Coronavirus News Highlights: India reported 80,834 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest after 71 days, while the daily positivity rate further dropped to 4.25 percent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. With the fresh cases, the country's tally of cases has climbed to 2,94,39,989. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,70,384 with 3,303 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed. The active cases further declined to 10,26,159 comprising 3.49 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 95.26 percent. A net decline of 54,531 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. Also 19,20,477 tests were conducted on Saturday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,62,32,162 while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 4.25 percent . It has been less than 10 percent for 20 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate fell below 5 percent and was recorded 4.74 percent.
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Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Proposal by India and S Africa for patent waiver on COVID-19 vaccines gets widespread support at G7: MEA
A proposal by India and South Africa to temporarily waive patents on COVID-19 vaccines to ensure their equitable access received widespread support at the G7 summit in the UK, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday.
In a virtual address at an inaugural outreach session of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought the support of the grouping to lift patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines.
The MEA said Modi''s call was supported by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, WTO Director-General Okonjo Iweala and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"I can confirm that there was widespread support in deliberations for text-based negotiations on the India-South Africa proposal for TRIPS waiver at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)," P Harish, additional secretary (economic relations) in the MEA, said at a press conference. (PTI)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 562 black fungus cases in Bihar so far, 76 deaths
A total of 562 black fungus cases have been recorded by the authorities in Bihar so far. The death count due to the disease stood at 76, new agency PTI reported the State Health Department as saying.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Haryana extends COVID-19 curbs till June 21, widens relaxations
The COVID-19 curbs in Haryana have been extended till June 21, but the relaxations have been widened. All shops are allowed to operate till 8 pm daily, with the state ending the odd-even regulation system. Restaurants are allowed to operate till 10 pm.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra reports 10,442 new COVID-19 cases, 483 deaths today
Maharashtra reported10,442 new COVID-19 cases, 7,504 recoveries and 483 deaths today. The state's total case count has climbed to 59,08,992, which includes 56,39,271 recoveries and 1,11,104 fatalities. The active caseload has dipped to 1,55,588.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra adds 2,288 past deaths to state's overall fatality count
The Maharashtra government on June 13 added 2,288 past deaths to the state's overall fatality count. The cumulative death toll has surged to1,11,104.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Karnataka's per-day count dips, 7,810 new cases reported
Karnataka reported7,810 new COVID-19 cases, 18,648 recoveries and 125 deaths in the last 24 hours. The per-day count has dipped as compared to June 12, when 9,785 cases were reported. The active caseload stood at 1,80,835.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Sputnik V to be available at Delhi's Indraprastha Apollo Hospital from June 15: Report
The Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V is expected to be available atIndraprasthaApollo Hospital in Delhi from June 15, news agencyANIreported citing sources. The vaccine was given emergency useauthorisationby the Indian drug regulator in April.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 11,584 new cases in Kerala, 206 more deaths
Kerala reports 11,584 new COVID-19 cases, 17,856 recoveries and 206 deaths today.
Active cases: 1,23,003
Total recoveries: 25,93,625
Death toll: 11,181
oronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai Congress chief, 40 others booked for violating COVID-19 rules during protest against fuel price hike
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Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap and more than 40 party workers have been booked for violating COVID rules during a protest against rising fuel prices yesterday, saidGoregaon Police, according to news agency ANI.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 60 taken into custody in Telangana for attending rave party during lockdown hours
Sixty people including 25 women taken into custody for attending a rave party organized by an IT employee on the occasion of his birthday during lockdown hours in Telagana's Ranga Reddy district, news agency ANI reported, citing the information received from DCP, Shamshabad.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi reports 255 new cases, 23 deaths in last 24 hours
Delhi records 255 new COVID-19 cases (positivity rate - 0.35%), 376 patient discharges, and 23 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Active cases: 3,466
Total discharges: 14,02,850
Death toll: 24,823
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | AstraZeneca COVID vaccine should be halted for over-60s too: EMA
Countries should also avoid giving the Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine to people over 60, the head of the EU drug regulator's COVID-19 task force was quoted on Sunday as saying, amid fears over rare blood clotting and as more vaccines become available. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) considers the Astrazeneca shot safe for all age groups. However several European Union member states have stopped administering it to people below a certain age, usually ranging from 50 to 65, restricting its use to the older population, due to the rare cases of blood clotting, mainly among young people.
