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Coronavirus News Updates: Today is the 292nd day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. India has reported 18,222 new COVID-19 cases, 19,253 recoveries, and 228 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the country's count to 1,04,50,284, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said. While 1,00,75,950 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus so far, 1,50,999 persons have succumbed to the deadly virus in the country. There are 2,23,335 active coronavirus cases in India, as per the Union Health Ministry. Globally, more than 8.89 crore people have been infected by the coronavirus and 19.16 lakh have died so far. Many countries have granted emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccines and have started the process of vaccinating healthcare workers and high-risk groups. India's regulator has granted restricted emergency use approval for two vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin.
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Collaborative efforts of the Centre, states and UTs have resulted in strengthening of health facilities across the country, the health ministry said."India has one of the lowest deaths per million population (109). Countries like Russia, Germany, Brazil, France, the USA, the UK and Italy have much higher deaths per million population," it said. The total number of recovered cases in the country has surged to10,075,950 and the national recovery rate has improved to 96.42 per cent.
India's current active caseload of 2,23,335 was just 2.14 per cent of its total cases. Recovery of 19,299 patients in 24 hours has led a decline of 855 cases from the total COVID-19 active caseload. Maharashtra recorded the maximum positive change with an addition of 1,123 cases, whereas Rajasthan shows maximum negative change with a reduction of 672 cases.Ten states and UTs contributed 79.12 per cent of the new recovered cases.
The COVID-19 fatality rate in India has been showing a sustained decline and has further dropped to 1.44 per cent due to focused efforts of the Centre, states and Union Territories on effective clinical management of thehospitalisedcases, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.With effective containment strategy, aggressive testing andstandardisedclinical management protocols based on holistic standard of care protocol across government and private hospitals, the number of new deaths have dipped, it stated."Less than 300 new COVID-19 deaths are being recorded in the country for the last 16 days," the ministry said.
Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech on January 9 said the death of a 45-year-old volunteer in Bhopal during the Phase-III clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine was not related to the vaccine.“The volunteer passed away nine days after the dosing and preliminary reviews by the site indicate that the death is unrelated to the study dosing,” the company said in a statement. “We cannot confirm if the volunteer received the study vaccine or a placebo as the study is blinded.”
The post-mortem report issued by Gandhi Medical Collegein Bhopalshowed that the probable cause of death of the volunteer was cardio-respiratory failure as a result of suspected poisoning and the casewas under police investigation, the company added.Covaxin was granted restricted emergency use approval by the DCGI on January 3, 2021. The company is yet to submit the efficacy data.
Pharma wrap: Why Bharat Biotech's Covaxin trial site in Bhopal is stirring up controversy
Ministry of Health: Centre has been proactively carrying activities towards preparing for nationwide roll-out of COVID vaccine. Ministry today held a video conferencing with administrators from States/UTs on CoWIN software which forms backbone of last mile vaccine administration.
The Shree Jagannath TempleAdministration (SJTA) on Sunday announced that devotees need not produce their COVID-19 negative report for getting entryinto the 12th century shrine in Puri from January 21. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting attended by SJTA chief Krishan Kumar, Puri district magistrate-cum collector Samarth Verma and Superintendent of Police K B Singh.
"The devotees can enter into the temple without having COVID-19 negative report from January 21. The decision will remain in force till February 21," the SJTA chief told reporters.
India generated around 33,000 tonnes of COVID-19 biomedical waste in the last seven months, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum (3,587 tonnes) to it, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Over 5,500 tonnes of COVID-19 waste was generated across the country in October -- the maximum for a month so far.
According to the data received from state pollution control boards, since June 2020, all states and union territories have generated 32,994 tonnes of COVID-19-related biomedical waste which is being collected, treated and disposed of by 198 common biomedical waste treatment facilities (CBWTFs).
Read:India generated around 33,000 tonnes COVID-19 waste in 7 months; Maharashtra biggest contributor
COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care in the early months of the pandemic experienced a higher burden of delirium and coma than is typically found in those hospitalised with acute respiratory failure, according to the largest study of its kind to date.The research, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, tracked the incidence of delirium and coma in over 2,000 COVID-19 patients admitted before April 28, 2020, to 69 adult intensive care units across 14 countries.
According to the scientists, led by those at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US, the choice of sedative medications and curbs on family visitation played a role in increasing acute brain dysfunction for these patients. They said ICU delirium is associated with higher medical costs and greater risk of death and long-term ICU-related dementia.
More than 360 people have tested positive in a growing COVID-19 outbreak south of Beijing in neighboring Hebei province. China's National Health Commission reported Sunday that 69 new cases had been confirmed in the latest 24-hour period, including 46 in Hebei. The outbreak has raised particular concern because of Hebei's proximity to the nation's capital. Travel between the two has been restricted, with workers from Hebei having to show proof of employment in Beijing to enter the city.
Preparations for rolling out COVID-19 vaccination programme in Rajasthan have been made and around 4.5 lakh health workers will be vaccinated in the first phase, Health Minister Raghu Sharma said on Sunday. Sharma said data of 4,36,146 government and private sector health workers had been uploaded on COVIN (COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) software by 1 pm on Saturday. He said the first phase of vaccination will be conducted at 282 sessions sites from January 16 onwards. Of them, two sites including Jaipur and Ajmer will be interactive.
Puducherry reported 30 freshCOVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the tally to 38,455, while two more fatalities pushed the toll to 638.The day also saw 40 patients getting discharged from various hospitals after recovery.Puducherry region topped the list of fresh infections (22), followed by Mahe 7 and Karaikal 1. Yanam did not report any fresh case, the Director of the Health Department S Mohan Kumar said in a release.
Cumulatively, 38,455 cases have been confirmed, out of which 37,501 were treated and discharged.Active cases stood at 316.A total of 5.16 lakh samples have been tested so far, out which 4.73 lakh had turned negative.The fatality and recovery rates in the union territory were 1.66 per cent and 97.52 per cent respectively, Kumar said.
Total number infected with new strain of coronavirus from United Kingdom stands at 90; no addition in the last 24 hours
In Delhi, 89 sites have been finalised for the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive. Govt has identified 36 state-run and53 private hospitals for vaccination drive from January 16. In the first phase, only health workers will be vaccinated.
