India is preparing itself for a possible third wave of Coronavirus infections.Coronavirus Third Wave India Live Update, Coronavirus Statistics India Live News: India so far has vaccinated over 44 crore people against Coronavirus. However, the pace of vaccination is still a concern. According to data from the Union Health Ministry, at an average of 38.26 lakh doses per day, around 9.94 crore doses were administered till Sunday, against the vaccination target of 13.5 crore doses in July. The country may miss the target if it continues the vaccination drive at this pace. At the current pace, India would end of vaccination about 12.5 crore people by the end of the month. It needs to scale up the vaccination drive to around 60 lakh doses per day to achieve the target. After a record start of 87 lakh jabs under the new vaccination policy on June 1, the momentum has slowed down considerably in July. India has administered over 60 lakh doses per day only twice during the month.
At 29,689, India reported less than 30,000 new Covid-19 cases after 132 days, according to Union health ministry data on Tuesday. The number of active cases in the country also fell below 4,00,000 after 124 days, it said. Fresh cases pushed India’s overall Covid-19 tally to 3,14,40,951, while the death toll climbed to 4,21,382 with 415 daily fatalities, the health ministry said. The active cases have declined to 3,98,100 and now comprise 1.27 per cent of the total infections.
The country is preparing itself for a possible third wave of Coronavirus infections. The group of officials tasked with formulating India’s strategy to fight coronavirus has warned the government to be prepared for a daily spike of 4-5 lakh Covid-19 cases in the next wave. It advised the government to keep cases below 50,000. In order to fight the third wave, several states/UTs have already started preparation. The Tamil Nadu government on Monday said it has planned to vaccinate soon the most vulnerable sections in the state. The state government will also train medical professionals to cope with the possible third wave of coronavirus.
As the Covid-19 situation improves, states like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Odisha have reopened schools from Monday. National capital Delhi has allowed all most all activities, except educational institutes and public gatherings, from Monday.
Financial Express Online brings you the latest updates on coronavirus.
Highlights
If we look from a global perspective, the Pandemic is far from over. There's a noticeable increase in number of cases across the world, which remains the area of concern. We've to work on containing the spread of the virus with strictness: Lav Agarwal, Jt Secy, Health Ministry - ANI
Observing that identification of children who have lost parents due to COVID does not brook any further delay, the Supreme Court Tuesday directed the state governments and union territories (UTs) to file status reports giving particulars about the number of children who have become orphan after March 2020. A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose directed the the District Magistartes to issue necessary instructions to the district child protection officers to take assistance of the police, civil society, gram panchayats, anganwadi and ASHA workers for identification of orphans. The apex court said this is in addition to mechanisms available in Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and rules. - PTI
The United States served notice Monday that it will keep existing COVID-19 travel restrictions on international travel in place for now due to concerns about the surging infection rate because of the delta variant. It was the latest sign that the White House is having to recalibrate its thinking around the coronavirus pandemic as the more infectious variant surges across the U.S. and a substantial chunk of the population resists vaccination. It was also a reversal from the sentiment President Joe Biden voiced earlier this month when he said his administration was ‘in the process’ of considering how soon the U.S. could lift the ban on European travel bound for the U.S. after the issue was raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to the White House. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the restrictions would continue for now. - AP
Ind vs SL: Krunal Pandya tests positive for COVID-19, second T20I postponed (ANI)
The major eastern Chinese city of Nanjing has reported 31 more locally transmitted coronavirus cases, even as national authorities announce that more than 1.5 billion doses of vaccine have been administered around the country. The new cases reported Tuesday bring Nanjing's total to more than 90 in recent days. The city has been carrying out mass testing and has put tens of thousands of people under lockdown. Along with near universal indoor mask wearing, China has utilised such practices to largely contain the domestic spread of the virus. (AP)
In BJP Parliamentary Party meeting today, Union Health Min Mansukh Mandaviya said that govt would likely start vaccinating children next month for #COVID19. He also said that India is soon going to be largest vaccine producing country as more companies will get production licence. (ANI)
