LIVE NOWauto-refresh
Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: India’s daily coronavirus infections jumped by 28,903 today, data from the health ministry showed, for the highest increase since December 13 and taking the nationwide tally to 11.44 million. Deaths swelled by 188, the highest figure in two months, to stand at 159,044. India has the world’s highest tally of infections after the United States and Brazil. Nearly 62% of infections in the past 24 hours and 46% of the deaths were reported by Maharashtra, the country’s worst affected. The Centre has blamed crowding and a general reluctance to wear masks for the spike, ruling out the virus mutations that have been a factor in Western countries. Maharashtra, home to India’s commercial capital of Mumbai, is among the states that have already tightened rules to curb the spread of the virus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with chief ministers today to assess the Covid-19 situation in the country as well as the vaccination drive amid a spike in active cases that has increased the government’s worry. PM Modi’s last interaction with chief ministers was in January before the vaccination roll-out. He had announced that the Centre will bear the expenses of vaccinating nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first round and suggested that public representatives, a reference to politicians, should not be part of this initial exercise.
The announcement comes in the backdrop of states such as Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu continuing to report a surge in Covid-19 daily cases, accounting for 78.41 per cent of the new cases, the Union Health Ministry said. Fifteen of the 19 districts in India with the highest number of coronavirus cases in the last ten days are in Maharashtra, which is grappling with an alarming spike in Covid cases. The state is “in the beginning of a second wave of Covid,” the Centre told the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. According to government data, nearly 1,000 new cases have been registered every day for the past ten days in Pune, Nagpur, and Mumbai. Nagpur, which is lockdown for a week since Monday, has seen 20,104 cases in the last ten days, compared to Pune’s 26,218 and Mumbai’s 11,859 in the same time.
READ | India Takes Up Export Hurdles of Vaccine Raw Material With US as Poonawalla Red-Flags Covishield Production
India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has raised the issue of export hurdles for critical vaccine raw material with the Biden administration.
Amid Rising Cases Authorities Issues Fresh Curbs
Gujarat: All gardens and parks in Ahmedabad to remain closed from tomorrow till further orders, due to increasing cases of #COVID19. Kankaria Lake and Zoo will also remain closed.
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
First Patient with S Africa Variant of Covid-19 Confirmed in Delhi | A 33-year-old man, currently admitted at LNJP Hospital here, has become the first confirmed case of COVID-19 caused by the South Africa variant of the novel coronavirus in Delhi, sources said on Tuesday. He was brought to the hospital about a week ago, and has been kept isolated in a separate unit, a source said. The LNJP Hospital had earlier also admitted people who had been found positive for UK strain of COVID-19, and after their treatment about two such patients had remained till February end, a senior doctor had earlier said.
Five States Drive-Up India's Active Caseload | Five States- Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu- continue to drive up India’s Active Cases last 24 hours. 83.91% of the new cases are from Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu and Kerala. While Maharashtra alone accounts for 61.8% of the daily new cases with 17,864 cases, it is followed by Kerala with 1,970 cases and Punjab reported 1,463 new cases. Six States account for 86.7% of the new deaths, of which, Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (87), followed by Punjab 38 daily deaths and Kerala reported 15 deaths.
BJP MLA Demands Juhu Beach to be Shut Amid Rising Covid Cases | BJP MLA Ameer Bhaskar Satam demanded that the Juhu beach should be shut for visitors on weekends as the covid cases continue to rise. Shut the beach for revellers from 4 pm Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays until covid comes under control, Satam writes.
Vaccine Drive Continues Across Punjab
Vaccination drive being conducted in full swing at Dayanand Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana. The district reported 245 new #COVID19 cases yesterday. pic.twitter.com/yFNUD5uVmH
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2021
England Identifies Two Cases of Philippines' Variant | The Philippines’ travel ban announcement comes as two cases of a new coronavirus strain first reported in the Philippines were found in England. As Press Association reports, Public Health England (PHE) said the variant contained a number of notable mutations, including the E484K spike protein found in the Manaus variant from Brazil. Concerns have been raised that vaccines may not be as effective against this protein.
Three Indian Shuttlers Test Positive for Covid-19 Ahead of All England | Three Indian shuttlers have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the All England Championship while a few are awaiting confirmation on their inconclusive samples as India's campaign has been thrown into chaos before the start of the tournament, starting Wednesday. A member of the support staff has also tested positive, leaving the players without much practice. "We have three players and one member from the support staff who have tested positive. I find it completely absurd how this can happen, since we have been isolated in Zurich since the Swiss Open started two weeks ago," India's Danish foreign coach Mathais Boe was quoted as saying by sport.tv2.dk.
