The UK variant (B.1.1.7) of the coronavirus did not appear to be more transmissible than the variant of the virus most common in India, according to a study by scientists at the National Institute of Virology, Pune.
The study was based on tests on Syrian hamsters, a commonly employed laboratory animal, and is yet to be formally peer-reviewed.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
Health Minister Vardhan takes second dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and his wife took the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute on Tuesday.
India opened up vaccination for those over 60 years and within the age bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities from March 1.
His wife Nutan Goel first took the jab of Covaxin after which Mr. Vardhan also took the vaccine shot.
They had taken the 1st dose of of indigenously developed Covaxin by Bharat Biotech on March 2. - PTI
Farooq Abdullah tests positive for COVID-19
National Conference president and Lok Sabha member from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah has tested positive for COVID-19, his son Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday.
Omar urged everyone who came in contact with his father recently to get tested.
"My father has tested positive for COVID-19 & is showing some symptoms," Omar, who is also vice president of the party, said in a tweet.
"I will be self-isolating along with other family members until we get ourselves tested. I request anyone who has come in to contact with us over the last few days to take all the mandated precautions," he added.
India records 56,211 fresh COVID-19 cases
India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 1,20,95,855 with 56,211 more people testing positive for the infection in a span of 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Tuesday.
With 271 more fatalities, the death toll rose to 1,62,114, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.
Registering a steady increase for the 20th day in row, active cases have increased to 5,40,720 comprising 4.47% of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 94.19%. - PTI
Harmanpreet Kaur tests positive for COVID-19
The Indian women's T20 team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.
Kaur, who did not play in the T20 series against South Africa in Lucknow after injuring herself in the fifth ODI on March 17, got herself tested on Monday after developing mild fever.
"She is self-isolating at home. She got tested yesterday and the report came positive today morning. She had mild fever since four days so thought it was best to get tested. She is doing fine otherwise and should recover soon," a source close to the player told PTI. "She was getting tested regularly during the South Africa series so she must have caught the virus after that only," the source added. - PTI