Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's COVID-19 infection tally climbed to 2,73,69,093 as 2,11,298 more people tested positive for the disease in a day, while the country's recovery was recorded at 90 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry on Thursday. The death toll due to the disease climbed to 3,15,235 with 3,847 fresh fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed. Also, 21,57,857 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Wednesday, taking the total number of such exams done so far in the country to 33,69,69,353. The daily positivity was recorded at 9.79 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for three consecutive days now, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate has also declined and now stands at 10.93 per cent. The count of active cases has further reduced to 24,19,907, which is 8.84 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 90.01 per cent, the data showed.
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Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 either emerged naturally or it was laboratory accident: US Intel community
The COVID-19 virus either emerged naturally from human contact with infected animals or it was a laboratory accident, the US intelligence community said on Thursday.
"The US Intelligence Community does not know exactly where, when, or how the COVID-19 virus was transmitted initially but has coalesced around two likely scenarios: either it emerged naturally from human contact with infected animals, or it was a laboratory accident," Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Strategic Communications Amanda Schoch said.
While two elements of the intelligence community lean toward the former scenario and one leans more toward the latter - each with low or moderate confidence - the majority of elements within the intelligence community do not believe there is sufficient information to assess one to be more likely than the other, she said.
"The IC continues to examine all available evidence, consider different perspectives, and aggressively collect and analyze new information to identify the virus''s origins," Schoch said, a day after President Joe Biden ordered the intelligence agencies to "redouble" their efforts in investigating the emergence of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and report back to him in 90 days.
COVID-19 was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. More than 168 million confirmed cases have since been confirmed worldwide and at least 3.5 million deaths reported.
PTI
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Haryana to increase beds at all govt medical colleges for treatment of black fungus
Haryana Medical Education and Research Minister, Anil Vij has directed to increase the number of beds in all Government Medical Colleges of the state from 20 to 75 for the treatment of patients with black fungus, news agency ANI reported.
Coronavirus LIVE Update | Mixing of vaccines not legal: Karnataka Deputy CM
"No mixing of vaccines in the state; people being given the same dose of vaccines. I'm not sure about people (health workers) who're taking different doses, they're doing on their own but no proof of such cases being reported. Mixing of vaccines isn't legal,"Karnataka Deputy Chief MinisterAshwath Narayan said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Punjab reports 3,914 new cases, 178 more deaths
Punjab reports 3,914 new COVID-19 positive cases, 5,995 recoveries, and 178 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total positive cases have climbed to5,56,089, whereas, the tally ofactive cases stood at48,231.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Haryana reports 2,322 new COVID-19 positive cases, 5,679 recoveries, and 98 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total positive cases: 7,50,062
Active cases: 28,189
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
21,273 new cases, 425 deaths and 34,370 discharges reported in Maharashtra. The recovery rate in the state is 93.02%
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Delhi government constitutes a 6 member committee to assess on case to case basis, complaints received regarding death due to lack of oxygen, for grant of ex-gratia compensation over and above the no-fault ex-gradation of Rs 50,000 already ordered by govt
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Mumbai reports 1,266 fresh cases, 36 deaths and 855 recoveries today; active cases 28,310. Recovery rate of Mumbai district is 94%
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Himachal Pradesh reports 1,472 new positive cases, 3,409 recoveries, and 59 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total active cases: 20,184
Total positive cases: 1,85,819
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Delhi Government notifies Black Fungus (Mucormycosis) as a disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Keeping in view the patient's health as our first priority and also our responsibility to serve them in present pandemic crisis, we T-JUDA are calling off the strike and will be reporting to duties from 9pm today: Telangana Junior Doctors' Association
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
MHA orders continuation of ongoing Covid guidelines till June 30, asks states to ensure local containment measures in high caseload districts
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
A meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to be held on Friday, 28th May over the present situation of COVID19 and vaccination. Lt Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and other senior officials to be present in the meeting.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Uttarakhand reports 2,146 new COVID cases and 81 deaths today, taking active cases to 39,177 and death toll to 6,201: State Health Department
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Telangana reported 3,614 new cases, 18 deaths and 3,961 recoveries on 27th May; Recovery rate at 92.69%
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Centre approves financial assistance to 67 families of journalists who lost their lives to Covid. Each family to get Rs5 lakhs under Journalist Welfare Scheme of I&B Ministry. Committee to hold JWS meetings on weekly basis to process the applications expeditiously: Govt of India