Today's Data Highlights
- 28.9k new cases. 17.7k new recoveries, 188 new deaths, 10.97k rise in active cases
- New cases in India highest in over 3 months. Since December 13, 2020 (94 days ago)
- New deaths highest in over 2 months
- 27 states/UTs report rise in active cases
- Sharpest rise in active cases in 6 months. Since September 17, 2020.
- Maharashtra reports 17.9k new cases, Kerala 1.97k, Punjab 1.46k, Karnataka 1.14k
- Maharashtra reports 87 new deaths, Punjab 38, Kerala 15, Chhattisgarh 12
- New cases in Maharashtra highest in 167 days
- Karnataka reports more than 1k new cases for the first time in 2021
- 9.69 lakh new vaccinations. Highest in 2021. Above 9 lakh for the first time in 67 days
READ | China to Permit Indians and People from 19 Countries to Return if They Take Chinese Vaccines
China has made it mandatory for people coming from India and 19 other nations to get Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines if they want to travel to this country.
Here's State-wise Distribution of Cases
India Reports Over 28,000 Fresh Cases, 188 Deaths in Past 24 Hrs | India reports 28,903 new COVID19 cases, 17,741 recoveries and 188 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry.
Total cases: 1,14,38,734
Total recoveries: 1,10,45,284
Active cases: 2,34,406
Death toll: 1,59,044
Total vaccination: 3,50,64,536
Former BJP Leader Passes Away After Testing Covid-19 Positive | Former Union Minister and BJP leader, Dilip Gandhi passed away at a private hospital in Delhi. He had tested positive for COVID-19 and was under treatment.
Israeli Study Suggests Vaccinated Pregnant Women Could Pass Protection to their Babies | Pregnant women vaccinated against Covid-19 could pass along protection to their babies, according to a new study in Israel, Reuters reports. According to the research conducted in February, antibodies were detected in all 20 women administered both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine during their third trimester of pregnancy and in their newborns, through placental transfer.
READ | 15 Out of 19 Districts With Highest Covid Cases in 10 Days are in Maharashtra, Says Govt
The Union Health Ministry said Tuesday that 15 of the 19 districts in India with the highest number of coronavirus cases in the last ten days are in Maharashtra, which is grappling with an alarming…
Taiwan is Helping its Sole Diplomatic Ally in South America to Buy Covid Vaccines | Taiwan is helping its sole diplomatic ally in South America, Paraguay, to buy Covid vaccines, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said, after protests in the country over the Paraguayan government’s handling of the health crisis. Thousands of Paraguayans have protested in the capital Asunción over the lack of medicine and intensive care beds amid a spike in coronavirus cases and calls to impeach President Mario Abdo. Vaccines have been slow to arrive.
PM Modi to Hold Video Conference with CMs to Asses Covid-19 Situation | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a video conference with chief ministers today to assess the Covid-19 situation in the country as well as the vaccination drive amid a spike in active cases that has increased the government’s worry. PM Modi’s last interaction with chief ministers was in January before the vaccination roll-out.
Made in India COVID-19 vaccines reach Uzbekistan.
Philippines Suspends Entry to Foreigners and Some Returning Citizens | Philippines’ coronavirus task force said it will suspend the arrival of foreigners and some returning citizens as the country battles a renewed surge in Covid cases and increasing infections of new variants. Foreign citizens and returning nationals who had not been working overseas will not be able to enter the country from 20 March until 19 April, the coronavirus task force said in a statement issued late on Tuesday.
Covid-19 Vaccination Coverage in India Crosses 3.48 Crores
Australia to Provide PNG with 8,000 Covid Doses | Australia will immediately provide 8,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses and critical health equipments to Papua New Guinea (PNG) due to the spike in new coronavirus infections in the country, prime minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday. It will also request AstraZeneca and European authorities to grant access to one million doses of the country’s contracted vaccines for PNG, Morrison said.
READ | Why is Maharashtra Seeing Second Coronavirus Wave? Tracing the Beginning, Mistakes, Lessons and Way Ahead
A central team report has said that Maharashtra is in the beginning of second Covid-19 wave, and asked the state to "plan for a worse-case scenario with sufficient lead time".
France Investigates New Variant Found in Western Brittany | In France, health authorities say they are investigating a new coronavirus variant found in the western Brittany region. The variant appears to be more difficult for nasal tests to detect, however for now it does not appear to be more dangerous or contagious. It comes as the French PM, Jean Castex, said he would get the Oxford vaccine “very quickly” to give the public confidence in the jab if it is ruled as safe by the EU medicines agency.
EU Says 'No Indication' Blood Clots are Linked to Oxford Vaccine | The EU’s medicines regulator said on Tuesday it was “firmly convinced” the benefits of AstraZeneca’s vaccine outweigh potential risks, insisting there was no evidence linking it to blood clots after several nations suspended the shot over health fears. “We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,” EMA chief Emer Cooke said Tuesday.
LIVE TV
