available at the time of the second dose.
He had also criticised the government's ban on the export of COVID-19 vaccines, calling it a "very bad move". "My son (Adar Ponawalla) asked me not to open my mouth (on the issue). But it is my view that exports ought to be opened," he said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Arunachal reports 142 new COVID-19 cases, tally rises to 51,655
Arunachal Pradesh logged 142 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 51,655, a senior health department official said on Wednesday. The death toll in the frontier state remained at 252 as no fatality was reported in the past 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer Lobsang Jampa said. The Capital Complex Region recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 30, followed by Lower Subansiri (24) and Anjaw, East Siang and Leparada (8 each), among other districts.
Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,763 active cases, while 49,640 people have recovered from the disease so far, Jampa said. The recovery rate stood at 96.10 per cent and the positivity rate at 3.56 per cent. Altogether, 10,11,678 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state, including 3,988 since Tuesday, the official said. State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said a total of 9,16,075 people have been administered vaccines thus far.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | BJP's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' invitation for 3rd wave of COVID-19: Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', being carried out by a number of Union ministers in various states, was an 'invitation for a third wave of COVID-19'. Talking to reporters here, Raut said they have asked the BJP to have patience. “The 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' is an invitation for a third wave of COVID-19. The BJP is doing it deliberately,' the Rajya Sabha member claimed.
Notably, newly-inducted Union ministers Bharti Pawar, Kapil Patil and Bhagwat Karad earlier this week embarked on 'Jan Ashirwad' yatras in different parts of Maharashtra to reach out to people and thank them for the BJP's win in elections in the recent past. Asked about Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray being ranked among top five CMs in the country in a survey conducted by a media organisation, Raut said, “The BJP is trying to discredit this opinion poll, because not a single BJP chief minister has made it to the top five in the country.' Why is no BJP CM in this list of top five? he asked.
Raut also reminded the BJP that when findings of such polls were in their favour, its party workers played 'dhols' and celebrated it. “We will also have some fireworks,” the Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson said, and expressed confidence that Thackeray will become the top chief minister in the country in coming days.
On Thackeray being criticised for very little public appearances in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Raut said, “What about other chief ministers who are in the top five (list of the survey)? Did they merely sit at home and still found themselves in the top five? CM Thackeray has been taking cautious steps to bring people out of the COVID-19 situation.” Thackeray has taken strong steps and his work has been lauded by court as well. His work in the fields of education, development and infrastructure is recognised by everyone and the whole country is looking at it, Raut said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Ladakh reports 11 new Covid cases, 7 discharged
Ladakh has recorded 11 fresh Covid cases, taking its overall tally to 20,466, with active cases increasing to 81, officials said on Wednesday.The Union Territory has registered 207 Covid-related deaths -- 149 in Leh district and 58 in Kargil district -- since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. A total of 20,164 patientshave recovered till date.
Of the 11 cases reported on Tuesday, 10 were found in Leh, while one came from Kargil. A total of 1,997 sample reports, including 1,139 from Leh and 858 from Kargil, came out negative, the officials said.No Covid death was reported in Ladakh on Tuesday.There are 69 active cases in Leh and 12 in Kargil, the officials said, adding that seven patients recovered from the diseases on Tuesday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | WHO flags fake Covishield jabs in India and Uganda, issues advisory
The World Health Organization (WHO) has alerted that counterfeit Covishield vaccine doses have been identified in Uganda and India. Serum Institute of India (SII) manufactures the Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine in India under the brand name Covishield. "Falsified COVID-19 vaccines pose a serious risk to global public health and place an additional burden on vulnerable populations and health systems. It is important to detect and remove these falsified products from circulation to prevent harm to patients," the global body said in the alert.
The WHO said the vaccine identified in this alert is confirmed as falsified on the basis that it deliberately/fraudulently misrepresent its identity, composition or source. The Serum Institute of India also confirmed that the doses were fake, it added. In India, Covishield vials of 2ml were identified as fake after SII said it does not produce the vaccine in 2ml (four doses). In Uganda, Covishield with Batch 4121Z040 and the expiry date (10.08.2021) was found, which was falsified.
The WHO called for increased vigilance within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these falsified products. "Increased vigilance should include hospitals, clinics, health centers, wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, and any other suppliers of medical products," it said in the advisory. All medical products must be obtained from authorised or licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked, the WHO added. In case someone has used and is suffering from adverse reactions, WHO has advised them to seek immediate medical help and report the incident to national regulatory authorities.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | What do we know about booster shots for COVID-19?
