At New Friends Colony in DelhiCoronavirus India Live Updates: With 21,822 new cases of coronavirus infections detected on Wednesday, the tally now stands at one crore and 2.66 lakh. As many as 299 deaths were reported on Wednesday. While 26,000 were declared as recovered, there are 2.57 lakh active infections. Kerala has reported 6,268 new cases, while Maharashtra detected 3,537 new infections.
The Union Health Ministry has asked all states to keep a strict vigil on New Year celebrations that could be potential COVID-19 super-spreader events and also to curb crowding as a precautionary measure during the winter season, PTI reported. In a letter to states and Union Territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated that the number of active COVID-19 cases has been declining steadily in the country for the last three-and-half months.
Passenger flights between the UK and India would remain suspended till January 7 and they will resume in a “strictly regulated” manner thereafter, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday. The Civil Aviation Ministry had last week suspended all flights between the European country and India from December 23 to December 31 as a mutated variant of the coronavirus was detected there. India has recorded 14 fresh cases of new coronavirus mutant strain first reported in the United Kingdom in September, taking the total number of cases to 20, news agency PTI reported. The tally includes who were found positive for the new virus strain on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, India reported 20,550 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total tally to 1,02,44,853, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With 286 deaths in the past 24 hours, the overall death toll rose to 1,48,439. While there are 2,62,272 active cases in the country, as many as 98,34,141 people have recovered from the disease.
Dry run for the Covid-19 vaccine at Civil Hospital in Ludhiana on Tuesday (Express photo by Gurmeet Singh)
China approved a COVID-19 vaccine developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm on Thursday, its first approved shot for general public use as it braces for increased transmission risks over winter.
No detailed efficacy data of the vaccine has been publicly released but its developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute, a unit of Sinopharm subsidiary China National Biotec Group (CNBG), said on Wednesday its vaccine was 79.34% effective in preventing people from developing the disease based on interim data.
The approval comes after the United Arab Emirates this month became the first country to roll out the vaccine to the public.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority Thursday announced a curfew in the city on New Year’s Eve, restricting more than five people to assemble at a public place. According to an order, no celebratory events, congregations and gatherings at public places are permitted from 11 pm of December 31 to 6 am of January 1, 2021. However, the order exempts licensed premises.
“Night curfew will be in force (not more than five persons to assemble at public places), and no new year celebratory events, congregations and gatherings at the public place will be permitted from 11 pm of December 31 to 6 am of January 1, 2021, and also from 11 pm of January 1 to 6 am of January 2…Public places will not include the licensed premises.. However, there will be no restriction on interstate and intrastate movement of persons and goods during the curfew period,” it added.
Police and fire unit deployment has been beefed up, traffic regulation planned, and restaurants and bars asked to host not more than 50 per cent of their capacity as the national capital prepares to welcome the New Year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Officials said they have also taken several measures to ensure women's safety, and added though breath analyser test will not be used to detect drunken-driving out of precaution against coronavirus, delinquent drivers will be liable for legal action.
In order to ensure orderly celebrations, police presence will be strengthened in markets, around malls, five-star hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars, they said. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said that this year, public gatherings will be subjected to coronavirus protocol. "There is a restriction on the number of people who can collect at a point. So these restrictions will be there and wearing of masks will be mandatory," he told PTI.
The Pune-based SII has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India seeking emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
A decision on allowing general commuters to board suburban trains in Mumbai will be taken after considering the trend of COVID-19 cases in New Year, Maharashtra health Minister RajeshTope said on Wednesday. Currently, only certain categories of commuters, including those providing essential services, and women, can travel by local trains in the Mumbai region after obtaining a special pass in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
'If (COVID-19) cases are not spiralling, a decision on resumption of suburban services (for all) will be taken. The government is keeping a close watch on the situation,' he said. (PTI)
Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday said there is a need to develop medicine for COVID-19 in Homeopathy also. Arsenicum album is said to be effective to control COVID-19, but there is a need to develop proper medicine for Corona in Homeopathy, Sudhakar was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
"We should encourage homeopathy practice. It was widely used when typhoid was detected," he said, adding that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has given more importance to Ayush. "Our government led by CM B S Yediyurappa will be deputing one Ayush Doctor at each PHCs across the state," he said. (PTI)
Traces of a new strain of coronavirus were found in two people who recently returned from the United Kingdom, an Uttar Pradesh official said on Wednesday. The two cases were found in Meerut and Gautam Buddh Nagar and samples of their contacts are also being taken, Additional Chief Secretary Health Amit Mohan Prasad said. Tests of those returning from the United Kingdom after December 9 are continuing and till now around 2,500 samples have been sent to the labs, he said, adding that so far 10 people who returned from the UK have tested positive.
Their gene sequencing is being done to ascertain the kind of virus, he said. As many as 2,112 people have tested negative, Prasad said.
Prasad said during the upcoming Magh Mela in Allahabad and Sant Samagam in Vrindavan, people will have to bring a negative coronavirus certificate. (PTI)
A Chinese drugmaker said Wednesday its coronavirus vaccine was found to be 79.3 per cent effective at preventing infection in preliminary data from the final round of testing, moving Beijing closer to possibly being able to fulfill its pledge to supply other developing countries. The announcement by a unit of state-owned Sinopharm gave the first official data from a Chinese vaccine's late-stage trial. Its reported effectiveness rate is behind Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine at 95 per cent and Moderna Inc.'s at 94 per cent.
