New COVID strain highlights: Many countries around the world are restricting travel from Britain and elsewhere amid concerns about new strains of the coronavirus. The restrictions focus mainly on Britain, which has imposed strict new lockdown measures because of what it described as the unusually rapid spread of a new strain there. A few other European countries have confirmed cases of the virus variant, and another strain considered especially infectious has been identified in South Africa. India hs also suspended flights from Britain until December 31. Today is the 274th day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. So far, India has recorded 1,00,75,116 (over 1 crore) confirmed COVID- 19 cases, including 1,46,111 deaths. A total of 96,36,487 patients have recovered or been discharged, as per the latest data from the Union Health Ministry. India's recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 95.65 percent. However, there are 2,92,518 active cases in the country, which comprise 2.9 percent of the total caseload. Globally, more than 7.73 crore people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and 17.01 lakh have died so far, as per data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.
Coronavirus in Bhutan LIVE Updates | PMO Bhutan:
A nationwide lockdown will be enforced for seven days, starting 23rd December. National COVID-19 Taskforce decided the need for a more stringent action after detection of sporadic cases in flu clinics in Thimphu and Paro, and also in Lhamoizingkha.
Indian Railways Permits General Public To Travel On Chennai Suburban Trains During Non-peak Hours From December 23
Under phase-I, employees engaged in the organisations rendering essential services were permitted to travel.... Read More
Coronavirus vaccine LIVE Updates | Drugmakers rush to test whether vaccines stop coronavirus variant
Drug makers including BioNTech and Moderna are scrambling to test their COVID-19 vaccines against the new fast-spreading variant of the virus that is raging in Britain, the latest challenge in the breakneck race to curb the pandemic.
Ugur Sahin, chief executive of Germany's BioNTech, which with partner Pfizer took less than a year to get a vaccine approved, said on Tuesday he needs another two weeks to know if his shot can stop the mutant variant of the virus.
Moderna expects immunity from its vaccine to protect against the variant and is performing more tests in coming weeks to confirm, the company said in a statement to CNN. Moderna did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates |
Dr Samiran Panda, Director & Scientist, ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute:We have tested samples collected from the various parts of the country and haven't seen here the mutant strain of SARS-CoV2 found in the United Kingdom. Over the last 6-7 months, the viral genome studies that have taken place involving over 2,000 samples in India have not identified this mutation.
Coronavirus in US LIVE Updates | US deaths in 2020 top 3 million, by far most ever counted
This is the deadliest year in US history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic.
Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months. But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019.
US deaths increase most years, so some annual rise in fatalities is expected. But the 2020 numbers amount to a jump of about 15 percent, and could go higher once all the deaths from this month are counted.
That would mark the largest single-year percentage leap since 1918, when tens of thousands of US soldiers died in World War I and hundreds of thousands of Americans died in a flu pandemic. Deaths rose 46 percent that year, compared with 1917.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates |
Punjab government issues SOP for the new variant of Coronavirus virus detected in the United Kingdom. Punjab Health Minister says, "8 travellers out of 262 travellers from the UK have tested positive and have been isolated as per SOPs."
Coronavirus vaccine LIVE Updates |
44% rural Indians willing to pay for COVID-19 vaccine; 51% consider coronavirus 'Chinese conspiracy': Survey
Nearly 44 percent of rural Indians are willing to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine, while more than half of the population in India's villages believe the coronavirus crisis is a 'conspiracy by China', a survey showed on Tuesday.
The survey, conducted by Gaon Connection among 6,040 rural respondents across 60 districts in 16 states and one union territory, found that 36 percent said they would not want to pay for it. The remaining 20 percent said they are yet to decide on paying for the vaccine.
Of those who were willing to pay, two-third said they can pay up to Rs 500 for two doses of the vaccine, whenever it is available.
Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE Updates |
Tamil Nadu reported 1,052 new COVID-19cases, 1,139 discharges, and 17 deaths in the last 24 hours: State Health Department, Govt of Tamil Nadu. Total positive cases: 8,09,014; Total discharges: 7,87,611; Death toll: 12,012;Active cases: 9,391.
Coronavirus vaccine LIVE Updates |
New Delhi airport aims to start distributing COVID vaccine in January
India's largest airport plans to start distributing COVID-19 vaccines in January with up to 5.4 million vials a day, its CEO said on Tuesday, underscoring the logistical challenge of reaching everyone in the country of 1.3 billion.
The Indian government is considering emergency use authorization for three vaccine candidates - one from AstraZeneca, another from Pfizer, and a separate one developed by the Indian firm Bharat Biotech.
