Covid-19 roundup: Karnataka eases curbs; Centre sanctions funds for vaccine-testing lab and more

NEW DELHI: India on Saturday reported 44,111 daily new Covid-19 cases, pushing the country's caseload to 3,05,02,362. With 738 fatalities, the lowest in 86 days, the death toll stands at 4,01,050.
The active cases -- 4,95,533 -- were recorded below five lakh after 97 days and comprised 1.62 percent of the total infections. The national Covid-19 recovery rate improved to 97.06 percent.
A net decline of 14,104 cases has been recorded in active coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours.

Here are the latest Covid related developments across the country:
Centre sanctions funds from PM Cares for new vaccine-testing lab
The Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that the government has sanctioned funds from the PM Cares Fund for setting up a vaccine-testing laboratory.
"I thank Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for sanctioning funds for setting up of Vaccine Testing Lab at Hyderabad. A big step forward towards comprehensive development of pharma sector in Hyderabad, which will also boost production of Covid-19 vaccines," Reddy, a Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, tweeted.
The increased focus on vaccine production against the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated more vaccine- testing laboratories in the country, Reddy said.
'Covaxin is 77.8% effective, provides 65.2% protection against Delta variant'
Bharat Biotech on Saturday said that the phase-III trials of Covaxin showed it was 93.4% effective against severe symptomatic Covid-19.
The data demonstrated 65.2% protection against the Delta variant, first identified in India.
The Delta variant had led to a surge in infections in April and May, and the world's highest daily death tolls.
It further showed an effectiveness of 77.8% against symptomatic Covid-19 in the trial.
Covid-19 third wave will be 'ripple' in absence of faster spreading mutant: Study
The third wave of Covid-19 will be a "ripple" but only if there is no significantly faster-spreading mutant, according to projections of the 'Sutra' model for Covid-19.
According to the Sutra analysis, if there is a faster-spreading mutant, the magnitude of the third wave will be "comparable to the first one".
Maninder Agarwal, Professor, IIT-Kanpur, who was part of the team of scientists behind the Sutra analysis, said that they have created three scenarios.
The third wave will be a ripple. If there is no significantly faster-spreading mutant, the third wave will be a ripple and if there is such a mutant, the third wave will be comparable to the first one," he said.
Karnataka further eases restrictions
Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday announced further lockdown relaxation in the state.
The relaxations would be in place for the next 15 days from July 6, chief minister B S Yediyurappa said after chairing a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues and senior officials on Saturday.

Theatres, cinemas and pubs would remain closed while swimming pools would be opened only for competitive training purpose.
Further, sports complexes and stadia shall be opened only for the purpose of practice whereas social, political, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other gatherings and large congregations have been prohibited.
Meanwhile, the district administration can apply more restrictions, the chief minister added.
Restaurants may be allowed to open in Goa at 50% capacity from July 5
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said that the government is considering allowing restaurants to function at 50 per cent capacity soon.
Bar and restaurant owners had petitioned Sawant earlier this week, demanding re-opening of their businesses, which have been shut down since May when Covid cases in the state were at its peak.
India’s cumulative Covid vaccination coverage exceeds 35 crore

'Progressive decline in Covid-19 cases in northeast'
Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said there is a progressive decline in Covid-19 cases in all eight northeastern states but cautioned that the fall in active cases must be followed with greater thrust on vaccination and strict observance of relevant protocols.
At a review meeting with health secretaries of all the eight northeastern states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim – Singh expressed satisfaction that they were catching up with the national average in terms of the decline in positivity rate.
Meghalaya is the only exception which witnessed a surge due to the Covid-19 cases at a prison in Ri-bhoi district, he said.
There is a progressive decline in Covid-19 cases in all the eight north-eastern states, the minister added.