Tokyo reported its highest number of new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, days after the Olympics began. The Japanese capital reported 2,848 new COVID-19 cases, exceeding the earlier record of 2,520 cases on Jan. 7. It brings Tokyo's total to more than 200,000 since the pandemic began last year. Tokyo is under its fourth state of emergency, which is to continue through the Olympics until just before the Paralympics start in late August. Experts have warned that the more contagious delta variant could cause a surge during the Olympics, which started Friday. Experts noted that cases among younger, unvaccinated people are rising sharply as Japan's inoculation drive loses steam due to supply uncertainty. Many serious cases involve those in their 50s. They now dominate Tokyo's nearly 3,000 hospitalized patients and are gradually filling up available beds. Authorities reportedly plan to ask medical institutions to increase their capacity to about 6,000. (AP)
They travel to the forgotten around the capital's outlying neighbourhoods, taking care of desperate people who can't find a place in Thailand's overburdened health care system or are living in the streets. They are ordinary Thais like Ekapob Laungprasert, who said he suddenly realised that overworked nurses and hospitals needed as much help as those sick from COVID-19. The businessman helped set up one of the volunteer groups helping those in need. ‘Saimai Will Survive' is named after the Bangkok neighbourhood where he lives. Because Thailand seeks to medically isolate anyone who tests positive, almost a quarter of a million people are now in field hospitals and other facilities. People with mild or no symptoms are now being allowed to self-isolate under remote observation, but space is still limited at medical facilities. - AP
The Gujarat government on Tuesday announced that children who have lost a parent to COVID-19 will get a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 under the existing scheme of Mukhya Mantri Bal Seva Yojna. Earlier, only children who had lost both their parents to the disease were covered under the scheme and were eligible to get a monthly assistance of Rs 4,000 till they turn 21, and if they chose to go for higher studies after the age of 21, they would receive Rs 6,000 per month till they turn 24. At least 776 children, who lost both parents to the infection, received the first monthly instalment of Rs 4,000 each under the Bal Seva Yojna, earlier this month. The state government has now decided to extend the benefit of this scheme to children who have lost one of their parents to COVID-19, said Sunaina Tomar, additional chief secretary of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, in a written communication to district collectors. - PTI
The government on Tuesday dismissed media reports that claimed that India will miss the end-July target of administering 50 crore Covid vaccine doses as "ill-informed and misrepresenting" and asserted that over 51.60 crore vaccine doses will be supplied from January to July 31. The health ministry issued a statement referring to recent media reports alleging that the country will miss the target of administering half-a-billion (50 crore) doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by July-end, while pointing out that the government had stated in May that it would make 516 million (51.60 crore) vaccine shots available by the end of this month. "These reports are ill-informed and have clearly misrepresented the facts," the statement said. The figures of 516 million vaccine doses might have been picked up from various sources which informed about the likely availability of the vaccine doses from January to July-end, it added. "The facts are that a total of more than 516 million vaccine doses will indeed be supplied from January 2021 to 31st July, 2021," the ministry said. - PTI
Uttrakhand cabinet approves the re-opening of schools in the state, for students of classes 6-12 from August 1st. (ANI)
Odisha's COVID-19 tally rose to 9,70,814 on Tuesday as 1,629 more people tested positive for the infection, while 60 fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death toll to 5,634, a health official said. As many as 939 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 690 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said. Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar falls, registered the highest number of new cases at 532, followed by Cuttack (160) and Puri (96). Sundargarh district recorded the highest number of fresh fatalities at 14, followed by Khurda (eight) and Angul and Cuttack (six each). Fifty-three coronavirus patients have died due to comorbidities to date. (PTI)
Tokyo reported its highest daily number of new coronavirus infections Tuesday, days after the Olympics began. The Japanese capital reported 2,848 new COVID-19 cases, exceeding the earlier record of 2,520 cases from Jan. 7. It brings Tokyo's total to more than 200,000 since the pandemic began last year. Tokyo is under its fourth state of emergency that will last through the Olympics and into the Paralympics next month. Experts have warned the more contagious delta variant could cause a surge during the Olympics, which started Friday. (AP)
More than 2.28 crore Covid vaccine doses are still available with states, Union Territories and private hospitals for inoculation, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. Over 45.73 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union Territories so far through all sources and 24,11,000 additional doses are in the pipeline. Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 43,80,46,844 doses, according to data available at 8 am on Tuesday. The Union government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The new phase of universalisation of vaccination commenced from June 21. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and Union Territories for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain. (PTI)
