A health worker collects swab to conduct COVID-19 tests on passengers coming by long distance trains at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)Coronavirus India Live Updates: Continuing to showcase a rising trend in coronavirus infections, India till Friday morning recorded 59,118 new cases taking its tally to 1,18,46,652. As many as 257 fatalities were reported on Thursday, taking the death toll to 1,60,949. Registering an increase for the 16th day in row, active cases have now risen to more than 4.21 lakh with the new addition. Maharashtra scaled a fresh single-day record with 35,952 cases, which is almost 62 per cent of the cases in India. Punjab, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh are now reporting around 2,500 cases each daily. The 257 new fatalities include 111 from Maharashtra, 43 from Punjab, 15 from Chhattisgarh, 12 from Kerala, 11 from Tamil Nadu and 10 from Karnataka.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 23,86,04,638 samples have been tested up to March 25 with 11,00,756 samples being tested on Thursday.
Official data shows prominent second waves of infection in six states — Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat.
A new double mutant variant of coronavirus has been identified in India, according to the Ministry of Health. A total of 206 cases of the double mutant variant (E484Q + L452R) have been detected in Maharashtra, the data shows. However, the Centre has said that there is no direct link of the new variant detected with the ongoing surge in the state.
The Chhattisgarh government has increased from Rs 100 to Rs 500 the amount of penalty for not wearing face mask, to ensure strict implementation of the coronavirus guidelines, an official said on Friday.
The state health and family welfare department on Thursday issued an order to this effect under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to contain the spread of the infection, a release by the public relations department said.
"According to the order, now a penalty of Rs 500 will be imposed if anyone is found not wearing mask or face cover in public places. Earlier, the penalty was Rs 100 for the violation," it said. (PTI)
Weekly COVID review meeting, under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, begins in Maharashtra's Pune.
Pune had reported 6,432 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday.
In another case of death after being administered COVID-19 vaccine in Jharkhand, a 72-year-old woman died in Latehar district’s Mahuadanr block two days ago. The woman, identified as Devmani Devi of Orsa Path village in Mahuadanr, was given the jab on March 21 and family members said that she went unconscious at night. She died at Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi during treatment in the wee hours on March 23.
The district administration said that Devi was administered the Covishield vaccine. Latehaar Deputy Commissioner Abu Imran said: “The woman was vaccinated and two days later she died. As per the RIMS report she had hypertension and cardiovascular issues. I don’t think the woman died due to the complication arising out of the vaccination.” Read More
Amidst a rising number of coronavirus cases in Pune, local authorities and elected representatives will be meeting Friday to formulate a response to manage the crisis.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the guardian minister of Pune, would be taking the review of Covid-19 situation in the city with legislators and officials of various concerned departments.
The state government has been indicating the possibility of lockdown in some cities that are witnessing a surge in cases. However, the ruling BJP in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has opposed a complete lockdown and is suggesting more restrictions and strict implementation of Covid protocols instead. Read More
The UN-backed program to ship COVID-19 vaccines worldwide has announced supply delays involving a key Indian manufacturer, a major setback for the ambitious rollout aimed at helping low- and middle-income countries vaccinate their populations and fight the pandemic.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and its partners said Thursday that the Serum Institute of India, a pivotal vaccine maker behind the COVAX program, will face increasing domestic demands as coronavirus infections surge. "Delays in securing supplies of SII-produced COVID-19 vaccine doses are due to the increased demand for COVID-19 vaccines in India," Gavi said.
The move will affect up to 40 million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccines being manufactured by the Serum Institute that were to be delivered for COVAX this month, as well as 50 million expected next month. (AP)
A top American lawmaker has praised India for sending COVID-19 vaccines to African countries, asserting it has shown "good faith" in humanity.
India has made "vaccines available to 30 other countries in Africa," Congresswoman Karen Bass said on India's vaccine delivery efforts in Africa during a markup of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.
"Although there are reports that the Serum Institute of India is suspending major exports of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the continent, they have shown a good faith in humanity," Bass, the Democratic Congresswoman from California, said as she referred to her recent meeting with India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. India, among others, made a grant in a delivery of 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Botswana, she said. (PTI)
The 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, announced as a gift by India, will be sent to the UN peacekeepers on March 27 and then will be distributed to the peacekeeping missions.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had announced in February that India will gift 200,000 COVID-19 doses for UN peacekeepers.
"Keeping in mind the UN Peacekeepers who operate in such difficult circumstances, we would like to announce today a gift of 200,000 doses for them," Jaishankar said had said while addressing the UN Security Council open debate on the implementation of resolution 2532 (2020) on the cessation of hostilities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. (PTI)