U.S. health officials may soon recommend COVID-19 booster shots for fully vaccinated Americans. A look at what we know about boosters and how they could help fight the coronavirus:
WHY MIGHT WE NEED BOOSTERS?
It’s common for protection from vaccines to decrease over time. A tetanus booster, for example, is recommended every 10 years.
Researchers and health officials have been monitoring the real-world performance of the COVID-19 vaccines to see how long protection lasts among vaccinated people. The vaccines authorized in the U.S. continue to offer very strong protection against severe disease and death.
But laboratory blood tests have suggested that antibodies — one of the immune system’s layers of protection — can wane over time. That doesn’t mean protection disappears, but it could mean protection is not as strong or that it could take longer for the body to fight back against an infection.
The delta variant has complicated the question of when to give boosters because it is so much more contagious and much of the data gathered about vaccine performance is from before the delta variant was widely circulating. Delta is taking off at the same time that vaccine immunity might also be waning for the first people vaccinated.
Israel is offering a booster to people over 50 who were vaccinated more than five months ago. France and Germany plan to offer boosters to some people in the fall. The European Medicines Agency said it too is reviewing data to see if booster shots are needed.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | US reports 42 Covid deaths an hour as Delta variant spreads through country
The United States reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, or about 42 fatalities an hour, according to a Reuters tally, as the Delta variant continues to ravage parts of the country. Coronavirus-related deaths have spiked in the past month and are averaging 769 per day, the highest since mid-April, according to a Reuters tally. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has lost 622,813 people to COVID-19, the highest number of deaths for any country in the world. Warning of tough days ahead with surging Covid-19 infections, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday that unvaccinated people are “sitting ducks" for a Delta variant that is ravaging the country and showing little sign of letting up.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Will Indians need Covid-19 booster dose? What SII chairman Cyrus Poonawalla says
Serum Institute of India (SII) chairman Cyrus Poonawalla has said that taking a third or `booster dose' of Covishield, the coronavirus vaccine manufactured by his firm was desirable, news agency PTI reported. He also said that he, along with 7000 SII employees, had already taken the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine Covishield.
"After six months, the antibodies go down and that is why I have taken the third dose. We have given the third dose to our seven to eight thousand SII employees. For those who have completed the second dose, it is my request to take a booster dose (third dose) after six months," Poonawalla was speaking in Pune after receiving the Lokmanya Tilak award.
He also said that the ideal gap between two doses of Covishield should be two months. “The ideal gap between two doses of Covishield is two months though the Union government increased it to three months because of dose shortage," he said. Meanwhile, Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor at Christian Medical College Vellore said that there is no data that shows a need for booster vaccines presently in India."In India (and elsewhere), we do not have any data showing that anyone who has received two doses of vaccine needs booster vaccines at this time," ANI quoted Dr Kang as saying.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Vaccinated Simona Halep says no longer afraid of COVID-19
Former world number one Simona Halep says she is no longer afraid of COVID-19 after getting vaccinated and has called on others within the sport to get the vaccine to allow tennis to ease health and safety restrictions.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mizoram logs 600 fresh COVID-19 cases, one more fatality
Mizoram on Wednesday reported 600 fresh COVID-19 cases, raising the tally to 49,950, while the death toll mounted to 185 with one more fatality, a health department official said. Over 133 children and two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were among the newly-infected patients, he said. The northeastern state now has 9,084 active cases and 40,681 people have recovered from the disease.
Aizawl district reported the highest fresh number of new cases at 312, followed by Kolasib (88) and Mamit (42), the official said. The state's recovery rate stood at 81.44 percent and the death rate at 0.37 percent. Mizoram has tested more than 7.53 lakh samples for COVID-19 so far. According to State Immunisation Officer Lalzawmi, over 6.47 lakh people have been vaccinated till Tuesday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 138 new COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra's Thane, 6 more deaths
Thane has reported 138 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,48,572, an official said on Wednesday. Besides these new cases reported on Tuesday, the virus also claimed the lives of six people, which pushed the death toll in the district to 11,196, he said. The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.04 per cent, he added. In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,34,038, while the death toll has reached 3,272, another official said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Arunachal reports 142 new COVID-19 cases, tally rises to 51,655
Arunachal Pradesh logged 142 fresh COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 51,655, a senior health department official said on Wednesday. The death toll in the frontier state remained at 252 as no fatality was reported in the past 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer Lobsang Jampa said. The Capital Complex Region recorded the highest number of fresh cases at 30, followed by Lower Subansiri (24) and Anjaw, East Siang and Leparada (8 each), among other districts.
Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,763 active cases, while 49,640 people have recovered from the disease so far, Jampa said. The recovery rate stood at 96.10 per cent and the positivity rate at 3.56 per cent. Altogether, 10,11,678 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state, including 3,988 since Tuesday, the official said. State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said a total of 9,16,075 people have been administered vaccines thus far.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Pope Francis urges everyone to get COVID-19 vaccines for the good of all
Pope Francis issued an appeal on Wednesday urging people to get inoculated against COVID-19, saying the vaccines could bring an end to the pandemic, but needed to be taken by everyone. "Thanks to God's grace and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19," the pope said in a video message made on behalf of the nonprofit U.S. group the Ad Council and the public health coalition COVID Collaborative.
"They grant us the hope of ending the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we work together." Vaccines are widely available in mainly wealthier nations, but mistrust and hesitancy over the newly developed shots have meant that many people are refusing to take them, leaving them especially vulnerable as the Delta variant spreads.
By contrast, poorer nations still do not have access to large-scale vaccine supplies. Medical experts have warned that ever-more dangerous variants might develop if the virus is allowed to circulate in large pools of non-vaccinated people. Pope Francis was himself vaccinated in March, saying at the time that it was an ethical obligation.
"Vaccination is a simple but profound way of promoting the common good and caring for each other, especially the most vulnerable. I pray to God that everyone may contribute their own small grain of sand, their own small gesture of love," the pope said in his latest video message. The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative launched vaccine public service announcements to the U.S. public in January across television, websites and social media. In a statement, the Ad Council said the pope's message represented its first campaign designed for a global audience.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 55.05 lakh doses administered in India on August 17
More than 55.05 lakh vaccine doses were administered in India on August 17, the Union Health Ministry's latest provisional report suggested. With that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 56.06 crore. On the 214th day of the vaccination drive on August 17, 41.79 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 13.25 lakh people were given their second dose.
The country took 85 days to touch the figure of 10 crore. It then took 45 days to cross the 20-crore mark and 29 more days to reach 30 crore. India took another 24 days to reach 40 crore and 20 more days to cross 50 crore vaccinations, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said. The government has revised the gap between the two doses for the Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), to 12-16 weeks. However, the interval for the second dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin remains unchanged, i.e. four weeks.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India logs 35,178 new COVID-19 cases, 440 deaths
India added 35,178 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,22,85,857, while the national recovery rate improved to 97.52 percent, the highest since March 2020, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The death toll climbed to 4,32,519 with 440 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases declined to 3,67,415, the lowest in 148 days, and comprise 1.14 percent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, the ministry said. A reduction of 2,431 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. As many as 17,97,559 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 49,84,27,083 .
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.96 percent. It has been less than three percent for the last 23 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.95 percent. It has been below three percent for the last 54 days, according to the ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,14,85,923, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 percent, the data stated.
Cumulatively, 56.06 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive so far. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 vaccination: India covers 46% of adult population with at least one dose
In one of the largest vaccination campaigns anywhere in the world, India on August 16 has administered 88 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine. The government said the record vaccination drive was made possible through 15 days' advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
With the administration of more than 88.13 lakh doses, the cumulative vaccination coverage has increased to 55.47 crore. About 46 percent of all adult Indians receiving the first dose and 13 percent of all adult Indians have received both doses of vaccine. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the central government has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost.
In the new phase of the universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Centre will procure and supply 75 percent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs. The government said more than 56.81 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states so far, through all sources and a further 1.09 crore doses are in the pipeline. More than 2.25 crore balance and unutilised COVID vaccine doses are still available with the states and private hospitals to be administered. India has approved five COVID-19 vaccines so far, but the bulk of the vaccination is done using Covishield and Covaxin.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Pfizer submits data for 3rd dose approval in US
Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday submitted preliminary clinical data to US health authorities as part of their effort to seek authorization for a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine for all Americans. Last week, the United States approved the booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for people with weakened immune systems. Pfizer and BioNTech presented the results of their Phase One trial that evaluated the safety and efficacy of a third shot.
"The data we've seen to date suggest a third dose of our vaccine elicits antibody levels that significantly exceed those seen after the two-dose primary schedule," Albert Bourla, Pfizer's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. "A booster vaccine could help reduce infection and disease rates in people who have previously been vaccinated and better control the spread of virus variants during the coming season," said BioNTech Co-founder Ugur Sahin.