"If we are able to rotate cargo twice a day, then 5.4 million (vials) can be distributed in a day," Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said. Overall, the airport had the capacity to handle up to 8 million vials a day, he said.
Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE Updates |
Maharashtra reported 3,106 new COVID-19cases, 4,122 discharges, and 75 deaths today, as per State Health Department. Total cases: 19,02,458; Total recoveries: 17,94,080; Death toll: 48,876; Total active cases: 58,376.
Coronavirus in Delhi LIVE Updates |
Delhi reports 939 new COVID-19cases, 1,434 recoveries and 25 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Delhi Health Department. Total cases: 6,18,747; Total recoveries: 5,99,683; Death toll: 10,329; Active cases: 8,735.
Coronavirus in Nepal LIVE Updates |
Nepal bans all flights to and from the United Kingdom from 23:59 hours, 23rd December, says the country's Civil Aviation Authority.
Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE Updates |
27 deaths, 6,049 new COVID-19 cases and 5,057 recoveries reported in Keralatoday. Total death toll in the state now stands at 2,870.
Coronavirus in Utarakhand LIVE Updates | Uttarakhand Government:
In the wake of increasing Covid cases, bars, hotels, and other public places won't be permitted to hold programmes, parties, and public gatherings on the occasion of Christmas, new year's eve, and 01.01.2021.
Coronavirus vaccine LIVE Updates | Expert panel to take up Pfizer, SII's emergency use authorisation applications soon
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization's expert panel will meet soon to take up the applications of Pfizer and Serum Institute of India (SII) for the emergency use authorisation (EUA) for their COVID-19 Vaccine candidates, sources told CNBC-TV18 on December 22.
Notably, Pfizer was the first to apply for the EUA in India on December 5. However, it sought more time from the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) as its experts were busy and could not present their case on December 9.
Now, the US pharma giant has written to the drug controller seeking a fresh date to present their case for the EUA.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates | BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine heads to EU as effectiveness against new strain tested
BioNTech is testing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine it developed with Pfizer against a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus as it prepares to send 12.5 mln doses to EU countries by the end of year.
The European Union is gearing up for a vaccination campaign of unprecedented scale following regulatory approval for the shot on Monday.
The EU deliveries amount to more than half the 20 million doses expected to be available in the United States before the end of the year, BioNTech's chief business officer, Sean Marett, told a briefing.
Preparations for the roll-out come as the identification of a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus in Britain causes chaos across the region, with countries shutting off travel ties with the United Kingdom and disrupting trade ahead of the Christmas holiday.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates |
WHO Europe to convene members over new virus variant
The World Health Organization in Europe said Tuesday it would convene its members to discuss how to handle a new variant of the novel coronavirus discovered in the UK.
Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe said on Twitter that the organisation was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant and would "convene member states to discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission & communicating risks," without specifying a timeframe.
The WHO's European region comprises 53 countries, including Russia and several Central Asian nations -- a region that has registered nearly 24 million COVID-19 cases and over 500,000 deaths.
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Union Civil Avitation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to CNBC-TV18:
Confident that by December 31, we will be at pre-COVID levels. We will be at 300,000-350,000 daily air traffic by March 2021. The government is planning to soon increase domestic capacity beyond 80 percent. The authorisation for emergency use of COVIDvaccine in India may come in a few weeks (and) all stakeholders are working on a distribution plan.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates | VK Paul, NITI Aayog:
There is no cause for concern, no need to panic, as for now. We need to stay vigilant.As of now, it has no impact on the potential of the emerging vaccines being developed in our country and are available in other countries.
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates | VK Paul, NITI Aayog:
The new strain of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom has increased transmissibility. This mutation is not affecting the severity of the disease. Case fatality is not affected by this mutation.
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Directorate General of Foreign Trade:
Government of India removes the restriction on the export of medical goggles and Nitrile/NBR gloves making them freely exportable.
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | Health Ministry:
It is after almost 5.5 months, we have less than 3 lakh active COVID-19 cases in the country. Currently, the active cases are less than 3% of overall cases.There has been a decrease in average daily new cases in the past 7 weeks.
Coronavirus in Odisha LIVE Updates | Odisha reports 319 new COVID-19 cases
Odisha's COVID-19 tally rose to 3,26,915 today as 319 more people tested positive forthe infection, while four fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 1,843, a health official said. Odisha now has 3,063 active coronavirus cases, while 3,21,956 people have recovered from the disease so far, he said. (PTI)
New COVID strain LIVE Updates | New coronavirus variant not out of control, says WHO
The new coronavirus variant discovered in Britain with a higher transmission rate is not yet out of control and can be contained using existing measures, the World Health Organization has said. "We have had a much higher (contamination rate) at different points in this pandemic and we've got it under control," WHO's emergencies chief Michael Ryan told a press conference.