Police have registered a case against an "organiser" of the marriage functions of two sons of an MLA in Maharashtra's Solapur district for alleged violation of COVID-19 norms at the event, an official said on Tuesday. The marriage ceremonies of the two sons of Rajendra Raut, the Independent legislator from Barshi town in Solapur, were held at the premises of Laxmi Sopan Agriculture Produce Committee there on Sunday. As per official guidelines, only 50 people are currently allowed to attend a marriage function in the state. However, according to police, 2,500-3,000 people allegedly attended the event in Barshi on Sunday and many were seen without masks and violating the social distancing norms. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil and some other party leaders were also among the attendees. A case has been registered against one Yogesh Pawar, whom the police described as the "organiser" of the event, under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act. (PTI)
The Delhi government has decided to recommend for the Padma awards this year names of doctors and health workers who fought against coronavirus and saved lives during the pandemic, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday. The chief minister also asked Delhiites to recommend names of doctors and health workers whose work deserves to be recognised. People can send in their recommendations to padmaawards.delhi@gmail.com by August 15, he said. Kejriwal said a search and screening committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will take the final call on these recommendations. "We want the doctors and health workers to be felicitated with the Padma awards this year in recognition of their work and as a gesture of gratitude towards them," the CM said. Many doctors and health workers contracted COVID-19 and lost their lives while saving people from the virus. The whole country and humanity are indebted to them, he said. (PTI)
The COVID-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh mounted to 46,357 as 490 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said on Tuesday. The death toll rose to 218 after two more persons from the Capital Complex Region and Tawang, succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. The two COVID-19 patients died while undergoing treatment at health facilities, and they had comorbidities, he said. The Capital Complex Region registered the highest number of fresh cases at 136, followed by Papumpare (35), Changlang (34), Lohit (32), Lower Subansiri and Upper Subansiri (31 each), West Kameng (27), Tawang (20), Namsai (19), West Siang (18) and Kamle (16). At least 460 new cases were detected through rapid antigen test, 20 through RT-PCR and 10 through TrueNat method, the SSO said, adding that 269 people have symptoms of COVID-19. At least 435 people were cured of the disease on Monday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 41,820, he said. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 90.21 per cent. (PTI)
The COVID-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh mounted to 46,357 as 490 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said on Tuesday. The death toll rose to 218 after two more persons from the Capital Complex Region and Tawang, succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said. The two COVID-19 patients died while undergoing treatment at health facilities, and they had comorbidities, he said. The Capital Complex Region registered the highest number of fresh cases at 136, followed by Papumpare (35), Changlang (34), Lohit (32), Lower Subansiri and Upper Subansiri (31 each), West Kameng (27), Tawang (20), Namsai (19), West Siang (18) and Kamle (16). At least 460 new cases were detected through rapid antigen test, 20 through RT-PCR and 10 through TrueNat method, the SSO said, adding that 269 people have symptoms of COVID-19. At least 435 people were cured of the disease on Monday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 41,820, he said. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 90.21 per cent. (PTI)
Total antibody levels start to wane six weeks after complete immunisation with Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, and can reduce by more than 50 per cent over 10 weeks, according to study published in The Lancet journal. The researchers from University College London (UCL) in the UK noted that if the antibody levels carry on dropping at this rate, there are concerns that the protective effects of the vaccines may also begin to wear off, particularly against new variants. However, they said, how soon that might happen cannot be predicted yet. The UCL Virus Watch study also found that antibody levels are substantially higher following two doses of the Pfizer vaccine than after two shots of the AstraZeneca preventive, known as Covishield in India. Antibody levels were also much higher in vaccinated people than those with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, they said. "The levels of antibody following both doses of either the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine were initially very high, which is likely to be an important part of why they are so protective against severe COVID-19," said Madhumita Shrotri from UCL Institute of Health Informatics. "However, we found these levels dropped substantially over the course of two to three months," Shrotri said in a statement. The findings based on data from over 600 people aged 18 and above were consistent across all groups of people regardless of age, chronic illnesses or sex, according to the researchers. (PTI)
