Beneficiaries between 18 years to 44 years of age get the Covid-19 vaccine at PMGP Colony in Mankhurd, Mumbai on Friday.
(Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)Coronavirus India Live Updates: Covid Task Force chief Dr V K Paul on Tuesday said that there is no scientific data so far to establish that Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 adversely impacts vaccine efficacy. Speaking about the possibility of a third wave, he said it will not be fair to put a date on any Covid wave as virus behaviour is unpredictable.
Earlier, noting that India’s Covid vaccination drive “keeps gaining” momentum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said that “vaccines for all, free for all” remains the government’s commitment. “India’s vaccination drive keeps gaining momentum! Congrats to all those who are driving this effort. Our commitment remains vaccines for all, free for all,” he said in a tweet.
The Prime Minister was responding to a tweet by the Health Ministry which said India has overtaken the United States in the total number of Covid vaccine doses given till date. While India has administered a total of 32,36,63,297 doses till date, the United States has given 32,33,27,328 doses.
India reported 46,148 new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With 979 deaths in the last 24 hours, the daily count of deaths has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since April 12. Maharashtra, the only state to report more than 100 deaths, recorded 411 fatalities. The overall death toll has touched 3,96,730. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 3,02,79,331. There are 5,72,994 active cases at present and 2,93,09,607 people have recovered from the disease. Among states, Kerala was the topmost contributor with 10,905 new cases. Maharashtra had 9,974 cases.
Crowds are back in Manali as lockdown restrictions are lifted. (Photo: PTI)
Dr V K Paul further says, “Process for getting World Health Organisation's emergency use approval for Covaxin is proceeding very well. Hope the decision comes soon. The government is also discussing ways to approve Pfizer, Moderna's Covid vaccines in India at the earliest.” (PTI)
Covid Task Force chief Dr V K Paul on Tuesday said that there is no scientific data so far to establish that Delta plus variant of Covid-19 adversely impacts vaccine efficacy. Speaking about the possibility of a third wave, he said it will not be fair to put a date for any Covid wave as virus behaviour is unpredictable. (PTI)
Covid curbs extended in West Bengal till July 15; public buses to operate with 50 per cent capacity, says CM Mamata Banerjee. (PTI)
Andhra Pradesh reports 2224 new cases, 4174 recoveries and 31 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Students who joined the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in 2020 prepared long and hard for one of the toughest entrance exams in the country — the Common Admission Test (CAT) — but have been unable to live the IIM experience fully due to the coronavirus outbreak. While some students got to be on campus for a few months, they had to soon return amid the worsening Covid crisis. Read the full report here.
Once international travel resumes, the first 5 lakh tourists who come to India will not have to pay visa fees, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced.
"We are announcing about 8 economic relief measures, of which four are absolutely new and one is specific to health infrastructure. For Covid-affected areas, Rs 1.1 lakh crores credit guarantee scheme and Rs 50,000 crores for the health sector," Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Andhra Pradesh CMO Monday said that the ongoing curfew in the state will be relaxed in 8 districts where COVID positivity rate is less than 5 per cent from July 1.
Liquor shops, restaurants and other shops will be closed from 9 pm. The curfew, which will be relaxed from 6 am to 9 pm, will come into effect from July 1 to July 7, the CMO said. It will continue to be operational from 9 pm to 6 am.
However, the curfew will not be relaxed in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Chittoor and Prakasam districts. The curfew relaxations will be in place from 6 am to 6 pm only, the CMO further added.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Monday wrote to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, requesting him to increase the allocation of vaccines to the state and also increase the sub-allocation of vaccines for government institutions to 90 per cent, news agency ANI reported.
The Covid-19 situation in Kolhapur continues to be a cause of concern, as the only district in Maharashtra with a mortality rate of 3 per cent for over a month. In the number of active cases, Kolhapur trails only Mumbai and Thane.
As of June 27, Kolhapur had a mortality rate of 3.05 per cent, with the number of active cases in the district increasing. A total of 4,651 people in the district have died of Covid-19, while its recovery rate is 89.25 per cent.
Maharashtra, in contrast, has a Covid-19 mortality rate of 2.01 per cent while the recovery rate is 96.75 per cent. On June 27, Mumbai district’s recovery rate was 96 per cent.