Scientists have cautioned coronavirus vaccines may only be about as effective as flu vaccines, which generally are 50 per cent effective. Sinopharm is one of at least five Chinese developers that are in a global race to create vaccines for the disease that has killed more than 1.7 million people. More than 1 million health care workers and others in China have received vaccines being developed by Sinopharm and another supplier, Sinovac, under emergency approval while testing was underway. (AP)
Serum Institute of India (SII) on Thursday termed the approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the UK as encouraging news and said that the company would now wait for the final nod for the medication in India. Earlier in the day, the UK approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by scientists at Oxford University and produced by AstraZeneca for human use, the second coronavirus vaccine to be cleared for rollout in Britain after the Pfizer/BioNTech jabs.
The Oxford vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the SII, was being evaluated by the British regulator - the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - after the final cut of data was submitted by the government last week. "This is great and encouraging news. We will wait for the final approval from Indian regulators," SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said in a statement.
In order to introduce an urgently needed vaccine against COVID-19 in India, SII, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, has entered into a collaboration with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine. The Pune-based company has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) seeking emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccine in the country. (PTI)
The coronavirus-induced suspension of scheduled international passenger flights has been extended till January 31, aviation regulator DGCA said on Wednesday. "However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation added.
Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral "air bubble" arrangements with selected countries since July. (PTI)
The Union Health Ministry has asked all states to keep a strict vigil on New Year celebrations that could be potential COVID-19 super-spreader events and also to curb crowding as a precautionary measure during the winter season, PTI reported. In a letter to states and Union Territories, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated that the number of active COVID-19 cases has been declining steadily in the country for the last three-and-half months. “You will appreciate that in the wake of New Year and various celebratory events associated with it as well as ongoing winter season, strict vigil is required to be maintained to curb all potential ‘super spreader’ events and places where crowds may gather,” Bhushan said in the letter.
German authorities have reported more than 1,000 coronavirus-related deaths in one day for the first time since the pandemic began. The national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, said Wednesday that 1,129 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours. That exceeds the previous record set a week ago of 962 and brings Germanys total death toll to 32,107.
While delayed reporting of statistics over holidays and weekends is often an issue in Germany, the latest figure fits a recent pattern of high numbers of deaths. Germany had a relatively low death rate in the first phase of the pandemic but has seen hundreds of deaths per day in recent weeks. Among major European nations, Italy, the UK, France and Spain still have higher death tolls. (AP)
The Kerala government has decided to relax the curbs imposed on temple festivities, reported PTI.
State Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said restrictions in connection with the festivities, would be relaxed in temples managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). TDB is an apex temple body in the southern state which manages over 1200 shrines.
The temple art forms can be staged in compliance with the COVID protocol, the minister said on Wednesday.
AstraZeneca's Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot Wednesday said the Covid-19 vaccine approved by Britain should be effective against the new variant of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom, reported Reuters.
"Our belief at this point is that this vaccine should be effective against the variant," he told BBC radio.
Haryana Health Miniser Anil Vij Wednesday said he has been discharged from Medanta Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for Covid-19.
'I'm discharged from Medanta Hospital today. Will stay at Home on oxygen support,' the minister tweeted.
Vij had tested positive for coronavirus on December 5, a fortnight after he was administered a dose of 'Covaxin' at an Ambala hospital.
The Maharashtra government has extended lockdown restrictions in the state till January 31, reported PTI.
"The state is threatened with the spread of COVID-19 virus. Therefore, to take certain emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus, the lockdown in the state has been extended till January 31," a circular issued on Dec 29 stated.
The activities already allowed and permitted from time to time shall be continue, it added.
The scale of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan early this year may have been nearly 10 times the recorded tally, a study conducted by China’s public health authorities indicates, leaving the city where the coronavirus first took hold still well short of the immunity required to protect against a potential resurgence.
About 4.4% of those tested were found to have specific antibodies that can fight off the pathogen that causes Covid-19, indicating they were infected some time in the past, according to a serological survey of more than 34,000 people conducted in April by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The data was released late Monday.
That ratio would suggest that with Wuhan home to about 11 million people, as many as 500,000 residents may have been infected, nearly 10 times more than the 50,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases reported by health authorities in mid-April, when the survey was conducted.
The United Kingdom on Wednesday approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
The Centre has extended the temporary ban on flights to India from the United Kingdom until January 7, following which a “strictly regulated” resumption will take place. The current suspension, which took effect from December 23, is in place until December 31.
The resumption of flights will be a relief to passengers who may be currently stuck in the UK. Once inbound flights resume, people who may have to travel to the UK from India will also be able to do that. Read on to know more
Economic shocks like the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 only arrive once every few generations, and they bring about permanent and far-reaching change.
Measured by output, the world economy is well on the way to recovery from a slump the likes of which barely any of its 7.7 billion people have seen in their lifetimes. Vaccines should accelerate the rebound in 2021. But other legacies of Covid-19 will shape global growth for years to come.