Fiji's leader is urging people to get vaccinated as the island nation contends with a devastating outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus. Relative to its population of less than 1 million people, Fiji's outbreak is currently among the worst in the world. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the nation's mission was to vaccinate 80% of adults by the end of October. About 47% of Fijians have had at least one vaccination dose. He said "lies, misinformation, and unholy insanity" about the vaccine were endangering people. Fiji has reported a record 1,285 new cases in its latest daily update. It has reported 193 deaths since the outbreak began in April. (AP)
Australia's second-most populous city Melbourne will end its fifth lockdown on Tuesday with the Victoria state government declaring it had beaten an outbreak of the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant for a second time. The five-day lockdown across Victoria ends at 11:59 p.m., allowing schools, pubs and restaurants to reopen, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. But people will not be allowed to have visitors in their homes for another two weeks. "This lockdown ... sends a very clear message that we have seen off two delta outbreaks," Andrews said. "I don't think there's a jurisdiction in the world that has been able to achieve that, and every Victorian should be proud of that." Sydney, Australia's most populous city where the delta outbreak began in mid-June when a limousine driver was infected while transporting a U.S. air crew from the airport, remains in lockdown indefinitely after more than four weeks. The new outbreak has claimed 10 lives. The New South Wales state government on Tuesday reported 172 new infections in the latest 24-hour period, a new daily record. Victoria reported 10 new cases on Tuesday, but all had been in isolation while they were infectious. (AP)
Puducherry registered 113 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday raising the tally to 1,20,530 while one more person succumbed to the deadly virus taking the toll to 1,791. The new cases were identified at the end of examination of 5124 samples and the fresh cases were spread over Puducherry 75, Karaikal 13, Yanam 5 and Mahe 20. A 51-year-old man hailing from Karaikal died of the viral infection in a hospital in neighbouring Tamil Nadu during the last twenty-four hours. He had no co morbidity. Director of Health and Family Welfare Services S Mohan Kumar said while 98 patients recovered during last 24 hours, the overall recoveries in the Union Territory so far stood at 1,17,816. (PTI)
The Catholic Church has converted a pastoral centre in Jakarta into an isolation ward to care for COVID-19 patients in the Indonesian capital as it battles an devastating second wave of the pandemic that has overrun hospitals. Nearly 90 nuns, priests and other carers are looking after around 60 patients in the Samadi centre, said Father Yustinus Ardianto, a Catholic priest in charge at the facility. "For me, the healing process is not just about medicines, but also a comfortable environment," said Father Yustinus, who has himself recovered from the coronavirus. Encircling a central garden, there are 75 rooms at Samadi with most of the patients suffering milder COVID-19 symptoms. Around 70 people have been treated and returned home, Father Yustinus said. (Reuters)
Underlining the need for an effective mechanism to address global inequity of COVID-19 vaccines, India has said that vaccination drive is needed to address further mutation and offered to share its CoWIN platform as "digital public good to the world". The UN Security Council, under the French Presidency, held closed consultations on Resolution 2565 on the COVID-19 situation on Monday. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti tweeted that in the Security Council consultations on COVID-19, he said "need effective mechanism to address global #vaccine inequity; need #vaccination drive to address, interalia, further mutation; address public resistance through facts and India offers #COWIN as digital public good to the world." COWIN is India's technology platform for COVID vaccination. (PTI)
Olympics host city Tokyo is requesting hospitals to prepare more beds for COVID-19 patients as the Japanese capital grapples with spreading infection, broadcaster TBS said on Tuesday. With hospitals admitting growing numbers of COVID patients, Tokyo aims to increase the number of beds to 6,406 by early next month from 5,967 now, TBS said. Hospitals should look at pushing back planned surgery and scaling down other treatment, the broadcaster said, citing a notice to medical institutions from city authorities. Daily infections in the capital, which has seen an influx of overseas visitors for the Tokyo Games, doubled to 1,429 on Monday from a week earlier. While a vaccination drive is boosting protection for the oldest citizens most likely to need emergency care if they fall ill, just 36% of the population has received least one shot, a Reuters vaccination tracker shows. (Reuters)
Olympics host city Tokyo is requesting hospitals to prepare more beds for COVID-19 patients as the Japanese capital grapples with spreading infection, broadcaster TBS said on Tuesday. With hospitals admitting growing numbers of COVID patients, Tokyo aims to increase the number of beds to 6,406 by early next month from 5,967 now, TBS said. Hospitals should look at pushing back planned surgery and scaling down other treatment, the broadcaster said, citing a notice to medical institutions from city authorities. Daily infections in the capital, which has seen an influx of overseas visitors for the Tokyo Games, doubled to 1,429 on Monday from a week earlier. While a vaccination drive is boosting protection for the oldest citizens most likely to need emergency care if they fall ill, just 36% of the population has received least one shot, a Reuters vaccination tracker shows. (Reuters)