"In a pandemic context, our position was and is that the risk-benefit ratio remains favourable for all age groups," COVID-19 task force chief Marco Cavaleri told the Italian newspaper La Stampa. However, as the number of COVID-19 cases is falling and taking into account that the younger population is less exposed to COVID-19 related risks, Cavaleri said it would be better to use on them COVID-19 vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, such as Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
Asked whether health authorities should avoid giving the Astrazeneca vaccine to people aged over 60, Cavaleri said: "Yes, and many countries, such as France and Germany, are considering it in the light of greater availability of mRNA vaccines." The Italian government said on Friday it would restrict the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 60, after a teenager who had received the shot died from a rare form of blood clotting.
Like many European countries, Italy briefly halted AstraZeneca inoculations in March over concerns about the rare blood clotting problems. It resumed them the following month with the recommendation that the product be "preferably" used for people over the age of 60, after the EMA said its benefits outweighed any risks.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Assam govt tells fully vaccinated employees to join office from June 14
The Assam government on Sunday asked all its employees who have received two doses of COVID- 19 vaccine to join offices from Monday even as a partial lockdown across the state will be in force. The General Administration Department Commissioner and Secretary M S Manivannan issued an order and said the decision has been taken for the smooth functioning of the government offices.
"In order to ensure smooth functioning of government offices, all the employees of Government of Assam who have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine are hereby directed to attend office from 14/06/2021 regularly," he added. The order further said that the eligible employees should follow all Covid related protocols issued by the government while joining the work. "This has the approval of the competent authority," Manivannan said. On June 4, the Assam government had extended the partial lockdown imposed due to the surge of COVID-19 till June 15.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | IDFC FIRST Bank offers 4x annual CTC, salary continuation for 2 years to corona affected employees' families: MD Vaidyanathan
Private sector IDFC FIRST Bank is offering compensation equivalent to four times of the CTC as well as continuation of salary for two years to the families of the employees who lost their lives due to the coronavirus infection. Among others, the bank is also offering loan waivers of such employees so that their families do not feel pressured due to the economic burden.
"The bank's employees are usually young people. Their families will be taken by shock. So we put together a composite programme covering all angles. We are giving four times the annual CTC as compensation plus continuing the salary for two more years so that the family can get the time to economically recover," V Vaidyanathan, Managing Director and CEO, IDFC FIRST Bank, told PTI.
The bank is taking initiative to contact the families of those deceased and informing them about what the bank has to offer to them, he added. "Among others, as part of this scheme we are waiving employee loans as families will have to bear the burden otherwise. If an employee has taken a personal loan, car loan, two-wheeler loan or education loan, etc, that is 100 per cent waived by the bank. Housing loan waiver is up to Rs 25 lakh (before June 30, 2021)," Vaidyanathan said. Suppose, if an employee had taken Rs 30 lakh loan, IDFC FIRST will waive Rs 25 lakh and residual loan will become 5 lakh, he explained.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19 shots to the people: Indonesia city revs up vaccine buses
An Indonesian city is bringing COVID-19 vaccines to its people with a growing fleet of inoculation buses, as the country faces a spike in infections after a major religious festival. Authorities in Pekanbaru on the island of Sumatra have doubled to 10 the number of buses in its vaccination programme, since launching it on June 1, following a favourable response from the public, who are happy with the convenience.
Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of 270 million people, is bracing for a peak in coronavirus infections after the Eid al-Fitr festival last month that saw millions travel to visit family and friends. "I hope this programme will keep continuing until all the people in this town get fully vaccinated," said Delvi, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, after getting a vaccine shot on the bus.
"It is closer and easier than the vaccination centre." The government of Pekanbaru, capital of Riau province, says the buses have administered 12,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccine and are giving more than 1,000 shots a day. Authorities say they plan to increase the number of buses but have not said by how many. Despite the interest in the bus project, authorities say they must fight misinformation about COVID-19 vaccinations. "We saw some people had doubts about getting vaccinated because of fake news," said district chief Said Ahmad Zamzami.
"We inform them not to believe that and this vaccine is good for our immune system. People are also more convinced now because myself, as the head of the district, also participated," he said before getting his shot. Indonesia plans to vaccinate 181.5 million people by next year. Only 11.57 million Indonesians have received two shots of the vaccines in use there: Sinovac, China's Sinopharm, or the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | South Korea to exempt some people vaccinated overseas from COVID-19 quarantine
South Korea will exempt some travellers who have received their COVID-19 vaccine shots overseas from its mandatory two-week quarantine starting July 1, health authorities said on Sunday. As of May 5, the quarantine exemption was only applicable to people fully vaccinated in South Korea. The new policy will apply only to certain people, such as citizens and foreign residents, as well as those coming to visit family, or for the purpose of business, academics or public interest, said Son Young-rae, an official with the Central Disaster Management Headquarters.