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Karnataka reports 24,214 new cases, 476 deaths and 31,459 dishcarges today; active cases rise to 4,02,203
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Additional 80,000 vials of Amphotericin-B (used in the treatment for Mucormycosis) have been allocated to States/UTs and Central Institutions: DV Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Medical supplies comprising of 8,500 antigen detection kits (for 212,500 tests) arrived at Delhi airport from Korea today. Till now, the Government of Korea has sent six consignments of medical aid in three tranches from 9th to 27th May
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Rajasthan reports 3,454 new cases, 85 deaths and 10,396 recoveries today; active cases 71,099
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Apollo Hospital launches a drive-in vaccination programme in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
We will vaccinate 1,000 people with Covishield every day. It will cost Rs 1,000 per beneficiary. We can improve herd immunity with mass vaccination: Dr Balaji Pillai, COO, Apollo Hospital
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Puducherry reports 1,137 new positive cases, 1,486 recoveries, and 20 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Active cases: 14,473
Total positive cases: 1,00,677
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
24,166 new cases and 181 deaths reported in Kerala in the last 24 hours. Active cases stand at 2,41,966: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on COVID19 situation in the State
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
16,167 new COVID19 positive cases and 104 deaths reported in Andhra Pradesh
Total positive cases: 16,43,557
Active cases: 1,86,782
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Lockdown won't be lifted in the entire state says Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope
We won'tlift lockdown in the entire State, lockdown will continue, but some relaxations will be given. In21 districts, the positivity rate is more than average.
In these districts, there is an increase in the number of patients and the need for more beds. Bed availability and positivity rate are important to, says Rajesh Tope, State Health Minister.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Sputnik V, the third vaccine approved in India will be available through the Apollo Hospitals from the 2nd week of June, says Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice-chairperson, Apollo Hospitals
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Guidelines for Near to Home COVID Vaccination Centres (NHCVC) for Elderly & Differently Abled Citizens shared by Union Health Ministry with States/UTs
Community-based approach, vaccination sessions nearer to home e.g. at Community Centre, RWA Centre, Group Housing Society Centre, Panchayat Ghar, School buildings etc. All 60+ citizens with no vaccination or first dose vaccination along with all citizens below 60 years with disabilities are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination at NHCVC Key learnings from Universal Immunization Programme to be used for reaching the Elderly & Differently Abled citizens under NHCVC
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
After India crossed the 20-crore vaccination mark in 130 days, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that more than 22 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs and about 1.84 crore doses were still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Health Ministry press briefing on COVID19 situation
We are engaged with Pfizer as they've indicated the availability of a certain volume of vaccines in the coming months, possibly in July. They've requested indemnity against liability to all the nations. We are examining this request. There is no decision as of now: Dr VK Paul
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
From June 1, the vaccination priority list for the 18-44 age group will also include shopkeepers, their staff; hospitality sector, industrial workers, street vendors, delivery boys, bus/cab drivers/conductors, and members of local bodies: CMO, Punjab
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Delhi reports 1072 new COVID19 cases, 3725 recoveries and 117 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Total cases 14,22,549
Total recoveries 13,82,359
Death toll 23,812
Active cases 16,378
Positivity rate 1.53 %
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Health Ministry press briefing on COVID19 situation
Our protocol is clear that both doses given should be of the same vaccine. This matter should be investigated. Even if this has happened it should not be a cause of concern: Dr VK Paul, Niti Aayog on the incident of wrong second COVID19 vaccine dose given in UP
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Punjab first state to use alternative medicines to treat mucormycosis
As many as 188 cases of mucormycosis reported. Due to shortage of Amphotericin, CM has ordered ramping up of stocks of alternate drugs to treat the disease, making Punjab the first state in country to use alternative medicines to treat the disease: CMO, Punjab
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Punjab restrictions extended till June 10
COVID-19 restrictions extended up to June 10 but due to a decline in positive as well as active cases, the restriction on number of passengers in personal vehicles is removed: Chief Minister's Office, Punjab
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | West Bengal restrictions extended till June 15
West Bengal Govt extends statewide restrictions till June 15th to curb COVID19 in the state says CM Mamata Banerjee
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi hospital reports 'first-ever' white fungus case causing severe damage to entire intestine
Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) has come across a first-of-its-kind case of white fungus which causes multiple perforations “throughout the intestine” in a COVID-19 patient, doctors said on Thursday. “White fungus (Candida) causing multifocal perforations in the food pipe, small bowel and large bowel in COVID-19 infection has not been reported in literature to the best of our knowledge,” Dr Anil Arora, Chairman of the Institute of Liver, Gastroenterology and Pancreaticobiliary Sciences at the hospital, said.