The companies plan to submit the same information to European authorities in the coming weeks. The move comes despite appeals by the World Health Organization for a moratorium on booster shots to help ease the drastic inequity in dose distribution between rich and poor nations. Israel has also began administering third doses to its citizens. An advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions, a top US healthcare agency, is slated to meet in late August to discuss the approval of a third dose of the vaccine for adults over 65, care home residents and healthcare workers.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delayed report on Wuhan wet market reveals crucial details on COVID-19 origin
The COVID-19 origin story continues to be a mystery mired in contentious geopolitical debate. However, a research paper that could not be published for the past year and a half has been found to contain meticulously collected data and photographic evidence that supported the initial hypothesis — that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak started from an infected wild animal.
The report that was eventually published in June in the journal Scientific Reports, stated that minks, civets, raccoon dogs, and other mammals known to harbour coronaviruses were being sold for years in Wuhan, including in the Huanan wet market – which is linked to several of the earliest known COVID-19 cases. Bloomberg reported that the data for the COVID-19 study was collected over 30 months by a virologist named Xiao Xiao, who is associated with the government-funded Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation and at Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
He had started surveying shops selling live wild animals in Wuhan as early as 2017. At the time he was trying to locate the source of a tick-borne, Lyme-like disease that had infected some people years ago. He kept visiting 17 shops in Wuhan until November 2019, when the first few cases of the novel coronavirus disease were detected. After the pandemic started spreading like wildfire, Xiao had collaborated with another researcher named Zhou Zhaomin along with three seasoned scientists to submit a manuscript to a journal based on his findings from the Wuhan market visits.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi records 38 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths
Delhi records 4 COVID-19 deaths and 38 new coronavirus positive cases on August 17. The COVID-19 positivity rate now stands at 0.07 percent: Health Bulletin
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Britain OKs Moderna vaccine for ages 12 and up
Britain's medical agency has approved the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for use in children ages 12 and over. It is the second COVID-19 shot authorized in the UK for those between ages 12 to 17, after the Pfizer vaccine. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said Tuesday that it is up to the government's vaccination advisers whether children in this age group should be given the Moderna shot.
The UK has delivered a successful vaccine rollout in adults, but it has taken a more cautious approach to extending the offer to children. This week officials announced all those ages 16-17 in England will be offered the chance to book their first shot by August 23. Currently, children ages 12-15 are only offered the Pfizer vaccine if they are considered medically vulnerable.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | ICMR projects export of 62 crore COVID-19 testing kits between July and September
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) projected an export of 62 crore COVID-19 testing kits between July and September. "The ICMR/DHR (Department of Health Research) supports the manufacturers to export surplus quantities of the COVID-19 diagnostic kits after meeting the in-country demands. The projected export till September 2021 is a cumulative total of 62 crore test kits of RT-PCR, Viral Transport Media (VTM), RNA extraction and rapid antigen tests," the ICMR stated in a tweet.
It further said the production capacity of COVID-19 testing kits has been substantially enhanced, "making India atmanirbhar (self-reliant)". This has resulted in significant reduction in cost and improved availability. The India manufacturers have substantially ramped up their production capacity to meet the in-country requirements and surplus quantities can be exported, the apex research body said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over Rs 1,300 crores to be given to NE states to procure medicines, oxygen supplies, beds: Union Health Minister
Under COVID-19 response package, over Rs 1300 crores will be given to northeastern states to procure medicines & augment oxygen supplies & beds at the district level. A detailed discussion was also held on ramping up vaccination: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on August 17 in Guwahati.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Kerala adds 21,613 fresh COVID-19 cases, 127 deaths
Kerala on August 17 recorded 21,613 fresh COVID-19 cases. With this Kerala’s coronavirus infection tally rose to 37,03,578. In the past 24 hours, the state also added 127 new COVID-19 fatalities, taking Kerala’s coronavirus death toll to 18,870. The number of active COVID-19 cases in Kerala now stands at 1,75,167.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Karnataka govt to screen 1.5 crore children ahead of third wave
The Karnataka government is all set to launch a flagship programme "Arogya Nandana" under which 1.5 crore children will be screened ahead of the third Covid wave, Minister for Health Dr K Sudhakar announced in Bengaluru on August 17. Experts have expressed fears of a possible third wave of Covid-19 affecting children. Keeping in view of the projections, the state government is launching a new programme called "Arogya Nandana". The flagship programme is an attempt to reach out to all 1.5 crore children of the state.