Exempt travellers will need to fill out an application, and still need to be tested before and after arriving in South Korea. Some travellers from countries with major outbreaks or variants will not be allowed to skip the quarantine, he added. South Korea reported 452 more cases as of midnight on Saturday, bringing total infections to 147,874, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The death toll in the country stands at 1,985. More than 11.8 million people - 23% of the country's population - have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the KDCA.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | G7 provides 1 billion COVID vaccine doses, will work to give more: Communique
Group of Seven countries will provide 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses over the next year and work with the private sector, the G20 and other countries to increase the contribution over months to come, according to an almost finalised draft of the communique. "The commitments since we last met in February 2021 including here in Carbis Bay provide for 1 billion doses over the next year," the communique said. "We will work together with the private sector, the G20 and other countries to increase this contribution over the months to come," the communique said. Two sources said the draft had been largely finalised by diplomats who worked late into Saturday night to agree the text.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi sets up a special vaccination centre for teachers, their families
The Delhi government has set up a dedicated COVID-19 vaccination centre for teachers and their family members as a "token of appreciation". The move comes after the Directorate of Education (DoE) said that Delhi government school teachers who had been working as frontline workers should be inoculated on priority.
"As a token of appreciation for the commendable work done by our teachers at the fore of all fronts set up by the Delhi government to provide various services to the citizens of Delhi during the pandemic, the Directorate of Education has set up a vaccination centre dedicated entirely to our teaches and their families," India Today quoted a letter as saying. The letter was released on June 11.
The administration has set up a vaccination facility for 18-44 and 45 plus age groups at a government school near ITO in central Delhi. The facility of online registration had made available at this dedicated centre. "Heads of all schools are therefore directed to motivate all their teachers to get themselves and their family members vaccinated at the above centre," it said. The national capital recorded 213 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest in over three months, and 28 deaths on June 12. According to the latest health bulletin, the city's death toll from COVID-19 was now 24,800. The number of active cases has fallen to 3,610 12 from 3,922 the previous day.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi lifts lockdown from June 14, malls and markets allowed to open
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the lifting of most of the lockdown restrictions from 5 am on June 14. Some activities will be prohibited while some will open with restrictions. "After 5 am tomorrow, all activities will be allowed except some activities that will be prohibited and some activities that will be done in a restricted manner," Kejriwal said during a virtual briefing.
Restaurants will also be allowed to open at 50 percent capacity. All market complexes, malls will now be completely open from 10 am to 8 pm. He added that schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will remain closed. Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious festival gatherings are also prohibited. Swimming pools, stadiums, sports complexes, cinema theatres, multiplexes will remain closed.
Furthermore, spas, gyms, Yoga institutes will remain closed. "Public parks and gardens will remain closed. In government offices, there will be 100 percent attendance of group A officers and 50 percent for the rest. Essential activities will continue as usual," Kejriwal added.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | No plans to get into vaccine production as it requires separate manufacturing infra: Sun Pharma
Sun Pharma has no immediate plans to enter into vaccine production as getting into the vertical would require an altogether different manufacturing set-up, as per a top company official. The Mumbai-based company, which is strong in various generic therapeutic segments, is eyeing biosimilars to fuel its future growth. “I think our preliminary assessment indicates that vaccines will require a dedicated manufacturing facility and it cannot be produced in a facility where we are making multiple other products,” Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi said in a call with analysts.
The billionaire industrialist noted that for getting into vaccine production, a completely new set of manufacturing infrastructure is required. “So, that''s broadly our understanding. So, we currently don''t have any facility which we are looking at for producing vaccines,” Shanghvi said. On the biosimilar front, he noted that the drug firm is looking to develop a range of such products.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Restaurants to reopen with 50% capacity; malls, markets to open daily, says Arvind Kejriwal
Under the phased unlock process, reopening of restaurants with 50 per cent capacity and one weekly market per municipal zones will be allowed from June 14, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. However, certain activities and services like schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutes, political, social, cultural, religious and festival gatherings, cinemas, multiplexes, swimming pools, gyms, and public parks and gardens will remain closed, he said.