A 49-year-old woman was admitted to the SGRH on May 13 with complaints of severe abdominal pain, vomiting and constipation. She had undergone a mastectomy for breast cancer in December last year and had received chemotherapy till four weeks ago, he said. “A CT scan of the abdomen revealed free air and moderate amount of free fluid in the abdominal cavity suggestive of an intestinal perforation,” the hospital said in a statement.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra govt announces paediatric task force to prepare for COVID-19 third wave
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Thursday announced the setting up of a paediatric task force, comprising 13 experts from the state, to prepare for the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which children are likely to be affected. Tope in a statement said noted paediatrician Dr Suhas Prabhu will be the chief of the 13-member task force, while Tatyarao Lahane, the director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, will be its member secretary.
An order in this regard was issued on Thursday by Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary of the public health department, it was stated. Anticipating a third wave of the pandemic, which is likely to affect children in more numbers, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had instructed the public health department to set up a task force of experts to make necessary preparations, the statement said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 1,572 kids in Maharashtra lost one or both parents due to COVID-19
As many as 1,572 children in Maharashtra have lost either one or both their parents due to the coronavirus infection so far, sources said on Thursday. While 1,474 children lost one parent, 98 others lost both the parents during the pandemic, the sources in the state Women and Child Development Department said. "Of the 98, the government has got custody of 10 children since there is nobody to look after them," they said.
The data about the orphaned children has been compiled based on the inputs of the district task force headed by the collectors. The government had set up a 10-member task force in each of the 36 districts in the state to identify the children orphaned due to the pandemic. The task force will also oversee the arrangements of their shelter and supervise their adoption to ensure that there is no trafficking and exploitation.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | States, UTs will receive 11 lakh doses within 3 days, says Centre
More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories, and they will receive 11 lakh more within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on May 27. The Centre has so far provided, both under the free of cost category and through the direct state procurement category, more than 22 crore vaccine doses (22,16,11,940) to states and UTs, it said.
Of this, the total consumption, including wastages is 20,17,59,768 doses, the ministry said, citing data available at 8 am on May 27. More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses (1,84,90,522) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. Furthermore, 11,42,630 doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next three days, the ministry said.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting states and UTs by providing COVID-19 vaccines free of cost, and by also facilitating direct procurement by them, the ministry said. Vaccination is an integral pillar of the Centre's comprehensive strategy for the containment and management of the pandemic, along with the test, track, treat and Covid-appropriate behaviour, it added. The government on May 1 opened up the inoculation drive for everyone above 18 on May 1 under its Liberalized and Accelerated Phase-3 Strategy of COVID-19 Vaccination'.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India scraps local trials for COVID shots to fast-track imports as it battles second wave
India on Thursday scrapped local trials for "well-established" foreign coronavirus vaccines to fast-track imports as it battles a devastating second wave of the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands of people. India recorded its highest COVID-19 death toll since the pandemic began last year in May, accounting for just over a third of the overall total.
India has been inoculating its people with the AstraZeneca vaccine produced locally at the Serum Institute, Covaxin made by local firm Bharat Biotech, and has begun rolling out Russia's Sputnik V. But supplies are far short of the millions of doses the world's second-most populous country needs. The government said it was in talks with Pfizer for "earliest possible" imports of its shots and that it had also had discussions with Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Another COVID-19 vaccine enters final trials
Production of another potential vaccine against COVID-19 will begin within weeks, its developers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said Thursday as they launched a large Phase III trial enrolling 35,000 adult volunteers in the United States, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The study will test the effectiveness of vaccine candidate formulas against the virus that spread from Wuhan, China, and against a variant first seen in South Africa, the pharmaceutical firms said.