Read more | New coronavirus variant not out of control, says WHO
New COVID Strain LIVE Updates |
New COVID-19 strain in UK: A look at what Indian states are doing
India has suspended all passenger flights connecting to the UK from December 23 to December 31 over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus spreading in Britain. Several other countries have already imposed a similar flight ban.
Also, passengers coming from the United Kingdom through flights till December 22 midnight would be tested for COVID-19 on arrival at airports "as a measure of abundant precaution", the Civil Aviation Ministry has said.
Aviation regulatorDGCAhas said that all airlines must ensure that passengerstravellingfrom the UK do not board their flights from anywhere outside the UK to come to India during the suspension period.
Coronavirus in West bengal LIVE Updates | 2 passengers from UK test positive for COVID-19 at Kolkata airport
Two passengers from the UK were found positive for COVID-19 after they arrived at the airport in Kolkata, reported news agency PTI citing health department officials. A flight carrying 222 passengers from the UK arrived at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport on Sunday night, they said. "Twenty-five passengers did not have COVID reports with them. So they were taken to a nearby quarantine centre,and their coronavirus tests were conducted. Two tested positive," the West Bengal Health and Family Welfare Department official said.
Coronavirus in Arunachal Pradesh LIVE Updates | Arunachal reports 22 new COVID-19 cases
At least 22 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the tallyin the northeastern state to 16,652, a health department official said today.The death toll rose to 56 after a 50-year-old coronavirus patient died at a hospital in Tawang district yesterday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampasaid. Nineteen people were cured of the disease yesterday,taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 16,369. The state now has 227 active cases. (PTI)
Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | COVID-19 vaccine maker Bharat Biotech says recruitment for trials on track
The maker of one of India's leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates said today its recruitment of volunteers for a late-stage trial of the shot was on track, following reports of a shortage of participants. Bharat Biotech has signed up 13,000 volunteers for the Phase 3 trial, backed by India's government medical research body, and is progressing towards its goal of 26,000, the company said. The trial began in mid-November at multiple sites across India. Local news reports last week suggested that some of those trial sites were well short of reaching intended recruitment targets. (Reuters)
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
As many as 19,556 new cases of novel coronavirus were reported, with India’s total COVID-19 cases now above 1 crore, as per the health ministry’s December 22 update. New cases reported below the 20,000 mark for the first time in 173 days. India reported 301 new deaths (below the 500 mark for the 17th day) and 30,376 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the latest release shows. Active cases continue to drop, to 2,92,518 (these many active cases were reported last on July 12) with a fall of 11,121 cases in a day.
Read more | COVID-19 cases explained in charts
Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates | Several Indian-American physicians publicly take COVID-19 vaccine, encourage others to get it
Several Indian-American physicians, in the frontline of the fight against the pandemic, are publicly taking the coronavirus vaccine and encouraging others to get the shots, emphasising that the vaccine is the only saving grace and a scientific blessing that will help the world win the battle against COVID-19. The US began administering vaccines a week ago and has approved jabs developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. We all should take the vaccine. It is very effective and we are seeing good results. The vaccine is the only saving grace we have right now and we have to take it, former President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Dr Suresh Reddy told PTI.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Global stocks dip as new COVID-19 strain darkens recovery prospects
Asian shares widened losses on Tuesday, extending a pullback from multi-year highs hit last week on fears a highly infectious new strain of COVID-19 that hit Britain could lead to a slower global economic recovery. Sentiment continue to sour with FTSE futures down 0.14% and E-mini futures for the S&P 500 index off 0.29%, even as the U.S. Congress on Monday approved a long-awaited $892 billion coronavirus aid package. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was 1.21% lower. Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.77% in the afternoon session, touching its lowest levels in two weeks, as investors took profit from stellar gains over the past couple of months. (Reuters)
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates |
Five out of 266 passengers and crew members of a flight, which arrived at Delhi airport from London last night, have tested positive for COVID-19. Their samples have been sent to NCDC for research and they have been sent to care centre: Nodal officer for COVID-19 (ANI)
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates | India records lowest daily new cases after gap of nearly six months
The number of daily new coronavirus infections reported in the country was recorded below 20,000 after nearly six months while the COVID-19 active caseload fell below 3 lakh, according tothe Union Health Ministry data updated today. India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,00,75,116 with 19,556 new infections being reported in a day. The death toll increased to 1,46,111 with 301 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 96,36,487 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.65 percent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 percent.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
Amid the growing COVID-19 cases and emerging new coronavirus strain, the vaccine against COVID-19 promises a return to normal in the not-so-distant future. For people aged 16 years and above, the vaccine shot has been developed. While the elderly are a high-risk group and on the list of people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after health care workers and frontline staff, what about the youngest members of society – children? Vaccine manufacturers in the race to develop the vaccine against the contagion believe that progress on paediatric versions is not far behind.