The religious places in the city will also reopen but no visitors will be allowed. The markets, malls and market complexes allowed to reopen on odd-even basis will now open every day from 8 am to 10 pm, he said. Kejriwal said the Covid situation in Delhi has significantly improved and the number of cases have also declined. He, however, warned if cases increased restrictions will have to be reimposed.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Delhi will impose restrictions if Covid cases go up next week, warns Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced some relaxations in lockdown imposed since mid-April to curb Covid infection in the national capital. He, however, warned that restrictions would come back if infection cases went up in the city. In a press conference, the chief minister said that restaurants would be allowed to open with 50 per cent seating capacity. "We will observe this for one week, if cases increase, stricter restrictions to be imposed, otherwise, it will be continued," he said.
From Monday, all activities will be allowed except some activities that will be prohibited and some activities that will be done in a restricted manner, the chief minister said. A detailed order will be issued later. Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will remain closed.
Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious festival gatherings prohibited. Swimming pools, stadiums, sports complexes, cinema theaters, multiplexes will also remain closed. In government offices, there will be 100 per cent attendance of group A officers and 50 per cent for the rest, Kejriwal said. Private offices will run with 50 per cent capacity from 9 am to 5 pm.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 'Corona mata' temple built at UP village, demolished
People at Juhi Shukulpur village here built a "corona mata" temple, seeking divine grace to stay clear of the infection. However, the temple built on June 7 was demolished on Friday night. Villagers alleged that it was demolished by police, which denied the charge, saying it was constructed on a disputed site and one of the parties involved in the dispute razed it.
Villagers said the temple was constructed five days ago by Lokesh Kumar Srivastava with the help of donations from local residents. He installed the idol of the "corona mata". Radhey Shyam Verma of the village was appointed its priest, after which people started offering prayers there. Lokesh, who lives in Noida, jointly owns the land with Nagesh Kumar Srivastava and Jai Prakash Srivastava. He left the village for Noida after the temple was constructed.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Bikaner to start door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination; all you need to know
India's first door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination campaign is set to begin in Rajasthan's Bikaner. In the first phase, scheduled to begin on June 14, theadministration plans to inoculate those above the age of 45.The Bikaner district administration has started aWhatsApphelpline number where people can register their names and address to get the COVID-19 jab, as per anNDTVreport.
Two ambulances and three mobile teams have been deployed for the exercise.A mobile van will leave for the door-to-door vaccination campaign only after a minimum of 10 people register for the jab. The requirement of 10 has been decided tominimisevaccine wastage, the report said.Bikaner has a population of over 7 lakh as per the 2011 Census and about 60-65 percent of its population has been vaccinated so far, saidNamitMehta, Collector of Bikaner, as quoted byNDTV.
"With the experts predicting the third wave ofCovidinfections, we are targeting 75 percent vaccination for the 45+ category. There are several constraints for this age group in going to the vaccinationcentres, especially for the elderly and the women. So this initiative of vaccinating people at their homes should find many takers,"Mehtaadded.Meanwhile, Rajasthan's COVID-19 death toll in has increased to 8,815 on June 12 with 16 more fatalities, while 368 new cases pushed the infection tally to 9,49,376.A total of 9,32,161 people have recovered from infection so far and the number of active cases currently stands at 8,400.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Too early to say second wave over, though there are encouraging signs, says PHFI’s K Srinath Reddy
Prof K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), and adjunct professor of epidemiology at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, says only a small number of people who have had Covid have troubling heart problems or suffer long-term damage to the heart. During the devastating second coronavirus wave, there have been several reports of people suffering heart attacks even after recovering from Covid. Reddy says the heart can be affected directly or indirectly during Covid or after but in most cases people recover.
Under the leadership of Reddy, a former head of the Department of Cardiology at New Delhi’s AIIMS, PHFI has set up five Indian Institutes of Public Health to advance multi-disciplinary health education and research to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, which is the need of the hour. In an interview, Reddy talks about heart and lungs problems and the precautions people recovering from Covid must take.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Undeterred by pandemic, Skoda Auto eyes going past all-time peak sales volume next year
Czech car maker Skoda Auto is confident of crossing its historic peak sales volumes in India achieved nearly a decade ago by the middle of next year as it continues ramping up and launching new products despite businesses being hit by the second Covid-19 wave, according to a senior company official. Skoda Auto India, which hit its peak volume of 34,265 units in 2012, is targeting to sell at least 60,000 units next year as it brings new products, including those under Volkswagen group's India 2.0 project.
"Historically, we sold around 35,000 cars in India (peak volume) and I think next year we will surpass that number, probably in the middle of the year already. We plan to sell at least 60,000 cars. So certainly we are on a huge growth path and the long term plan is to sell 1 lakh cars (annually) in India," Skoda Auto India Brand Director Zac Hollis told PTI.