If the trial is successful, regulators could approve the vaccine for use in the last three months of the year, the companies said in a statement. “Manufacturing will begin in the coming weeks to enable rapid access to the vaccine should it be approved,” they added. Their statement also quoted Thomas Triomphe, who leads vaccine research and development at Sanofi Pasteur, as saying: “We are encouraged to see first vaccinations starting to take place in such an important, pivotal Phase 3 study.”
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Many teachers pressed into Indian poll duty became virus victims, families say
Suman Lata’s family begged her to refuse a summons to monitor elections in Uttar Pradesh state last month but, worried about losing her job, the 49-year-old mother of three went anyway, just as India’s second coronavirus wave hit a peak. Two weeks later, she was dead, one of more than 1,600 teachers who died from COVID-19 in the weeks after working at the polls, according to the families of eight victims and mortality data supplied by a teachers’ union.
"She asked if she could be excused but the officers said 'if you are not sick, you have to do your duty',” said Lata’s 25-year-old son, Vaibhav Agarwal, sitting in front of her photo, garlanded with flowers at the family’s home in Mathura town, southeast of the capital, New Delhi. It was not possible to verify how many of the teachers from the eight families Reuters spoke to had contracted the virus when they attended election training or the polling.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Reliance Industries launches India’s largest private COVID vaccination drive; to give free jabs to over 1.3 million employees, their families
Reliance Industries (RIL) has chalked out a detailed plan to vaccinate more than 1.3 million of its employees, associates and partners, free of cost, across 880 cities in India, in what will be the largest corporate vaccination drive in the country. Beneficiaries of this massive vaccination drive include RIL’s employees, associates’ employees, partner corporations’ employees (e.g. BP, Google, etc.) and even retired employees and their family members, the company said in a statement on May 27.
The vaccination drive will “substantially reduce the pressure on public health systems and help India counter the pandemic challenges more effectively,” the statement added. Over 3.30 lakh employees and family members have already got their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and the company is targeting vaccination of all eligible parties – at least with the first shot – by June 15.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Nissan Motor contributes over Rs 6.5 crore towards COVID-19 relief measures in India
Automaker Nissan Motor India on Thursday said it has contributed over Rs 6.5 crore towards COVID-19 relief measures in the country. The company has contributed Rs 2.2 crore to the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Relief Fund, Rs 25 lakh to the Tamil Nadu CM Relief Fund, and over Rs 4.3 crore for COVID-19 relief equipment, masks, and PPE kits, among others, Nissan India said in a statement.
Commenting on the initiatives, Nissan Motor India Managing Director Rakesh Srivastava said, 'Safety and well-being of the society, customers, partners, and employees is paramount. Towards this, multiple initiatives are being taken with the government authorities and NGOs towards ensuring the same.' Nissan Motor India said over the last few months it has distributed N-95 masks, PPE kits, oxygen concentrators, portable ECG machines, X-ray machines, pulse oximeters, and nasal oxygen machines in Delhi-NCR and Chennai as part of the relief equipment support with the start of the second wave of the pandemic.
Besides, Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Limited (RNAIPL) in partnership with the World Community Service Centre also distributed cooked food packets to migrant workers and the needy to solve the rising hunger crisis during the lockdown period.
Stating that the health and safety of society, partners, and employees is the topmost priority of the company, RNAIPL Managing Director Biju Balendran said,'We continue to take all the necessary steps to safeguard their well-being by closely and strictly monitoring the adherence to all local government guidelines on health and safety parameters. In addition to this, are committed to meeting their needs through constant CSR outreach in our local communities, with more initiatives to come.'
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Drive-through COVID-19 vaccination centre starts in Ahmedabad
The Ahmedabad civic body on Thursday started a drive-through vaccination centre here for inoculation against COVID-19 of people aged 18 and above. After the facility opened in the morning at the GMDC ground here in Gujarat, a number of citizens were seen arriving there in their vehicles. The drive-through facility has been started in collaboration with the Apollo Hospital under public private partnership (PPP) mode, a release issued by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation said.
