While the seven-day rolling average of daily recorded COVID-19 cases in India continues to decrease, it is still registering the highest number of new cases in the world. Brazil (63,626) and Argentina (32,860) follow.
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:
No decision on indemnity for either foreign or local vaccine manufactures, says Health Ministry
Addressing a press conference, NITI Aayog Member V.K. Paul said a decision on indemnity the issue for either foreign or local vaccine manufactures was yet to be made.
Mr. Paul said that the virus has been suppressed for the time being but it had the potential to pose a problem in the future. "We have to buy time to cover our population," he said while stressing on the need to vaccinate the maximum possible population.
"India has overtaken the U.S. (which has been leading so far) in providing at least one dose of Covid vaccine. As of yesterday night, India has administered 17.2 crore doses while the U.S. has administered 16.9 crore doses," he said.
Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary (Health), said that the country witnessed a steady drop in cases since the peak of May 7. The daily cases recorded have dropped to less than 2 lakh since May 28, he said. This translated to an almost 68% decline in cases since the highest reported peak on May 7.
A total of 22.41 crore doses of vaccine has been administered till now, Mr. Aggarwal said.
Mr Aggarwal said that Covid is a long drawn battle and people had to be prepared for the same.
- Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Visa for foreigners extended
MHA extends visa of foreigners who are stranded in India till August 31 on gratis (free).
Due to non-availability of normal commercial flight operations on account of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, a number of foreign nationals who came to India prior to March 2020 on valid visas are stranded here, says MHA - Vijaita Singh
Four-member panel formed to look into deaths due to shortage of oxygen: Sisodia
The Delhi government has formed a four-member expert committee to look into the deaths due to the shortage of oxygen during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and is awaiting the lieutenant governor's approval, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.
During the second wave of coronavirus, there was an oxygen crisis and there were reports that the oxygen shortage led to deaths at some hospitals, Sisodia said in an online briefing.
"We took the issue seriously and took a decision to form a four-member committee to look into the matter. It is a committee comprising medical experts. We have sent the file for the L-G's approval," he said. - PTI
PM hails Indian scientists for developing vaccine against COVID-19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded Indian scientists for developing made-in-India vaccine against Covid and boosting other measures to fight the pandemic within a year of its outbreak.
Addressing a meeting of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Society via video conferencing, he cited India's experience in the previous century to say that it used to wait for years to lay its hands on innovations achieved abroad, but its scientists are now working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts outside.
They are working at the same quick pace, he said. - PTI
Over 1.93 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses still with states: Centre
More than 1.93 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.
The Centre has so far provided, both through the free of cost and through direct state procurement categories, more than 24 crore vaccine doses to states and UTs. - PTI
Parents with children below 12 years of age to get COVID-19 vaccine on priority in M.P.
The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to prioritise the vaccination of parents having children below 12 years of age, so that they can look after the kids in case the latter get infected with COVID-19.
The decision has been taken in view of the projection that the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic would impact children more, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
“We have decided to give priority in vaccination to the parents of children less than 12 years of age as it is feared that the third wave of corona will affect them the most,” he said in a statement issued on June 3 night.
“This will help in better care of the children as their parents will be around them in case they contract the infection,” he added.
Prior infection cuts COVID-19 infection risk for up to 10 months: Lancet study
The risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is substantially reduced for up to 10 months following the first infection with the virus, according to a study.
They found that residents with a previous infection were 85 % less likely to be infected during this four-month period than those who had never been infected. - PTI
Narendra Modi, Kamala Harris discuss nitty-gritty of U.S. offer on vaccine doses
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the phone with U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Wednesday to discuss the U.S. announcement of how it would share the first tranche of 25 million vaccine doses out of the 80 million doses it has committed to sharing by the end of June. It is not yet clear what the specific allocation for India will be.
“Spoke to @VP Kamala Harris a short while ago. I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. I also thanked her for the all the support and solidarity from the U.S. government, businesses and Indian diaspora [sic],” Mr. Modi tweeted.
“We also discussed ongoing efforts to further strengthen India-U.S. vaccine cooperation, and the potential of our partnership to contribute to post-COVID global health and economic recovery,” the Prime Minister said.
Chennai registers 70% reduction in COVID-19 cases
Chennai has registered a 70% reduction in COVID-19 positive cases, 20 days after the highest peak of cases was reported in the city.
The test positivity rate in the 15 zones of the city has reduced from 22.7% during May 11-May 17 to 10.1% during the week of May 25-May 31. This, despite the number of tests remaining at around 2.08 lakh every week for the past four weeks in May.
According to data compiled by the Chennai Corporation, the number of COVID-19 positive cases daily has decreased from 7,564 on May 12 to 2,217 on June 2.