Coronavirus Latest News Updates: This pushed the state's infection tally to 54,97,448 and toll to 85,355. Meanwhile, 47,371 patients got discharge during the day and the state’s recovery count reached 50,26,308
Latest News LIVE Updates: Maharashtra reported 29,911 fresh positive cases and 738 deaths on Thursday, which took its infection tally to 54,97,448 and toll to 85,355, the health department said
As cases of mucormycosis or black fungus increase in the country, the union government on Thursday said that the shortage of Amphotericin-B will be resolved soon. Amphotericin-B is an anti-fungal drug that is used in the treatment of a rare infection called mucormycosis, or "black fungus"
Bharat Biotech, which manufactures vaccine "Covaxin", on Thursday announced plans to ramp up production of the vaccine at its subsidiary Chiron Behring Vaccines Ltd, located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat.
Mumbai records 1,425 new cases and 59 deaths, taking the total case count to 6,93,664 and toll to 14,468, according to data released by the BMC. A total of 1,460 patients recuperated during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 6,47,623.
The Central government should provide for free vaccination to all Indian citizens and greatly ramp up RT-PCR testing in both rural and urban areas, a group of former civil servants said on Thursday in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They said the government seems to be more concerned with managing the narrative of "efficient" management of the COVID crisis rather than addressing the crucial issues at stake.
The Punjab government on Thursday decided to provide Rs 1,500 per month as social security pension and free education up to graduation to all those children orphaned in the COVID pandemic, as well as families that have lost their breadwinning member, beginning 1 July.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said his government will ensure free education in government institutions for such children as well as kids belonging to families that have lost their breadwinner to COVID, according to an official statement.
AAP MLA Atishi on Thursday said nearly half of the vaccination sites for the 18-44 age group in Delhi are likely to be shut from Friday as the city has less than a day's stock of Covishield left. The vaccination centres administering Covaxin to the people in the city have been shut for nearly a week, she said.
Andhra Pradesh on Thursday registered yet another new record number of 114 deaths while the cumulative positives rose to 15,21,142 and recoveries 13,02,208.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to provide at least 20 lakh doses of vaccine for inoculation of all state and Central government employees.
Banerjee, in her letter, also said that the Centre's policies have "no room to accommodate the needs" of people who run greater risk of contracting the viral disease, including bankers, railway and airport employees, and those working in defence or coal sectors.
Delhi recorded 3,231 fresh cases of and 233 fatalities on Thursday, while the positivity rate dipped to 5.5 percent, according to the health department. According to the latest health bulletin, the new fatalities pushed the toll from the novel infection in the city to 22,579.
One company has made application for home testing kit and three more home testing kits are in pipeline, says ICMR DG Balram Bhargava. He adds that hopefully the kit which has received approval should be available in the market in three-four days.
Ten states showing decline in both cases and positivity in last three weeks, says the Union health ministry. Seven states including Tamil Nadu, Meghalya, Manipur and Sikkim showing an increase in cases and positivity in last three weeks, Agarwal says.
Well-ventilated spaces play a crucial role in diluting the viral load of infected air and help in decreasing the risk of transmission from one infected person to the other, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser said on Thursday.
In its advisory Stop the Transmission, Crush the Pandemic--Masks, Distance, Sanitation and Ventilation to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus', the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) said ventilation is a community defence that protects all of us at home or at work.
In its affidavit file in the Bombay HC, the BMC declined to start door-to-door vaccination for the elderly and person with disabilities who can't go to inoculation Centres, says it has always followed Union's guidelines, reports LiveLaw.
When Central Government comes up with "door-to-door vaccination policy" the state will implement it, said the Mumbai civic body. The court told the BMC that it is very disappointed with its stand.
All government and private health facilities, and medical colleges have to follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis, said Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal on Thursday.
The government has asked all states and union territories to declare mucormycosis or "black fungus" an epidemic. A letter from the Union health ministry asked states to make it a "notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act".
For Delhi government, five plants have been commissioned and 32 are yet to be commissioned. Capacity will be 39.02 MT for 37 plants, said Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government, in the high court on Thursday.
He added that all PSA oxygen plants will be operational in the National Capital by mid-July. "Few are coming at the end of this month, some by end of next month. By July mid, all plants would be operational," he said.
The prime minister said it is 'critical' to ensure maximum use of every vial and that wasting even one dose of vaccine meant depriving a person of a degree of protection.
Narendra Modi was speaking at a virtual meeting with district magistrates from 11 states, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh - three of the five most badly affected by the second wave.
Cautioning people to maintain social distance to prevent the transmission of the virus, the office of Central government's principal scientific adviser K VijayRaghavan on Thursday said that aerosols, one of the key transmission mode of the SARS-CoV-2, can travel in the air up to 10 meters.
Of the 3,874 new deaths, Maharashtra on Thursday reported the highest number of fatalities with 594 patients succumbing to the viral infection. The daily deaths were recorded below 4,000 after four days, taking the toll to 2,87,122, according to the health ministry.
Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government, on Thursday in the high court said, 'Entire pressure on oxygen supply is non existent presently.'
"Most of the oxygen refillers are not complying with court and GNCTD orders. In the past also the refillers have not appeared. Either we will not take some coercive steps against some people. If trend remains, we will be left with no other option," he added.
The high court on Tuesday declined to direct an expeditious decision on a bail plea filed by businessman Navneet Kalra, a day after a city court remanded him to three days' police custody.
Kalra was nabbed from Gurugram on Sunday night and was formally arrested on Monday. He was on the run for over a week since the seizure of more than 500 oxygen concentrators from Khan Chacha, Town Hall, and Nega and Ju restaurants owned by him.
With the death of 3,874 more patients in the past 24 hours, the total number of fatalities in the country increased over 2.87 lakh on Thursday, said the health ministry.
This takes the national fatality rate to 1.11 percent.
India registered 2,76,070 fresh infections in the past 24 hours, pushing the overall count over 2.57 crore on Thursday, according to the Union health ministry.
The health minister said that 51 crore vaccine doses will be made available by July and 216 crore more between August and December.
He urged states to ensure that the healthcare and frontline workers are fully vaccinated, as they form the vulnerable categories.
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan Wednesday said India will have procured 267 crore vaccine doses by the end of this year, and will be in a position to inoculate at least all of its adult population, according to an official statement.
BJP president JP Nadda Wednesday said the vaccine will be available for all in the country by December.
He accused the Congress of spreading anarchy at the time of the pandemic.
Nadda was reviewing the situation in Rajasthan in a virtual interaction with BJP state president Satish Poonia and party MPs from the state, a party statement said.
Nadda said the prime minister had warned the chief ministers of the states in March itself and asked them to be prepared for the second wave of .
"India developed two indigenous vaccines for the first time in just nine months, which have been administered to 18 crore Indians so far. By the end of December, the vaccine will be available to all and its calendar has been set," he said.
Nadda said the Modi government at the Center has ensured the availability and supply of oxygen and medicines to all the states.
He said that real face of the Congress has been exposes after revelation of its "tool kit".
Even at the time of the pandemic, the Congress is trying to spread anarchy in the country and is working to destroy the morale of the people by spreading confusion among them, he alleged.
Besides Poonia, Union ministers Arjunram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Kailash Chaudhary, MPs PP Chaudhary, Narendra Kumar, Manoj Rajoria, Jaskaur Meena, Swami Sumedhanand and Ranjita Koli joined the meeting.