The hospital management will arrange all the logistics, such as vaccine vials and staff, it said. People aged 18 and above can reach the facility in their vehicles and get the vaccine dose at Rs 1,000. The facility allows on-the-spot registration instead of prior appointment, the civic body said. The facility will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm and the payment for the vaccine doses can be made on the spot through cash, card or online modes.
The AMC also said a maximum of 1,000 people could be vaccinated at the drive-through facility every day. A large number of people reached the venue in their vehicles to get vaccinated early in the morning. A local resident, who arrived at the facility in his car, said, "Since the appointment slots are not available on the government portal, this is the best option to get the vaccine dose in the present situation."
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Government says working with Pfizer for 'earliest possible import' of COVID vaccine
The government has said it has been in talks with all major international vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer, from mid-2020 for procuring COVID-19 vaccines. "As soon as Pfizer indicated vaccine availability, the central government and the company are working together for the earliest possible import of the vaccine," the government said in a press release on May 27.
India’s effort to step up vaccination has been hobbled by a shortage, with several states forced to put on hold jabs for the 18-45 age group. Some states launched global tenders for vaccines but haven’t met with much success, with most vaccine makers insisting on dealing with the Union government only. Multiple rounds of discussions have been held with Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna. The government offered all assistance to have them supply or manufacture their vaccines in India, it said.
"However, it is not that their vaccines are available in free supply. We need to understand that buying vaccines internationally is not similar to buying ‘off the shelf’ items. Vaccines are in limited supply globally, and companies have their own priorities, game-plans and compulsions in allocating finite stocks," the government said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Nominee can avail PMJJBY benefit if the insured dies of COVID-19
The government’s Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is a one-year life insurance scheme that pays Rs 2 lakh to the nominee after the death of the insured person from any cause. The scheme can offer some financial stability in the interim to a family that loses the breadwinner, especially at a time like this when coronavirus has taken a huge toll on lives.
The insurance scheme is available to those aged between 18 and 50 years and hold a savings bank account. The life cover is up to 55 years. Such depositors should have consented to join the scheme and permitted the bank to auto-debit the premium. The cover is from June to May and should be renewed every year. On account holder's request, the cover starts from the date which they have requested and ends on May 31 of the next year. If you sign up between June and August, the annual premium is Rs 330.
The premium falls to Rs 258 if the person signs up between September and November, Rs 172 between December and February, and Rs 86 between March and May. Once signed up, the following year's premium will be Rs 330, and the bank will debit it between May 25 and May 31, according to ICICI Bank's website.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 to stay with us for generations, says IIPH Director Professor G V S Murthy
Like the flu, COVID-19 is here to stay for generations, according to the Director of the Indian Institute of Public Health-Hyderabad, Prof. G V S Murthy. Available data from different states suggests that June-end may see a significant downward spiral in COVID-19 cases in south and west India, he said. "In north and east India, it may be mid-July for a significant decrease in the cases", Prof. Murthy told P T I on Thursday.
Allowing political, social and religious gatherings too early in the life of the pandemic is one of the prime reasons for the rapid fueling of cases in the second wave, according to him. Despite signals emerging from February that we could see an upswing of cases, prompt public health response was lacking, he said, adding this is because public health professionals have not been engaged in the response.
"In all countries where the COVID-19 response was quick and need-based, there was authority and responsibility vested in the public health leadership. Unfortunately, the same was not seen in India where it was more of a non-public health or political response," Prof. Murthy said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | HCL aims to inoculate 3.5 lakh India staff before June 30, investing over Rs 100 crore on vaccines
HCL group on Thursday said it aims to vaccinate 3.5 lakh employees and their families in India with the first dose before June 30, and has earmarked over Rs 100 crore towards the vaccination drive. HCL - including group companies HCL Technologies, HCL Infosystems and HCL Healthcare, and Shiv Nadar Foundation and its institutions - has already vaccinated more than 25 per cent of its eligible workforce with at least one dose, a statement said.
"HCL is investing over Rs 100 crore to ensure free vaccination services for employees and their families, as well as the third party vendor personnel working with the organisation. HCL plans to have administered approximately 7,00,000 doses (including two doses per person) by the end of the drive," it added. As India reels under the impact of the deadly second wave of coronavirus infections, several organisations across the spectrum have come forward to support the relief efforts to tackle the shortage of medical oxygen, beds, and other resources.