As for 2021, he said the company plans to sell "three times as many cars as last year". "Last year we sold just around 11,000 cars, obviously heavily impacted by the pandemic but this year with the ramp-up curve and the launch of the new products, we are confident of selling about three times that number this year and then doubling again in 2022," Hollis said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Bangladesh to buy Chinese Covid-19 vaccines for undisclosed price
Bangladesh has signed a deal with China to buy the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, said the country's Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday without disclosing the price or quantity of doses. "The recent revelation of vaccine prices has created some issues. We have to maintain non-disclosure clauses strictly according to the deal," Maleque said during a programme at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in the capital city of Dhaka.
Moreover, the minister did not disclose the date and the price of the deal. He also did not even disclose the number of doses, Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. This comes as the disclosure of procurement price of Sinopharm vaccine in Sri Lanka last month had sparked a row after reports emerged that Colombo had to shell out a higher per-dose price than its fellow South Asian country Banglades
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Pakistan bans entry of 26 nations' citizens including India over Covid fears
Pakistan has placed India in a list of 26 countries under strict travel restrictions to check the spread of Covid-19 infections in the country. Travellers from these nations will be allowed to visit Pakistan under specific guidelines from the country's Covid management authority. The National Command and Operation centre, which looks after measures to contain the pandemic in Pakistan, has revised air and land travel categories with immediate effect, placing India in the stringent 'C category', Dawn reported.
"Countries in A category are exempted from the mandatory Covid-19 test, travellers from areas in B category require a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that must be taken within 72 hours of the travel date while countries in C category are restricted and people can travel only under specific NCOC guidelines," an official of the Pakistan's Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) said.
The 26 countries placed in the C category include India, Iran, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Iraq, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Tunisia, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Namibia, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Centre plans to deliver vaccines by unmanned aerial vehicles
The Centre has come up with a novel plan to deliver Covid-19 vaccines by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to areas in the country with difficult terrains, after a study by the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Kanpur said it is feasible.
The HLL Infra Tech Services Limited, a subsidiary of Government-owned HLL Lifecare which is procuring all vaccines in the country for the government, has on the behalf of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) on Friday (June 11) for delivery of vaccines and drugs by UAVs to select locations in India which have difficult terrains. So far, only Telangana was toying with this idea of UAV Vaccine delivery.
UAVs have been sought by ICMR which can travel upto 35 kms with the supplies and fly at an altitude of at least 100 meters. News18 has a copy of the document, which invites bids by June 22. "To strengthen the delivery of vaccines, ICMR has successfully conducted a feasibility study to deliver vaccines by UAVs in collaboration with IIT, Kanpur," the bid document mentions.
ICMR has developed a standard protocol on basis of that study for the successful delivery of vaccines using a UAV and is now looking to develop a model for vaccine delivery by UAV in the field practice area "to reach inaccessible (hard to reach) areas to cover last-mile coverage at difficult terrain in selected locations", the EOI says.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | AIIMS Nurses Union urges Delhi CM to provide vaccines for healthcare workers' family members
AIIMS Nurses Union has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urging him to take immediate measures to provide vaccines for healthcare workers' family members, aged between 18 to 45 years, on a priority basis.
While appreciating unified efforts of the Delhi government to provide a vaccination centre at the premier hospital, nurses union's president Harish Kumar Kajla and general secretary Fameer CK, in a letter to Kejriwal, said that most of the AIIMS healthcare workers have got both the jabs of Covaxin.
However, their family members aged 18 to 45 years are facing great difficulty in scheduling their vaccination, they said.
This is a matter of great concern, they said, as almost all healthcare workers stay with their families.
"Many frontliners have expressed their concerns about the delay in vaccinating their near ones as poor vaccination may end up in exacerbation of infection as the threat of the third wave of virus crisis looms ahead," they said in the letter.
"We request you to kindly take immediate measures to provide vaccines for the family members of HCWs (belongs to the age group of 18-45 years) at the earliest on a high priority basis," they added.
The COVID-19 vaccination in the country commenced with inoculation of healthcare workers on January 16. The program was expanded with time to include vaccination of frontline workers, citizens more than 60 years of age, citizens more than 45 years of age and eventually citizens more than 18 years of age from May 1.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | COVID-19's 2nd wave deadly, causing mental ailments: Ashok Gehlot
Dubbing the second wave of coronavirus infection as “deadly”, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said various mental health problems are being seen among people due to this. “The state government is cautious about this and directions have been issued to make arrangements for providing treatment and counselling to such patients and their families,” Gehlot said in a statement.
