Coronavirus Live News Updates: As against the government’s figure of 863 deaths in April and May this year, the mortality rate is 13.5 times more than the declared deaths in the state, NGO Arappor Iyakkam has claimed in a report
Representational image. AP
LATEST News Updates: A Chennai NGO has alleged discrepancies in the state government’s figures on deaths in Tamil Nadu between April and May.
As many as 730 doctors died during the second wave of the COVID pandemic, said the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday, adding that the maximum fatalities have been reported in Bihar
In anticipation of likely intermittent surges in the number of cases, the government has released guidelines for operationalising Covid-care services for children
Odisha on Wednesday extended its partial lockdown by two more weeks, till 1 July and divided the state into two categories depending on the positivity rate.
A new, experimental anti-viral treatment used for some worst-affected patients has been found to save lives, according to the results of a UK trial on Wednesday.
Union health ministry responded to social media posts suggesting COVAXIN shots contain newborn calf’s serum and put out a clarification. “Newborn Calf Serum is used only for preparation of vero cells...The vero cells are completely destroyed in process of viral growth,” says the ministry. “The grown virus is also killed and purified. This is then used to make final vaccine and in the final vaccine formulation no calf serum is used.”
Doctors on Tuesday cautioned that Delhi could face a "worse than second wave situation" of if people do not adhere to safety norms or lower their guards
Any adult can walk in to the nearest vaccination centre to get registered on the CoWIN digital platform and be inoculated against , the Union Health Ministry said.
It is not mandatory to pre-register online or book an appointment to get the vaccine, the government said, as it seeks to increase the pace of vaccinations and tackle the 'vaccine hesitancy' it has blamed for the slow rollout of vaccines in parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the first death due to vaccination was reported in India, even as India said the benefits of inoculation far exceed its harms. The government panel studying COVID vaccine's severe adverse effects said the death occurred due to anaphylaxis following inoculation.
The decision regarding enhancing interval between two doses of Covishield was based on scientific evidence and taken in a transparent manner, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization Chair NK Arora said.
The government had on 13 May said it has accepted the Working Group's recommendation and extended the gap between the two doses of the Covishield vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks. "Based on the available real-life evidence, particularly from the UK, the Working Group agreed for increasing the dosing interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of Covishield vaccine. No change in the interval of Covaxin vaccine doses was recommended," the ministry had said in a statement.
As the Covid positivity rate dropped to two percent in Punjab, the state government eased restrictions, allowing restaurants, cinema halls and gyms to operate at 50 percent capacity beginning Wednesday.
Under fresh guidelines, which will be in effect till 25 June, daily night curfew will be in place from 8 pm to 5 am and weekend curfew from 8 pm on Saturday up to 5 am on Monday across the state, according to a government statement.
All restaurants, including those in hotels, cafes, coffee shops, fast food outlets, dhabas, and cinemas and gyms at maximum 50 percent capacity, subject to all their employees having received at least one dose of Covid vaccine.
Air-conditioned buses can also ply with 50 percent occupation. Bars, pubs and ''ahatas'' (taverns) shall, however, continue to remain closed, the statement said. All educational institutions will also continue to be closed.