Read more | COVID-19 vaccine for children: Clinical trials may begin in India by mid-2021, says report
Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates |
The central government may soon sign a purchase agreement with Serum Institute of India (SII) for 5 crore doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, CNBC-TV18 reported. The government may approve the vaccine within a day or two, after the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the news channel reported on December 21. British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have developed a COVID-19 vaccine, which SII will manufacture in India.
Read more | Centre likely to buy 5 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Serum Institute
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN:
Total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 1,00,75,116, according to the latest update by from the Union Health Ministry. This number includes cases involving foreign nationals, patients who have recovered and the death toll.
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN:
As many as 96,36,487 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far, the Union Health Ministry has said in its latest update.
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN:
The reported active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 2,92,518, according to the Union Health Ministry.
Coronavirus in India LIVE updates | JUST IN:
The death toll in India due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has risen to 1,46,111, the Union Health Ministry has said.
Coronavirus in India LIVE Updates |
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 16,31,70,557 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to December 21 with 10,72,228 samples being tested on Monday.
Coronavirus LIVE Updates |
The pandemic outbreak has disrupted our approach to life and the way we work. It has also hit the business cycle globally, leading to massive slowdown. However, as appalling as the crisis is at this moment, we are also anticipating a huge turnaround across economies. Though people across nations have massively adapted and experienced remote working during the lockdown, as soon as the situation normalises, companies would lay more emphasis on cost optimization and prefer flexible workspaces, rather than traditional office spaces. Most corporates would avoid capital expenditures and look forward to co-working facilities, to accelerate its adoption rate and expansion in the coming time.
Read more | How coworking will fare up in post-COVID era: Strategies and prospects in the new normal
Coronavirus in Australia LIVE Updates | Australian COVID-19 cluster slows to five-day low
Australia's most populous state today reported its lowest one-day rise in new COVID-19 cases in nearly a week, fuelling optimism that contact tracing and social distancing were working to bring a dangerous new outbreak in Sydney under control. New South Wales (NSW) reported eight new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, down on 15 reported one day earlier. Seven of the new cases were traced to a cluster in Sydney's northern beachside suburbs, officials said. (Reuters)
Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates |
Vaccines are here, bringing hope of the pandemic’s end. But even when you get your dose, it won’t mean an immediate return to life as you knew it. Vaccination provides you and society the best way to move forward. Some parts of life will begin to feel different as soon as the vaccine kicks in. Other changes will take longer. When it comes to thinking about what’s safe, it may help to think of post-vaccine life in several phases.
Read here | What you can do post-vaccine, and when
New COVID strain LIVE Updates | New COVID-19 strain inflicts pain on equities and oil
A gauge of equities around the world fell yesterday and oil prices plunged as concerns about a new coronavirus strain in Britain overshadowed optimism over a vaccine-fueled rebound in economic growth. US stocks, however, trimmed their losses as investors also weighed the benefits of a $900 billion fiscal stimulus deal reached by Congress over the weekend. The benchmark S&P 500 was down only slightly after having fallen as much 2% earlier. Financial stocks also helped cap broader losses, rallying more than 1% after the Federal Reserve said the largest US banks could resume stock buybacks. (Reuters)
New COVID strain LIVE Updates | Mumbai readies for night curbs; quarantine for air passengers
As the Maharashtra government yesterday declared a night curfew in municipal corporation areas,the Mumbai civic administration moved to enforce restrictionsand make arrangements to quarantine air passengers arriving from Britain, where a new COVID-19 variant is spreading fast, and some other countries. The state government has declared a night curfew inmunicipal corporation areas (cities) from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary measure amid growing concernsover the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain. (PTI)
Coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh LIVE Updates | 1,018 new COVID-19 cases take UP's tally to 5,75,621; death toll 8,212
The COVID-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 8,212 on Monday with 16 more fatalities, while 1,018 new cases took the infection tally to 5,75,621, an official statement said. Of the 16 deaths, five were reported from Lucknow while two fatalities each were reported from Kanpur and Varanasi, it said. The count of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 16,822. In the last 24 hours, over 1.25 lakh samples have been tested in the state, while more than 2.25 crore tests have been conducted in the state so far. (PTI)