The chief minister made the remarks while chairing a meeting to review the Covid situation in the state on Saturday. “Post-Covid side effects in people after prolonged treatment is a matter of concern for us,” he said. "It is our endeavour that such patients and families get proper treatment and counselling so that they can recover from these health problems at the earliest," an official statement quoted Gehlot as saying.
The chief minister said from June 21, the Centre would start free vaccination to citizens in the age group of 18 to 44 years. Administrative officers and the team of the Health Department should prepare an effective plan for this and make it a campaign so that the maximum number of people in the state can be vaccinated, he said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | India records 80,834 new cases, lowest since 1 April
India reported 80,834 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest after 71 days, while the daily positivity rate further dropped to 4.25 percent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. With the fresh cases, the country's tally of cases has climbed to 2,94,39,989. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,70,384 with 3,303 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Goa govt extends COVID-19 curfew till June 21
The Goa government announced extension of the coronavirus-induced "curfew" in the state till June 21 with some more relaxations. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the curfew will be extended upto 7 am on June 21. "Shops, including in panchayat and municipal markets, may open between 7 am to 3 pm. Marriage function with upto 50 persons have been permitted...," he said on Twitter late in the evening. "Detailed order will be issued by District Collectors,” he said. Goa recorded 472 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the caseload to 1,62,048. With 15 patients succumbing during the day, the death toll in the state reached 2,914.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Decision not to slash GST on vaccine anti-people; my voice muzzled at meet: Amit Mitra
Terming the GST Council's decision not to reduce the tax on Covid-19 vaccines as "anti- people", West Bengal Finance Minister Dr Amit Mitra on Saturday alleged that his voice was "muzzled" when he tried to raise his objection. The GST Council on Saturday slashed tax rates on COVID-19 drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab as well as on medical oxygen and oxygen concentrators but ignored demands for a reduction in taxes on vaccines.
"This is totally an anti-people decision that is being thrust on us by the GST Council. As representatives of the people, we have no way to justify decisions of draconian nature," Mitra wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after the meeting. In his letter to record his "dissent" against these decisions, Mitra said that he tried his best to raise his objections but the meeting was brought to a close and the virtual link was cut off. "In your remarks near the end of today's GST Council meeting, you referred to several of my observations by name and yet I was not given the floor, despite repeated request to respond to your comments.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mizoram govt extends lockdown in Aizawl till June 21
The Mizoram government on Saturday extended the lockdown in Aizawl Municipal Corporation area for another week till June 21 in view of the spurt in COVID 19 cases in the region. The order said new COVID-19 cases continue to rise despite the imposition of the existing restrictions. "It has been decided to continue with the current restrictions imposed to prevent further escalation of COVID-19 cases. The new guidelines with certain modification issued on June 5 will remain in force from June 14 to 21," it said.
According to the new guidelines, people who live in a building or a housing complex should not meet and interact with each other during the lockdown. Barring medical emergencies, intra-state or inter- village movement is strictly prohibited, it said. Deputy commissioners of districts will declare containment zones in their respective areas if the need arises, it said.
Shops selling essential commodities in the AMC area will be allowed to open every day till 8 am and those dealing with agricultural seeds and equipment can open their outlets from 5 am to 5 pm, it said. Shops selling school textbooks, motor parts can open on Tuesday, and those dealing with construction materials, computers, mobile phones have been allowed to do business on Friday.
Vegetable and meat markets are allowed to open on Friday between 5 am and 5 pm, it said. However, economic and other agricultural activities outside the AMC area will function normally under strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocols. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, dispensaries, banks and non-banking financial institutions, post offices, LPG storehouses, fair price shops, animal feed stores are exempted from the lockdown.
All places of worship, educational institutions, parks, picnic spots, movie theatres, gymnasiums, community halls, restaurants, shopping complexes and malls will continue to remain close in all parts of the state. All government offices, barring a few, will remain close during the extended lockdown period in Aizawl civic body area. Mizoram on Saturday reported 178 new COVID-19 cases, which took the state''s tally to 14,921. The northeastern state now has 3,356 active cases, while 11,503 people have recovered from the disease and 63 died.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Rajasthan govt announces financial package for children orphaned by COVID
The Rajasthan government on Saturday announced a financial relief package for children who lost their parents to the coronavirus. Under the package, ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh and a pension of Rs 1,500 a month will also be provided to women who lost their husbands to the infection, according to an official statement. For children of these widows, Rs 1,000 a month per child and Rs 2,500 a month for school books and dress will be provided, it said.
