Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: First patient with South Africa variant of COVID-19 confirmed in Delhi

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | PM Modi to meet chief ministers virtually today amid spike in COVID-19 cases

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers about the COVID-19 situation and the nationwide vaccination drive on March 17, media reported. The virtual meeting comes amid rising novel coronavirus infections and the Centre looking to increase daily inoculations.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | 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.

Sources on Tuesday said the 33-year-old man has become the first confirmed case of COVID-19 caused by the South Africa variant of the novel coronavirus in Delhi. "He is kept in a very different isolation area and was brought here about a week ago and then tested. He came positive for the South Africa variant," the source said.

 Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Global daily statistics

COVID-19 infections are still rising in 71 countries. There have been at least 120,325,000 reported infections and 2,788,000 reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far, as per a Reuters tracker.

 Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Australia to ask EU to send one million coronavirus vaccines for Papua New Guinea

Australia said on Wednesday it will ask the European Union to release 1 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to help Papua New Guinea (PNG) battle a dangerous outbreak, amid tensions over vaccine supplies. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the vaccines were contracted to Australia but were badly needed to contain a surge in coronavirus cases in the Pacific island nation, parts of which are just a short boat ride from Australian territory.

"We've contracted them. We've paid for them and we want to see those vaccines come here so we can support our nearest neighbour, PNG, to deal with their urgent needs in our region," Morrison told reporters in Canberra. "They're our family, they're our friends. They're our neighbours. They're our partners ... This is in Australia's interests, and is in our region's interests."

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Over 3.48 Cr COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in country: Govt

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 3.48 crore with 19,11,913 people inoculated on Tuesday till 7 pm, the Union health ministry said. A total of 3,48,59,345vaccine doses have been administered to the beneficiaries, according to a provisional report compiled at Tuesday7 pm.

The beneficiaries include 75,01,590 healthcare workers (HCWs) who were given the first dose, 45,40,776 HCWs who received the second dose, 75,91,670 frontline workers (FLWs) who were administered the first dose and 16,28,096FLWs who got the second dose. Besides, 1,14,54,104 people above 60 years of age and 21,43,109 aged between 45 and 60 years with specific comorbidities were administered the first dose, the ministry said. (PTI)

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Govt places order for 10 crore doses of Covishield vaccine

The Centre has placed a new purchase order with the Serum Institute of India (SII) for the supply of 10 crore doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, each costing Rs 157.50, including GST, according to official sources. The HLL Lifecare Limited, a public sector undertaking, has issued the supply order on behalf of the Union health ministry on March 12 in the name of Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Pune-based SII.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Maharashtra reports 17,864 new coronavirus cases, 87 deaths

The coronavirus situation in Maharashtra became grimmer on Tuesday as the state recorded 17,864 new cases -- highest one-day rise this year -- and 87 deaths, a health official said. The caseload in the state rose to 23,47,328 and death toll reached 52,996.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates | Companies developing mRNA treatments and vaccines

The United States has cleared the use of vaccines using messenger RNA (mRNA) to create an immune response from Moderna Inc and partners BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc, boosting confidence in the novel technology. The following is a list of companies also using mRNA technology to develop treatments and vaccines for diseases including COVID-19:

TRANSLATE BIO/SANOFI: Translate Bio Inc's lead drug is a cystic fibrosis treatment being tested in early-to-mid stage clinical trials. It is also developing mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and flu, along with Sanofi SA.

CUREVAC/GLAXOSMITHKLINE: Germany-based CureVac NV is working on mRNA-based vaccines. It has signed a collaboration agreement with GSK to develop vaccines for targeting infectious pathogens. It is also developing a coronavirus vaccine.

GRITSTONE/GILEAD: Gritstone Oncology Inc has partnered with Gilead Sciences Inc to develop a mRNA based vaccine for the treatment of HIV.

BIONTECH: Germany's BioNTech is developing mRNA-based therapies for several types of cancer, and vaccines for flu. It has a collaboration in place with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop therapies for tuberculosis and HIV.

MODERNA: In addition to its COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna has signed partnership deals with AstraZeneca Plc, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc and Merck & Co to develop mRNA therapeutics.

KERNEL BIOLOGICS: Privately-held start-up Kernel is developing mRNA-based immunotherapies for cancer. It has partnered with Boeing and the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory to launch a study of leukemia therapies to the ISS this year.

ARCTURUS: Arcturus Therapeutics Inc is developing vaccines for flu and COVID-19, which is in early human testing. It is also testing therapies for cystic fibrosis and heart disease. CureVac last year returned the rights to one drug it was co-developing with the company, but can work with Arcturus on future therapies, under a collaboration deal.

ETHRIS/ASTRAZENECA: German startup Ethris is developing therapies for severe pulmonary diseases. It is also developing a treatment for asthma and other respiratory diseases along with AstraZeneca, which owns a stake in the company. 

Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE coverage of the novel coronavirus pandemic and its socio-economic impact.

The COVID-19 outbreak has spread across 192 countries and territories. Today is the 357th day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown.

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