Drug major Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Monday announced the commercial launch of COVID-19 treatment drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), at a maximum retail price of Rs 990 per sachet, reported PTI.
The company will supply the drug to major government as well as private hospitals across India, Dr Reddy's said in a regulatory filing.
"In the initial weeks, the company will make the drug available in hospitals across metros and Tier 1 cities, and subsequently expand the coverage to the rest of India," it added.
The drug manufactured by the company has a purity of 99.5 per cent and is being sold commercially under the brand name 2DG. The maximum retail price (MRP) of each sachet has been fixed at Rs 990, with a subsidised rate offered to government institutions, Dr Reddy's said.
Delhi BJP leaders sat on a dharna at the Jantar Mantar on Monday, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over his government 'inflating' the city's oxygen need during the second wave of coronavirus, PTI reported.
Leading the protest along with MPs, MLAs and office bearers of the party, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also said Kejriwal should be "arrested for criminal negligence".
"The interim report of a Supreme Court committee has said that the Kejriwal government raised a four-time higher demand of oxygen than actual consumption that caused shortage in other states and led to deaths of Covid patients. Kejriwal himself is responsible for this and should step down from his post," Gupta said.
Vaccine major Serum Institute of India chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla on Monday said he has taken up the issues faced by Indians who have taken the Covishield jab travelling to the European Union at highest levels and hoped to resolve them soon.
Covishield is the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India by the Pune-based vaccine maker.
“I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the EU, I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries,” Poonawalla said in a tweet.
Noting that India's Covid vaccination drive "keeps gaining" momentum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that "vaccines for all, free for all" remains the government's commitment, reported PTI.
Modi was reacting to a tweet of the Union Health Ministry that put out an infographic saying India has achieved another milestone as the total number of jabs administered here is more than in countries like the US, the UK, Germany, France and Italy. India administered 323.66 million doses by 8 am on Monday, it said.
The prime minister said, "India's vaccination drive keeps gaining momentum! Congrats to all those who are driving this effort. Our commitment remains vaccines for all, free for all."
Pune is close to inoculating 50 lakh people as the district has stepped up its vaccination drive.
While Mumbai has already crossed the 50-lakh mark, Pune has so far administered 43.48 lakh doses.
Rubal Agarwal, additional municipal commissioner with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), told The Indian Express that in areas under PMC’s jurisdiction, more than 16 lakh people have been vaccinated and efforts are on to step up vaccination at housing societies. “We are increasing the number of private hospitals that are giving vaccines and are also taking forward our aim of vaccination at the society level,” Agarwal added.
Uttarakhand government Monday extended the ongoing Covid-19 curfew in the state by one week with some relaxations, news agency ANI reported.
While gyms will open at 50 per cent capacity, markets can remain open in the state for 6 days.
The Union Health Ministry Monday said more than 1.15 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, PTI reported.
Over 31.69 crore vaccine doses have been provided by the Centre to states and UTs so far through the Government of India free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category. Of this, the total consumption, including wastage is 30,54,17,617 doses, the ministry said.
"More than 1.15 crore (1,15,22,543) balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered," the ministry said.
The Union Health Ministry Monday said India has overtaken the United States in the total number of Covid vaccine doses given till date.
While India has administered a total of 32,36,63,297 doses till date, the United States used 32,33,27,328 doses.
“India achieves another milestone in #COVID19 vaccination and overtakes USA in total number of #CovidVaccine doses administered,” the Health Ministry said in a tweet.
With Covid cases remaining low in the city, gymnasiums and yoga institutes will reopen in the city after over two months. Weddings, which were so far allowed only in homes or in court, can also be held in banquet halls or hotels, but not with more than 50 people. Last week. bars, parks and gardens were allowed to reopen.
Several activities, however, still remain shut. Read on to know what is open and what remains shut as per the latest unlock guidelines.
With Covid cases remaining low in the city, gymnasiums and yoga institutes will reopen in the city after over two months. Weddings, which were so far allowed only in homes or in court, can also be held in banquet halls or hotels, but not with more than 50 people. Last week. bars, parks and gardens were allowed to reopen.
Several activities, however, still remain shut. Read on to know what is open and what remains shut as per the latest unlock guidelines.