The package, which was announced by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, has a provision of Rs 1 lakh as immediate grant for children, who lost their parents to Covid, the statement said. It said that Rs 2,500 a month will be provided as assistance to these children till 18 years of age, Rs 5 lakh assistance on completion of 18 years and free higher secondary education, besides other benefits proposed under the Mukhyamantri Corona Bal Kalyan Yojna.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | GST Council cuts rates on key Covid items till September 30
The all-powerful Goods and Service Tax Council, in its meeting on June 12, slashed the GST rates on a number of items crucial in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. These include essential medicines, oxygen, oxygen generation equipment and related devices, and diagnostic and testing machine kits. The items on which rate cuts were made include Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, medical grade oxygen, oxygen generator, ventilators, masks, COVID testing kits, oximeters, hand sanitisers, cremation furnaces, ambulances, temperature checking devices and others. These cuts are applicable till September 30.
A top government official told Moneycontrol after the meeting that while the Council understood there will be revenue foregone as a result of the cuts, that was not a priority for the participants. “All the central and state ministers in the Council understood that the priority is to provide relief to citizens while also ensuring that manufacturers don’t face issues related to income tax credit. Hence rates were cut on most items instead of exempting them outright,” the official said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Centre trashes 'unsound' international magazine report claiming COVID-19 death toll 5-7 times higher in country
Centre has trashed an international media report which claimed that India's actual COVID-19 death toll is five to seven times higher than the official count. The report is "misinformed", "speculative" and based on "unsound analysis", government said on June 12. Although the Centre did not name the international publication, it appeared to be a veiled reference towards The Economist. The magazine, in a report published on June 12, claimed that the official death toll numbers in India "represent a disturbingly small fraction of the real figure", and the actual count could be "some six times higher".
Categorically denying the claims made in the report, the Centre said it has been "transparent" in releasing data related to COVID-19, including mortality figures, since the start of the pandemic. "It is noted that a renowned international magazine in its article has speculated that ‘India has suffered perhaps five-to-seven times excess deaths than the official number of COVID-19 fatalities’. It is a speculative article, which is without any basis and seems to be misinformed," said a statement issued by the Union Health Ministry. "The unsound analysis of the said article is based on extrapolation of data without any epidemiological evidence," the statement added.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | PM Narendra Modi attends outreach session; calls for 'one earth one health' approach for pandemic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 12 called for following a "one earth, one health" approach to effectively deal with the coronavirus pandemic globally, and sought the support of the G7 grouping to lift patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, during a virtual address at an outreach session of a summit of the bloc. Calling for global unity, leadership, and solidarity to prevent future pandemics, Modi also emphasised on the special responsibility of democratic and transparent societies to deal with the challenge, according to an official statement.
Sources said Modi's call for adopting a "one earth, one health" approach received support from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They said Australia and several other countries came out in strong support of Modi's call to waive patents on coronavirus vaccines to boost their production. India and South Africa have come out with the proposal at the World Trade Organisation.
The prime minister, speaking at the G7 outreach session titled 'Building Back Stronger – Health', also highlighted India's 'whole of society' approach to fight the pandemic, while synergising the efforts of all levels of the government, industry and civil society. In his address, Modi sought the support of the G7 countries for a proposal moved at the WTO by India and South Africa, for patent waiver on Covid related technologies.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates
| Gurugram health department is fully prepared to undertake the sero surveillance survey from June 15, officials said on Saturday. The health authorities said that the purpose behind such study is to monitor the population of Stork-Cove 2 infection in the district.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Uttarakhand CM held a virtual meeting with district magistrates in connection with the progress of Covid-19 & vaccination
CM said that regular camps should be organised to increase testing & vaccination in rural areas, keeping in view the monsoon season. Uttarakhand CM said that in some pvt hospitals, there're complaints about taking more money from patients than prescribed fee & not giving the benefit of Atal Ayushman card, strict action should be taken against those hospitals, & inspection should also be done from time to time: CMO
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | For 7th day, Nagaland reports more COVID-19 recoveries than fresh cases
Nagaland for the seventh consecutive day reported more COVID-19 recoveries than fresh cases as 235 patients recuperated from the disease and 96 new infections pushed the tally to 23,562, a health department official said. The recovery rate among the COVID-19 patients in the state has gone up to 79.88 per cent from 79.20 per cent on Friday. As many as 18,822 people have recovered from the infection in the northeastern state.