The Czech Republic is donating 30,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan, the island's president said on Tuesday, praising the central European country for taking a step that could irritate China. "This manifests again that Taiwan and Czech are not only firm partners on the path of freedom and democracy, but also that a friend in need is a good friend indeed," Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in a statement announcing the vaccine donation. (Reuters)
Moderna pushed back its late-July vaccine shipment schedule for South Korea to August, South Korean health official Lee Sang-won told a briefing on Tuesday. (Reuters)
South Korea on Tuesday launched COVID-19 vaccinations for workers at key computer chip and electronic businesses to minimise disruptions in the global supply chain amid struggles to keep up with its inoculation schedule. Major tech companies including Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Samsung Display Co, SK Hynix Inc and LG Display Co Ltd and their suppliers began in-house vaccination for their employees on Tuesday, the companies' spokesmen told Reuters. The government approved the companies' internal vaccination plans last month. The vaccination program will target over 303,000 workers in about 40 companies with in-house clinics, the Yonhap News Agency reported. The move occurs amid a global chip shortage that has affected manufacturers around the world, particularly automakers. Samsung and SK Hynix are the world's top two memory chip makers. (Reuters)
There has been an alarming number of mucormycosis or black fungus cases in active and recovered Covid-19 patients. In May, the Centre had even asked all states to notify the disease as an epidemic. Now, it has emerged that many recovered Covid-19 patients who had been diagnosed with mucormycosis opted for leech therapy after trying conventional methods. Leech therapy is an Ayurvedic practice that relies on a blood purification process to let out the toxic blood from the body. Medicinal leeches are used to suck out the impure blood and then release enzymes that support immunity. READ FULL STORY
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After suspending the proposed clinical trials of Bharat Bioetchs COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, Brazil has now scrapped the Emergency Use Authorisation request made by the Indian company for the jab. The Brazilian health regulator's decisioncomesafter the vaccine maker informed the South American country about thetermination of its pact with its partners in that country. According to a statement issued by the National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil, Anvisa, its Collegiate Board on Saturday unanimously decided "to close the process that dealt with the temporary authorization of emergency use, on an experimental basis, of the Covaxin vaccine". READ MORE
India reports 29,689 fresh COVID cases, 42,363 recoveries, and 415 deaths in the past 24 hours Active cases: 3,98,100Total recoveries: 3,06,21,469 Death toll: 4,21,382Total vaccination: 44,19,12,395 (ANI)
India reported 29,689 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said on Tuesday, for the lowest daily rise since March 17, according to a Reuters tally. India's total of 31.44 million infections now ranks second only to the United States. (Reuters)
Thane has added 305 new cases of coronavirus, raising the infection count in the Maharashtra district to 5,43,240, an official said on Tuesday. Besides these new cases reported on Monday, the virus also claimed the lives of 11 more people, which took the death toll in the district to 10,988, he said. The COVID-19 mortality rate in Thane stood at 2.02 per cent, he added. In neighbouring Palghar district, the COVID-19 case count has gone up to 1,29,299, while the death toll has reached 3,117, another official said. (PTI)
The COVID-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 7,530 on Tuesday as one more person tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said. Two more persons were cured of the disease, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,387, it said. The Union territory now has 14 active cases, while 129 patients have succumbed to the infection to date. The administration has tested over 4.32 lakh samples for COVID-19, and inoculated over 2.76 lakh people thus far, the bulletin added. (PTI)
COVID19 | Mizoram reported 9,531 active cases, 137 deaths, and 212 new recoveries, yesterday. Recovery rate at 71.09% and total cases at 33,452 (ANI)
Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Monday inaugurated a portable hospital with 100 beds at the Government Hospital here in Jalna district and said the state administration is making all necessary arrangements to deal with a possible third wave of coronavirus. Inaugurating the portable hospital, called 'Medicab', Tope said it has 92 general and eight ICU beds. The hospital will help the existing 350-bed Government Hospital in Jalna in treating COVID-19 patients, the minister said. The portable medical unit can be moved and installed anywhere according to need and availability of space, he said. "In view of a possible third wave of COVID-19, we have to make necessary preparations in terms of adequate medical facilities, liquid oxygen plants and a robust health infrastructure," Tope added. (PTI)