'At least 96 positive cases detected today - 38 Kohima, 26 Dimapur, 20 Mokokchung, 4 each in Tuensang and Zunheboto, 2 each in Mon and Phek districts,' State Nodal Officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Project Dr Nyanthung Kikon said in the daily COVID-19 bulletin. Nagaland now has 3,633 active COVID-19 cases, he said. Demise of three COVID-19 patients in Dimapur district increased the death toll in the state to 448, of which 14 are related to other diseases, he said.
Altogether, 659 COVID-19 patients have migrated to other states, he said. So far, 2,06,708 samples have been tested for COVID- 19 in Nagaland, Dr Kikon said. As of Friday, 2,80,865 people have been inoculated in the state, including 54,690 who have received the second dose, State Immunisation Officer Dr Ritu Thurr said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says vaccine need outstrips G7 pledges
The head of the World Health Organisation has welcomed the vaccine-sharing announcements coming out of the Group of Seven summit but says “we need more, and we need them faster.” “The challenge, I said to the G-7 leaders, was that to truly end the pandemic, our goal must be to vaccinate at least 70% of the world''s population by the time the G-7 meets again in Germany next year,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters Saturday at the summit in southwest England.
“To do that, we need 11 billion doses,” Tedros said, adding that it was “essential” for countries to temporarily waive intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the summit''s host, has said the group would pledge at least 1 billion doses, with half that number coming from the United States and 100 million from Britain over the next year. Tedros reiterated his target of vaccinating 30% of the population of every country by the end of 2021. He said that reaching the goal requires 100 million doses in June and July, and 250 million more by September.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Odisha to include children above 6 years in sero-survey
Anticipating a possible third wave of COVID-19 to affect children, the Odisha government has decided to include those above six years in the ensuing fourth sero-survey to assess the presence of antibodies. The sero-survey will be conducted from June 17 in three districts - Ganjam, Rayagadda and Koraput, said Sanghamitra Pati, director of the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), a unit of ICMR.
"For the first time, children above 6 years will be brought under the ambit of this survey," Pati said, adding, the exercise will be completed in four days. The sero-survey will be carried out in 70 districts across India, she said. All the procedures will be similar to the previous such surveys. Official sources said as many as 43,573 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among children in the age group of 0-14 years in Odisha so far. Health experts said the outcome of the sero-survey will help the state government prepare strategies to face another wave of the pandemic.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Odisha govt orders probe into 'fake' COVID-19 medicine circulation
The Odisha government ordered a probe into the alleged circulation of "fake" COVID-19 medicines, officials said. The government also decided to initiate legal action against those responsible for supplying "spurious COVID-19 medicines" seized in the last two days, they said. Health and Family Welfare Department's Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra issued a direction to the Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd and the police to launch a joint inquiry into the seizure of alleged spurious drugs and submit a report.
"Prosecution cases will be started in the specially designated courts under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act," he said. The authorities had seized a large quantity of "spurious" Favipiravir tablets in Cuttack on June 10. They also recovered "fake" drugs in other places, including Bhubaneswar, on Friday. "Seizures were made in Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar on June 11," the officials said.
Acting on a tip-off from the Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra on spurious Favipiravir tablets allegedly manufactured by a company in Himachal Pradesh, the authorities in Odisha initiated actions. These medicines were purchased by a company in Cuttack, they said. "A raid was conducted on the premises of the buyer firm by the Cuttack drugs inspectors," an official said.
The inspectors also found the manufacturer of the medicine was a non-existing entity, he said, adding that during the raid, it was noted that the Cuttack-based company had purchased 58,000 "Favimax-400" tablets from an entity located at Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. Of the purchased quantity, the Cuttack-based buyer supplied 40,600 tablets to another entity in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Of the available stock of 17,400 tablets, 400 were taken for statutory testing and the remaining ones were seized under the provision of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules, the official said.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Himachal Pradesh reports 370 new COVID19 cases, 830 discharges & 17 deaths in the past 24 hours
Total cases 1,98,313
Total recoveries 1,89,522
Death toll 3368
Active cases 5402
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Mumbai reports 733 new cases, 732 discharges & 18 deaths in the last 24 hours
Total cases 7,15,879
Total recoveries 6,82,678
Death toll 15,164
Active cases 15,798
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra reports 10,697 new cases, 360 deaths and 14,910 discharges today; Recovery rate in the State is 95.48%
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Madhya Pradesh records 337 coronavirus cases, 24 deaths
Madhya Pradesh on Saturday recorded 337 new coronavirus infections which raised its caseload to 7,87,909, while the death toll reached 8,534 with 24 new fatalities, the Health Department said here. A total of 985 patients were discharged from hospitals since Friday evening, taking the count of recoveries to 7,74,600, the department said.
